Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance
O*NET files this work under Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance: people who apply makeup to performers to reflect period, setting, and situation of their role. The skills rated most useful are speaking, reading comprehension, and active listening. A regular part of the work is to clean supplies such as makeup brushes. Its interest code is ARE. Artistic leads at 6.7 out of 7, so expect creative work with room for original expression, with Realistic next at 4.3. Getting in usually takes one or two years of vocational training, an apprenticeship or an associate’s degree, a level O*NET calls medium preparation. If you want creative work with room for original expression, keep it on your list. If you need research, analysis and working through hard problems, it may feel thin.
What they do
Apply makeup to performers to reflect period, setting, and situation of their role.
Main tasks
- Clean supplies such as makeup brushes.
- Duplicate work precisely to replicate characters' appearances on a daily basis.
- Apply makeup to enhance or alter the appearance of people appearing in productions such as movies.
- Analyze a script, noting events that affect each character's appearance, so that plans can be made for each scene.
- Alter or maintain makeup during productions as necessary to compensate for lighting changes or to achieve continuity of effect.
- Confer with stage or motion picture officials and performers to determine desired effects.
Skills
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You want room to make something in your own way.
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You are willing to put in a year or two of focused training.
- You are comfortable relying on speaking and reading comprehension.
May not suit you if
- You prefer clear instructions to open creative briefs.
- You want to spend most of your time analyzing and researching. Investigative rates 1.4 out of 7 here.
- You need to start within a few months, with no training period.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ARE takes the three highest, and Artistic comes first here.
Preparation
Medium preparation. Expect vocational school, an apprenticeship, related experience or an associate’s degree, usually one or two years in total.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Commercial Makeup Artist (Commercial MUA)
- Hair and Makeup Designer
- Makeup Artist (MUA)
- Prosthetic Makeup Designer
- Special Effects Makeup Artist (Special Effects MUA)
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.