Hello From England

[Andrew]

Hello everyone,

I'm Andrew, I am in England and am stopping by to introduce myself. My background is fine art but I felt like a change after 30 years and have recently trained as a MUA under Maggie Hunt. Maggie is outstanding, a great teacher and mentor and now friend. We get along very well and I am always early for jobs, never ever late..

Celebrity Makeup Artist

.I also trained under Samantha and Nicola Chapman

Samantha Chapman Makeup Artist

Both Sam and Nic are ex MAC and are now established freelancers here in the UK (some of you may know them as Pixiwoo). I had a really good grounding from all three and wont go far wrong with what they taught me but now its time for me to spread my wings a bit.

Well this is where I am at, my work is mainly very classic, you wont go far wrong with a good classic look IMO but I am also interested in the stronger more runway looks and Avant Garde work such as that of Serge Lutens and Alex Box..both poles apart but very talented..I know there are others out there who produce equally stunning work but I name these two as examples. Being a guy I dont wear make up (honestly I dont..I'd look like a trucker with Lipstick on ) so the learning curve is huge as to what does what and what works best so I am really finding my feet..

On the positive I find eyelining very easy, I am a fiend with liquid liner, and am begining to like Gel liners as well..I did find them a bit clumsey at first but a change of brush altered that, I apparantly do a good cut crease (more by luck than judgement I assure you) and I blend eyeshadows quite happily..I would dearly like more definintion and strength in my colours but that will take practice and many many faces..I actually plucked my first brows today (on an unsuspecting model)..I used Lady Ga Ga as my template and they came out great.

I would dearly love to work for MAC but I may be a little to old for them being in my mid forties, I would be interested in learing more from people who's work far outstrips mine..The one thing I am is tidy, my work is always tidy but I want to do so much more than I do..

All that aside, hello to you all..I am sure I will find this a very useful forum, I am already enjoying the members work and pictures which are stunning..

Oh yes I have tons of MAC pigments but I am not entirely sure how best to use them so any thoughts on that to get different effects would be great..There is such a myriad of products out there I dont know which way to turn..

Best wishes to all

Andrew

 

[spunky]

i'd love to see some of your work!

 

[MzzRach]

Glad to have you join us!

 

[Andrew]

Thank you both..

As for pictures, well as an assistant I do have published work but I have no rights to them as I was an assistant which is fine with me I am still learning after all. I have some that I took in my first two weeks training earlier this year..They are not great photographs as I took them on a small camera and I am no photographer..

The 1st model is a pro model, lovely skin..so here is my first attempt at a soft bronzed look..

The second model is not a Pro model but has lovely eyes I thought and was a sweetheart..this is a look more aimed for the evening..

I appreciate that I have a lot to learn still and a way to go but its early days..feel free to critique them but bear in mind that these were in my first two weeks training and I had never applied make up before..well apart from Two Drag Queens and my Grannie but that doesnt really count and that was a very long time ago..I know the pictures are poor quality but I dont have a very good camera and I have no gift for photography..

So here they are.. you did ask..

Andrew

 

[Andrew]

Oh and one more... This is based on a look by Alex Box, I was after a sleezy "Cabaret" type peformer, a little world weary, tired around th eyes and the mouth and with a somewhat macabre doll like appearance..again this is not a great photograph but it was fun to do..

I know its bizzare and not a wearable look but it was as I say after "Alex Box" and was heading in the right direction..just a bit of fun and experimentation..

Andrew

 

[Becksabec]

Welcome to Specktra, and gorgeous work.

 

[User38]

Gorgeous looks and great technique! (the 2nd model looks like one of the PixiWoo sisters!).. but it is great to have someone with your experience on board.. that said:

 

[Bjarka]

nice work

 

[LittleMaryJane]

Hi Andrew, welcome to the site! Very nice work!

 

[Soul Unique]

Andrew!!!!

Thank you for sharing your journey into MakeUp Artistry. Considering you'd only had 2 weeks of training at the time these pics were taken are pretty impressive! Wishing you all the best!

Quote:

Originally Posted by HerGreyness Gorgeous looks and great technique! (the 2nd model looks like one of the PixiWoo sisters!).. but it is great to have someone with your experience on board.. that said:

Lol,

that is because it is....2nd pic is Nic and 3rd pic is Sam.

 

[Camnagem]

Hi Andrew! Welcome to Specktra!

Thanks for sharing some of your work, we always love to see that around here. I look forward to more and hope to see you around the forums!

 

[spunky]

they are fantastic! you definitely have a gift for makeup, and as others have said, it's great to have someone with your talent and experience here

 

[Andrew]

Good morning and thank you for the nice welcome and yes of course the last two models are Sam and Nic..what troopers they were..These was on their Fashion Face course which I loved ..The first model was done under Maggie Hunts watchful eye. Maggie gave me the best foundation from which to work from..fail safe classic make up techniques from which to work from and the best possible introduction to working as an MUA..Sam and Nic allowed me to spread my wings and experiment..I did rather go my own route on their course and kept to beauty looks and even tried to retain that aspect in the look after "Alex Box" so it was still make up and not face painting..

I love make up as a medium to work with..each face is different and presents a challenge.. of course some are easier than others and tackling various skin issues can present challenges..

So now I am just working on models trying to develop technique and more refined work. I appreciate I have a long way to go but give it a year and we will see where its at.. I do feel that a good couple of years working on counters for example MAC would be very benficial, I feel that you have got to be doing faces all day every day to really get it down but at the moment I don't have the skils to even apply for jobs like that..

So I shall be reading this board learning all I can..feel free to critique the work with suggestions on how to improve things..PM me if you prefer..I have worked as an artist in another field my entire life and have had some brutal discussions of my work..Its not personal, I get that so feel free..

Thanks again

Andrew

 

[Susanne]

 

[nunu]

Amazing work! Welcome to Specktra!

 

[Hypathya]

Hi Andrew!!

Great work!!

Thanks so much for sharing, both your story and the gorgeous pics!!