New Face:

[Oddkins]

So I put on my make-up again, more or less for the fun of it and I tried a simpler design for my face then previously, so you all can be the judge.

I think I got a little carried away with my mouth though; I think I will go with a thinner smile in future endeavors or at least not widen the bottom so much that it covers so much of my face. The rounded ends also need to be moved up so the rest more on my cheeks so the smile is more profound when smiling. I didn't have any smearing problems like I have had in the past but I think I was really emphasizing waiting in between powdering to make sure it set and well as getting enough powder on the brush when applying it.

So here is the old:



and here is the new:



The simpler design of the face is a little bit more user friendly for me. My daily medications cause uncontrollable hand tremors so getting really detailed on the face proves to be a challenging process on its own.

The white isn't as white in the second picture but I didn't feel like doing layers given I did the make-up at 10pm at night and was going to have to take it off again that night.

[tim]

I like the way you're going with it. It's shaping up quite well, I think. The second look, in particular, seems fairly well refined. It is nice to see a quality comedy whiteface these days when it sometimes seems to be going out of style.

In particular, I just noticed how well the glasses go with that look. They are there but you almost don't notice them. They just fit in naturally.

[Rainbow D. Clown]

I don't wear traditional clown make-up so,the application process is unfamiliar to me, but from an observer's point of view (such as a potential client)....I like the new look. The eyebrows are a good because it is a natural feature exagerated, and I have to agree with Tim, the glasses are a very nice touch that is natural, not overexagerated. And the hat flows well with the glasses. It looks neat and tidy. I like it. The new look almost makes you a bit younger looking too, which could be advantagous for character purposes. Keep exploring until you feel completely confident!

[Oddkins]

Originally Posted by Rainbow D. Clown

I have to agree with Tim, the glasses are a very nice touch that is natural, not overexaggerated. And the hat flows well with the glasses. It looks neat and tidy. I like it. The new look almost makes you a bit younger looking too. Keep exploring until you feel completely confident!

Actually I wear those same glasses day to day and I didn't really want to bother with putting in my contacts. I have seen a couple other clowns wearing glasses so I figured I'd just go with it.

I do; however agree that having the two pics next to one another, that I would agree that I do look younger in the new design then the old one.

I know that white face clowns need to color their ears and any skin showing above the neckline; but what is your opinion with needing to wear a wig? You mentioned you liked the hat, but I usually wear a wig and top it off with the hat. However, after your comment I am almost considering finding a different solution to the wig problem as they do tend to get hot after awhile.

[Snugglesnort]

That Face would go well with a white bald cap too. Or with a little bit of hair on top. I definitly like the second face better than the first. It is much neater, and cleaner.

[Rainbow D. Clown]

Well I will share my oppinion, but keep in mind, I am not "professionally trained" in make up application and wardrobe, except what I have read in my train myself sessions. I am non-traditional and I'm ok with that, but others enjoy being traditional and I think that's great. I enjoy seeing the looks clowns have.

I'm am non-traditional for 2 purposes tho. 1:I believe in giving my audience what they want which is entertainment, and I put it in this neat package to sell. I wouldn't think about competing, but, I feel I'm neat, tidy and polished. (My audiences haven't gone to competitions, so, they don't know the traditional applications and thier interpretations, therefore, the expectations are more liberal).

2. I strongly believe in the KISS philosophy. "Keep it simple, stupid"!

Now having said that, as a spectators point of view, I see the hat, glasses and eyebrows as a young itellect leader type. Such as a ring leader. I see the "crazy" hair wig as silly and of lower intellect. This of course would change with different styles and colors. Which brings me to another point. I did not care for the color of wig with the color of costume in the first pic. I believe your entire ensamble should flow and harmonize. So I would like to see the rest of your costume.

Those are my observations, now....what are your goals? Who is your character and what "up keep" would his "lid" have? Neat, tidy, spiky, crazy colors, long, short, bald? Next, what are your application goals? Such as traditional applications to be able to compete, etc, then apply those requirements. And finally, what are your personal goals? You mentioned the application on the second face was easier because your hands tremble. In the same sense (KISS), think about these things when developing your look, and know your requirements for getting ready.

I used to wear a wig, and loved the look. I was definetly more animated. I would wear it again in the future possibly. But, I would find myself doing 3-4 parties on a Saturday or 6 hour long gigs, and although I could get my make up off easily, I'd have a wig line accross my forhead, so it made it difficult to plan a personal evening that night. Also, I would be limited in my preparation time, so using my natural hair allowed me to prep it early in advance.

So to sum it up, define your goals, then figure out the best way for you to meet them. Now, you asked an opinion on needing to wear a wig. My personal answer is no, you don't need to wear one. I like the look of the hat, and the type of hat, which are available in a variety of styles. But again it depends on your character and the rest of your costume. I can visualize a good costume to go with the hat look, and I can see you only needing to rotate paterns and colors to keep it fresh, but, I'm not sure if it would flow with your character. Hope this helps. Keep thinking it out!

[Grandpa Weatherbie]

I can't comment on the make-up because I don't know too much about it.

"Old" and "new" are both good but I prefer the "Old" because the clown appears to be warm,friendly and causes me to smile right away.

New makes me search and wonder. I suppose the real test will be when you see how the children respond.

[milo]

The new eyebrows are a million times better and I think the “everyday” glasses go well too. I would personally scale down the mouth and try to put more emphasis on the shape, try to make it move and work with your natural facial expressions. The only thing I would say is that the shape of the brows seem to have a slight frown that is in conflict with the permanent smile, so perhaps raise the eyebrows a little?

In defence of the first face, I did like the freckles. I think I’m going to have a three spot arrangement on my cheeks.

I haven’t figured out my own face yet, so I’m hardly in a position to pass judgement, but these are the pointers I have been given and I have found them to be really helpful. I have been looking at pictures of world famous circus clowns and, not copying them, but trying to take a little something from each to help me find my face.

I’m also doing a professional face painting course in May, so I’m hoping the instructors there will be able to perfect my face and give me some good pointers too – I shall let you know if they give me any trade secrets.

[Fitzwilly]

Well Oddkins, it is amazing the difference in the two faces considering the nose and mouth are the same and really only the eyes are different. I see were both faces have some merit, however, with the concerns you have for time and your ability to recreate the face to your satisfaction I think your new eyes work well. If you like having freckles (and they did help your character to look friendly) then it would be easier just to have three on each cheeck. That way you would not have to worry about a particular pattern and spacing would not be as much of a hassle.

My biggest recomendation has to do with the design of your mouth. Do you use or have you seen the Jumbo Propencil made by Mehron or Ben Nye's equivilent? It is about the size of a Kindergarten pencil with makeup in the middle instead of lead. I'll come back to this in a minute. A general rule of thumb is to design a mouth that is no wider than the distance from the outside corners of your eyes. This is to make it easier on your audience to see your expressions. There are many different designs clowns use for their mouths and this is only my first thought as I look at the pictures. Try lopping off all the red that extends beyond the corners of your real mouth, or maybe a half inch on either side. Then simply round the corners in a gentle way. Now this is where the Propencil comes in handy, but what I also do is, take your second finger or your ring finger and dab the end in your red makeup and then make a dot on each upper rounded corner of your mouth. Because the dots are up higher than the rest of your mouth you will appear to be smiling without straining yourself, and you should have a fairly roundish shape without having to worry about smearing the design by having your brush slip (been there, done that.)

[Oddkins]

Originally Posted by Rainbow D. Clown

I did not care for the color of wig with the color of costume in the first pic. I believe your entire ensamble should flow and harmonize. So I would like to see the rest of your costume.

That isn't the actual wig I would be wearing, I was just trying on all my wigs and taking pictures that night to see how each one looked.

Here is the my first costume:




Not the best picture, needs to be zoomed in a little more but this gives you a whole look at my first handmade outfit.

The wig in this picture was new for this year so naturally I wanted to see how it looked, plus I got the store to discount it for me.

I am currently designing a two piece costume to help better serve me when I up my game to parties and that sort of stuff. All I do currently is charity/hospital stuff. I am currently in training I guess you could say.