Make-Up Course Overview

Makeup artists can work one-on-one with private clients for consultations or special occasions. They might also work on film, television or photography sets or in theater settings.

Students explore skin care, and various methods of makeup application, including bridal wear, traditional, day or night and corrective makeup.

Here are a few common concepts found in makeup classes:

• Colors
• Skin tones
• Techniques
• Brow shaping
• Lip and cheek
• Styling
• Presentation
• Bondo transfers

In this required class, makeup artists practice beauty and corrective cosmetic applications for eyes, lips, cheeks and skin. Makeup courses include learning the appropriate makeup looks for everyday, special occasions and high fashion print and digital photography.

Students enrolled in makeup courses use foundation, powder, blush, eyeshadow, mascara, eyeliner, lip pencil and lipstick. Classroom demonstration learning focuses on face shapes and skin tones, color theory, application styles and cosmetic trends.

Airbrushing Course

This elective class teaches students how to use an airbrush machine to apply the appropriate airbrushing techniques for face and body. Airbrushing skills include makeup and tanning applications, as well as coloring prosthetics for use in special effects or film, theater and television makeup.

This class is usually taken after the basic makeup class and may be taken before, concurrent with, or after special effects or stage makeup classes.

Stage Makeup Course

Makeup for the theater, film and television stage is the focus of this required class. Students learn to work with directors and explore how makeup appears under theatrical lighting and on film and video.
Makeup artists often work on developing historical and horror makeup application styles.

They practice creating bruises, abrasions and injuries with makeup. Using cosmetics and prosthetics, they practice applying aging effects on actors. Students learn to add body and facial hair, as well as conceal it with bald caps and other methods.

Special Effects Makeup Course

Special effects makeup, also known as SFX makeup, is learned in both classroom and lab settings. In this course, typically required, makeup artists focus on cosmetic applications for the face and body.

The processes for prosthetic casting, painting and sculpting are taught, and students get to practice working with silicone, latex and foam rubber. Special effects work includes building multiple-piece looks using makeup, prosthetics and hair to achieve complex effects.