Double-sided artist: the transformation from a makeup artist to a handmade fake beard craftsman
In the makeup room of a film and television crew, I am a makeup artist racing against time, using brushes and special effects materials to shape the soul of the character; and under the light of the workbench, I am a craftsman with crochet and silk thread, weaving each strand of fake beard into a warm work of art.
These two identities seem to be different, but they are intertwined because of the ultimate pursuit of "realism" - whether it is the perfect makeup of the actors in front of the camera or every hand-crocheted beard, it requires the same patience and ingenuity.
My story began with my career as a makeup artist on the crew. On the set, I often make wigs and beards for the crew actors, but the finished beards or wigs on the market are often stiff and rigid, and cannot meet the personalized needs of the characters. By chance, I tried to make a pair of beards by hand with a crochet hook. The director was amazed at its naturalness comparable to special effects makeup, which made me realize that crocheting fake beards is not only a technology, but also an art that can fill the gap in the market.
Hand-crocheted fake beards are a nearly lost art. Unlike industrially produced assembly line products, each piece needs to be tailored to the role setting: the literati in historical dramas need sparse and flowing goatees, while the dwarves in fantasy dramas need thick and rough beards. I use high-quality artificial hand-made hair to crochet one stitch at a time, ensuring that the curvature and density of each beard fit the actor's facial contour. Each piece is infused with the soul of handwork.