Designs + My Design Journey

Here are the final designs I have whittled down to. The design I am going to choose is the bottom one, with the gold cupids bow, being dragged through the lip. I have chose this as my final design because I believe it best represents the look I am wanting to achieve. I am using the red and gold as symbolism for power and importance, as I believe Elizabeth words were most definitely that. I like am going to only use part of the face white, and the rest will be my normal skin tone, or maybe darker to create contrast and give a contemporary feel.

Here are some final make up experiments done on Bryony. I am very happy with the outcome, I also think the look should be matte, as Elizabeth always had a powder perfect complexion. 

Preparation for assesment. - 

How To Create The Look;

Here is a general over view of the look you will be executing today. My inspiration has come from a combination of Elizabethan + Geisha references. 

This guide is divided into sections of :

Make-Up

Skin Consultation :

Chosen Design :

Make Up Product + Equipment List :

Make Up - Step By Step :

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Hair

Scalp + Hair Consultation :

Chosen Design :

Equipment List :

Hair- Step By Step :

Skin Consultation :

Age - 21

Allergies - None

Skin type - dry and sensitive

Any products that do not agree with the skin - no

Skin regime - Exfoliate every other day, cleans tone and moistures daily.

Any skin conditions or acne? No

Product + Equipment List

Skin Prep:

Cleanser 

Toner

Moisturizer 

Baby buds

Illamasqua Matt Primer

Skin Base:

Illamasqua White Foundation

MAC Face + Body Foundation

Illamasqua Translucent Powder

Lips:

MAC ‘Basic Red’ Lip Liner

Illasmaqua ‘Gold’ Liquid Metal Palette

Kryolan Lip Palette - LC005

Eyes + Brows;

MAC ‘Fascinating’ White Kohl Pencil 

MAC White Lipmix

Eye Palette - Barely There Pink

Cheeks; 

Illamasqua Cream Blusher - Promise

Brushes

Foundation Brush

Lip Brush

Blending Brush

Fine Liner Brush

Contour Brush

Disposable Mascara Wands

Make Up - Step by Step;

Step 1 

- Cleanse, Tone and Moisturize skin.

• Remove any mascara with baby bud
• Apply Matt Primer all over using foundation brush.

Step 2

• Making sure there is a sure divide in colour, apply white foundation to the top part of the face/over the eyes and on the nose. Use sparingly and let the coat build slowly NOTE - do not apply to much, keep buffing into the skin.

• On the lower part of the face, add MAC Face +Body foundation and blend slightly where the two different foundation tones meet.

• On the neck and ears apply white foundation and do the same buffing technique as before.

• Apply Translucent Powder all over face.

Step 3

• Apply Lip Liner to the outside of the lip and accentuate the Cupids Bow

• Fill lips in with lip palette color chosen using flat lip brush.

-Get the Liquid Metal Palette and draw on the Cupids Bow and dragging the line down the center of the lip and onto the bottom - use fine liner brush.

Step 4

• Using the eye Kohl, draw on the inside of the eye

• Apply white lipmix onto a mascara wand and comb through the brows and lashes (top and bottom)

• Apply ‘barely there’ pink eyeshadow to the lid, with the blending brush

Step 5

• With the Cream Blusher, apply with a contour brush and blend high up on the cheeks and following the cheek bone 

• Add translucent powder on top

Peer Review Evaluation

Myself and Bryony (my partner) practiced my design in stages. Firstly we focused on the make up. I gave Bryony my face charts to take home and have a look at, with a product list in preparation for when we got together next. Bryony took it upon herself to try the make up design out on herself and sent me some images, this made me a lot more confident about Bryony executing my design. and over all I was so happy with how it had turned out. We then practiced a few times on myself, but funnily enough the best it turned out was on the assessment day. The hair we practiced in lesson, was extremely straight forward as the head-piece had already been made prior. 

Bryony looked very well turned out, and seemed relaxed on the day of the assessment, which then made me more relaxed as I knew I was in good, reliable hands. 

There isn’t anything I would have done differently with regard to the application of makeup, it turned out exactly how I wanted it to, I couldn’t have been happier. 

Bryony went above and beyond with regard to my design, she listened, took it upon herself to practice the look in her own time and kept calm and focused during the assessment. I am really proud of our team work and final outcome.

some photos before the final photoshoot.

Self Evaluation

My initial reaction to Bryony’s design, was relief. It looked like a well thought out, yet simple to execute design. My only concern was creating the volume of hair. I wasn’t too keen on the idea of crimping the hair, as I didn’t know if would look a little tacky, but it surprised me and turned out perfectly. It gave the exact result Bryony was after, created texture and I realized that by backcombing I could keep the texture of the crimping, but triple it in size. There isn’t anything I would change with regard to the final design. I was unfortunately very unwell on the day of the assessment and had just been let out of hospital, which is so typical, but I managed to push through and despite not feeling 100%, I really gave it my all. Bryony said she was happy with the final images.

Summer Project

Here are some pages from my Summer Project, they're research into some artists, such as Alex Box, Pat McGrath, Ellis Faas. We were asked to choose 1 make up artist from our research and choose two looks; 

1 - a look that represents me as a person

2 - a look I would where to a dream event

I chose Alex Box, because for me, out of all the artists, her work stood out and captivated me. Her exploration with colour and pushing boundaries fascinates me.

This is the look I have chosen to wear to an event of my own choice. I would have worn this look to Alexander McQueens funeral with a pair of armadillo boots, a black PVC pencil skirt and white Chanel blouse with an oversized Westwood coat.

This is the look I have chosen to represent my personality. I feel the it is quite bold at first glance, despite being feminine and gentle. To me, this looks is powerful and flamboyant, but fun and experimental.

The Fundamentals of Make-Up Design

The Brief and My Interpretation of it;

The New Elizabethans

The New Elizabethans is based on a character you have identified in a painting from the Elizabethan era with a focus to innovate and make it relevant to a contemporary audience. Please keep in mind that these portraits are almost like graphic novels, using images and emblems to tell a story. Since most portraits are based on the image rather than the truth of the person painted, give consideration to the visual allusions and symbolism used in the painting you have chosen to reference and aim to incorporate these within your final image. Although you are using Elizabethan influences, the design for make up and hair must be contemporaneous to the audience today. It is intended that this will create a point of entry for the viewer and enable them to see themselves reflected in the work. With this in mind you must reference the Elizabethan era in a modern way through the adaptation of make up and styling of costume.
Begin by researching Elizabethan portraiture and find an image that visually engages you. Research the background of this image. Who is the sitter, why are they sitting for the portrait? What are they symbolic references within the portrait? What does the clothing say about the sitter? Identify his/her physical characteristics, age, and social class, influences and personality type.
Write a short analysis of how you have interpreted the painting. Please ensure these notes are documented on your Sketch blog and placed next to the image.
To develop the project, you must find a contemporary version of the sitter. Begin by looking through current magazines and newspapers, visiting art galleries, reading books or journals. Gather visual evidence that references traditional Elizabethan makeup, and begin to consider how this can be adapted to work to a contemporary brief. Provide the same background notes for your contemporary sitter, e.g. who is the sitter, why are they sitting for the photograph? Are they symbolic references within the photograph? What does the clothing and make up say about the sitter?

How can you use the ideas from both historical and contemporary images to inform the makeup design for your contemporary Elizabethan character? 

You must suggest through image and text, at least 3 solutions of how you will achieve this and blog all of your findings and self-experimentation. The journey from historical research to contemporary should be concise and show a clear progression of how you have reached the final stage of your design.

Design a minimum of 4 face charts tailored to your own face. These face charts will manifest the development of your ideas, reflected in the body of research presented on your blog. You must create consultation notes for each look, including your skin type, skin sensitivities, current skin care regime and a full list of products or other materials used to create the look. Your notes must be concise, as the assessment will focus on your ability to clearly communicate the final look to your partner during the two-hour assessment.

To clarify, the final face chart you design will be given to your partner to create on your face, and you will be expected to translate your partner’s design onto their face.
Please note: The assessment will highlight your personal working methodology, technical skill and your ability to communicate your own design to your partner, as well as your ability to execute their design given to you. 

My Interpretation;

My initial thoughts of this brief are how eager I am to discover the different techniques and methods the Elizabethans used in order to create the infamous dramatic and captivating looks that are so distinctive and recognisable through the ages and right up to now. 

I want to create an image that portrays the classic beauty from the Elizabethan era but with a modern and dynamic twist. I want to explore other cultures and see if I can find a link between them all in the sense of make up and hair and explore in depth how the cultures could collide and create an explosion of time warp beautifulness.

I want to further my skill by practising old techniques with new equipment and seeing what different images and styles we all develop as individuals within a group.

I want to create a character visually worthy of being a New Elizabethan.

Colour Theory 

Primary colours are the earths natural colours, which you can't make yourself by mixing, these colours for the structure of the colour wheel.  Primary colours include red, yellow and blue. The next thing to remember is the colour wheel is split into 2 sides (cool and warm colours).

After primary colours, you then have secondary colours. These are the colours you would get if you mixed to primary colours together e.g. red and yellow = orange. If you mixed a primary colour, with a tertiary colour, you would then get your tertiary colours e.g. orange and yellow = yellow-orange. 

In this colour wheel it's clear to see tints, shades and tones. Tints are colours made lighter by adding white. Shades are colours made darker by adding black and tones are colours, with added grey, to change their tone. 

Colour Schemes:

Complimentary: These are colours opposite each other in the colour wheel that naturally bring out the best in each other. E.g. yellow and violet. 

Analogous: These are colours next to each other in the colour wheel and can also have tints or shades. People naturally like this colour scheme as it's often found in nature. Usually one colour dominates, the second supports it and the 3rd is used as an accent. E.g Green, yellow-green and yellow. 

Monochromatic: A monochromatic colour scheme is the same colour, with tints and shades. A lot of people use this for interior design and make-up. E.g. tints and shades of blue-green.

Neutral: These are common in make-up, especially as every single person (whatever their skin tone, hair/ eye colour or ethnicity) can where neutral colours. These include browns, beige, creams etc.

Triadic: These are colours evenly spaced around the colour wheel to form a triangle shape. They tend to be quite vibrant and usually one colour dominates and the other two compliment it. E.g purple, green and orange.

Split complimentary: This is when you choose your main colour e.g. green and then you use the 2 colours either side of it's complimentary colour. For example, violet, yellow-green and yellow-orange.  

Tetradic: This is when you use 2 sets of complimentary colours in one scheme, to form a rectangle on the colour wheel. For example, red, green, orange and blue.

Paper Self - Lash Deco -

PAPERSELF are the world's leading wearable paper-art brand for lashes. Based in London, our paper eyelashes, are a unique design, created using special paper and exquisite paper-cutting. Showcasing atLondon, Milan, Paris Fashion Week.

We had a workshop with the paperself lashes, and I was so impressed with the versatility they offered. I wanted to experiment with the brow, and despite not being overly happy with my final outcomes I am excited to have been introduced to such a brilliant brand. I am also excited to create some of my own paperself inspired lashes in the future. 

My Journey With The Elizabethans

Initial Elizabethan Research;

Initial research, focusing on a contemporary take on Elizabethan make up, focusing on individual features;

Lips;

I really love the red lip with the stencil pressed onto it. It reminds me of the embroidery that would be found on one of Elizabeths dresses. I also like the red and black colour scheme, because those colours are symbolic of being powerful and important. I also like the accentuated cupids bow. To create a contemporary take, an interesting idea may be to paint onto the lip in an abstract way. I don't like the use of gloss, it looks too sticky and the vision I have in mind is a matte finish. 

Cheeks

For the cheeks, I know straight off that I want a subtle blush. I don't want my model to look like a clown, a gentle pink or light red, almost like a warm flush of love to the cheeks! I like the cheek countered but for this look, I think that a more circular application of the blush will be more effective.

Eyes+Brows;

The eyes I want to be white, and possibly the only white part of the face? As it is a contemporary take on the Elizabethan make up, I may do the skin complexion rosie, and the eyes really white and frosty and leading up the forehead covering the eye brows. 

Combining Cultures;

In order for my designs to be innovative and original, I have been thinking about things that separate the Elizabethan times from our own. One of the main things that has stood out for me, is the multi-cultural world that we live in now, as opposed to the curiosity that Elizabeth had for new worlds. 

My discovery has been, that The Geisha girls, despite being worlds and cultures apart from the Elizabethan girls, are very similar in make up and hair. It leads me to believe that some where along the way, the two may have collided in some beautifully pale and crimson lipped time warp.

Experimenting at Home;

For my Digital Image Production class, we were asked to do a monochromatic photo shoot so here are some of the test shots I did at home; 

Unknowingly, the images turned out Elizabethan-esque .. Mainly thanks to the hair piece but I thought I would share them non the less to show how one feature being Elizabethan can give it such a contemporary twist.

http://powderbluedreams.blogspot.co.uk - my blog with the inspiration behind these images. 

Here are the final images from my main photo shoot for digital image production -

New Elizabethans

Here are four people I believe are 'New Elizabethans'. They have impacted the way our society works, whether that be for good or bad and I don't think the world we know would be the same without them;

Ronald McDonald. An internationally recognised character that I believe is pivotal to our fast paced society, the idea of wanting everything immediately; bigger, better and cheaper than before. Society has lost 'the attention to detail' and 'made with love' quality that we once thrived upon. Therefore I believe that McDonald is a physical representation of modern day consumerism. 

Hugh Hefner. The creator of Playboy. For me,  the enterprise he built was the starting point of a whole new take on the female generation. Playboy was instrumental in determining 'sex' as a socially acceptable household discussion topic. In turn, stripping glamour modelling of its initial taboo. 

This is not to say that 'sex' wasn't selling long before his emblematic bunny logo hit the shelves. However, because of Hefner's supposed 'sex cult', young, impressionable girls find themselves aspiring to be, or similar to, WAGs and glamour models. It's a simple, yet effective, business model and many women today thrive on building their 'career' through baring all. Unsurprisingly, men all over the world rejoiced the day Hugh came to earth.

Walt Disney. Despite the many stories of being a maniac and a fraudster, some where along the line, in almost every bodies life, Disney has affected you. Whether that be as a child holding on to something so captivating and full of hope, or entering adulthood and having your Disney bubble popped by the harsh reality that fairytales are only in the movies. 

Our society is all about escapism, avoiding the disappointment of prince charming beating up Snow White behind closed doors, or even the forgotten princess dying of cancer. Whatever your opinion on Disney, it does exactly what it says on the tin. 

Edward Bernays. Whilst most of you will have never heard of this man, all have been affected by his mind in one way or another. He was the nephew of Sigmund Freud and, like his uncle, was fascinated by the complexities of the human mind. Bernays founded the first ever PR company and one of his most famous campaigns was making smoking for women socially acceptable. Before Bernays, women smoking in public was unheard of; there were designated areas and most were too ashamed to use them. With cigarette companies in crisis, Bernays put together a campaign in which he persuaded designers to create dresses in the exact colour of the cigarette boxes, and got together a huge marching parade of models walking through New York City smoking, he also suggested that the Statue of Liberty was smoking, which was then seen as patriotic. 

In 2011, in America alone, there was counted as over 7,000 companies alone specialising in PR, speaking volumes for the propaganda and manipulation we face every day. It is thanks to Edward Bernays that there is 'no such thing as bad publicity'. 

The Elizabethans

Who were they? 

The Elizabethan era, known as The Golden Age, spanned from 1558 to 1603. The coronation of Elizabeth, the first female monarch, marked a renaissance that inspired national pride and a naval triumph over rivalling Spain. This period in history marked the lives of William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe. A time that England thrived on literature and the exploration of new worlds. 

Queen Elizabeth I

Commonly known as 'The Virgin Queen', Elizabeth was the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, executed just two and a half years after her birth. A truly noble queen, she aimed to reign by good council and fairness. It was expected that Elizabeth would marry, produce and heir to continue the Tudor Line. However, she famously defied these expectations and chose to keep England safe under rule instead of cowering under patriarchy. One of England's greatest military victories saw Queen Elizabeth I overcome the 'Spanish Armada' led by Philip II, attempting to overthrow her thrown. 

Fashions Inspired By Elizabeth I

Elizabeth is the epitome of typical 'Elizabethan Fashion', with her ghostly complexion and golden orange hair, her high hairline and crimson cheeks, she was the Kate Moss of her day and an icon to all women about at that time.

Pale skin - If you had clean, pale skin you were thought of in an upper class way, as those with dirty, and sun kissed skin were often peasants working in the fields. The queen however was not as natural a beauty as we are lead to believe by her pristine portraits. 'Ceruse' a lead and vinegar paste was applied to the face, neck and any visible skin area to achieve a porcelain and perfectly pale finish. The lead was very unhealthy and caused numerous skin problems. Some doctors around at that time advised against it and new remedies were sought up such as - egg white, talc, alum and tin ash. Small Pox was a huge epidemic and concealing the face with these types of paste hid many scars and imperfections. 

Red lips + cheeks - 'Fucus' a technique still used today in lipsticks to achieve a deep red, is simply crushed beetles spread on to the lip and cheek. This is something that women in history have been doing for a very long time. Cleopatra was said to have used a mixture of crushed carmine beetles and ants to colour her lips red.

The hair + brows - The hairline was extremely high, many plucked their hairline by up to an inch to create an aristocratic look of the then, very fashionable large forehead. The brows were also plucked to give a perfectly arched brow. Similar to now a days, there is the 'it' hair colour, but unlike us, the Elizabethans didn't have a home dye from Boots, they had to find alternatives for creating that sought after Golden Age, golden hair. Such as ; urinating on their hair, and if that didn't do the trick, they opted for hair pieces and wigs. 


A compilation of Elizabeth;

Symbolism;

colour symbolisations;

red
purple
black                  
white 

gold

^ all symbolise the elite, the wealthy and the worthy.


blue
green
brown 
orange
yellow 

^ all symbolise the the lower class, poor, peasants.

Deeper Meaning of Symbolism;

The symbolic and religious meaning for the colour black - authority and power.

The symbolic and religious meaning for the colour red    - power and important

                                                                                  - clothing for valiant men

The symbolic and religious meaning for the colour pink   - joy + happiness