...and onstage, so does the make-up! This year we'll be re-stocking some of our basic make-up supplies for the Lovers, the Court and the Mechanicals, as well as providing some special products designed to make Fairies glimmer and glow. But Fairies, don't think you have to rely on using glitter and glam in the same old areas of make-up application. If just jazzing up your eyes, lips, cheeks, etc. is the vision you have for your character, then go for it! But if you're not sure, or if you're waffling a bit, then maybe thinking outside the Maybelline box would be just the ticket to making the audience stand up and take notice--so to speak. There are tons of make-up books out there--Usborne publishes several good Face Painting books that offer a host of ideas--as well as tons of fairy books, so look to those for inspiration. Don't forget the Internet as a source of pictures and photographs that can inspire your fairy look as well--just be careful on the web, and make sure your mom knows what you're looking for.
And speaking of moms--don't forget that many of us have been applying make-up for decades...whoops! ahem, I mean YEARS...and we know a lot about how to do it, and how not to do it! Moms can be a great source of information.
In the short days leading up to Shakespeare Camp, you might want to experiment with several versions of your make-up, try it on for size. Just don't leave the decision until the last minute--you want to let your make-up become part of your character, or you might be VERY uncomfortable in it when you actually get onstage.
Some things to remember about your make-up plan: first, MAKE A PLAN! Draw it out on paper, doesn't have to be fancy, just an oval for your face, some eyes, a nose, a mouth and voila! Then you can use crayons, paint, markers, colored pencils, or even the actual make-up you intend to use to map out the make-up design you have in mind.
Second, make sure your make-up plan is safe. Yes, safe! I used to put on clown face for church carnivals and such and that white grease paint gets in your eyes no matter what you do--and it makes your vision cloudy. It's temporary, but to get the blurriness to go away, you kind of have to use a Q-tip and clean out the inside of your eyelids--I know...gross, right? So try not to go there: Make sure your make-up plan is safe and comfortable. Remember, too, that stage lights are hot. The hotter they are, the hotter you are and the hotter you are the more you sweat. The more you sweat, the more chance there is that your make-up will run, even after powdering. So take that into consideration when designing your make-up. Sometimes less really IS more.
Third, don't forget your hair. If you want to get a little funky in the hair color department, I STRONGLY recommend that you do NOT use permanent dyes--unless you are quite willing to go the next 8-12 weeks with green or orange hair or you don't mind shaving your head to get the color off and start over with a fresh head. Also bear in mind that hair colors sometimes age in funny ways--reds can get brassy orange or fade to pink, and dark colors will sometimes turn greenish. Yup, no lie (wanna ask me how I know this?). Permanent means PERMANENT. Remember that. Beyond that caution, there are several good products that can color the hair temporarily with good results, though even those products can sometimes take a while to wash out. Something else to remember is that color, even permanent colors, can't "lift" color beyond a shade or two. So while you can go from blonde to black very easily, you will not be able to go from raven black or chocolate brown to Lady Gaga blonde--it just doesn't work that way (not even for her, trust me). Be cautious about color. Spray-on colors work reasonably well for the price and can be easily obtained and would probably be the best option if you aren't willing to make a long-term color commitment.
Don't think that color is all you can do to crown the glorious make-up you've designed. Do you want your hair spiky? Braided? Crimped, curled or ratted? Perhaps a graceful up-do, a ponytail, spunky pigtails--festooned with glitter, ribbons or bows, or with beads, pearls or feathers dangling amongst your amazing strands. How about slipping thin wire through braids so that you can twist them into funky shapes? The sky's the limit, and the important thing is that your fairy look doesn't stop at your hairline--fabulous locks can put the gild on the lily!
A note about Face Painting: don't let it scare you! This particular technique is fun, easy to learn, and not all that time-consuming once you practice it a little bit. I can do it, and if I can, you can too. Really! I'm willing to help you if that's the technique you'd like to use, but you may find it more fun to do it yourself. You can go for a full-face effect that makes you look like a cat, a fish, a frog, monster--really, just about anything. Or go easy and create a strand of blossoms across a cheek bone, or a string of sparkling stars along your temple. Give yourself a bat or butterfly wing "eye mask." And don't forget the rest of your body. A leafy green vine can shimmy up your arm or wrap around your throat, a cobweb could cling to your hand. Just remember that when make-up gets very much farther than your face, the risk of smearing it increases, so try it on first and see how it works for you. To do Face Painting, you'll need a set of small paint brushes for detail and a few cosmetic sponges for base color application as well as appropriate colors.
If you have questions or need some help, give me a holler, and I'll be glad to help!!
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