As Halloween approaches, many of us are left wondering: “Who or what can I dress up as this year?” Some people may want to look attractive or sexy. However, there are many of us who want to blend in with the creatures that go bump in the night.
Janine Maloney is a professional makeup artist in the film industry. She has worked on films such as “The Eyes of my Mother” and “Priceless.”
“Halloween has always been magical for me,” Maloney said. “We didn’t have ‘dress up’ costumes available in all the stores year round like they do today, so we would look forward to the one day a year where we could be anyone we wanted.”
Janine has so kindly given us a few tips and pointers on how to look spectacular and scary this Halloween season.
“It would certainly depend on the costume,” Maloney said. “But you can find some really great stuff for do-it-yourself in most drugstores or discount department stores. Unless it’s a specialty item like latex or spirit gum, I would stick to brands that you see everyday, so you know they are not going to damage your skin.”
Maloney named makeup brands such as L’Oreal and Revlon, as having richly pigmented colors useful for inspiration.
“NYX makes some great eye crayons,” Maloney said. “I love to keep a black and white on hand for shading.”
Maloney’s original inspiration for makeup was a behind-the-scenes featurette on the making of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” music video.
“First time I got to watch the process of casting and painting, appliance applications, etc.” Maloney said. “I was obsessed with watching that video even more than the final product.”
However, Maloney saw this on a VHS tape. Today, there is the internet. Maloney is a firm believer in YouTube.
“YouTube is a fantastic tool to learn how to shade and paint details,” Maloney said. “But I would only recommend using products meant for skin, as opposed to some of those ‘use any household items’ hacks you see online.”
Janine also learns from everyone. Her early influences were Rick Baker, who so famously did the makeup and special effects for the film “An American Werewolf In London,” and Tom Savini, who provided the effects for the zombie classic “Dawn of the Dead.”
“Nowadays, there are so many artists I love that work in film,” Maloney said. “Greg Nicotero is an obvious one. I obsess over the team who works on SNL, imaging what that backstage machine is like when they are changing wigs and facial hair and prosthetics at that frantic pace for a live high-definition show!”
Janine applying makeup on set. Photo by Lorrie Latham.
Janine is my aunt. I have found her to not only be incredibly warm and loving, but also immensely inspiring. She keeps moving forward and never stops learning. She is a true artist.
Oct. 31 comes just once a year. Men, women and children get to dress up as their favorite characters and creatures, living out the night letting their imaginations run amuck. However, Maloney is the lucky one here.
“I realized that everyday on set is like Halloween,” Maloney said. “Even though I’m not on camera, I get to live out those fantasies of character, creation and storytelling.”
Janine applying a moustache to her talent. Photo by Donald Salt.
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