Higher education make-up artist. Unusual profession: hair stylist

Makeup artist(from oldital. grimo- wrinkled) is a master who masters the art of transforming an actor’s appearance with the help of paints, stickers and other tricks. The profession is suitable for those who are interested in drawing, world artistic culture and work and economy (see choosing a profession based on interest in school subjects).

Features of the profession

The make-up artist works with the actor's face, and sometimes, if necessary for the role, he selects a wig, mustache, etc. A specialist in the manufacture of wigs, false beards and mustaches is called a postiger (French postiche artificial, fake). Therefore, a make-up artist is also called a make-up artist. Although most often post-made products are prepared in special workshops. The make-up artist, developing the make-up for the future performance, orders the necessary wigs, etc.

Even before the start of the performance or the filming process, he thinks through all the necessary details of the makeup so that the result corresponds to the director’s plans. We have to take into account the silhouette of the face, characteristic features, features of the costume, lighting that is planned to be used on the stage or film set. On the day of the performance or filming, the make-up artist works on the actor’s face, trying to be in time for the start of the performance.

Make-up can be picturesque and plastic (volumetric). Painterly makeup can seriously change your appearance, highlight certain features, and add new ones. In combination with glued-on eyebrows or a mustache, this gives a great effect. But the pinnacle of makeup art is plastic makeup. It has the ability to make a person completely unrecognizable, turning them into someone else.

When the film about Vladimir Vysotsky “Thank You for Being Alive” was released, the film crew and producers kept the name of the leading actor secret for some time. The intrigue was a success, because without a hint to find out the main thing

the hero of Sergei Bezrukov was almost impossible.

Regardless of whether painterly or plastic makeup is applied, it should make the face bright so that its details are visible from the gallery. However, makeup is not a mask. By changing his appearance, he preserves the actor’s ability to express feelings through facial expressions. Without this, acting is impossible.

When the performance or filming is over, the makeup needs to be removed, the beards need to be peeled off (they are attached with special glue or mastic), placed in special boxes, and the wigs pulled onto special blanks. The make-up artist monitors their condition, and when they wear out, he orders new ones.

On television, it would be more correct to call a make-up artist a make-up artist or simply a make-up artist. A makeup artist works magic on the appearance of TV presenters and studio guests, but his task is not to transform a person, but to emphasize the merits of his appearance and obscure the shortcomings.

Workplace

A make-up artist can work in the theater, circus, film and television studios.

Salary

Salary as of 02/19/2020

Moscow 130000—150000 ₽

Important qualities

The profession of a make-up artist requires a creative attitude to work, artistic abilities, good visual memory, subtle color perception, and good fine motor skills. And also contact, friendliness, accuracy.

Knowledge and skills

A make-up artist or make-up artist must master the techniques of applying different types of make-up, creating hairstyles, storing wigs, false mustaches, etc.

PASTIGER a, m. pastiche. Pastiger-make-up artist. Sl. zan. 1988. Natalya Sergeevna carried out two men's
old tombstone. // NS 1997 9 61. Pastiger-make-up artist. Sl. zan. 2002.

Hair patches. I realized that she pastizhier- homemaker, makes custom wigs. N. Cherkashin Mystery

A postizher is a master who makes hair products: wigs, hairpieces, beards, etc. Such specialists are in demand in theaters and cinema, where they create real masterpieces for actors. Hairdressers are also needed in everyday life: for those who are struggling with the effects of chemotherapy or are rapidly going bald, a good wig from a real master is the way out of a difficult situation.

Where to study

The theory of making wigs is studied in theater and art departments of colleges and universities, for example, in the specialty “Makeup Artist”. The work of a post-maker is closely intertwined with the work of a make-up artist, costume designer, and artist.

Alexander Zvonkin, director of the House of Peoples' Friendship Theater: “In our team, the position of a post-production artist is combined with a make-up artist; We, unfortunately, cannot afford to pay a separate rate. And for the same reason - lack of funding - in most cases we are forced to use ready-made wigs, and on their basis our craftswomen create the necessary props.”

Qualities of a master

Patience, patience and more patience - these are the main qualities of a master post-master. Creating one wig takes from three weeks to a month, and most of the time is devoted to carefully weaving the hairs into the base.

Another important feature of a postager is the ability to search for and work with information. For what? To make a wig for a historical performance, you need knowledge of the fashion and style of the relevant era. So, before making a wig or hairpiece, the hairdresser has to look for information about what Ivan the Terrible’s contemporaries looked like or what hairstyles were in fashion at the court of Louis XIV.

Each wig, hairpiece, beard or sideburns is individual, each item is made “for the actor” or customer, that is, taking into account the anthropometric data of the person.

How to make a wig

Making a wig is long and painstaking work. Hair intended for making a wig is first thoroughly washed, dried and disinfected. If the wig is dyed in the future, the strands will also be bleached. Then the card comes into play - a tool somewhat similar to a hair brush. Using a card, the hair is straightened and divided into strands. The finished strands are collected into tresses - long “garlands”, which will become the basis of the wig. Using a special machine, but more often by hand, the hair is woven at one end into synthetic threads; the free ends of the hair will become curls of the wig. One wig requires 12 meters of such “hair thread” - tress. It takes up to two weeks to weave a tress of the required length.

By the way, the hair does not have to be natural: many theatrical productions require fake, grotesque wigs, which are made from synthetic threads or animal hair. Natural hair is usually much more expensive, but wigs made from them are indistinguishable from the original.

Alina Mamaeva, stylist: “Working with natural hair is both more difficult and easier. Yes, synthetic ones fit better, but a “natural” wig turns out natural.”

The next step is making the base cap. In professional slang, such a cap is called a “monture.” To begin with, the maker takes measurements and makes patterns - patterns for the cap; without this step it is impossible to guarantee the perfection of the future wig. The monture is sewn from a special mesh fabric, more precisely, non-woven fabric. The finished cap is put on a blank and a tress thread from the hair is sewn to it. A beard or sideburns also require their own pattern - and making such patterns is almost more difficult than for a head. A beard stand is called a chin rest.

And now the most difficult part begins - tambouring. Each hair from the tress must be pulled with a special hook into the hole of the monture and secured with a tiny knot. Fixed in this way, the hair looks “alive”, as if growing from a base cap.

Is the wig ready now? Not yet: hair needs to be cut, combed and styled. The skills of a hairdresser are in many ways similar to those of a hairdresser. After all, a freshly made wig is far from the desired image. Shaggy, with uneven strands sticking out - and you can’t say that after a few hours the forest monster’s hairstyle will turn out to be a nice and neat style. Curling irons, tongs, curlers, varnishes, foams, gels - almost the entire arsenal of an experienced hairdresser-stylist is used. And no wonder - a wig needs to be cut and styled just like natural hair.

Caring for a wig also requires special skills. Just like your natural hair, hair extensions need to be washed, dried and styled. This work also falls on the shoulders of theater graduates.

Earnings

Despite all its “need”, the profession of a post-maker is paid quite low - from 6,000 to 15,000 rubles. Therefore, most masters are forced to combine two or even three specialties - for example, a costume designer or a make-up artist.

Alina Mamaeva, hair stylist, The Hollywood’s Art School, LA: “In Russia it’s difficult to make money making wigs. At the regional theater I received 8,000 rubles, and at the same time I worked for myself and “for that guy.” Working for the love of art is, of course, good, but you also need to feed your children something. Here in Los Angeles, my profession is considered very necessary and is well paid. True, before getting to Art School, for a long time I had to get by with random orders: I collaborated with beauty salons and small independent studios.”

However, as in any creative profession, it is also important to find your niche here. Tatyana Ledneva, the owner of a small hairdressing workshop, makes wigs for individual orders.

“I have already established a circle of “my” clients, and I am provided with work for a couple of months in advance. The cost of one wig according to individual standards reaches 40–60,000 rubles. It’s not that expensive when you take into account not only the cost of materials, but also the complexity of the work.”

Tatyana's clients are people who need a wig not only for medical reasons, but also who like to change their hairstyles, choosing a style for an evening dress.

Artists are real magicians who, with the help of their hands and just a few tools, work wonders, creating new images for people and helping to overcome difficulties that have arisen.

Maximum field work in a team and a little theory - these are the distinctive features of the curriculum in the specialty make-up artist, developed in our UHD Film and Television Training Center (UHD). We teach this hands-on course because we believe that the next generation of makeup artists has every opportunity to unleash their creative potential in the behind-the-scenes TV kitchen. This is facilitated by modern technologies, the growing popularity of daily television programs, and the desire of media persons to look 100% without Photoshop.

Why do you need a make-up artist on television?

Modern standards do not allow the director to show only the entire studio; close-ups of the host and characters are a mandatory part of the TV show. This means that the role of the make-up artist increases with each new season and, probably, will not lose its relevance in the future.

The profession allows a makeup artist to change the shape of a human face using paints, wigs, and so on. And in this, its artistic task is similar to the craft in the theater, cinema or circus. But the work of a makeup artist on television is distinguished by its technical techniques: digital filming reflects reality with high clarity, that is, absolutely all defects on the skin are visible, and the specialist has no room for error.

Correcting facial physiology is not about covering up imperfections with a thick layer of paint and fashionable makeup, but about finding a solution for each specific character together with the operator. For example, even a very beautiful girl, but with a complex face texture, is better to shoot with soft focus than to sacrifice naturalness for the sake of gloss. That is, we hide conspicuous skin imperfections and remove shine, and the operator’s concern is choosing equipment that will “love” the person in the frame. This is where the complexity and beauty of our art lies.

What will you learn at our training center

During 12 months of makeup training, you, along with your classmates, will have time to understand: what the skills of a makeup artist, actor and television cameraman include; why a director is needed on set; What are the rules for working live? And most importantly, learn the technology of applying light makeup and techniques for a complete transformation.

We teach only experienced makeup artists. Therefore, a minimum of theory, all tasks will be carried out using the “reconnaissance in force” method. In practical classes, we will observe how makeup changes under the influence of light during the shooting process, and we will learn how to work on a green background (chromakey). In addition, we will undergo a baptism of fire as part of a real film crew, which will be formed from students of directing, television camera and other courses.

The mission of the make-up artist course is to instill in students all the skills necessary for success in the profession, provide basic knowledge on the subject, and teach interaction in a team of specialists.

Your knowledge and abilities will ultimately be tested by coursework and dissertation work. Photos of the preparation process and the diploma television film itself will become an excellent business card for a young specialist and the beginning of a professional portfolio.

Three directions in the work of a makeup artist

1. Hairdresser. After training, you will be able to style hair for both women and men. Hairstyle in our profession is a tool that allows us to accurately express a person’s individuality. We don't do holiday perms or everyday hair straightening simply because they are in fashion now. On the set, the makeup artist, first of all, fulfills the director’s task. The appearance of TV presenters must correspond to the format, genre and mood of the program. And the image of television film actors should be truthful and help the viewer to guess the character, emotional state and age of the hero.
2. Visagiste. Make-up specialists can use makeup to rejuvenate, age, beautify or disfigure a media person. Everything depends on the goals of the authors of the specific TV show for which the artist is putting on makeup. Very often, applicants think that our purpose is to make beauties and handsome men out of all the heroes, but in real work everything is a little different. Your professional baggage should include a wide palette of ideas for a wide variety of makeup.
3. Creator. They say that artists think in terms of color. And this is very similar to the truth. Every make-up artist sees first of all the color and lines that need to be strengthened, weakened or created. The image of all television figures without exception is in our fragile hands. Because depending on whether the cameraman guessed the angle, the lighting designer guessed the number of spotlights, and the makeup artist guessed the geometry of the face and the color combination within the image, the audience will either admire the beauty and attractiveness of the hero, or will discuss the shortcomings of the artist’s appearance.

Makeup training and the main professional secret...

As you gain experience, you will learn another important component of an artist’s skill - psychologically competent work with people. How to tell a foreign guest at a television studio that his face glares and requires additional makeup? How to explain to a theater and film star why you style your hair this way and not otherwise? Over time, you will understand what and how to talk to people who are nervous before filming. This is the secret of a professional makeup artist. It consists not only of the ability to do makeup, but also of the ability to present your work, smooth out corners in a conflict situation, and find an approach to every TV presenter or actor on the set.

The psychological mood of each of them depends on the makeup artist’s ability to keep his emotions under control. Whether the scene will be played well, whether the announcer will stumble on a difficult word, whether the singer will hit all the notes live - a lot on television depends on the makeup artist’s ability to cheer up a person before going to the front of the stage of the filming pavilion.

Details Updated: 01/21/2020 17:05

A make-up artist is a master who is fluent in the art of transforming an actor's appearance through the use of paints, stickers and other materials. If he is engaged in the manufacture of props, then he is called a post-maker.

The word “make-up” translated from ancient Greek means “wrinkle”. The emergence of European realistic makeup became possible thanks to ancient theater.

Profession make-up artist has been in demand for many centuries. Picturesque masks adorned the faces of theater actors until the 16th century. The founder of realistic makeup is considered to be the French actor, the tragedian Talma.

With the advent of cinema, some ideas regarding the reincarnation of heroes were borrowed from the theater. At first, theatrical makeup was often used on film sets.

With the advent of color film in the early 50s, its further use became almost impossible, because new requirements for makeup appeared: naturalness, inconspicuousness on the actor’s face, harmless components.

Features of the profession

Make-up artist is a true professional in the field of transformation. He actively assists actors in working on their images.

Read also: Beauty salon administrator

There are 2 types of makeup: pictorial and plastic (volumetric).

With the first type, you can radically change your appearance by emphasizing certain features.

A real masterpiece in the field of make-up art is plastic make-up. By using it, you can make a person completely unrecognizable.

It is imperative that the makeup makes the actor’s face expressive, and its details can be seen even from the gallery.

On television, it would be more appropriate to call a make-up artist a make-up artist - a make-up artist.

A professional makeup artist works hard on the faces of presenters and studio guests, but his duties include highlighting all the advantageous aspects of their appearance and hiding possible defects.

Responsibilities

Some time before the production or the start of filming, the make-up artist presents the smallest details of the make-up so that the result corresponds to the director's intention. In all cases, the master must take into account the silhouette of the actor’s face and characteristic features so that the image is in harmony with the stage costume.

Read also: Costumer

As a true specialist, he is obliged to instantly determine by the shape of his face exactly what props and materials he will need to achieve the desired result.

The make-up artist must also know the script well. At the initial stage of his work, the master needs to study the details in order to then begin selecting the most suitable image and appearance of the actors.

Before the very start of a production, performance or filming, you need to skillfully apply makeup, and at the end of it, you need to remove it, peel off beards, mustaches, remove wigs, put previously used props in their places. The make-up artist must constantly monitor their suitability for use, and when they lose their original appearance, order new copies.

Important qualities

Necessary qualities that a make-up artist must have:

• creative approach to work;
• excellent visual memory;
• concentration;
• accuracy;
• good fine motor skills;
• To communication skills;
• no allergies to the components that make up the makeup.

Skills and knowledge

Work as a make-up artist is impossible without the proper level of skills in applying various types of makeup, creating hairstyles, and storing working props in suitable conditions.