You are using an outdated browser. Most of this website should still work, but after upgrading your browser it will look and perform better.
- Home
- Summer courses
- Creative Arts Summer School (7-15yrs)
- Special FX and Character Make-up (12-15y...
Special FX and Character Make-up (12-15yrs)
Overview
This highly creative course gives aspiring make-up artists the chance to explore special effects and learn new make-up skills.
To book your young artist's place today, simply click the 'Book Now' button to be taken to AUB's secure online store, where you can complete your booking. You can also sign up to our newsletter for summer course updates.
What you need to know
When does it run?
Your young artist will study with us for five full days and each day will include six hours' worth of teaching, with breaks for snacks and lunch.
Plus, there's a bonus exhibition on the Friday immediately following the final day of teaching. The exhibition lasts for two hours, 16.00-18.00.
At the exhibition showcase, your young artists will exhibit their work. There'll also be a short awards ceremony, where each student will receive a certificate and special awards will also be given.
Friends and family are invited to attend the showcase so you can see what your young artist has been up to. You'll also have the chance to view work from other summer courses.
2025 dates
Where does it take place?
Classes will take place on AUB's campus Monday – Friday.
Your young artist will be taught in AUB's industry-standard studios with access to professional resources.
Who's this course for?
This course has been developed for aspiring make-up artists aged 12-15.
Your aspiring make-up artist doesn't need any previous experience; all we ask is that our young artists have an enthusiasm for all things fine art and a willingness to learn!
Why should your young artist choose this course?
This course is ideal for young artists wishing to explore creative make-up, including special effects.
Your young artist will learn alongside up to 16 other like-minded children, make friends, and have fun along the way.
At the end of the course, your young artist will leave with an increased confidence in their abilities, have a wealth of new skills that they can apply to their every day life and beyond, and an excitement for future art and design studies.
How much does this course cost?
£349
What's included in this price?
- All course materials and resources
- Sketchbook
- Portfolio case
What should your young artist bring to class?
- Everything your young artist will need to take part in the course will be provided – no hidden costs!
- Your artist will need to bring a packed lunch with them every day, along with any drinks and snacks
- Come prepared to get messy – classes will be practical and young artists will be getting stuck in each day
- We discourage young artists from bringing valuables – e.g. phones and tablets – onto campus, as they'll be learning all around the campus and any valuables are therefore left in classrooms at the owners' risk
About this course
This highly creative and practical course has been designed especially for budding make-up artists aged 12–15 years, to provide an insight into the make-up skills needed to play a key creative role in performance, fashion, film and television.
Aspiring make-up artists will explore a whole variety of special effects and make-up techniques using an exciting range of materials, with the aim of developing adventurous and cutting-edge designs.
This highly practical course offers an exciting and diverse introduction to a wide range of make-up skills and special effects and is ideal for young artists that are interested in prosthetic, casualty, and creative make-up.
Your young artist will be guided through techniques and applications that will culminate in a final character make-up masterpiece. Your young make-up artists will have their final characters photographed and displayed in an end of course exhibition along with additional pieces they have created for their design.
Delivered in our state-of-the-art make-up studios, your young artist will be expertly led by their tutor, Julia Carter, who has over ten years' worth of experience stemming from her time teaching BA (Hons) Make-Up for Media and Performance.
Your young creative artists will receive a well-rounded experience of the creative side to make-up and special effects. They'll have the opportunity to work in a professional environment and have the real experience of working on each other. Your budding artist will also develop good communication skills as they learn about the importance of health and safety and gain the confidence to apply make-up on another person.
We understand how important young creative artists are – they've so much potential, untapped abilities, creative potential, and enthusiasm. On this course they’ll be supported to fully explore their creative talent and future potential as a special effects make-up artist.
We encourage our young artists to be themselves, and as such we harness a budding artists’ natural style and flair, therefore enabling them to utilise existing creative interests and acquire new skills in the development of their own unique creative visual language.
It goes without saying, too, that we ensure all our young learners are included, respected, and supported every step of the way on their creative journey with us.
- Character project for a final make-up design, e.g., aliens, monsters, inspiration from Disney characters
- Explore different make-up genres, design and finishes
- Use a wide range of make-up products
- Apply stencils and a range of other accessories, to help enhance the design and make it exciting and creative
- Casting and applying prosthetics
- How to cover various skin conditions
- Casualty effects, including black eyes, stitches, slit lips, blisters, and bruises
- Create and apply make-up for a monster, fantasy, editorial and casualty design, using various techniques and applications
- Special effect and prosthetic make-up to include severed fingers, burns, and applying a prosthetic nose and prosthetic skin
- Making and preparing a bald cap, a headdress or styling a wig as part of the completed character
- Possess a broad understanding of how to apply make-up to a live model
- Know how to turn their designs into reality
- Understand the importance of and how to comply with health and safety procedures
- Understand how to prepare materials and apply them to designs
- Know how to source appropriate materials
- Have increased confidence to develop and approach their ideas
- Improved and refined skills
- Have rapidly enhanced their specialist techniques and skills – both in understanding and application
- Discover new approaches to creating
- Feel inspired by the new skills they've learnt and from sharing ideas with new friends
All students with 100% course attendance will be issued with an official AUB Short Course certificate of attendance.
After this course your young artist could:
- Study a Portfolio Preparation course at Saturday Art School, to best prepare them to succeed with future applications to make-up or art and design
- Continue to harness their creativity; explore our full range of Saturday Art School courses to see where your creative journey will take you next
- Consider their next creative steps and explore options to study a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design or BA (Hons) Make-up for Media and Performance
- Continue to develop their skills at home as a hobby
- Your young artist will study at a leading specialist university – so we know what we're doing when it comes to providing unparalleled courses
- Our tutor, Julia Carter, is an industry professional, so your young artist will learn from the best
- We cater for all abilities and have no formal entry requirements for this course, so there's nothing holding your young artist back
- They'll learn in a safe and encouraging environment where there's no right or wrong way to be creative
- Young artists will benefit from our incredible campus and its industry-standard studios, plus use state-of-the-art equipment and software to unleash their creativity
Book your young artist's place today
Book nowMeet your tutor
Julia Carter
Julia has had a varied career in the Arts, and has taught sculpture and life drawing as a visiting lecturer in further education and at...
Special FX and Character Make-up in action
Check out our Special FX and Character Make-up artists in action working in our specialist make-up studio spaces with industry-standard equipment. Your young artist will undertake a variety of exciting and imaginative projects that'll include working with a range of make-up products. They'll be guided every step of the way by our expert tutors.
Special FX and Character Make-up gallery
Your young artists will develop a range of new creative make-up design and application skills and techniques working in a variety of different products. They'll tackle a variety of exciting and adventurous projects, including make-up for a monster, fantasy, editorial and casualty design. Casualty effects will include replicating black eyes, stitches, slit lips, blisters, and bruises. They'll also explore creating special effects using prosthetics, including severed fingers, burns, and applying a prosthetic nose and prosthetic skin. To complete their characters, your aspiring make-up artist will consider hair, and they'll learn how to prepare a bald cap, headdress or how to style a wig as part of their completed character.
Terms and conditions for 2-week summer courses
Please read our terms and conditions before booking a summer course and contact us if you have any questions.
More information about evening and weekend courses
Why choose AUB for your short course?
We're a first-choice provider of art and design short courses for anyone wishing to engage in art and design subjects in their spare time.
Reasons to study a short course
There are plenty of reasons to consider studying a creative short course. Perhaps you want to retrain, learn new skills, or just have fun...
How to book
Looking to book onto one of our Evening and Saturday courses? You’ll find everything you need to book your place here.