So I was looking at a makeup school it's a 90 day training and the cost is $16,000. Do you think investing this much in school is worth it or should it be better to use towards a kit and pay a freelance MUA for a few lessons and trial and error the better option.
What got me thinking was that it was lot of money for just a certificate. Not even my Cosmo school cost me that much and it was a 8 month course and I got a license not just a certificate.
LizW_Makeup
Posts: 1,621
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Since I know you (and I know your focus is beauty and fashion), and you're a photographer - no, I wouldn't recommend it at all. What value is the certificate, anyway? I'd be very skeptical.
If you wanted to develop a career in film and learn SFX, *or* if you wanted to become a licensed esthetician, then I'd certainly recommend school. But I think this would be serious overkill for you - and that's without knowing anything about the program you're considering.
No way. With 16k you could develop and amazing kit, website, cards etc and hit the ground running. Test shoots to gain skill and confidence whilst assisting other makeup artists is a much better option.
I went to college to study makeup and apart from historical looks and a small amount of SFX knowledge, I learnt way more once I got out there and started actually working. I also found that the 6 months I spent on a counter were the best 6 months ever when it comes to knowledge of skin types etc.
No no no no. That's even high if you were taking and SFX course in addition to a regular makeup course. You would be better off hiring a local artist by the day who can teach you exactly what you want to know and make suggestions of how to build your kit for your needs.
Not at all. Mary E had a great breakdown somewhere of how to spend money you would have spent on school instead.
Take the money, buy a great kit, take some individual workshops (powder group, MUFE, etc) Find some really great artists and pay them a day rate to pick their brain (which also leads to them possibly using you as an assistant which is a million times more educational than a classroom)
I would ABSOLUTELY go to school if I wanted to learn hair, nails, esthetics or FX, but normal beauty? Waste of money.
I can think of a couple top artists that I imagine would give you several days worth of INTENSE training for much less than that... and while they would not give you a certificate with your name on it, you would probably get way more in the way of networking!
Heather J M
Posts: 637
London, England, United Kingdom
I paid £12K for a 36 week course - 180 days straight through. Which was a rip off, although I did learn well. So no, $16k sounds high to me for half the time.
TheMakeupMan
Posts: 3,615
Los Angeles, California, US
I think I paid around 3,500 a course
I took beauty for film , print and fashion and then I took character
My instructor only took 6 students a year and it's was very personal and very hands on and he use to test people for the union as well so they were very intensive classes For me it was worth it I probably spent another 4000 in supply's for both character and beauty So if we do the math it was around 11,000 for the most incredible training and top brand products. Was worth it fore.
But that does sound like a huge rip off. Unless it includes beauty ,character, hair and fx ....... Which school is it ?
some day I would love to see a study of artist who have made it "career artists making 6 figures year after year... I would like to see what percentage of these artists came out of makeup schools and what percentage were self taught. Should I do another industry study like this I'm pretty sure I'll make further industry enemies.... but that's never stopped me...I just love getting the truth, bringing it to the public and letting the chips fall where they may I think it's time for a study. six figure artists are not that common....maybe dropping the amount to 60,000 a year... but then how do you back it up? ..... I can see it now, schools lying about the income of their graduates. I guess there really isn't a way to do this study accurately
TheMakeupMan
Posts: 3,615
Los Angeles, California, US
Mary wrote: some day I would love to see a study of artist who have made it "career artists making 6 figures year after year... I would like to see what percentage of these artists came out of makeup schools and what percentage were self taught. Should I do another industry study like this I'm pretty sure I'll make further industry enemies.... but that's never stopped me...I just love getting the truth, bringing it to the public and letting the chips fall where they may I think it's time for a study. six figure artists are not that common....maybe dropping the amount to 60,000 a year... but then how do you back it up? ..... I can see it now, schools lying about the income of their graduates. I guess there really isn't a way to do this study accurately
I'd like too see that too Mary !
I'm Sure the percentage of people actually having a sustainable career is shockingly low
Heather J M
Posts: 637
London, England, United Kingdom
Mary in my class of 18, 16 of us finished and I think two of the girls do the occasional bride and one (previously a toni and guy stylist) I last heard of working in theatre in the West End, which I believe involves a lot of wig work. The school I went to ran 3 of this course every 2 years, along with a shorter course and now a 2 year version... the stats of success ARE very very low. Some could point out that i had worked in films prior to my makeup course and had a degree in Film, and speculate that the course was not solely responsible for my still being here 8 years later.... That and all the subsequent courses and seminars I have signed up to...
Yeah - makeup schools churn out a lot of graduates and there is no way the industries can support them. Sadly though, the old days where people made it without school seem to be over here in the UK film industry. A large amount of the established film and tv makeup artists do various days here and there teaching in the best schools so they do rather rate the graduates. Even more so those graduates who just so happen to be daughters of their peers...
LisaJohnson
Posts: 10,515
Nashville, Tennessee, US
seems it's super easy to get roped into these school loan shark programs - which is not a good thing save your money and stock up your kit and travel to work with stellar people to test and develop your skill, network and portfolio.
Mary wrote: some day I would love to see a study of artist who have made it "career artists making 6 figures year after year... I would like to see what percentage of these artists came out of makeup schools and what percentage were self taught. Should I do another industry study like this I'm pretty sure I'll make further industry enemies.... but that's never stopped me...I just love getting the truth, bringing it to the public and letting the chips fall where they may I think it's time for a study. six figure artists are not that common....maybe dropping the amount to 60,000 a year... but then how do you back it up? ..... I can see it now, schools lying about the income of their graduates. I guess there really isn't a way to do this study accurately
I don't see how the schools can claim anything about what their graduates do, they'd have to keep up with them every year. Even if they offered any sort of job placement, most of our jobs only last a few days at most, unless you're working on a big budget feature, which definitely not something that's going to come from a school referral. My school never made any effort to keep up with my progress, so they wouldn't be able to make any claims pertaining to what my class achieved.
Kristen S Makeup wrote: I don't see how the schools can claim anything about what their graduates do, they'd have to keep up with them every year. Even if they offered any sort of job placement, most of our jobs only last a few days at most, unless you're working on a big budget feature, which definitely not something that's going to come from a school referral. My school never made any effort to keep up with my progress, so they wouldn't be able to make any claims pertaining to what my class achieved.
you're correct....they don't care about your career unless you become a huge success and they can use you as an example of what a great job they did
I'm pretty sure anyone successful in the makeup world would be a success with or without school.... You have what it takes or you don't
here is what you need to be successful....
1) an artistic eye
2) good taste (and current with the times)
3) an ability to get along with others
4) a great work ethic
5) stamina
6) a good attitude
Do they teach this is school? no they don't and they cant and if you have these qualities you will probably be successful, if you don't have these qualities I don't care if you've trained under Billy B, Pat Mc Grath and Kabuki... you'll fail
I am going to disagree with the fact that pursuing an education in makeup artistry is a waste of money... I am sure I am going to upset people in this forum and that is not my intent but I have the right to voice my own opinion in regards to this matter. Depending on where you go YES it can be a waste of money. I attended one school and learned absolutely nothing. I was given a makeup kit that could fit into my purse and debt. I wanted to continue my education and found a great school in Orange County. My portfolio has not been updated in years, so truthfully it is not a great example of my talent. It was my choice to stop pursuing such a great and rewarding career in makeup artistry and I regret it daily! I rarely tested because the city I live is not so fashion friendly and truthfully I was not as ambitious as I should have been, but this is absolutely no reflection on the amazing education I received in Southern California but a reflection on myself and my lack of motivation.
This school has a huge success rate. The talent that comes out of the school before prior to graduation is astonishing! I am sure some of these artists are making 6 figures and some 5. It just depends on how passionate the artists are in becoming successful and the dedication they put towards there career goals. The graduates learned everything they need to know to become successful it is just about applying it towards there career. Yes trends are completely changing along with information so that is why past graduates are able to attend ANY lectures for FREE to keep them up to date on the industry and any information the artists may have forgotten. This is someone that truly cares about the success of their graduates!
Yes I learned 1) an artistic eye 2) good taste (and current with the times) 3) an ability to get along with others 4) a great work ethic 5) stamina 6) a good attitude and so much more than I could have ever imagined!!! It has been 8 years since I graduated from this school and I still speak to founder/owner/and educator of the school and yes she does it all!!! She has always been a huge support in my life and my mentor. She was there for me throughout my career and helped me through any difficult times in my life with her positive words. So yes going to that school was worth every penny because I went somewhere where they truly care about their students and not the paycheck. As I have said before makeup schools can be a huge waste of money or the best investment towards your career. I learned more at that school than years of university! So prior to making assumptions on how much of a waste of money makeup schools can be do your research!
LisaJohnson
Posts: 10,515
Nashville, Tennessee, US
School is wonderful and amazing - if you take what you have learned and APPLY it to making a living in order to pay back the loan/debt and to carry forth with a working career, IMHO. Ultimately, it's all about the work you do, not about the school you attend.
The only real test is a professional WORK portfolio by the artists - recent work - with paying clients on the resume - tearsheets from print ads, tv/film work reels, etc. The absolute proof is in the pudding - and not on model mayhem I might add.
LisaJohnson
Posts: 10,515
Nashville, Tennessee, US
5 and 6 figures? Who are these artists, please link.
Anita Deanne wrote: I am going to disagree with the fact that pursuing an education in makeup artistry is a waste of money... I am sure I am going to upset people in this forum and that is not my intent but I have the right to voice my own opinion in regards to this matter. Depending on where you go YES it can be a waste of money. I attended one school and learned absolutely nothing. I was given a makeup kit that could fit into my purse and debt. I wanted to continue my education and found a great school in Orange County. My portfolio has not been updated in years, so truthfully it is not a great example of my talent. It was my choice to stop pursuing such a great and rewarding career in makeup artistry and I regret it daily! I rarely tested because the city I live is not so fashion friendly and truthfully I was not as ambitious as I should have been, but this is absolutely no reflection on the amazing education I received in Southern California but a reflection on myself and my lack of motivation.
This school has a huge success rate. The talent that comes out of the school before prior to graduation is astonishing! I am sure some of these artists are making 6 figures and some 5. It just depends on how passionate the artists are in becoming successful and the dedication they put towards there career goals. The graduates learned everything they need to know to become successful it is just about applying it towards there career. Yes trends are completely changing along with information so that is why past graduates are able to attend ANY lectures for FREE to keep them up to date on the industry and any information the artists may have forgotten. This is someone that truly cares about the success of their graduates!
Yes I learned 1) an artistic eye 2) good taste (and current with the times) 3) an ability to get along with others 4) a great work ethic 5) stamina 6) a good attitude and so much more than I could have ever imagined!!! It has been 8 years since I graduated from this school and I still speak to founder/owner/and educator of the school and yes she does it all!!! She has always been a huge support in my life and my mentor. She was there for me throughout my career and helped me through any difficult times in my life with her positive words. So yes going to that school was worth every penny because I went somewhere where they truly care about their students and not the paycheck. As I have said before makeup schools can be a huge waste of money or the best investment towards your career. I learned more at that school than years of university! So prior to making assumptions on how much of a waste of money makeup schools can be do your research!
LisaJohnson wrote: School is wonderful and amazing - if you take what you have learned and APPLY it to making a living in order to pay back the loan/debt and to carry forth with a working career, IMHO. Ultimately, it's all about the work you do, not about the school you attend.
The only real test is a professional WORK portfolio by the artists - recent work - with paying clients on the resume - tearsheets from print ads, tv/film work reels, etc. The absolute proof is in the pudding - and not on model mayhem I might add.
What Lisa says is true, school can be great. The issue and problem with makeup schools specifically is that with the great debt that comes with it; you can not pay back your loans with makeup jobs alone. Unless an artist is connected in the industry it is a long and arduous journey to making a living let alone making 6 figures.
When people leave school they have to work for free for some time assisting, then they will work on things that have smaller budgets for some time before getting consistent makeup work. You will have to work at a day (or night) job to pay the bills. That takes away time that could be spent on building a portfolio, money that can be spent on improving your kit (I have yet to see a school kit that was the be all, end all), time that should be spent on networking with photographer, production companies, brands, other makeup artists, etc.
Sixteen grand can get you some private lessons (where you learn at your own pace on what you need to work on most) with some great artists, a wicked kit, give you time to test with good photographers for your portfolio and hell even pay for a great book to put those new images in.
For that money you could fly to another country and study it too.
I recommend spending time not money.
Go watch the best. Assist. Get into the groove, college can't really do that.
Do a course sure, but I see no need to spend a massive budget like that at this stage.
Rollo David Snook wrote: For that money you could fly to another country and study it too.
I recommend spending time not money.
Go watch the best. Assist. Get into the groove, college can't really do that.
Do a course sure, but I see no need to spend a massive budget like that at this stage.
exactly. Assist, work on your portfolio.... Again, nobody can teach taste or give you an artistic eye... nobody can motivate you, it all comes from within....school or no school, if you have what it takes you'll make it, if you don't you will give it up.
The basics of beauty makeup take about a day to learn, the rest is practice and natural talent..... this isn't brain surgery it's art.
FX of course takes a lot more time but beauty is really about practice
I agree that most beauty makeup schools are a complete and utter waste of time and money. Do your research, especially on the teachers. Would you want to pay $16K to learn from someone who isn't successful in their own career? Someone who hasn't done a photo shoot in 20 years? Someone who teaches as their main job? I certainly would not! A lot of my personal students come out of these programs clueless, broke, and having to un-learn a lot of what they learned!
Also, a huge thing that students miss is that they think somehow school = success which is NOT the case. School might or might not be part of your journey as an artist. A school will not make you successful, YOU are the only one who can do that.
If it were me, I would take my $ and hire a professional artist (who is DOING what I want to do). Not only will you learn technique, but, you'll learn invaluable lessons from a real working artist about the business, the industry, etc. specific to where you want to be.
One last thing to keep in mind is to also note that hiring a pro artist to teach you is still not a golden ticket to success either. You'll get 100x more out of it, but, you still have to practice, pound the pavement, etc.
you're correct....they don't care about your career unless you become a huge success and they can use you as an example of what a great job they did
I'm pretty sure anyone successful in the makeup world would be a success with or without school.... You have what it takes or you don't
here is what you need to be successful....
1) an artistic eye
2) good taste (and current with the times)
3) an ability to get along with others
4) a great work ethic
5) stamina
6) a good attitude
Do they teach this is school? no they don't and they cant and if you have these qualities you will probably be successful, if you don't have these qualities I don't care if you've trained under Billy B, Pat Mc Grath and Kabuki... you'll fail
Here's a tl;dr of my post - If you already have experience with makeup, go into shadowing/assisting, talk to local (successful) artists, and go to crash-course seminars. If there are other factors at play--complete lack of confidence in skill, unfamiliarity of product and application, zero idea on how to properly network--then you may do well in school.
I'm going to give my opinion on Make-Up Schools since I just completed one.
It's definitely not for everyone. For me, completely necessary.
I was pretty new to the whole industry, I just fell into it during college and had experience only in stage makeup (and that did not involve any sort of base-matching or decent blending). Makeup school was a huge amount to pay, but I don't think I would have been able to handle shadowing/assisting. I think that doing that would have sent me running with my tail between my legs. School gave me the confidence I needed and it's really an environment I can thrive in. I learned a ton in a "short" time (18weeks) that would have taken me, who knows how much longer!
A HUGE perk my school offers us is that we are lifetime students there. If for any reason we need to brush up on something, we can go back to any class we took (for sections of it, or the whole thing) and take it again for free.
As for some of the girls in my class, I don't think they needed school. They had a ton of talent and enough experience with products that they would have been able to make it in a shadow/assist position, but they may not have known that to be an option.
rick lesser
Posts: 533
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US
WHAT!!!?????? Are you kidding me? I'm speechless........ I was only on vacation for ten days. When did makeup schools cost that much and what could they teach you that anyone of us could not? Pay me! Hire one of us or even a few of us and shadow us for a week. R-
While having natural talent for makeup is enough for some makeup artists, I think that going to school/college to do a course is essential.
Before I did my course I thought I knew a lot about how to apply makeup correctly from watching videos and demonstrations yet they can't teach what I was taught at college.
I went to Media Makeup, one if the best colleges in Australia (supposedly) and learnt so much. They taught not only correct way to apply makeup to every type of eye shape, face shape, skin colour, corrective makeup etc but we also had to learn about the skin structure, colour and what compliments and what doesn't plus so much more.
I also did cert 3 where we did airbrushing and hairstyling for weddings etc and still learnt a lot.
While a lot of people think they know how to apply makeup, and they probably do, just having an artistic eye and flair won't get you where you want to be. I know because I tried before I did my course and without having the correct training I wouldn't be where I am today, doing what I'm doing.
That's only my opinion of course and everyone should make their own decisions
I have mixed feelings on this...without going to school I wouldn't be doing what I am today. However that said, I really just jumped into the industry on a whim. I wish I had thought about it longer and looked at more options before deciding on a school. Don't get me wrong, the one I went to was good but I should have picked one that better specialized in the type of work that I wanted to do.
I also agree that school isn't what makes you successful or not, it's what you are willing to put into it. After graduating I did a few small projects immediately after returning home (I moved across the country for school) but then stopped doing makeup for 2 years. After that I got a part-time job for a year with a cosmetic company where I realized I hated trying to sell makeup to people but that how every time I did a makeover on someone they would tell me they loved it. It was after that I decided to try freelancing for myself. Last year was my first full year in business and I did it on top of a full-time job. My main goal was just to be able to pay off my loan and then actually start making enough so I could quit my office job. If my husband and I hadn't decided to get a house I would have been able to pay it off with some money to spare.
I'm still pretty new in the industry and am not doing the type of work that I want to yet...but basically I didn't start getting anything until I put my own effort in. Whether you acheive you skills through school or own your own in the end it's all up to you.
NOPE- based on your location im pretty sure i know what school you're thinking of and i can say for certain: NOPE
sorry its a year later.. just wanted to throw it out there tho.. if you're thinking of beauty/fashion u can buy classes from places like mac or crystal wright (i think shes makeup, dont remember).. if you're into fx, i can give u contact info to someone to ask about that..
No freaking way.
Iv been doing research on makeup PROGRAMS rather than schools, since my main focus is photography. I can give you a list of programs but they are all over the place, mostly London ,Paris,NYC and LA
I agree that money could be spent better than forking it over for a certificate. Now that streaming video has become popular, why not search to see if there are online courses custom design to fill in the gaps of what knowledge you're missing. Try some of these:
http://www.hmartistsnetwork.com/virtual-classroom https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/ http://www.joeblasco.com/blascoschools/ … adband.htm I live miles from any school and I have kids so its impossible for me to travel to events like IMATS for workshops.
I use the wonderful WWW to help me. Granted, there is a whole lot of poop to sift through before you find good sound pro advice, but if you look hard enough it is out there!
Seems like there is a college on every block in my town, and they keep springing up. No matter what field you want, there's probably a college for that.
I suspect many have tapped into getting the federal student loans for a lot of money (like $16K for 60 day class?) and that is funding their business model. Later, the graduated student has to figure out how to pay it back to the feds so the colleges win. And then another college springs up pushing some other biz...
Some workshops by some photographers and software makers are also expensive with some at $3,000 a day. One said, "It beats weddings for income if he can get 10 students." I don't know if they are worth it either, other than to the person selling it.
I did find it interesting that a couple of make-up retailers in town ask for a license to buy anything from them. I just wanted to get some of that hairspray in a smaller pocketable can and a comb but "NO! You can't have one form us because you aren't licensed!" Sheesh. They sent me to another shop down the same street that will sell to anyone, but some seem bent on catering to only license holders out of some school.
I bought my own kit years ago (Ben Nye) and still have it in a fishing tackle box. Not that hard to do, but the artistic part may be for some. No schooling, and it was in the film days prior to Photoshop so it had to be done back then, or retouch negatives and prints (ugh!). One of the Hollywood theatrical supply houses had some "Ben Nye Day" where they sold the kits and demo'd the product line for free, just that you ended up buying a lot of stuff once the pitch and demo was over. I've seen similar in Macy's recently at their cosmetic counters too - for free!
I think it's time for a study. six figure artists are not that common....maybe dropping the amount to 60,000 a year... but then how do you back it up? ..... I can see it now, schools lying about the income of their graduates. I guess there really isn't a way to do this study accurately
save your money and stock up your kit and travel to work with stellar people to test and develop your skill, network and portfolio.
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