SFX Makeup: From Fantasy to Reality

Hey there. My name's Evan, and here's a little bit about myself and how the Expedition, SFX Makeup: From Fantasy to Reality, came to life. 

Becoming an SFX Makeup Artist

This whole thing started the same way that many other people's passions came to be - one word: COVID. During the pandemic, much like the rest of the world, I was bored out of my mind being locked up in my house for so long. Couldn't see friends or family. Just thinking about it just gives me the chills. But just like many other people, I had to find something to do to stay sane. So, my mom and I looked online and found some interesting stuff to do. Like this Harry Potter set that you could get sorted in your own house and make potions and stuff. But the one thing that really stood out to me was that the local theater did a special effects makeup class for ages 11 and up. And I always wanted to do my mom's makeup. I would beg every morning just to put her lipstick on. I don't know, there was just something about it, thinking that you could use the skin as a canvas to transform someone into something they are not. Before I did all of this, I had done a lot of painting but had never tried the human canvas. I asked to get signed up, and a couple of weeks later, there I was. 

Since it was during COVID, of course, it was on Zoom (if you wondering about how we're going to do this in the expedition, take note that I learned everything I know about makeup on Zoom), which, if I'm being honest, I wasn't too sure about. I had only ever done a couple of classes on Zoom at the time but wasn't sure how it would go. But just like this class, they sent me a kit with everything I would need for the class, such as brushes, palettes, molds, molding materials, and more! At first, I was a bit nervous, being the only boy in the class, not to mention the youngest person. But I pushed through it, and just like this class that I helped develop for Sora, everyone supported what I did and how I did it. 

A few months went by, and I bought more products, taught myself techniques, watched YouTube videos, and learned from the best. I took a few more classes here and there and then got to teach one of my own at my local library. After a few years, this led to how I am today. It's times like these that I can be grateful for COVID. If it never happened, I would never have met some of my greatest friends and become a makeup artist. Or even come to Sora. But thanks to it, I now have connections with the head makeup artist and designer of Stranger Things, and I hope to go big one day!

Developing the SFX Makeup: From Fantasy to Reality Expedition

This experience has truly been amazing. It's only my first few months at Sora, and I'm already involved in something big and cool like this! One of my experts from Cycle 2, Marina, and I talked during office hours a while back about me and what I like to do in my free time. When I brought up makeup, she thought it was the coolest thing EVER, which excited me. She started telling me how she was thinking about becoming a makeup artist herself, but it didn't work out. So we talked for a while longer. I showed her some of the amazing creations I had made before and didn't think much of it. A couple weeks later, in between classes, Marina reached out to me asking if I would want to participate in helping out with an expedition for the future. Ummm YES. We started by creating a doc that we filled out with what we wanted the students to learn from this expedition and what they might earn toward their graduation if they took it. Then, I met with Briney, one of the curriculum designers, to explain my ideas and how this expedition might roll out. AND SHE WAS ALL IN. After that, we worked together to decide what type of expedition we wanted it to be, decided that it would be a two-cycle experience, and then went from there.

What I want the students to learn from this expedition is the history behind makeup and how to create their twisted creature in their head and turn themself into it.

That's all from me. I hope to see you soon in SFX Makeup: From Fantasy to Reality.

WARNING, if you do not like blood and gore, then look no more! If you want to check out some of the work that I have done, take a look at my portfolio website below. 

If Sora High School students have any questions, please DM Evan on Heartbeat