When it comes to the creative industries, there are countless career paths to follow. While some might prefer to become performers and take center stage, others find themselves thriving behind the scenes. If you are someone who doesn’t love the limelight, but is passionate about film, TV and theatre, as well as the artistry of makeup and experimenting with different looks, perhaps you have thought about pursuing a career as a makeup artist in this field? If this is something that you are interested in, here are a few tips to help you get started.

1.   Do Your Research

Just because you might do your makeup flawlessly (and you get compliments on your skills from friends and family), this doesn’t mean that you will necessarily be able to do makeup as a career. Just like any career, working as a makeup artist has its ups and downs and there is a lot of competition, particularly if you do want to work for film and TV studios or in theatres. Make sure you are doing your research into this career to help you decide if it is a path you want to dedicate yourself to.

2.   Get Specific Training

If you are certain this is a career that you want to pursue, the next step is getting yourself into a specialist training program for this type of makeup styling. It will not just be making someone look good, but also working with the special effects department to create realistic wounds, or are creatures from another world, and so on. Look up some of the best training programs near you or somewhere you are willing to travel to and apply. This kind of education and experience will be imperative to your establishing a career in this field.

3.   Practice at Home

Practice makes perfect and if you want to stand out as an excellent makeup artist for film and TV or theatre, you need to hone your skills. Invest in specialist makeup like this FX special effects makeup so you can familiarize yourself with the different materials used. This will help you to progress and become more confident in your abilities when you are using this type of specialist makeup.

4.   Network

Networking can help in any career, but it is a must in an industry that is notoriously difficult to break into and has a lot of competition. Make the most of the connections you make when you are doing your training programs and organize work experience for yourself at local theatres or studios. You should also promote your work online via social media and perhaps even consider creating a professional website for yourself, displaying your portfolio on this platform. You should also look to see if there are any conferences or other professional events for makeup artists taking place near you, as these can be great networking opportunities as well.

If you would like to pursue a career as a makeup artist in film and TV, theatre, or both, then use these tips as a way to help you start planning your path and moving forward to achieving your dream job.