I welcomed in the festive season quietly. taking time to relax and review my situation. Was the hardship and change worth it? Yes, I have to admit it was. I am slowly but surely working my back to what I want and where I want to be:

my first book is near completion, the bridal business manual will be out soon!
The second is near completion. Media including fashion.

Both books have good sound advise based on my expereince, my editor has read it and as non mua found it easy to follow, so all it needs is a selection of photo's.

I have been working on some other smaller idea's not in a make up artist vein but just out of curiousity and it seems its going well.

As always I recieve almost weekly requests for advise and support from new artists or students lookingg to break into the market.

So I thought I would outline some basic do's and don'ts:

Do

If you contact a make up artist provide a cv, a link to your website (if you have one) or a link to an online portfolio.

Provide as accuarate a description of your background as possible including what paticular area of interst for example "I want to do fashion/film/theatre make up."

Don't

I cannot stress this enough

If you contact someone you are looking for advice and if possible some experience this is not a collabaritive effort: I am hired as a senior artist; I generally do the design work and ask you to work to the brief, match the image that I have handed you.

As an assistant your main duties will be cleaning brushes and doing make up for extra's. I did it when I worked as an assistant.

Just because you have a qualification does not make you qualified. I have spent eight years working and I am still learning, I know what my clients want, a certificate gives you a base to start from.

If you ask to observe then that is what you are there to do. Don't bitch if you are not asked to do make up.
You are there to observe, the client is paying for my skills and time. You are there to learn not as a showcase of your skills.

One last thought, use the internet: don't just google make up artists in your area and ask for assistant work, ask for client names, (yes I have had that), get on the net and do some research. I did it when I started and still do. There are thousands of websites dedicated to fashion, film and theatre that are designed as recruitment sites. Do your leg work first.

This is a business not a game. Be realistic in your approach; you are not going to hit the top of the chain right off you have to earn it.