This is the 1st book to offer portrait biographies of 26 Leading Ladies working in Makeup effects for film and television. Featuring their influences, training, projects and careers, these biographies express how and why these Ladies have risen to success.
The book, written by Gary Christensen, a California based Makeup Artist and Patricia L. Terry, a Theatre Director, features 12 Oscar winners, 9 Emmy winners, and 5 Emerging Artists (the possible award-winners of tomorrow).
It’s a man’s world….as the famous James Brown song goes and in certain professions it most certainly can feel just like that. No more so that with special effects makeup, or even makeup itself! If you search on the internet, best or most influential makeup artists, at least eighty percent of the names will be men.
This is certainly understandable in the early years when men predominantly ran most professions. Yet, as time moved on so too did makeup artists and the skills and applications they used. One of the slight criticisms of today is that awards seem to go special effects makeup. The art of subtle period makeup or wigs etc seem to be slightly out of fashion?
For Christine, the break came on “Topsy Turvy” A Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta, that explores the intense relationship between the two men. As it is a Mike Leigh film the period of the film was paramount. Christine had to have all the wigs and facial hair handmade as per period. Not only this but also the makeup had to be of period too. So there was plenty of burnt cork and greasepaints had to be of the time.
Fortunately, the Victoria and Albert Museum had a good source of makeup on hand to show.
To view Christine’s profile and read more about the book itself, click here