How to Become a Makeup Artist for T.V.

February 6, 2017

According to Statistic Brain, 99% of households have at least 1 television, and the average person will spend 9 years of their life (in total) watching T.V. That’s a lot of eyes on a lot of screens! The rise of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime are also a big reason why more people are tuning into their favorite shows. So what does this mean for makeup artists? Potentially, it means more job opportunities!

What Does a T.V. Makeup Artist Do?

Whether you realize it or not, everyone on screen wears makeup. Lighting, set colors and cameras change the way actors and actresses are seen. Many viewers don’t realize that even characters that seem to be completely makeup free are actually wearing foundation, powder, are contoured and sometimes even more.

Do you keep up with the Kardashians? Then you probably know what it takes to create their everyday looks. If you don’t, you are most likely surprised by how much it takes to get them to look the way they do. In fact, you can check out Kim’s Instagram to see her makeup artists in action. The Kardashian and Jenner sisters use makeup artists before they shoot their own show, as well as before any outing, naturally.

In cases where the supernatural are involved, like the CW series The Vampire Diaries and AMC’s The Walking Dead makeup artists are tasked with creating realistic vampires and zombies. This can involve the use of airbrush and prosthetic makeup.

How Do I Become a T.V. Makeup Artist?

Like most other creativity-driven careers, makeup artistry takes some natural talent and interest. While that’s not 100% necessary for everyone, loving what you do sure makes it more fun! The best place to build a good foundation is school.

Here at Bellus Academy, we offer both basic and master makeup courses. You can take the master course at our Poway or Chula Vista locations. Basic classes are available at all locations. You can take a makeup course on its own or in addition to a cosmetology or esthetics program.

By the time you graduate school, you should have a bit of a portfolio built (at the end of our courses, our students have a photoshoot), but you’ll want to expand your experience. Check out jobs in your area for freelance. The more people you work with, the more situations you experience, the more your resume grows. Indeed is a job board you can use to find freelance jobs or employment.

After you’ve built out your professional portfolio a bit more, you’ll probably feel more comfortable pursuing a job as a T.V. artist. Try looking online on sites like Indeed for jobs using words like “production makeup artist”, “makeup artist production” and “tv makeup artist”.

Interview Tips

While you try to put projects under your belt, you will encounter interviews. Here are some tips that you can use to impress.

  1. Bring a hard copy of your resume and portfolio.
  2. Have a digital copy of your resume and portfolio.
  3. Have professional social media accounts set up and listed on your resume.
  4. Have passion! You can always tell when someone really enjoys what they do. It makes all the difference.

That’s What I Want to Do!

Are you ready for a fast paced, creative and amazing career? You can get started on the path toward your goal with an education from Bellus! Contact us for more information on how to get started in one of our makeup artistry programs.

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