Academy of Makeup graduate Bernice Mansfield spoke to Professional Beauty about studying at the college and her career so far.
PB: Why did you want to study makeup?
BM: I have always been a creative person but never affiliated my artistry with makeup until a friend of mine, who is a hairdresser, suggested we attend a short course in makeup for fun, and that's where it all began!
PB: Why did you choose to study at Academy of Makeup and which course did you do?
BM: When my friend and I finished our short makeup course, she was happy to go off and continue her hairdressing career, but for me, the fire had been lit. I wanted more. In December 2006, I decided to attend an open day at Academy of Makeup. I was impressed by the variety of courses offered and felt I would receive the makeup education needed to succeed in the industry.
I enrolled in the Certificate II course and began my studies at the start of 2007. I loved that the Academy offered the course out of hours, as I was working full-time but still wanted to study. I chose to undertake the Certificate II in Makeup Services as it covered the aspects of makeup I am most interested in – bridal and freelance. Without knowing what to expect, this course opened my eyes to what a wonderfully creative world it is out there.
PB: Which aspects of the course did you enjoy most?
BM: I really enjoyed learning from the talented instructors at the Academy, who had great knowledge of the makeup industry. One of them also had extensive experience in photography, which gave his students an added edge in understanding the relationship between the makeup artist and photographer in a studio environment. I learned the importance of makeup placement and lighting techniques, and grew a passion for fashion photography.
PB: How did your course prepare you for working in the industry?
BM: The instructors were tough on us with a few things, time management being the biggest. When you are learning you can get carried away with being creative and taking your time, but once you're in the industry you just don't have that flexibility. This was a big learning curve for me. The instructors also put great importance on drawing face charts. Although they can sometimes be time consuming to complete, they are such an important part of the planning and preparation process, which is imperative in any industry.
PB: Tell us about your career highlights to date.
BM: I've had many career highlights in such a short space of time and, despite all the time and hard work I've had to put in, it's been very rewarding. I've had publications in Vogue (Italia and Australia), Harpers Bazaar (Indonesia), Cosmopolitan (Indonesia), AMICA, PULP (NZ), Culture Mag, New Idea, Marie Claire (Australia) and Clay Magazine. Another career highlight was being part of a project called Rising 5. This was an exhibition where a handful of amazingly talented and creative individuals collaborated to bring traditional 2D fashion photography into 3D – a mind-blowing experience and I'm extremely proud of the shots that came out of it.
PB: What’s your top beauty tip?
BM: I know we've all heard it before, but I can't begin to express how important it is to remove your makeup at the end of the day. Your skin needs to rejuvenate and the best time is while you sleep.
Another is 'blend, blend, blend'. I am a big believer of beautifully blended eye shadow and foundation. After all, it's your face that is out there for all to see, so make sure your makeup doesn't look like war paint! Let your natural beauty shine through.
PB: What advice would you give someone considering studying at Academy of Makeup?
BM: I would strongly suggest anyone wanting a successful career in makeup to look into studying a course offered at the Academy. As a makeup artist, you just never know what wonderful opportunities are around the corner. Any of the courses which the Academy offer will help you to move forward in the makeup industry, in leaps and bounds!
To find out more about Bernice’s work visit her website www.bernicemakeupartist.com