My name is Liz. I studied in IPF at LCF and then graduated to special effects makeup major at LCF.
background:
Preparatory course: international preparation for fashion (ipf)
Undergraduate: BA hair makeup and prosthetics for performance
Q: Introduction to ipf
A: After graduating from high school, I applied for LCF’s undergraduate major. However, because my portfolio was not fully prepared, the interviewer at Lunyi’s Beijing office recommended me to study at IPF for one year. The IPF course is divided into three semesters. In the first semester, you will study all three pathways: fashion, media and business, as well as language courses. In the second semester, you will be asked to choose two pathways you like more. I chose fashion and media. In the last semester, you will focus on one pathway. I have always liked movies/images, so I chose media. The teacher of Media is called mandeep. He is a very humorous little man. Under his leadership, you will really feel that your thinking has been broadened. Just like clothes, media has a strong ability to carry language.
What impressed me deeply in the Media course is that we will make zine, which is a mini version of magazine. You can put anything you like in it, but you must express your inspiration. I love this part.
At the same time, I also made many friends in ipf. Five years later, we still keep in touch/make appointments to hang out together.
LCF has two preparatory courses. The campus where IPF is located is on Mare Street, in East London, where subcultures gather. This campus mainly serves LPF.
Q: Why choose hmupp?
A: I have always been interested in makeup and applied for the makeup major when I graduated from high school. LCF has two makeup majors, one is more focused on fashion, and the other is my major, hmupp, which is more focused on theater. There are a lot more things to learn. When you submit your graduation project at ipf, there will be a one-on-one tutorial session with the teachers. The teachers will help you choose the major that best suits you. I'm very glad that I took my teacher's advice and learned special effects makeup. This major is relatively niche, and I was the only Chinese in my class.
Q: Introduction to hmupp
A: Hmupp is affiliated to the theater department. During the course, we will continue to collaborate with costume and prop majors. Our homework is very interesting. We will give you a script. After reading it, choose 1-2 characters that you are interested in and realize them. For example, for my graduation project, I chose "The Three-Body Problem" as the script, and then embodied Tomoko.
The campus of this major is in lime grove, in west London near shepherds bush. It is quiet and safe to live in the surrounding area. There are also some nice houses and a large shopping mall called Westfield, where you can eat, drink and have fun.
Q: Personal feelings
A: I really enjoy the three-year course. We will learn wig making, prosthesis making, stage makeup, and sometimes we have to move plaster/fiberglass like decoration workers. Overall it is a very practical course. There is no need to worry about employment after graduation. The relationship between classmates is very harmonious, because everyone often needs to help each other.
Q: Currently employed
A: I think one of the advantages of hmupp is that I have sufficient professional knowledge. I can join the crew at any time, and I can also take on fashion shooting. Unlike fashion design, you can already make money when you enter this major. Makeup artist is not a very valued profession in China, but here, it is a very important part in both the film and television industry and the fashion industry.
Currently, most of the jobs I receive are in the fashion category, and my work has been featured in Vogue Italia and iD. I participate in London Fashion Week every year and I also style some celebrities who come to London to work. I just got back from a set in Oxford three days ago. Since I'm still studying for my master's degree, I work about four days a week.
Q: Overall experience of studying at lcf
A: My four years at LCF were the happiest years for me. The teachers I met were all very responsible. And because I work in a profession with few Chinese people, my introverted personality has been tempered, because makeup artists need to constantly communicate with everyone. These four years have laid some foundations for me to enter the society now.