Patrick Eichler is a dear former colleague of mine, who has recently embarked on something quite exciting professionally. When I heard about COLOR CRAFT I thought it would be a great idea to interview Patrick and let him tell me how everything brought him to where he is today:
SS: Have you always been a creative person?
PE: From an early age, like five, I’ve drawn and painted then later went to art school. Total nerd. And I was always interested in fashion. I had a subscription to Vogue at ten.
SS: I was buying Vogue when I was around the same age too.
PE: I was very interested in the “salons” of the early part of the last century where artists like Man Ray and Cocteau would collaborate with designers like Schiaparelli and Chanel. I feel like these relationships keep things exciting and fresh. My best makeup work has always been as a result of a collaboration whether with a stylist, designer, photographer or artist.
SS: I know people always ask artist’s this question and it can be a tricky one to answer, but what inspires you creatively make up or otherwise?
PE: Inspiration is a hard one to pin down because it could be from anywhere. The street, magazines, photographic books…makeup artists that I work with. I do try to keep my inspiration from “lower on the chain” so to speak so that my work doesn’t get too appropriative. I love museums!
SS: I love cities that have fabulous museums especially since I live in a city that is lacking in this area. I try to visit at least one gallery or museum in every city I vacation in.
PE: I’ve often wondered if I could ever live in a place with no museums. In San Francisco we’re lucky to have all these great places to see art from every time period but I still stop at The Smithsonian when I’m in New York to see it all but particularly the Vermeer paintings. Perhaps one day I can make real skin look as beautiful as his painted portraits.
SS: So let’s talk makeup…when did you start doing makeup?
PE: I started working as the receptionist in a punk-y hair salon when I was 18 called “Curl Up & Dye” that retailed makeup.
SS: I think it’s so funny when the name of a hair salon is a play on words. I did make up at a salon called “Live to Dye” in Edmonton.
PE: It was 1986 so the color we used was pretty intense and fun. I couldn’t keep my hands out of it! We did photo shoots for the salon and everybody was doing hair so I kind of filled in as the makeup guy. My first paid job was for an Australian artist named Tracy Moffat who was doing an artist in residence gig in San Antonio, where I’m from. It was a photographic series called “Guapa” and the women in the photos were roller derby girls so I got to do blood and bruises but with pink lipstick. Kind of a dream actually!
SS: Was that when you realized-this is it I’m a make up artist?
PE: I canʼt say I was a true makeup artist until I started working with Francis Hathaway in New York. She is a makeup artistʼs makeup artist with incredible range. Sheʼs the one who showed me how to think and see like a makeup artist. Really brilliant.
SS: Yes I agree she is amazing, and from Canada as well.
SS: I always like to look in other make up artists kits what would I find in yours?
PE: Iʼm kind of concealer obsessed…I have like, six different kinds in my kit which is crazy. I think of them as full coverage foundations and blend, blend, blend. My favorite is from Kett.
SS: Really that’s interesting, I’ve not heard of that brand. I’ll have to check it out.
PE: The coverage is perfect and looks like real skin. I think the MAC Sculpt and Shape highlight and contour powders are fantastic. I use them for everything! And of course Touche Eclat from YSL. Is there anyone who doesnʼt use it?
SS: Don’t leave home without it!
SS: Ok, most memorable career moments.
PE: So many! But probably the worst was when I showed up to job with a very high profile celebrity and discovered that somehow my brushes didnʼt make it with me from my earlier job. PANIC!
SS: I would die. Literally die.
PE: I kept my cool, the last thing you want to do is make a new client uncomfortable, and I did the entire makeup with sponges, mascara wands, and of course my fingers. My objective was to make her think that was how I always worked.Well, it worked, thank God. I learned a great lesson from that experience. Because I was working out of my comfort zone I had to really think about what I was doing, instead of going into what I call “makeup auto-pilot” and I feel like this made the makeup that much better.
SS: Wow! A true professional.
PE: There was one real validation moment when I was doing a showroom event for Oscar de la Renta. Andre Leon Talley was styling with Oscar as he does often, and I went to the fitting to design the look. We walked the clothes with Andre and Oscar and discussed the idea behind the collection then went to work on the girl. When we were done we took the girl in and they loved it, which is so rare to have no changes to make. But it was what they said that took me over the moon. Oscar said the makeup was beautiful and Andre replied: “Itʼs genius.” It took me years to come down off of that cloud!
SS: Fantastic! It’s things like that make all the difference when you’re schlepping your kit from test to show and back again.
SS: What’s your favourite city to do shows?
PE: Paris. So much fun! I find the makeup to be more ethereal, and of course the delicious food- scrumptious.
SS: Yes Paris is brilliant. That’s where I’m heading this upcoming season. I can’t wait.
SS: Tell me about COLOR CRAFT.
PE: Throughout my career I have been asked so many times “how do I become a makeup artist?” or “where can I learn how to apply makeup?”One has two options really: To go to a makeup school, which I feel can be a great option especially for film and television makeup or to assist a really good makeup artist which is probably a better route if you want to learn beauty and fashion makeup. But makeup schools can be very expensive and take quite a bit of your time and what if you donʼt want to learn FX makeup? Assisting gigs are hard to come by and for the most part donʼt pay enough to live on. So COLORCRAFT was to be the answer to that question. We wanted to make makeup artist education accessible. Weʼve structured the masterclasses and workshops to be taken a la carte so you only learn what you want and at a level appropriate to your needs.
SS: In the words of Andre Leon Tally-”It’s genius”
PE: What I think is going to prove to be our long term benefit is that our classes are designed to teach attendees how to “think” and “see” like a makeup artist so that their knowledge and skills grow exponentially after they leave the training environment. Weʼre not just handing them a look on a platter. Itʼs the“teaching a person to fish versus giving them a fish” approach.
SS: The fish analogy. So good. When I’m teaching make up I constantly remind myself of this.
PE: With COLOR CRAFT all beauty professionals have an opportunity to develop their makeup skills.
SS: Thanks so much for chatting Patrick. We wish you tons of success with your new venture.
For more information on COLOR CRAFT click here
