Humans have been experimenting with make-up for thousands of years. Even before the Egyptians influenced their appearance with nourishing skin creams, charcoal eyeliner and sometimes dangerous mixtures, people not only painted cave walls, but also their own bodies. In all cultures and at all times, masks, make-up and make-up had a place in people's lives that should not be underestimated. Make-up has been an integral part of the stage at least since ancient theater.

At first, the medicine man painted the warriors before they set off on the hunt, later the first make-up artists and make-up artists transformed the actors for the stage. Over time, the professions of hairdresser and wigmaker developed into the profession of make-up artist in the theater. When pictures learned to run at the end of the 19th century, a lot of theatrical techniques were used in films at first. Film production only found its own needs in the course of the following decades. And with the first films, which were shot in black and white on celluloid, the problems for the make-up artist, who at that time was often the actor himself, began.

In simple terms, the orthochromatic film material could only perceive a limited color spectrum (blue light). It darkened white skin and erased the red tones in it. To counteract this, fair-skinned actors were made up with the usual pink make-up of the time and their lips had to be painted with a very dark red lipstick, as they would otherwise appear white. They worked with make-up products from the theater, which had a very thick consistency and did not show any details of the skin. Under several layers of greasy make-up, the actors were sweating under the still very hot spotlights (cheers to LED technology at this point), which could be seen in every close-up. It was also not good for the health of the skin, as the pores were clogged with the greasy make-up and the skin could not breathe. Not good conditions for a fine, balanced complexion.

Film quickly spread as a new medium, and soon people were experimenting with different angles and perspectives. The close-up then forced the first film make-up artists into action. New products had to be developed that allowed for a lighter texture and realistic skin tones. The pioneers of this time were the English wigmaker George Westmore and the Polish immigrant Max Factor, who lived in Los Angeles. Both recognized that film make-up had to meet different requirements than the usual theatrical make-up.

As early as the mid-1920s, filmmakers wanted realistic, non-theatrical mask-like make-up effects for their scary characters and monsters. The job of the special effects artist, which was separate from that of the make-up artist, also required experimentation with various materials and possibilities. Since then, with every technical innovation in film technology, a new problem to be solved arose in the make-up area. Color film was just the beginning. In addition to the composition and application of the products, increased attention had to be paid to compatibility and resilience. The make-up technique had to be adapted to technical progress and also to changing viewing habits and beauty ideals.

Film make-up used to be built up from various thick layers of make-up. The face could be literally sculpted with color and the skillful use of brightness and shadow. You simply applied as many layers of color to imperfections until they were no longer visible. With the advent of digital film cameras in the first decade of the 2000s and the ever-increasing resolution of images, make-up had to be further refined. Every layer of color or powder was suddenly clearly visible. It was almost impossible to work with the products that had been used until then. The application method also had to be adapted again. In the high-resolution images in HD quality, you could see the brushstrokes with which the make-up was applied, as well as the imprints of sponges and fingers. The situation was similarly sensitive with wig attachments, the tulle of which was now very clearly visible, or with adhesive edges of prosthetics. New approaches had to be found in all these areas. With airbrush, film tulle and silicone, the make-up artists were able to achieve good effects even on high-resolution images. The preparation of the skin also became increasingly important. Before make-up can even be applied to the face, the skin should be prepared with shine-reducing primers and non-greasy moisturizing products. This is because products such as powders, which were previously used to combat shine, leave very fine residues on the skin that are barely visible to the naked eye, although they can be clearly seen on high-resolution images.

When HD quality became obsolete, the work of the make-up artist had to take a further step and become increasingly invisible, but still be effective. With special, very fine products and the principle of balancing - in which, for example, redness is no longer covered with make-up, but counteracted with the complementary color - it is possible for the make-up artist to accompany this new technical development.

In contrast to the past, when a new technique remained standard for several decades, the requirements now change in a very short space of time. Each of today's cine cameras brings its own challenges for the make-up artist and so he has to coordinate with the camera and lighting departments before each new project, before the actual make-up design even begins. The increasingly common CGI effects are also created in close collaboration with the special effects and make-up artists. This has not changed in film production since its beginnings: a good film can only be made if all departments work together.

- Jenny Wieland, graduate make-up artist

Definition: Make-up artist

Since 2003, the profession of make-up artist has been state-recognized in Germany (the only one of its kind in Europe) and the training is fixed at three years according to the dual training system. There are also school-based training courses at vocational colleges. Studies are offered at state or private universities. Previous hairdressing training is no longer mandatory, as the curriculum also includes haircutting. For the examination, a haircut (men's short haircut) must be cut by hand with scissors according to the standards of the hairdressing examination.

Unlike in many other countries, the make-up artist is an all-rounder after completing the demanding training in Germany. He masters many techniques and can cover a broad spectrum, such as: Beauty make-up, historical and modern hairstyles, theatrical make-up, production of wigs and hairpieces, modeling and mold making, special effects (SFX) from various materials (silicone, latex, foam, etc.), airbrushing and much more. This distinguishes the make-up artist from related professions such as make-up artist, make-up artist, beautician and hairdresser. Make-up artists can use their extensive skills to work in theater, film, photography and art projects.