Types of Clowns
Whiteface: The classic whiteface clown, fashioned after the French Pierrot, has an all-white face with individual features -- eyebrows, nose and mouth -- applied with black and red makeup. These clowns are called "Neat" Whiteface when the features are of ordinary size and "Grotesque" Whiteface when the features are oversized.
Auguste: Sporting a face painted with pink or red base color, the Auguste clown is the most exaggerated clown face. Facial features are painted in red or black and are always very large. The mouth and eyes of the Auguste clown are usually outlined in white. The Auguste is considered the prankster among clowns and his actions are wilder and broader than those of the Whiteface or Character clown.
Character: While Whiteface and Auguste faces are classic clown masks, the Character clown face is a comic variation on the human face. Character clown faces often sport mustaches, braids, whiskers, freckles, warts, unusual or large noses and ears, bald heads and strange haircuts. The most widely recognized Character clown face is the tramp or hobo.
