But very generally speaking, these are the areas of the face that can benefit from highlight (cream) or shadow (tan). Be sure to blend everything well to eliminate hard edges!įOR REFERENCE: The ideal contouring pattern varies from person to person, because everyone’s face has a unique shape. If you want to look mostly natural, keep your colors neutral and don’t apply them too heavily. To that end, we’re going to put lighter makeup on all the places that would naturally reflect light, and darker makeup in places where there would normally be shadows. How much/what color makeup you use will determine how dramatic the effect is. The basic principle behind contouring is to simulate naturally-occurring highlights and shadows with cosmetics, so the camera can “see” your face as a three-dimensional object, and you still look normal in photos instead of washed-out or flattened. (You’ve heard the saying “the camera adds 15 pounds”? This is why.) When you are the thing that gets flattened, it usually isn’t flattering. This means that in photos, anything that is not defined by shadow or perspective tends to get mashed into a single flat shape. Unlike humans, who see depth via binocular vision, the camera has only a single lens. It’s a good idea to experiment with your makeup design for each character, and decide what style of contouring works best for each one! Basic Contouring – or, How to Make the Camera See Your Face in Three Dimensions Captain Jack Harkness Nathan Drake Clint Barton), I actually minimize contouring to make my face look wider and flatter.Ĭompare the effect different contouring produces in these two photos: When I cosplay stockier or broader-faced characters (e.g. When I cosplay glamorous, feminine, or more slender characters (or anything drawn by CLAMP), I may use quite a bit of contouring to try to make my face look slimmer or more angular. Some costumes require more contouring than others. ![]() It’s also the basis for a lot of character design makeup, as it allows you to change the appearance of your facial structure (making your face look thinner or wider, making cheekbones more dramatic, making eyes look sunken, etc.). It’s one of the easiest ways to make yourself look better in photos, as it adds depth and prevents flattening. "That brings some of your face forward without the use of a shimmery, glittery highlighter.Contouring is a great technique to practice. ![]() "You can highlight with a foundation or concealer that makes certain parts of your anatomy come forward." For example, you can take a little bit of highlighter down the bridge of your nose, on your Cupid's bow, underneath your eyes, and on top of your cheekbone. Play with highlighterįor an added contouring effect, Denno points out that the opposite of contour would be to highlight, so you can apply a foundation or concealer that's lighter than your everyday option in places you want to move forward in space. "Nobody needs to know that you have contour on," jokes Denno. Blend enough so that it looks really subtle so that it's truly an illusion. "This makes it a more narrow placement tool where you can blend right on the plane where you want the concave to go," she says. If you don't have a contour brush, Denno recommends squeezing whatever brush you have to make it more narrow for easier blending. Despite that, here are a few of Denno's best tips for doing it right. "They made it to outline their jawline, their cheekbones, and to show where each feature begins and ends to that the people in the back could see them." The goal of contouring is to create an optical illusion that brings certain features forward and others inward, which is why contour application is a little different for everyone based on their face shape. "Contour was for stage play so that people in the back of the playhouse could see actors' expressions from afar," says Denno. All it really takes is three tricks to contour like a pro.Ĭontouring was originally invented for actors on stage to more easily emote for audience members. But, according to celebrity makeup artist and head of makeup at Credo Katey Denno, sculpting your face with makeup doesn't have to require a dozen steps done by an expert hand. ![]() When you think about easy makeup looks, sculpting your face via a contouring palette doesn't seem quite as attainable as something like beginner eyeshadow or a quick swipe of cream blush.
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