Professional Beauty gets the lowdown on the latest makeup trends from leading makeup artist Becca Gilmartin.
How did you get into the nail industry?
I’ve been a makeup artist for around 10 years. I studied film makeup, prosthetics, special effects – all the blood and the gore – which is great fun. You need an incredible skill for this due to high definition film. The reality of film didn’t allow me to be as creative as I wanted, so I moved to a company to educate people on makeup artistry. I can be as creative as I want. I’ve been freelancing for two and a half years, full-time.
What interests you about body art?
Body art is an extension of makeup because it’s being accepted into the mainstream – it’s an art form and its great fun. As a makeup artist you have a very small canvas, its just the face but with body art you have the whole body as a canvas.
What has been your career highlight to date?
It was doing body art for Miss Unkon in 2009 for RAFW. This was my first experience of body art in a fashion forum. I made all these stick on roses and painted frills on her back. Since then I have branched out with other designers and done work on fashion videos. We started the TwoSix&Brush and the Green Brush Project in 2010. I wondered if I could use social media to connect junior and senior makeup artists to empower the juniors because I saw a lot of new makeup artists quit soon after starting out as it was too hard for them. I have mentors on board and forums to help juniors find their career path and move their career forward; it also allows mentors and seniors to give back to the industry and help shape its future.
Becca will share her latest insider tips and techniques in body art in her The Body As A Canvas session on the main stage at Salon Melbourne 2012, on Saturday 31st March and Sunday 1st April at 11:30am. Main stage events are free with registration – head to www.salonmelbourne.com.au for more information. Registration opens in January 2012.
Contact: www.beccagilmartin.com