Makeup Tutors
Your training is in the safe but creative hands of our specially chosen tutors
Brushstroke make-up tutors are all high-achieving artists, many with major awards and nominations to their name.
Makeup Tutors
Your training is in the safe but creative hands of our specially chosen tutors
Brushstroke make-up tutors are all high-achieving artists, many with major awards and nominations to their name.
Our Tutors and Their Accomplishments
Our make-up tutors work across film, TV, stage, and fashion. Many of them are award-winning, all of them are accomplished artists in their own right. In their biographies, you’ll spot Hollywood blockbusters, international fashion shows, critically-acclaimed TV series, and long-running stage plays. This is a great indication of the teaching standard you can expect at Brushstroke. The international experience (and foreign language skills) of many of our make-up tutors means our students gain an even wider perspective of the entertainment industry.
Here are brief biographies of each tutor in alphabetical order within each specialist category:

James Anda
Make-Up & Hair
(Fashion)
More about James
Languages Spoken: English, Spanish and French

Bernhard Klinglmair
Make-Up
(Airbrush & Fashion)
More about Bernhard
Languages Spoken: English and German

Toni Lee
Make-Up & Hair
(TV Drama & Historical)
More about Toni

Barney Nikolic
Make-Up & Hair
(SFX & Prosthetics)
More about Barney
Nomination: 2015 Primetime Emmy Award (for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie or a Special) for Penny Dreadful (2014)
Nomination: 2015 International Emmy Award (for outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie or a Special) for Penny Dreadful (2014)
Barney has been working successfully as a professional make-up artist for the past 20 years. He was acting head make-up artist at the State Theatre, Hanover for 4 years then a freelance artist across Europe, creating special effects make-up and constructing masks for a wide range of projects. He lectures regularly at the international make-up artistry seminars held in Cologne, demonstrating his considerably SFX make-up skills. His film credits include Children of Men, Harry Potter (Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince, Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2), Thor: The Dark World and Penny Dreadful.
Languages Spoken: English and German

Marella Shearer
Make-Up & Hair
(TV Drama & Historical)
Sadly, Marella passed away after losing her battle with cancer. She was an extremely talented and skilled make-up designer, winning awards for her work across film and TV. Marella worked as a tutor at Brushstroke for many years and was a wonderful influence on us all. We’ll miss her very much. Rest in peace Marella.
More about Marella
Winner: 2008 RTS Craft and Design Award for Best Make-up Design for House of Saddam
Nomination: 2009 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or Movie for House of Saddam and shared with our tutor Juliette Tomes
Nomination: 2009 BAFTA for Best Make-up and Hair Design for House of Saddam
Nomination: 2006 RTS Craft and Design Award for Best Make-up Design for Riot at the Rite
Marella Shearer was an award winning make-up designer who started her career in fashion working for Mary Quant and IPC magazines. She then became a make-up trainee at London Weekend TV (LWT), rising to designer, and working on a wide variety of comedy, variety and drama programmes. As a freelance designer, Marella was responsible for the make-up and hair on many different TV programmes, including: Mr Selfridge, Top Boy, Silk, Whitechapel, Marc of Cain, House of Saddam, Criminal Justice, Wuthering Heights, Drop the Dead Donkey, Vicar of Dibley, French & Saunders and Gimmie, Gimmie, Gimmie. Her work in films included: The Wedding Video, Blackwood and The Christmas Candle. She worked with many different actors including Ed Stoppard, Tom Hardy and Greg Wise.

Catrin Thomas
Make-Up
(SFX & Prosthetics)
More about Catrin

Juliette Tomes
Make-Up & Hair
(TV Drama & Historical)
More about Juliette
Juliette has been a make-up and hair artist for over 18 years, working on many British period and contemporary dramas with actors such as Benedict Cumberbatch, Anna Maxwell Martin and Tom Hardy. She also ‘specialises’ in TV sitcoms and comedy specials such as Alan Partridge, The Royal Family, Spaced and sketch shows including Mitchell and Webb, The Mighty Boosh and Drunk History.

Adrian Rigby
Make-Up & Hair
(SFX & Prosthetics)
More about Adrian

Dan Frye
Make-Up (SFX and Prosthetics)
Dan Frye started his career in New York City doing makeup for Theatre and Film as a Key Makeup Artist/Prosthetic Makeup Artist.
More about Dan
After relocating to Los Angeles in 1988, he worked on films such as Terminator 2, Nightmare on Elm Street 5, Leprechaun and Ghostbusters 2 doing not only prosthetic work but also mould making and lab work.
After moving to London in 1993, he continued to work as a modelmaker, sculptor and prosthetic artist for films such as Shaun of the Dead, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Prometheus, Dark Shadows, Victor Frankenstein and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
In recent years, Dan has not only worked on projects such as Doctor Who and Game of Thrones but has taught prosthetic makeup effects in London and Belfast and makeup

Max Payn
Make-Up (SFX and Prosthetics)
Max has worked in the TV, Film and Theatre industry for over 15 years. In that time, he has specialised not only in creature effects and makeup but has worked in costume, film making and has dabbled in animatronics and design.
More about Max
Max is an accomplished sculptor of both organic and hard-edged form. These skills have spanned makeup, creatures and costume and his most recent credits include; Men in Black: International, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Ammonite.

Tanya Noor
Make-Up & Hair (Theatre)
Tanya has been working in the Make Up and Hair Industry for over 25 years.
More about Tanya
Tanya trained at London College of Fashion and has been an established Makeup Artist for over 25 years, working in tv, theatre, film, fashion and teaching. Currently Tanya is Head of Makeup at Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Londons West End. Tanya is a qualified academic professional makeup artist who teaches to Degree level. In conjunction with her busy career Tanya has also developed a range of set and kit bags.
Tanya has been an established Makeup Artist for over 25 years, working in tv, theatre, film, fashion and teaching. Currently Tanya is Head of Makeup at Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Londons West End. Tanya is a qualified academic professional makeup artist who teaches to Degree level. In conjunction with her busy career Tanya has also developed a range of set and kit bags called Get Set Go Bags. She has designed her wide range of set bags for the Makeup Industry which are available online and at Stockists in London, Europe and the USA.
In 2020 Danielle Shephard (2yr 2017-2019) joined the wig department at Phantom of the Opera and now works alongside Tanya and the team.

Suzanne Nikolic
Make-Up & Hair (Wig Making Theatre)
Suzanne joins the team as a guest tutor, predominantly sharing her knowledge of traditional “postiche” techniques within the “wig-making” section of our courses.
More about Suzanne
Having retired from an extensive stage career as a classical ballet dancer in Germany, Suzanne went on to complete an internationally recognised make-up artistry degree at the State Theatre in Hanover, under the direction of Barney Nikolic – one of our own tutors at Brushstroke.
Having worked professionally within the make-up department at Hanover’s State Theatre, Suzanne went on to utilise her insight as a performing artist to join the make-up/hair department at one of Germany’s most prestigious Musical Theatre venues, “Theater des Westens” where she contributed to productions such as Les Miserables and The Three Musketeers.
On returning to the UK, Suzanne completed a degree in dance teaching, the pedagogic skills of which provide a valuable base for the tutoring she provides at Brushstroke.
Alongside her dance teaching, Suzanne remains involved within the make-up artistry industry offering stage make-up tutorials and contributing to Barney’s projects where her wig-making/hairstyling skills are required.
VTCT Hairdressing and Barbering Tutors

Rachel Bartlett
Cutting & Styling
More about Rachel

Richard Jones
Hairdressing & Barbering
More about Richard

Michela Olivieri
Cutting & Styling
More about Michela
Languages Spoken: English and Italian

Milo Sabariz
Hairdressing & Barbering
More about Milo
Languages Spoken: English, Italian, Spanish and Catalan

Sarah Rose Ashbourn
Hair & Make-up
Sarah Rose has been working in the Make Up and Hair Industry for the past 10 years.
More about Sarah
She first qualified as a Hairdresser and then progressed into Make Up. Sarah Rose has worked on a variety of TV Programmes including Childrens TV, Light Entertainment, Contemporary and Period Drama as well as Live Sport and Current Affairs Programmes.

Sam Aylott
Hairdressing, Styling & Colouring
Sam has worked in the hairdressing industry for over 25 years, working in award-winning London salon and theatres and as an international stylist in Doha, Qatar.
More about Sam
Sam has been teaching hairdressing for 20 years in private and state training centers specialising in all aspects of colour, cutting, styling and avante garde looks, with an in depth knowledge of the science of hairdressing and works with top brands including Wella and Loreal.

Michelle Garande
Afro Caribbean & Avant Garde Hair
Michelle Garande is a Zimbabwean born and West London raised Hair educator who specialises in Afro and Multi-textured hair.
More about Michelle
Michelle’s creative side grew through taking part in hair competitions from 2013 where she has won 5 Awards for Avant Garde styling and 3 Awards for Braid Stylist of the Year, she has done and still does photographic work that has been featured in hair magazines such Black Beauty and Hair magazine and Black Hair magazine.
Michelle was a finalist in the Loreal Color Trophy competition, Afro Catwalk Look Award in 2015 and 2016 as part of the Afrotherapy Salon Creative Team. Michelle officially became a Goldwell Certified Master Colourists in 2015 adding to the list of areas she specialises in becoming the salons’ color specialist.
Michelle worked on a color column doing client Color Makeovers for Black Beauty and Hair Magazine for 3 years, alongside Afrotherapy Salon Creative Director Harriet Cudjoe.
Michelle has been providing educational training for the last 4 years. In January 2020 Michelle officially launched Michelle Garande Education, providing educational training in Afro and Multi-textured hair for both European and Afro hair.
The transition from salon stylist to hair educator was a natural progression for Michelle as she has a great love for teaching and seeing others gain knowledge, skills, and experience that will help build their own careers and go to the next level.
Guest Lecturers

Jana Carboni
Make-Up
(Beauty, Ageing & Prosthetics)
More about Jana
Languages Spoken: English and Italian

Zainab Jaye
Make-up & Hair (TV & Fashion)
Zainab is an experienced Makeup artist working in TV. She specialises in Makeup and Hair for darker skin tones.
More about Zainab
Zainab’s lectures bring in-depth knowledge and understanding of the vast differences in skin colour, texture, and tone. She provides students with the tools and confidence to apply to make up for models of deeper skin tones. Zainab is a regular on many Live TV productions and brings much of this experience and knowledge into her lectures.

Dennis Penkov
Make-Up & Hair
(SFX & Prosthetics)
More about Dennis
After a barber’s apprentice, Dennis completed his training as a make-up artist at the Theater des Westens in 1994. Since then, he has been a freelance special effects make-up artist. Theatre work in Berlin, Schwerin and at the Salzburg Festival followed then 6 years at the Babelsberg film studio. His TV and film credits include: Otto (the disaster film), Little Vampire, The Tunnel, OP calls Dr. Bruckner, Mr Nobody and Penny Dreadful. In 2003, he founded Skinart Make-up FX Academy, where he runs workshops and coaches in SFX make-up.
Languages Spoken: English and German

Tina Earnshaw
Make-Up & Hair
(Film)
More about Tina
Nomination: 1998 BAFTA (for the Best Make-Up and Hair) for Titanic
At the young age of 21, Tina qualified as a make-up and hair designer with the BBC, just as the introduction of colour TV was creating a real need for more trained make-up artists. During the 70s, 80s and 90s, she worked as a freelance artist on fashion shoots and the top TV commercials during their peak period. A successful film career followed starting with Merchant Ivory and going on to include Titanic, Prometheus, Marney and Me, Mama Mia. Spiderman (2 and 3), The Talented Mr Ripley, Shakespeare in Love, Sliding Doors and Emma and, most recently The Martian. Tina regularly works with some of the biggest stars in the business – Cate Blanchett, Rachel Weisz, Matt Damon and Brad Pitt. She has developed her own line of make-up brushes, each one designed to do a particular job with absolute precision, and we’re delighted to offer them for sale to our students.
Careers
SFX Prosthetics
Wounds, scars, bald caps and prosthetics – welcome to the world of special effects make-up.