How to Do Pennywise's It Clown Makeup
How to Be Pennywise For Halloween, According to It: Chapter Two's Makeup Artist
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If you're looking for a simple yet terrifying Halloween costume this year, look no further than Pennywise the Dancing Clown from It: Chapter Two. After all, is there anything scarier than a demonic clown hell-bent on eating children?
To ensure your clown makeup looks like a thing of pure evil rather than an ordinary birthday entertainer, we reached out to the film's special effects designer and supervisor Sean Sansom to break down the look. While a prosthetic was used on Bill Skarsgård in the movie to enhance the size of his head and place his facial features closer together to appear more child-like, the makeup design itself is pretty simple.
Ahead, check out exactly how to transform yourself into the scariest clown around, and don't forget to whisper "We all float down here," into the ears of all of your friends.
Start With a White Base
Like any clown, you'll want to start off with a painted-white face. The base used on Skaarsgard in the film was Kryolan Supracolor Clown White ($7). Sansom says you can apply it with a disposable sponge and it will last all night because it's sweat resistant, but the company recommends you set it with a powder because it's highly transferable.
To give the base the weathered, cracked look that Pennywise has in the movie, you can use an old toothbrush to splatter on grey paint.
Add the Red Paint
The next step is drawing on Pennywise's nose and smile. "We used a blood-red colour for the lines on his face, his lips, and his nose," Sansom said. The EBA SFX Refills Performance Makeup ($12) is activated by mixing it with alcohol, transforming it into a liquid so you can paint it on. The alcohol then evaporates, leaving the makeup behind. While Sansom used a stencil on Skaarsgard to ensure the makeup looked the same each time, you can freehand it with a fine paintbrush.
Perfect Pennywise's Smile and Eyebrows
Sansom revealed that the smile and eyebrows are the key to making this clown look truly depraved. "[The lines of] his lips go up through his eyes and eyebrows," he explained. "His eyebrows are very angular, and they can be very sinister-looking without him actually having to make any facial expression."
If your eyebrows aren't quite as evil-looking as Pennywise's, don't worry. You can cover them up using a gluestick or concealer, and then draw on your thin, angled brows with makeup.
Horrify The Losers Club
For your final step, Sansom recommends you add a fiery red wig over a bald cap to truly scare the living daylight out of your loved ones. Make sure you pick up a red balloon on your way to the party!
