Make Up Artistry is a highly creative career which uses the human body as a canvas to apply make up or special effects.
Skin analysis and skincare is studied alongside cosmetic science. Different application and preparation techniques are taught for use in varied settings. These include airbrushing, face and body painting, contouring, stenciling, high definition, character and creative make up.
You will also learn about colour science, new technologies and how to create often striking special effects including scars, wounds, aging, fantasy characters and prosthetics. The Academy Awards have recognised the talent of Make Up Artists awarding an Oscar for the Best Make Up and Hairstyling for the all-digital prosthetic in the film “The Whale”. This career requires both good technical and communication skills as you will be working closely with your customers sometimes over a prolonged period of time in the case of special effects make up that can take hours to apply.
Most beauty therapy courses include a module on make up artistry. There are a wide range of beauty therapy courses from private and further education colleges. You may prefer to go straight into Make Up Artistry and applications for the one year course are accepted from Leaving Certificate students or mature applicants with no formal qualifications who are individually assessed on their suitability. A list of Make Up Artistry courses is available using the Course Finder tool here.
Professional Make Up or Special Effects Artists can work freelance or in a wide variety of workplace settings such as Fashion, Retail, Photography, Media, Mortuary Services, TV, Film and Theatre including Ireland’s thriving film industry. You may decide to set up an online business like the professional make up artists featured here.
The close relationships with your customers and the practical nature of Make Up Artistry means that it can be both physically and emotionally demanding so you need to look after your own well-being. If you are a sociable person you will enjoy meeting new people every day and gain great satisfaction in using your imagination to create new looks or special effects.