Become a fashion stylist

Portfolio Do's & Dont's

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Just ask celebrity makeup artists, Sharon Gault, or Sam Fine certainly two of the most recognizable names in the makeup industry.

Sharon, whose current published day rate for a single commercial print job starts at $2,500 per day, once appeared in the CK ONE commercials for Calvin Klein with her x-roommate, supermodel Kate Moss. Not bad for a girl who grew up on welfare in Santa Monica, Calfornia? She is the makeup artist of choice for world-renowned photographer David LaChapelle and has even been photographed by him.

Sam Fine, who's popular, book "Fine Beauty" Beauty Basics and Beyond for African American Women has sold over 500,000 copies. He is the makeup artist of choice for singers Patti Labelle and Vanessa Williams, and supermodels Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell. His day rate begins at $4,000 per day. He also teaches makeup classes for MAC Cosmetics as part of their ‘Master-Class’ series.

Kevyn Aucoin who is no longer with us, published two books, commanded $5,000 per day and launched his own makeup line before his untimely death in 2002. In 2001 the local press heard about a makeup artist demanding $6,500 to paint Jodi Foster's face for a press junket. It was Kevyn. They blasted it on the nightly news as outrageous.

Outrageous? Maybe. However, if Jim Carrey commands $20M a picture should not the makeup artists who apply his base and powder get a handsome sum? We think so. Here is how you do it.

WHERE TO BEGIN
With so many choices (Film, TV, Video, Print, 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 about creating a look for today--what's happening' now and for the future, hence the fact that runway shows preview what will be in stores next season.

If you're the kind of person who keeps up with the latest trends then you might be bored working on a TV show where the characters basic make up will change only slightly from year to year. Actress Susan Lucci's character Erica Kane on the daytime soap opera "All my Children" is a good example. Unless Erica is hit in the head with a rock, looses her memory and becomes a bag lady, her makeup will remain the same day-in and day-out. If you think that you are going to walk onto the set some morning after pouring over the latest issue of Italian Vogue and give Erica a more up-to-datelook--think again. The producers are concerned with maintaining the continuity of Erica's look and the relationship she has to her loyal TV watching fans.

On the other hand, the Vogue magazine research and all the time you spend keeping up with the runway shows will come in handy on music videos and for magazine shoots. Recording artists are made cutting edge by their makeup, hair and fashion stylist arbiters. Magazines such as InStyle and US portray celebrities as accomplished beauty experts. They ramble on in print about the lipstick they are wearing or the products that make their hair shine, all the while asking their makeup artist "what lipstick am I wearing?"

In filmmaking, the scenes are shot out of sequence, requiring immaculate attention to detail. The actor better be wearing that wrist watch on the same arm in scene 20 that he had it on in scene 15 or you're in trouble. Re-shooting that scene could cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Not able to cover the artists blemish up on the CD cover shoot? Don't worry, the art director will get it in retouching. Print is pliable.

BUILDING A PORTFOLIO: From the Inside Out
A portfolio, also called a book is a necessity in this business. People want proof that you are as good as you say you are. Getting through the process of building one is what separates the men from the boys so-to-speak. Got snapshots of the friends you made up for a special occasion? A wedding perhaps? I wish I could tell you that American Vogue editor, Anna Wintour would give you the thumbs up, but she's looking for something a little more polished.

Building a book begins with a collaboration between a makeup artist, hair stylist, fashion stylist and photographer who come together to create wonderful stories (2+ pages) 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.

Testing can be quite laborious, as it typically requires lots of networking to find the right people to collaborate with and your fair share of challenges.

THE UPS & DOWNS OF TESTING
Murphy's law (whatever can go wrong, will go wrong) works overtime on photo shoots. Everything is planned and the model doesn't show up. The model does show up, but she had a fight with her boyfriend and her eyes are too puffy to be worked on for the first 2 hours. Alternatively, every time you think you have the bags covered up she busts out in tears.

Everyone drives to the Mojave Desert and it rains for the first time in 130 years. You shoot for the first hour and the photographer notices that he never took the lens cap off the lens. Such are the necessary hazards of testing. The reward is the shot that causes everyone to sigh. The icing is when it is good enough to open your book. The grand slam is when it is just the right image for your comp (a promotional piece that you can leave behind to remind a decision-maker of what your work looks like) card.
Worse than the normal vicissitudes, is learning that the photographer you are working with is not very good. Artists, who are just starting out, often misinterpret the quality of the pictures in a photographer's book because they have not educated themselves about the difference between good and BAD photography. A book full of photographs does not mean he is good. Neither does the fact that he owns a studio or has oversized images hung all over the walls.

The trick to picking the photographer is in the research, tools 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 RollingStone, InStyle and Interview.

The trick to picking the photographer is in the research, tools 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 The Source.

For industry news and edifying, pick up PDN, the photographic industry's premiere 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 in Los Angeles by calling (323) 913-0500.

After just a few months of studying the images in the fashion magazines for something other than your specific discipline, you will begin to notice the subtleties in the lighting and the style of the photographers.

Matthew Rolston's work is very different from Herb Ritts whose work is very different from Dah Len and so on.

Pull tearsheets (pages) from the magazines that you like and see if a pattern develops.
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. No longer will an imposter fool you with a book full of images. Look for work that takes your breath away and causes you to think or say aloud "your work is beautiful, it reminds me of XX? If you meet a photographer with three or four Polaroid's that speak to you, work with him. Photography is art. You should feel it from the inside out.

Test with different people. It will add range to your work. Work to create stories of two pages or more.

Use the editorials in the back third of fashion magazines as your examples. Notice how the stories go on for many pages. Some feature the same girl wearing different clothes, in different locations with changes to makeup and hair that work in concert with each new environment. Work with your surroundings and as a team with your colleagues to produce magic on film.

MINDSET
Don't wait until the shoot is over to think about how you will lay the story out in your book. Let the creative process begin during the shoot. See the pages side by side. Imagine the editor of your favorite magazine has hired you. Visualize how the pages will look with type on them and your credits in the seam. This exercise will help at the lab or the photographer's studio when it's time to pick out the shots for your book. Be resolute about the pictures for your book. Remember that you and the photographer may not need the same images. Only you will know which pictures can fill in the holes in your portfolio and propel you to the next level.

EXTREMITIES
The outward presentation is just as important as what is on the inside of the book. The freelance workplace has standards like any other industry and you will do well not to recreate the entire wheel.

The two most widely used portfolio sizes are 10X13 with 9X12 pages or 12X15 with 11X14 pages. 8x10 is OUT! It's okay for the bridal industry, actors' headshots, industrial work and very small markets where people still say "you do what for a living?"

East Coast based ADB (Advertisers Display Binder Company is an excellent custom portfolio maker. You can order a portfolio or pick up a brochure by calling (877) 913-0500. They are thorough, quick, and web ready. If you are starting out, choose the portfolio material that feels and looks just like leather--it's called Portline. Even the high profile artists use it. You will be able to choose from a wide selection of colors from Black to bright Yellow.

A word of caution here, 'bright yellow is best reserved for the book with extraordinary tearsheets (published work) and tests (prints from experimental shoots). If the work is good, they will remember the yellow book. If the work is mediocre they will never forget you--first impressions are non-refundable.

TIMELINE
Building a portfolio takes time. It takes about 2 years of building and purging (removing the images that become dated, or you outgrow) before an artist feels confident that their book can compete with the artist peers that they respect. A book is a work in progress. The pictures in your book today will probably be sitting in a drawer somewhere tomorrow. You will grow as an artist and your work will change and grow as well. Additionally, styles will change and some of the work will be outdated.

I HAVE 5 TESTS IN MY BOOK….NOW WHAT
Now that you have some dynamite pictures in your book, it's time to show it…..to everyone. However, before you do that, pick out the best image in your portfolio--the ONE that will get a creative decision-makers attention and makes them want to see more. Have a small number of comp cards made. You need a leave-behind. A memory jogger that will remind someone who is about to hire a makeup artist, that you are the one they need.

The first comp card should be very simple. Something that is bigger than a business card but smaller than an 8.5X11 sheet of paper. Half that size is good, or even thirds. Mock it up with a pencil and paper first. Tear it. Fold it. Copy it. Cut it. By finding the best use of an 8.5X11 sheet of paper, you could end up with three cards per sheet of paper instead of one. Fifteen color copies on 65lb paper at Kinko's and you are 45 comp cards richer and ready to market yourself.

DANGER
Do not make the mistake of thinking you need several pictures to get your point across. The objective is to make them want to see more. Don't undress yet!

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 new book and 45 comp cards?

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 send your cards. Make a hit list of five photographers, five high profile artists, five agencies and five paying clients you would like to work with or for. Locate the information for mailing and calling. Send your cards out and wait 2-3 days to follow up. Yes, you can make 20 calls in one day!

PROSPECTING, HOMEWORK & NETWORKING:

The Winning Combination
The best hit list is accompanied by facts. Before you pick up the telephone to call Sharon Gault, take the time to get to know the kind of work that she does, whom she works with and the agency that represents her.

If you want to land a spot on the assistant's list at Rex Agency in Los Angeles, it would help to know that a high percentage of their work is concentrated in the music industry. That information is easily compiled by reading the credits in magazines like RollingStone and Vibe. The assistant's list at Art House Management in New York would have different requirements, as their work is concentrated in fashion and celebrity editorial and advertising.

One of the best photographic prospects for a new makeup artist is a photographer who has not solidified his team yet. Most photographers were somebody's assistant once. Align yourself with a talented photographer who is assisting someone you respect or a photographer who is producing magical images at the local photography school.PDN produces annual features that are extremely valuable to a fashion stylist who is building a portfolio.

30 UNDER 30
Each year, Photo District News (pdn-pix.com) publishes an article wherein they feature 30 extremely promising photographers under the age of 30. The Annual Call for Entries Photo Contest inevitably turns up several little known geniuses who are just waiting for a makeup artist who noticed and wants to work with him/her.

Gathering information about the subjects that you are approaching will make the difference in your telephone calls and written correspondence and help you to establish common ground. Soon the stranger on the phone will feel like a friend. The rule: know more about them than they do about you. How flattering for a young photographer that you liked his/her work enough to call. Even better if you can communicate why you like it and relate it back to where you see yourself going as an artist.

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 makeup school is a personal choice. Some people need it, others don't. Sam Fine never went to makeup school. He was an art major in Chicago and excelled at illustration. He moved to New York and got his education painting faces at a makeup counter. His break came while working back stage on a runway show. Supermodel Naomi Campbell liked what he did with another model and asked him to do her makeup. The rest is history.

On the other hand, many academy award winning makeup artists do go to school or get some type of advanced training. Especially when special fx are involved. It usually takes more than just home schooling to learn how to create a bald cap, bruise or lace-front wig.

Some people are comfortable experimenting on their own by doing makeup on their family and friends until’ they get it right. Others, like me, feel better in a controlled environment, where assignments are given and deadlines imposed. It’s a personal preference.

Some of the best schools around include:

Empire Makeup Academy - www.MakeupEmpire.com
Makeup Designory – www.MakeupDesignory.com
Studio Makeup Academy - www.StudioMakeupAcademy.com
Westmore Academy - www.WestmoreAcademy.com

SEE YOU AT THE TOP
At the top of the freelance food chain are the agents who negotiate the best rates and working conditions for their artists. People like Annie Rourke of Luxe Management who represents celebrity makeup artist Sharon Gault, Jean Owen who represents Sam Fine take their jobs very seriously.

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.

What does the agent get? 15-20% of the artists fee and 20% from the client who booked the job. If the fee is $3000, the agent walks away with $500 - $600 from the artist and another $600 from the client. Most artists feel it is a small price to pay for the pleasure of not having to talk to the client about money or worry about collecting it. 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

The search for an agency should be handled as if you were looking for a job. Do your homework. Be nosey. Talk to artists who are happy with their agencies and find out if there is any movement. Are they adding new talent to the roster? Is there talk of anyone leaving? Do not treat it like a crapshoot. Agents respond more positively to artists who have taken the time to learn something about the agency and its markets.

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.


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