Theatre Week
Day 1
- Intro about Theatre makeup
- Making bald caps (this is an on going project as they will need a few throughout the weeks)
- Demos:
- How to block a wig
- How to wash it
- Pincurl to prep for wig
- Wrapping hair to prep for wig
- Stocking cap
Day 2
- Wig dressing – an overview of the various styles using skills for preparation learned on Day 1.
Day 3
- Add layers to bald cap!
- Characterisation in Theatre – Demo and then pair work
- Add more layers to bald cap!
Day 4
- Add layers to bald cap!
- 3 part silicone Project
Day 5
- Museum visit – usually the national Portrait Gallery to look at painting: light and shading and ageing, and how it is communicated. We combine this with a quiz to support the learning.
- Visit to a wig room with one of our partner tutors – the Royal Opera House, English National Opera, and the National Theatre for a tour.
Day 6
- Bald cap layers
- On Stage effects – dramatic use of sick, sweat, blood etc.
Day 7
- Introduction to wig Making – skills involving knotting on lace – the products used.
Day 8
Bald cap layers!
- Ballet cap layers!
- ballet bun
- French pleat
- ballet twist
- how to pin securely
- invisible net
What is different when your artist has to dance?
Day 9
- Applying Bald Cap
- Ageing makeup for theatre.
(Incorporating feedback from gallery about ageing, shading, colouring etc)
Day 10
Male make-up for stage, how to cross gender; thinking about the face in a different way. If there is time at the end of the day I do a quick change practice/game when the students have to prep the hair and put a wig on and a bit of costume and then we re-create a quick change area with low lighting and cramped conditions and then add another costume and re-put on the wig. We tend to time it and it becomes a bit of a race.
Male make-up for stage, how to cross gender; thinking about the face in a different way. If there is time at the end of the day I do a quick change practice/game when the students have to prep the hair and put a wig on and a bit of costume and then we re-create a quick change area with low lighting and cramped conditions and then add another costume and re-put on the wig. We tend to time it and it becomes a bit of a race.
Theatre Course photos
Here’s just a small selection of photos of students and work from our basic makeup course module.
If you’d like to see more, take a look at our full theatre makeup photo page.
