So you’re on the road to your makeup artistry certification—congrats! But the excitement of starting your career is often accompanied by a little (or a lot) of stress about making the most of your training. If you’re feeling a little a lost or overwhelmed, don’t worry! We’ve put together a few things that you should keep in mind early on in your makeup artistry journey.
From handing in assignments on time to graciously accepting constructive criticism, these tips will allow you to keep your goals clearly in mind and help you remember why you wanted to become a makeup artist in the first place!
Connect with your instructors
Distinguish yourself from your peers in your introductory letter to your tutor. Be honest and thoughtful with your answers. This might seems like an easy assignment, but putting in the effort to really introduce yourself can help you stand out. Learning is an interactive process. Show that you’re ready to start and looking forward to the course.
Your makeup artistry talents are best showcased in assignments that are completed according to course guidelines. It takes time to create a finished look, so make sure you put effort into creating a look that you’re proud to present to your tutor.
Commit to a schedule
Flexibility is what makes online education such a perfect option for many students. However, just like in a regular classroom, time management is imperative to success.
Are you giving yourself enough time to complete assignments? Do you have a designated work space? Set learning objectives, and inspire yourself to stay organized with wall planners. Each due date you check off is one step closer to your ambition of becoming a professional makeup artist.
Use a model for assignments
Trying out new looks is one of the most creatively satisfying parts of being a makeup artist. But holding a foundation brush to a complete stranger is a very different experience than applying your own makeup.
You should become comfortable working on others. Gain experience with as many new people as you can. The world is a diverse place, so embrace the opportunity to work with different facial features. Showing off your diverse skill set is great for your portfolio!
Welcome constructive criticism
Look to your instructor as a mentor. As master makeup artists, QC tutors are in the unique position of being able to provide you with one-on-one feedback. It’s not every day that you can have an expert review your work. Although sometimes criticism may feel like a huge blow to the ego, any feedback is meant to be a positive thing.
Ultimately, if you really listen to what your tutor has to say, you’ll understand that improving your skills will help transform you into the best makeup artist you can be.
Practice makes perfect
Once you are at ease working with different subjects, be prepared to step outside of your comfort zone once again! Tackle whatever makeup technique you may find difficult head on! This means practicing different makeup looks even if it’s not to pass an assignment. If adapting color theory isn’t your strong suit, then all the more reason to try it out on different skin tones—again and again, and again.
Mastering a personally challenging skill is as much as about mindset as it is about application. You don’t have to love every different sort of makeup technique ever, but you should be willing to try it out.
Do your research
Get to know as much as you can about the industry you want to want to break into. If you dream about making it professionally in SFX makeup, find out the big names in the field and research them online. Find out what industry magazines and websites you should be following.
You can then narrow down where to apply for experience, what magazines or blogs you should aim to showcase your work in, and what the latest trends are. Look for inspiration wherever you can!
Reward yourself
While self-discipline is crucial to success in your online makeup training, are you giving making sure that positive reinforcement is part of that process? Give yourself a day (or even an afternoon) free of assignments if you can. Treat yourself to a pedi or catch up with friends! Use this time to recharge with a little R&R.
Incentives will help you balance your workload as you get closer to your career goals. Of course, finally receiving your makeup artistry diploma will be the greatest reward of all!
Do the extra credit
That optional assignment? Do it. An aspiring makeup artist is serious about learning all there is to makeup artistry. Not only are you enhancing your own knowledge base, you are proving to your tutor that you have the drive to go above and beyond course expectations—a dedication that will only carry over to the field.
A makeup artist committed to her craft…is there anything more aspirational?
