Are you considering going to a special effects (FX) makeup school but aren’t sure if it’s worth the investment? You’re not alone. Many people are curious about what these schools offer and whether or not it’s the right decision for them. In this post, we’ll give you a breakdown of what you can expect from special effects makeup school, as well as some things to consider before making your decision. So, is it worth going to a special effects makeup school? Let’s take a closer look.
Consider Becoming a Professional Special FX Makeup Artist
Becoming a professional makeup artist requires skill, determination, and passion. Talent can take you pretty far in this field but learning from other experienced artists can help you get to the next level. This is why many makeup artists go to school to perfect their skills and learn new or different techniques.
How is Special Effects Makeup School Different?
Traditional cosmetology school or beauty school focuses primarily on basic beauty techniques, including makeup tools and applications and color matching, with a heavy focus on skincare or hairstyling techniques.
A makeup artist school, on the other hand, will dive deeper into more advanced beauty makeup techniques. These include highlighting and contouring HD & film makeup, teen makeup, time periods, tattoo cover, dynamic eye makeup, editorial makeup, avant-garde, fantasy makeup, drag makeup, trend makeup, applying rhinestones and appliques, and airbrush makeup.
It is important that any professional makeup artist, even someone who wants to specialize in special effects makeup, has a strong foundation in beauty makeup. This is why there are additional courses you can take during or after your training – such as going to special effects makeup school.
You could also attend a makeup artistry school that offers these specialized courses in on-set hairstyling, advanced airbrush makeup, body painting, character creation, special effects, and prosthetic creation and application. With these specialized and advanced skills, you will be ready for any job or opportunity.
Is it Worth Going to Special FX Makeup School?
Special FX makeup artistry is a popular specialization – but you may be wondering if it is worth going to school for. Here are a few reasons you may want to consider enrolling in a special effects makeup school.
Learn How to Become a Special FX Makeup Artist
You can take SFX makeup courses during traditional training at the L Makeup Institute. We offer this as part of our Program Two training at both of our locations in Dallas and Las Vegas. This program covers all of the essential makeup techniques, along with advanced courses. During Program Two, students will complete four core classes:
- Mastering the Art of Beauty
- Hair Styling for the Makeup Artist
- Airbrush and Body Painting
- Special Effects Makeup
Program Two takes a total of 32 weeks to complete for full-time students.
You can also take this course in addition to your core training or after graduation to expand your skills. The Special Makeup Effects course at L Makeup Institute is a 7-week or 227.5-hour course, and our advanced prosthetics course is a 5-week or 162.5-hour course.
Stand Out As a Professional Makeup Artist
L Makeup Institute is accredited by the ACCSC (Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges). Upon graduation from our Program One or Program Two courses, students can earn certification and a diploma. Most states do not require a license for makeup artists, but certification from a reputable school can help you stand out as a professional makeup artist.
What Do You Learn in Special Effects Makeup School?
A professional special effects makeup artist is responsible for creating a unique and other-worldly look through makeup, prosthetics, and other tools. Special FX makeup is commonly used in film and theater productions and special events to create characters and looks that traditional makeup cannot achieve. These techniques are used to simulate gory injuries, make a person appear older, or turn actors into whole other creatures like a zombie or aliens.
During special effects makeup school, you will learn various techniques and practice applications in the classroom from a hands-on approach. Our Special Makeup Effects course includes training on:
- Blood and wound techniques
- False teeth impression, sculpting, and molding
- Hair, facial hair, and bald cap applications
- Age makeup
- Injury simulation
- Work with latex and silicon
- Lifecasting
- Character Creation and much more
Most of this work involves prosthetics to create unique features, cuts, wounds, and other special effects. Our talented instructors will show you how to design and pour molds and add paint and makeup to create a realistic look. You will even learn how to create life and teeth casts for sculpting and creating your own specialized molds.
All students have the opportunity to practice with real-life models during the course. The L Makeup Institute even has a professional photo studio so you can capture your work to create an impressive portfolio.
What Can You Do as a Special FX Makeup Artist?
Now, all of this special FX makeup training sounds interesting, but you’re probably wondering if you can make a career out of it. The great news is that there is no shortage of things you can do after completing special effects makeup school.
Since special effects makeup is quite specific and requires lots of skill and training, people tend to earn more in this field than traditional makeup artists. According to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for special effects makeup artists was around $76,000.
One of the most common careers for special FX makeup artists is to work in TV, film, theater, or photography. Makeup and prosthetics are used all the time for these types of productions to create unique characters, portray wounds, or alter the appearance of the actors.
You can operate as a freelance makeup artist and apply for these types of gigs on your own. Another option is to work with an agency that will assign you jobs based on your skills, specialties, and location.
This training can also help you land side gigs to make extra money and supplement your full-time income. Special effects makeup artists are often hired for events, such as:
- Haunted houses
- Carnivals and theme parks
- Music videos
- Prosthetics designers
You can also pass on your knowledge by recording videos and tutorials to teach others how to do special effects. You could even return to school for educator training and teach in special effects makeup school!
Take Your Next Steps at LMI
If creating truly unique and mind-blowing makeup looks through special effects sounds interesting to you, why not look into enrolling in special effects makeup school? Becoming a professional makeup artist is an exciting and rewarding career that can take you to many places. But the first step is to earn your education.
At L Makeup Institute, our goal is to help the makeup artists of tomorrow perfect their skills and gain hands-on experience to help them with their careers. At our two locations in Las Vegas and Dallas, we offer a wide variety of training, including focused special effects makeup classes, to help you explore your talents and learn impressive techniques.
If you are ready to start special effects makeup artist school, reach out to L Makeup Institute today. We can’t wait for you to see how our families in Dallas and Las Vegas are excited to welcome you.