1. A Technical Element of Theatre
THEATRICAL MAKEUP
A Technical Element of Theatre

2. MAKEUP!
Actors are judged not only by their acting but by their appearance
Actors who appear on stage must learn makeup techniques
Make up artists are routinely used on movie, television, etc. sets
Make up artists are rarely used in live stage performances
Stage actors must do their own makeup

3. CHARACTER ANALYSIS
To create a unique characterization you need to analyze the character
- what are the factors that make a character different from the others?
FIRST THING IS TO READ THE SCRIPT!!!

4. CHARACTER ANALYSIS
HEARTH is a mnemonic to remember the six elements of character analysis
H- Heredity
E- Environment
A- Age
R- Race
T- Temperament
H- Health

5. CHARACTER ANALYSIS HEREDITY Family Traits
Inherited characteristics from parents and grandparents
Red Hair (Life with Father)

6. CHARACTER ANALYSIS ENVIRONMENT Determines a person’s appearance
Work indoors / outdoors
Works day / night
Rich / poor
Time Element /historical period
Deep tan (few years ago)
Peaches n cream (hundred years ago)
Pasty White (Restoration period)

7. CHARACTER ANALYSIS AGE Chronological age is only one aspect
Also influenced by:
Heredity
Prematurely gray hair
Pattern baldness

8. AGE - CONTINUED Environment Health Temperament
Sun or wind caused wrinkles
Health
Chronic illness ages a person
Temperament
Frown caused wrinkles
Smile caused wrinkles

9. CHARACTER ANALYSIS RACE
Less common today for actors to portray other races
Some plays it is important to understand appearance related characteristics of major racial groups
The King and I

10. CHARACTER ANALYSIS TEMPERAMENT Personality
Person who smiles a lot has “crows feet” (lines at corner of eyes)
Person who frowns has “frown lines” (vertical wrinkles between eyebrows)

11. CHARACTER ANALYSIS HEALTH Acute illness
Must know physical / visible characteristics
Measles, cold, seasickness
Chronic illness
Long duration or frequent occurrence
Arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis

12. CHARACTER RESEARCH Three basic sources of information:
What the playwright says about character:
Time and place of play
If says “the present” must find out when play was written

13. Sources of Information cont.
Stage directions / descriptions
What a character says about themselves or what other characters say about them
Must read carefully because characters can lie
About themselves or others
Talk, dark, handsome
Must take everything into account including motives of characters

14. Facial Anatomy
Must know the underlying bone structure of the human face to create good theatrical makeup

15. Facial Anatomy Facial features are effected by the aging process
Muscles in the face used the most retain strength and flexibility
Underused muscles stretch and sag due to gravity

16. Facial Anatomy Becomes more pronounced or prominent with age
How the aging process affects specific areas of the face
Becomes more pronounced or prominent with age
Frontal eminence
Superciliary arch
Temporal fossae
Zygomatic arch
Naso-labial folds

17. Facial Anatomy with age
Individual features also become more prominent
Cleft chin
Sunken eyes
Nose (as the skin sags around it)

18. Facial Anatomy – with age
Lips become thinner and loose natural color
Sagging muscles create jowls
Eyelids sag and droop
Complexions also change
Age spots
Red nose and cheeks on heavy drinkers (caused by broken capillaries at surface of skin)

19. Physiognomy Judging a person’s character by looking at facial features
We associate certain character traits / emotions with certain features

20. Physiognomy Facial features convey information about a character
Used by cartoonist to immediately show emotion and character
Individual features are influenced by other features so whole face must be considered

21. Physiognomy Forehead High forehead / receding hairline
Shows high intelligence (men & women)
Frown lines
Bad tempered person
Deep concentration

22. Physiognomy Eyes (the windows to the soul) Prominent eyes = dreamer
Deep set eyes = analytical
Small, close set eyes = dishonesty
Large, well spaced eyes = trustworthy
Crows feet = happy

23. Physiognomy Eyebrows Full eyebrows = forceful person
Bushy eyebrows/ hair growing in all directions = disorganized
Close to the eyes and growing close together = cunning & mean
High arched brows = gullible & little intelligence

24. Physiognomy Nose Larger = strength/ leadership
Long & narrow = refined taste
Bulbous (large rounded tip) = dissipation (especially if red)
Pointed = nosy
Bent = rough / physical type
Longer = older in age

25. Physiognomy Mouth and lips Wide = generous
Small = tightfisted or closed-mouth
Full = sensuous
Thin = strict

26. Physiognomy Chin Strong chin = strong / aggressive
Weak & receding = weak willed / passive

27. Physiognomy Cheeks Rounded & red = jolly Thin or sunken = businesslike
Jugal fold (Pronounced wrinkle halfway between the mouth and ear) = cruel