Face Off, a new Syfy series, immediately caught my attention. I have been amazed, ever since I was a child, with the transforming capability of movie make-up. Syfy gives you the focus of the show in this quote,”Face Off is a competition/elimination series exploring the world of special-effects make-up artists and the unlimited imagination that allows them to create amazing works of living art.”

Now some of you are probably saying – what does this have to do with Graphic Design? In the first episode, the contestants go through a mini-challenge. In just two hours, they must create the face of a character incorporating materials found in the room – now it’s getting interesting! The designers use everything from peacock feathers, balloons, flowers and even pineapple leaves. Syfy says, “Not only will the show incorporate effects make-up, it will include a wide range of skill sets including prosthetics, 3-D design, sculpting, eye enhancers, casting and molding.” Now as graphic designers, we may not use casts and molds, prosthetics and sculpture in our everyday lives but who’s to say we can’t? As untraditional methods as they may be, think of how DIFFERENT and therefore EYE CATCHING these methods could be if incorporated into your design work. Now, obviously you cannot use a sculpture for a website but what about using photography of a sculpture instead of the spending hours looking through stock photography for the “perfect” picture (that has been used who knows how many times).

Using new and unique materials and techniques may not always be successful in design work but it gets the creative juices flowing. It allows for free-form thought, and that is the best medicine to get you out of your same old routine.

Tags: creative, creativity, inspiration, inspire, make-up, movie make-up, special effects, special effects make-up