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Creative Arts Summer School (7-15yrs)
Special FX and Character Make-up

Special FX and Character Make-up

Ages: 12-15
Dates: 18–22 August 2025

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

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 one hour, 16.00-17.00.

Friends and family are invited to attend the showcase so you can see what your young artist has been up to.

2025 dates

Dates	Monday-Friday	Friday exhibition
18–22 August 2025	09.30-16.00	16.00-17.00

Who's this course for?

This course has been developed for aspiring make-up artists aged 12-15.

Does my young artist need any qualifications or experience?

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!

I’m not sure if this is suitable for my young artist. Can I speak to someone?

Yes of course! If you'd like to discuss if this course is suitable for your young artist, get in touch with us: email academy@aub.ac.uk or call +44 (0) 1202 363222.

How much does this course cost?

£365

What's included in this price?

All course materials and resources
Everything your young artist will need to take part in the course will be provided by us – no hidden costs!

Classes are practical, so wear clothes that you don't mind your young artists getting messy.
A packed lunch each day as well as drinks and snacks for break time and duration of class; please ensure snacks don't contain nuts.
It's strongly advised phones, tablets and other valuables aren't brought to class. Any personal possessions are the responsibility of your young artist and AUB won't be liable for any loss or damage.

Pieces of thin, colourful fabric lying on a plain surface.

Creative Arts Summer School - FAQs

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Creative Arts Summer School terms and conditions

Please read our Terms and Conditions before booking a summer course.

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.

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.

At the end of the course, your young artist will:

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.
Possess improved artistic abilities, skills and knowledge.
Have increased confidence in their own skills.
Have boosted creativity and imagination.
Feel inspired by the new skills they've learnt and from sharing ideas with new friends.
Have the foundations to continue creating beyond this course.
You can request a certificate to confirm your young artist's achievements, providing they have 100% attendance record. To request a certificate please get in touch with us at academy@aub.ac.uk and confirm name of your young artist and the title of course they've completed.

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Book your young artist's place today

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Beyond the course

This could just be the start of your young artist's creative journey! After this course, your young artist could further their skills at Saturday Art School or look forward to the future and the next step(s) in their creative journey by exploring AUB's Foundation Diploma in Art, Design and Media.