Editing How to Apply Makeup Like Lady Gaga (section)

=== Look 3: Avant-Garde Art Pop Look (Colorful & Creative) ===
This look is inspired by Gaga’s most '''avant-garde makeup moments''' – when makeup becomes art. Think of her ''“Applause”'' cover with the smeared paint, or the crystal-encrusted eye designs from tours, or even the ''“Marry The Night”'' and Bowie homages. It’s the kind of makeup that’s perfect for a costume party, concert, or whenever you want to unleash your inner performance artist. There are endless possibilities, but we’ll outline an example that combines a few iconic elements: a '''graphic eye with embellishments''' and '''bold colors'''. Feel free to get creative and adapt the colors/designs!

# '''Plan the Design:''' Gaga’s artistic looks often start with a concept – be it a lightning bolt, a mask, or abstract paint strokes. Sketch on paper what you want to do or have a reference image. Our example will be a '''half-face colorful design''' inspired by the “Applause” makeup (paint smeared around eyes) combined with the '''crystal wing''' idea from the Joanne tour. Essentially, one eye will have a large exaggerated wing shape adorned with gems, and we’ll use bright paint-like colors on the face for a splash of art. It helps to outline key shapes with a nude eyeliner on your face as a guide (very lightly).
# '''Base Makeup (if doing half-face art):''' Decide if you want your entire face in facepaint or just portions. In the Applause look, Gaga’s face was a white canvas with color on top (Lady Gaga in 'Applause' single face paint). You can replicate that by applying a white cream makeup all over as a base. Use a sponge to pat a '''white face paint''' (like Mehron Clown White or any Halloween store white) over your skin and set it with translucent powder – this gives a blank canvas. If you prefer to keep some of your normal skin, you can just do regular foundation. (In Gaga’s everyday avant-garde, sometimes she kept her skin tone and just added designs on top, like the Bowie bolt which was painted over her normal skin). For our step-by-step, let’s assume a full face white base for maximum impact. Once the white base is on, contour very softly with a grey eyeshadow if you want to create cheekbone definition (optional, as this is more theatrical).
# '''Graphic Eye and Color Placement:''' Using a black eye pencil, sketch a '''large winged eye shape''' that extends from your lash line up toward the temple, much larger than a normal wing – basically covering the whole side of your eye area. This is similar to the rounded wing Sarah Tanno did and filled with crystals (Lady Gaga’s Makeup Artist Sarah Tanno on Iconic Looks | ELLE). Don’t worry about filling it in yet, just get the outline symmetric on both sides if you plan to do both eyes. Now decide on color: In Applause, Gaga had broad strokes of '''blue, yellow, and red paint''' around her eyes. Pick a few vibrant colors (blue and yellow are a good combo, with maybe a bit of orange or red). Using cream pigments or face paints, swipe and blend these colors around the eye area ''outside'' your wing outline. For instance, take a cobalt blue and swipe it on the temple and a bit under the eye. Clean your brush, take a golden yellow and dab it above the brow or on the forehead area. Add a touch of red near the outer corner. The idea is to look like '''“smeared paint”''' – imperfect, artsy splashes of color (Lady Gaga in 'Applause' single face paint). Blend the edges with your fingers for a naturally messy effect. You can reference the Applause cover: Gaga had blue and yellow around one eye and red coming down from the other, creating a asymmetric art look (Lady Gaga in 'Applause' single face paint). Feel free to be asymmetrical – avant-garde looks don’t need to be identical on both sides. The key is bold pigment and an expressive placement, almost like abstract art on your face.
# '''Fill the Wing with Black and Gems:''' Now, take a black gel or liquid eyeliner and fill in the giant wing shape you drew, or you can use black face paint for a larger area. It should cover the eyelid and beyond – essentially a big black triangle or cat-eye that extends well past your eyebrow tail. Make it as '''black and opaque''' as possible. While the liner/paint is still tacky, you can place '''crystals''' along it. Use tweezers to pick up small rhinestones (clear or colored crystals) and place them following the shape of the wing. You might line the upper edge of the wing with crystals or fill the entire wing with a mosaic of crystals (depending on patience and how flashy you want it). In Gaga’s tour look, she had crystals densely packed in a curved wing shape (Lady Gaga’s Makeup Artist Sarah Tanno on Iconic Looks | ELLE). Applying them: dot a bit of lash glue on the spot, then press the crystal on. Do this until you’ve achieved the desired sparkle – maybe a cluster at the outer corner fading out. If you don’t have crystals, you can use silver sequins or even draw dots with a silver glitter liner to mimic it. It’s labor-intensive, but the result is pure Gaga – dramatic and full of shine.
# '''Embellish and Exaggerate:''' Add more '''artistic details''' as you see fit. Maybe extend a line from the wing down across the cheek as if it’s dripping. Or draw tiny star shapes above the brow. If doing the Bowie lightning bolt, you would paint a big red bolt from forehead to cheek and outline in blue glitter – you can incorporate that idea too. The point of avant-garde is to be creative. You could even glue on other 3D elements: Gaga has used lace, pearls, even paper eyelashes in the past. For example, to really hit the ''ARTPOP'' note, you could glue a few metallic studs or use foil on parts of the face. Just ensure everything is securely adhered since these looks can be heavy on pieces.
# '''Finish Eyes (lashes) and Lips:''' Such an eye-catching design still benefits from finishing touches on the eye itself. Apply mascara to your lashes so they don’t get lost against the black wing. You can put on an intense false lash as well, though if you covered that area in face paint or crystals, a lash might not stick well. Even without a false lash, the look will be extreme. For lips, you have choices: Gaga sometimes kept a neutral lip when the face was very busy (like a nude when her eyes were painted). Other times she went bold to match — e.g., a dark vampy lip in a Gothic look. With our colorful face, a '''deep berry or wine red lip''' could complement the art without distracting (since we didn’t use purple on the face, a wine lip stands out but in a coherent way). Line lips with a deep red or burgundy, fill in with a long-wear liquid lipstick (so it stays through any…applause you receive!). Alternatively, black lipstick could work if you want full-on theater (Gaga has done black lips in the past for certain performances). Since everything else is so artistic, you can even dab some of the same eye paint colors onto the lips for continuity – for instance, a bit of blue on the bottom lip’s center for an artsy touch. There are no rules here!
# '''Setting and Wearability:''' Set any areas of face paint with a translucent powder (or matching colored eyeshadow) to prevent smearing. Lock the whole creation with a makeup setting spray – you want all those glued bits and paint to stay put. Be mindful not to touch or rub your face while wearing this look. If you’re going out, pack a small glue and a couple extra gems in case any fall off, and the lip color for touch-ups. This is a '''high-maintenance look''', but absolutely show-stopping. When you step out with this makeup, it will be instantly recognizable as ''“Gaga-inspired”'' because of the fearless use of color and texture. It’s the kind of look that embodies her message of art and self-expression: makeup that makes a statement. Don’t be surprised if people start taking pictures – you’ve just recreated a bit of Gaga’s avant-garde magic!

Each of these step-by-step guides captures a different facet of Lady Gaga’s style. Whether you choose the classic glamour, the edgy smoky eye, or the full-blown artistic look, remember that confidence is key. Gaga carries these looks with attitude and fearlessness. So rock your recreation with pride – '''perform''' the look, don’t just wear it. As Gaga’s makeup artist said about colorful trends: “Don’t be afraid… more is more” (Lady Gaga's Bold 2023 Oscars Makeup Look: Lady Gaga Oscars Beauty). Have fun and let your makeup tell a story, just like Lady Gaga does.