For the lazy trick-or-treater, dressing up for Halloween means tossing a sheet on your head and calling it a day. For Alexys Fleming, it means makeup — layers upon layers of creepy and colorful makeup.
The 21-year-old artist has made a name for herself on YouTube as host of MadeYewLook, a series of tutorials for shockingly realistic stage makeup. Though her designs are complex, her videos provide thorough guidance from preferred brands, painting techniques and finishing details.
Mashable asked Fleming for tips for people who want to try her makeup looks at home.
1. Stay true to the character.
“Using reference photos will be the biggest help when creating character makeup, or cosplays. I would definitely recommend referencing the original character from multiple different angles to see the different forms of the face.”
2. Choose a proper light source.
“One of the key things to making three dimensional parts of a painting actually look 3D is where the shadow falls according to where the light is coming from … An easy way to teach yourself light sources would be to shine a flashlight on your own face from different angles. All of the points where the light shines are highlights, and all of the dark areas would be shadows.”
3. Don’t stress on the first try.
“Actually, don’t ever stress out when creating art. Makeup, body painting, special effects, anything in this category should be a fun experience.”
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