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Be A Prosthetics Artist

by Paul Vale
December 2005

Paul Vale was the Make-up Consultant for Charles H. Fox Ltd. for nine years and regularly writes for Make-up Artist Magazine in the USA.

What are prosthetics?

Prosthetics in the make-up industry refers to the three-dimensional pieces added to a performer to change or enhance their appearance. The scope varies from the simple creation of a false nose like the one that transformed the beautiful Nicole Kidman into the dour Virginia Woolfe in The Hours to the creation of Sigourney Weaver's nemesis in the Alien movies.

In theatre, prosthetics have much less of a role as they tend to be an expensive commodity often subject to flaws by the rigours of prolonged performances and heat. However it would be impossible to imagine The Phantom of the Opera without Chris Tucker's shocking theatrical design or even The Woman in White without Count Fosco's groundbreaking fat-suit. With all prosthetics, the trick requires an expert mix of four vital components - chemistry, sculpting, colour and application!

So what does it involve?

There are many ways to approach the creation of prosthetics. The materials used benefit from a very strong knowledge of chemistry and often, prosthetic artists will adapt existing compounds to suit their particular purposes. Listening to a conversation between these people and one soon realises why make-up artists are often depicted wearing lab coats!

Fine Arts training will be of enormous help - especially sculpture. As a prosthetics artist your task is to imitate in the finest detail imaginable the complexities of the human body. From the curve of the jaw down to the pores of the skin! It is this detail, and a strong knowledge of how the body grows and moves that determine how realistic your work is.

Occasionally, the application of the pieces is left to a third party - often the key make-up artist. Working as a team they seamlessly apply the pieces under the watchful eye of the prosthetics team and then apply colour, often in subtle washes in delicate hues ready for the first screen test.

At this point you might discover that on screen, your false nose looks like it's been made out of polystyrene and the High Definition Camera makes it appear painted with household gloss. If you are not the type of person to throw in the towel and are curious how to lighten the foam and matte the colour, then read on!

Anything else?

The work and diversity doesn't stop there. Engineering is a vital part of the animatronics industry. Sometimes there's only so far you can go with a man in a rubber suit! And in this, the digital age a background in computer imaging wouldn't go amiss! There are also the highly specialised professions such as dental prosthetics - providing made-to-measure temporary dentistry for more famous faces than you might imagine and optical effects - designing anything from a slight cast to fully reflecting mirrors in the eye. Both these disciplines require vigorous training in their respective field and are heavily monitored by health & safety legislation.

Courses

With so many different influences governing the vast world of prosthetics it is no wonder that many people succeeding in the profession do so from different spheres. Many of the make-up courses advertised offer training in prosthetic manufacture and application which is vital to the trainee. At the least, this gives the make-up artist a knowledge of the creative process and the methodology involved, if not a passion to study further.

The London College of Fashion offers a BA (Hons) Make Up and Prosthetics for the Performing Arts and their facilities are excellent.

Many Fine Art courses exist up and down the country where vocational training is given in sculpture, drawing, painting and design. It is often during this form of education that the seeds are planted for further investigation into the art of Prosthetic Make-up. A course at the LCF may seem like an option but if you sense your skills require hands-on experience rather than further formal training then home tutoring is possible.

Dick Smith, often respected as the 'godfather of prosthetic make-up' has a highly reputable courses available to buy on video or in written form. Smith is a wonderful teacher and has a reputation for sharing his knowledge with his many, many students. Be advised that the video you order is in a format suitable for UK video recorders.

Neil Gorton is currently televisions prosthetics guru with programs such as Gender Swap and Doctor Who keeping him very, very busy at the moment. His company, Millenium FX run a 7 week prosthetics course which is gradually building a fine reputation.

I once heard a reputable artist say that the business consisted of a group of little boys who grew up and never stopped playing with plasticine! Whilst this might appear derogatory it is an affectionate observation of a talented group of artists and model makers who breath life into the creations we see on stage or on screen. To find out more about the work of prosthetic artists or to check out what' happening in the world of make-up in general you may like to contact:

National Association of Screen Make-up Artists and Hairdressers, (NASMAH): http://www.nasmah.org.uk

Transatlantic chat is also available on Make-up Artist Magazine's website: http://www.makeupmag.com which also gives vital information about the all-important Trade Show that takes place in January every year. Here you are able to meet some of the best artists in the business, ask their opinion and sit in on some fantastic tutorials.