The great secret of the entire illusion is the art of making up
properly.
For a Mexican, or a Gipsy, the face should be reddened with vermilion,
the eyebrows made heavy and extremely black, heavy lines drawn under
the lower lashes of each eye, a line should be placed between the two
brows, and a rigid one from the corners of the lips. A wig with short
hair in front, and long, flowing locks behind, completes the make-up.
For old age, whiten the face with drop chalk, draw the “crow’s feet”
around the eyes and mouth with a camel’s hair pencil and India ink,
wrinkle the brow, and placing the pencil in the furrows, draw them
from temple to temple. The eyebrows should be chalked, and the upper
eyelids reddened considerably, although, be governed in all cases by
the nearness of your audience and the brightness of the lights. If a
white or gray wig is not to be gotten, chalk the hair in lieu, taking
care to wash it thoroughly after the performance. For grief, the
make-up is much the same as the former, with the cheeks sunken by a
slight application of burnt cork.
Mustaches and beards may be made of crape hair, to be bought of any wig
maker, and stuck on by an application of pulverized gum-arabic; or, on
the other hand, they may be deftly drawn before a glass, by a camel’s
hair pencil and a piece of India ink. Negroes should be made up with
burnt cork and glycerine, taking care to draw out the lips and eyes
before filling in.
To make what is termed a “pug nose,” blacken the sides, which gives the
appearance of an enlarged nostril and a decided upward turn.
To show the loss of teeth cover them with black wax, and from the
auditorium they will appear missing.
To enlarge the nose, or flatten the cheeks, gum on pieces of cotton
batting, and redden with vermilion.
In making up nicely, do not whiten the face _too much_, and blend the
colors neatly from the eyes to the cheeks by means of a hare’s foot, or
a “chalk rag.”
The true and legitimate way of making up is to study character,
that is, seek out a person like whom you wish to make up, mark down
the wrinkles, etc., and then spend a short time before your glass
practicing until you are perfect.
This will prove the surest and the truest teacher.