MEGACON ORLANDO –  APRIL 2023

Greta the Gremlin, foam latex prosthetics. Sculpted by Osiris Rivera, applied and painted with Heather Eisner.

A recap of our third invitation to MEGACON ORLANDO! This year we had 2 panels live-streamed on the MEGACON Creator Stage. VAMP had a special guest with us during the con, as one of our past Beauty Professional Makeup Artistry instructors and dear friends, Rocco Gaglioti, joined us for our panels.  Using some of our favorite EBA Performance Makeup products, on Thursday we did airbrushing and facial prosthetics to create a sultry vampire effect, and on Saturday we recreated a viral infection inspired by the movie Resident Evil.

Airbrushed Sultry Vampire with brow prosthetics. Applied and airbrushed by Rocco Gaglioti and VAMP School Director, Heather Eisner.

Resident Evil inspired Zombie, silicone prosthetics by OUTOFKIT and AUTONOMOUSFX2005, Pros Aide transfers made by Brian Mahoney, applied and painted by Chris Osorio and Rocco Gaglioti.

Every day at our booth in the Community Zone we gave attendees an insider look behind the scenes of creature creation. Our graduates and staff showcased their skills with a little bit of everything; out of kit injury simulations, beauty applications, foam prosthetic applications, prosaide transfer applications, airbrushing, and encapsulated silicone prosthetic applications.

Out of kit techniques by VAMP graduate, Frankie Kennedy.

Humanoid Bat lady, Foam latex prosthetics. Sculpted and applied by VAMP graduate, Gabby Witherspoon.  Assisted by VAMP graduate, Lindsey Smith.

Alien-bat hybrid creature, RBFX foam latex prosthetics. Applied and painted by VAMP graduate Danielle Battaglia. Costume by Danielle Battaglia.

VAMP’s past Beauty Professional instructor Rocco Gaglioti and VAMP’s guest makeup artist Chris Osorio applying and painting the viral zombie.

 VAMP graduate Micah Johnson applying and painting her silicone prosthetic humanoid mole rat character.

VAMP graduate Connor Hayes application of his silicone prosthetic Arachnid transformation and Micah Johnson’s humanoid mole rat. Custom creature dentures created by Connor and Micah.

Sunday we had the pleasure of showcasing the amazing talent of both of our Modern Effects Makeup Artistry instructors. Brian Mahoney sculpted, casted, painted and applied foam latex prosthetics, transfers, and custom character dentures to create two clickers inspired by The Last Of Us. Osiris Rivera sculpted, painted and applied foam latex cowl and prosthetics; assisted by VAMP School Director Heather Eisner with beauty makeup, wig, and costuming by Heather Eisner.  Guests on Sunday had a great time posing for photos with our finished monsters, and the VAMP team had a great time sharing our hard work with the MEGACON crowds.

The VAMP team, our students, and our graduates had a fantastic time and look forward to MEGACON Orlando 2024!

Tell the world who you are and what got you interested in becoming a makeup artist.

My name is Danielle Battaglia, a Tampa/Orlando based makeup artist.  You can see my work on my website www.makeupbydaniellebattaglia.com and on IG @dee_bee_fx.  I have always loved makeup and was an avid cosplayer for many years, however I didn’t pursue a career in it until I was 40 years old.

What programs did you take at VAMP and when did you graduate?

I started with Modern Effects, since that was my first love.  I quickly realized that in order to become a well-rounded makeup artist it was in my best interest to take the beauty class as well.  It was honestly one of the best decisions I made.  Taking both classes has given me the skills to handle any job.  I graduated in 2020 from both classes.

Special effects prosthetic creature makeup applied by Danielle for a Cocktails and Screams commercial.

What was your favorite thing to learn about from both programs while attending VAMP and why?

In Modern Effects, sculpting is at the top of my list.  The Modern Effects instructor, Brian Mahoney, is a master sculptor and there is no better way to learn than hands-on.  In Beauty Professional, clean beauty was the most challenging for me, and therefore my favorite.  I have a heavy hand by nature and learning restraint is absolutely key to many makeup jobs.

How would you describe your artistry style?

In FX, I would say I am heavily influenced by the 1980’s and 1990’s.  Particularly the Jim Henson and Stan Winston era.  In beauty, I would consider myself a glam artist but I specialize in mature skin.

Special effects Siren prosthetic application and airbrush makeup for Sea World’s Howl-O-Scream, and fantasy glam application for Sea World’s Spooktacular.

What kind of makeup applications are your favorite to do and why?

I love the complete transformation of FX makeup, like monster making or applying a full old age makeup.  There is nothing better than twisting one reality into another.  In the beauty world, I do love a full beat, but prefer clean camera-ready for film and production.

Prosthetic Two Face makeup based on the Batman comic book character.  Sculpted, applied, painted, and eyeball fabricated by Danielle Battaglia.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about special effects makeup artistry?

That we are magicians.  Your average client has no idea how much time, product, skill, and MONEY go into the project they have in mind.  They will often come with high expectations and low budgets.

Do you have a favorite makeup artist?

Eryn Krueger Mekash is my favorite artist.  Not only is she incredibly talented and humble, but she is also unfailingly kind.

Two films Danielle has worked on.

Who or what inspires you to create?

Other artists inspire me!  Nothing gets me more pumped to do something cool than seeing others do amazing work!

What was the most rewarding job you’ve worked on so far and why?

My most rewarding job is under an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement).  But I can say the reward is always working with a great team.

Special effects prosthetic makeups applied by Danielle.  Blue alien makeup applied for Rauw Alejandro album promo with fellow VAMP graduate Emily Chmielewski.

What is your favorite makeup to use personally?

In FX it’s European Body Art. And in Beauty I prefer MAC.

What is the most used product in your professional makeup kit?

Anti-shine and blood.

Special effects prosthetic makeups applied by Danielle.

What would your ultimate dream job be?

Eventually I’d like to settle into teaching, but before that I would like to have the honor of working on any of the Marvel films.

What advice would you give to those who are just getting started in the makeup industry?

Don’t stop pushing.  If the work isn’t there, still practice at home.  Create a project to work on.  Don’t let yourself become stagnant.

Edited for grammar, content, and clarity.  MAY 2023.

MEGACON ORLANDO – May 2022  This was our second year of being invited to MEGACON Orlando where we had the opportunity to occupy a booth and host two demonstration panels.  For the weekend we had live makeup applications done by both our team and our amazing alumni.  It is always such fun to be surrounded by other creatives and makeup/horror enthusiasts.

Both of our Modern Effects Instructors, Brian Mahoney and Osiris Rivera, facilitated live demonstrations at the booth—foam latex prosthetic applications of characters from the 1990 film The Witches. For the Grand High Witch character, Brian created and applied a custom back hump, cowl, facial prosthetics, and dentures.  For the Bruno character, Osiris created and applied custom facial prosthetics, ears, and dentures.

For our first demonstration panel, Brian showed how to recreate facial injuries utilizing fake blood and premade encapsulated silicone prosthetics from our very own graduate Izzy Isel’s brand TraumaQueenFx. Then for our second demonstration panel, Osiris applied prosthetic horns and our Director Heather Eisner showcased different airbrushing techniques to create a blue devil lady.

All weekend we had live makeup demos from our current students and our alumni so attendees could catch a glimpse behind the scenes of what special effects makeup artists can do. We had artists apply out of kit injury simulations, foam latex prosthetics, and prosaide transfers. A huge thank you to all that visited our booth, panels, and to our students and alumni for participating!

Tell the world a bit about yourself and where can we find you?

I’m Megan, I work as a freelance makeup artist and was born and raised here in Florida. I’ve been an artist since I could hold a pencil and creating art is my favorite hobby. When I’m not doing makeup, I enjoy painting, photography, playing guitar, and playing with my dogs. I’m also a proud member of the LGBTQ+ and autism community! My Instagram and Facebook is @makeupbymuamegan and my website is makeupbymuamegan.com

What programs did you take at VAMP and when did you graduate?

I graduated from the Beauty Professional Makeup Artistry program in November of 2019, and the Modern Effects Makeup Artistry program in August of 2020.

What was your favorite thing to learn about from both programs while attending VAMP and why?

In the beauty program, I loved learning about editorial makeup. There’s an endless amount of looks you can come up with! For me, editorial makeup combines my traditional artistic side with my makeup loving side.

During modern effects, learning dentures was definitely my favorite. It was such an intricate and tricky process, but the end product was so worth it. Designing and painting the teeth was really fun. But being able to wear the custom fit dentures that I created is the best part!!

Special effects zombie airbrush applications for Sea World’s Howl-O-Scream 2021

What drew you to this industry and to choose your profession?

I grew up a fan of sci-fi, horror, and fantasy movies, and I LOVE Halloween. As a kid, I was drawn to the awesome creatures and characters in movies like Star Wars, Labyrinth, and The Dark Crystal. I always wanted to know how they made it. I watched a lot of the SyFy show “Face-Off” in my teens and it inspired me to get involved in makeup and film. When I finished high school, I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life, but I always wanted to work in a creative industry. After touring VAMP, I knew it was meant to be!

Megan wearing her custom creature dentures alongside classmate Hannah Cota.

Do you like to create looks that blend both special effects with beauty or do you prefer to keep them separate?

BLEND THE TWO!! You get the best of both worlds that way!

How would you describe your signature beauty artistry style?

Soft glam! I love perfected, natural-looking skin with neutral tones for both eyes and lips.

Glowy-glam makeup application by Megan

What is your favorite makeup product in your kit and why do you love it?

In my beauty kit, it’s the Natasha Denona Glam Palette! It’s got the perfect neutral colors for literally ANY kind of look! So versatile and I use it all the time. The shimmers are gorgeous as well!

In my SFX kit, it’s the PPI Skin Illustrator Alcohol Palette. It’s another versatile product that you can use to make so many different effects! I love the colors and the ability to mix them right in the palette.

What is something in your kit that you didn’t think you would need, but you end up using all the time?

My RCMA cream foundation palettes come in handy very often- there’s so many shades with the undertones I need to make the perfect shade match!

What is your most memorable moment from working on a client, and why is it so memorable?

A client treated herself to makeup on Valentine’s Day. It was her first time getting professional makeup done ever! As I did her makeup, I asked if she had any plans for the night, and she said no. I convinced her to get some girlfriends together and go out to dinner and take pictures together since she was all glammed up. When she was done with her makeup, she asked me to take some photos of her, and of course I did. When she looked in the mirror she said “I’ve never felt so beautiful in all 46 years of my life!!” and later said “I’m calling my ex tonight!!” LOL.

The client ended up calling me a few weeks later to tell me that my makeup had completely changed her life. She said how she’d never felt so confident, she had a great night and got a ton of compliments on how gorgeous she looked. Then she told me how she’s been on a dating app for almost a year without any success, until she posted the photos I took of her. Now she’s getting 10 messages a day- and even met someone! She told me she had never felt so beautiful and thanked me for changing her life! I was so happy knowing that I helped her feel good and made her smile. I truly love my job!

What makeup look is most often requested from your clients?

Soft, natural glam with a modern smoky eye!

Bridal makeup applications by Megan

What is your favorite type of makeup to apply and why?

Editorial- Although I love doing bridal as well- Nothing compares to not having to follow the “rules” of traditional makeup for an editorial look. Especially when getting to design makeup based on an outfit or theme- the more creativity, the better!

What advice would you have given yourself 3 years ago when first starting your career?

Start de-potting as often as you can to save your back and space in your kit. It will make your job easier!! Don’t forget to massage your hands and wrists often. AND GET YOURSELF A TALL CHAIR AND RING LIGHT!!

Edited for grammar, content, and clarity.  APRIL 2022.

MEGACON ORLANDO – August 2021  We had the pleasure of being invited to MEGACON Orlando where we were given the opportunity to host two demonstration panels.  All weekend at our booth, we showcased live makeup applications done by both our team and our amazing alumni.  It was truly a great experience to meet with other like-minded horror and SFX fans here in Central Florida.

Our Modern Effects Instructor, Brian Mahoney, facilitated two demonstrations—a foam latex prosthetic application as well as an encapsulated silicone prosthetic application, all utilizing amazing professional makeup products from EBA Performance Makeup.  For the foam latex panel, Brian applied a foam latex werewolf prosthetic inspired by Rick Baker’s original makeup in the 1981 John Landis film, An American Werewolf in London.  In addition to this character, he created an encapsulated silicone prosthetic werewolf victim, paying homage to the character “Jack” from the same film.  After sculpting, molding, and casting the prosthetics at VAMP in the weeks leading up to MEGACON Brian applied, painted, and dressed his character creations at live panels and back at the VAMP booth. With the help of Nix and Heather on the mic to answer any questions, you could really see the transformation come to life!

In An American Werewolf in London, “Jack” falls victim to an attack from the werewolf.  To ensure his recreation makeup presented as realistically as possible, Brian completed the prosthetic in encapsulated silicone. By using plenty of texture and human anatomy for reference, Brian was able to achieve a hyper realism in the gnarly throat gash. For added gore, the prosthetic was painted to simulate torn tissue, cartilage, and severed muscles with a hefty amount of fake blood.

Tell the world a bit about yourself!

I’m a makeup artist graduate from VAMP 2018! My passion has always been film and when I was introduced into FX I knew that my job would be in the film world. I’ve also dabbled in writing and directing films as well. I’m originally from Orlando but have lived in lots of places including Albuquerque, Las Vegas, LA, DC and many of them twice! My life is crazy, and I love to travel.

From what program and when did you graduate from VAMP?

I attended and graduated from the Spring 2018 Modern Effects Makeup Artistry program.

What was your favorite thing to learn about while attending VAMP and why?

My favorite thing to learn was sculpting. I really didn’t think I was going to enjoy the sculpting process, but it proved to be very relaxing to me. I also loved that the makeup looks we are creating are LITERALLY started from a brick of clay.  The feeling of accomplishment you have when you make a whole mask from scratch, and then you finish it, is like “[WOW] I just did that?!?!”

How many production sets have you worked on? For what films?

I have probably worked on about 50 productions in my life as I was working in film before VAMP. Some of my most recent films that I’ve worked on are Netflix’s Army of the Dead, Wander, and The Marksman. You can see my full list of movies on IMDb https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4088451/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

What is a piece of advice you’d give to someone who is thinking about joining the SFX industry?

Do it RIGHT! Before going to VAMP, I had taken a film tech class and thought I knew all the makeup I needed to know from YouTube tutorials. It wasn’t until I took [the VAMP Modern Effects program] where my career really took off. I finally knew real techniques, using the airbrush etc. But not only that, I found out exactly how to get into the IATSE Union. I took every opportunity. Not only that, I always had my resume and portfolio and told them I was available for work. Don’t be catty in this industry. You must be friendly and fun to work with. People will choose the artists who are willing to learn, pleasant and easygoing to work with over talent anyway.

You never know when or where your next job is going to come from, so be nice to everyone. Most importantly, when you’re working on set, make sure your actor always feels comfortable, safe, and happy when they’re with you. I cannot stress this enough. If an actor has a bad time in your chair you set the tone for them the entire day, and possibly for the entire shoot. Be respectful of their thought process as well. Some actors want to chat and have fun, others need to completely focus in silence.

What is something in your kit that you didn’t think was necessary, but you end up using all the time?

LOL – Hair, wigs, and beards. Sometimes on smaller sets you have to help out with the hair department or even be the hair department as well.

Who is your favorite artist that inspires you the most and why?

Brian [VAMP’s Modern Effects instructor] is so knowledgeable and willing to help. [Also], I worked with Frank Perez who’s been in the industry for years and worked on the Goonies Sloth character. He taught me some great techniques and it is amazing how many ways there are to do certain things.

How do you seek out new job opportunities?

I put myself out there. I don’t sit around waiting for a job to call me, I reach out to Department Heads and Key Makeup Artists with my resume and portfolio to let them know I’m available. I reach out to any friends in the industry to see if they have any leads on jobs. I see what they’re working on and let them know that I’m available to be a Day Player if they need extra hands. I hustle.

What are you working on currently?

I just finished a movie called Fry Bread and I’m currently working on my art studio, getting it in shape to reopen after Covid and looking for my next big gig!

What do you geek-out about?

I geek out when I get onto huge sets and I get to work with makeup artists from around the US. [Netflix’s] Army of the Dead was INSANE. There were at least 20 artists just for the background characters, and then there were the artists in the trailers for the main zombies. I also geek out when I get a department head or key role. I LOVE it when I’m hired to make all the special effects and prosthetics for a film.

What would you say has been your greatest achievement thus far?

My greatest achievement was never giving up on myself. When I was at VAMP I was going through the hardest time in my life at home. I was so close to quitting with only 3 weeks left in class. Heather, the School Director, and Brian, my instructor, were so willing to help me get back on track and helped me find the strength to finish. Not only that, when I got my job at Universal Studios working Halloween Horror Nights, I was having a difficult time getting the vampires out in 25 min without them looking awful. One day I got to work and told myself “It’s sink or swim,” and that day I just figured it out and I swam.  (Editor’s Note: Heather was Hillary’s Lead at HHN that year!)

What advice do you wish you could give yourself 3 years ago?

Practice more on the airbrush, practice more at home, practice putting on prosthetics faster. JUST PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. Not only that, I wish I would have started practicing beauty makeup sooner and making a portfolio for beauty. FX is my passion but not every movie needs special effects, every movie does need beauty artists. I lost a department head job for a low budget feature film because my beauty portfolio wasn’t large enough and I didn’t have my IMDb up to date. Be as well rounded as possible while having your specialty.

Edited for grammar, content, and clarity. AUGUST 2021.

MAY 2021—Lifecasting is the process of creating a three-dimensional copy of a living human body, usually limited to a section of the body at a time, through the use of molding and casting techniques. After the students learn all there is to know about how to perform a life-cast they partner up and get to cast-away (pun intended). Hopefully no one is claustrophobic as it can get a little tight while waiting for the molds to set.

When all is completed, each student has a perfect replica of themselves and their partners to then start the process of sculpting their creations for future applications – both foam and silicone prosthetics.

*Fun fact; it has quickly turned into a tradition for current students to leave their discarded plaster face molds outside and around the facilities to leave their own mark for posterity. A little creepy? Yes, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

FEBRUARY 2020 — Raven Baker, Fall 2019 Modern Effects Makeup Artistry graduate, put in a lot of hard work and technique to bring her character to life on her model, Tony.   Her process included lifecasting her model, sculpting her creation, creating epoxy-fiberglass molds, and creating multiple encapsulated silicone prosthetics.

In addition to this she created a custom fit set of character dentures, as well as a rigid mask for her menacing phantom. All the learning, planning, creating, and applying took countless hours, but resulted in a stellar finished product for her final project in the program.  Way to go, Raven!

All of our students learn the how to create and apply silicone prosthetics in our Modern Effects Makeup Artistry program. For more information about our Modern Effects program, click here! Think you’re ready to take the plunge? Apply now!

This is Us, VAMP

We honestly aren’t sure where exactly to start with this, but it’s us, VAMP. Our love for makeup is far and wide and nearly outshines our love for buying things we don’t need from the clearance Halloween aisle at Walgreens. Do we start with our favorite types of brush cleaner? Our favorite makeup from a busted 80’s film? We don’t know, but I assume by the time I’m finished pulling things from my imaginary Freddy Krueger fedora that I’ll have something figured out and you will be back for more before you know it! Muahahaha!

We want to be the makeup school that takes learning the most crucial ins-and-outs of the industry and makes it fun. We want you to WANT to show up to class and try out new things. Creativity and art have no boundaries, and we are here to push you to be your weirdest, most creative self when you’re in our classrooms. You can run in a lot of different directions in this industry’s playing field, which can seem daunting at times but can also be very exciting. You wanna do makeup for a B-rated horror film? AWESOME. You wanna sell homemade sculpted crafts at your local county fair? AWESOME (…just make sure to grab some fried Oreo’s. ) We are here to help push you in the right direction and help you navigate the wild world of working in creative fields like makeup and fabrication.

So how have some of our students made out after taking our Modern Effects Makeup Artistry program, you ask? Well, we contacted one of our totally radical graduates, Victoria Fox, to see how things were going….

When did you graduate from VAMP?

I graduated July 2017(!)

What got you interested in the industry?

Watching the classic Universal monsters with my grandmother and hearing her stories of how they paid 5 cents to be terrified by Bela Lugosi still has a hold on me to this day. I was astounded to find out that making people look like monsters was an actual job! Growing up with Star Wars and E.T. also really got me interested in effects and creature design.

What was your favorite part of school?

My favorite part had to be sculpting in general. It was what I was most nervous about, having not done it much before, but I fell in love with it pretty quickly.

What was your least favorite part of school?

I would have to say mold making, solely because it’s kind of a one shot thing which I found very stressful. And ironically enough, that’s a large part of my job right now and I love it.

What was your most funny moment in school?

Hands down, it had to be our demo day for beards. I volunteered to be the model on the condition that Brian, our instructor, gave me a Gandalf scale beard. At the time I had pink tips on my hair so he even gave me a little pink tint to the beard. I kept it on for lunch time and went through the Krystal’s drive through with it on.

What do you feel was most beneficial to your career that you learned here?

As cliché as it sounds, I think the most valuable thing I learned is that I can do anything I set my mind to. My confidence level prior to attending VAMP wasn’t very high at all, but learning all that I did really gave me the push to go for the things I want.

Did you ever have to wear the class Dunce cap?

I pride myself in that I never had to wear the Dunce cap. I couldn’t believe it never happened!

What are you up to now?

I currently work for a scenic fabrication shop in Orlando called MAD Creative Fabrication. I’m also working on a lot of personal projects, the occasional makeup job, and I do a monthly makeup tutorial show, Blue Sky Beauty, for Attractions Magazine on YouTube.

What’s a typical day like for you at your job?

Our shop does carpentry, metal work, and fiberglass among many other things so as you can imagine, it can be pretty random. I’m currently working with the fiberglass department casting pieces in molds that we made a few weeks ago. It can be exhausting work but it’s so very rewarding.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 5 years I hope that I’ve mastered fiberglassing more fully, as well as carpentry and welding. I’ll be doing makeup more regularly on the side, ideally for a place like Universal. I also plan to have mastered programs like ZBrush and Blender for the purposes of character design.

What is you dream job in the industry?(…I mean it doesn’t have to be in the industry…)

My dream job would have to be working for Lucasfilm in some capacity. If that means working on makeup/masks for a movie, I’m there. If that means being a part of the creature design department, sculpting maquettes and generating characters through computer programs, I’m also there.

Are there any films with makeup effects that really spark your interest?

Of course, and I know I’m being repetitive here, Star Wars. Always Star Wars. Star Trek Beyond and Mad Max: Fury Road will always be full of infinite amounts of inspiration for me as well.

What is your favorite kind of ice cream?

Mint Chocolate Chip all the way.

Favorite brand of brushes for both FX and Beauty?

I had a giant array of brushes before school but I have to say the Bdellium Tools FX brushes VAMP has as part of its kit are the absolute best. For beauty, I’m a big fan of Crown Brushes.

What is a must have in your kit?

Qosmedix has these amazing small fine tipped disposable brushes that I use for so many different things. They’re very convenient, especially for tooth effects! I also invested in a cross body brush holder from crown brushes that is perfect for working on set.

Do you have any advice for new and aspiring artists in the industry?

Just DO IT! Don’t be afraid of failure or let the “what if’s” in your head stop you from trying. I wouldn’t have most of what I have going on if I didn’t take a chance.