BYU Class Challenges Students to Reimagine Characters and Push Creative Limits
In a classroom filled with palettes, wigs and latex prosthetics, Brigham Young University students are learning the intricacies of makeup design.
The Theatre and Media Arts Department’s TMA 367 Makeup Design course, taught by adjunct professor and professional artist Jennine Hollingshaus, gives students the chance to merge technical skill with creative vision. “Students design and apply makeup for a variety of characters including historical looks, everyday characters, villains and stylized interpretations,” Hollingshaus said. “It’s a flipped classroom style, so the hands-on work happens in class while the preparation happens outside.”
The course culminates in projects that push imagination to its limits. Past students have reimagined Shakespeare’s Prospero from “The Tempest” as everything from a candy king to a space alien. “It has been so fun to see the creative interpretations of the same character,” Hollingshaus said. “But my favorite moments are when students look at their projects and say, ‘Wow, I really did something cool!’”
For many students, the course is a blend of challenge and transformation. Maitlyn Wright, a junior majoring in theatre arts studies, said the class built on everything she had learned before. “I’ve taken all of the makeup classes that BYU has to offer, some of them more than once,” she said. “As the difficulty increases, you are expected to come to class knowing exactly what to do. Obviously, you may not know exactly how to do it, but you should come prepared knowing at least what you’re going to attempt.”
Hollingshaus brings her own wealth of industry experience to the classroom. A farm girl from southern Alberta turned professional makeup designer, she has worked in Seattle, Minneapolis and Utah in TV, film and theater. Since 2013, she has been the key makeup artist and special effects designer for BYUtv’s Studio C, creating everything from elaborate prosthetics to custom wigs. She also continues to freelance, with credits in commercial and stage productions across the United States.
Her professional background shapes how she prepares students for their own careers. “Students gain a strong base in design, storytelling and character creation,” she said. “They also learn industry professionalism. Things like organization, paperwork and collaboration are key in this work. That gives them an edge over others who focus only on technique.”
But the course isn’t easy. Many students come in expecting step-by-step instruction and are surprised to find they must arrive prepared, having researched styles and practiced techniques on their own. Hollingshaus said the shift can be difficult, but ultimately empowering. “The growth that I have seen when these same students rise to the challenge and own their learning is inspiring,” she said.
The emphasis on creativity also helps students see makeup design as a spiritual as well as artistic pursuit. “You must be okay with learning,” Hollingshaus said. “Don’t give up on yourself. Remember that you are endowed with power by a Heavenly Father who is the great Creator and wants you to succeed in creating important stories and designs of beauty.”
For students like Wright, that message sticks. “It felt really good to be able to create something totally from scratch that I could use,” she said. “This class pushed me, but it also showed me that I’m capable of so much more than I thought.”
As Hollingshaus puts it, the ultimate goal is empowerment. “My hope is that students feel capable and creative after leaving this course,” she said. “I want them to feel prepared for opportunities both inside and outside the university, and to create working environments that are positive, uplifting and supportive.”