In this article we provided helpful information about the different types of opportunities now available and some of the primary responsibilities for each. While this type of career might not be the right path for everyone, for individuals with a creative streak who love a challenging but also rewarding career, working as a makeup artist would certainly be an interesting journey.
Unique Job Opportunities
Most people are surprised to learn there are so many different types of makeup artist jobs. While the concept of these jobs is similar, distinct differences do exist. Listed below are options a person could consider for this particular career.
- Bridal Makeup Artist
- Fashion Makeup Artist
- Film Makeup Artist
- High Glamor Makeup Artist
- Model Makeup Artist
- Magazine Makeup Artist
- Photography Makeup Artist
- Special Effects Makeup Artist
- Special Occasions Makeup Artist
- Television Makeup Artist
- Theater Makeup Artist
We pulled information together for three of the main makeup artist jobs to include fashion, film, and television, showing the type of work involved. Qualifications to work as a makeup artist depend on the type of work being performed. For most positions, an individual would need to complete specialized education to earn certification but there are some jobs whereby a college degree would be required.
Building a Career
Now, if someone were interested in a career as a makeup artist but had not yet completed the necessary education and/or certification or college degree, there is a way to get a foot in the door to gain hands-on experience but without a huge delay in getting started. Working at a Makeup Counter would allow a person to gain exposure to the industry, meet professional makeup artists, learn details for the different makeup artist jobs, and begin honing a skill that would ultimately lead to a successful career.
Although a Makeup Counter position is entry level, it should still be viewed as a great opportunity to learn. In this role, a person would work behind the makeup counter for a popular department store such as Macy’s, Dillard’s, Jones Store, JC Penney’s, and others. As part of the job, both paying and non-paying customers would schedule appointments to have makeup done for a specific event. This saves customers money and gives them a great look while allowing an individual to move toward more serious jobs.
Fashion Makeup Artist Responsibilities
Makeup artist jobs in the fashion industry are all about creating looks of romance, sensuality, and glamour. Due to the nature of the work, a makeup artist working for the fashion industry would be responsible for making people look perfect for photo shoots, runway shows, magazine covers, and other venues. Although there would be some direction from a producer, director, or editor, often a makeup artist would have creative flexibility.
Fashion makeup artist jobs are fast-paced, demanding, and challenging but with success, they are also enjoyable and rewarding. The greatest skill this professional would need to possess is the ability to work under hot lights for long hours while keeping the clientele looking great. Because of the excitement involved and high demand for qualified makeup artists, this has quickly become a popular career choice.
Film Makeup Artist Responsibilities
Another one of the highly sought after position has to do with film. In this case, the professional would work on a movie set the majority of time. The goal is to make actors look good on film according to the character being played. While there are times when makeup would be more exaggerated, usually a subtle and more natural look would be needed.
One of the challenges in the film career has to do with camera close-up shots. Prior to the introduction of high definition television sets, makeup artists had a slight amount of wiggle room but with this new technology, every feature of a person’s face is exposed, both good and bad. For this reason precision in makeup application would be mandatory. Another critical aspect is the creation of prosthetics, as well as special effects based on the type of movie and characters involved.
Theater Makeup Artist Responsibilities
The last example of jobs we wanted to cover has to do with theater or stage performance. The interesting thing about this particular career is that most professionals complete education not only in makeup but also costumes. There are many different angles to this job to include use of prosthetics, special effects, performance space analysis, and varied theater lighting.
A theater makeup artist must balance numerous duties such as making an actor look great under different lighting scenarios yet still look appropriate for the character played to the audience. Because this can be one of the more difficult makeup artist jobs, along with education, most people complete specialized training.