Become a Makeup Artist

Portfolio Do's & Dont's

Period Pieces: Getting into the Costume Design Guild

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Bloch, has a published day rate for a single commercial print job starts at $3,500 per day, and offers insider insights to the fashion industry’s elite in his book “Elements of Style". Outrageous? Maybe. But here is how you can do it.

WHERE TO BEGIN. With so many choices (Print, Video, Film, TV, and Runway), the best place to begin is by educating yourself about the differences between them. Film and TV is about creating characters. Print, Video and Runway is aboutcreating a look for today--what's happening' now and for the future.

In her book, The Hair Makeup & Fashion Styling Career Guide, Celebrity Stylist Agent Crystal Wright gives step-by-step instructions for building a portfolio, working with good photographers, getting signed to an agency likehers, managing the freelance pitfalls, setting a day rate, and getting those all important tearsheets.

Fashion styling and wardrobe styling are the same job, but for different venues. When you work on music videos or editorial shoots you are called a fashion stylist, however when you work on television or TV commercials, you will often be called a wardrobe stylist.


BUILDING A PORTFOLIO A portfolio, is a necessity. People want proof that you are as good as you say you are.

The journey, known as testing for prints, or TFP begins with a collaboration between a fashion stylist, makeup artist, hair stylist, and photographer who come together to create wonderful that each can put in their books and show to creative decision makers (editors, art directors, photographers, video producers and directors) who can offer them paying jobs and/or connections to even more talented people to cooperate with.

Doing it (testing) right means lots of networking to find the right people to collaborate with and your fair share of challenges.

THE UPS & DOWNS OF TESTING. The trick to good testing is picking the right photographer, and that comes with research, experience, and knowing what you like.

For studying the best photographers in the fashion world, devour American and Italian Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Elle. For entertainment, stock up on InStyle and Interview. For Music check out RollingStone, XXL, Spin and Vibe.

For photography news, pick up PDN, the photographic industry's trade publication. To stay on top of the freelance makeup, hair and styling industry, visit MakeupHairandStyling.com. And for everything you need to get a leg up in the industry, buy yourself a copy of The Hair, Makeup & Styling Career Guide, available at Set The Pace Publishing Group at (323) 913-0500.

Educate yourself by pulling pages from the magazines that you like and study them. Do you find yourself drawn to the reportage and surrealism of David LaChapelle or the black and white celebrity fashion of Sante D'Orazio? The homework will serve you well when it's time to choose a testing photographer. Test with different people. It will add range to your work.

EXTREMITIES. The outward presentation is just as important as what is on the inside of the book. So keep your pages free of jagged edges, dust and scratches.

TIMELINE. Building a portfolio takes time.About 2 years of building and purging before you may begin to feel confident that your book can compete with the artist peers that you respect.It's a work in progress. Don't get discouraged.

PLAN TO WORK & WORK THE PLAN. You need a plan. A plan begins with a goal. Ask yourself a question? What do you hope to accomplish with your portfolio? Would you like to find three new photographers to work with? How about a high profile artist to assist? Would you like to get three new paying clients? Would you like to get on the assistant's list at some agencies?

The answers to these questions will determine where you should begin.

PROSPECTING, HOMEWORK & NETWORKING:
The Winning Combination. The best hit list is accompanied by facts. Before you pick up the telephone to call Phillip Bloch, take the time to get to know the kind of work that he does, whom he works with and the agency that represents him.

WHY ASSIST. Assisting is a great way to learn without the risk of keying the job. It's an opportunity to get a first hand look at what goes on during a shoot; set etiquette, politics and more. Assisting can also lead to work. Key artists who vibe with their assistants often pass on work to them when they are booked
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EDUCATION. Whether or not you should get formal training at a professional fashion college is a personal choice. Some people need it, others don't. However, if you want to go to school in the states, check out:
–– Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T) in New York,
–– Makeup Designory which now has campuses in Burbank, California and New York.
–– International Academy of Design in Orlando, Florida
–– City College of San Francisco in San Francisco

And by the way, every one of these schools uses Crystal Wright's book, “The Hair, Makeup & Styling Career Guide” as the official textbook for their Fashion Styling courses.

However, beware the institution that tries to convince you that you need 2-4 years of merchandising or marketing in order to be a stylist. It simply isn’t true. Many stylists get started by assisting other artists or just diving right in, networking, and busting their buns to the top.

AGENCIES. At the top of the freelance food chain are the agents who negotiate the best rates and working conditions for their artists. Everything is negotiated: Day Rate, Travel Rate (usually 1/2 the day rate), Weather Days, Travel Expenses, Specific Hotel Accommodations, Per Diem and Airlines. The agent wants their artist to be happy. Agents provide a myriad of services for their artists, which typically include:

-Procuring work
-Promotion
-Creating and updating your resume
-Issuing confirmations, invoices and vouchers
-Offering sound and honest career advice and direction
-Resources for portfolios, reels and comp cards
-Verification and submission of credits for editorial jobs
-Circulation and tracking of portfolios
-Bookings
-Negotiation
-Collection of Fees and expenses

For MORE about the biz, go to MakeupHairandStyling.com
Check out PORTFOLIO DO's & DONT's
Learn more about Crystal Wright.



To learn about breaking into the makeup, hair or fashion styling industry,
check out the The Hair, Makeup & Styling Career Guide.



Crystal Wright is Author of The Hair Makeup & Styling Career Guide, and founder of The Crystal Agency for makeup, hair and fashion styling. She is a sought after speaker and educator on the subject of building a portfolio for working behind-the-scenes.


To contact customer service at MakeupHairandStyling.com call 323.913.0500.
Or email us at Email MHS.com.