Concerned as much with acting as it is with makeup, this work illuminates every actor’s quest for character—starting with a search for clues concealed in the script. Yet few actors fully understand the bond between a character’s psyche and physical appearance, and makeup classes seldom give the subject the attention it deserves.

Jenny Egan draws on her extensive experience to provide detailed instructions supported by clear illustrations for sculpting the face with paint, putty, and prostheses. She enlivens her instruction with personal anecdotes from her work on Broadway, television, and films with notables George C. Scott, Rip Torn, Maureen Stapleton, and Joseph Papp.