Black Swan request - advice needed please

Hi, I've been asked to paint someone as Black Swan to go with her costume and have a few questions. I'm wondering what to use for the base for a start. I used Tag White on myself during a practice run but wasn't particularly happy with it and I was only able to get it looking more even by putting a white powder on top. It was a perfumed powder containing silk which I wouldn't use on the client but it was all I had and I wanted to see if using a powder on top would make a differenceto my posts. What would you use for the base? The picture I've been given to go off shows a white face but it doesn't seem as white in other pics I've googled. The client has seen my trial pic and seems happy with the white face. I'm hoping there's better products to use for it that will look more professional and I'm also wondering if I should try to contour the face somehow though I'm not sure if the contours in the pic are just due to lighting. The client is also worried about cracks and smudges over the night. Should I use a setting spray (or dare I say hairspray), and how well would a product like this go over powder if I was to use it? Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I didn't want to go ordering products before asking you guys for your thoughts. Thanks for taking the time to read this!

I personally like the white in your avatar, but because I can't see the photo of what you are going for I can recommend Ben Nye magic cake- cloud white. It looks seamless. Its my fave for whole white base. When you get the right blend of water/paint paradise is pretty seamless too.
Overnight huh? I sure hope she sleeps on her back. It does sound like a great opportunity, is it for a play or party? just curious.
Have fun, and good luck.
Laurie

Thanks Laurie, the white in my avatar is Paradise but I don't have any left. I could order some and hope it arrives but am thinking I should get some sort of powder to to try and make it perfect? I'll have a look at magic cakes if you think it works better than Paradise. No, no, by 'over the night' I meant the course of the party - she's going in fancy dress.

While I'm unimpressed with my Snazaroo metallic silver, I've noticed that some of you like Snaz white for bases. I can get Snaz white at my local art shop for about $10 but does anyone think I'd be better off paying $15 plus postage for Paradise instead?

IMO snaz will RUB off, no matter what you put on top. Its why I use it on kids, easy to remove. If it were me Id go for the nicer thickers paint and a sealer.

Thanks so much, Taradoodles! By thicker do you mean something like Paradise? And is there a sealer you'd recommend?

The other thing I'd like to know is if I'm doing something wrong with my Tag, if there's a way to make it look more even

.

Hi there,
I did a black swan make up on my daughter for a wearable arts fashion show not too long ago. I used the palest skin tone colour from a wolfe palette, but I reckon any 'skin' or pale peach colour will come out making the clients' skin very pale (white was abit harsh in my opinion). I believe snazaroo do a pale peach colour that could be used as a base. The wolfe paint stayed on marvellously, even under hot lights. For the eyes, I used Mehron metallic powder mixed into liquid then wolfe black for all the eye details. Red lips...I would go for lipstick, as this will feel better for the client. Then I topped it off with using up the silver metallic liquid I had made up to paint her all her fingers (not thumbs). I thought she looked cool, but then I'm her mother
https://i.servimg.com/u/f46/16/86/78/18/black_10.jpg

Thanks, heaps Lizzie and your daughter looks fantastic, great job! I find the white a bit harsh too, Lizzie, and a bit too 'facepainty', if that makes sense. I could probably pick up a peach Snaz but am really worried about a lot of people's concerns with it - that it'll go runny etc. Now I'm wondering if I should use a pale foundation? The client tells me that she seems to think Natalie Portman uses foundation with baby powder on top in the film. Which colour metallic did you use, Lizzie?

A light coloured foundation with baby powder sounds great, give it a test first on yourself. I used the silver mehron metallic powder...bought it ages ago thinking I would be using heaps of it, but in all honesty only really use when painting jewellery on the kids

Good luck but I'm sure you won't need it!

Thanks again Lizzie . I will definitely trial the foundation and powder and see which she prefers. I'd love to try the metallic powder, I have to paint someone gold for a movie so will be getting some soon and I daresay I'll be posting another bunch of questions beforehand

I've done a few black swanns and all I used for base was snaz. The reason for that is because it blends very well and can be thinned out very very easily. On top of the base, I used an opalescent/iridescent powder, then did the eye makeup. Turned out fantastic, the client loved it and it lasted an entire night of cocktailing

Thanks, Criss, that sounds really awesome, what was the powder you used called? It sounds really nice and not so matte.

It's confusing when some say Snaz lasts and others don't, maybe it comes down to differences in the weather? My Snaz metallic silver melted horribly in the heat but for some reason my electric blue didn't

All metallics, I've found, regardless of brand, are soft, unless they are frozen... . It's just a part of the chemical compound that makes them pliable to use. The snaz flats last, they just turn chalky after a while. Meaning the colour kinda fades out. Other than that, I haven't had an issue and I've painted bodies with them. I use snaz and paradise for blending regularly.

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Snaz tends to chip & fade over time. TAG?Wolfe?DFX also chip if used over a large area.
Paradise(like in your avatar) is your best bet.

Thanks, Psalmbook. Well, the girl has decided to go with foundation but all this info has served me well regardless