The Artistry of Special Effects Makeup

Arguably all Theatrical Makeup is essentially Special Effects Makeup. Special Effects Makeup Artists might agree or disagree but in the Modern Era of Theatrical Makeup Artistry, Special Effects Makeup is a uniquely specialized field. As the complexities of production have grown with technological advances Special Effects Makeup application has evolved into a craft that has specific sub specialties. There are Special Effects Makeup Artists who are specialists in creating prosthetic pieces, those that specialize in attaching prosthetic and even those who special in making prosthetic applications out of certain materials. For many decades the Makeup Artist on a movie set did it all, even hand making the makeup in the very early days of film creation. The art of Theatrical Makeup has now progressed to the point that specialists are brought in to a production for a specific makeup talent that they posses, it may be an expert at Mask Covering, a Mask Creator, a Latex Artist and now Body Painting Makeup Artists and face Painting Makeup Artists are in demand as Airbrush Makeup becomes the norm.

The upcoming James Cameron Film, Avatar, billed as the first fully three dimensional film will highlight the Airbrush Specialty of Makeup Artistry along with every other discipline in Special Effects Makeup. The screening of Avatar is only the beginning for the the specialty of Special Effects Makeup Artists who are proficient in Airbrush Makeup Application. As a technological advancement in Film Production Avatar is being touted as the revolutionary beginning to a new vision of film making. From the perspective of the Artistry of Special Effects Makeup, Avatar will be the beginning of a new demand of talent for Makeup Artists. Theatrical Makeup Artists will meet the new challenges presented by the close up high definition three dimensional filming that will define the next era in the history of film.

It is fitting that Avatar is being released in 2009, the 70th Anniversary of the release of the Wizard of Oz, which was revolutionary advancement in Theatrical Makeup. Seventy years does seem like a long time when you think that seventy years ago Theatrical Makeup for color film production was an experiment that did not always work well. The Wizard of Oz Production has its share of Makeup snafus, including almost killing the original Actor who was to play the Tin Man, Buddy Ebsen. Today creating a Tin Man would be as simple as filling up an Airbrush Makeup gun with LUX Airbrush Makeup a green tea based liquid makeup and airbrushing the Tin Man with a Makeup that would not only not threaten his health but would actually be gentle and hydrating to his skin. Theatrical Makeup has come a long way from the days of making silver makeup by using real aluminum powder that was ingested by the Actor till now when a naturally based vitamin enriched airbrush makeup can be used.

Airbrush Makeup may be the next progression in the specialty of Special Effects Makeup, it is unlikely that it will be the last. As the art of the three dimensional film grows to become the norm in theatrical releases, the Special Effects Makeup Artists will develop techniques to match the demand created by the format. The demands placed upon Special Effect Makeup Artist will again create an army of talented Special Effects Makeup Artists who will use their skills to meet the need with innovative imagination and skilled artistry. Mehron Special Effects Makeup will be a ready tool for the next wave of Special Effects Makeup Artists just as it has been through over eighty years of innovative Makeup exploration. Avatar may be the next pivotal Film in the history of film, LUX Airbrush Makeup is already the future of Special Effects Makeup.