When people think of makeup, they usually just think of smokey eyes, "cake face" foundation and voluminous mascara, but they never really see that makeup is and can be so much more. Artists use different media to create their work (clay, acrylics, water paints etc.), and makeup can be considered another one of those media: the face is the canvas. From body paint to liquid latex, makeup artistry is a very exciting and creative career that has many different avenues.

The most basic (which doesn't mean the easiest) form is a makeup artist who specializes in beauty. These artists usually do one of two things: work as a demo artist for a particular cosmetic line or work as a freelance artist doing weddings, graduations and other special events. This avenue requires a lot of patience and finesse as you are usually dealing with everyday people who need that personal connection. This type of artist needs to not only turn their makeup artistry into a perfected art (by giving that airbrushed complexion and flawless pout); they have to have strong interpersonal communication skills as well.

A different avenue to makeup artistry is someone who specializes in fashion and editorials. These artists have to hone their skills to work in a fast-paced, competitive and fierce environment, including fashion shows and photo shoots. Unlike the artist who specializes in beauty, this type of artist also needs to be adept while working in a quick manner. The makeup done for these shows and photo shoots is usually a lot more avant-garde and requires the ability to improvise. While this seems a bit daunting, the fashion industry is a very exciting one to be in and it is very rewarding to see your creations strut the runway.

A more advanced form of makeup artistry is an artist who specializes in special effects, body art and movie makeup. This form of artistry is completely different from the others, as you are usually completely transforming a person's face and body. These artists don't just use the basics such as eye shadow and foundation; they often use products such as liquid latex, body paint and other forms of prosthetics to create monsters, to age someone or to completely change someone's body and face. A very successful special effects artist, Todd Masters, stated, "I'm not a makeup artist ... I'm an artist that uses makeup." This quote definitely rings true in the special effects industry, because you are really taking a medium like makeup and turning it into an art.

While a career in makeup artistry is usually overlooked, it is something that a creative individual should really look into! Although it may seem a bit intimidating at first, with some selfmotivation, confidence and outside- the-box creativity, it is a very exciting and rewarding industry to be in. Take something that you use on a daily basis, like makeup, and turn it into an art. It may open some pretty glamorous doors that can lead to amazing opportunities.

For more information on the beauty industry, visit facebook.com/JRWbeauty.