Have you ever wondered what it takes to turn an everyday actor into a dramatic character? Do you want to learn how one alters their appearance with the use of makeup, or perhaps discover secrets to create the best Halloween face to surprise your circle of friends and family?
Then SC4’s Fundamentals of Stage Makeup (THA 107) class is for you! Instructor Stewart Reed loves teaching this class because it’s a great combination of academic content and fun. “It’s part theatre, part art, and part personal development,” said Reed.
Technically the course is a study of theatrical makeup, its techniques, basic principles and practical application. “Students will be able to do stage makeup on themselves or others,” continues Reed. “Whether it’s a little bit of old age on yourself, or doing fantasy makeup on 30 students — we can make great looking images and stay hygienic.”
Class assignments include creating clowns, fantasy, fake nose, medical simulations, mustache, old age, and zombie, to name a few. The class also has discussion topics related to diversity components such as age, beauty, gender, sickness, skin color, and class — all of which involve makeup. The course offers unique opportunities to collaborate with other programs on campus, such as the SC4 nursing program. “In the past we’ve had nursing professors come to class to ‘diagnose’ the student ‘illness’ based on the makeup.”
Additional topics include skin health, product safety, and part of the class is accepting your face as it is. “I like the class because we become a fun, close-knit group,” said Reed. “It’s hard to stay aloof when you’ve seen each other in a fake mustache, covered in fake blood, or make a life casting of someone’s face.”
If you are ready to explore the fundamentals of stage makeup through a combination of reading assignments, lectures, demonstrations and supervised practice sessions, space is still available. You can check out a full list of classes being offered at sc4.edu/schedule. Classes begin the week of Aug. 23.
New to campus, visit sc4.edu/starthere. Instructor Reed and the SC4 campus community look forward to welcoming you to campus in August.
