Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1541402
50 • THE ARTISAN WINTER 2026 50 • THE ARTISAN WINTER 2026 created the first sets for Michael B. Jordan and Hailee Steinfeld's screen tests, and the results were astonishing. Sinners became the first film to feature this innovation, and by the end of the project, lenses were created for nearly every principal cast member, each with their own distinct color and design. Seeing those eyes glow back at you in the dark was both haunting and mesmerizing. e eyes of the vampires being settled, it was time to address their fangs. Coogler wanted something that was anchored in reality. So, Fontaine returned to the natural world for inspiration. With predatory animals once again the guide, they arrived at a design for the fangs that curved backward, like big hooks. ese vampires could latch onto their victims, and the result was these fangs would inflict some very distinct wounds that went far beyond the typical small puncture marks most commonly seen in other media. e next challenge was to develop designs for the wide assortment of character make-up required for the Juke Joint dance floor montage scenes that gave life to a diverse range of spiritual ancestors and descendants. Diaz told us that extensive research is always his most important first step when designing any make-up. Fortunately, Richards also believes in that, and she compiled many research images and multiple inspiration boards based on historical and natural world images before he started the project. Two-time Academy Award-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter also shared with Diaz her extensive collection of research images and walked him through the rows of costume choices she was considering for each of the montage's 24 characters. Diaz selected elements from both Richards and Carter's research, in addition to some of his own, when designing the make-up looks for the montage scene. Two of the more elaborate characters would be the traditional Chinese Opera Water Sleeves Dancer, and the Chinese literary character, the Monkey King. ree tests were done for the Water Sleeves Dancer make-up. e first test, Diaz used to determine the combination of make-up elements selected from the assorted research images to see what worked best with dancers, Winnie Mu's facial structure, and to determine which colors would best complement Ruth's costume choice. For the second test, they experimented with various foundations, cream and powder blushes, as well as different eyeliner angles and eyebrow shapes. And, for the third test, the design and products used were finalized, including a custom-made cream blusher, color-matched to the powder blusher to be applied on top. Make-up artist Alana Hogg worked with Diaz for the second and third tests. Diaz was extremely pleased with the results and delegated the application to Alana for the day of the shoot, thus freeing him up to oversee the looks of all the other montage's spirit make-up applications. During the early stages of production, Make-up Department Head assistant and artistically gied Local 706 member Ned Neidhardt, began preliminary designs for the Monkey King make-up working from Richards' research and inspiration boards using ProCreate. Over the dancer Alexander Huynh's headshot, Ned worked out the design elements that complement his facial features.