Working as a special effects makeup artist is often fitting for someone with excellent artistic abilities and a love for film or theater. These individuals are responsible for choosing the makeup and other accessories needed to transform the appearance of actors in a production. While a degree in cosmetology is ideal, it's not usually necessary to obtain a position in this field. In fact, many people train under other professionals and work up to becoming a special effects makeup artist. Some of the main responsibilities of this job include researching character appearance, making character sketches, applying makeup, taking pictures of actors afterward and removing makeup.
For most productions, a special effects makeup artist will first research the appearance of each character. As part of this task, he will try to obtain a clear understanding of what each character's makeup and accessories should look like. Doing so is essential for effectively creating an appropriate look for each actor. To accomplish this, he might read over a script or communicate with a director or other individuals in charge of the production.
Once he has an idea of what each character should look like, a special effects makeup artist will usually make some sketches of each character. At this time, he will make a rough drawing of what he envisions a character should look like. He may also make notes of additional accessories that could be added. As he progresses, he will often edit his notes about a character's appearance until he is satisfied with the overall look.
After he has a final sketch, an individual will apply makeup and accessories to each character prior to filming or a play taking place. The complexity and amount of makeup can vary from character to character, but might involve adding wigs, making characters look aged and adding blood or wounds. In some cases, this might involve serious makeup additions for actors playing roles such as zombies or aliens and can take hours.
Many times, an individual will also take pictures of each actor after applying makeup. This is done to capture the exact appearance of an actor so that it can replicated later on. Doing this makes it easier for a special effects makeup artist to remember how each character looks and creates continuity.
Along with this, it's the job of a special effects makeup artist to remove each character's makeup at the end of each day. This includes taking off wigs, facial makeup and any other accessories an actor is wearing. He may need to also wash off an actor's skin to prevent irritation from chemicals within the makeup.
