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Freelance Makeup Artists' Opportunities Abound

Makeup Artistry Places of Study Plentiful

Sep 24, 2008 Melissa Kucirek

Freelance makeup and hair professionals have an exciting array of opportunities in salon, advertising and even film work. Some advice and training can get you started.

Sherry Craig is a freelance professional hair and makeup artist based in Omaha, Neb. After working as a makeup artist and educator for AVEDA, she started her own business in January 2000. The path she took included hard work and making her own connections.

Put Together a Portfolio

Craig said that she assembled a collection of her work and showed it to the modeling and talent agencies in and around Omaha.

“I inquired if they had any availability for a freelance hair and makeup artist to do hair and makeup for model portfolios,” Craig said. “The agency I ended up with also helped bring me freelance work on some department stores and advertising agencies in town.”

According to Makeup, Hair and Styling for Fashion and Entertainment, a portfolio that garners attention creates two or more pages of “stories” that team makeup, hair styles, fashion and photography.

Some companies like, the Makeup Artist Network , house and market your portfolios online for a fee. Other sites that also provide this marketing service:

Impact Folios
Template Portfolios
Go Portfolio

More Jobs Come with More Experience

Craig said it took her a good five years before she really sustained a full-time pay as a freelance artist.

“I’ve worked on movies, short films, many TV spots, print ads, political spots, fashion shows, etc.,” she said.

Advice and Tips If You’re From the Midwest

“It really helps to know someone in the business to get your foot in the door,” Craig said. “Be persistent and patient. And, if you can move out of Omaha, you’ll have better success at being a hair and makeup artist; places like Chicago, LA, Miami or Toronto.”

Where to Study

Here's a quick list of places to study makeup art:

Award Studio – Burbank, Calif.
Makeup School – home based program
Joe Blasco – Hollywood, Calif., and Orlando, Fla.
The Art Institute of Colorado – Denver, Colo.
The EI School of Professional Makeup – Hollywood, Calif.

The web also offers sufficient sites to compare by state, including Vicki Morgenstern’s Guide to Schools for Makeup Training and the Beauty Schools Directory. According to the Beauty Directory, it’s important to ask yourself what type of makeup you are most interested in pursuing.

The salon environment centers events like weddings, proms and special occasions. Cinema and dramatic arts addresses lighting, film and two-dimensional products.

“Some make up artist schools specialize in makeup for photography shoots and movies. Fashion show makeup is another area of specialization,” according to the site.

Exciting Career and Lots of Opportunities

According to Vicki Morgenstern’s Guide to Schools for Makeup Training, the field of makeup artistry is both exciting and challenging.

“Makeup artists are hired to shape the image of actors, news anchors, musicians/entertainers, models, political figures, athletes, authors, and industry CEOs, just to name a few.”

The copyright of the article Freelance Makeup Artists' Opportunities Abound in Career Advice is owned by Melissa Kucirek. Permission to republish Freelance Makeup Artists' Opportunities Abound in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.