Clownin Around Make Up

Clownin’ Around Make Up:

Unit Standard 26688

Student Workbook

Name ______

PREPARATION TASKS:

What clown type will you play in your performance (Tramp/Hobo, White Faced Clown or Auguste) ?

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Describe your clown characters’ main features under the following headings:

Emotional Features (e.g. happy, sad, nervous…)

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Character & Attitude (e.g. loud/quiet, wants to be liked, scary)

Relationships (how does the character feel about and relate to the other characters and the audience)

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Symbol (what images could represent your clowns’ character? E.g. peaceful = dove, strong = rock, angry = fire, sad = tear drop. Brainstorm some possible images

Symbols

Use this page to draw some sketches of your clowns’ symbol.

MAKE UP IN THE THEATRE:

Actors and actresses can really light up a stage, but theatrical makeup helps bring their characters alive. Theatre makeup helps the audience see the character. For example, it's much easier to believe someone is an evil witch if they have on makeup that makes them look like a witch.

It's also used to help the audience literally see the actors. Bright makeup that's applied generously all over the face helps highlight the actors' features. This allows audience members who are sitting in the back of the play house to see the actors. This is why both men and women wear makeup when they're acting on stage. From a distance, it doesn't look like these actors have on much makeup. However, if you see them off-stage, it's extremely evident that they have on tons of makeup.

Theatre makeup can also be used to change certain features on an actor. For example, if an actress acting as a princess needs to have big, arched eyebrows, the makeup artist can cover their real eyebrows and draw some eyebrows above their existing ones. While the actress still looks human, this can dramatically change her features.

Through the use of makeup, specifically highlighting and shading, the apparent shape of an actor’s face can be changed. By highlighting the face's protruding bones, the features become pronounced; shadowing cavities can add depth. Sagging jowls, forehead wrinkles, eye pouches, and prominent veins can be created by manipulating highlights and shadows.

Originally, theatres were lit with candles and oil lamps; these two sources of light were dim and allowed for crude, unrealistic makeup applications. With advances in stage lighting, including electric lighting in theatres, a need emerged for new makeup materials and more skillful application techniques.

Lighting controls makeup to a high degree. Makeup can lose its effectiveness due to incorrect stage lighting. Conversely, skillful lighting can greatly aid the art of makeup. Close communication between the lighting director and the makeup artist is crucial for the best possible effect.

The greatest thing about theatrical makeup is that it can really help the actors transport the audience to a different world.

Resources:

Assessment Task 1.1: Demonstrate knowledge of the purpose of makeup in general performance contexts

Give 3 specific examples of how and why makeupis used in Theatre Productions (think about character/role, feelings and moods, technical considerations and/or the audience)

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Assessment Task 1.2: Demonstrate knowledge of the purpose of makeup for a specific drama performance.

PART A: On the next page, draw an initial sketch of your clown character. Drawat least 3 specific features on your clowns’ face that show something about yourclowns’ character. For each feature, describe how the makeup could be used to show an aspect of clowns’ character. You may include your symbol design.

NOTE: This is not a final design for your character. Use what you know about your character and show how makeup could be used to reveal your characters’ personality. For each feature describe the purpose of the makeup. Refer to the example below.

EXAMPLE:

Wrinkle lines drawn on the clowns’ forehead that show that he is old

Moon symbol shows

that he is a dreamer

Draw your sketch for part A here:

PART B:Consider the specific context of your performance

Where you are performing
The lighting conditions
How close the audience is
The style of your performance
The level of energy of your performance
The mood of your performance

Describe with specific examples how your use of makeup will be affected by at least 2 of the above contexts.

EXAMPLE:We are performing in the school hall so the makeup will need large, clear shapes so the audience at the back can see.

NOTE: You may choose to write your initial response now and add more detail before you complete your practical makeup application

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GLOSSARY OF MAKE UP PRODUCTS & TECHNIQUES

This glossary will help you understand some makeup uses and techniques.

You will also need to do your own research to deepen your understanding.

Blending

The technique of grading the intensity of the colour of makeup from its strongest tone to its’ lightest tone until it disappears into the natural skin tone

Blusher

Powder or cream used for colouring the cheeks

Brush

Brush used to apply, distribute or remove powder

Compress

Makeup pad for applying foundation, powder etc

Compressed Powders

Coloured powders that have been pushed together or compressed. Used as colouring for the eyelids, cheeks or eyebrows.

Eye Shadow

Powder or cream used for colouring the eyelids

Foundation

Light coloured base makeup that provides and even toned background

Grease Pencil

Coloured crayon used to create character and age lines, usually using existing facial lines

Liner Pencil

Coloured pencil used to highlight eyes & lips

Powder Brush

A soft brush used for removing excess powder from the face

Powder Puff

Cotton wool ball used to apply loose powder

Powder Sock

Cotton wool ball, inside a sock used to apply loose powder

Q-Tip

Cotton wool bud

Rouge

Red coloured powder or cream

Sponge

Round, porous, disc shaped sponge used for applying liquid foundation

Shading

The technique of using a darker colour to make a feature less obvious – e.g. shading sides of a nose to make it look smaller

Stipling

The technique of using an open pored sponge and applying makeup with a dabbing movement in order to provide a textured effect

Assessment Task 2: Demonstrate knowledge of makeup products used for

performance contexts.

The Pantomime Dame

Pantomime is a popular form of theatrical performance. It was originally a form of street entertainment that began in Italy and reached Great Britain in the 16th century. Also known as Panto, it is now performed in Great Britain, Ireland, Australia and other western countries, usually during the Christmas-New Year holiday season.

The modern Panto involves children’s stories being developed into plays that involve a combination of singing, dancing, sexual innuendo, satire and buffoonery. Pantomime has several conventions including; a young woman playing the lead male character, animals being played by actors and a man dressed in women’s clothes playing the “Pantomime Dame”.

Pantomime Dames are often ill tempered, unattractive, older women, but they can also exude great warmth. These characters are highly comic and are played by male actors’ in a melodramatic style. It is usually obvious that the Dame is being played by a male and the characters will often be played in either a camp or a butch way. Pantomime Dames wear big make up, have big hair, and exaggerated physical features.

Three examples of Pantomime Dames are shown below.

References:

Assessment Task 2: Demonstrate knowledge of makeup products used for

performance contexts.

PART A: The Dame – Ugly Step Sister

From what you have learnt about “The Dame” in Pantomime and about various makeup products, choose at least 5 makeup products that you would use to create a makeup design for your own Ugly Step Sister (from Cinderella) “Dame” character. Label each product in a sketch below and describe the purpose of that product – how it will be used to bring your “Dame” character to life.

EXAMPLE: Mascara – to highlight the eye lashes, draw attention to them and make the eyes look feminine

Assessment Task 2: Demonstrate knowledge of makeup products used for

performance contexts.

PART B: Your Clown

Refer to the information on the next few pages and consider the makeup design plan for your clown
Experiment with a variety of makeup products and application techniques and decide what works best for you
Complete Assessment Task 2 PART B – The makeup product sketch for your clown

YOUR FACE - YOUR CLOWN

There are many things to be said about clown makeup—however, there is one thing that must come first. Ignore what you’ve heard—your clown face is not a mask! It’s entirely the opposite—rather than hide your features, it should enable you to show off your features. Makeup comes from the theatre, where facial expressions need to be seen even from the back row—that’s why the oldest style of clown is the whiteface clown

All right, since clown makeup isn’t a mask & doesn’t hide your features, but instead exaggerates them (either a little or a lot, depending on your type of clown), where does that take us next? To your face, of course! Spend some time examining your face. What are your most prominent features? What ‘sticks out’ from across the room? Look at the shape of your face—you want your makeup to be symmetrical (i.e. the left side should be a mirror image of the right side). Start out with ideas of how your unique face should best shine through your clown face.

This is why you don’t want to simply copy some other clown’s makeup. In addition to the fact that you would be saying “I’m a copy of a clown—nothing unique or original here!” It wouldn’t look right on you. For example, I have a rounder face—it would be a mistake for me to copy some clown with a long, angular face—the makeup would look ‘squashed’, and simply wrong. Nobody else’s design is going to look right on your face.

Your Make Up Application Steps

Refer to the following website and others that you find and create a step by step plan below for the makeup application for your clown.

Assessment Task 2: Demonstrate knowledge of makeup products used for

performance contexts.

PART B: Your Clown

Choose at least 5makeup products that you will use for your clown character. Label each product, showing where it will be used, in a sketch below and describe the purpose of that product – how that product will be used to bring your clown character to life (products include makeup types, pencils, crayons, glitter, stickers and tools such as sponges and brushes).

EXAMPLE: Gold glitter around the cheeks to create a magical quality

Assessment Task 3: Use techniques to apply makeup products for a character or rolein a specified performance context.

PART A

Refer to your diagram and the practical experimenting you have done. Identify at least threemakeup application techniques that you will use when applying your final clown makeup and explain the purpose of each technique within your makeup design.

Technique / Purpose

Assessment Task 3: Use techniques to apply makeup products for a character or rolein a specified performance context.

PART B: Apply your clowns’ makeup and perform as your clown. Successful application of your makeup to a performance standard is an essential part of your assessment. You must observe safe working practices when applying your makeup.

REFLECTION:

Consider your performance context again:

Where you performed
The lighting conditions
How close the audience was
The style of your performance
The level of energy of your performance
The mood of your performance

Describe how two of your makeup product choices were related to any of the performance contexts above

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Describe how two of your application technique choices were related to any of the performance contexts above

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Describe 3 safe working practices that you used while applying your makeup

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Drama Unit Standard 26688SKC 2011