Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Old Age Makeup

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HongKongCV
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Topic: Old Age Makeup
Posted: 7/09/10 at 2:40pm

I am 45 years old and have been cast to play a 80+ year old jewish man. My question is about makeup. I have a beard (sideburns, chin, mustache), so whatever method I use to age myself will have to take that into account.

Can anybody point me to some resources on how to age myself?

Thanks.

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pdavis69
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Posted: 7/12/10 at 10:55am

If you apply liquid latex to the forehead, under eyes, cheeks and neck then use a hot air dryer on the areas, the latex will pucker giving the skin a look of old age and wrinkles.

Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

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MercyTech
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Posted: 7/12/10 at 9:11pm

Originally posted by HongKongCV

I am 45 years old and have been cast to play a 80+ year old jewish man. My question is about makeup. I have a beard (sideburns, chin, mustache), so whatever method I use to age myself will have to take that into account.

Can anybody point me to some resources on how to age myself?

Thanks.

Have teenagers.

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TonyDi
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Posted: 7/13/10 at 6:20am

The methods for aging especially to this age are relatively few. You can do a straight "paint job" although that seems insufficient especially if you look young or even look 45 and you're trying to achieve an 80+ age range UNLESS you absolutely know what to do to achieve that look using just makeup. You should know the conditions under which the character lived, difficult, harsh, or easy and fairly uneventful - often determines "the look" and how much people age. I know people in their 80's who look better than I do in my 60's but it is soooo variable that you really need to know your characters background and history to make a valid assessment of aging for what the person would look like.

Now then BE VERY CAREFUL the latex you get if you decide to go to that extent. It helps a lot to know what products you can get to deal with. There are numerous "AGERS" out there on the market if you check with the special effects supply houses. You can also do it yourself if you have access or can get the products shipped in to you to do this. There are "old age stipples" on the market and they all do about the same thing. Some are more harsh than others, some are more durable than others. But latex itself is NOT a good thing to use. There are many people who have allergies to latex and don't even know it. Imagine putting THAT stuff on your face and not knowing you have an allergy to it. VERY hard on your system - believe me.

There are water based latttices that are far less of a problem on the skin. You should use a barrier coat anyway before you do the latex stipple aging routine. AND that routine takes quite a bit of time to apply properly and to color properly. Latex is opaque - means you can't see through it. AND you must have specific makeup products that will work on latex - namely rubber mask grease paint or RMG for short. And you need more than ONE color. Skin is NOT just ONE flat color. Most people who do makeup that do NOT know what they're doing, apply ONE color and let it go at that. Reminds me of Shields and Yarnell - who use to do MIME as robots. Their makeup looked flat and mannequin like. NOT a good thing if you're trying to create a realistic makeup. Look at skin - very varied in coloration and pigmentation. So you just have to duplicate that adding in lines, wrinkles, creases, blemishes, old age spots (liver spots) and so forth to make it work. Plus also you can't get latex into hair or you'll have a devil of a time getting it out....and painful. But you just have to be careful in the application.

There is a way to age the skin using KNOX GELATIN - which can be heated, mixed to a thin consistency and applied with a brush....stretching the skin as you would with latex, powdering it and releasing. But it's a hassle because of the heating issue - has to be precisely the right temperature just before it starts to gel up and still cool and/or warm enough to apply and have it do what it should.. BUT still a headache. Though a couple layers of that and you get a great wrinkle effect....PLUS it TRANSLUCENT which means it looks more like skin and can show the actual skin coloration beneath it. And it takes makeup better as well. BUT you need a barrier cream or foundation of some sort before applying it. It does NOT hold up well to sweat unless you use SWEAT STOP or some other solution to combat sweat. And heat and humidity wreaks havoc on gelatin. But it's an option.

Check out my web page and there is a tutorial on using old age stipple developed by my teacher and mentor Dick Smith (The Exorcist, Godfather, Little Big Man, Taxi Driver, etc., etc.).....forumlas for how to make it and use it with photo spread showing the application, finish work and removal. This might help give you an idea of how you have to do it to legitimize it. AND DO NOT USE SILVER HAIR SPRAY to gray your hair. Use WHITE hairspray and apply it more than once (after the makeup is done or just prior) in couple of layers, brushing between applications to blend it and soften the harshness of the white pigment.

Check this link......

http://sapsema.org/broadbnd.html

This was an application on an actor of 50 years of age up to about 75 plus or minus for Neil Simon's Broadway Bound. But you'll get the idea and it's completely documented and I trust clear enough that you can get how to do it. IF YOU NEED to ask any questions you can E-mail me or PM me here. My E-Mail is fxman@sapsema.org That will get directly to me.

HOPE it works out for you. Be very aware of how you do this as it could look very convincing or hokey. Takes a bit of practice and an artistic bent to pull off old age well enough to look real. So many BAAAADDD old age makeup jobs because most people have highly unrefined technique - or have simply never been taught. Makes me want to get back to that book idea so I can try to teach some folks just how to do the BASIC stuff that so often gets done poorly.....lines too heavy, not blended, inconsistent makeup work, unnecessary makeup application with things that simply should not or do NOT need to be done and so much more.

Have fun. Hope it works out for you.

TonyDi

Edited by TonyDi - 7/13/10 at 6:27am

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Theatermama
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Posted: 8/07/10 at 12:46am

Below is picture of me in a pure paint job - aging. I played a 78 year old woman and this was my first attempt after much study. I got a good age makeup kit and used very fine paint brushes to apply. I put on a slightly lighter tone of makeup than my skin tone and make sure to go down the neck. I then used the dark brown shade and painted in my own wrinkles I created when I smunched up my face and lifted my brows. I did forhead lines, above the eyebrown, crows feet, painted a dark line on the eye socket/cheekbone, the laugh lines and chin lines and a few cheek lines and of course neck lines then I took the very light beige with an even smaller brush and painted on each side of the brown lines then I took a clean dry finger and went from one end ot the other and smudged then by wiping my finger lightly across to blur the edges. I powdered well. I then used a dark gray eyeshadow without sparkles and highlighted under my eyes and in teh sallow parts of my cheek, sides of my nose, crease of chin and under the chin to create the illusion of a double chin. I wore make up like regular but I did the red lipstick. Then I powdered again. I finally added some red stipling ( got a little too much in the picture but as I got better at applying it got better too.) It fooled people within 10 feet of me and often my friends didn't even realize it was me.

I get to play another older woman in my next show - I can't wait to do it again. You should gray your beard and hair - I bought a real hair wig and special clothes she would wear. I can't imagine using latex on my face.

I should say, I am 46 years old.

Edited by Theatermama - 8/09/10 at 10:34am

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TonyDi
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Posted: 8/09/10 at 7:16am

Sorry can't view your photo - apparently need permission or something. OR you've already taken it down - according to what the error message said. Look forward to seeing your results.

TonyDi

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Theatermama
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Posted: 8/09/10 at 10:27am

Here are two pictures. Sorry the link didn't work, I guess I have it pretty locked down unless you are my friend. This was the first day I ever tried the makeup, I got better. I over stippled with red - looked like I had a rash. Below is the link to the pictures from the show.

http://mcct.zenfolio.com/p158989896

Edited by Theatermama - 8/09/10 at 10:30am

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Theatermama
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Posted: 8/09/10 at 10:33am

I will tell you what is hard - is covering eyebrows and since you have a beard and such you will probably need to get special makeup for that. I used a silver eye pencil later, I didn't do much in this picture, I was just playing. My husband thought it looked awesome so took some pictures of me.

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TonyDi
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Posted: 8/12/10 at 7:23am

Covering eyebrows CAN be a royal pain in the neck. There are many ways to accomplish that these days however that don't include "soaping" them out. There is a GREAT product on the market called WATERMELON by Michael Davy of Michael Davy Supply in or around Orlando, FL area. He has a website www.michaeldavy.com

Using the WATERMELON product - which is a vinyl based sort of solution, you can create eyebrow covers, glue them on using spirit gum or just about any good prosthetic adhesive, and the edges can be imperceptibly blended off using 99% alcohol. Then makeup can be applied over that to blend to the skin tones. GREAT way to do it inexpensively - plus the Watermelon product is useful for minor appliances and so forth for special makeup effects work. Great stuff to give a try.

Theatermama, I like what you've done with the age makeup. However can I make some suggestions without offending? There are several things that I can address that might help in future attempts at this. But I must say this is a good first attempt. There are some things that can be done that will enhance what you have accomplished there but that would make it a "different" approach - but better perhaps...that's matter of opinion. Wish I could show you - which is another reason yet again for me to get off my duff and either write a book or do a DVD series - something I PLAN to do - one or the other. But I certainly don't want to impose my viewpoints on what you're doing if you're not asking for critique or suggestions.

Basically it's a good first attempt and every time you do it hereafter will only improve. I just don't want to overstep any bounds if you don't care to hear suggestion, thoughts or ideas.

TonyDi

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Theatermama
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Posted: 8/12/10 at 8:47am

Absolutely, I would love to hear of things to make it better. It did get looking better by show time, especially as I got less zealous with the stipling but this was done from the kit instructions, some things I read in a book, one person I saw that looked amazing and told me what she did and one you tube video.

You could always make a youtube video - that is a quick and easy thing to do as opposed to writing a book and producing a DVD.

I wish you could "show" me too. I am always trying to learn new things. I am simply a woman with a theater passion - no formal training aside from a couple of acting classes at our local theater and a lot of trial and error - boy do I have some error stories.

Do know, that I have a severe adhesive allergy and due to that, I fear using latex directly on my skin or even the eyebrow thing but I actually found a silver and white eyebrow pencil when rubbed against the grain grays them quite nicely I just didn't happen to have said pencils when I did this picture. I don't seem to be allergic to latex as I have used it to make scars for other people - made a very cool one once for a play where a guy got a big piece of glass stuck in his head - it looked very real (my first equity actor that I had to costume). However, adhesive, the kind used on surgical tape and moleskin causes immediate welts to raise but oddly enough I can wear a bandaide and use paper tape.

So please know, unless you say it offensively, I rarely take offense. I love constructive criticism. I am also playing a 78 year old in my next play so I would love it to look even better as the space is much closer to the audience than before.

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Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup
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Topic: Old Age Makeup( Topic Closed)