How to Use Pancake Stage Makeup
Pancake stage makeup is a water soluble makeup in cake form used to create a range of theatrical effects, from contouring to character guises. Pancake is a traditional product, produced by several professional brands such as Kryolan, Mehron and Ben Nye. Unlike greasepaint, it has a matte finish and washes of with a soapy cleanser. Despite being considered a stage makeup its matte finish also has potential uses on film, whenever you need a strong color. Pancake is also useful for painting children's faces.
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Things You'll Need
- Wash-off cleanser
- Moisturizer (optional)
- Makeup sponges
- Clean water
- Special effects, e.g theatrical latex nose (optional)
- Spirit gum (optional)
- Brushes (optional)
- Stipple sponge (optional)
Instructions
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Prepare skin for pancake makeup by cleansing and drying it thoroughly. Moisturize dry skin with a dab of light lotion and blot off any excess grease.
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Secure theatrical effects, including latex noses, using prosthetic glue or spirit gum. This prevents them from becoming detached when you apply the wet pancake makeup. Fix prosthetic pieces or special effects makeup required by your design before applying pancake.
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Wipe a wet makeup sponge over the pancake until you get a buildup of creamy color. Paint this directly on to the face, following your design. Using a fresh sponge each time you dip into a new color keeps the pancakes clean and stops your design from looking muddy and smudged. The best theatrical makeup uses the audience's distance from the stage to create optical illusions, and so it must be applied cleanly for a successful effect. If a color or effect requires blending, do this before the makeup has set.
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Draw details and special effects with a range of theatrical makeup tools, such as brushes and stipple sponges. Work over the original layer as soon as the makeup dries. As pancake sets quickly, you do not have to wait long. Add final embellishments such as warts, thread veins or patterns.
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Tips & Warnings
Pancake makeup comes in many modern finishes and each brand is slightly different to work with. Try as many different types as you can to find products that work the best, and also look out for special finishes such as metallic and shimmer.
Your pancake makeup designs are only as limited as your imagination and the tools you can find. Try applying effects with different textured sponges, brushes and anything that could comfortably place makeup on an actor's face; experiment with the different marks you can get to create something unique.
Pancake makeup is ideal for applying through stencils. Make sure to use a water resistant material, such as acetate, to make your stencil. This is a simple way to make a fake tattoo.
Keep pancakes clean and free from crusted makeup and once they are dry, close them after use. This keeps the makeup functional and hygienic.
As pancake is water based, do not attempt to apply it over oil-based makeup such as greasepaint.
Water based makeup may not adhere to some special effects materials, such as silicone. So check your makeup design before deciding which products to buy.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit K-King Photography Media Co. Ltd/Lifesize/Getty Images
