Stage makeup is used to correct the effects of distance and light while on stage. Facial features would fade under intense stage lights without stage makeup because they wash out the natural shadows of the face, creating a very flat, lifeless image. http://www.fashionmakeupschools.com/stage-make-up.html By repainting facial features extra big, extra bright, and extra dark, an optical illusion is created such that the face appears normal and visible to the audience.http://www.fashionmakeupschools.com/stage-make-up.htmlThe face is split into blocks and planes of light and shadow. http://www.thestage.co.uk/connect/howto/applymakeup.phpKnowing where these shadows and highlights naturally occur is important because they have to be enhanced with make up. http://www.thestage.co.uk/connect/howto/applymakeup.php Foundation close to the color of the skin is the starting point for stage makeup, along with a lighter and a darker foundation. There are several different types of foundation. Oil and grease based foundations require setting with a translucent powder to achieve a matte finish. Water based foundations, which dry with a matte finish and require no setting, are washable with water. http://www.thestage.co.uk/connect/howto/applymakeup.phpFoundations are available in many forms: fluid, dry cakes, wet cakes, paint sticks and creams—all of which are best applied with a small sponge.http://www.thestage.co.uk/connect/howto/applymakeup.php
Actors used white lead powder, colored with the solids leftover from wine making or linen masks in 5th century Greece, as stage makeup. Theater was viewed by candle light before the kerosene lamp was invented. The use of burnt cork, India ink, lamp black and artist's pigment base powders were all there was besides individual ingenuity. Grease paint sticks, invented in Germany by Ludwid Leichner in 1873, was again the only stage makeup available until Max Factor improved it by making it lighter and in tubes.http://www.costumes.org/classes/conferencepresentations/makeuphistory_Handout2008.pdf Factor, in 1914, used an alternative to dye greasepaint called flexible greasepaint. It was the first make up created for film. It helped make actresses look more natural in close up. http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/max-factor.htmlDuring the 1930’s, Factor invented pancake makeup, which are cakes of water-based makeup, for giving a matte look on color film. Makeup technical innovations after 1920 all come from the film industry, largely through the efforts of Factor.http://www.costumes.org/classes/conferencepresentations/makeuphistory_Handout2008.pdf Factor even created a make up line for Lena Horne called "Dark Egyptian", so she could appear African American onscreen because she photographed very light in her initial MGM screen tests.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0395043/bio
Apply Makeup for Stage Video
First consider your skin tone. Pick the appropriate weight matte foundation color a bit darker than normal to create warmth. Stage lights are bright and tend to fade tones. Use vibrant rouge so cheekbones can stand out. Use dark mascara and liner so that eyes stand out. When applying makeup for stage, remember to be generous in its application so that the makeup is visible to the audience and blocks shine.
References
Fast Facts
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Start with a Clean Face
Facial oil, dirt or daily makeup interferes with stage makeup application and longevity.
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Shaving
Men should not shave less than sixty minutes prior to applying makeup to avoid irritation.
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Proximity
The size of the theatre and the proximity of the audience is a factor when deciding the amount of makeup to apply.
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Yellow Makeup
Open small eyes with a dab of yellow makeup paint blended across the eye lid to make sure the audience can see the eye.
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Makeup for Men
Stage makeup for men should include rouge, eyeliner and mascara to define and slightly exaggerate the features.
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Loose Powder
Oil-based foundation resists perspiration but must used in conjunction with loose powder to set the makeup.
