Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup: Making Eyebrows Bushier

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Making Eyebrows Bushier

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup
Forum Discription: For how-to's and where-can-I-find
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3486
Printed Date: 5/02/24 at 4:33am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Making Eyebrows Bushier

Posted By: actor98
Subject: Making Eyebrows Bushier
Date Posted: 9/23/08 at 1:22pm

Anyone have advice on making my eyebrows bushier on stage? We have a small theater so the audience is right there so I wouldn't need something that you can see 50 rows back.

Thanks

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Acting is the art of speaking in a loud clear voice and the avoidance of bumping into the furniture-Alfred Lunt

Replies:

Posted By: kaelidancer
Date Posted: 9/23/08 at 4:17pm

How much bushier are we talking? Clever use of an eye pencil, or even mascara, could add some volume that would read in an intimate space.

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Kaeli Gardner
Johnson City Community Theatre
http://www.jcct.us - www.jcct.us
http://www.gardnerarts.com - www.gardnerarts.com

Posted By: actor98
Date Posted: 9/23/08 at 4:51pm

I'm thinking old Russian leader bushy, if you know what I mean. The character I'm playing is Russian and that's what comes to mind. Thanks for your help!

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Acting is the art of speaking in a loud clear voice and the avoidance of bumping into the furniture-Alfred Lunt

Posted By: TonyDi
Date Posted: 9/24/08 at 6:53am

Very simple - a combination of a couple colors of crepe hair as close as possible to their hair color....cheap, easy to work with and literally glue into the actor's eyebrows with Spirit Gum. If you want the hair to be straighter (you should) then remove it from the cord that is braided into it, dip in water, allow it to dry overnight and it should straighten out. Worse case scenario CAREFULLY steam with a steam iron and even iron it straight if need be. As well be careful not to let ithe Spirit Gum drip, don't OVER use it just enough to fill out the eyebrows, trim to length and there you have it. Removal is relatively easy with 70% Isopropyl alcohol or other alcohol based remover....again being very careful not to use so much it will get into eyes. Just take your time - all of about 20 - 30 minutes to add some bushiness to the eyebrows of the appropriate color. Do a little section at a time starting at the outside end of the brow and work toward center/bridge of nose. And be sure to blend a couple colors of crepe just for added realism.

TonyDi

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"Almost famous"

Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 9/24/08 at 8:23am

Hi,

This youtube site actually gives you step by step instructions in not only how to apply fake eybrows, but many different aspects of stage make-up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1OEF-xFfY8&feature=related - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1OEF-xFfY8&feature=related

Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: 9/24/08 at 9:40am

I bought a pair of ready-made, good-quality fake sideburns close to my natural hair color. With careful trimming, they make excellent bushy eyebrows.

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"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone

Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 9/24/08 at 10:27am

Every year at Christmas, I have to have the eye brows added (Santa, dont tell anyone) We use the technique that Tony advocated... If done well, it works very well close up.. You don't get any closer than sitting on your lap close.. Of course, no matter how hard we try and how much "remover" we use, the primary thing that gets removed is some of my REAL eyebrow...

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Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."

Posted By: actor98
Date Posted: 9/24/08 at 3:48pm

Thanks for all your help!

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Acting is the art of speaking in a loud clear voice and the avoidance of bumping into the furniture-Alfred Lunt

Posted By: TonyDi
Date Posted: 9/25/08 at 7:09am

Originally posted by Linda S

Hi,

This youtube site actually gives you step by step instructions in not only how to apply fake eybrows, but many different aspects of stage make-up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1OEF-xFfY8&feature=related - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1OEF-xFfY8&feature=related

Uh, well - I have my opinions about the "Expert Village" offerings on there. I should get involved in that. THIS display - if you watch it all the way through - doesn't look when she's finished, that she added anything much at all. The right brow that she's working on looks just like it did before she added any hair - and a match for the left side. Further, she started in the middle of the brow. NOT the way to do it. You start adding hair at the outside end of the brow and work toward the bridge of the nose...certainly NOT at the middle. Then too, she trimmed it back and it wound up looking just like it did to begin with - ok maybe slightly fuller but not enough that it made a striking difference. As well looking at the beard, it looks like she simply applied that as curly as crepe hair is right off the braid - SHOULD be straightened for MOST people. Even people with very curly hair on their heads often (more often than not) have facial hair that's relatively straight. Now I know that's not the issue in every case, but from my experience, that's what I've seen. As well you NEVER use just one color of hair - EVER!! Comes off looking as fake as ever even if it's laid properly. And BELIEVE me - the ART of hand laying fake hair is an acquired skill over time. VERY hard to do it well and make it look legitimate.

So avoid the "Expert Village" offerings. Most of the time they're being displayed by some people who are totally not qualified to demonstrate makeup FX techniques because they're just not that experienced. Sorry for THAT rant. OFF the box now. Get back to "filming the DVD's"......or writing the book - whichever.

TonyDi

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"Almost famous"

Posted By: neilfortin
Date Posted: 10/03/08 at 11:38am

Crepe hair is GREAT...many people hate the application process...it can be tedious...but the effects...(with the right training) are tremendous! We used it for the mustaches and beards in Cyrano to great effect! Just use a little vasiline in the nose if your going to be making mustaches...catches all the loose hairs! Good luck!

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