Central Michigan Life

Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: Lifeline

"I choose to do a different scar," said Clare senior Jenna Hatch as she applies scratches to her face as a part of her injury assignment in her stage make-up class last Tuesday afternoon. Hatch also chose to add a knife wound on her neck to go along with the scratches on her face. [Click to enlarge]

Nashville junior Briana Ferrier applies wolf scratches to her face during her stage makeup class last Tuesday afternoon. "It turned out really cool - more realistic than I thought it would be," Ferrier said. Ferrier, along with classmates, take on projects such as fantasy characters, injuries and animal faces. [Click to enlarge]

A personality is merely the authority of an eyebrows arch or the graying of the hair.

Evil, virtue, charm and wisdom can all be applied to the face in a paste.

Just as a cape or crown can deliver the "feel" of a character, so can make-up.

That final dressing of the character is what will enable him or her to perform the role as fully and effectively as possible.

In the class TAI 278: Stage Make-up, students learn basics that teach them how to enhance the characters they play on stage.

"You're not making yourself look beautiful, and more like the character you're trying to portray," said Doris Ramsey, a Costume and Makeup designer who has taught the stage make-up course at CMU for 41 years.



The class meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m. in Moore 246, which is part of the dressing room area of Bush Theatre.

So far, the students have created makeup designs that have been dedicated to making themselves look years older, like they have suffered traumatic injury or are mythological creatures.

"Learning aging is important because it teaches them to look good at the age they happen to be, but can gradually age themselves. You get to learn to make yourself look a little older without looking totally bizarre," Ramsey explained.

The injury unit required the students to think of a character from a scripted play and recreate the wounds they may have endured during the story.

Briana Ferrier, a Nashville junior, chose Little Red Riding Hood from "Into The Woods," a musical comedy that intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales.

"In 'Into The Woods,' Red was actually eaten by the Wolf and so I recreated the injuries that she might have had," Ferrier said.

On her face, she created a puncture wound on her forehead, three scratch marks across her face and markings on her nose and jaw where stomach acid had begun to eat away her face.

She used "putty" a technical term for wax make up, facial tissue and latex and then painted with stage makeup to create a realistic effect.

Next week, the class will focus on animal make-up, developing skills in adapting what an animal looks like compared to a human face.

"The class has it's ups and downs, but that's what makes it fun," said Bionca Bearyman, Flint junior. "It's challenging just remembering all of the techniques."



Back to the basics

The class began the semester by studying the history of make-up and basic make-up techniques in addition to the anatomy of the face and head.

Later, the group learned illusions such as how to make a nose appear longer or eyes appear closer together.

Ramsey said the application methods learned in the class can be used in places other than performance art.

"Techniques of shaping the face can be used is street make-up because it is also based in highlight and shadow," she said.

Each makeup project must be accompanied be a completed makeup worksheet. This worksheet is used as a "plan of attack" for every makeup design and must be completed prior to entering the classroom.

At the start of the class, everyone took photos of their faces. During the initial stages of design, a transparency sheet is laid over the pictures and facial elements that will be changed are shaded, Ferrier said.

Often, after completing their designs and receiving their grades, the students will wash their classmates work from their faces.

But sometimes, if they are pleased with the end result, students will leave their make-up on for the remainder of the day.

"We've gotten a few comments," Ferrier explained. "Lots of times people will stare at You. One time, this guy did a double take and was like 'Oh my goodness is that real?! What is going on!?"

Last year's make-up class dressed up like zombies and car accident victims and walked around campus during the week of final exams.

"We were actually thinking about doing it again this year. We walk around and it's sort of like the message 'don't be a Zombie-Get your sleep during finals week," Ferrier said.



Step by step:



1-) Wash face with soap, or any other cleanser.

2-) Apply astringent to close the pores

3-) Apply facial lotion or humidifier (stage makeup is rough on skin and it can be painful if this procedure is not followed.)

4-) Apply the foundation (base) and distribute it evenly throughout the face. Do not use too much base or the surface will be extremely greasy and unmanageable.

5-) Apply desired makeup design (i.e. Old age makeup, facial hair, street makeup, etc.)

6-) After the make up has been completed it is important to apply powder all over the face to avoid makeup from running or shining too much with the stage lights.

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