Wannabe makeup maestros rejoice - earlier this month, we reported that legendary makeup artist, Val Garland was opening the (virtual) doors to her world with a new online school of artistry. Well now, the news gets even better - Val and her team have announced that there will be some guest lecturers , in the form of Nick Knight, Vivienne Westwood, Ismaya Ffrench and the team behind NARS. That makes for one seriously impressive line-up, as tuition with any one of that team alone would be hard to come by, let alone all of them plus Val. Val is responsible for countless fashion magazine covers, as well as more celebrity beauty looks than you've had hot dinners, including Lady GaGa's space-age prosthetic cheekbones. A legend for over two decades, Val's career spans from the supers of the 90s to modern-day starlets, and she's a Fashion Week backstage staple.
Now, in partnership with online academy, Mastered, she's created an exclusive programme that students can enrol in to learn what Val describes as 'the 0ther 70% of the industry', as she notes that actual makeup application is only 30% of a job. This extra portion, Val told Allure magazine, will be, '[Getting] an insider’s knowledge of how to respond to a brief, how to work with photographers and stylists, where you are in the pecking order on set. I’ll share secrets about what to do when a model's late and you've got ten minutes before she has to be on set, to understand how to develop a relationship with a designer and appreciate their vision." As you may have guessed, novices need not apply - "This course isn't about showing you how to put on eyeliner, the best way to apply a lip, or how to choose foundation", Val cautioned. It's a course for existing artists to hone their craft and learn how to stand out from the rest of the pack.
In terms of format, there will be Q&A sessions for students with Val, as well as an area for students to upload looks they've created and gain feedback, as well video lessons and written content. If this tickles your fancy, here's what Val is after: "We want to find people who are committed and will make the best of the course, people who are truly passionate and are going to use this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We will be analyzing their career choices so far to see if they are really stretching themselves and growing creatively as a person. We want people who stand out from the crowd.”