The American Backstage Company — Theatrical Makeup

Technicolor had been in existence since 1916 but its high cost and technical limitations had made it difficult to sell to the studios. However, by the 1930s, the Technicolor Corporation had developed a new three-strip process using a special camera to record red, green and blue light on three separate negatives. In 1932, Whitney invested in the Technicolor Corporation and then co-founded Pioneer Pictures in 1933 to produce Technicolor pictures using the new process. Pioneer Pictures produced the first three-strip Technicolor short film ‘La Cucaracha’ in 1934 and the first three-strip Technicolor feature film ‘Becky Sharp’ in 1935.

If your own facial features allow, the upper areas of Planes 1 and 2 may be strongly highlighted, fading down to a medium shadow on the lower parts of 1 and 2, with a deep shadow on 3. This gives the illusion that the upper teeth are missing. Blackening your own upper teeth enhances the illusion. The opposite, highlighting the lower part of 1 and 2, fading into the foundation as you approach the nose, makes the upper lip protrude. The crease angling down from the mouth corners should be treated like the nasolabial folds, but use a finer brush.

Stippling is a method for applying makeup by gently pressing the color onto the skin with various textured sponges that are rough and large-pored. The pattern created by the pores adds texture without concealing what is underneath. It is used for toning down highlights and shadows that are too strong, for giving texture to the skin, for adding “blemishes” or “freckles,” and for concealing the edges of add-ons (false noses, bald caps, eyebrow covers) by breaking up the tiny line of shadow created by the edge of the false piece. It is also very a very effective way to create stubble for that “5 ‘clock shadow” look.