Saturday, 14 April 2018

Tips For Getting Into Character When Doing Your Own Theater Makeup

By Marie Roberts


Amateurs actors quickly find out that there is more to a role on the stage than just learning lines and hitting marks. Learning to make themselves up, in order to get into character, is another important aspect of the process. Local theaters do not have the money or means to hire a professional make up artist. In order to help newcomers to the stage avoid common cosmetic pitfalls, when it comes to applying theater makeup, experts have some simple tips.

The way you're accustomed to making yourself up for the street is not the way you need to approach getting into character. Subtlety in your cosmetic choices will wash you out as soon as the stage lights hit your face. You need a ton of foundation lathered onto your face and neck. If you're concerned about what color will work best, a cosmetic consultant in your favorite department store should have some good suggestions.

In order to create a dramatic effect you will need a good set of eyelashes. Cheap eyelashes never fit correctly, and they itch. You don't want to be worrying about whether or not your eyelashes are falling off when you are in the middle of a dramatic moment. Brown, gold, and pink eye shadows are good, and liquid eyeliner works better than a pencil.

You have to learn how to highlight your face without overdoing it. It's hard to use too much blush though. It might make you look like a clown on the street, but not on the stage. Some inexperienced actors overlook their brows when they are making up their faces. You need to fill your brows in using a good pencil. This is especially important for blondes.

If you ever get to play an accident or murder victim, you'll have to know how to make your wounds look realistic. You can apply liquid latex to the affected area. If you don't have access to the latex, school glue will work just as well. Makeup paint or eye shadow in reds and black work great to simulate blood.

Smudging black and purple eye shadow will simulate bruising if you need to show the aftermath of a fight scene. As the bruise ages, during the course of the play, you can begin to introduce yellow and green shades depicting the fading of the bruise. This may seem like a small detail, but audiences notice.

If you ever have the opportunity to show your character aging as a play progresses, you will have to create lines and wrinkles on your face and neck. You can do this using the liquid latex, or school glue. When it dries, you remove it and apply foundation. It's important to rub the foundation into the creases to highlight them.

You may never become a famous actress, but you can live out some of your fantasies on local stages. It's a great way to express your creative self. Skillfully applied makeup will add to the experience and help you get into character.




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