Abstract:
The thesis on Concept of Face Painting and Makeup in Thai Performance Arts is a qualitative research based upon documents, interviews, observations and participation. The research finds that face is important for human identity such as on ID cards worldwide. Humans wear makeup for their beauty and to create a character in the play. Facial line drawing high lights the characters' personalities according to traditional dances, such as Indian kathakali, Chinese opera, Japanese kabuki and Indonesian Wayang Wong and also in Thai traditional performance such as male, female, demon and other non-human beings. The method starts with casting an actor whose face is similar to the characters' faces. Then put on make up to increase and reduce all 7 different parts of the face according to international standards by making a foundation on the face with different colors of cream and powder to create shade and shadow and adjust the bulge and depth of the face considering the light from different angles. And the final step is to draw lines to highlight eyebrows, eyes, lips, chin, sideburns, and symbols such as Unalom between the eyebrows to signify divinity. The process of choosing the face of the performer to match the facial identity of the characters then rendering with the makeup adjustment and high light with facial line drawing is related to the shape, color of the costume of that character, so the make-up and facial line drawing based on Thai traditional line drawings will effectively create the dramatic character. The results of this research will be a guideline for further research on ways to promote beauty in Thai performing arts in other dimensions of Thai art widely.