Braveheart - 1995

BRAVEHEART - 1995

IMDB LINK

Directed By:

Mel Gibson

Starring:

Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan

Brief Synopsis:

William Wallace, a Scottish rebel, leads an uprising against the cruel English ruler, Edward the Longshanks, with the help of Robert the Bruce.

Artist(s):     

PETER FRAMPTON

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Mr. Frampton:

• Though also from England, not to be confused with the English musician.

LOIS BURWELL

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Ms. Burwell:

• Born in London and currently lives between there, Venice, CA and Carpinteria, CA
• Began her career as a make-up artist by first working on film school films and low budget projects 
• An excerpt from Make-up Artist Magazine regarding her work on Saving Private Ryan: ARTICLE 

Ed Wood - 1994

ED WOOD - 1994

IMDB LINK

Directed By:

Tim Burton

Starring:

Johnny Depp, Martin, Landau, Sarah Jessica Parker

Brief Synopsis:

The life of Edward D. Wood, Jr., hailed as the worst director of all time.

Artist(s):     

RICK BAKER

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Mr. Baker:

• Known for his incredibly realistic creature effects
• Trade mark - long hair pulled back in ponytail
• Formed Cinovation Studios in 1981
• Appeared in Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video as the hobbling zombie whose arm falls off
• Michael Jackson's song, "Threatened," (2001) is dedicated to him.  They worked together on Thriller and Captain EO
• Actor in films such as "The Thing with Two Heads," "Into the Night," "Planet of the Apes," "Men in Black II," "King Kong," "Dark Reel," "The Wolfman

VE NEILL

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Ms. Neill:

• Her birth name is Mary Flores
• Judge on SyFy's Face Off series
• You can view her online seminar for Department Heading and read more about her at Joe Blasco's website, The Make-up Space
• Learn more about Ve's work from Nuvein magazine online: Ve Neill: The Many Faces of Fantasy

MORE ON THE MAKE-UP FOR 

"ED WOOD"

Documentary on the make-up design of Tim Burton's film.   Ed Wood Film Documentary

Mrs. Doubtfire - 1993

MRS. DOUBTFIRE - 1993

IMDB LINK

Directed By:

Chris Columbus

Starring:

Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan

Brief Synopsis:

After a bitter divorce, an actor disguises himself as a female housekeeper to get hired by his ex-wire as a chance to be closer to his kids who are in full custody of their mother.

Artist(s):     

GREG CANNOM

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Mr. Cannom:

• You can view his online seminar for Old Age Make-up and read more about him at Joe Blasco's website, The Make-up Space

VE NEILL

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Ms. Neill:

• Her birth name is Mary Flores
• Judge on SyFy's Face Off series
• You can view her online seminar for Department Heading and read more about her at Joe Blasco's website, The Make-up Space
• Learn more about Ve's work from Nuvein magazine online: Ve Neill: The Many Faces of Fantasy

MORE ON THE MAKE-UP FOR 

"MRS. DOUBTFIRE"

Clip from the film of Mrs. Doubtfire finding her look   Mrs. Doubtfire Makeover
                                                                       

Bram Stoker's Dracula - 1992

BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA - 1992

IMDB LINK

Directed By:

Francis Ford Coppola

Starring:

Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins

Brief Synopsis:

A young lawyer is assigned to a gloomy village in Eastern Europe.  He is captured and imprisoned by the vampire, Dracula, who travels to London to begin a reign of seduction and terror in his quest for the lawyer's betrothed.

Artist(s):     

GREG CANNOM

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Mr. Cannom:

• You can view his online seminar for Old Age Make-up and read more about him at Joe Blasco's website, The Make-up Space

MICHELE BURKE

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Ms. Burke:

• Born in Kildare, Ireland
• Holder of US, EU, and Canadian Passports
• Fluent in English, French, Spanish and some Gaelic
• www.micheleburke.com

MATTHEW W. MUNGLE

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Mr. Mungle:

• Son of a dairy farmer from Oklahoma
• Credits the film "the Seven Faces of Dr. Lao" as having been his greatest influence and deciding factor in becoming a special make-up effects artist.
• Attended Joe Blasco Make-up Artist Training Center in Hollywood, CA in 1978.  After graduating, he was hired on as an instructor until his career took off.
• Created prosthetic face masks for the various characters of the Broadway production "Wicked"
• Aged a 12-year-old girl into an 80-year-old woman for Discovery Channel's "Mega, Mega Movie Magic"
• You can view his online seminars for Aging Make-up, Death and Gore Effects, Script Breakdown and Budgeting, and Fantasy Make-up using Foam Latex Appliances at Joe Blasco's website The Make-up Space

MORE ON THE MAKE-UP FOR 

"BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA"

Greg Cannom on creating Dracula   Greg Cannom Interview

Terminator 2: Judgment Day - 1991

TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY - 1991

IMDB LINK

Directed By:

James Cameron

Starring:

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong

Brief Synopsis:

The cyborg who once tried to kill Sarah Connor must now protect her teenage son, John Connor, from an even more powerful advanced Terminator.

Artist(s):     

STAN WINSTON

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Mr. Winston:

• Winston passed away in June 2008
• One of the founders of visual effects company Digital Domain
• Only the second special make-up effects artist to be honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Stars
• At first he wanted to be an actor, but no jobs came his way so the following year he became an apprentice in the Make-up Department at Walt Disney Studios
• Made a living as a stand-up comedian before moving into make-up effects

JEFF DAWN

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Mr. Dawn:

• Third-generation make-up artist - his grandfather, Jack Dawn (The Wizard of Oz), was a make-up artist for over 35 years and was the "Director of Make-up" at MGM Studios from 1935-1950

MORE ON THE MAKE-UP FOR 

"TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY"

Jeff Dawn said that in order to give the Terminator a look that set him apart from the other "human" actors, he "mixed in a little bit of KY Jelly into the straight make-up to give him that 'I'm different-looking but you don't know why' look...It's a sort of plastic-man appearance."

Dick Tracy - 1990

DICK TRACY - 1990

IMDB LINK

Directed By:

Warren Beatty

Starring:

Warren Beatty, Madonna, Al Pacino

Brief Synopsis:

Comic strip detective finds his life more complicated when Breathless Mahoney makes advances towards him while he is trying to battle Big Boy caprice's mob.

Artist(s):     

JOHN CAGLIONE, JR.

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Mr. Caglione:

• Began his career as an apprentice for NBC television in New York
• Worked on "Saturday Night Live" with the original cast of Bill Murray, John Belushi, and Dan Aykroyd

DOUG DREXLER

IMDB Link

MORE ON THE MAKE-UP FOR 

"DICK TRACY"

Dick Tracy was a character make-up artist's dream come true  Dick Tracy Make-up

Driving Miss Daisy - 1989

DRIVING MISS DAISY - 1989

IMDB LINK

Directed By:

Bruce Beresford

Starring:

Morgan Freeman, Jessica Tandy, Dan Aykroyd

Brief Synopsis:

An old Jewish woman and her African-American chauffeur in the American south have a relationship that grows and improves over the years.

Artist(s):     

MANLIO ROCHETTI

IMDB Link

LYNN BARBER

IMDB Link

KEVIN HANEY

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Mr. Haney:

• Became partner of Make-up & Effects lab, a North Hollywood based shop specializing in animatronics, special make-up effects and other services in February 2010.

MORE ON THE MAKE-UP FOR 

"DRIVING MISS DAISY"

View the trailer   Driving Miss Daisy Trailer
                                                                     

GUEST SPEAKERS

ATTENTION GRADUATES LIVING IN THE ORLANDO AREA:

We have two guest speakers stopping by before the end of November.  Please feel free to join us! Doors close 5 minutes prior to the speaker's start time so please be early.

JUSTIN RALEIGH

IMDB Link

Friday, November 18th

1:00 PM

Mr. Raleigh has been a professional make-up artist and creature designer for the past 15 years.  He will be talking about his work as well as doing a demo to coincide with injury simulation week.

View his IMDB page for an extensive list of his past projects.

HUBERT KENNEDY

Monday, November 21st

1:00 PM

Mr. Kennedy has been in the hair and make-up industry for 27 years, 20 of which have been with the Walt Disney Company.  He will be talking about his career at Disney and the exciting projects he has worked on.  

Some of his past work includes:

Mickey Mouse Club

Star Search

Family Matters

Full House

Roseanne

Assisting with opening Hong Kong Disneyland hair and make-up department

Traveling with Disney stage shows and parades to London, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Dubai, etc.

Beetlejuice - 1988

BEETLEJUICE - 1988

IMDB LINK

Directed By:

Tim Burton

Starring:

Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Michael Keaton

Brief Synopsis:

A couple of recently deceased ghosts contract the services of a "bio-exorcist" in order to remove the obnoxious new owners of their home.

Artist(s):     

VE NEILL

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Ms. Neill:

• Her birth name is Mary Flores
• Judge on SyFy's Face Off series
• You can view her online seminar for Department Heading and read more about her at Joe Blasco's website, The Make-up Space
• Learn more about Ve's work from Nuvein magazine online: Ve Neill: The Many Faces of Fantasy

STEVE LAPORTE

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Mr. LaPorte:

• Auditioned for Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey's Clown College during the Circus' stay in Oklahoma City in the summer of 1974.  He ended up being 1 of 48 accepted out of 3,500 applicants. 
• With the circus he soon began studying theatrical make-up and prosthetics
• After 4 years of touring the U.S. as a clown and high stilt walker he settled in California to begin a career in the film industry.
• Worked in several make-up labs, including The Burman Studio
• Became Make-up Designer and Department Head for ABC's "Lost"
• Expanding his horizons with his Port-a-Case & FaceMaker Series products

ROBERT SHORT

IMDB Link

MORE ON THE MAKE-UP FOR 

"BEETLEJUICE"

View the trailer   Beetlejuice Trailer
                                                                     

Harry and the Hendersons - 1987

HARRY AND THE HENDERSONS - 1987

IMDB LINK

Directed By:

William Dear

Starring:

John Lithgow, Melinda Dillon, Margaret Langrick

Brief Synopsis:

A family hits an animal in the road on their way home from a hunting trip and at first they think it's a man but soon realize it is a "Bigfoot."  Far from being the ferocious monster they fear, Harry is a friendly giant so the Hendersons attempt to hide him from the authorities and a man who has made it his life goal to catch a "Bigfoot."

Artist(s):     

RICK BAKER

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Mr. Baker:

• Known for his incredibly realistic creature effects
• Trade mark - long hair pulled back in ponytail
• Formed Cinovation Studios in 1981
• Appeared in Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video as the hobbling zombie whose arm falls off
• Michael Jackson's song, "Threatened," (2001) is dedicated to him.  They worked together on Thriller and Captain EO
• Actor in films such as "The Thing with Two Heads," "Into the Night," "Planet of the Apes," "Men in Black II," "King Kong," "Dark Reel," "The Wolfman

MORE ON THE MAKE-UP FOR 

"HARRY AND THE HENDERSONS"

Insight into the creation of Harry and the Hendersons   Harry and the Hendersons
                                                                            Harry and the Hendersons Part 2

The Fly - 1986

THE FLY - 1986

IMDB LINK

Directed By:

David Cronenberg

Starring:

Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz

Brief Synopsis:

A brilliant, but eccentric, scientist begins to transform into a giant man/fly hybrid after one of his experiments goes horribly wrong.

Artist(s):     

CHRIS WALAS

IMDB Link

STEPHAN DUPUIS

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Mr. Dupuis:

• Self-taught, he began experimenting with foam latex make-up in his parents' basement.
• After graduating from Sir George Williams Campus with a Masters in Cinema Fine Arts, his work was spotted by Dick Smith who invited him to collaborate in New York.

http://focusfeatures.com/eastern_promises/castncrew?member=stephan_dupuis

Mask - 1985

MASK - 1985

IMDB LINK

Directed By:

Peter Bogdanovich

Starring:

Cher, Eric Stoltz, Sam Elliot

Brief Synopsis:

Rusty Dennis is the mother of Rocky, a seriously deformed but extremely intelligent and emotionally warm child.  Rusty is a no-nonsense mother who is determined Rocky be given the same chances and happiness that everyone else takes for granted.

Artist(s):     

MICHAEL WESTMORE

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Mr. Westmore:

• Father of McKenzie Westmore, host of SyFy's Face Off series
• The Westmores were awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
• His father, Monte Westmore, was a hair stylist and make-up artist on "Gone With the Wind"
• Began his career as a make-up artist for Universal Studios in 1961.  After only three years, he was promoted to Assistant Department Head of Make-up.
• Has written several books on make-up design and his works have been featured in numerous museum exhibits.
• His research includes 5 years on the use of therapeutic cosmetic aids to normalize the reflective and self-image of individuals who have been severely scarred due to accidents, facial cancer excisions, cleft lip repair, birthmarks, and other skin discolorations.

ZOLTAN ELEK

IMDB Link

MORE ON THE MAKE-UP FOR 

"MASK"

Michael Westmore on the make-up for "Mask."    Michael Westmore Interview

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Michael_Westmore

http://www.startrek.com/database_article/westmore 

Amadeus - 1984

AMADEUS - 1984

IMDB LINK

Directed By:

Milos Forman

Starring:

F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge

Brief Synopsis:

The story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart told in flashback mode by Antonio Salieri who is confined to an insane asylum.

Artist(s):     

DICK SMITH

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Mr. Smith:

• Nicknamed "The Godfather of Make-up"
• Make-up director for NBC for 14 years
• In charge of TV make-up for the Democratic National Convention in 1948 and made up James A. Farley and Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr.
• Studied at Wooster School and Yale University where he studied as a premedical student, to enter dentistry, and majored in zoology
• Distantly related to Ralph Waldo Emerson
• While many make-up artists are secretive about their techniques, he is known for openly sharing his knowledge with others.
• One of his trademarks is his ability to create natural-looking effects of aging.  He used a dental device called a "plumber" to droop Marlon Brando's jowls in "The Godfather."  The transformation was so real that Brando could eat at local restaurants without being recognized.  
• Smith has only 4 fingers on his left hand.  He is missing his ring finger which he lost due to an infection from an injury.  He refers to it as his "Mickey Mouse" hand.  The ring finger bones in the hand were removed to make it look more natural.

Quest for Fire - 1982

QUEST FOR FIRE - 1982

IMDB LINK

Directed By:

Jean-Jaques Annaud

Starring:

Everett McGill, Ron Perlman, Nicholas Kadi

Brief Synopsis:

Story taking place in prehistoric time when three tribesmen search for a new fire source.

Artist(s):     

SARAH MONZANI

IMDB Link

MICHELE BURKE

IMDB Link

Miscellaneous Information about Ms. Burke:

• Born in Kildare, Ireland
• Holder of US, EU, and Canadian passports
• Fluent in English, French, Spanish and some Gaelic
• www.micheleburke.com

An American Werewolf in London - 1981

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON - 1981

IMDB LINK

Directed By:

John Landis

Starring:

David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne

Brief Synopsis:

Two American students, on a tour of Britain, are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals are willing to admit exists.  

Artist(s):     

RICK BAKER 

IMDB Link

This name will pop up several times during our trek through Academy Award winning make-up.  Baker is not only the very first recipient of the Oscar for Best Make-up for "An American Werewolf in London" but also holds the record for the most Academy Award wins and nominations.  He has been nominated a total of twelve times with seven wins:

1981 - An American Werewolf in London
1987 - Harry and the Hendersons
1994 - Ed Wood
1996 - The Nutty Professor
1997 - Men in Black
2000 - Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
2010 - The Wolfman


Miscellaneous Information about Mr. Baker:

• Known for his incredibly realistic creature effects
• Trade mark - long hair pulled back in ponytail
• Formed Cinovation Studios in 1981
• Appeared in Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video as the hobbling zombie whose arm falls off
• Michael Jackson's song, "Threatened," (2001) is dedicated to him.  They worked together on Thriller and Captain EO
• Actor in films such as "The Thing with Two Heads," "Into the Night," "Planet of the Apes," "Men in Black II," "King Kong," "Dark Reel," "The Wolfman

MORE ON THE MAKE-UP FOR 

"AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON"

David Naughton recalls sitting for make-up 10 hours a day, starting by 5am to be on set around 2pm.  David Naughton Interview

Academy Award for Make-up

Professional make-up artists for motion pictures have been around for years, but once the Academy Awards designated a special award, specifically for make-up artistry, a whole new appreciation for the art developed.   

Since the first Academy Award for Make-up was presented in 1981, the best-of-the-best have been sought out to bring to life the characters and creatures dreamt up by world class directors and portrayed by A-list performers.

Over the next several weeks, we are going to pay tribute to these greats by taking a closer look at those award winning films and their artists. 

To begin, here is an overview of the winners from the past two decades:

1981  An American Werewolf in London
RICK BAKER

1982  Quest for Fire
SARAH MONZANI
MICHELE BURKE

1984  Amadeus
PAUL LEBLANC

1985  Mask
MICHAEL WESTMORE
ZOLTAN ELEK

1986  The Fly
CHRIS WALAS

1987  Harry and the Hendersons
RICK BAKER

1988  Beetlejuice
VE NEILL
STEVE LA PORTE
ROBERT SHORT

1989  Driving Miss Daisy
MANLIO ROCHETTI
LYNN BARBER
KEVIN HANEY

1990  Dick Tracy
JOHN CAGLIONE, JR.
DOUG DREXLER

1991  Terminator 2: Judgment Day
STAN WINSTON
JEFF DAWN

1992  Bram Stoker's Dracula
GREG CANNOM
MICHELE BURKE
MATTHEW W. MUNGLE

1993  Mrs. Doubtfire
GREG CANNOM
VE NEILL

1994  Ed Wood
RICK BAKER
VE NEILL

1995  Braveheart
PETER FRAMPTON
LOIS BURWELL

1996  The Nutty Professor
RICK BAKER

1997  Men in Black 
RICK BAKER
DAVID LEROY ANDERSON

1998  Elizabeth
JENNY SHIRCORE

1999  Topsy-Turvy
CHRISTINE BLUNDELL

2000  Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
RICK BAKER

2001  The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
PETER OWEN
RICHARD TAYLOR

2002  Frida     
JOHN JACKSON

2003  The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
RICHARD TAYLOR
PETER KING

2004  Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
VALLI O'REILLY
BILL CORSO

2005  The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
HOWARD BERGER
TAMI LANE

2006  Pan's Labyrinth
DAVID MARTI
MONTSE RIBE

2007  La Vie en Rose
DIDIER LAVERGNE

2008  The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
GREG CANNOM

2009  Star Trek
BARNEY BURMAN
MINDY HALL
JOEL HARLOW

2010  The Wolfman
RICK BAKER
DAVE ELSEY

Not your average clowns

Have you ever been to a Cirque Du Soleil show?

Here in Orlando we are the permanent home of Cirque Du Soleil's, La Nouba. While most cities have to wait until a tour touches down, one of the many perks of living in this attraction-filled city is the privilege of being able to see a Cirque show any time of year.

If you haven't been, you should.  If not for the death defying acts, then for the exquisite costumes and world class make-up.

Cirque was started by two friends who were fellow street performers in their native Montreal in the 80's. Together they brought the idea of the traditional circus into a contemporary, character driven show far from the performing animals and kitschy side show attractions typically seen.

Today there are 22 different Cirque Du Soleil shows to experience worldwide and each one is distinctly different from the other. They each have their own unifying theme, whether it be astrology, water, imagination, or tributes to the Beatles, Elvis or Michael Jackson. This leads to boundless creativity when it comes to the overall look of the show as well as each performer's contribution to the show's theme.

Nathalie Gagne, make-up designer for Cirque's Verakai, says that the make-up can take up to an hour to complete. While there are documented designs for each character's make-up, the performers themselves are responsible for applying their own make-up each night and it can take several performances before they are able to complete it without step-by-step directions. They learn all of this in a camp style workshop during the show's rehearsal stage.

The performers also go through annual make-up evaluation to make sure they are still applying it as close to the original designs as possible. The make-up the performers use is oil based and usually involves a blend of contrasting bold colors like reds, blues, and yellows set to finish with powder, and then reapplied to redefine the lines.

Powdering is an important part to keep the base layer in place so that the make-up can last through the performance without streaking under the sweat and hot lights of the show.

The next time you see a great Cirque show in your town, take a closer look at the acrobats and performers. Not only do they have to perfect their acts of balance and grace, but they have to painstakingly apply that amazing theatrical character make-up to create a complete package that will dazzle the crowd.



http://blog.vegas.com/las-vegas-shows/vegas-puts-its-face-on-3762/
http://montreal.about.com/od/cirquedusoleil/ss/cirque_du_soleil_varekai_makeup_photos_2.htm

MORE FUN FACTS

Beauty Patches:
Make-up didn’t cause all the medical devastation throughout history. Some diseases and infections just popped up and those lucky enough to survive were still left with scars from the tragic ordeal.

One such illness was syphilis back in 18th century Europe. Thousands of people were infected and scarred from the infection's lesions.

To aid in covering up these unwanted marks, women started utilizing Beauty Patches. These little gems came in many shapes and sizes including stars, moons and hearts. They were extremely popular due to their ability to draw attention away from or cover the wearer’s unsightly blemishes.

Over time, an unspoken language was even developed:

• A patch near the woman’s mouth meant she was willingly flirtatious.
• A patch on her right cheek was a warning to men to stay away, as she was married.
• A patch on her left was still a gentle caution for it meant the woman was betrothed.
• A patch at the corner of the eye meant you were in the presence of a smoldering woman.

At one point the placement even denoted your political affiliation - Whigs on the right, Torries on the left.

As you might have already guessed, this fad eventually gave way to the practice of applying a penciled on beauty mark in later years.

You can read more about beauty patches here:  The Importance of the Facial Patch

Witchcraft:
Several attempts have been made throughout history to prevent women from painting their faces that had nothing to do with the medical repercussions of doing so. It had more to do with the male ego.

Greek theologian Clement of Alexandria drafted a law which prevented women from ‘tricking’ husbands into marriage by means of cosmetics.

British Parliament once demanded that ‘women of whatever age, rank, or profession, whether virgins, maids or widows, who shall seduce or betray into matrimony, by scents, paints, cosmetic washes, artificial teeth, false hair, shall incur the penalty of the law as against witchcraft, and that the marriage shall stand null and void.”

So, as you can see, make-up has had a rocky history ranging from deadly poison to camoflauge for unwanted scars to source of sorcery. Yet it prevails. Powder on my friends!

Panati, Charles, Penati’s Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things, Harper Paperbacks 1989

DEADLY MAKE-UP

Over the thousands of years since make-up was first introduced, there have been some very off-the-wall products utilized to achieve whatever look happened to be fashionable at the time. Here are just a few examples:

Beetle shells – Egyptians sported the first eye glitter made out of crushed up iridescent shells

White lead powder – over the years, women went to great lengths to achieve what they thought to be an elegant complexion. Tanned skin was considered common so the paler the face, the more chic you were. To achieve such pallor, women would use white powder that contained extreme amounts of lead which, over time, actually destroyed complexions and resulted in far too many premature deaths.

Arsenic Complexion Wafers – yet another method of achieving a pale complexion, these wafers actually poisoned the blood so it transported fewer red hemoglobin cells, and less oxygen, to organs giving the washed out appearance women were seeking.

Rouge – to add some color to their otherwise ghostly appearance, women turned to rouge which, unfortunately, wasn’t much safer. Early rouge was colored with cinnabar, a poisonous red sulfide of mercury. This same red cream was also used to color the lips where it was more easily ingested. Once in the blood stream, lead, arsenic and mercury are particularly harmful to the fetus. An unbelievable amount of miscarriages, stillbirths and deformities were probably a direct result of the cosmetic practices of this time.

Leeches – used for the same purpose as arsenic, lead and mercury – to achieve that oh so desired pale complexion

Burnt matches – used to add dark lining around eyes

Berries – juices used to stain lips

Urine – used in an attempt to fade freckles

Ox Blood – drank in a misguided attempt to improve complexions

Egg Whites – added to face to create a healthy glaze

As you can see, women went to great lengths, sometimes all the way to their graves, in order to keep up with the fashion of the times. After so much tragedy surrounding the seemingly harmless act of applying make-up, the appearance of rouge, powders, lipstick and other cosmetic products more or less disappeared in Europe. Luckily, chemists began aiding cosmetologists to start producing the first safe beautifying aids in history.

So, those of you happily making a living as professional make-up artists, or even just those of you happily wearing make-up, should give a nod to those delightful chemist who lent a hand and made looking beautiful a safe practice.

Panati, Charles, Penati’s Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things, Harper Paperbacks 1989

PERSONAL MAKE-UP ARTISTS

For some, seeing the beautiful Scarlet Johansson or the super sexy Brad Pitt, is love at first sight but we know behind every smoldering star is a talented make-up artist.

Yes, that's right, Brad did not just roll out of bed looking deliciously unkempt.  It took celebrity make-up artist Jean Ann Black to put the perfect tint on those lips that make the world swoon. In fact, Brad knows this, as do many stars who keep their make-up artist on speed dial.

Much like when you find that stylist who does your hair exactly the way you want it and you stalk them from salon to salon, afraid that no one will understand your style the way they do, it's the same with make-up artistry - especially for the stars.

For them, their face is their livelihood and keeping it youthful and flawless could make or break their career.  It's not just about the roles they play, but how they market themselves off screen as well. So, when they find that artist who takes them from character to celebrity without batting a false lash it's only natural to want to collaborate as much as possible.

Some celebrities opt to have their favorite artists on board only for special projects, while others want them at their disposal for any and all occasions to keep their star burning bright.

Who are these magicians of the brush? Take a look at some of these well-known performers and the make-up artists that have brought out the best in them.

MERYL STREEP

J. Roy Helland

JULIE ANDREWS

Rick Sharp

JENNIFER ANISTON

Angela Levin

HALLIE BERRY

Mary Burton

CATE BLANCHETT

Morag Ross

SANDRA BULLOCK

Pamela S Westmore

SCARLETT JOHANSSON

Heba Thorisdottir

NICOLE KIDMAN

Angela Levin

JULIA ROBERTS

Genevieve Herr

ZOE SALDANA

Vera Steimberg Moder

WILL SMITH

Judy Murdock

PAUL BETTANY

Veronica Brebner (McAleer)

MATT DAMON

Christine Beveridge

JOHNNY DEPP

Joel Harlow

LEONARDO DICAPRIO

Sian Grigg

MORGAN FREEMAN

Nancy Hancock

EDDIE MURPHY

Vera Steimberg Moder

EDWARD NORTON

Julie Pearce

BRAD PITT

Jean Ann Black

Our very own, Mr. Blasco, served as personal make-up artist to several well-known performers including Carol Burnett, Dorothy Lamour, Marlene Dietrich, Oliva Newton-John, and Lauren Bacall.

Pageant Season Make-Up Review

Here we are in August, the very tail end of pageant season.  It's enough to make you cry dramatically until the mascara streams down your face...or maybe that's just us!

This year's competitions showcased some of the most stunning beauties and diva-licious looks we have ever seen. What is the secret to crown-winning make-up? After some research, it seems the most successful contestants were those with a clean, girl-next-door look, and a touch of something more to enhance their best features.

Great skin is always the first step in a fantastic pageant look so staying hydrated, moisturized and sun screened can prevent most any blemish or sun spot before the big night.  For eye colors, sticking to browns, beiges or even light pinks will help compliment your skin. Try your best to stay away from frosty or sparkly colors on eyes and cheeks as they tend to make a reflection on the skin. Set the look off with a liner and lip color similar to the eye, and finish it with a dab of gloss on the bottom lip. From there, a set of tasteful, but glamourous false lashes will complete the look.

In the past, full glitz and glamour was the attitude toward pageant make-up. This is no longer the case.  Glamour make-up is not to be heavy and flashy, it should accentuate the contestant's features enough to be seen from a distance and last throughout the various rounds of competition without looking streaky or shiny.

To achieve the right look for you and your pageant, practice makes perfect, especially if you are not a pro with false eyelashes.

One of the best pageants for fresh glamour make-up this year was Miss USA. The winner, Miss California, pulled off all of the above tips flawlessly, but with a smoky eye twist on the neutral eye color by using some smudged black liner. Congratulations Miss USA! Here are some crown winning  pageant looks from this season:

Drawing Inspiration from the Masters

For two months every year in Laguna Beach, California, Van Gogh, DaVinci, Rembrant, Renoir and other masters literally come to life with the help of Make-Up Artists at the Pageant of the Masters. 

Starting in 1933, citizens of Laguna would gather, dressed in costumes, to represent a living canvas of various art masterpieces. These tableaux vivants, or "living pictures," have come a long way from those early days. Today, the pageant is a 90 minute experience complete with narration, an orchestra, and vocal performances. As well as some of the most amazing make-up transformations the world has ever seen. 

Joy Trent, the show's Make-up Director, is always using new innovations in the application of the nearly 100 gallons of make-up that are used on the 150 performers that make up these paintings each year. One of her tricks to making the transformations so smooth is creating template styrofoam heads for each face in the show.  The heads have the exact tones and hi-lights the artist must use to represent that role. Trent says that each night the make-up for each cast member takes anywhere between 25 to 45 minutes to complete by the 50 volunteer make-up artists. 

That is the most astonishing part, all of these amazing artists and performers are volunteers. As they have been for the last 78 years! The make-up artists that create these masterpieces are not just freelance make-up artists, but more often teachers, doctors, lawyers and other community members, all with the common goal to pay tribute to the Masters through make-up artistry. 

You can see this unbelievable concert performance at the Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts from now until August 31st.  Check out some of these photos from behind-the-scenes at the pageant: 

http://www.foapom.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pageant_of_the_Masters

This pageant is one of the many ways we, as Make-Up Artists, can draw inspiration from traditional works of art. Like with the canvas, make-up artistry is translated differently from face to face and artist to artist. Check out our students' interpretation of works by Joan Miro in last month's Advanced Beauty Seminar and feel free to share any work you've done to pay homage to the greats.

Comic Cons: Friend or Foe

This year's Tampa Bay Comic-Con is to be held on August 7th at the Double Tree on West Cypress Street in Tampa Florida. It is one in a long string of comic-themed conventions held annually here in Florida. Some may ask why the makeup artist community should take notice? The biggest answer is marketability.

These days it has become all too popular to show up dressed to the nines as your favorite comic book hero or villain, and no costume is complete without top notch makeup. That is where you come in. There is no better way to display your work than on a live model walking through a stadium-sized audience or, better yet, taking a costume prize in a sea of amateurs.

Don't believe in the promotional powers of comic-cons? Just look at the way these conventions are populated by celebrities. It is the hottest way to promote new media projects and everyone has taken note. It is not just your average zombie and character make-up anymore.  These costumes are showing up in magazines and international publications. It's not even just for the boys, girls are rocking looks from hot heroine to glamour goddess at comic con.

Airbrush Seminar

Summer is in full swing, which means that the Joe Blasco Make-up Artist Training Center in Orlando, FL is getting ready to host their annual Airbrush Seminar. This extremely popular yearly event will be held September 26-30th.  Hosted by international make-up artist, Cordi Frei, the class will be Monday-Friday from 6-10PM. The course cost of $1,000 will include an Iwata Eclipse HP-BCS airbrush and compressor. Those interested in participating in the course, but already have airbrush equipment, may take the class for $800.

Participants will learn safety, airbrush maintenance, and basic drills before advancing into make-up application.  Once initial orientation of the airbrush is covered, they will begin base matching and application, highlight and shading, and experimenting with various stencils and effects.

Space is limited and filling up quickly so call to reserve your spot today! 
orlando@joeblasco.com ::: 407.363.1234.

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Airbrushing is an extremely popular make-up application technique that has become more and more sought after in the make-up industry for anything from weddings to prosthetics to HD.  Make-up artists wanting to stay current and on top of the competition should know at least some basic airbrush application techniques.

Ultimately, the choice is up to you.  Let us know your thoughts on the subject.
Would you rather roll out your brushes or plug in your compressor?


Below are some common arguments on the Pros and Cons of airbrushing.

PROS:
Lower concern for bacteria transfer
More even coverage
More natural/translucent look
Great for oily skin and skin that tends to absorb foundation quickly
Lasts 10-12 hours
Great for HD
Quicker application

CONS:
Must always have a power supply
Expensive start up costs
Gun can clog
Only able to use airbrush-specific foundations
Not as precise - takes the brush out of the artist's hand
Mixing colors can be more challenging
Constantly breathing in particles, if not wearing proper respiratory equipment, can be harmful to health



Resources:
www.bellasugar.com/airbrush-makeup-3629776
www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Airbrush_makeup-_the_evolution_of_beauty.html
www.informationlove.com/airbrush-makeup-kits

"Deep Seeded"

The new disturbing horror film, "Deep Seeded" has roots close to home for the Joe Blasco Make-up Artist Training Centers.

CS Studios (www.csstudiosfx.com), owned and operated by Advanced Prosthetics instructor and graduate, Ashli Szymanski along with fellow graduate Kurt Combs, served as head of the make-up and effects department for the film.  Lindsay Hill and Sarah Okun, also graduates of Joe Blasco and on staff at CS Studios, assisted with the production. 

According to Ms. Szymanski the film, which was shot in just 8 days, has a pretty high gore factor which would explain how they went through over 10 gallons of blood creating the effects for the film.

Be sure to check out the latest issue of Revolver Magazine to read more about the upcoming film.