What Is Fantasy Makeup?

Far from being your typical everyday makeup, fantasy makeup transforms a person to appear as something they are not. For example, fantasy makeup is often used to make people look like cats, clowns, fairies, witches, butterflies, zombies and aliens. Fantasy makeup artists often work on film sets, creating the life-like creatures we see on the silver screen.

Fantasy makeup has a much more artistic approach than ordinary face makeup. According to Delamar Academy, makeup artists often use latex, prosthetic pieces, hair, glitter and air-brushed paint to create their pieces. While some makeup applications are minimal, allowing the person to be seen, others totally transform an individual until they are hardly recognizable.

While ordinary makeup, such as eye-shadow, lipstick and blush, can be used for fantasy makeup applications, most designs are created using vivid, long-lasting products that are high in quality. The type of fantasy makeup used also depends on where the model will be seen. Stage performers often use oil-based products that can withstand hot lights to keep their makeup from melting or running. Watercolor makeup works best for photography sessions, TV and film because this type of makeup typically comes in bold colors and creates clean lines that translate well on camera and on the big screen.