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Tania D. Russell...

Tania D. Russell is a career media makeup artist of 25 years and counting with a career that has run the gamut from early hip hop videos to print advertising. Her work has appeared in magazines such as Elle Sweden and Runners’ World, on TV shows for clients such as BET, MTV, and HGTV, and for more commercial fashion and beauty clients than she can remember.
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And TikTok is subject to feel the ban-hammer at an And TikTok is subject to feel the ban-hammer at any moment. Just my annual "oh no! Instagram is down" reminder to not build your business solely upon tools you do not now nor will you ever own. You own your website you own your email list if these social media outlets all disappear tomorrow you will still be in a position to promote yourself. Trust me I come from a land before social media. It really is possible - maybe even preferable? πŸ€” - to promote yourself without these things lol (Five Small Things Monthly Membership is still enrolling at the founders price. Join us and learn about promoting yourself off-line πŸ˜‰) were you affected by the 2024 Meta Meltdown?
Artists nowadays underestimate the power of a stro Artists nowadays underestimate the power of a strong portfolio. Yes – social media is (can be) a powerful tool for promotion. Yes – referrals, repeat clients, relationships etc. are what is going to keep you working and keep you in a career. But you gotta be able to get your foot in the door. And the stronger your doorstop the more doors you're going to be able to get into. And that doorstop is a portfolio people need to see what you can do. I particularly see resistance on building a portfolio amongst artist who primarily do private client work and particularly bridal work. Because you can get a lot done in those realms with an Instagram/TikTok that shows before and afters But have you ever noticed how high-end bridal and private client artists will also include style shoots in their grid? That's no accident my friend, that's very strategic. Not only does that open you up to the higher end clients within the bridal and private client space. It also opens you up to a whole world of other kinds of work. I have a makeup artist friend who started out in the media world but decided to go into the bridal. Not only did her past media life enable her to start working with high-end bride right away, in addition to her brides she also does a goodly amount of bridal editorial for the bridal magazines. Those bridal editorials not only advertises her bridal services but opens her up to advertising work for bridal brands. You see what I'm saying fam? When you start looking at your career with a longer lens, you'll see that there are a lot of opportunities right where you are that don't require some extreme change in your business or moving or anything like that. These are the types of things we explore in the Five Small Things Monthly Membership. My background is in media makeup, yep, but these techniques are not exclusive to media makeup artists. We are still enrolling at the Founders Circle rate. Comment FIVE and I will send you all the info. Do you devote time to developing your portfolio? #makeuptogoblog #fivesmallthings #mediamakeupartists #promakeupartisteducation #makeupartisteducation #bridalmakeupartists #privateclientmakeup
Who says there's nothing to do on Sundays? Yester Who says there's nothing to do on Sundays? Yesterday was pretty action packed for me. I finally got to have brunch with some of my dearest friends for my birthday (can't really celebrate on your actual birthday when it falls on Thanksgiving lol), and then I went to not one but two kind of biz/industry social events. The first was the Powder Group's Brand Connect event. I loved it last year and I was excited to go again this year and it did not disappoint. Brand Connect is all about giving artists the opportunity to not just learn about new product (and also buy product at great discounts πŸ‘πŸΎ), but get to know your vendors/brands and get to know and talk to other artists and build community as a pro makeup community. So that's always awesome πŸ‘πŸΎ. If you want to know more about what I actually saw, got, and learned check out my Stories on Tuesday ✨ The second event I went to was for a local chapter of American Photographic Artists for their Holiday photo-swap meet up. This brings me to my second point - this event was an opportunity for me to talk to and meet photographers. One thing makeup artists tend to do is only go to makeup related events and meet other makeup artists and that's great. But I would also suggest balancing that with events where you meet people who could potentially hire you. πŸ˜‰ #themoreyouknow The APA event was super fun, I meant great people, I was introduced to the most delicious vegan dip, and I walked away with two fabulous photographs #winning (Oh and then when I left that event it turned out there was a whole Christmas festival happening in that area so needless to say I got tacos and stayed for that πŸ‘πŸΎ) How was your weekend? Did you work? Chill? Both?
When it comes to building a career, particularly i When it comes to building a career, particularly if you plan to venture into uncharted territory, putting yourself out there is the name of the game. It's easy to stay where we are, particularly if where we are is someplace comfortable, but as they say; Nothing changes if nothing changes. 2025 is set to be a crazy year on a variety of levels, so what if we just throw caution to the wind? (I'm using every cliched phrase in the book in the caption but just stay with me) What if - instead of pre-worrying about everything that may go wrong this year - we just go for it full speed ahead and let the chips fall where they may? - You gotta show your work to people who can make a difference for you. Yes, those meetings can be uncomfortable and yes they may criticize your work, but ya gotta do it. Your friends and family love you and followers do so because they like you, so they are just going to say everything you do is great. Unless they also happen to be Producers/Creative Directors/etc, who can hire you, that doesn't mean much. Get your work out there. - I know that people hate niching. But many of the same people who gave me grief about advising niching are also working within a niche LOL. Continuing with cliches - as they say if you sell to everyone you sell to no one. It's the same with being an artist. Do your work your way and let the right people find you. On the same token JUST PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE. When I was teaching in makeup schools one of my students - who has since gone on to be a very successful artist - got a national commercial *right out of school*. Don't worry if you're experienced enough, if you "look the part", if you know the right people, etc. Yes all of that *can* be a factor, but sometimes it's not. Don't rule yourself out of potential opportunities on a "because". If you want to reach new levels in your career, the Five Small Things Membership pre-enrollment is OPEN. We combine goals-setting, strategy, and know-how in a supportive community to help you elevate! Comment FIVE and I'll send ya the enrollment info. What goals are you planning to tackle for 2025? #mediamakeupartists #careerglowup #makeuptogoblog
I'm interrupting my own promotions to talk about o I'm interrupting my own promotions to talk about other brands and their promotions lol One of the most enjoyable events I attended last year was the Brand Connect event hosted by @thepowdergroup . The event is coming back again for 2024 this coming Sunday and Monday and I just wanted to tell y'all about it. The brand connect is just what it sounds like – it is an event held so that artists can connect in a more meaningful way with brands. And brands can connect with artists. I stand by my opinion that professional artists should incorporate professional brands in their kit. Not solely in terms of performance – although that can very much be a factor as well (hint - blog post coming about a recent product experience) – but because these are the brands that support professional artists. When other brands were running out and only courting influencers and acting like they never heard a professional make up artist before, these are the brands who recognize that we are their people. And I learned a ton last year. Not only where there are some fantastic new releases, but I learned a ton from brands that have been around forever and had products that I just had no idea existed. That RCMA clear foundation pictured in the Reel turned out to be one of my gangsta boos over this last year. And of course I got to speak to and network with various representatives of the brands, I got to see some of my homie artist friends, I got to meet and make new artist friends. All of which is of course how we nurture and expand our professional network. Basically this event was full of win πŸ‘πŸΎ Last year the event I'm pretty sure it was only open to union members and members of the powder group. However this year even if you are not in one of those two categories you can buy a ticket. I don't know if there's criteria necessary proving that you're a pro artist as they often do that but anyway you can talk to @thepowdergroup and find out. This year I am planning to attend on Sunday. Who else is going? Who am I going to see there?
End of year does not mean end of work. I have an End of year does not mean end of work. I have an article on Makeuptogoblog called "the last good day of the year" and it's about how long it took me to unlearn the mistaken belief that I had of "oh well there just isn't much work at the end of the year". Of course things slow down but save for pandemics, there's never a time when there is truly "no work". And certainly as a freelancer/business owner there is never never a time where we don't have things that we can be doing lol. The Five Small Things started out as my way of organizing myself to stay on top of what I needed to do so I could stay on point in my career. And that is still what the Five Small Things is at its core about: Clarity. And planning out what it is you want to do so you can see what it is you need to do in order to get there. So if your wedding season is slowing down, or you're finding production is a little slower than what you're used to, now is the time to either plan for the future or pivot for the now or both. And Five Small Things is here to help ya out. Pre-Enrollment starts on Thursday with a special little birthday promo thrown in there. I hear it's Thanksgiving on Thursday too πŸ˜‰ Are you werkin through the end of the year? #mediamakeupartists #makeuptogoblog #lastgooddayoftheyear
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