The Tramp clown.

The third style of clown is the tramp/hobo clown. There have been some great tramp clowns in clown history and masters such as Otto Griebling and Emmet Kelly amongst others jumps to mind. Even in the South African circus have we seen great tramp clowns such as Tommy Turnbull.
The tramp clown's make-up mostly consists of a (painted on) black beard, which sometimes is soften some by making it a lighter color such as grey or brown.
Mouth area and eyes are white and a touch of red on the cheekbones indicates "time spend in the outdoors sun". Red or skin tone color noses are prefered.
It is said that in years gone by tramps would "bum" a ride on a train and often they would have "borrowed" a chicken somewhere and cook it over a fire. This meal would have been eaten on the train but tramps always had to look out of the caboose (train coach) to see if the conducter is not on his way.
The soot blowing from the train chimney would blacken the tramp's face and with the back of his (greasy from the chicken meal) back hand he would try to wipe the soot from his eyes and mouth. This is where the white make-up arounf the mouth and eyes on the tramp clown originates.

The tramp clown costume could either be a very "tattered looking" and torn to pieces suit or a little more classy tuxedo type suit that has colorful patches sewn onto it. I have to check in my books, but there is some sort of "ranking order" amongst tramps. I think the tramp is at the top followed by the hobo, who is a little more down and out, while the "bum" is at the lower level of the rank order.
Big clown shoes are mostly prefer in more "natural but worn out" colors, sometimes also with a patch or two on them. I have once seen a pair with toes sticking out at the front.

Not that many years ago the tramp/hobo clown would almost have been the only type of character under the term "character clown" but times have changed and there are now actually a seperate clown style, the character.
More about character clowns sometime soon.