» Ryan Nicholson, Academic Director (Make-Up Department)

Ryan Nicholson, Academic Director (Make-Up Department)

Ryan Nicholson has over twenty years of experience as a prosthetics expert and make-up artist for cinema.  His resume includes credits from North America, Asia, Italy, and South Africa.  He has been taught by the masters in his field, worked alongside Academy Award-winning make-up artists, and has won a Gemini Award for achievement in make-up, as well as several other Gemini nominations for his work in the special effects industry.

With over one hundred films and television projects under his belt, Ryan has worked with renowned actors such as Sean Penn, Jet Li, Will Ferrell, Jon Favreau, John Voigt and countless others.  In the course of his career Ryan has contributed to the special effects make-up, prosthetics and props for high-profile Hollywood film and television productions such as Scary Movie, Final Destination, Elf, Ghost Rider, The Chronicles of Riddick, Smallville, Supernatural and Blade: The Series.

From his career spent working with world-famous effects companies like Maestro FX and his years spent running Flesh & Fantasy Inc., his own effects shop, Ryan brings a plethora of wealth and experience to the classroom as a professional make-up artistry teacher at New Image College of Fine Arts.  Here, he enjoys passing on his knowledge and inspiring students to succeed in the fields of make-up and prosthetics.

Ryan has had a fruitful career in the arena of independent filmmaking. Under the banner of his company Plotdigger Films, Ryan's hard-hitting horror films have developed a loyal worldwide fanbase and become bona-fide cult classics.  These films have allowed Ryan the opportunity as a visionary to push the boundaries of makeup artistry, prosthetic design and special effects.

With his insider's knowledge of film and filmmaking, Ryan has been instrumental in the launching of New Image Entertainment, and is continually involved in establishing new projects and ventures to benefit the experience of his students. Through New Image, Ryan's make-up students are given the opportunity to work on real, internationally-distributed feature films!