About Delamar Academy
Let Delamar Academy founder and Principal, Penny Delamar, tell you about herself and why she founded the school:
Penny DelamarAcademy Founder
"I left Art School with a deep love of both fashion and painting. In 1963 I joined the BBC and worked my way up from an assistant to become a Make-up Designer. After I went freelance in 1973, I gained experience working in Film, TV, Fashion, and on music videos and stills photography. Then after 1983 I spent a few years working exclusively on feature films such as "Santa Claus - The Movie", "Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves", "Revolution", and "Indiana Jones and The Temple Of Doom", amongst others. During this time I became aware that there was a worrying lack of consistent training within the industry and standards were slipping.
This was the spur I needed and, in 1986, I started a make-up training academy with my actor husband David. We employed only the best make-up artists in the industry as tutors. These included Oscar, Bafta, and Lifetime Achievement Award winners.
The results since 1986 have been amazing. Many of our students are now the leading make-up artists in the industry today and winning awards all over the world. The courses continue to adapt to best answer the changing needs of the industry. By continuing to keep our class sizes small and by using different make-up artists to teach their specialised areas, our students not only gain knowledge and inspiration, but also invaluable contacts within the industry. There continue to be many opportunities for well trained make-up artists in the industry and it has been very rewarding for me to see my graduates excel in the exciting and creative world of media make-up."
The success of Delamar Academy led Penny to be commissioned to write "The Complete Make-Up Artist: Working in Film, Fashion, Television and Theatre". This book has been described as 'essential for anyone who wants to become a successful make-up artist' and, by one Amazon reviewer, as 'the best make up book I have read'. It's now in its Second Edition and has been translated into French and for the American market, making Penny a truly internationally renowned make-up expert.
A great team
Other members of the team at Delamar Academy include Managing Director Leda Shawyer and a faculty of top professional make-up artists who are all active in the industry. Like Penny, they are committed to ensuring you find a supportive environment that lets you focus fully on achieving a level of excellence in your make-up training.
Leda ShawyerManaging Director
"When I graduated from Exeter University with a degree in English and Greek and Roman Studies in 1996, I was looking forward to leaving academic studies behind and finding a more creative outlet. I joined the 12-week Complete Make-up Artist Course at Delamar Academy and loved every minute of it. Over the next 10 years, I worked mainly on TV dramas, such as "Band of Brothers", "Wire in The Blood", "Murder City", "55 Degrees North", and "EastEnders", as well as feature films, such as "Sleepy Hollow" and "Topsy Turvy". I began working at Delamar Academy in 2005 and love working with the students and helping them build up their confidence and, ultimately, launching them into the Film, TV, Theatre, and Fashion industries."
Learn about our great specialist tutors
"I had such a great time on the course at Delamar, I'm delighted I chose to go there. It's such a wonderful environment to learn in, and the tutors are fantastic and always keen to help you and share their knowledge. Thanks to Delamar, I have had some amazing opportunities, such as working as a trainee on 'Clash of the Titans' and they have put me in touch with make-up artists who I have assisted on commercials etc. The support after you leave the course is brilliant and I would encourage anyone to go to Delamar!"
Julie Burnett
