Beauty Makeup
In this required class, makeup artists practice beauty and corrective cosmetic applications for eyes, lips, cheeks and skin. Makeup courses include learning the appropriate makeup looks for everyday, special occasions and high fashion print and digital photography. Students enrolled in makeup courses use foundation, powder, blush, eyeshadow, mascara, eyeliner, lip pencil and lipstick. Classroom demonstration learning focuses on face shapes and skin tones, color theory, application styles and cosmetic trends.
Hairstyling
After completing a basic beauty makeup course, students often enroll in a basic hairstyling class. This elective covers a full complement of styling tools, like blow dryers, hot rollers and irons, and their uses for preparing period and contemporary hairstyles. Students practice general hairstyling methods and learn which styles best compliment the model or client according to face shape and occasion.
Airbrushing
This elective class teaches students how to use an airbrush machine to apply the appropriate airbrushing techniques for face and body. Airbrushing skills include makeup and tanning applications, as well as coloring prosthetics for use in special effects or film, theater and television makeup. This class is usually taken after the basic makeup class and may be taken before, concurrent with, or after special effects or stage makeup classes.
Stage Makeup
Makeup for the theater, film and television stage is the focus of this required class. Students learn to work with directors and explore how makeup appears under theatrical lighting and on film and video.
Makeup artists often work on developing historical and horror makeup application styles. They practice creating bruises, abrasions and injuries with makeup. Using cosmetics and prosthetics, they practice applying aging effects on actors. Students learn to add body and facial hair, as well as conceal it with bald caps and other methods.
Special Effects Makeup
Special effects makeup, also known as SFX makeup, is learned in both classroom and lab settings. In this course, typically required, makeup artists focus on cosmetic applications for the face and body. The processes for prosthetic casting, painting and sculpting are taught, and students get to practice working with silicone, latex and foam rubber. Special effects work includes building multiple-piece looks using makeup, prosthetics and hair to achieve complex effects.