Make-up Artistry: Is Make-up an art?

A delve into the world of make-up artistry

Often believed to just be a mask or a tool for the vain – a façade for self-esteem. However, make-up in its core is an expression of creativity and beauty. Everyday make-up is used by hundreds of thousands of people around the world. Make-up holds a fluid position in society. Some people use make-up to correct flaws or accentuate one’s natural beauty and some use make-up to experiment and create new looks every time.

Comparing ‘artists’ to ‘make-up artists’

For make-up artists, make-up products are their medium and faces and bodies are their canvas. Like traditional painters, make-up artists create lines and shapes on their canvas to transform the image that is being perceived. Sharp precise lines are used for eyeliner and lips, and blending techniques help marry blush, bronzer, contour and eyeshadow.

As with most artists, colour theory is used in every make-up application. The ability to even out skin tones and correctly match foundation shades is an important skill. Furthermore, the knowledge of colour theory allows make-up artists to complement their client’s make-up to their hair, eye and skin colours of different shades.

When you hear paints, pigments and palettes what job comes to mind? Both painters and make-up artists share a similar arsenal of tools. Our paints and pigments come in the form of eyeshadow and cream palettes, our brushes all have different roles and purposes in helping us ‘paint’ someone’s face or body.

Examples of make-up artistry

From films to magazines, weddings and billboards on the highway, the art of make-up is everywhere you look. Social media is full of beauty gurus and make-up artists that hone their craft in a somewhat saturated market. These influencers often keep up with make-up trends and add their own twist to their make-up to differentiate their work from others on the platform. Creating new content includes improving one’s skills the ability to constantly create new and unique pieces of art.

In the entertainment industry, make-up is used heavily. From colour correcting the male actors to crafting fantasy creatures from your wildest dreams with paints and prosthetics. Almost everyone that appears on set under the heavy stage lights will be wearing make-up. With a lot of actors, the goal is to define their key features without making it look like they are wearing make-up, which is a very difficult task with today’s 4K cameras. Through the special effects side of make-up, the artist can completely transform the shape, colour and features of an actor.

By understanding the fluid force that make-up holds in our society, we can move to pass the stigma that people pledge to cosmetics. Every face and body create a new blank canvas for a make-up artists to express their ever-changing art. As the world grows more open-minded and accepting with perceptions of beauty becoming more diverse the scope of this versatile art form will widen.

Are you interested in exploring the world of make-up and letting your creative side thrive? Why not enrol in a make-up course! There are a variety of short makeup courses available in Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne – or online short course options to study from home – to dip your toes into the world of make-up or enrol in a Diploma of Screen and Media where you will learn everything you need to know to be a make-up artist on movie productions.