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Each student is given the iPad to talk and video whatever they choose. It is almost like a personal Makeup tutorial in the centre of London. It can be on any makeup look that they are creating or simply to chat about how they are getting on!

What I find interesting is what the students decide to talk about and video and share. These makeup videos will not be edited or changed in anyway, so that any prospective students can get the real insight into what it is like to study at CB*MA.

Here at Christine Blundell Makeup school we believe that openness and honesty are paramount, even if it is sometimes uncomfortable.

Because we have small classes, the intimacy can hopefully come through on the filming; we shall see.

One student & one story each day will be delivered for you to see our students in action, listen to them talk freely about their time at the Academy and the challenges and highlights they are experiencing with us every day.

I managed to catch an invite via the launch of the new book “Leading Ladies of Makeup Effects” by Patricia Terry and Gary Christensen.

It features many brilliant designers and makeup artists; not just or very own Christine Blundell but the amazing Fran Hannon and Julie Dartnell. We also had the chance to meet “Montse Ribe” from Barcelona and up and coming makeup artist KC Mussman.

I will not write about Christine this time, as I am sure you have read about her already, if you are one of our avid readers.

Julie Dartnell’s career began when she got admitted into the BBC makeup department; one of 24 from 1400 applicants. Prior to this she went to evening classes to gain her A levels and then to a makeup course to learn makeup and hair.

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?

After beginning the first Paddington film in the “darkest Jungle of Peru,” (Costa Rica), which was incredible by the way!! I sadly had to go one to the film “Kingsman 1” and so I could not continue. It was such a shame, so when the second opportunity came my way to design Paddington 2, I simple could not and would not refuse! The response to the film was amazing and well done to Graham Johnston for doing such a great job.
When the second opportunity did come by i could not refuse and could commit, so was very happy. I had my team of makeup artists that usually work with me and managed to get on board three full time trainees from the previous hair and makeup course.

With three full time trainees and many others coming in to assist, it looks like the new Aladdin film by Guy Ritchie is going to be very busy! We have not even mentioned the CBMA juniors and makeup artists that are rolling up their sleeve and getting ready for some great work! All these people are headed up by Christine Blundell, who is Hair and Makeup designer.

Will Smith has made his first post of him and the crew! As mentioned we have many of our girls working and assisting on Aladdin. We are lucky enough to have three fulltime makeup trainees, juniors and makeup artists working on Guy Ritchie’s latest project. Very soon we too should have a post about our girls’ experiences on set!

We were very lucky to have most of the actors coming into the makeup academy for makeup tests. Marwan Kenzari came in hot off his success starring in “Murder on the orient express.”

Last week she shared with us the step-by-step secrets of the Wonder Woman look she created for Gal Gadot. Now Sarah Brock lets Warpaint lift the lid on her experiences on set

WP:  Congratulations on the beautiful looks that you created for Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman.  You’re much better known for your Red Carpet looks – how did you transition into movies?

SB:  It really was a fairytale story as to how I came to work on the Wonder Woman movie – after being in beauty and fashion for 18 years, the movie industry wasn’t something I had ever considered.  Patty Jenkins, the director, was searching online for inspiration for the make-up look for Gal and she kept coming across an image from a bridal designer campaign that I did back in 2008.  My name wasn’t on the image, so she asked the team in the USA to find out who did the make-up for the campaign – they found my website, Patty looked at my work and loved what I did (plus I was based in the UK where most of the filming took place, so it was perfect).  I had an email one evening from Patty, I went to the Warner Bros Studios to meet her – we got on so well immediately and she offered me the job as the personal make-up artist to Gal on the movie and the rest is history.

Last Saturday CB*MA Academy opened its doors to welcome our prospective students, most of whom are keen to join us in September, for our next 4 Month Hair & Makeup course. We were privileged to have our Prosthetics Tutor, Dan Frye, “Game Of Thrones” and “Harry Potter” prosthetics Makeup artist, creating a Monster look and answering visitors’ questions.

Dan has been in the film makeup industry for many years and has a plethora of talent and stories. There are many parallels between a prosthetics artist and a makeup artist. Yes they make many things from the simple scratch to a gaping wound, but they must also fully understand makeup and colour. As once these pieces are made they must be painted and to appear to be flesh or Zombie or whatever!

We also had a number of our recent and not so recent graduates on hand, talking about their experiences of working on Christine’s latest film project, Mike Leigh’s Peterloo, currently filming in Manchester.

What an amazing two weeks we have just had and judging by the what the students have created the intensity of learning and understanding prosthetics makeup, has paid off. The prosthetics makeup module is one of the most anticipated of modules. These weeks are very different atmospherically to the other weeks here. A different mindset is needed. Calm and a zen like approach is needed.

All the makeup and hair modules we do, require students to focus and work on detail. These weeks require even more so. Just when students think they have finished moulding their pieces, Dan will come along and tell them that they need to work at it a little longer. The “Devil is in the detail.”