MUMBAI: Whether improving the confidence of a teenager or creating a zombie for a TV show, the importance of a makeup artist is severely understated.  Whether it is for a look on-screen or on the red carpet, makeup artists use creativity and cosmetics to make real works of art.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like working as a makeup artist? Wonder no more!

Makeup artist James Gladwin preps up with his apron, a roll of makeup brushes – and never fails to double check them before disappearing into the makeup room for you really can’t afford to take chances when you are doing someone’s makeup.

Over 30 years of experience, James was an excellent sketch artist and was a canvas painter before he ventured into the world of glamour. While people think that the two things are different art forms, James believes that make-up a difficult version of canvas painting. Having worked with Bollywood A-Listers such as Hrithik Roshan, Shah Rukh Khan, Shahid Kapoor and the lead artists of television shows such as Aladdin and Swastik Productions’ Mahabharat among some more.  

Ask him about how he forayed into this space, James said, “I started my career with Chanakya and it was not very difficult to get into the industry back then. My first film was 1942: A Love Story and I have done quite a lot of films post then such as Mission Kashmir, Munnabhai M.B.B. S etc.”

Ask him about the most important quality of make-up artists and he avers, “It’s more about the colour combination and knowing your craft. For example, Hrithik Roshan’s look in Kaho Na Pyaar Hai was different, the first one was innocent and the second one was more of a smart and handsome man. Similarly, in Koi... Mil Gaya too, the makeup was different to make him look like a mentally challenged and the other one is normal.”

That’s quite an insight!