For students in NIC’s Film Makeup Masters program, exams aren’t written on paper; they’re applied to a live model. The recent cold injury effects exam was a great example of that hands-on approach in action.

Students were tasked with creating realistic cold injury effects, translating everything they’ve learned about colour theory, skin texture, and detail work into a believable, professionally finished result. That means getting the subtle things right — the right tones for frostbitten skin, realistic texture that reads on camera, and careful finishing touches that make the overall effect feel authentic.

It’s the kind of exam that asks students to bring together both technical knowledge and a trained eye. There’s no room to approximate — every element has to hold up to close scrutiny. The focus and craftsmanship students brought to this exam were really something to be proud of!