THE EXCITING ROLE TO BECOMING A MAKEUP ARTIST
By Maurice Stein, Founder, Cinema Secrets, Inc.Throughout
Some of the most important things you should consider down the road to becoming a makeup artist is the proper kind of education. Whether you want to be a makeup artist in a beauty salon, spa, Esthetic Industry, Medical Industry, or if you also want to branch out and specifically be a makeup artist in the Entertainment Industry, my suggestion is to always have the strongest background that you can. The best background that you can have is to attend a school where you can get a license as a makeup artist.
In some states, it is an Esthetic License. In some states, it is the whole Cosmetology License. Once you get that, then you can start taking the additional courses that you need for the specialty area that you want to pursue. The advantage of having a license by the state is that, for instance, if you want to be an esthetic makeup artist, it is the only way to go. If you want to be a makeup artist in the Entertainment Industry – film, television, still photography, theatre – today there are not as many jobs as there are makeup artists, so it stands to reason you will probably not be working 12 months out of the year.
But, if you have a license by the state, and you can work in a salon, spa or medical facility, then on the days or weeks that you are not working in the Entertainment Industry, you could be based and working on a cosmetology based business. Quite often, this is to your advantage, because when working in a salon or a spa, and they know that you work part time in the Entertainment Industry – that adds a lot of credibility to you as a makeup artist.
While attending school, one of the smartest things you can do is to go to as many trade shows as possible - not to just walk on the floor and try to see what you can but that will save you money – but you should be taking advantage of the different kids of classes that are being held at the trade shows all over the country. The price that you pay to enter the show, whether it be $20.00 or $30.00 a day, and if you can go to 2 or even 3 classes a day, that is the cheapest form of advanced education that you are going to get anywhere.
Once you finish your schooling and get your state license, then you can look into the various types of schools that are around. You can then decide what area of specialty you want to do – if you want to work on bridal makeup, if you want to work on doing photography makeup, which ties in with bridal makeup. The best thing you can do is to check out the different types of schools, depending on your budget, depending on the length of time that you can afford to take off to continue your schooling. Once that is done, and you have taken some of these courses, the best thing you can do is try to work as an apprentice or an assistant for anybody who is established. That does not mean that you have to work for nothing. It means that you are now in your second or third phase of learning, and you should be willing to accept a very low wage, because now you are in a period where you are at least being paid for what you are learning.
Also, the most important tool that you should own is a camera that will take close-ups for you. All of the work that you do should be photographed by you. Don’t wait or expect somebody else to do that. Only shoot pictures from the neck up. The face should be the focal point of your portfolio pictures. When I am looking at somebody’s portfolio, and they are showing me a picture of a model, if I can see the shoes or I an see the belt buckle on the waist, then I can’t waste my time looking at that face, because there is not enough definition. If you are doing a photo session where there is clothing involved, it is okay to have one picture like that, but you must have a close-up for somebody to examine. Those are the only kind of pictures that somebody like myself looks at when we are deciding on your qualifications to work with us.
Once you feel qualified to be able to apply makeup to somebody else in a professional or semi-professional method, one of the best ways to get started is to look in the area where you work or live, and if there are any local theatre groups where you can volunteer your time, this does several things for you. It starts building you a reputation as a makeup artist, when the public realizes that you can do makeup that is considered theatrical, as well as salon, or bridal makeup. You are many times looked upon as an above average makeup artist. Also, you are going to meet some actors and would-be actors, and you will get a chance to start infiltrating into the Entertainment Industry that way. If you have children or e-mail people who have children, and they have carnivals or various functions at schools, volunteer to work in the face painting booth. Again, this gives you a chance to practice your professional skills. Nobody is going to complain, because they are usually kids or people who are having fun doing this, but it gives you a chance to learn how to coordinate your time and to create new methods of application for yourself.
Networking is very important. You don’t necessarily have to join one of the large Entertainment Industry Unions in order to work in the Entertainment Industry. There are quite a few of what they refer to as “non union jobs”. Sometimes when you are working as a beginner, helping on one of these non union jobs, the features or the television shows that are non union do a reversal, and they become a union association. When they do, many times, all of the people who are non union who are working on that production are allowed to join the union.
In working on some of these projects in schools or parks and churches, synagogues – any of these organizations that put on plays during Easter, during Christmas time – anything like that is where you can get some practice to learn how to coordinate your time and how to work with many different types of cosmetics. This is the best kind of education that you can get. I was particularly lucky, because several times, I was “in the right place at the right time”, and I had people watching my work. They eventually became Mentors to me. The Mentors I had were – it turns out – some of the top people in the Entertainment Industry at the time. One
Mentor
I had was the man who created the original “Planet of the Apes”. His name was John Chambers, and I was lucky enough to be on his Academy Award winning crew for the first “Planet of the Apes”. I learned many, many things in those days that helped to quality me as a Special Effects makeup Artist. But, on the other hand, another
Mentor
of mine was Head of the Makeup Department for NBC. His name was Harry Blake. Harry Blake was famous for working with dancers and doing all kinds of exotic eyes and high fashion makeup. Some of the people who Harry Blake worked on became people who I ended up working with, because of him – Dean Martin, Ann Margaret, Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope – people of that stature.
Harry Merritt was the Head of CBS Makeup Department, and he was also known for his beauty makeup. One of his most famous women that he worked with for many, many years was Doris Day. I was lucky enough to work with Harry when I was starting in the business, and there was more than one time when the model who I was working on was Doris Day. Well, Harry Merritt was giving me pointers. Again, I was “in the right place at the right time”. Harry was also known, for what we refer to as his hair work – doing beards and mustaches, artificial ones that we would glue on to the face. Or, we would put on individual hairs, one or two or three hairs at a time to create a very natural looking beard. Again, I was very lucky, because I had a
Mentor
who worked with me for several years, showing me all of the aspects of what we know as Special Effects Makeup. I met a
Mentor
who showed me many, many things about beauty, fashion and exotic makeup – another
Mentor
who taught me everything that I feel I know today about doing what we refer to as “hair work”.
So, offering your professional or semi-professional services when you first start out is probably going to be one of the smartest things you can do. You have to use common sense and not just give your services away – month after month – after month. You have to know when you are ready to break away and go out on your own.
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Brush Cleaning Technique
I remember starting out as a new professional artist and purchasing my first bottle of brush cleaner. It was a horrible base of some chemical that is no longer allowed, it cleaned the brushes and afterward I noticed the brush was just not the same. I noticed that my brushes were not lasting a long time. And, no one ever told me how to actually clean and sterilize a brush for more applications.
OK, at this point a little boasting about our brush cleaner. Cinema Secrets developed brush cleaner with 3 things in mind. First, it needed to clean brushes thoroughly. Secondly, it needed to sanitize brushes and condition them. And thirdly, it needed to dry very quickly so the brush can be used again without waiting for it to dry.
Cleaning Brushes is actually simple. Start by removing all of the excess makeup from the brush by wiping it on a cloth of towel. Then pour a small amount of brush cleaner into the Black Jar or Brush Cleaner Tin, and place only the tip into the Brush Cleaner. Remove, wipe and repeat. Allow the brush to dry for about a minute. For larger brushes like powder and blush, do the same way. You will have a longer drying time for larger brushes - but, you will end up with a brush that is clean and is completely free from bacteria. Cinema Secrets Brush Cleaner is the only one that removes all bacteria! Proof on file!
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Maurice Stein inducted into the National Cosmetology Association Hall of the Renown
 NCA President, Robert James, read the following excerpts at the recent Americas’ Banquet held during the NCA’s 84th Annual Convention: Maurice Stein of Burbank, California, who is known as the, “Maestro of Makeup Education” and a pioneer of inventive makeup techniques for some of the most famous faces in Hollywood and the world, was honored for bringing his knowledge to the beauty industry. A “magician with a makeup brush”, “Maurice created a thriving business that quickly grew into a makeup training school, full service salon, special effect and prosthetics studio, theatrical costume shop and beauty supply emporium. He was also recognized as a member of the award winning team of makeup artists for the original movie “Planet of the Apes”; the only makeup artist inducted into the he California Cosmetology Hall of Fame; a member of the California Hair Fashion Committee; past President of the Society of Makeup Artist and Vice President of the Makeup Artists and Hairstyling Union and a member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Screen Actors Guild. For the last twelve years, Maurice has directed his talents to individuals in need, including participation in NCA’s Look Good ... Feel Better program.”
The National Cosmetology Association (NCA) is the largest organization of salon professionals in the world. Its mission, since its inception in 1920, has been and continues to be to ensure that working salon professionals have the tools and resources available to create career success with integrity.
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