Imageakademiet Oslo: Become a Professional Makeup Artist in One Year
If you want to work as a makeup artist in Norway – in film, fashion, theatre, weddings, or on set – Imageakademiet in Oslo has been the leading training ground for over 30 years. Their flagship one-year Makeup Artist programme covers everything from bridal beauty to special effects, taught by professionals who work in the industry every day.
Note: Imageakademiet teaches in Norwegian. The programme is intended for Norwegian-speaking students.
What Is the Makeup Artist Programme?
The Makeup Artist programme is a full-time, one-year vocational college education (fagskole) at the highest professional level. It earns you 60 study credits and is approved by Lånekassen – Norway’s state education loan fund – meaning Norwegian students can apply for financial support.
The payment plan for the programme aligns with Lånekassen disbursements. Contact the school for details.
What You’ll Learn: Semester by Semester
Semester 1 – From the Basics to the Beautiful
The first semester builds your foundation fast. You cover basic makeup and hair, airbrush, TV makeup, bridal styling, and fashion and photo makeup. Lessons are practical from day one: your teacher demonstrates, then you do it yourself with close supervision.
You’ll also shoot your work in the school’s photo studio – building your portfolio from the very first weeks. And you get a placement in the industry, observing professional makeup artists at work and starting to build your network before graduation.
Key subjects in Semester 1:
- Basic Makeup and Hair – skin anatomy, colour theory, corrective techniques, airbrush, TV makeup, and hair styling from 1920 to 1990s
- Bridal and Wedding – full bridal looks for all skin tones and ages, groom grooming, hair styling, cultural traditions including Norwegian and South Asian weddings, and budget planning for wedding commissions
- Fashion and Photo Makeup – shoot-ready techniques, black-and-white vs. colour photography, drag makeup, social media content creation, fashion show preparation, and collaboration with photographers
- Modern Style History – makeup and styling trends from the 1920s to the 2000s, and how social, political, and cultural movements shaped beauty ideals
Semester 2 – Where Creativity Takes Over
The second semester moves from beauty into character, effects, and stage. You’ll work on more challenging projects and take part in a live show or exhibition for an external audience – a real professional experience before you graduate.
Key subjects in Semester 2:
- Special Effects – direct skin sculpting with wax and gel, wound simulation, ageing, prosthetics with silicone and PTM, plus forensic knowledge of injuries, burns, and postmortem changes for realistic SFX work
- Makeup for Stage – theatre makeup traditions, character arcs (villain, hero, neutral), wigs and hairpieces, quick changes, and body paint techniques
- Advanced Makeup Techniques – an independent creative project for a show or photo exhibition, developed in collaboration with external photographers and industry partners
- Cross-Disciplinary Project – you make a short film from start to finish: developing the script, planning production, working in your role on set, and reflecting on the result as a team
Special Effects Makeup at Imageakademiet
In the second semester, you dive into one of the most technically demanding areas of makeup artistry: special effects. You learn to build complete SFX looks from scratch — from basic skin work to prosthetics and forensic detail – for film, TV, and stage.
Basic SFX and direct techniques cover sculpting wounds directly on skin using sculpt gel and wax, creating realistic bullet wounds, building fresh and old scars, and simulating everyday injuries like cold sores, acne, and bruising. You also work with ageing techniques, boldcap vinyl, and latex.
Prosthetics and appliance work takes you through the full process: modelling, moulding, and casting using clay, PTM, and silicone, then painting and blending flat appliances so edges disappear on camera. You learn correct placement, how to keep appliances intact through a full shoot, and the complete journey from concept to finished prosthetic.
Materials and safety gives you working knowledge of the professional toolkit: silicone, latex, PTM, gelatine, old skin stipple, tooth lacquer, Superbaldiez, mastix, and various blood formulas. You also cover health and safety requirements, allergen awareness, and responsible use and storage of materials.
Forensic knowledge is a key part of realistic SFX work. You study postmortem changes, blunt and sharp force trauma, gunshot wounds, strangulation, burn stages, and scar development – all with appropriate ethical framing for recreating violence on screen.
Film makeup and character building teaches you to break down a script, analyse a character, and build their look through effects. You learn the differences between film, TV, and theatre SFX, how to manage continuity across shooting days, and how to create subtle effects like illness, exhaustion, and sweat that read on camera without overpowering the performance.
Industry knowledge rounds out the module: how the Norwegian film and SFX industry is structured, your role on a professional set alongside costume designers, hair stylists, and DPs, and the contracts and rights that govern your work.
The module includes an industry placement, where you observe and work alongside professionals in real productions – one of the most direct routes to your first job after graduation.
Each semester includes a work placement where you observe and learn from professional makeup artists in real working environments – and many graduates receive their first job offers through these placements.
Who Teaches the Programme?
All teachers at Imageakademiet are active industry professionals. They bring current techniques, industry contacts, and real-world insight into every lesson – not just technical skills, but the professional standards, pace, and client communication that the industry actually demands.
What Can You Do After Graduating?
The Makeup Artist programme prepares you for a wide range of professional roles, including:
- Film and TV makeup artist
- Fashion and editorial makeup artist
- Bridal makeup artist (private market and studios)
- Theatre and stage makeup artist
- Special effects makeup artist
- Makeup artist for advertising and commercial shoots
- Cosmetics sales and brand promotion
- Social media content creator in the beauty space
Is the Full Makeup Artist Programme Right for You – or the Shorter Fashion & Beauty Course?
Imageakademiet offers two vocational programmes:
Makeup Artist (1 year full-time) covers both beauty makeup and special effects. This is the comprehensive programme described in this post. Next intake: August 2026.
Makeup Artist for Fashion & Beauty (½ year full-time or 1 year part-time evening) covers beauty makeup only – no SFX. This programme runs both day and evening options and can also be completed as a part-time online course with in-person sessions. Intakes in August and January.
Already completed the Fashion & Beauty programme? You can apply directly to Semester 2 of the full Makeup Artist programme and go straight into special effects and advanced techniques.
Bachelor’s Degree Option: Makeup and Hair Design with Solent University
For those who want a full three-year bachelor’s degree, Imageakademiet partners with Solent University in Southampton, UK, to offer a BA in Makeup and Hair Design. You spend Year 1 at Imageakademiet in Oslo, then Years 2 and 3 at Solent’s campus in Southampton.
Entry Requirements
Direct entry requires completed upper secondary education (videregående opplæring) – including vocational certificates, trade certificates, or general university admissions qualifications. If you don’t have formal qualifications, you can apply through recognition of prior learning (realkompetanse), based on your work experience, courses, and other relevant background.
Apply
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the start of the programme, subject to available places.
Website: imageakademiet.no
Apply at: imageakademiet.no/søk-studieplass
Phone: +47 22 11 03 03
Email: [email protected]
Address: Akersgata 11, 0158 Oslo