The Very Ugly Truth Attack Of The Make Up Artists
The Very Ugly Truth- Attack Of The Make Up Artists
Interacting with everyone from newcomers to big A-list stars and being involved with high profile events around the world has enabled me to get a unique perspective on all areas of South Asian media. In a series of honest commentary pieces, I hope to share some of my experiences and give you the inside view on all areas of media world that can be glamorous, inspiring, disappointing, heartbreaking, crooked, brilliant and filled with talent. (Before you continue reading, please note that these pieces may cause offence in some corners – this is not my intention! The aim is to educate people, especially those who are starting off on their journeys.)
Whether it’s films, TV, magazine shoots, live events, wedding days and catwalk, make-up artists have an incredibly important job. If they don’t make the respective person look good then everything from the biggest day in a girls life to a very expensive film shoot can turn into a disaster!
That is why I find it impossible to understand why certain individuals can wake up one morning and decide they are top make up artists. These "not so" clued up individuals have either learned something it takes people years to perfect on a five day course (usually done by someone equally clueless). Instead of admitting they are unemployed, many will put MUA at the end of their name on Facebook, in hope of fooling people into believing that they are experienced. If they don’t get work (which is not surprising) many will start an academy to charge thousands of pounds for a week-long course (it’s like the blind leading the blind). Many of these people will convince themselves of their new found ‘expertise’ and will have that opinion endorsed by friends who lie for them or remain silent, allowing innocent people to get conned.
If you are a new make-up artist who is interested in the profession, please understand that spending a pile of cash on websites with flash (which google will usually ignore), equipment, products, advertising and taking a short course isn’t a fast track root to success. Learn your craft from on a credible course! Without knowledge, you could potentially be sued, harm someone who may be allergic to a certain chemical, destroy a wedding day (which only comes along once for most people) and be conned yourself by someone who is experienced at being dodgy.
Having your picture taken with a celebrity doesn’t turn you into a celebrity make up artist. Passing off other people’s work as your own is illegal and unethical, so think twice before you do that.
If you have a credible qualification you have worked hard for at university over three years, stick to that instead of trying to learn what is a complicated skill in three days.
Credibility
There are credible people out there who have learned their craft after years of hard work. Learn from them! I have worked with great make-up artists on big projects around the world and can testify to the fact that there are some very skilled individuals out there. These individuals have taken time to learn about their craft and are willing to dispense their knowledge to you. The quicker we can take out the ‘overnight’ make up artists (or MUAs as they like to be known), the sooner the credible ones can come to the forefront and make all the wonderful people look great instead of like scary clowns.
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