I started this thread to prevent this thread from being derailed.

There are two discussions the makeup artist can have about light. These are:
(1) lighting for makeup application
(2) photographic lighting during a photo shoot

The first is always of concern to the makeup artist since it directly affects their ability to apply makeup in a fast, consistent and flawless manner. A skilled makeup artist can apply makeup under less than perfect lighting but it may take longer and involve corrections during the actual shoot. Considerations for lighting used in makeup application involve:

  • brightness low brightness can cause unwanted color shifts. See the Purkinje effect

  • spectrum discontinuous spectra can cause problems in color matching. See illuminant metameric failure

  • quality (radius of source and the distance of the light from the subject) Ideal light for makeup application is soft, diffuse light

  • color temperature This is a minor concern when the values are within reasonable limits: 3,200 K to 5,500 K. The human visual system has color constancy which helps us to maintain a constant color perception under varying lighting conditions.

Here is a rather crude comparison of makeup, color temperature, and spectra captured with a digital camera (Canon 5D). Shown are the RCMA foundation VK palette, Make-Up ForEver Flash Palette, and assorted Yaby Eye Shadows. These are items which are common among professional makeup artists. White balance was taken from the white in the MUFE Flash Palette. Click on the small thumbnail shown to see a larger image.

Continuous Spectra


Sunlight (mid-day November, Toronto)
Note: MUFE palette upside down in this image


Strobe (Speedotron Force 10)


Tungsten 3,200 K (Lowel Omni light)

Discontinuous Spectra


LED (unknown white LED, flashlight)


Fluorescent (Philips F40CW, 4,100 K, CRI 62)

The lighting used during the shoot and the various modifiers (flags, scrims, reflectors) used by the photographer are, in my opinion, outside of the domain of the makeup artist. Certainly the makeup artist should have some understanding of lighting, but the lighting for the photo shoot is outside of his/her control. Instead the makeup artist must communicate to the photographer what the makeup design is and the photographer must communicate to the makeup artist what he/she needs in terms of the look. Lighting is very fluid; the photographer will usually make many adjustments to the lighting during a shoot. Trying to proactively modify the makeup to suit a particular lighting setup is bound to cause problems. For example in the 1+1 video performed by Beyoncé, she has glossy makeup and is lighted by moving light sources. The makeup artist doesn't need to worry about how the lighting for the effect is done, only about meeting the photographer's or videographer's request for makeup.

The feel of the photograph is affected by both the makeup and the lighting but these two things are exclusive. Predominate colors in the scene will help the artist determine the makeup design but it it immaterial whether these scene colors are a result of the reflectance of paint on a wall or a filter inserted into a beam of light. Both end up as patterns of color on the image sensor or film.

Some makeup effects do involve the makeup emitting light but these are infrequent and require close collaboration and experimentation to be successful. For example I Gotta Feeling performed by The Black Eyed Peas. Notice the bicycle trailing a green substance (about 1:14 in the video) which appears to be chemiluminescent. The video Super Bass performed by Nicki Minaj uses fluorescent materials including makeup. For some practical tips concerning fluorescent/blacklight makeup see this excellent post by Lisa Berczel.

A few random resources:

Image Sensors and Color Vision
Color Separation - Digital Image Sensor
Trichromacy - Human Vision

by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Reproduction of Color
Measurements
LED Lighting - Makeup

Great stuff Barry, very useful. Sadly, I have never had decent lighting for any production, be it editorial, film or theatre. I am usually doing makeup in horrendous to absent lighting.

I think a good plan is to be able to see what your makeup will look like without seeing it. ie...be able to imagine, precisely, what the colors will look like on film. This is an acquired art, after working in an essentially unlit room for my photographer for years. I had NO idea what the shoot would look like, but learned after trial and error how to guess at the finished look. We completed "Waking Up the West Coast"

http://www.sageandcedar.ca/WakingUpTheWestCoast.html

http://www.jaimekowal.com/book.htm

a photo based book, in almost no lighting at all. Dimly lit makeup rooms were the norm for us on this production.

So I would say that in addition to mastering an understanding of lighting, the ability to see in your minds eye, what your makeup will look like, is equally valuable.