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Cosplay Make Up Tutorial: Cel-Shading/Comic Book

I bet you never thought you’d be seeing a make up tutorial here on AYBOnline. Well, I am ramping up for C4, BaseLAN and, like a lot of other people, Halloween. I thought I could offer some helpful make up tutorials to add that extra detail to your cosplay or costume this season.

1. Before & After

Photo 1. Before & After

First up is a look at a cel-shaded style make up. You can see how the lines change the shape and look of my face. You lose some of the illusion being close up to people, but for photos, it’s awesome. This would be best if your trying to replicate a comic book character popped right out of the pages, a character from the Borderlands series, or from an animated series like Archer. I won’t list any specific products I’m using, but I find for all the lines you will be doing for this tutorial, the best thing to use is a liquid eyeliner in a pen style with a felt tip, similar to a marker. It’s just like using a pen and makes smooth, dark lines.2. Sculpting

Photo 2. Sculpting

1. Use a foundation with heavy coverage matching your skin tone. You want your face to look flawless and uniform in color.

2. Take a bronzer and shade in the hollows of your cheeks, your jawline, your temples blending in towards the centre of your forehead, and along the sides and bottom of your nose. Basically anywhere your face sinks in or catches shadows, you’ll want to accentuate.
3. Take a pale, shimmery powder (I used a light beige eye shadow) and brush it along your cheek bones, your chin, nose, and eyebrows. You’re essentially highlighting to the places that stand out on your face, opposite from where you used the bronzer.
4. Take a big brush and blend everything, removing any harsh lines you left from the highlighter and bronzer. If you have a finishing powder, use it while you blend.
3. Face Lines

Photo 3. Face Lines

5. Take your liner and trace around the lines of your nose. This include the tip and the outside of the nostrils. Try not to trace right in the crease of the nostril as no one will really notice it.

6. Add lines to the curve of your chin and to the centre of your upper lip. Follow the curvature of the dip in your Cupid’s bow.
7. Back up to the nose, draw a line following the length of the side of your nose. It’s optional as to how long you make the line or if you break it up like I do. If you break it up a bit, like I do, it’s a little less harsh.
8. Get creative! Feel free to add scratches, dimples, scars, or moles.
9. Find the base of your cheekbone and follow that line to accent the hollow of your cheek. These don’t need to be completely anatomical, but try to make them even on both sides.
4. Eyebrows

Photo 4. Eyebrows

10. Take your liner pen and outline your eyebrows. Be sure to focus more on the widest part of your brow and less on the tail. It looks really weird to have your whole eyebrow lined all the way around. You can also get creative here with shapes or scars. Fill in your brows to help the lines blend in a little.

5. Eyes

Photo 5. Eyes

11. Use a primer on your eyes if you plan to wear this make up all day long. Sweep a neutral shade over your entire eyelid. I used the same eye shadow I used for the highlighter.
12. Line your top and bottom lash lines. For those that want a more feminine look, drag out the edge for a cattail like I did or wear your liner a little thicker.
13. Using a black eye shadow, blend a small amount into the inner and outer corners of your eyes.
14. Add wrinkles if you like, and finish with mascara.
6. Mouth

Photo 6. Mouth

15. Prime your lips or use some lip balm. Using a white powder, dab a bit on the centre of your lower lip.
16. Apply lip color to the rest of the lip, avoiding the area where you applied the white.
17. Using the eyeliner, line the lower edge of your bottom lip and the top edge of your top lip. Add any other creative flairs, if you like. I accentuate the corners of my mouth.
7. Finale

Photo 7. Finale

And there you have it! Some simple tips for this awesome make up style. Be sure to tune in next week for my next make up tutorial and let me know if there’s something you’d like me to tackle. I might just pick your idea for my column!

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