Paul Thompson is the Director of Education at Make-up Designory and is a professional make-up artist with 24 years of experience, and an educator with 18 years of experience. He graduated high school in California at La Quinta High School, and then attended Orange Coast College and UCLA extension classes to learn the art of make-up. In addition to his make-up education, Mr. Thompson has completed courses in curriculum design and writing with the University of Phoenix, completed all course work required for a designated subjects vocational teaching credential at UCLA, and completed all course work to achieve a full teachers license in the State of New York. Over the course of his career he has been licensed to teach in California, Florida and New York. Mr. Thompson founded Creature Creations, a special make-up effects company specializing in television, commercial and theme park projects. One project resulted in the creation of the very first silicone bodysuit for Luke Perry in Robin Cook’s Invasion, an NBC mini-series. He also supervised film and television projects for the MUD/FX Group, a special make-up effects shop he co-founded. Mr. Thompson has held a number of educational specialist positions at several professional make-up schools including UCLA extension, and has lectured all over the world for major cosmetic companies such as MAC Cosmetics, Max Factor & Company, and Kryolan Cosmetics. Currently, he is responsible for the educational quality of the Los Angeles, New York and European MUD campuses which includes overseeing curricula, educational materials, and the recruitment and training of all faculty members. In addition to managing the development of curriculum for MUD’s main campuses, seminars and company training programs, he also manages MUD’s publishing endeavors. Mr. Thompson authored MUD’s character textbook Character Make-up, published in 2005 and co-wrote the second edition, published in 2009. Over the course of his career, he has worked with many prominent actors, musicians, and entertainment personalities including Janet Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, James Earl Jones, Jackie Chan, Matthew Broderick, Christopher Reeve, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Cheech Marin, Pauly Shore, Traci Lords, John Dye, George Hamilton, Clint Howard, and Mark Kriski.

Vanja Djuran is leading make-up artist and Instructional Specialist at Make-up Designory Europe. Her passion create film and theatre masks, make-up, and painting. She finished her baccalaureate degree in Packaging Design at Graphic high-school in Belgrade – Serbia, and continue her education for Theater mask at Đuro Salaj University Belgrade in Marks`s Dukić class (leading make-up artist at National Theater). It was Mr. Dukić himself who discovered Vanjas exceptional talent, and offer her to become his first assistant after she graduate, where she then spent two years getting valuable experience.

In the year 2000, Vanja took second place in Theater Mask designing at national competition of Aesthetic  Club. And the next year, in 2001 she stood on podium as the best Theater Mask designer, as she took the first place in the competition.

Vanja gain experience in National Theater in Belgrade, Faculty of Theater Arts and Film, National Radio and Television of Serbia (she was leading make-up artist for national pre-Eurovision competition), several Fashion weeks, TV- commercials, and music videos.

Her artistic knowledge and skills brought Vanja to Slovenia where she graduating at Academy for Visual Arts in Ljubljana (Slovenia) was just a theoretically part of her far exceeding artistic skills. Being inspired by people, nature, music, feelings – she is not afraid to search and discover the unknown. With Vanja, Art and Make-up is unlimited playground to express herself. Also as an instructor. Her natural pedagogical feeling and eager to teach and pass along the knowledge to others is what made her one of the best in the industry. She first completed MUD Level I. and II. educational program, upgraded it with SFX course at Make-up Designory campus in LA, and received the title of Instructional Specialist at Make-up Designory campus in New York. That gives her the authority to pick, train and certify new MUD instructors in Europe.