Pop art makeup is all the rage right now, especially when it comes to Halloween parties, comic book conventions, cosplay contents, and so on.
Getting a pop art makeup and costume is not always easy feat, but we thought we could make things simpler and more entertaining for you today.
We have gathered a bunch of pop art makeup experts who will talk to you about pop art makeup products and show you how to achieve gorgeous looks.
Here are the six pop art makeup tutorials we recommend today!
1. Pop Art Makeup Tutorial: Lips – by Jordan Hanz
Pop art makeup guru Jordan Hanz offers you a quick but comprehensive guide on how to achieve those 2D lips, which are the foundation of any pop art/comic book/Halloween makeup.
You should begin with clean lips and your favorite liquid lipstick and take it from there.
Jordan will be there for you every step of the way.
2. Carnival Face Painting Andy Warhol Style – by Claire Dim
Claire Dim finds inspiration in the art of Andy Warhol or Roy Lichtenstein and she achieves intricate, complex, and gorgeous pop art makeup you can take to any Comic Con, Halloween party, theme party, and so on.
From the very foundation to the last Andy Warhol-style fine art details, Claire Dim will help you turn into a gorgeous cartoon – and the heart of the party!
3. Comic Book Makeup Tutorial – by Emma Pickles
This Roy Lichtenstein-inspired comic book makeup by Emma Pickles is not difficult to achieve if you follow her instructions systematically and use the recommended products.
You have all the products listed in the description of the video. Follow Emma Pickles’ comic book makeup tutorial and impress everybody at the next theme party, carnival, or comic book convention!
4. Four-Different Ways Shiny Comic Book Girl Makeup Tutorial – by Madeyewlook
Madeyewlook has dozens of tutorials for pop art makeup, comic book makeup, and even geek-related makeup (we particularly love the Pickle Rick one).
Thus, she is your go-to source if you want to achieve something different all the way. You can get the Shiny Comic Book girl makeup in four different manners and Madeyewlook takes you every step of the way.
The products used are listed in the video description.
5. Easy Pop Art Makeup Tutorial for Halloween – by Fabulous Hannah
Hannah is not much into scary Halloween costumes and makeup. Therefore, she chose a pop art makeup last year for this celebration.
She recommends affordable products while teaching you how to achieve a true Warhol-inspired face paint to turn you in the star of the party (not too scary, but not too girly either, according to Fabulous Hannah).
The list of products is clearly described in the video description. And the procedure is easy enough to achieve the makeup even if you are not a cosplay guru.
6. Comic Book Makeup Male Tutorial – by Wesley Benjamin Carter
Let us not forget that plenty of men love a good geek convention, cosplay parades and contests, comic book conventions and events and parties with video game themes.
So why don’t we get a comic book makeup male tutorial? Wesley Benjamin Carter does an amazing job with his male pop art makeup tutorial, which – we are sure – will inspire an entire generation of geeks and comic book lovers.
The products are listed in the video description and Wesley’s guidelines make everything so easy!
What is your favorite pop art makeup tutorial in this list? Which is the one you are going to try next?
Pop Art Makeup Tips and Tricks
I’ve always loved makeup that allows me to have a little fun, and pop art makeup has to be one of the most entertaining looks to experiment with.
Instead of trying to make my makeup look completely natural, pop art lets me do the exact opposite. I can exaggerate my features, play with bold colors, draw graphic lines across my face and even create the illusion that I’ve stepped straight out of a comic book.
The great thing is that I don’t need to be a professional makeup artist to have a go. With some colorful makeup, black eyeliner and a little patience, I can create a surprisingly convincing pop art look.
So, if you’re ready to embrace your inner comic-book character, here are my favorite pop art makeup tips and tricks.
1. What Is Pop Art Makeup?
Pop art makeup is inspired by the bold, graphic appearance of pop art and comic books.
Think:
Bright primary colors
Heavy black outlines
Dramatic eyelashes
Exaggerated facial features
White highlights
Comic-style dots
Strong blocks of color
Graphic eyeliner
Painted shadows
Cartoon-like lips
One of the most recognizable versions of the trend is the comic book makeup look, where black lines are strategically painted around the eyes, nose, lips and cheekbones.
The result can be wonderfully dramatic.
And the beauty of it is that there isn’t really one correct way to do it.
2. Start With a Good Base
Before I get carried away with the fun stuff, I like to create a reasonably smooth base.
Cleanse and moisturize first, then apply your normal makeup primer if you use one.
For pop art makeup, I prefer a fairly matte or satin-looking complexion because it gives the colors and graphic lines something clean to sit against.
I’d avoid going too heavy with foundation, though.
Pop art is about the drawn details, not creating a thick layer of makeup.
Keep Your Base Fairly Simple
I usually think of the face as my blank canvas.
A foundation or skin tint can even out the complexion, followed by a little concealer where needed.
Then I’ll set it lightly with powder.
You don’t necessarily need elaborate contouring because we’re going to create some of the shadows ourselves later.
3. Don’t Forget Your Brows
Your eyebrows can disappear underneath all the colorful makeup if you don’t define them.
I like to give mine a little extra structure using a brow pencil or pomade.
For a more cartoon-like effect, I can make the brows slightly stronger and more defined than I normally would.
But I still want them to look intentional rather than simply overdrawn.
4. Go Bold With Your Eyeshadow
This is where the fun really starts.
Pop art makeup is the perfect excuse to reach for the colors I wouldn’t necessarily wear every day.
Try:
Bright blue
Electric yellow
Vivid pink
Strong purple
Orange
Turquoise
Bright red
I like applying a bold shade across the eyelid and blending it just enough to keep the edges neat.
You don’t necessarily need five different eyeshadow colors.
One strong color can be incredibly effective.
5. Black Eyeliner Is Your Best Friend
If I were allowed to take only one product into a pop art makeup challenge, I’d probably choose black liquid eyeliner.
Black lines are what give the look its unmistakable comic-book appearance.
I use eyeliner to emphasize:
Upper lash line
Lower lash line
Outer corners
Crease
Brow area
Nose
Lips
Cheekbones
The trick is to make the lines deliberate.
Don’t worry if they’re slightly thicker than your everyday eyeliner.
That’s the point!
6. Try a Graphic Eye
Instead of simply lining the upper lashes, draw a strong graphic line above the crease.
You can create a dramatic wing and then add another black line following the shape of your eye.
This instantly makes the makeup look more illustrated.
7. Add the Comic-Book Dots
This is probably my favorite part.
Those little dots are what can take a colorful makeup look and turn it into something that looks like a printed comic illustration.
You can use a small brush, dotting tool or even the rounded end of a makeup brush.
Create rows of small dots on areas such as:
Cheeks
Forehead
Around the eyes
Temples
Along the jaw
You can make them all one color or experiment with contrasting shades.
My trick for even dots
I find it easier to start with tiny dots and gradually build them up.
If I immediately try to make huge, perfect circles, I’m much more likely to end up with blobs!
8. Make Your Lips Look Cartoonish
Pop art lips are definitely not subtle.
I like using a bright red, hot pink or orange lipstick.
Then I outline the entire lip shape with black eyeliner or a black face paint product.
Yes, it looks slightly crazy while I’m doing it.
That’s how I know I’m getting somewhere!
You can make the lips look even more illustrated by adding a black line through the center or creating exaggerated corners.
9. Add White Highlights
This is another essential pop art trick.
A small amount of white face paint or cosmetic-grade white liner can create the appearance of reflected light.
Add little white marks to:
Lips
Cheekbones
Tip of the nose
Eyelids
Under the eyes
One of my favorite tricks is adding two or three small white dots to the lips.
Suddenly they look glossy and cartoon-like without actually needing lip gloss.
10. Use Cosmetic Products Designed for Skin
This is important.
I’d use cosmetic-grade white face paint or eyeliner rather than grabbing an ordinary art marker or paint.
Not everything that’s safe for paper is safe for your face or around your eyes.
11. Draw Your Facial Shadows
Here’s where I can really start playing with the comic-book illusion.
Instead of using ordinary contour powder, use black or dark-colored face paint to create exaggerated lines beneath the cheekbones.
You can also draw:
Lines beside the nose
A line under the lower lip
Small curves around the chin
Lines beneath the eyebrows
Dramatic cheekbone outlines
Then soften or leave them graphic depending on the effect you’re after.
12. Less Is Sometimes More
It can be tempting to draw black lines absolutely everywhere.
I’ve done it!
But if every part of the face has the same amount of detail, the overall look can become messy.
I prefer choosing a few areas to emphasize strongly and keeping the rest relatively clean.
13. Create Fake Tears or Sweat
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can add little illustrated lines beneath the eyes.
White or pale blue lines can create the appearance of cartoon tears.
Alternatively, use white highlights around the eyes to give your character an exaggerated emotional expression.
This is particularly fun if you’re dressing up for Halloween or a costume party.
14. Experiment With Colored Eyeliner
Black doesn’t have to be your only graphic color.
Try using:
Blue
Pink
Purple
White
Yellow
A bright blue graphic line over a yellow eyelid can look amazing.
You can also outline one eye in black and the other in a different color if you’re deliberately going for an unconventional look.
15. Don’t Forget the Neck
This depends on how dramatic your costume is.
If your face looks like a comic illustration but your neck is completely natural, the effect can stop abruptly.
You can extend a few graphic lines onto the neck or add colorful blocks of makeup.
You don’t have to cover your entire neck.
Just a few carefully placed details can help the look feel more cohesive.
16. Add Dramatic Lashes
False eyelashes can make the eyes look enormous and cartoon-like.
Look for lashes that are:
Very long
Thick
Dramatic
Spiky
Extra-full at the outer corners
Or simply apply several coats of volumizing mascara.
If you’re creating a character rather than trying to make a wearable makeup look, don’t be afraid to go big.
17. Use Face Paint for Large Areas
If you’re coloring large sections of your face, I’d use proper cosmetic face paint rather than trying to make ordinary lipstick or eyeshadow do all the work.
Face paint can give you stronger pigmentation and a more consistent finish.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and use products intended for cosmetic application.
A Simple Pop Art Makeup Routine
If I were doing the look from scratch, this is the order I’d use:
1. Prep the skin.
Moisturize and apply primer if desired.
2. Create your base.
Apply foundation and concealer, then lightly powder.
3. Define the brows.
Make them slightly stronger than normal.
4. Apply colorful eyeshadow.
Choose one or two vivid shades.
5. Create bold eyeliner.
Make the eyes larger and more graphic.
6. Add dramatic lashes.
Use mascara or false lashes.
7. Draw the black outlines.
Emphasize your eyes, nose, lips and cheekbones.
8. Add colored dots.
Create the classic comic-book texture.
9. Paint the lips.
Use a vivid shade and outline them dramatically.
10. Add white highlights.
Place tiny marks where you want reflected light.
11. Take a photograph.
This is important because some details that look enormous in your mirror can appear much subtler in photographs.
My Favorite Pop Art Makeup Color Combinations
If I’m stuck for inspiration, I like starting with classic combinations.
Red + Yellow + Blue
This gives the most traditional comic-book feel.
Pink + Purple + White
A little softer and incredibly cute.
Blue + Orange + Black
Very dramatic and great for photographs.
Yellow + Red + Black
Bright, bold and wonderfully retro.
Green + Pink + Purple
For something more unusual and playful.
Pop Art Makeup Tips for Beginners
If you’re trying this for the first time, don’t attempt the most complicated design you’ve ever seen on Instagram.
Start small.
Try a bright eye, bold lips, black outlines and a few dots.
Once you’ve got the basic technique down, start adding more details.
And remember:
It doesn’t have to be perfect.
In fact, some of the slightly imperfect hand-drawn details can make the look feel more like an illustration.
How to Make Pop Art Makeup Last
If I’m wearing this look to a party or event, I want it to survive more than 20 minutes!
I’d start with a good primer and use products designed for long wear.
After finishing the makeup, a suitable setting spray can help everything stay in place.
Be particularly careful with areas around the eyes and mouth, where movement can cause graphic lines to crack or smudge.
If you’re going somewhere warm, carrying a few cotton buds and your main eyeliner can be useful for little emergency repairs.
My Final Pop Art Makeup Tips
Pop art makeup is one of those trends where I think it’s much more fun to experiment than obsess over perfection.
The basic ingredients are surprisingly simple:
Bold color + black outlines + graphic shapes + white highlights + comic-book dots.
From there, I can make the look as simple or as elaborate as I want.
I can create a cute, wearable pop-art-inspired eye or go completely over the top and transform my entire face into a comic-book character.
And that’s exactly why I love it.
My biggest tip? Don’t be afraid to exaggerate.
Make the eyeliner thicker. Make the lashes bigger. Make the lips brighter. Add those ridiculous little white highlights.
Pop art makeup isn’t supposed to look like everyday makeup.
It’s supposed to look like you’ve stepped out of the page of a comic book — and that’s where the fun begins.
