Running away with the circus!

Something we would all like to do! Well I’m one very lucky person who has done just that and what a circus it turned out to be. With our classes this week, we looked at the make-up designs of Cirque Du Soliel, how the show is put together and travels around the world. After deciding on our designs, we went to task to recreate these fantastic make-ups, with some hair work to complete the looks - we were ready for show time.

We then had to do some research into what period we wanted to recreate for “period make-up into a high fashion look”. It was quite difficult to decide on the concept, but each student in the end created a make-up and hairstyle to be proud. A stylish photo for their portfolio followed, a visual record of their work - the key to getting work in the industry. The students body of images are starting to come together very well indeed.
Hair with Warren was revision time - wash, blow-dry, straighten and curl. It was a great day with lots of fine-tuning with our hair equipment.

The end of the week and term saw the students’ hand in their paper mache masks, 1st assignment and the exams both written and practical. Now it’s off on holidays for 2 weeks. Or is it! With heaps happening in the M.E.G workshop, the students will be coming in to help and learn more about foam latex runs and mould-making.

Make-up Classes go back in time!

We have had some great testimonials from our fellow make-up artists! They love the studio/workshop, our Make-up Master Classes, blog, and the work the students were producing. It is always gratifying hearing this back from your fellow artists, as we have put so much time and care into setting this all up to the best it can be.

This week the students explored the art of make-up for the 1920’s and 1940’s. Then the tricky skill of hand laying real and crepe hair, as well as working with lace hairpieces.

With our wigs preset for the 1920’s, we started off just doing the make-ups without models. It is a very intricate make-up style and not as simple as it looks. 1920’s proved a lot of fun and the short ‘bob’ hairstyles made the picture complete.
Then it was off to the great 1940’s with eyelashes, bright red lips and traditional classic brow shapes, creating a stunning beauty. Also a great opportunity to show off some good hair work and preset wigs.











A fantastic job done by all!

In art class we were exploring textures, so off outside to find leaves and rocks that we could study, feel, and take pencil rubbings of them. The students did a texture exercise using paint and then proceeded to do a make-up using the different textures discovered.

Laying of real hair with Katherine Brown on Thursday was fun and very interesting. We decided to do this as an exercise as this was what Katherine and the other Australian make-up artists were doing in Prague on ”Prince Caspian” for the Faun make-ups. She also showed the students how to apply and blend a lace front beard. Techniques like applying crepe hair and using heated tongs to create a natural look were also explored. Paramount was showing the students how to make it look real on camera, and not just look like crepe hair stuck on.
To finish this week off the students were back in the workshop helping Nick and Paul with some foam runs and doing more advanced work with their prosthetic sculptures.

M.E.G Make-up Course in Sydney continues to rise!

The week started with the students creating body art from their designs and then on to application of make-up/hair for the 1950’s and 1980’s.
On Tuesday, the very talented make-up artist Katherine Brown came in to teach the body art class. Thanks so much to all the dancers who gave their time; Kirby, Sheena, Tessa, Amarli and Ellen. It was great to see how having dancers as models, just brought the make-up to life, and we also had a great deal of fun and laughter. Katherine pulled together a great look on Kirby, while demonstrating the different techniques. Seeing the students producing such great work was inspiring to Kath and myself. They should be proud of the effort they put into their designs and final looks. They did stay to finish their work so it was a very long day….. but that’s the industry and their first time working under real pressure.

















We were still on a high for Wednesday hair class with Warren. Thanks again to our models Ashley, Kirby, Emma and Sarah. First we had to recreate the 1950’s. Our models looked like “house wives and poster girls”. With hair, make-up and clothes they all looked fantastic. Back into the make-up chair and wow 1980’s! Hair and make-up with clothes completing the look. The pressure and time frame was most important but our models left wearing our hair and make-up designs. What a buzz! Thanks to Warren again for inspiring the class so much.

On Thursday we spent the morning at AFTRS (Film & TV School) looking around their new facilities at Moore Park. Very impressive! AFTRS would like us to become involved in their productions later in the year, which is such a good experience for the students.

An enjoyable, creative week and the students just keep getting better!