Artists Within Makeup Academy
Turn your passion
into artistry.
Makeup Artist Diploma
Build your makeup skills with detailed online lessons, practical assignments and instructor feedback. Learn from home with the structure of weekly virtual meetings and a final portfolio project.
Explore the Diploma12-week program
8 weeks of instructor meetings + 4 weeks for your final project
Text & media
Course at a glance
Next start date
JANUARY 7, 2027
Begin with our next virtual class.
Program length
12 weeks
8 weeks with instructor meetings, followed by 4 weeks for your final project.
Virtual meetings
Thursdays
6–7 p.m. Calgary time.
Weekly attendance is required during the first 8 weeks.
Learning format
Online + guided
Video lessons, practical assignments and instructor feedback.
What you’ll learn
Build your skills.
Develop your artistry.
Explore beauty, bridal, photographic and creative makeup, alongside the business skills that help you present your work professionally.
The foundations
Hygiene, tools, skin preparation, consultation and product knowledge. Learn application and blending techniques that support each look.
Shape, colour & detail
Explore colour theory, complexion correction, highlight and contour, brows, eye techniques, lips, liner and false lashes.
Beauty & bridal
Create day, evening and bridal looks. Adapt your techniques for different skin tones, facial features and mature skin.
Makeup for camera
Learn makeup for colour and black-and-white photography, television and commercial work, with an introduction to set etiquette and continuity.
Creative & runway
Explore decade-inspired looks, creative applications and runway makeup. Use moodboards and storyboards to develop your ideas.
Business & portfolio
Explore branding, marketing, social media and portfolio building, then bring your learning together in your final portfolio project.
How you’ll learn
Learn from home.
Grow with guidance.
Combine online learning with hands-on practice and instructor feedback. Your weekly course schedule gives you a clear plan to follow as you develop your skills.
Make time for your training
Set aside time each week for lessons, practice and assignments, alongside your required one-hour meeting during the first 8 weeks. Plan your study time around the weekly assignment deadlines.
Watch & learn
Work through your weekly video demonstrations and written lessons in the online course portal. Revisit techniques as you practise.
Practise & submit
Complete your practical assignments and upload your work through the portal for marking and instructor feedback.
Meet & refine
Join your instructor on Thursdays, 6–7 p.m. Calgary time, during the first 8 weeks. Ask questions, work through challenges and prepare for the week ahead.
Create your portfolio
Bring your learning together in a final portfolio project. The last 4 weeks are dedicated to completing this work independently, with no scheduled weekly meetings.
Student work
Artistry in practice.
Explore a selection of makeup looks created by Artists Within students.
Tools for your training
Your professional makeup kit.
A selection of makeup, brushes and tools to support your course practice, from preparing the skin to adding the finishing details.
Skin & complexion
Makeup remover, moisturizer, foundation primer, foundations, concealers and translucent powder.
Eyes & brows
Eye primer, eyeshadow palette, eyeliners, mascara, brow pencils, strip lashes and lash adhesive.
Cheeks & lips
Highlight, contour and blush palette, lip palette, lip gloss and lip liners.
Brushes & tools
Face, eye and lip brushes, mixing palette, spatula, application tools, disposables, brush cleaner and a kit bag.
View Full Kit Contents +
Skin preparation
- Cleansing makeup remover
- Moisturizer
- Foundation primer
Complexion
- Liquid foundations × 4
- Concealers × 3
- Translucent powder
Eyes & brows
- Eye primer
- 35-shade eyeshadow palette
- Waterproof gel eyeliner pencil
- Gel liner
- Black mascara
- Blonde brow pencil with spoolie
- Brown brow pencil with spoolie
Cheeks & lips
- 3-shade highlight, contour and blush powder palette
- 12-shade lip palette
- Lip gloss
- Waterproof gel lip liners × 2
12 makeup brushes
- Jumbo powder
- Base blender
- Detailed powder
- Round cream
- Small cream blender
- Oval shadow
- Detailed crease
- Shadow blender
- Angle precision
- Detailed liner
- Mini smudger
- Oval lip
Tools & accessories
- Lash curler
- Mascara wands
- Cotton swabs
- Cotton rounds
- Clear mixing palette
- Stainless steel spatula
- Sponges
- Powder puff
- Strip lashes
- Lash adhesive
- Lash applicator
- Kit bag
Station essentials
- Alcohol bottle
- Water bottle
- Towel
- Brush cleaner
Kit items and brands may vary slightly depending on availability.
Meet the founder
Tara Cowles
Founder & Lead Instructor
Artists Within Makeup Academy
Teaching makeup artistry since 2003.
Tara founded Artists Within Makeup Academy in Calgary in 2003. Today, she brings that teaching experience to the academy’s virtual programs, helping students develop their understanding of makeup and their application skills.
Your Diploma includes detailed video demonstrations led by Tara, supported by practical assignments and instructor feedback. Step by step, you’ll explore how techniques work and how to adapt them to the face in front of you.
Student experiences
Their words. Their experience.
“I felt very confident when I finished”
Rachel
Rachel valued the detailed demonstrations and described feeling prepared to move into film production.
“I feel confident with the skills I learnt”
Amanda Martin
Amanda fitted virtual study around her existing work, highlighting the instructor meetings and detailed learning materials.
“The course was easy to follow”
Supreet Partal
Supreet described using her training with clients and valued assignments that helped her practise and remember the techniques.
Short excerpts from Artists Within student testimonials, with summaries of their experiences.
Dates & enrolment
Your next chapter
starts here.
Join our next virtual Makeup Artist Diploma class. Begin your registration with a $500 deposit toward your tuition.
Next start date
JANUARY 7, 2027
Thursdays · 6–7 p.m. Calgary time
12-week program: 8 weeks with instructor meetings, followed by 4 weeks for your final project.
After paying your deposit, complete the enrolment forms provided by the academy.
Tuition & kit fees
- Tuition · no GST
- $4,697.00
- Professional makeup kit
- $1,197.00
- GST on kit only · 5%
- $59.85
Tuition + kit, including kit GST$5,953.85 CAD
Pay $500 upfront toward your tuition.
Your deposit is included in the $4,697 tuition. After it is paid, $4,197 tuition remains, plus $1,256.85 for the kit including GST.
All amounts are in Canadian dollars. GST applies to the kit only.
Frequently asked questions
Your questions,
answered.
Get a clearer picture of how the Diploma fits into your week.
Do I need previous makeup experience?
No previous makeup training is required. You’ll begin with the foundations and build your skills through practice.
Is this a self-paced course?
The Diploma follows a 12-week schedule with assignment deadlines. You can plan your study time during the week around those deadlines and your scheduled instructor meetings.
Are the weekly meetings mandatory?
Yes. Attend Thursdays, 6–7 p.m. Calgary time, during the first 8 weeks. These meetings are for questions, troubleshooting and preparing for upcoming work. Allow additional time for lessons, practice and assignments.
Will I receive feedback on my work?
Yes. Upload your assignments through the course portal for marking and instructor feedback. Bring questions about your practice to your weekly meeting.
When can I access the course?
You’ll receive student portal access after registering and paying your deposit. Your course lessons become available on your selected start date.
What happens during the final 4 weeks?
You’ll complete your final portfolio project independently. There are no scheduled weekly instructor meetings during this part of the program.
Is the $500 deposit an additional fee?
No. It is part of your $4,697 tuition, paid upfront. After the deposit, $4,197 tuition remains. The kit is a separate $1,197 plus $59.85 GST. Tuition has no GST.
Artists Within · Makeup Artist Diploma
Take the next step.
Make time for your interest in makeup. Explore our next virtual Diploma class, or book a call to discuss the program and ask your questions.
Next start: January 7, 2026
$500 registration deposit, credited toward your tuition.