Last week I gave you a glimpse into the glamorous, or not so glamorous, life of a professional makeup artist and today I wanted to share with you how to become one. There is more than one way to the road of makeup artistry and no one path is better than the other. A good starting point would be to determine what type of work you are most interested in doing and then you can decide what skills you will need to acquire. Many makeup artists say they are self-taught, which is true to a degree even for me, but in reality they have spent many years honing their craft, practicing and assisting other more experienced artists.
There are several fields in makeup artistry that you can pursue; high fashion, catalogue and commercial, tv and movies, and weddings and special events. Some makeup artists do a little of everything and some specialize. Moving to the appropriate location is essential to someone pursuing a career in makeup artistry. In order to work as a high fashion makeup artist, you need to be in one of the high fashion cities, like NY, Paris, London and Milan. There is some fashion in LA and Miami but these markets are more catalogue and commercial markets and Red Carpet in LA. Many makeup artists spend a few months in each city. For movies and television, LA is the main market and Orlando to a lesser extent. The best thing about wedding and special event makeup is that you can set up your business in practically any location.
I started in the fashion industry as a model and I traveled to all of the big fashion cities, spending a few months at a time in each depending on the season. I had my makeup done by some of the industry’s finest and although I didn’t know I would become a makeup artist at the time, I did learn many tips from them. I always enjoyed the transformation process and of course all the products they used. When I finally decided it was time to look for another avenue in the industry as my days as a model were becoming numbered, I met a photographer who was starting out and she convinced me to help out with styling and makeup. Styling was not my cup of tea, but the makeup I loved. I started by doing test shoots (photoshoots just for building your portfolio) with as many photographers as I knew and eventually I had a portfolio large enough that I felt I could make appointments to meet agents. I started out with one of the best agents in Miami, by luck, and I assisted many great makeup artists, working on the sets of Vogue and campaigns for Armani. Some days all I did was wash brushes, but I took everything in and even made notes as to which products he used. One particular day, my job was to body paint male models clad in tight swim briefs! Tough job!
One particular day, my job was to body paint male models clad in tight swim briefs! Tough job!
As I mentioned before, not all paths to becoming a makeup artist are the same and so I spoke to my friend and fellow makeup artist, the talented Alexis Renny, about her start in the industry.
Interview with Alexis Renny,
Professional Makeup Artist
Colleen: What made you decide to become a makeup artist?
Alexis: An accident! I was in drama club and I really liked painting and I needed something to do to not be on stage. High school situation, I was very shy and didn’t want to be onstage and so I did makeup. From that experience, I felt at home and I could make people feel better about themselves. I liked the excitement of theater and creating characters etc. Actually, I was planning on becoming an architect.
Colleen: Did you study at a makeup school? And If you did (which I think you did…) Did you feel it helped you in your career and do you think it is essential? Do you recommend any?
Alexis: Yes I studied at the Make-up Designory in LA which is like the Yale of makeup schools. (Westmore academy is another one, but it closed.) Yes, it helped my career because I came from a small town and it was the only way to learn about film and TV makeup and production and live in a big city and meet other makeup artists and people in the industry. I don’t think that it is essential for everyone. Everyone learns differently and it’s a broad field. Special effects are important to learn in school and schools help you make connections. A good school will set you up working as an apprentice but for fashion or commercial work you could learn by finding a mentor and assisting makeup artists. Going to college and getting an art degree would also help.
There’re so many different paths, there is no one correct way, but I think the key is education and humility and I find that in the new 2016 Instagram era a lot of people use social media and think that because they are successful on their social media that qualifies as them as a makeup artist but there is so much more to the craft than just being popular on that platform.
Colleen: How did you get started in your career?
Alexis: I went to makeup school and I also went to University and when I finished both, I started assisting makeup artists. I was working at the MAC counter part-time and I reached out directly to Ford artists and I started assisting their makeup artists. The artists I assisted became my mentors and I learned so much more than I learned just in school.
Colleen: How do you keep up with all the makeup trends? Do you continue to do seminars? Do you go to IMATS?
Alexis: To find trends, I read fashion magazines, check social media and movies. I take MAC pro courses and other pro courses led by top makeup artists – I go to IMATS and the Makeup Show.
Colleen: How did you build your kit?
Alexis: It took forever! The makeup school that I went to required you to buy a basic kit and they made recommendations and that kit got me through my first year of assisting. I was very fortunate that by working at the MAC counter you get a lot of product gratis.
Colleen: Any advice to aspiring makeup artists?
Alexis: To anyone in any profession, you need to have grit which is an interesting thing. It’s not enough that you are talented or personable, it’s a very difficult business, and you may make very little money in the beginning. What sets you apart is determination and passion 24/7 and that you are going to make this your career. That’s what I mean by grit.
Colleen: What do you like most about your job?
Alexis: There’s a lot of things that like- I set my own schedule and answer to myself. It’s very creative and every day is different in diverse locations meeting new people. I like the excitement because I don’t like monotony. I like the hustle and bustle of the set, the teamwork aspect and what everyone’s role is on set.
Colleen: Name a few of your go-to products in your kit.
Alexis: Armani luminous silk is my favorite foundation for beautiful skin
Murad oil control lotion – perfect all in one lotion sunscreen and primer and really makes the makeup last.
Melt cosmetics eyeshadow- very blendable and smooth. It was developed by someone in my makeup school and I like supporting fellow artists from my school alumni.
Alexis on many a set!
There you have it, two different paths to becoming a makeup artist. If you have any more questions, leave us a comment below or send us an email, we would love to help.