CareerGPS

Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance
Employment Employment Change Average Annual Job Openings Wage & Training Levels
2020 2025 Numerical Percent New Jobs Replacement Jobs Total Median Hourly Median Annual Training Levels
94 102 8 8.35% 2 19 21 $37.99 $79,017 Postsecondary nondegree award
Description: Apply makeup to performers to reflect period, setting, and situation of their role.
Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2023)

Occupation Details

The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.

  • Confer with stage or motion picture officials and performers in order to determine desired effects.
  • Duplicate work precisely in order to replicate characters' appearances on a daily basis.
  • Establish budgets, and work within budgetary limits.
  • Apply makeup to enhance, and/or alter the appearance of people appearing in productions such as movies.
  • Alter or maintain makeup during productions as necessary to compensate for lighting changes or to achieve continuity of effect.
  • Select desired makeup shades from stock, or mix oil, grease, and coloring in order to achieve specific color effects.
  • Cleanse and tone the skin in order to prepare it for makeup application.
  • Assess performers' skin-type in order to ensure that make-up will not cause break-outs or skin irritations.
  • Analyze a script, noting events that affect each character's appearance, so that plans can be made for each scene.
  • Requisition or acquire needed materials for special effects, including wigs, beards, and special cosmetics.
  • Write makeup sheets and take photos in order to document specific looks and the products that were used to achieve the looks.
  • Examine sketches, photographs, and plaster models in order to obtain desired character image depiction.
  • Attach prostheses to performers and apply makeup in order to create special features or effects such as scars, aging, or illness.
  • Evaluate environmental characteristics such as venue size and lighting plans in order to determine makeup requirements.
  • Design rubber or plastic prostheses that can be used to change performers' appearances.
  • Create character drawings or models, based upon independent research, in order to augment period production files.
  • Advise hairdressers on the hairstyles required for character parts.
  • Study production information, such as character descriptions, period settings, and situations in order to determine makeup requirements.
  • Provide performers with makeup removal assistance after performances have been completed.
  • Wash and reset wigs.
  • Demonstrate products to clients, and provide instruction in makeup application.

Knowledge

70%
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
62%
Fine Arts - Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
58%
Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
58%
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
56%
Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Skills

60%
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
56%
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
56%
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
53%
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
53%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
53%
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
50%
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
50%
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
50%
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
50%
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Abilities

69%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
69%
Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
69%
Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
69%
Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
65%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
65%
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
62%
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
62%
Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
62%
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
60%
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
60%
Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
53%
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
53%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
53%
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
53%
Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
53%
Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
50%
Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
50%
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
50%
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Work Activities

92%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
91%
Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
82%
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
81%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
77%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
70%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
70%
Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
69%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
64%
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
62%
Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
59%
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
59%
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
58%
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
57%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
56%
Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
56%
Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
55%
Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
55%
Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
52%
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
52%
Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
50%
Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Title Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Overall Experience Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Job Zone Examples These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include food service managers, electricians, agricultural technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents.
Education Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Interests

Artistic - Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outsi
Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Work Styles

Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

Work Values

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