Learn Makeup Online: What to Expect from IMA Masterclasses

Professional makeup training has traditionally meant one thing: being in a room. On a set, in a studio, at a school with the right facilities, in the presence of tutors who can watch your technique, correct your approach, and give you the kind of feedback that changes how you work. For the vast majority of people who wanted to train seriously in makeup artistry for film, television, and the screen industries, that meant finding a way to get to London, to Pinewood, or to wherever the professional standard of training actually existed.

The Iver Makeup Academy’s [online masterclasses] change that equation. For the first time, the training developed at one of the world’s most recognised film studio complexes is accessible to artists anywhere in the world, delivered by the same award-winning practitioners who teach on the full-time programmes at Pinewood. This post explains what the online masterclasses contain, who they are designed for, and what the learning experience actually looks like.

What the Online Masterclasses Cover

The online programme currently offers two live courses, with four more in development and coming soon. The first is the Character and Special Effects masterclass, a 12-month subscription covering on-skin silicon wounds, silicon prosthetic burns and scars, ageing techniques, bald caps, and a range of SFX applications used in professional film and television production. The second is the Behind Beauty programme, a curated platform of professional makeup masterclasses filmed in high definition, produced in partnership with Behind Beauty and designed to take students behind the techniques used in real industry settings.

Coming soon are dedicated courses in Face and Body Art, Prosthetics, Period Hair and Wig Styling, and Facial Hair Application. These cover some of the most technically demanding and sought-after specialisms in the industry, and the expansion of the online programme into these areas reflects the depth of the IMA teaching team’s expertise.

How the Learning Works

Each course is a 12-month subscription giving full access to the complete training library for that programme. Students work through video tutorials at their own pace, practising techniques and building skills between sessions. When they are ready to be assessed, they photograph their work at key stages and upload it through a dedicated Google Classroom link. Each student submits four practical assignments per module, and once submitted, an IMA tutor reviews the work and invites the student to a live in-person feedback session.

That feedback session is where the IMA online experience diverges significantly from most online training platforms. Rather than automated scores or generic written comments, students receive personalised guidance from a working professional who has reviewed their actual work. They then have the opportunity to apply that feedback and resubmit if needed, with up to two submissions per assignment. This is not a passive video library. It is a structured training programme with real professional oversight built into the assessment process.

The online courses include product lists covering everything used in the tutorials, kit building recommendations, summary notes for each masterclass, and access to a community feed where students can engage with each other throughout the programme. Students who successfully pass all assignments are awarded a digital certificate from The Iver Makeup Academy.

The Behind Beauty Partnership

Every student who enrols in an IMA online course receives complimentary 12-month access to the Behind Beauty platform. Behind Beauty brings together leading makeup artists to share tutorials, interviews, and professional advice across a range of topics directly relevant to a working career in the industry: career pathways in makeup artistry, working in film, fashion, and editorial, building a professional kit, pricing services, and finding and working with clients.

The partnership gives online students access to a breadth of industry knowledge that goes well beyond the technical skills covered in the masterclasses themselves. The business and professional development content on Behind Beauty addresses the questions that many aspiring artists have but rarely find answered in formal training environments.

Who the Masterclasses Are For

The IMA online courses are designed to serve a wide range of students. Aspiring makeup artists who are at the beginning of their training journey will find the masterclasses a credible and structured starting point, taught to the standard of a professional school rather than a general tutorial platform. Working beauty professionals who want to extend their technical range into SFX, character work, or period techniques will find content that addresses the specific skills gap they are looking to close. Film and television makeup artists at any career stage can use the masterclasses to deepen their expertise in areas they have not formally trained in.

The global accessibility of the online programme is significant. Students in the United States, Australia, mainland Europe, and elsewhere who have wanted access to Pinewood-standard training without the ability to relocate to the UK now have a route in. The IMA certification that comes with successful completion of the course carries the same institutional weight as the academy’s in-person qualifications, backed by the same teaching team and the same professional standards.

The IMA Standard Online

The Iver Makeup Academy is ScreenSkills Select accredited, part of the BAFTA Scholarship Programme, and has an active partnership with the National Film and Television School. The tutors who developed and deliver the online masterclasses are drawn from the same team that holds those credentials. The principal, Liz Tagg, is a BAFTA and EMMY nominated artist with over 40 years of industry experience. The collective award record across the teaching team includes an Oscar nomination, six BAFTA nominations, and two Primetime Emmy nominations.

When students enrol in an IMA online masterclass, they are accessing training developed by working practitioners at the top of their field. The professional standard embedded in the programme is not simulated or adapted for online delivery. It is the same standard taught at Pinewood, structured to work for students who cannot be there in person.

Starting Your Online Training

The [online masterclasses] are available now, with the Character and Special Effects and Behind Beauty courses live and enrolment open. The coming-soon courses in Prosthetics, Face and Body Art, Period Hair and Wig Styling, and Facial Hair Application can be registered for interest through the enquiry form on the masterclasses page. If you have questions about which course is the right starting point, or whether the online programme can work alongside existing commitments, the team is available to discuss your options. Enquiries can be made directly through the website at any stage.

For those who want to understand whether a [full-time course] at Pinewood is a future option, the online masterclasses also serve as an introduction to the IMA teaching approach and professional standard before making a larger commitment.