FACE OFF
Face Off is an American reality television game
show on the Syfy network in which a group of prosthetic
makeup artists compete against each other to create prostheses such as
those found in science fiction and horror films. Actress McKenzie
Westmore, known for her role as Sheridan Crane on the former NBC/DirecTV soap
opera Passions, and a member of the Westmore family of makeup
artists, serves as the show's host, with judges being Academy Award-winning
makeup artist Ve Neill(Ed Wood, Beetlejuice, Mrs. Doubtfire),
and television and film makeup artist Glenn Hetrick (Buffy the
Vampire Slayer, Babylon 5). Creature designer and concept artist Neville
Page (Watchmen, Cloverfield, Avatar).
Aside from the creative judges that have worked in
the business for years there are tons of talented artist that make it on the
show. I have been a huge fan of the show from the first season. I have met
several artist at a Halloween trade show called TransWorld and I hope to meet
many more in the years to come. I am creating this area of the blog to be able
to get to know each artist on their way to the top and be the winner of Face
Off.
I want to be able to “interview” each person if they will grant me the time it would
take to reply to a few questions that will be the same for each contestant.
Meet the Contestants (The information has been copied
off the Faceoff home page. I will be adding in a larger section more detailed
information.)
With a passion for monsters and movies, Anna knew
from an early age what industry she was going to be a part of. With goals of
being an accomplished make-up SFX artist, she started her career over ten years
ago and hit the ground running. Anna is currently an artist at Kosart Studios
and an instructor at Kosart Atelier, where she is also an alumnus.
Anna Cali was eliminated from the show on Wednesday March 2, 2016.
- When did you start doing makeup/FX as a profession?
- What brand of makeup do you like to use on face, latex, and silicone?
- Do you have a store of Etsy that sells products you make?
- Will you be attending TransWolrd Halloween show in St Louis this year?
Anthony Canonica Jr.
Anthony grew up in Southern New Jersey and while
attending the Gloucester County Institute of Technology for Dramatic Performing
Arts he discovered a passion for makeup. After high school he went to the Tom
Savini School of Makeup and Special Effects. With the support of his family,
Anthony moved to the NYC area to pursue a career in special effects makeup.
Anthony "Ant" was eliminated from the show on Wednesday January 27, 2016.
- When did you start doing makeup/FX as a profession?
- What brand of makeup do you like to use on face, latex, and silicone?
- Do you have a store of Etsy that sells products you make?
- Will you be attending TransWolrd Halloween show in St Louis this year?
Greg Schrantz
Always having a passion for the arts, Greg focused
his studies on painting and sculpting. It was not until he worked at a haunt
that Greg realized his love of special effects. This drove Greg to attend Tom
Savini's Special Make-Up Effects Program to learn more about the craft and with
the guidance of the talented instructors he was able to make it on Face
Off.
Greg was eliminated from the show on Wednesday
January 13, 2016.
When did you start doing makeup/FX
as a profession?
I
started doing makeup professionally about 2 years ago.
What brand of makeup do you like to use
on face, latex, and silicone?
Lately
I've been using a lot of Mehron products but I don't have any particular brand
that I prefer over others.
Do you have a store of Etsy that sells
products you make?
I
am thinking about going but I have not decided yet.
Jennifer Bowden
Jennifer is a costumer and a member of the 501st
Legion, the international Star Wars Costuming organization. She is an avid
video game player and loves the characters and stories of BioWare the
most. Star Wars, Doctor Who and BioWare have been
instrumental in pushing her into exploring new skills. Within the last couple
of years she has learned (and fallen in love with!) makeup FX so she can make
her creatures even more lifelike. Jennifer is married and has three amazing
children.
It is difficult to say but Jennifer was eliminated January 20, 2016.
When
did you start doing makeup/FX as a profession?
I
probably started a little over a year ago. Before that I've been making
costumes for about 12 years and within the last 5 years I started sculpting
masks and props. Then yeah, within the last one to two years I started making
prosthetics.
What
brand of makeup do you like to use on face, latex, and silicone?
I
love PPI premiere products, their skin illustrator palettes are amazing. I've
used reel creations as well and love them too. Kryolan has amazing products as
well, but I think everyone knows that by now. I like Ben Nye's stuff. And I
love Smooth-On's Dragon Skin FX Pro silicone. My favorites.
Do
you have a store of Etsy that sells products you make?
I'm
'in process' with my Etsy store. So stay tuned to my social media places for
that.
Will
you be attending TransWolrd Halloween show in St Louis this year?
It
would be nice to attend TransWorld's Halloween show. I'd definitely like to
check it out if I can. I've never gone before.
Being raised in his film-loving father's household
taught Johnny respect for the art, specifically the horror genre, and after
high school, he and his best friend DT set out to pursue a life in pictures.
Johnny graduated from Tom Savini's Make-Up Effects Program in 2012 and can be
seen pulling double duty as both actor and makeup effects artist in GWAR's
music video for "Zombies, March!," Steve Johnson's short film Nightmare
Cabin and Tom Woodruff Jr.'s feature debut, Fire City: End of Days.
Johnny was eliminated February 17, 2016.
- When did you start doing makeup/FX as a profession?
- What brand of makeup do you like to use on face, latex, and silicone?
- Do you have a store of Etsy that sells products you make?
- Will you be attending TransWolrd Halloween show in St Louis this year?
Kaleb Lewis
Kaleb has been an artist since he was young.
Traveling the United States after high school, he found a knack for face and
body painting. After traveling, Kaleb attended Tom Savini's Special Make-Up
Effects Program, from which he graduated in May 2015. He is currently pursuing
a career as a freelance makeup artist.
Kaleb Lewis was eliminated from the show on Wednesday February 24, 2016.
- When did you start doing makeup/FX as a profession?
- What brand of makeup do you like to use on face, latex, and silicone?
- Do you have a store of Etsy that sells products you make?
- Will you be attending TransWolrd Halloween show in St Louis this year?
Katie Kinney
Katie is a recent graduate of the Vancouver Film
School and is currently working as a Freelance Makeup Artist out of her small
studio in Southern Illinois. As she hones her skill sets, Katie loves to create
custom prosthetics and beautiful but deadly monsters, each more boldly colored
than the last. With a strong science background, Katie uses her extensive
knowledge of anatomy to create unique and unusual works of art. Her work
encompasses a variety of wild colors, dynamic shapes and her own personal
artistic flare.
Katie Kinney was eliminated from the show on Wednesday February 10, 2016.
When
did you start doing makeup/FX as a profession?
I’ve
only been doing makeup as a profession for about 3 years now, and one of those
years I spent in school learning the important aspects of my trade
foundation. It’s relatively new to me, and I do still supplement my
income because of that. But I’m always learning new things, and that’s
one of the things I love most about this industry.
What
brands of makeup do you like to use on the face, on latex, and or silicone?
Some
of my favorite products are Skin Illustrator Palettes, Reel Creations Palettes,
and Kryolan Auquacolors. I love to layer Auquacolors to create unique
color combinations and to cover a lot of area, but also to give a nice base for
airbrushing other colors on. This works especially well with creatures or
makeups that require colors that are non-human or fantastical! But they
can also be used for body painting and beauty makeups, which makes them a nice
addition to my kit and a super flexible product all the way around. I
also really enjoy the versatility of alcohol activated palettes, especially the
Reel Creations Palettes and Skin Illustrators. You can do a variety of
painting techniques with them, and they last for a long time, even if your
model sweats a lot. They also apply to a lot of different surfaces and
materials, which is great.
It is difficult to say but Jennifer was eliminated February 10, 2016.
As
for foam latex, I use Monster Maker’s brand. I’ve tried a few others, but
this one works best for me, especially because I often run foam by
myself. I also really love their mask latex for making prop heads
and over the head masks.
Unfortunately,
I don’t know too much about silicone, but I love what I see others doing with
it, and want to try to get into it more. I’ve heard good things about a
lot of different brands, but it usually depends on the project or artist for
type of silicone or brand.
Do
you have a store or Etsy that sells products you make?
I
don’t currently have an Etsy store, but I am opening up a shop tab on my
website at www.kinneyeffects.com.
It’s still under construction, but I’m hoping to get it up and running very
soon!
Will
you be attending TransWorld Halloween show?
I’d
love to attend the show! I don’t have tickets just yet, but I’d really
like to go! It’d be perfect for me too, because I live only an hour away
from St. Louis.
Mel Licata
Mel is a licensed esthetician and a trained special
effects and beauty makeup artist. After discovering her passion for makeup as
an undergraduate in Rider University's Theatre department, Mel completed Tom
Savini's Special Make-Up Effects Program in 2015, after which she earned her
esthetician's license from Atelier Esthétique in New York City. Mel's
experience ranges from bridal and high fashion to work in theater and film.
Mel Licata was eliminated from the show on Wednesday March 30, 2016.
When did you start doing makeup/FX as a profession?
So I've been doing makeup for about 7 years now- it hasn't ever
been my only means of income due to the fact that freelancing has highs and
lows. It wasn't until the last couple of years I've been seriously focused on
working as a makeup artist for my career.
What brand of makeup do you like to use on face, latex, and silicone?
This is a loaded question because there are so many amazing brands
that help you to achieve different looks. For beauty makeup, The Balm and Eve
Pearl are my favorite. For FX work I LOVE Skin Illustrator and Kryolan-
specifically Kryolan's supracolor palate. It's amazing. I usually use monster
maker's latex- not sure if it's the best, but it's what I've always used. As
far as silicone, unfortunately it completely depends on the project. I'm using
2 different types of silicone in one project as we speak! Different brands are
good for different things.
Do you have a store of Etsy that sells products you make?
My etsy will be up and running soon. It will be to sell my skin
care line! Which may leave some special FX fans bummed haha but they're great
products!
Will you be attending TransWolrd Halloween show in St Louis this
year?
I wouldn't be opposed to going to transworld, but I don't have
plans to attend as of yet.
Melissa Ebbe
Ever since seeing Michael Jackson's Thriller video
at a very young age, Melissa Ebbe has longed to work in special effects. After
pursuing more traditional art mediums and earning her BFA, MA and MFA, Melissa
finally decided to pursue her lifelong dream of learning how to do special
effects and taught herself how to make prosthetics and apply make-ups. She is
currently working as an artist and business owner at Feral Works, where she
produces masks, statues and other effects-influenced artwork.
Melissa Ebbe was eliminated from the show on Wednesday April 13, 2016.
When
did you start doing makeup/FX as a profession?
I've had my online store, Feral Works, for the past 8 years, and I've been
selling costuming goods for all of that time. I've been focused on masks and
sculptures for the past 3 years
What brand of makeup do you like to use on face, latex, and silicone?
I am not brand specific for make-ups. I love Monster Makers for my latex and
Smooth-on for my silicone.
Do you have a store of Etsy that sells products you make?
Yep! Http://FeralWorks.etsy.com
Will you be attending TransWolrd Halloween show in St Louis this year?
I would very much like to, if my schedule permits!
Njoroge Karumba
Njoroge is an artist and creator who left New
England to pursue his dream of being a make-up artist in Atlanta, Georgia. He
loves to learn new techniques and teach those that he knows. His goal is to
become active in the Atlanta TV and film industry while creating his own art on
the side.
Njoroge was eliminated February 3, 2016.
- When did you start doing makeup/FX as a profession?
- What brand of makeup do you like to use on face, latex, and silicone?
- Do you have a store of Etsy that sells products you make?
- Will you be attending TransWolrd Halloween show in St Louis this year?
Rob Seal
Having grown up in Los Angeles and loving the
fantasy and sci-fi genres, Rob's passion for creature creation developed at a
fairly young age. At the age of 18, he attended Cinema Makeup School to broaden
his skillset. After graduating in February of 2014, he became a CMS lab intern
and did several makeup demos for the school. He has since done work in Los
Angeles makeup effects labs and started a small art business with some friends.
Rob Seal was the WINNER of Face Off Season 10.
- When did you start doing makeup/FX as a profession?
- What brand of makeup do you like to use on face, latex, and silicone?
- Do you have a store of Etsy that sells products you make?
- Will you be attending TransWolrd Halloween show in St Louis this year?
Robert Lindsay
Robert is a German-born ex-dental technician turned
special effects makeup artist. He moved to L.A. to feed his creative needs and
after graduating from Cinema Makeup School specialized in dental work and fake
heads for film and TV. Since then, he has worked on several films and TV shows
including The History Channel's UFO Hunters, the monster feature The
Millennium Bug and National Geographic’s Killing Kennedy.
When did you start doing makeup/FX as a profession?
- I started working with Special FX at the end of
the 90's in Germany. I did blood and gore FX for several short films.
What brand of makeup do you like to use on face,
latex, and silicone?
- I really like Kryolan stuff. And it's not only
because they're German. They make their own products and it's high quality
stuff. Talking about Foam - I go with "GM Foam". For Silicone -
"Smooth-on" is a good place to go. They have all kinds of materials
Do you have a store of Etsy that sells products you
make?
- be it mold making or appliances - and they were
always very helpful if you have questions. - I don't have a etsy store, but I
might set one up pretty soon.
Will you be attending TransWolrd Halloween show in
St Louis this year?
- I don't know yet if I will attend Transworld. If I
do I'll make sure to announce it.
Walter Welsh
Walter was born and raised in a small town where he
grew up around sports, cars and motorcycles. He always had a passion for
movies, science fiction and art. Walter went from basketball coach to college
football athlete to competitive bodybuilding to portrait painting ... and now
to special effects. He thinks he has finally found what he loves by creating
monsters and painting works of art that come to life.
Walter Welsh was eliminated from the show on Wednesday April 13, 2016.
- When did you start doing makeup/FX as a profession?
- What brand of makeup do you like to use on face, latex, and silicone?
- Do you have a store of Etsy that sells products you make?
- Will you be attending TransWolrd Halloween show in St Louis this year?
Yvonne was born in Everett, WA and moved to Canada
when she was eight. Before pursuing a career in make-up, she was a hairstylist.
She attended the Vancouver Film School's Makeup Design Program, from which she
graduated with Honors in April 2010. Yvonne has worked in shops that range from
make-up SFX to prop displays and designed creatures and make-up SFX for short
films. Yvonne looks forward to further pursuing her career in the make-up
industry.
Yvonne Cox was eliminated from the show on Wednesday March 23, 2016.
- When did you start doing makeup/FX as a profession?
- What brand of makeup do you like to use on face, latex, and silicone?
- Do you have a store of Etsy that sells products you make?
- Will you be attending TransWolrd Halloween show in St Louis this year?
And The WINNER IS...... Rob Seal
Watch the winner here
