Cosmetology

[Doug Nelson]

OK, so what are some good makeup resources that even guys can understand?

We need charts, diagrams, powertools, etc.

[jeaniesa]

Powertools?!? Just what are you trying to accomplish?

I don't have any great sources right off the top of my head - I just had an "idea". I thought I had some diagrams lurking somewhere, but couldn't find them easily. A quick search of the web brought up a lot of explanations, but no pictures! Sheesh! I'll keep looking. (Perhaps a trip to the library will help.)

Jeanie

[Doug Nelson]

I had an idea once but I haven't found a good subject to try it on.

I'm thinking that if you take a good color studio portrait, closeup on flattering face, then increase the saturation to a rediculous level you'd basically end up with a map of one example of good colorization. I was even thinking the black could be dropped off and all that would be left is the colors.

Mainly as an education tool, but I was also thinking that, with liberal use of the smudge and liquify tools, you could actually make it fit on a b/w face.

First item would be useful if it works. Second maybe. Third would just be playing

[thomasgeorge]

That sounds interesting as I think the ladies have a distinct edge over us men when it comes to retouching faces and colorization--due I think to experience in applying make up. My Pa never taught me about that stuff so I am sorta in the dark about how to go about it. I tried quizzing my wife but got a rather cold stare and was warned, under pain of really bad things happening to me, to stay out of her make up stuff---so I did and am still in the dark. Tom

[Ed_L]

Tom,

You might still be in the dark, but you made a wise choice to stay out of her goodies.

Ed

[Vikki]

This might help.......A lot of women's magazines (and maybe some websites) give you step by step instructions for applying makeup, including which colors to use. Some even go as far as to show you how to go from a "natual" look, to a more glamorous "evening" look.

[kathleen]

i remember in the 80's there was a guy, i think his name was way bandy, who had elevated makeup to something of an art form; he had a book that was i our public library. different make up fashions come and go, but im sure there was useful stuff in there. i'll look and see if i am remembering correctly when i am there today.

[DJ Dubovsky]

Vikki
I looked for some step by steps on the web and didn't find any that didn't require you buying their video or something. Do you know of any off hand?
DJ

[jeaniesa]

OK, I stopped by the library today and there were a couple of books that looked interesting:

Beauty Secrets for Dummies by Stephanie Seymour ISBN #0-7645-5078-0. This book had a small section with colored pictures, but most of it was text. I wouldn't run out and buy it, but if you can find it at your library, it might be worth it to scan through it.

There were also two books by Mary Kay. Now, I happen to think that Mary Kay looks a little like Tammy Faye Baker, but the other models in the books look beautiful, so she must know something. I'm not sure if the first book is available through regular bookstores or only Mary Kay consultants. The second book is similar though a little more in depth. There's the requisite chapters on skin care, but what I liked about both of these books is that they talked about the different shapes of faces and how to apply the makeup (with diagrams) for the various shapes to enhance the features - and what was appropriate for a "day" vs. "evening" look. Again, I'm not sure if it's worth it to go out and purchase these books, but I think you'd learn a lot from looking at the few pages that apply to the coloring we might do in restorations/colorizations.

Inside Beauty by Mary Kay

The Mary Kay Guide to Beauty ISBN #0-201-13990-1

Hope this helps, Jeanie

[DJ Dubovsky]

It sure does help Jeanie. Thanks. I also thought of another resource that's free but limited in it's instructions. Avon booklets will sometimes have various ways to color the eyes and cheeks on their make up pages. I know a few others like that are the same. Mary Kay or Beauty Control brochures too I would imagine. They usually have an eye here or a cheek there but you get the basic idea. Now all you have to do is find your local sales man.
DJ

[Mig]

You silly girls... Forget about Mary Kay. Look in Vogue, Bazaar etc. I'm a guy and even I know how to put on make-up. Of course, I'm a guy in a girl's body, still...

http://home.t-online.de/home/340009738558/mini.htm
http://www.fashist-online.com/

[Vikki]

Mig, I checked out your links, but I must have missed something, they seem to feature models over cosmetics.
I found this page that shows some pictures (most only have text) with instructions.
http://www.geocities.com/FashionAven...eauty2.html#If your face is wider than average

[paulette conlan]

How about just hanging around the makeup counters in the department stores and watch the product reps make up the ladies? Another thought is trying to locate a textbook that is used for cosmetology classes. Believe it or not, it's actually offered at our local community college and it just might be fun to peek in and see what they are doing sometime. It's gotten to be a big business in some parts of the country. Many woman now get professionally made-up for weddings and major social events.

[Mig]

Maybe I'm not sure what we're talking about here. The links were posted because I was thinking there really isn't much of a need to learn 'how' to put on make-up, but rather, how to digitally fake it, and by looking at fashion mags, scans, sites, etc, you can learn to simulate what they're doing to apply make-up and other things, such as removing blemishes, fixing hair, etc, because almost all the pictures you see in a fashion mag have gone through photoshop and/or painter first. There was a big article about this in Graphics Design magazine about 6 months ago. Granted, making a woman in an old picture look like Kate Moss would be silly, but for modern pictures it's a helpful resource if you're into that kind of thing.

[DJ Dubovsky]

Mig,
You are correct in your assumptions. Those are valuable resources to some who are familiar with the basics of make up. However some people want more than the visual since alot of the make up artists apply it in such a fashion that it is rather subtle to the eyes. What the application tips do is teach us how to highlight certain features, how to follow the curves of the cheek bones, maybe use shadowing to conceal a pronounced feature while highlighting others. Also what colors apply best for what skin tones, hair color and eye types. The glamour mags are great as a visual but we were also looking for techniques in application.
DJ