Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1538122
36 • THE ARTISAN FALL 2025 The bigger realization was that every shape, every non-shape (dead space), every direction, every connection, and every placement on the body meant something profound. None of this was controlled by simply looking cool or having your favorite fan art needled into your skin. We were the gatekeepers of designs representing hundreds of years of ancestry that still lives on to this day. Dick Cherry, who has been with Tinsley Studios for more than 12 years, and I spent months studying and drawing patterns, shapes, and layouts. We presented these designs to Keone so he could further our education and steer the ship accordingly. Once we had Keone's blessings on a design, we were able to move forward with execution. Connected to this challenge was maintaining consistent skin quality and a uniform level of tan across all actors, both principal and background. Knowing that almost 100% of the actors would have some form of existing tattoos that we already expected to be incorrect, we had to devise a method to quickly cover these existing tattoos, add color, and then apply our historically accurate tattoo appliques to the surface. If you have ever covered a full-body tattoo, you know that this can be a somewhat long and slightly involved process, in addition to then applying half a body of new tattoos. When faced with doing this on 150 people every day, the anticipation can be overwhelming. For this, I developed a make-up cream that could be quickly spread over the body while wearing gloves, providing a warm-toned foundation. The cream make-up was highly dense in color and could cover dark tattoos in one pass. Once dry, the tattoo appliques could be applied and would adhere securely to the surface. The inherent qualities of the make-up allowed it to stay on throughout the day, being rub-resistant and water-resistant. With a few extra passes of color, if necessary, to allow for some natural breakup and texture, we were able to process actors with very short turnaround times and with very little to no spraying. The weight of this show was palpable from the very beginning. It felt heavy because there were no shortcuts. This was the first time a story of this magnitude was being told on such a grand scale, involving hundreds of background actors daily, alongside a principal cast of 10-15. This project demanded a make-up department that functioned on an entirely different level than typical productions. My initial conversation with production immediately focused on