Making Faces
by Kevyn Aucoin
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Book Reviews of Making Faces
Book Review: Good for the beginner, not so much for the budding expert
Summary: 3 Stars
This book was incredibly frustrating for me. Yes, the makeovers are beautiful. But a lot of the photographs are completely worthless -- they're in profile, or they're black and white, or they're soft-focus. There's almost no advice on how to choose a quality makeup product or tool. Most frustrating for me was the fact that the breakdowns on the photographs are egregiously incomplete -- in the Lisa Marie Presley ponytail photo, for example, she's obviously wearing a dark eyeshadow in the crease but there's no crease color mentioned, and in the Trish Goff colored eyeshadow photo she's wearing multiple shades of shadow even though it only says she's wearing one.The other thing that drove me nuts about this book is that almost every single eye shadow look is achieved exclusively with black, white, grey, or brown eyeshadow. I hate basic neutrals and I don't feel they flatter me. I wanted to be shown how to do interesting looks with some colors -- plums, blues, olives? -- and there are literally only three photos in the whole book that have colored eyeshadow. It's really a bizarre juxtaposition of basic, neutral looks with looks that are way too dramatic for anyone but a drag queen or a movie star; nothing in between. Also, it really aggravated me that everyone has flawless skin despite the claims that minimal or no foundation is used.
What I do like about this book is the application techniques (instead of just products) and the stellar contouring photo. I also really appreciate the obvious effort made to include women of color. Conclusion: good for the makeup novice or the average woman, or someone who just likes watching transformations. For the person who already has a good grasp on makeup techniques, though, this book is an exercise in frustration.
Book Review: Archealogical Digs Can Lead To Treasures
Summary: 5 Stars
I was in a play when I first became aquainted with this author/artist. I played a somewhat minor role (No small parts, only small actors), so I spent the majority of rehersals playing tic tak toe and reading interesting articles in the Onion at rehersals. One day, I was helping to clean the costume room (similar to an archealogicacl dig: there was about as much dust, and I think we figured out that some of the discarded skirts and masks dated back to 3000 B.C.). Something white amongst the grey caught my eye immediately...I had soon uncovered this book. One of the make up artists in the last play must have left it. I darted behind a rack of musty, tattered dresses, determined to conceal my prize from the other cleaner-uppers until I had gotten a better look. I cracked it open, and began flipping through. I believe the director found me there, 45 minutes later, wanting to know why on earth I had missed my cue. About thirty seconds into mid-lecture, she stooped down to see what the fuss was about and became as engrossed as I. This book is not only innovative and creative, but fun! As soon as I layed eyes on it, I wanted to try out some of the make up faces. It shows, step by step, how to create everything from a bomshell blond to an emaciated but hopeful heroine. The many different ways of using make up are truely ingenious, and I would reccomend this book to those who are looking for new make up techniques, for the independant actress, and for anyone who simply wants to try some of these out on a rainy day. Try it out...you won't regret it. But, if you plan on browsing through it while "working", try to make sure your boss doesn't catch you.Book Review: The Best
Summary: 5 Stars
If you're seriously into makeup or if you're curious about what it can do to transform someone's face, Kevyn Aucoin's books are The Source, hands down. He gives plenty of tips on how to achieve various looks (in this one and in Face Forward), and the results are amazing. He goes over various looks, and offers advice how to get these looks (whether you want smoky eyes or poutier lips, or you want some kind of 1950s or 1960s look, or something totally fresh and modern). He explains brow shapes, eyeliner styles, lipstick application styles, applying blush, concealer, you name it. It's a makeup bible. And on top of that he does some amazing makeovers, of unknown women and famous women. To see Lisa Marie Presley transformed into Marilyn Monroe or Julia Roberts transformed into Julie Christie ala "Doctor Zhivago" is amazing to see. And that's just the tip of the lipstick iceberg. There are a lot of other transformations, some familiar looks and some all his own creations, and they're all astounding and beautiful. He's great with showing how to play with looks that make you look like you, only better, but also he's great in making you open your eyes to new looks and combinations.
The only bad thing -- actually it's tragic -- is that Kevyn died some years ago and we'll never get anymore books from him (though A Beautiful Life is a great retrospective, too, and there's his first, The Art of Makeup). And he took a lot of the pictures in the books, so it shows what an amazing photographer he was. There'll never be another one like Mr. Aucoin, but at least there are four books showcasing his amazing and timeless magical ways with makeup.
Book Review: Wonderful wonderful! A great and sad book.
Summary: 5 Stars
I was at friends house the other day and she was showing me some picture of her and another friend of ours doing "Glam" shots. I was stunned when I saw a picture of her that looked just like Clara Bow, silent movies famous IT girl! They had used this book to do it.The next day I went and bought this book. I was incredibly impressed with it from start to finish.
Now for those who complained that Kevin didn't give name brands and exact color shades to buy, come on you guys! Do you really need to know every single item you should buy? If you need that much instruction these books are not for you! All you need is a a good sense of your own color to use his ideas to your best advantage. Besides Kevin makes it clear that these colors are not going to work on every skin type so you should using his information and enhance it to fit your own skin tones.
I would never wear some of the colors he suggested because I am too pale but I did use his guidlines with colors I already had and my friends had a fit over the change. I've never worn much makeup except to perform but with Kevin's instructions I could enjoy wearing makeup every day and not feel like some painted clown!!!
This is still one of the best books around for make-up common sense and how-to. Get it because there will be no more books from Mr. Aucoin who tragically died in May of 2002. It is shame that such a gifted, kind and loving person should be gone so soon. I would have bought his books for the rest of my life given the oportunity. His whit and sense of humor is delightful and a joy to read while learning the ins and out of make-up.
Book Review: MAKING FANTASY
Summary: 2 Stars
Great book if you live your life on the runway, in a magazine, a photograph or movie. Anyone can take some of the world's most beautiful people and put make-up on them and say "How pretty!" I think more of the talent lies with the lighting technicians and those who hold the airbrush. It's not all bad, though. There is much to laud: the format of the book is great, with all of the step-by-step instructions, the large photographs and the fact that everything is SHOWN rather than TOLD (drawings versus text) which is where most how-to cosmetic books fail. Most of the transformations are amazing as well but how much of this depends solely on Aucoin's talent is debatable. Aucoin is definitely an artist, but this book seems far too politically motivated and self-indulgent ("look at all the pretty people I know!") I feel that he also holds back more than he lets on. His views change from magazine article to book(s)and back to magazine article more often than I care to admit ( "Apply sparingly and build up color" vs. "Put on as much as you like. You can always take it off"). My favorite is his claim that he prefers not to use foundation, when almost all of the make-overs obviously use foundation (and plenty of it!). This book is great as an art book, and some tips are helpful, but on the whole "Making Faces" is more like "Making Fantasy"; making beautiful people even more beautiful through the use of make-up, sets, perfect lighting, airbrushing and the advice of a dozen or so "assistants".