Witch Make Up - Into The Woods
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Topic: Witch Make Up - Into The Woods
Posted By: Nyria
Subject: Witch Make Up - Into The Woods
Date Posted: 3/05/05 at 4:16pm
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I need help with Witch maek up. I have access to anything I need - fake noses, latex, etc. I need our witch to look scary and ugly but then she needs to be able to pretty much rip the ugly face off and be pretty. But I don't want it to look fake - like she's pretty but has a fake nose on. Or an obvious mask from the nose up. Any thoughts?? Thanks - Nyria ------------- NYRIA |
Replies:
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 3/12/05 at 10:44pm
| why not use the half mask with a huge hooked nose and switch the attention away from the face features (just give a hint with the half mask) and instead put emphasis on a HUGE curly grey bushy wig 18 - 24 in. that "bushes" out 6 - 8 in? |
Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: 3/14/05 at 12:56pm
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I hate to break the news to you, but unless your
audience is entirely made up of 17th century Puritans, they are going to KNOW the witch is fake. That being said, give the modern audience some credit for their willing suspension of disbelief -- you'll be able to get away with a lot of supposedly "fake-looking" make-up techniques that people will gladly accept for stage that they'd be unwilling to accept for film or TV. Especially for fantasy characters in a faerie-tale play like "Into the Woods." (Nobody complained that the dancers in "Cats" didn't look like "real" cats.) I suggest your actress use a good-quality theatrical make-up base (such as Ben Nye products) and then coat whatever latex appliances you may have (nose, chin, ears, etc) with that same product. Use a heavier latex and don't bother feathering the edges. From a distance, the blending will be close enough. The addition of stick-on warts, eyebrows and what-have-you will distract the audience's eye. Don't use spirit gum to adhere the latex or hair-pieces, instead use double-sided toupee tape, cut to size. "TopStick" is a brand that's used most often in this instance. Be sure to powder afterwards, especially the hair-pieces, to remove any shine peeking through. Unless your actress sweats profusely, the double-side tape should adhere adequately and can be "ripped off" with much less irritation to the skin or damage to the latex than spirit gum would afford. I have used this technique quite successfully for quick-change make-ups. Best of luck to you! ------------- "None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone |
Posted By: Nyria
Date Posted: 3/26/05 at 4:56pm
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Thanks. I think we'll give her a crazy wig - that should help. What I meant by looking fake is that she would have a pretty lower half of her face and then an ugly top 1/2 - where the mask is. I will try the double stick idea - I was going to try latex but it's hard to get off. thanks again ------------- NYRIA |
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 3/27/05 at 12:50am
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Besides make up & accessories, don?t forget the lighting & enhancing all the shadows, that are created by the set &/or actor. Choice of gel - splits, these work well, in an ?out of focus? [tweaked] fresnel lamp, as a ?Follow Lime? on the actor! ------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
Posted By: Nyria
Date Posted: 4/02/05 at 2:51pm
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Thanks Gaafa - unfortunatly we are doing this in a Lame High School gym with crappy lighting. I have a follow spot though - maybe I will play with that. ------------- NYRIA |
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 4/03/05 at 11:25pm
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Even with limited lamps in a ?Gymeatre? there is a lot of low tech things you can do to enhance the mise en scene. Depending upon the type of hard edge Profile light your using as a Lime/Drummond/Dome spot, you can add home made Gobo?s & sinister gel colours & put the bubble [globe] out of focus or use shutters to soften the edges. Home made gobo?s are easy to produce from old printers offset plates, these you can usually pick up from their rubbish bins, as they tend to chuck them out, even if they recycle their waste, they are of no real value so you can always get some. They are made of aluminum foil and can be cut easily. Possibly a ?Breakup? gobo is all you need for tree leaves. Just get a nail & punch rough holes in the plate, after you cut it to the size of the drop in slot, where the Iris normally fits, between the bubble & the lens. If it doesn?t have a colour magazine fitted to the spot light or gel frames, you can make your own with a cardboard frame to hold the gel. Also to increase you light output on to the stage area, use mirrors to bounce the light, with the lamp in the ?Z? position on the floor, mounted on a ?Turtle Stand? focused into the mirror, this need not be a theatre lamp, as any type of portable back yard portaflood will do. Best of luck & chookas Nyria. ------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |