Learn Prosthetics

WHY TO LEARN PROSTHETICS AND MAKE-UP FX

Over the past few decades the Make-up industry has steadily grown in the UK, the Harry Potter franchise had a big influence in the popularity of Prosthetics and Special Make-up Effects.

More and more films are being shot over in the UK and even though the Harry Potter films have finished, the industry has never been busier. Most big budget films that come into the UK are seen as franchise movies with at least 3 or 4 sequels from each movie. E.G: Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars Episode 7,8 & 9, The Marvel movies (Avengers, Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy), The Universal reboots of The Wolfman, Frankenstein, Dracula & The Mummy. Doctor Who (and its spin off series) Game of Thrones etc.

Prosthetic make-up and digital fx

Prosthetic makeup made for Games of Thrones

Even though advances in digital technology means that films like Avatar and its upcoming sequels are being made, they still use Practical ‘lighting models’ which keep prosthetic artists employed for many years. When Jurassic Park came out over 20 years ago, everybody thought that practical effects would become obsolete – in fact it’s had the opposite reaction. It’s opened up the doors to all artists, and now prosthetics and visual effects go hand in hand.

Giant spider made for Harry Potter

Avatar lifesize figures

We still make scanning models for the digital people to use as reference, a lot of the Harry Potter creatures were made that way, it kept make-up artists employed for months longer – And without these scanning models most of the work in the Harry Potter museum would never exist!

There is also more and more make up festivals happening around the world because of the high demand for make-up and prosthetic make-up. Also, the fashion industry is using more prosthetic make-up in their fashion shows, going more extreme, wanting to be more creative, modern. What is more, the music industry is using more prosthetics for their music videos (Lady Gaga, One Direction) mostly to shock their audience. Adverts are using prosthetic make-up to promote their products, also prosthetics are used more in TV dramas, because of the more dramatic story lines.

Heidi Klum in full body prosthetics for Halloween

Prosthetics made for Taylor Swift music video