Not just a pretty face

It’s hard to believe that school is almost back in session. With thousands of students readying themselves for another year of study, Jenny McGovern caught up with Belturbet’s Lorraine Dolan who found her feet following Cavan Institute’s Make-up Artistry course...

 

Nineteen-year-old Lorraine has always been interested in the beautiful things in life. Her passion for art almost took her to a course in Galway but she found herself drawn to a course closer to home. “I have always been interested in art and beauty. I’ve always loved the creative and imaginary side to art and trying out new make-up products. Last year I was offered an art and design course in GMIT but I opted instead for the one year course in makeup artistry in Cavan Institute. This course had always been on my mind and once I started into it, I knew it was what I wanted to do.”
The year-long course covers all introductory aspects of the world of make-up artistry. Lorraine admits she loved the intensive nature of the course. “The course in Cavan Institute was great, we had really nice tutors. The girls in my class were lovely, there was a great sense of community as we all bounced ideas off one another and helped each other with models for our make-up looks. We had several practical exams during the year, this meant we needed to practise our skills a lot at home and in college in order to do well in such a short amount of time. We also had three written exams in June. I learned that no matter how crazy my ideas were, I could make them work and I soon found that being extra excited and creative in this industry is a good thing. As well as make-up skills, I found that my organisational skills improved no end, it’s so important to keep all your materials in excellent condition,” she surmised of her experience in Cavan.

Business venture
Since finishing the course in June, Lorraine has launched her own business 'MUA Lorraine Dolan’ and it’s clear she’s been putting her skills to good use. From working on a couple of plays in the Belturbet to dolling people up for their special days, Lorraine has been honing her special effects make-up skills.

Not for the feint hearted
A quick look at Lorraine’s work shows her prowess in the area of special effects. Those of a squeamish nature... beware! Her creations are so realistic they send shivers up the spine. It’s an area that Lorraine has quickly embraced. “I loved the module in special effects and theatrical make-up, they both involved a dramatic change in a look and prepare you for working backstage for films or plays. I learned how to use make-up to 'age’ a person, and also how to make cuts and scars.”
The Belturbet lady remains tight lipped when asked how she creates these gory masterpieces. “I can’t give too much away” she laughs. “It would spoil the whole idea behind an SFX look but I can tell you it’s all about the quality of the products you use. I use a lot of beeswax and fake blood and there is a lot of blending involved, you definitely need a steady hand for this type of look. Depending on what you’re actually creating, it could take up to an hour or more to complete,” she explains.
“I’m not squeamish, I’ve never really been afraid of blood and gore,” she laughs. “I find it really interesting, I love seeing special effects in films and thinking 'oh I can make a look for that’. It’s hard to pick a favourite effect to do but one I really enjoyed doing was that of a deep slit in the thumb. I honestly love working in all areas of make-up artistry, I love how one day it could be making up a bride for her wedding day and the next it could be creating a big cut on someone’s hand. I love how my clients and people react so positively to the look I created.”

Challenges
As with any job, make-up artistry comes with its own challenges, but Lorraine is more than ready to take them on “The client comes first, you must always listen to their preferences, it’s important to only suggest any ideas that might suit the situation. When you’re working behind the scenes of a play/ film shoot you have to take into consideration the director’s guidelines. It’s easy for things to get lost in translation, that’s why it’s important to be able to show examples of your work and what you’re capable of doing.”

Dreams
Though Lorraine is just starting out in the MUA world she has big dreams for her future. “I would love to work in all areas of the make-up industry. I think that my dream job would be working behind stage of a fashion runway, doing all types of glamour and high fashion looks and working alongside famous designer in the fashion meccas. I would love to work with Pat McGrath, her work is amazing. She works with brands like CoverGirl and Dolce & Gabbana. It would be the ultimate dream to work alongside her.”
To develop her skills further, Lorraine will continue her studies this coming autumn in a make-up academy in the Dublin called VanityX from where she hopes to attain an ITEC Make-Up Artistry Diploma.
She also has aspirations of travelling to the US to work in the theatre and film industry there.

Check it out
To see more of Lorraine’s looks, check out her facebook page at MUA-Lorraine-Dolan