Makeup Contest Registration

2025 Celebrates Crypticon Seattle Makeup Competitions’ 15^th year! It will feature 5 FX artists applying makeup before a live audience at the convention, for fabulous prizes and bragging rights. We are proud to welcome back Stan Winston School of Character Arts , Raptor Props Studio, Cast of a Thousands Studio and Abby's Air FX as returning sponsors for our competition. Additional Sponsors may be added to the discretion of the organizer.

Fabolous Prizes to WIN:

1^st Place Grand Prize Winner:

• A full year subscription to Stan Winston’s On-Demand course library
• $1,000 from Raptor Props Studio
• A custom trophy and RBFX Appliance from Cast of Thousands Studio

2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th places:

• (2nd and 3rd only) Limited subscription to Stan Winston’s library of Effects Class videos
• Shop teaching time with Tim Peirson of Cast of a Thousand Studios
• Shop teaching time with Abby Bornemann of Abby's Air FX
• Additional Sponsors may be added to the discretion of the organizer.

Rules and Details

Please read the fine print and the rules before submitting your application as rules change each year to continuously improve the competition.

• Submission deadline of March 27th, 2025. Late entries will not be accepted.
• Valid entries must include artist’s.
  • Name
  • Address
  • Phone number.
  • Email address.
  • A $20 non-refundable submission fee [submitted via PayPal]
• Please submit recent portfolios/ pictures/ videos/ links of your work done within the past year.
• An upload folder will be provided in the submission area for your pictures and/or links, and the submit button will take you to another page to accept your entry fee.
• You will then receive an email from us confirming your entry and instructions to make your video for the preliminary elimination round.
• For the preliminary elimination round, you will submit an online time lapsed video of your makeup application (no more than a two-hour application condensed to around 5 minutes) of a character that fits the theme of our choosing.
• The deadline for video submission is April 3^rd, 2025.
• All valid entries received before the deadline will be considered by judges. Only 5 entries will pass the preliminary elimination round to compete at the convention. The judges will determine who will be our 5 competitors on April 5^th, 2025. Competitors eliminated during this phase are welcome to apply to compete the following year.
• Artists must be available to participate in the contest on Saturday, May 3rd, 2025, between 3 and 6 pm.
• Artists must check in on Saturday by 1 p.m. at registration with the organizer. Failure to check in will result in disqualification as a NO SHOW.
• The non-refundable submission fee does not include entrance to the convention; this must be purchased separately. The organizers strongly suggest purchasing your convention entrance prior to the day of the competition.
• Please supply your own model- who should also be a con goer. If you have no model available, please let the organizer know. Artists and their models should be aware that this process will take several hours, and clothing may be soiled, distressed, and bloodied.
• Competition Models sourced by the convention are chosen from volunteers, including VIP attendees. Put simply, you get who you get if you’re unable to source your own model.
• Artists will use their own kits and supplies and will not be reimbursed for materials.
• No high-end prosthetics allowed, if you choose to purchase prosthetics, a spending limit of $80 on prosthetics will be implemented.
• The contest organizers will define what your kit contents are prior to the competition and will be in communication with you via email about this.
• Artists will have 120 minutes to create their best FX Horror makeup following the theme of the competition. The contest will be held within full view of the public.
• Judging and feedback will take place in the competition area as well as a non-mandatory post gathering after the competition to go into more detail about your makeup work.
• NO trademarked or licensed characters may be reproduced, all original works.
• Contestants are allowed to Live stream themselves during the competition if they desire to do so.
• The judging categories are Adherence to Theme, Design, Use of Materials, Techniques of Application, Hygiene and Professionalism with points for Creativity and Originality.

The decisions of the judges are final.

If you have question regarding the makeup contest, contact rob@crypticonseattle.com