| Would being a make up artist he a good career?I'm 17 a senior in high school, and I love love love make up so ive been considering being a make up artist, I live in California, USA, so I want to know if I'd make enough money because California is not a cheap place to live. someone help please(:
Asked By: Rosie - 8/25/2012 |
Can you make enough money being a makeup artist to live? Depends upon how good you are and how your market yourself. Unfortunately, there are more makeup artists than there are jobs; it's a very competitive industry. You'll find that there are a lot of individuals that think going to makeup school is a waist of time, let me tell you, it is not. While there is no legal requirement to be licensed to apply makeup, a formally trained artist will almost all of the time be hired before someone that has no education. There are successful artists out there that did not go to school; however, they are the exception, not the rule.
You also have to know exactly what sub-section of the industry you want to go into. Do you want to just do standard beauty makeup or do you want to go into SFX/Prosthetic/Appliance Makeup? I suggest you do some research, and start looking into schools. I recommend the following schools:
1. Cinema Makeup School
2. Joe Blasco
3. Studio Makeup Academy
All of these schools offer diploma programs. Diploma programs have different curriculum standards that they must adhere to. Certificate programs are virtually useless in the professional world. I graduated with a diploma in Hi-Fashion Photographic Makeup, and I had to pass several written and practical tests before I was even eligible to graduate. I am trained to do Makeup for Film and Television, Period Makeup, Stage/Theater Makeup, Corrective Makeup, Hi-Fashion-Runway makeup, Avant-garde Makeup, Fantasy Makeup, Body Makeup, Airbrush Makeup and Character Makeup. With a certificate program, the same standards do not apply and all you get a piece of paper for showing up. Every type of makeup application has a different technique, and if you want to work professionally, it would be in your best interest to understand the differences in application technique because they are vast.
You could always work at a makeup counter. But let me tell you this: A makeup line has little to no interest in your actual ability in terms of makeup application. All they want you to do is sell, sell, and sell. Usually, the line will give you a few days worth of training in how the line wants you to apply their makeup. It's very minimal, and some, not all of them still can't properly match a foundation or apply the most basic form of beauty makeup correctly. I've seen 'beauty advisors' send people away from their counter looking like a clown, it's painful to look at. Don't get me wrong, this is a good way to make money if you are a strong salesperson, but if you can't sell it, you'll get fired. MAC is one of the only mainstream lines that actually hires caliber makeup artists. It's a strenuous application process. They'll want to see your portfolio, they'll want to see what you can do with a face chart and an actual application before they'll even think about hiring you.
In the beginning, you'll be doing a lot of free work. This type of work is good for building up your portfolio. Be careful though, do not allow yourself to be taken advantage of. Some people think that what we do is simply a hobby; therefore, they don't need to pay us. Ask any working makeup artist and they'll tell you the same thing. They don't understand that our time, talent, skill and product costs money. The first thing to get cut in a production budget is the makeup department. They think we don't know that everyone else is getting paid way more than we do. So don't compromise your talent or the product in your kit, you have to eat too. You have to learn how to spot the BS.... Know what I mean? You'll get a lot of doors slammed in your face when you start out, but if you are consistent, and dedicated to this industry and willing to put in the work required, you'll make it.
The best piece of advice I can give you is this: Take nothing personally, go to school and learn everything you can because the more diverse skill level that you have, the more you will work. Good Luck to you.
Answered By: jmakeupartistry - 8/25/2012 |