What local and regional theaters lack in money they make up for in creativity. The actors know that beyond learning lines, meeting marks, and striking the right tone, they will also be responsible to getting themselves ready for the stage. That means learning how to apply theater makeup in such a way that the character they are portraying is believable. Newcomers make common mistakes that pros can help them avoid.
You might be great at making yourself up for work or a night out, but creating an effective appearance for the stage is something else entirely. The stage is not the place for cosmetic understatement. The lights will completely wash out subtlety. A good foundation is key, as is remembering to apply it to your neck as well as face. If you aren't sure about the right color, you can ask a store consultant at your department store's cosmetic counter.
In order to create a dramatic effect you will need a good set of eyelashes. Cheap eyelashes never fit correctly, and they itch. You don't want to be worrying about whether or not your eyelashes are falling off when you are in the middle of a dramatic moment. Brown, gold, and pink eye shadows are good, and liquid eyeliner works better than a pencil.
Highlighting your facial structure can be very effective, but you don't want to overdo it. A lot of inexperienced actors are too conservative with blush. They're afraid they'll look like clowns, not realizing the stage lights will wash them out unless blush applied with a liberal brush. You must remember to fill in your eyebrows as well. Blondes need extra applications of filler.
If you get a good role that calls for you to be shot or knifed, you will need to know how to create the effect of an open wound. A simple trick is to apply liquid latex around the wound. Once removed the puckered skin can be painted or smudged with red and black eye shadow to create the effect of blood.
Shading black, yellow, and purple eye shadow to get the effect of bruising is all you need if your character gets mixed up in a fight or runs into a door. The actual colors you use will depend on the age of the bruise. Just like in real life fresh bruises are red, black and purple. The skin turns yellowish as the bruise ages.
If you're lucky, at some point you will have to stretch you acting abilities to include an aging character. To get into the role you can use liquid latex, or school glue, to create wrinkles. When the latex dries, pull it off and smooth foundation over the creases. Be sure to get plenty of foundation in the creases as well.
You might never be famous, but you can have a lot of fun creating characters for the stage. It can be a wonderful creative outlet. Learning how to apply makeup effectively will add to your enjoyment of the process.
You might be great at making yourself up for work or a night out, but creating an effective appearance for the stage is something else entirely. The stage is not the place for cosmetic understatement. The lights will completely wash out subtlety. A good foundation is key, as is remembering to apply it to your neck as well as face. If you aren't sure about the right color, you can ask a store consultant at your department store's cosmetic counter.
In order to create a dramatic effect you will need a good set of eyelashes. Cheap eyelashes never fit correctly, and they itch. You don't want to be worrying about whether or not your eyelashes are falling off when you are in the middle of a dramatic moment. Brown, gold, and pink eye shadows are good, and liquid eyeliner works better than a pencil.
Highlighting your facial structure can be very effective, but you don't want to overdo it. A lot of inexperienced actors are too conservative with blush. They're afraid they'll look like clowns, not realizing the stage lights will wash them out unless blush applied with a liberal brush. You must remember to fill in your eyebrows as well. Blondes need extra applications of filler.
If you get a good role that calls for you to be shot or knifed, you will need to know how to create the effect of an open wound. A simple trick is to apply liquid latex around the wound. Once removed the puckered skin can be painted or smudged with red and black eye shadow to create the effect of blood.
Shading black, yellow, and purple eye shadow to get the effect of bruising is all you need if your character gets mixed up in a fight or runs into a door. The actual colors you use will depend on the age of the bruise. Just like in real life fresh bruises are red, black and purple. The skin turns yellowish as the bruise ages.
If you're lucky, at some point you will have to stretch you acting abilities to include an aging character. To get into the role you can use liquid latex, or school glue, to create wrinkles. When the latex dries, pull it off and smooth foundation over the creases. Be sure to get plenty of foundation in the creases as well.
You might never be famous, but you can have a lot of fun creating characters for the stage. It can be a wonderful creative outlet. Learning how to apply makeup effectively will add to your enjoyment of the process.
About the Author:
You can get an overview of the factors to consider when purchasing theater makeup kits and view our selection of kits at http://www.taylormaidbeautyandtheatrical.com/about-us right now.
