Andrew Gallimore Make-Up Artist.

beauty
6/9/2008

Andrew Gallimore - Make-Up Genius.


by Richard Mortimer


London has something of a reputation when it comes to nurturing creative talent, and make-up artist Andrew Gallimore has talent by the bucketload. Ponystep caught up with the maverick and got the lowdown on everything from Manchester and Manson, to working on Corrie...
“Make-up has always inspired me. I didn’t know it was what I would end up doing but it has always fascinated me. I was studying ‘Interactive Arts’ at Manchester Met., which was essentially a mixed-media fine art course. People were doing all sorts; music, graphics, sculpture. I started doing bits of fashion, then I tried my hand at illustration, then painting and finally, towards the end of the first year, make-up.

Make-up wasn’t really part of the course, but I passed it off as my ‘medium’!!! Over the summer between the first and second year, some friends were putting on a club night with a mini fashion show and I was really envious of this hive of activity and energy, and I was desperate to get involved. They needed help with hair and make-up, and I just threw myself in at the deep end! I didn’t have a clue… I just treated it as I would my ‘art’ – using brushes I would normally paint with, and the only make-up I had was fancy dress clown stuff, in black, white and red. Surprisingly, it ended up looking great! From that day, I have always approached my work with the eye of a painter.

I made my move from Manchester to London 8 years ago to seek my fortune! I felt I had to move, as it would be the only way I could really do what I wanted to do. I owe much of my success to Sharon Dowsett. She really helped me break into the industry. It was a strange meeting really; my dissertation subject was ‘make-up as an art form’. I wanted quotes from pioneering make-up artists who were really pushing the boundaries. The ones that were really inspiring me back then were Sharon [Dowsett], Pat [McGrath] and Val [Garland]. I didn’t have any idea how to get in touch so I just got a copy of i-D and faxed the fashion editor asking for help. He replied with a long list of agency contacts, which was amazing. The fashion editor was Edward Enninful. It’s really funny to think how naïve I was then!

I then started to slowly build a good working relationship with Sharon. These were pre-Internet days, and we would photocopy and fax each other ideas. We just bounced off of each other. I don’t know what I would have done if I were still in Manchester – I’d probably be working at Granada Studios! As fun as it sounds, I think there would come a point when it gets quite boring caking up Liz McDonald, day in, day out!!!

After doing a few sporadic jobs with Sharon, a big shoot came up for Dazed. She asked me if I would help out, then by the second day, she asked if I would become her first assistant. I worked as her first assistant for 4 years. She always encouraged me to do my own work, and assisting is THE best way to network. You meet all the right people in the industry! Its funny, a lot of the people I work with now I met when we were all assisting! 

I was surprised how quickly things got moving once I decided to go it alone. I have been lucky enough to do so many amazing things – Marilyn Manson and Dita Von Teese in the back of a caravan was a particular highlight. I also LOVE doing the shows – its like bootcamp! I love the whole process. The fittings, the feel of it, seeing what the stylist wants from it - banging out some looks and then making twenty girls look all the same. Its so different to working on a shoot – it really keeps me on my toes!

At the moment I really respect the work of Alex Box, Terry Barber at MAC and of course, everyone at CLM! Its funny, I don’t really meet other make-up artists – its always photographers and hair stylists as you can expect. MAC have been a huge support and always encouraged me - that’s how I met Terry Barber. They are really good ambassadors for anything creative – they really push new talent.”


Andrew Gallimore is represented by CLM. 

www.clmuk.com

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