How to Do the Joker's Eyeliner

The Joker's look can be created with black eye makeup and brushes.

While the character's evil intentions may have remained the same, the original Joker has changed considerably in appearance since his debut in the 1940's Batman comic books. In both of the last two cinema incarnations of the Joker, the 1989 movie "Batman" and "The Dark Knight" from 2008, the character sported dramatic eye makeup. In "Batman," Jack Nicholson's Joker had gleeful eyes accented sharply by black eyeliner, while in "The Dark Knight," Heath Ledger's Joker had ghoulish eyes ringed with coal-black eyeshadow. Both looks are easy to create at home with a few makeup brushes, eyeliner and black cream eyeshadow.

Things You'll Need

• White face makeup
• Makeup sponge
• Gray powder eyeshadow
• Eyeshadow brush
• Black eyeliner
• Eyeliner brush
• Black cream eyeshadow

Instructions

1. 

   Eyeliner should be carefully applied to upper lids and lower rims.

   Cover your face and eyelids with white face makeup, using the makeup sponge; this makeup is traditionally called “clown white and can be found at party and costume retailers. Apply clown white to your eyelids and eyebrows until they are completely covered. Starting in the middle of your upper lid, apply gray eyeshadow with the eyeshadow brush, sweeping it up to your eyebrow and extending it slightly beyond the outer corners of your eye. Dust your eyebrows with the gray eyeshadow.

2. Start at the inner corner of your eyelid, and draw a thin line along the rim of your upper lid with the black eyeliner and eyeliner brush; follow the contours of your eye and extend the upper lid line slightly beyond the outer corner of your eye. Repeat this process for the lower rim, starting in the corner and extending beyond the outer corner until it meets the upper lid line; this creates the look of the Joker character portrayed by Jack Nicholson in the 1989 movie "Batman."

3. Cover your face and eyelids with clown white makeup. Using the eyeshadow applicator, apply dabs of black cream eyeshadow to the upper lids and underneath the lower lids. Using the makeup sponge, blend the upper lid eyeshadow until it reaches the eyebrows and extends about 1/4 inch beyond the outer corner of the eye. Repeat the process for the lower lids, blending the eyeshadow cream within the hollows of the eyes and extending it to meet the makeup at the outer corners; this creates the look of the Joker character portrayed by Heath Ledger in the 2008 movie "The Dark Knight."

Tips & Warnings

• If you have skin allergies, dab a small bit of the clown white and eye makeup you intend to use on your inner forearm and leave it for 24 hours; if you have an allergic reaction, find another brand. Likewise, be careful applying the clown white and eye makeup; if any gets in your eyes, flush them immediately with water.

References

• IGN Stars: Why So Serious?: The Many Looks of Joker