Make-Up

marlenedegrood

marlenedegrood

Flicks By Chics
I'm not much of a girly girl (bit of a tomboy) so I don't know a lot about make-up but I usually pick up the magazine, "Make-up Artist" when I'm at Borders. If you've never looked at it, you might take a peek because it's pretty cool for monsters, freaks and even glamore for films. Anyway, I'm posting here because we don't have a "Make-Up For Film" forum and I couldn't think of where else to post this. Ok....so I really want to learn face/cast molding and I was wondering if anyone else is doing that. I've done a lot with plaster gauze but not using alginate and then plaster bandages. I'm just finding "how to's" on the internet but if anyone has any words of advise before I just plunge myself into this and take a poor unsuspecting model with me, I'd appreciate it. As it is my friends already run away when they see me coming with plaster gauze.
 
I was also thinking about a new section for Matte painting so I guess maybe I should put it here since they only have to open one thread.
A makeup section would be good too. We usually hire someone for make up but our guy was busy this time around so MsManhattan did all the makeup stuff and tips would be great.
 
Maybe a section like Make-Up, Costumes and Set Building....something towards the artistic part of creating the scene both in the people, monsters, cuts, wounds, burns type stuff and the environment. I've always loved Halloween because it's so fun to get down on the creative part of creating the costume and the character.....especially a character of the Zombie nature :)
 
Aram Bauman said:
I was also thinking about a new section for Matte painting so I guess maybe I should put it here since they only have to open one thread.
A makeup section would be good too. We usually hire someone for make up but our guy was busy this time around so MsManhattan did all the makeup stuff and tips would be great.
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Hey you guys seriously... if you re paying i'll make you a matte painting.

6,000$ for a 8' pane of glass.
 
Yeah those would be cool. I used to be into Faux finishing and decorative painting and worked for some set building place making things look like rock, marble... pretty much anything they asked I would have to come up something. Im actually hoping a music video we are supposed to shoot this summer will like the idea with vampires I have and I get to buy teeth and do some cool things.
 
Marlene,

I'm a former makeup artist and worked in several large, well known shops in L.A. back in the early 90s. Face casting is so incredibly basic that it's hard to screw up even if you dont know what you're doing. If you do, you'll iron out the problems by the second try. If you have step by step instructions from anywhere, you'll do okay. Here is a link: (I have no read nor endorse the following page, I just googled and chose a link.)

http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Lot/9373/SCREAM/lifecast.html

FULL HEAD casting, on the other hand, is trickier. Jump in a and give it a try.

Here is a link for a good suppier.

http://www.makeupkits.com/

I've shopped their store in Burbank and they have the best materials and knowledgable staff. I cant say whether the prices are good, this is the type of thing I just stop in and buy, I dont shop around.

But, above all, have fun.

-GageFX

(BTW, my screenname comes from my makeup days, even though I've been out of the makeup scene for a decade.)
 
Hey GageFX......thank you! Interesting that the link for instructions you gave here is the one that I most liked and printed out. I've looked at several.

I really appreciate your response here as it gives me the added encouragement.

A lot of sites try and sell you expensive kits but I think I'll just get the alginate and plaster bandages.

Thanks again!
 
There are plenty of good books on the subject.

Many years ago Dick Smith and Tom Savini wrote nice books on their techniques, including some very good drawings and pictures. Tom Savini teaches make-up and FX full-time now, so I would check his website for more info.

One of the best books overall was "Stage Make-up" by Richard Corson (check your local library). It built a strong foundation (pun intended) on light and shadow, prosthetics, and using simple materials.

I think a make-up FX section here would be very good.
 
I've said it before and I'll say it again, there should be a makeup/costume/wardrobe forum as in my mind it is a critical area of the film process. We have a forum for lighting but what good is lighting your talent if there is no good makeup involved? Just my 3c
 
But it would end up being a reference to books and suppliers more than anything else. Makeup/costumes is really a hands-on kinda thing. Hard to help someone without actually being in the same room.
 
GenJerDan said:
But it would end up being a reference to books and suppliers more than anything else. Makeup/costumes is really a hands-on kinda thing. Hard to help someone without actually being in the same room.
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Not necessarily. A disscussion of techniques and supplies used could be useful. If you go to a website for supplies it can be daunting trying to understand which product you might need for the results you're looking for. For example, I use knox gelatin to make scars and a simple halloween kit makeup to paint in the bruising, redness and blood. What do you use?
 
marlenedegrood said:
For example, I use knox gelatin to make scars and a simple halloween kit makeup to paint in the bruising, redness and blood. What do you use?
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I just beat the crap outa the actors. Looks more realistic. 'Course, ya gotta shoot linearly then. Everything is trade-off, I guess.

(I'll be getting the Ben Nye Master Film kit one of these days. + a boatload of liquid latex...love that stuff. And my dentist supplies me with alginate.)
 
GenJerDan said:
I just beat the crap outa the actors. Looks more realistic.
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Reminds me of my day job. Several years ago a co-worker had a customer on the other end put the phone on the counter (not on mute) and proceed to beat the hell out of one of his employees. Not but I believe that is what led to him no longer owning his franchise several months later.
 
Over the past 6 years, I spent over $10K with him.

I think I'd rather have just gone in for a cleaning twice a year and paid $12/lb. :)
 
I used to get free alginate from my orthodontist. They can be pretty cool sometimes, especially if they think you are a beginner.
 
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