One of the many ways to extend your knowledge of makeup artistry, is to assist other makeup artists who preferably, have been in the business for sometime and can offer advice and tips in any given field. Whether that be film, theatre or editorial.
You can make the rounds of all the major agencies (a list of which can be found on www.ftape.com) and ask them if it's possible to assist any of the major artists on their books or you can contact any artist directly. Keep in mind that most of these people get many, many emails on a monthly basis (if my own inbox is anything to go by and I'm not exactly Pat McGrath!) But the key is to stand out from the crowd. When you contact these people, talk about your interests and what you are prepared to do. If you are willing to travel, work long hours etc. If possible, attach any work you have done.
So, once you have been extremely lucky to get your foot in the door, you have to ask yourself if you are prepared to stick it out. You will, for the majority of the time, be asked to "work" a full day for no money. To clean brushes and paint models toes (and sometimes they can look a little suspect to say the least!) to make the tea, to run errands, to clean up. But the things you will learn will be invaluable and allow you to fast track your knowledge. You will learn things that would have taken you years to find out on your own. More importantly, you will meet people that will benefit you in the long run.
But as I mentioned earlier, it is a very competitive position and it's usually rare to find a "great" assistant. In fact, there are some, who being inert is an art in itself! The trick to success is to make yourself indispensable.
So based on years of working with assistants, here is my list of do's and don'ts:
Do
Get to location early. If call time is 8:15 get there at least 10 mins earlier, it shows you're keen.
Don't
Get there late and spend most of your time on facebook talking about "the celebrity" your working on.
Do
Make sure if you are asked to bring brushes or a hairdryer, that it is packed..... and working!
Don't
Spend all your time talking to the model/celebrity instead of actually working, you are primarly there to help.
Do
Remember to practice whatever you have learnt, you never know when you will be asked to recreate it.
Don't
Moan within earshot, no one want's to be around negativity.... save it for when you get home!
Do
Ask before doing anything! It's nice to think ahead, but some artists don't like their brushes cleaned the second it leaves their hands!
Don't
Stay an assistant for more than a year. You will never be taken seriously as an artist in your own write.
Do
Make sure you make an impression for all the right reasons. You are more likely to recommend a great assistant rather than a mediocre one.
So if you're sure that is the route for you, be prepared for some hard grafting and hopefully some fun jobs.
Good luck!
You can make the rounds of all the major agencies (a list of which can be found on www.ftape.com) and ask them if it's possible to assist any of the major artists on their books or you can contact any artist directly. Keep in mind that most of these people get many, many emails on a monthly basis (if my own inbox is anything to go by and I'm not exactly Pat McGrath!) But the key is to stand out from the crowd. When you contact these people, talk about your interests and what you are prepared to do. If you are willing to travel, work long hours etc. If possible, attach any work you have done.
So, once you have been extremely lucky to get your foot in the door, you have to ask yourself if you are prepared to stick it out. You will, for the majority of the time, be asked to "work" a full day for no money. To clean brushes and paint models toes (and sometimes they can look a little suspect to say the least!) to make the tea, to run errands, to clean up. But the things you will learn will be invaluable and allow you to fast track your knowledge. You will learn things that would have taken you years to find out on your own. More importantly, you will meet people that will benefit you in the long run.
But as I mentioned earlier, it is a very competitive position and it's usually rare to find a "great" assistant. In fact, there are some, who being inert is an art in itself! The trick to success is to make yourself indispensable.
So based on years of working with assistants, here is my list of do's and don'ts:
Do
Get to location early. If call time is 8:15 get there at least 10 mins earlier, it shows you're keen.
Don't
Get there late and spend most of your time on facebook talking about "the celebrity" your working on.
Do
Make sure if you are asked to bring brushes or a hairdryer, that it is packed..... and working!
Don't
Spend all your time talking to the model/celebrity instead of actually working, you are primarly there to help.
Do
Remember to practice whatever you have learnt, you never know when you will be asked to recreate it.
Don't
Moan within earshot, no one want's to be around negativity.... save it for when you get home!
Do
Ask before doing anything! It's nice to think ahead, but some artists don't like their brushes cleaned the second it leaves their hands!
Don't
Stay an assistant for more than a year. You will never be taken seriously as an artist in your own write.
Do
Make sure you make an impression for all the right reasons. You are more likely to recommend a great assistant rather than a mediocre one.
So if you're sure that is the route for you, be prepared for some hard grafting and hopefully some fun jobs.
Good luck!
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