A traditional clown is, without a doubt, one of the most easily recognizable costumed figures in the world. With his face, painted unusually with bright colored face paint, as well as his funny, baggy clothing, big shoes, big red nose and silly jokes and tricks, a clown is a character that is meant to bring laughter and happiness wherever he or she goes. Clowns have a long history dating back to the ancient times and although their appearances, purposes and even the name for them has evolved quite a lot since then, there are a few things that have remained essentially the same. If you are interested in becoming a professional clown, then you will have to decide what personality you want your clown to have. A major part of this is the makeup you will use. Clown makeup, while it is always recognizable as a clown and absolutely essential to having a complete costume, comes in a few distinct styles.
A Brief History Of Clown Makeup
In the ancient world, there were many rulers who hired what we would now term clowns. These men would wear strange clothing and sometimes masks, making jokes and entertaining the ruler. Clowns would also entertain the populace, poking fun at those in authority, for they had a freedom of speech which was often denied to everybody else. It was in the early 1800s when the traditional white-faced clown emerged and makeup began to be used on clowns instead of masks. From there, several different styles of clown makeup and costume emerged.
Which Type Of Clown Makeup Should I Use?
When you are interested in becoming a professional clown, you will have to decide which type of clown you want to be. There is the white-faced clown, traditionally with white makeup and patches of color around the facial features. Auguste clowns usually do not have white makeup, however, they often still use patches of color to exaggerate their features. Then, there is the character clown, which chooses a specific character such as a tramp or fireman to impersonate comically. A helpful activity to do when you decide to become a clown is to draw out a sketch of what you want your overall outfit and makeup to look like. Personalize your clown persona as much as you want! Then, you can decide what colors of clown makeup you will need.
