Can someone please explain the difference between an Auguste clown and a white face?

Thanks in advance!

Panetta

Easiest way to explain it is Sapphire Sue is a white face, Jobee is an auguste. I'm a tramp. The whiteface is top clown in the pecking order. Think of him as the smart one, the leader. He's the one on the throwing end of the pie.The whiteface is also the best dresser.
The auguste, Isn't so bright. My understanding is the very word Auguste, is german and essential means clumsy or silly boy.He's not the sharpest knife in the kitchen drawer. The exaggerated costume; stripes, mixed with plaids, too long of a tie with a tiny hat,oversized shoes, and most important Flesh toned makeup are auguste trademarks.It's also my understanding that the red nose comes from the auguste tradition. He is on the recieving end of the pie.
And then there's me.... The tramp is the lowest on the pecking order. It's not that he's stupid, his luck is just bad. The tramp tradition goes back to the great depression and the tramps that rode the rails looking for a better life. The white around the eyes and mouth are from wiping the soot off your face, the color on the cheek is from overexposure to the elements and the red nose maybe from drinking a little too much to stay warm, although Scruffy is a teatotaler.


Going back to the pie analogy, When the white face throws the pie the Auguste will notice that his shoe is untied and bend over to tie it, and the pie will hit the tramp who just happened to walk by at the wrong time, But hey, a free meal!

Easiest way to explain it is Sapphire Sue is a white face, Jobee is an auguste. I'm a tramp. The whiteface is top clown in the pecking order. Think of him as the smart one, the leader. He's the one on the throwing end of the pie.The whiteface is also the best dresser.
The auguste, Isn't so bright. My understanding is the very word Auguste, is german and essential means clumsy or silly boy.He's not the sharpest knife in the kitchen drawer. The exaggerated costume; stripes, mixed with plaids, too long of a tie with a tiny hat,oversized shoes, and most important Flesh toned makeup are auguste trademarks.It's also my understanding that the red nose comes from the auguste tradition. He is on the recieving end of the pie.
And then there's me.... The tramp is the lowest on the pecking order. It's not that he's stupid, his luck is just bad. The tramp tradition goes back to the great depression and the tramps that rode the rails looking for a better life. The white around the eyes and mouth are from wiping the soot off your face, the color on the cheek is from overexposure to the elements and the red nose maybe from drinking a little too much to stay warm, although Scruffy is a teatotaler.


Going back to the pie analogy, When the white face throws the pie the Auguste will notice that his shoe is untied and bend over to tie it, and the pie will hit the tramp who just happened to walk by at the wrong time, But hey, a free meal!

I simply adore your explanation... I had know the difference between the White Face and The August... And about the red nose... Your explanation was correct.. The red nose came from August, a German word which means silly person...

But I didn"t know that the tramp is the lowest in the pecking order... I always had thought that he was near the august...

So... Thanks a lot to help me a little more im my acknowledge about clowning...

Picaburu

Just a little bit to add and that is that the Whiteface will always end up (usually by 'accident') receiving their just desreves by the end of the perfomance. Whitface clowns do not usually interact with Tramp clowns as the whiteface thinks he is so far above the Tramp. The relationships between the three types of clown can create a very powerful mix when they all perform together.

I always thought Auguste meant 'Fool' in German?

Oh dear the dilemma! Now what shall I become a white face or an Auguste, oh my! I'll have to do more research now! Geeeeeeeeeze! LOL!

Anyhoodlenoodle, thanks for the info!

Panetta

You're right Jobee, it does mean fool. As I understand it , It's like using the term "Redneck" It can mean several different things depending on how it is used in the sentence.I've looked online for a literal translation buy I can't find anything.

Picaburu, The Tramp and the Auguste are very close in the pecking order, Both are about the same as far as smarts and reasoning abilities But the Tramp is almost always the brunt of the joke. Tramps also divide down into other areas

This should help:
www.clown-ministry.com
Then go to history and there are excellent definitions of the different types of clowns.

Come on Pan! You know you wanna be an Auguste. You know you wanna! ;oD

Pick the makeup that best fits your character's personality.

Come on Pan! You know you wanna be an Auguste. You know you wanna! ;oD

Pick the makeup that best fits your character's personality.


Absolutley, and don't be afraid to be more than one type. Although Scruffy best fits my personality, I have also been a white face and an auguste. In fact I started as an auguste.

I started out as a tramp because it fit my face best but in trust I'm more of an auguste personality and I switched.

I started out as a tramp because it fit my face best but in trust I'm more of an auguste personality and I switched.

Exactly, hate to sound freaky, but you just have to let the clown in you come out as your own. I don't think there is anything wrong with doing other types. But I'm most comfortable as a tramp. The flip side is, regardless of which one you are performing as,you should be able to pull it off without the audience knowing the difference.

Auguste is a really good starting point. As you gain experience you will soon find out what type of clown you are. Most new clowns start out as Augustes and then discover their clown identity. It is a process of discovery, an adventure and a wonderful liberation all in one. Let your heart lead you and resist the temptation to over think things. Clowning is about letting your inner clown out. All you have to do is allow yourself to play and be vulnerable and your inner clown will tell you.

Well to add my two cents. I'm white face, because I am the most serious of our group and tend to be the leader, I'm in a dress and play up to being more danty. But have considered for a long time become Auguste and have a caracter and costume in stages. Largely because of constume limitations with being a white face. A white face can have no skin showing or it must be covered in make up, which can make for hot costumes. Alway wearing long sleeve or arm covering and gloves. Auguste are more flexible, although it used to be that they were also to wear make up on any skin showing , it has now become more acceptable to not do that and they can wear short sleeves and less make up than a few years ago.

Very true, Sapphire Sue!
I used to be a whiteface when I did birthday parties. The only comfortable time to be a whiteface is in January!
In judging for COA you must Cover every exposed inch of skin with makeup or costume. I don't think that has changed. As a tramp and former auguste, I only used the flesh makeup for judging. As a whiteface, I did my neck and ears up to about an inch up fromthe lobes. Now, i think I would just use a hood.

A white face can have no skin showing or it must be covered in make up ...

I don't quite agree with that Saphire Sue. Like the clown characters themselves we need to leave a bit of room for innovation and adaption. I have two clown characters. One is my first character which I use when performing with Candy. He is a whiteface clown but with mime face makeup. My second is an Auguste which I have developed for the pizza restaurant. While the makeup rules provide excellent guidelines in the same way that the character rules do, lets leave enough room for experimentation and adaption.

The good things is that each clown type (White Face, August or Tramp) has their particularities with some easy thins and hard things to do.... And that we always have the three types... but one are predominant...

I hope that my clown (doesn't matter which type he will be) can be a good clown...

Smiles, hugs and kisses for everybody

Picaburu

You're right Gilbert there are no absolutes, unless competing. I try to stay as close as possible, to traditional. Every one needs to be unique. The only other things that keeps me from going Auguste is that every time I talk about my girls give me a fit, they don't think I'd look good as an Auguste, One of the days I'm gonna do it any way.

You could always experiment by creating a second clown character. That way if you only want one clown character you could make a choice based on practical experience.

You're right Gilbert there are no absolutes, unless competing. I try to stay as close as possible, to traditional. Every one needs to be unique.

Surely, Saphire... And this is the beauty of clowning... Each one of us are unique, because we are unique...

Picaburu