Make-up Artist

Friday I became a makeup artist. Now before those of you who know me well enough snort your Monday morning coffee up your nose by accident, let me assure you that it was a one time deal. I volunteered to help the real makeup artist get the actors and actresses ready for the Shakespeare play. (I did it once before a couple of years ago, so I wasn’t a complete newbie.) I was put in charge of highlights. Highlighting consists of painting light and dark shadows on characters’ faces to make their features stand out under the stage lights. (Notice I was not put in charge of blending highlights into the foundation grease paint as I am not a good “blender.”)

But my time as a makeup artist was profitable. I made several discoveries.

1. According to Calvin (who’s trained as a watercolor artist), the important thing about painting is the brushes. You can’t paint well with bad brushes. I must have had bad grease paint brushes.

2. Boys scruntch up their eyes when you put eye-liner on them. And it looks like a dotted line. They also flutter their lashes like butterflies, and mascara smears everywhere. The subsequent mess makes people glare at the incompetent make up artist.

3. I am very good at painting on fairy eyebrows—but mostly because nobody can tell me that I’ve done them wrong.

4. Rubbing alcohol removes grease paint. (Okay, Luke told me that—apparently, basic chemistry should have taught me that.)

5. Young men should shave before showing up for makeup.

6. Under no circumstances should one try to put lipstick on a boy.

7. Although necks also get coated with grease paint, it does not look good on white shirts.

8. Girls, especially little girls, will let you paint as much make-up on their faces as you like. They will, however, have distinct opinions as to the colors they want and the job you have done.

9. Grease paint powder (which keeps the paint from sliding off your face when you sweat) is to be applied ONLY after all the grease paint is applied or blending will not happen.

10. Boys really do have longer eyelashes than girls. Grumble. Mutter. 

I wish I could take credit for this make-up job, but the professional did it. 

Here's another photo with Matt and Jacob.