Digital Special Effect Makeup vs. Physical Makeup in Movies

The special effects work of John Knoll's special effects team has certainly raised the bar in believability of a fictitious character. His Industrial Light and Magic team created Davy Jones for Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest. In this sequel, Bill Nighy is the actor who portrays Davy Jones' movements and voice. He wears a dark grey motion capture suit, and two motion capture cameras were used as opposed to the 16 needed in the past. The process of Computer Generated Imaging (CGI) then morphed the actor into a convincing depiction of a cursed pirated who because he lives underwater, he literally becomes a creature of the sea.

This special effects "makeup" of this film was fascinating to watch and it really does trick your eye into thinking Jones' is "real". But does this mean that special effects artists need to trade in their brushes for a computer mouse any time soon? The answer is thankfully...no!

There will always be a need for makeup artist to apply their special skills to film, television, or theatre. There is one "living" character on the Flying Dutchman, actor Stellan Skarsgård, who plays Bootstrap Bill...he had wonderful "live" barnacles protruding from his face.

By the other side of the coin Michael Chiklis was transformed into Fantastic Four super hero "The Thing" through a time consuming and detailed process.

"Sixty pounds (27 kg) of latex, it was hellish." said Chiklis. But he did the project because of the potential the movie had to being a franchise. "It's employment potentially for 10 years. It gets your name out there in an international context that puts you on all those lists that you must be on as an actor in order to get movies green lit. That's why he was willing to go through the "hellish" process of being the hulking Thing for the film.

Then on the other hand, I understand that Bill Nighy was disappointed that he didn't have to wear the pirate costume for any of the film shooting. Just the grey motion capture suit...so he didn't have to endure the heavy makeup appliances or masks required in the past...but it didn't let him "play" act in costume as if he were Davy Jones either. This is testament to Nighy's acting abilities, because he gives a terrific performance as the character.

Although Industrial Light and Magic will always strive to "wow" audiences with the newest visual effects, the basic need for the "human" factor helps ground the movie experience. E.g. the whole last three Star Wars movies were visually incredible but fell far short of the first three films that had "real" characters, actors in suits and makeup interacting with each other. Otherwise we have a movie that is not much more than a video game, lacking our own ability to control the plot.

Professional Makeup At The World Bodypainting Festival

The World Bodypainting Festival (WBF) is the World's largest body painting event and Championship including different professional makeup categories such as special effects makeup, sponge and brush and airbrush, UV effects and face painting.

The 14th annual event was held at a new location in Pörtschach. The city of Pörtschach is located is located by the lake Wörthersee in Carinthia, the Southern part of Austria and can be reached within 15 minutes from the Klagenfurt airport.

Apart from attendees, sponsors and competitors many vendors from around the world gather at the Bodypainting festival to showcase their newest products including professional makeup supplies, special effects makeup, face painting supplies and airbrush tattoos.

This year, the festival attracted over 24,000 visitors. Professional makeup artists from 42 countries competed for the World Championship. Apart from body painting, the WBF brings art, music and different shows together making this a magical experience.

The event is a great opportunity to attend several different workshops including professional makeup, special effects makeup, airbrush makeup, sponge and brush face painting and airbrush tattoos.

This year the WBF kicked off with the WBF academy which is a great opportunity to see professional makeup artists from around the world in action while offering classes and demonstrations in different categories including professional makeup, face painting, airbrush body painting, special effects makeup, professional makeup, photography, airbrush tattoos and more. Virtually hundreds of participants attended the workshops and took classes from the world's best instructors.

The themes for 2011 were "Renaissance - Rebirth" on the first 2 main days and "Haute Couture" on Sunday, the final day.

Friday was the first day of the event and it started with the category of Special Effects Make up and the preliminary round to the World Award in the category brush/sponge. The internationally renowned jury consisted of Mike Shane (Luxembourg), Craig Tracy (USA), Jinny (Canada), Filippo Loco (USA), Patrick McCann, (Germany/USA), Denis Penkov (Germany) and Ernst Wieser (Austria).

The event followed by fluoro competition and awards, sponge and brush, airbrush competition and amateur contest. The main categories which included brush/sponge, professional makeup, airbrush and special effects bodypainting were awarded with the World Champion title on the final day on Sunday.

Airbrush Makeup - A Natural New Look

With new discoveries in technology and cosmetics, people are now looking for makeup that can show a more natural look. Airbrush technology that was once used just for traditional paintings and automotive work has now invaded the makeup world. Hollywood in particular has started to use airbrush makeup as its secret to highlight the radiance and beauty of its actors. Using the same technology for automotive and painting artwork, the makeup is applied using a smaller and lower pressure airbrush apparatus.

Less Time Required
Unlike liquid makeup, airbrush makeup can be easily applied to define and cover details. It can be used as special effects makeup for high definition, camouflage, glamor and even just for daily wear. It takes less time to apply compared to regular makeup techniques. It is long lasting makeup and can be used even when you sweat a lot during workouts, or under intense heat from spotlights. It can retain the skin's glow and can be sealed with sweat resistant spray.

Despite the advantages of using this new makeup method and its ease of use, a number of makeup artists still prefer to use the common traditional techniques in applying makeup. The time cut down by at least half, compared to applying regular makeup, does not seem to be an advantage for some makeup artists. They find the apparatus used technically complicated. The different pieces of the equipment have to be assembled before you begin the process, and the following are needed: the airbrush makeup, an air compressor, a mask and an airbrush.

Though liquid makeup has almost the same chemical content as airbrush makeup, the liquid is thin enough to be sprayed on the skin using a fine airbrush. It can even achieve defined results that lipsticks or pencils cannot and can present a beautiful subtle look. A skilled airbrush artist can do special makeup effects on an actor.

For HDTV
For over ten years now, the airbrush technique in applying makeup has been popularly used in the movie effects industry in Hollywood. It is currently the only suitable makeup for High Definition Television or HDTV, as the applied makeup can easily be blended with no paintbrush streak marks left. Most traditional makeup techniques can leave a smeared or smudged effect, even only after a few hours exposure to heavy lights. With airbrush makeup, the results usually last from fourteen to eighteen hours.

Great For Cover Up
Airbrush makeup not only makes your face have a natural look it can also be used to cover up or conceal any freckles, blemishes, birthmarks, scars, or acne. It is hypoallergenic, waterproof, alcohol free and will not clog pores or easily rub off. Dermatologists even recommend the use of this makeup application to patients with various skin problems.

And the Winner Is? The Academy Awards Honors Movie Make-up Artistry

Makeup artistry is a huge part of movie-making. In recent years the Academy Awards Board has elected to broadcast the category of Best Make-up live. The category of Best Make-up has gone largely underappreciated and under celebrated. An amazing oversight when you consider what make-up can do for a film. Would we really have gone to see "Edward Scissorhans" minus the special effects makeup? I do not know how many audiences would felt for that character had he not been so visually appalling. That being said, the marriage between make-up application, as well as the performance of the actor is what sets the tone for a believable story line.

Make-up artists have become an invaluable tool for the production staff on any major movie set. Make-up not only helps to convince and convey characters to an audience, as much as it helps to embody the physical manifestation of any given character. Make-up artistry serves as a visual and emotional need in the world of make believe. Now let's examine why each the previous 3 Academy Award winners were chosen, and the nominees are?

In 2005 the Academy chose "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" as winner of the Best Makeup category. This was the first award for special effects makeup artist Howard Berger, who worked alongside former winner Tami Lane. Lane had seen previous success with the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. The two created the amazing creatures from the Narnia books. The fawn, the queen, the children, every aspect of the characters looked realistic and the attention to detail makes seemingly mythical creatures appear life-like, as if this world could exist somewhere in the back of anyones closet. Utilizing both prosthetics and CGI really worked in synchronism to balance the look of the world of Narnia. Not only did these two win over the American Academy, they also earned the 2006 BAFTA award for best Makeup.

Not every award that is given by the Academy is recognized in the entire industry, a really tough win for any artist is to gain the accolades of the Academy as well as The Academy of Science, Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films, but in 2005 the "Chronicles of Narnia" won the Saturn Award and the Academy Award for best makeup.

The fantasy realm of "Pan's Labyrinth" in 2006 straddled the worlds of reality and imagination. A look into war and its harsh after affects, a young girl wants to escape and finds the scary realm of the unknown. Special Makeup Effects Artists David Marti and Montse Ribe were rewarded for their efforts in Mexico at the Ariel Awards and received a Silver Ariel award for Best Makeup, as well as an Oscar in the US. It is no wonder the Academy chose to acknowledge this film, these artists put creatures on screen without the aide of CGI to present such striking visual representations of the creatures from the script. Incidentally, both artists have collaborated again for 2008's "Hellboy II," an exciting piece for such inventive artists.

Most recently the Academy acknowledged 2007 film "La Vie En Rose," which won Best Make-up Artist. Didier Lavergne the head make-up artist on set turned Marion Coittard into the famous Edith Piaf with fabulous hairstyling from Jan Archibald. That same year Best Make-up Artist was awarded to Lavergne at the BAFTA awards. Lavergne is no newcomer to the make-up world, his work can also be seen in "The Pianist," "Le Divorce" and "Oliver Twist" to name a few. Just take a look at a photo of the real Edith Piaf and place it next to the actress Marion Coittard, it is easy to see why these two deserve the award. It is no easy task to turn one woman's facial anatomy to not only resemble but embody someone else's. No CGI tricks aided this duo, but rather true artistry and some well created prosthetics.

Whether creating a non-fictional character to a character plucked from the pages of a children's novel to creating other- worldly mythical creatures, the Academy in their wisdom have shown us why these artists are so influential in film today. Make-up has the ability to take audiences to places they have never thought could exist in the physical form. It takes a great deal of patience, planning, experience and expertise to be the kind of artist worthy of an Oscar. These men and women are innovators that have given the world something to be appreciated for years to come.

5 Tips Before Enrolling in a Makeup Academy

With so many makeup academies in Malaysia, it is important to choose the best one for you. Depending on the academy, the average price will be RM5000 to sign up for a professional bridal makeup course and the duration will be about 100 hours. Let us explore some tips what you must prepare before enrolling in a makeup academy.

The first thing you need to have is some basic knowledge in make-up. You can read books, magazines or even go through the Internet to get some make-up tips. Knowing the foundation and how to use the tools will allow you to an easy start in the academy. Sure, they will tell you that the courses cater to beginners. However, if other students can pick up the new techniques fast, you'll soon find yourself drowning and left behind.

Next, you should also be up to date on fashion and beauty trends. This industry is always revolving. Analyzing with a sharp eye will get you ahead. Get well acquainted with some of the famous make-up artists. This is important as they'll serve as a guideline for you to draw your inspiration from. Make sure you're familiar with some of their works and how their techniques differ from each other. In case you're short in creativity, you still have something to fall back to.

Before you decide to plunge into this industry, make an effort to know the career options available to you. Make-up doesn't just mean putting on some colors here and there. A make-up artist career can be very diversified. You can be in the beauty make-up industry focusing on film, TV and advertising or you can be in the special make-up effects arena where make-up also involves producing latex assimilating to the character's body.

Besides that, you should also be aware how much you'll earn in this industry. A make-up artist salary is between RM1 6000 to RM40 000 annually. If you want to be on the higher end of the earning scale then make sure you know where and in which area make-up artists tend to be paid higher. The average cost for a bridal makeup service in Penang and KL is about RM500 for a day service.

In this industry, you need to have a steady hand and a keen eye for symmetry as well as beauty. Besides that, you should also feel comfortable to work well with all kinds of people. Finally, go along with your gut feeling if you like the environment of the makeup academy and ask if yourself if you are comfortable learning there. If you do go ahead as it is one of the most exciting career opportunity today.

Your Imagination Made Reality - Effects Makeup Rocks!

Special effects makeup artists may just have the best job in Hollywood. The field of special makeup effects combines art disciplines like sculpture and painting with construction and design skills that might be as well suited to an architectural or interior design firm. Except this is way more fun.

The most obvious places to find special effects makeup artists are on the sets of horror and sci-fi films and tv shows like "Star Trek" or "Battlestar Galactica.," and sure, horror and sci-fi provide fantastic opportunities to change humans into otherworldly creatures, but special effects makeup also creates the scars and wounds in action films, the age makeup for a character in an epic saga, and the new facial structure that turns a well-known face into a distinctly new character, or an actor into a well-known face from history.

Off the set, there are plenty of opportunities to work with performance groups designing makeup and costumes for festivals and theater performances. Vaudeville troupes and street-theater performers take advantage of special effects makeup skills to design outlandish and memorable set pieces.

Special effects makeup is one of the oldest tricks in show business: as old as the theater and probably as old as the religious rituals that came before theater. The amazing thing is, even with computer generated special effects and superior video editing technologies, the art of physical transformation is just as important and effective as it has ever been. If you want to go into film and video production on your own, it's a huge benefit to know something about effects makeup. It's still the simplest way to create a big visual impression for a small amount of money.

Professional Makeup At The World Bodypainting Festival

The World Bodypainting Festival (WBF) is the World's largest body painting event and Championship including different professional makeup categories such as special effects makeup, sponge and brush and airbrush, UV effects and face painting.

The 14th annual event was held at a new location in Pörtschach. The city of Pörtschach is located is located by the lake Wörthersee in Carinthia, the Southern part of Austria and can be reached within 15 minutes from the Klagenfurt airport.

Apart from attendees, sponsors and competitors many vendors from around the world gather at the Bodypainting festival to showcase their newest products including professional makeup supplies, special effects makeup, face painting supplies and airbrush tattoos.

This year, the festival attracted over 24,000 visitors. Professional makeup artists from 42 countries competed for the World Championship. Apart from body painting, the WBF brings art, music and different shows together making this a magical experience.

The event is a great opportunity to attend several different workshops including professional makeup, special effects makeup, airbrush makeup, sponge and brush face painting and airbrush tattoos.

This year the WBF kicked off with the WBF academy which is a great opportunity to see professional makeup artists from around the world in action while offering classes and demonstrations in different categories including professional makeup, face painting, airbrush body painting, special effects makeup, professional makeup, photography, airbrush tattoos and more. Virtually hundreds of participants attended the workshops and took classes from the world's best instructors.