Post Apocalyptic Fashion Show

The Hair & Make-Up

So in my first blog about this concept (Click here to view) I discussed the type of look which we were going for; post apocalyptic, charity shop chic style looks. So I began to consider make-up which I felt would best fit this theme.

As I previously explained in my blog, the model was wearing hessian cloth as a top, with a rope belt, and a handmade tatty burnt looking skirt. I felt that this kind of look needed to be complimented with similar burnt earth tones - which made the model look gaunt and like they were really weathered and had been living in the post apocalyptic slums.

The image on the right (Reference 1) is from a YouTube make-up tutorial of a post apocalyptic survivor - click here to view. I took inspiration from this and I loved the way that she made the make-up look so earthy and like dirt, using pigment and shadow. This is a technique I wanted to use in my make-up look. To create this I decided I would use a mix of muddy brown tone pigments, and keep it really blown out and softly blended to give it a bit more like shadowing on the face. I feel that these darker tones are also very symbolic of a post apocalypse era - they look more eerie and mysterious.

Hair

For the hair I wanted to create a warrior princess style updo. Something which you can imagine a survivor has found 10 minutes to do a couple of weeks ago and hasn't touched since...

Above Image References right-left:  2, 3, 4

I found the above images of braid styles which I really liked. As I said, I want it to look like a braid which was done weeks before and has just been left, meaning it looks really messy and slept in. 

In order to achieve this look, the products I will use in the hair will be dry shampoo to give some roughness and texture to the hair. It will make it easier for me to style the hair into these updos and give them volume, as it will make the hair a bit thicker. I will also back-comb the hair to give it more of that worn texture which I am going for. 

My favourite is image 4 above on the far right, which depicts a 'faux hawk' braid. I feel that this style is perfect for the concept as it has a powerful almost 'warrior princess' feel to it, which I want to embody in the look.

Back to the make-up....

When it came to creating my make-up looks I initially decided on a colour palette of a few tones. These are all brown and muddy tones, with hints of plum and purple. This is because I still wanted some warmth to the colours, as the saturation for the final fashion film was going to be considerably lowered - so if I used cooler colours they would look even cooler post-edit and not give the depth that I wanted.

I decided to use these same colours throughout my make-up look; on the eyes and face to bring in continuity of the character, and keep it simplistic. Both face charts I created used these same tones but in different ways.

From Top to Bottom:

- MAC Blusher in 'Film Noir'

- MAC Blusher in 'Raizin'

- Kiko Colour Sphere Eyeshadow in '05'

- Kiko Smart Eyeshadow in '04'

I also took the same picture of these swatches and reduced the saturation down on them. This is so that I can see how the colours will look post edit once the saturation of the video has been reduced.

This is something which I feel is important, because without doing this it may completely alter how your make-up looks once the editing is done.

I was happy with how all of these colours looked as they still held the depth of colour which I wanted, and you can still tell the variance of shades between them.

Face Chart #1: 

I have listed all the products used, by clicking on them you can be taken to the relevant site to view them. 

Face Chart #2

Face: 

- Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation:  to give a medium but flawless coverage to the skin. I didn't want anything thick or cakey, and nothing which was overly powdered or matte. This is because I wanted the base to look as natural as possible, but to carve into it with the use of shadow (hence why I did not powder this look also)

- MAC Pro Longwear Concealer under the eyes and in areas which need extra coverage

- MAC Blushers in Raizin and Film Noir (to deepen) as a contour in the hollow of the cheekbones and round the forehead.

- MAC Bronzer in Give Me Sun on the high points of the face such as the nose and cheekbones. This is because this 'character' would have been out in the sun and travelling post-apocalypse. So this is from where they have caught the sun from being outside.

Eyes:

- Illamasqua Brow Cake in Thunder: I did not want an overly carved brow so I used this lightweight powder to give more of a natural overgrown brow look.

- MAC Blusher in Raizin all over the eyelid and buffed up into the inner corner of the brow 

- MAC Blusher in Film Noir on the outer corner of the eye and underneath the waterline 

- Illamasqua Brow Cake in Thunder as a powder eyeliner. I wanted something which wasn't too striking on the eye but still gave definition, so used this waxy brow cake with an angled brush along the upper lash line.

- Illamasqua Masquara  a couple of coats of this on the top and bottom lashes to add definition.

Lips: 

NYX Lip Lingerie in Babydoll: I wanted to use a n1\ude colour to reflect the earthy colours I'd used throughout. As this is a pale shade too I thought it would work well as it will emphasize the dark tones on her face and make her look more eerie. 

References: 

1. Pickles, E. (2015). Post Apocalyptic Survivor | Makeup Tutorial. [video] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieSUuY8_iLE [Accessed 21 Apr. 2017].
2. LoveThisPic. (n.d.). Wild Messy Braid. [online] Available at: http://www.lovethispic.com/image/28325/wild-messy-braid [Accessed 21 Apr. 2017].
3. BeautyFrizz. (2014). 20 Messy Braided Hairstyles to Fall in Love with. [online] Available at: http://www.beautyfrizz.com/beauty/hair/20-messy-braided-hairstyles-to-fall-in-love-with/ [Accessed 21 Apr. 2017].
4. gofeminin. (n.d.). Von romantisch bis rockig: Tolle Flechtfrisuren für lange Haare. [online] Available at: http://www.gofeminin.de/mode-beauty/album871355/flechtfrisuren-fur-lange-haare-24551965.html#p41 [Accessed 21 Apr. 2017].

Live Model Concept

The Concept

As per my previous blog (click here to view) I decided to base my live model timeline piece on a 1940's World War 2 Soldier, as this is something which is relevant to the industry I want to go into (TV and Film). 

In order to push myself and make this piece stand out I decided to create an injured soldier, and a look that would be needed in a period drama for TV. In my previous post I explored common WW2 injuries, but the one which I decided would be the most fun to do is an artillery shell wound.

So I then set to thinking and researching the wounds associated with artillery shells. Many soldiers who were hit with shrapnel from an artillery shell would have disfigurement as a result, such as the soldier on the right who received a shrapnel wound to the face (Reference 1).

This image on the left (Reference 2) was one which really struck me as a source of inspiration and historically accurate research. This is an image of a German soldier taken in World War 2 after he fell victim to an artillery shell attack. As you can see in the image, the man's entire arm was blown off in the blast and is lay on the ground near him.

These very real scenes are something which I wanted to recreate in my look - as I am also tailoring the look toward TV/Film I wanted it to be as historically accurate as possible so that it would be camera-ready. I then set my sights to creating a prosthetic piece which would encompass this. I decided an arm would be best as it is a live model it might be a bit tricky to make their leg disappear...

Prosthetic Creation

Step 1:

To begin with I mixed 1.1kg of Alginate Powder with 2 litres of water and stirred it until it created a paste (like watery oatmeal consistency). Alginate is a substance which is used by dentists to create moulds of the teeth. I used it to create my mould because its' purpose in dentistry is to capture so much detail - which I need in order for my prosthetic to look realistic. As alginate sets to a rubber-like state, it is safer for the model to place their hand into. Using a material like plaster for example would mean that the models hand would be stuck inside it when it set!

Step 2:

I then asked my model to place his hand into the bucket of alginate. I knew we needed to work relatively quickly as it has a setting time of a few minutes. The powder changes colour as it is setting meaning that you know when it is ready for the model to take their hand out.

It took about 5 minutes in total for the 

algin-ate to firm up and turn into a rubber form. I was then left with the mould on the right of my models hand.

Step 3:

 

Now that the mould was complete, I had to work quickly to run the mould in silicone. Alginate when left in open air begins to shrink, meaning that a lot of the detail and shape is lost. I therefore set to mixing my Polycraft Silicone ready to pour into my mould. The silicone comes as a clear gel which you must mix with a catalyst which makes it react and begin to harden. I opted for a red catalyst; this enables you to ensure you have mixed it well as you can see the red is evenly dispersed. I also chose red as I wanted it to give my prosthetic the pink undertone it needed as flesh. I used 1.1kg of Silicone in total. 

I added a couple of drops of Flesh Tone silicone pigment to the mix to give it the fleshy undertone, and cancel out some of the red catalyst mixture. 

Step 4:

I then poured the mixture into the alginate mould. I added it in bit by bit and made sure I swirled the mould round so that every part of the hand was covered in silicone. I also banged the mould a few times so that the air bubbles came to the surface.

I poured the remaining silicone ontop of the mould, and scooped some out of the top of the hand area. This is because I wanted some extra flaps of skin hanging off the hand, which I can shred and cover in blood, so that it doesn't look like a clean cut off hand!

Finished Prosthetic (before paint)

So after leaving the silicone to set overnight, I cut the alginate mould open and took out the prosthetic. I'm really happy with the level of detail which the mould has captured, including fine lines and even veins! One thing I'm disappointed about is the amount of air bubbles in the hand which you can see on the above images. This is the result of the mould not being turned enough to release the air bubbles before it began to set. Although I am disappointed with that I'm still extremely proud as this is the first mould prosthetic I've made! 

Next Steps

The next thing to do is to give this hand an awesome paint job! Although this is a great base colour I will need to add in the details of the hand and different undertones to create a realistic illusion. 

References:

1. 24 General Hospital - Great War Society. (2013). Artillery Casualties (Warning – slightly gory black and white picture!). [online] Available at: https://thegreatwarsocietyhospital.wordpress.com/2013/08/02/artillery-casualties-warning-slightly-gory-black-and-white-picture/ [Accessed 4 Apr. 2017].
2. Fisher, M. (n.d.). #German soldier with his arm blown off on the Eastern Front during World War 2. [online] Pinterest. Available at: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/281826889153857104/ [Accessed 4 Apr. 2017].

Birthday Timeline Concept

The Make-Up

So far I have discussed the angular features of the look, and the prosthetic pieces I am creating in order to achieve this (click here to view my previous blog post). I now want to explore the actual make-up look which I will be creating on the model.

So when I think of an evil white witch character I imagine that she will have an iridescence to the skin - a glow which makes her mystical and shows that she has some form of power. The idea is that as she becomes powerful and when she has just 'devoured a soul' she will glow, she will be radiant and beautiful - but when she is hungry she will look drained and dull - her hair thin and lifeless and her skin greying. 

Left To Right, Image references 1, 2, 3

I loved these above images as I feel as though they captured the silver/white glow of my witch. To create this look I decided that I am going to do a base paint layer of silver to my model. I will then airbrush sheer coverage foundation over the top of that and you will still be able to see the silver glow underneath. This way I am making it appear that the glow is coming from within her and underneath her skin, and isn't just a coating. 

I still want the model to appear very beautiful, so I am looking at how I can make her look very ghostly but still attractive and charming. To achieve this I will be extremely subtle on the eyes, using only a mascara, and the brows will be very fair and fluffy. I want the face to look pretty much untouched, and let the glowing skin and prosthetics do the work of creating my character.

Image References Left - Right 5, 6, 7

I found these above images of make-up looks which had been created using an extremely cool toned pallet. I loved these as they all have an almost silver reflective property to the skin, which is something I want to create. But when researching into the purpose of these looks, they were portraying an ice queen character, which is why a lot of blue tones were used. Although I could consider using a blue to contour/shade with and adding a small hint of it, I do not want to make it too blue based. As it is intended for TV/Film I want to create something as believable as possible, and using too much blue colouring will take that realism away I feel.

Hair

So for the hair I knew I wanted a really pale model with light hair, to reflect the pale look of my character - like she hides in the shadows and doesn't see sunlight. 

For the hair to bring more of an avant garde feel to it I decided to create the look of horns, but creating them using the hair. I looked at various ways I could do this as I wanted them to have shape and support. 

I watched this video (click to view) - Reference 4 - about how to create horns on the head which are lightweight but will stay up. On the video Sahur used a pre-made set of lightweight horns which she attached to the headband, she then used her own hair to wrap around the horns which anchored them in even more and incorporated her entire hair into the look.

 

So I set to creating my own set of lightweight horns to wrap the model's hair around. 

I made them really simply using tin foil scrunched and built up into the shape of horns, making them thicker at the base. I twisted it to keep them tight and compacted. I then wrapped them in cling film to give them a smooth surface, and glued the cling film down using PVA glue. 

Next I will attach these to the white headband using a hot glue gun in order to attach them to the model's head. 

The more I began to think about this look as a character, I began to consider the smaller details which would by affected by the way this character behaves. By reading the chapter on 'Character Design' in the Makeup Artist Handbook (Reference 8) it explained to me the importance of detail. "All Projects begin with a text or concept; there is your character. Working subtly is just as challenging as painting with broad strokes when creating a character". This influenced my decision to stipple/airbrush on details within the look, such as light foundation stippled over a silver base coat. These little details are what will bring my character to life.

References:

1. Pinterest. (n.d.). White Witch. [online] Available at: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/413627547002779152/ [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
2. Esoterictoursuk.com. (n.d.). Esoteric Tours UK. [online] Available at: http://www.esoterictoursuk.com/ceremonial.php [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
3. Deviantart.com. (n.d.). #whitewitch - DeviantArt. [online] Available at: http://www.deviantart.com/tag/whitewitch?offset=7 [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
4. Saleim, S. (2014). DIY Maleficent hair/horns ♡. [video] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j54dCAyRc7A [Accessed 25 Mar. 2017].
5. Modern Fashion Blog. (2015). 15 Winter Snow & Ice Queen Make Up Looks, Ideas & Trends 2015. [online] Available at: http://modernfashionblog.com/15-winter-snow-ice-queen-make-up-looks-ideas-trends-2015/ [Accessed 25 Mar. 2017].
6. Pinterest. (2013). #4 About inspiration... (Things about...). [online] Available at: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/396105729708471618/ [Accessed 25 Mar. 2017].
7. Winter, K. (2014). Incredible transformations by one amateur make up artist. [online] Mail Online. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2607751/The-Cheshire-Cat-diamond-skull-Frank-Sinatra-The-incredible-transformations-achieved-one-amateur-make-artist-face.html [Accessed 25 Mar. 2017].
8. Davis, G. and Hall, M. (2012). The makeup artist handbook. 2nd ed. pp.118 - 119.

Change Concept

The Make-Up

So as per my previous blog post (Click here to view it) I'm going to be completing a Faux drag look on my model to mock the 'Is Instagram Turning Girls into Drag Queens' headline. 

I decided that I would also like to look for a black skinned female model for this look, to diversify my own portfolio and do something a bit more outside of my usual comfort zone. 

In terms of the make-up I wanted it to be instantly recognisable as drag, but still have the very girly element to it, which the article is referring to. As the point of my piece is to mock the article, I wanted to go all out in creating a stereotypical 'female' look and blending it with a stereotypical drag look.

Face Chart #1

With this initial idea I took a very classic drag look, using the black liner which wings and forms the cut crease, and implemented a strong brow to go with it. I made the brows very faded towards the front for the ombre look as this is a very recent 'Instagram trend'. But this brow trend actually originated from drag make-up and so blends the two together really well.

I wanted to go for a pink colour scheme as I felt that pink looks beautiful on a deep skin tone, and it would also compliment the overly feminine look which I am creating to mimic the article. In true drag style I have also contoured heavily - another trend now adopted by girls (and guys alike) on Instagram. The brows will be blocked out using a glue stick in order to create the high brow used in drag make-ups.

Product List: (click on each product to be taken to the company website)

Eyes:

- Brows blocked using a glue stick, and powdered with Ben Nye Translucent Set Powder

- Brows covered using Illamasqua Skin Base Lift Concealer (also to apply over the eyelid as shadow base).

- Brows redrawn on Using NYX Brow Gel and cleaned up using Illamasqua Skin Base Lift Concealer 

- Under Brows Highlighted with MAC Vanilla Pigment

- NYX Gel Liner to line the upper lash line, and to carve the crease, blended out and buffed towards the brow. Also on the waterline and buffed under the eye.

- MAC Magenta Madness Pigment On the eyelid

- Illamasqua Dolly Lower Lashes  and Illamasqua Lush Lashes on the top stuck using Duo Lash Glue

- NYX Vivid Brights liner in Fire under the lower lash line

Skin:

- Illamasqua Hydra Veil to prime the skin and give it a fresh healthy glow. As the foundation will be heavy I want to use a nourishing primer.

- MAC Studio Fix Foundation as I want a really full coverage (considering it is drag). This foundation is also Matte which will be useful under the hot lights during shooting.

- Illamasqua Skin Base Lift Concealer again under the eyes to erase any dark circles

- Ben Nye Translucent set powder to 'bake' this concealer and foundation. As it is a really heavy drag look I want to ensure it will stay put - through baking it I will get this outcome.

- Illamasqua Black Gel liner to contour. As my model has a very deep skin tone I will be using a black gel liner to create contour inkeeping with the heavy drag contour look.

- Illamasqua 'Epic' Highlighter on the cheekbones for the extra glow.

Lips:

- Barry M Lip Liner in Rose to overdraw and line lips

- NYX Lip Lingerie in Babydoll on the lips

Face Chart #2

I got really creative with this one and wanted to include lots of glitter - particularly using a cut crease as this is a classic drag technique which has filtered down to instagram looks. Again I have kept the contour strong, and overdrawn the lips. I have included drawn on freckles in this design as this is a really popular trend amongst instagrammers now, to draw on freckles (some people are even having them tattooed on). Again, I will block the brows using a glue stick to redraw on the brow higher up.

Eyes:

- Glue stick to block the brow, and Ben Nye Translucent Powder over them.

- Illamasqua Skin Base Lift Concealer to cover the brows and over the eyelids.

- NYX Brow Gel to redraw the brow on, to give them longevity throughout the shoot (as this product is waterproof)

- MAC Vanilla pigment to highlight under the brow bone. 

- MAC Magenta Madness Pigment to create the new eye 'crease'.

- This crease is then going to be lined with Urban Decay Heavy Metal Liner in Junkshow 

- On the Lid is NYX Glitter in Gold, stuck with Duo Lash Glue 

- Red Cherry Lashes in WSP on bottom, Illamasqua Lush Lashes on top. Stuck with Duo Lash Glue 

Face:

- Illamasqua Hydra Veil Primer, again to prime the skin well for the heavy make-up about to go ontop.

- MAC Studio Fix Foundation, to create a full heavy coverage base. 

- Illamasqua Skin Base Lift Concealer 

- Ben Nye Translucent Set Powder to Bake and set the foundation, so that it is durable during shooting. 

- NYX Black Gel liner to contour - to create a really defined contour on my deep skinned model. 

- Illamasqua 'Epic' Highlighter

-NYX Vivid Brights Liner in Fire to create the 'freckles' on the nose.

Lips:

- NYX Lip Lingerie in Satin Ribbon - a lip liner is not needed with this as the liquid lipstick dries so matte.

'Change' Concept

Idea Formulation

So for our fourth and final concept we decided as a class to choose the concept of 'change'. This can encompass anything related to change which has come about - be it social, political, economic, evolutionary etc. We decided that to make this theme a little bit more relevant to modern day, alongside each of our final images at the exhibition we would have a news article which inspired the piece. This then acts as a solid foundation for my piece inspiration and I can interpret the news article how I wish to create the piece.

So I came across the above article which seems to be doing the rounds on Facebook, with people sharing it posting their views on it  Click here to read the full article (Reference 1). This article is something I find both ridiculous and offensive on many levels, as drag is an art form which takes so much time, effort, money and skill to perfect; and I feel that articles such as this belittle it to being a joke or something we should be ashamed of. My own make-up is heavily influenced by drag as I love the entire culture surrounding it, and so this article is the one I wanted to base my look on - to prove that drag is an art form and girls are being inspired by it in positive ways.

What is Drag?

Drag is an expressive art form whereby men dress as women, often includng outlandish clothes, huge wigs and heavy make-up. The term was actually first used by William Shakespeare when casting male actors to play female roles in his plays.

Left - Right (Top) Biance Del Rio (Reference 2), Pearl Liaison (Reference 3), Cheddar Gorgeous (Reference 4), Sharon Needles (Reference 5).

These are a few of my personal favourite drag queens, as they are so bold with their make-up and outfit choices. I find them as a huge source of inspiration when I am creating make-up looks.

I wanted to look at these as to explore 'whether girls are turning into drag queens' I thought it would be best to start by looking at actual drag queens and their practices.

Drag Make-up Practices Girls Now Use

Overdrawn Lips

Overdrawn Lips are a huge current trend, with stars such as Kylie Jenner making it the 'done thing' amongst teenage girls. But this is a technique used by drag queens for years, to create the illusion of fuller, plumper and more feminine looking lips. This is done by drawing the lip line way over your natural lip shape and re-creating a new shape entirely. (Left images References 6, 7)

Cut Creases

Cut Creases are something very close to my heart (as you can see by the image from my own instagram on the right). These are a huge trend in make-up at the moment, with girls asking for this look on a regular basis for a night out! But this is also a trend started by drag - it was initially done when the brows had been blocked and redrawn on higher, to create the illusion of a new higher up eye socket, which is more feminine. (Image references left to right 8 & 9).

 

Contour

Contour is a craze which has been huge amongst women over the past few years, with celebrities such as Kim Kardashian making it a commonplace make-up ritual. But contouring came from drag - with queens using it to give the illusion of cheekbones, and give themself a more rounded 'feminine' shaped face. Either creme or powder products can be used, to shade and darken the areas which you want to sink back and make less prominent - such as a strong jaw on a queen.

(Image references left to right 10 & 11).

Lucy Garland

Image References (Left to right, top to bottom) 12, 13, 14, 15

Lucy Garland is an Australian girl who has pioneered the 'Faux Drag' trend. Faux Drag, or Bio Queens as they are sometimes referred to, are drag queens who are biologically female. This in itself is a controversial topic, as some believe that women can't be drag queens as they already have the facial and body features required to be female and so it is not 'true drag'.

I am so inspired by her creativity and make-up skill, that I decided to take this opportunity to do a look inspired by her. I decided that I will use a female model and create a Lucy Garland-esque look, which will reflect and poke fun at the news article that Instagram is turning girls into drag queens.

References:

1. Bassett, S. (2016). Is Instagram Making Girls Look Like Drag Queens?. [online] The Huffington Post. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sofina-bassett/is-instagram-making-girls_b_7212578.html [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
2. Nolfi, J. (2016). Bianca Del Rio Nabs Logo Comedy Special, 'Not Today Bianca'. [online] EW.com. Available at: http://ew.com/article/2016/10/27/not-today-bianca-logo-comedy-special/ [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
3. Sauvalle, J. (2015). Exclusive First Look: Pearl Liaison Channels Marilyn Monroe on The Cover of 'Dazed'. [online] Out.com. Available at: http://www.out.com/popnography/2015/9/17/exclusive-first-look-pearl-liaison-channels-marilyn-monroe-cover-dazed [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
4. imgrum. (2016). Cheddar Gorgeous (@cheddar_gorgeous) | Instagram photos and videos. [online] Available at: http://www.imgrum.org/user/cheddar_gorgeous/1354378824/1361662778284435860_1354378824 [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
5. Zimbio. (2016). Sharon Needles. [online] Available at: http://www.zimbio.com/Sharon+Needles [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
6. Valenti, L. (2015). The History of Overdrawn Lips. [online] Marie Claire. Available at: http://www.marieclaire.com/beauty/news/g3018/overdrawn-lips-history/ [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
7. Stargazer News and Events. (n.d.). Image Gallery - Stargazer Cosmetics. [online] Available at: https://www.stargazer-products.com/news-and-events/image-gallery/images/galleries/your-stargazer-style-gallery/page/9 [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
8. Mansell, M. (2016). Mollie Mansell on Instagram. Instagram. [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
9. Zimbio. (2015). Trixie Mattel. [online] Available at: http://www.zimbio.com/Trixie+Mattel [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
10. Petunia, N. (2016). HOUR SALE NEW correcting and contour kit w/ sponge. [online] Poshmark. Available at: https://poshmark.com/listing/HOUR-SALE-NEW-correcting-and-contour-kit-w-sponge- 5734916bb4188e2845008782?utm_campaign=referral_code%3DJGTKK&utm_content=feature%3Dsh_l%26rfuid%3D5691610c70b6bdedfd3c3796&utm_source=pi_sh_pub [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
11. Nolfi, J. (2017). Lady Gaga to Appear on RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9. [online] EW.com. Available at: http://ew.com/tv/2017/02/07/lady-gaga-rupaul-drag-race-season-9/ [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
12. Cardoso, L. (2016). Chi Chi Devayne: My Respect. [online] mais20minutos. Available at: http://mais20min.com.br/page/15/ [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
13. King Kong Magazine. (2016). LUCY GARLAND - King Kong Magazine. [online] Available at: http://www.kingkongmagazine.com/special-ks/lucy-garland/#jp-carousel-1350 [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
14. Garland, L. (2017). Lucy Garland. [online] Twitter.com. Available at: https://twitter.com/lucygarland__/status/833872011721990148 [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].
15. Garland, L. (2016). Lucy Garland on Twitter. [online] Twitter. Available at: https://twitter.com/lucygarland__/status/810370445895602177 [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].

Birthday Timeline Concept

Prosthetic Piece Exploration

I began to look at how I could create the appropriate prosthetic pieces for my witch look, as discussed in my previous blog post.

I began to look at ways in which I could create the desired look for my white witch piece and the materials most commonly used.

The Nose

I wanted to start by creating the upturned pointed nose prosthetic and looked online at the best and most common ways of doing this. I watched a YouTube video on how to make latex prosthetics which you can find here (Reference 1) which I followed in order to create my nose piece. 

1. To start I used an old face cast which I'd made previously from plaster, and used Chavant Special FX Clay to mould the shape of the nose which I wanted to create. I also spread clay across the cheeks as I wanted space for me to spread the latex out and create a thin seam to blend the prosthetic into the model's skin. I made the nose really upturned and pointy - almost slightly mouse like. I find this adds to the idea of the with 'looking down her nose at people' and being judgemental as a Virgo.

2. I then stippled Ben Nye Liquid Latex over the entire nose area and onto the cheek. On the cheek area I made these layers really thin as they are seams, and only did 2/3 layers of those. On the nose area I did 7/8 layers, using a hair dryer to dry between layers. I decided to use latex to create the nose as it is extremely lightweight - as the nose was going to be upturned and high I didn't want to use a heavier material such as foam which would drag down the entire nose.

3. To be sure the prosthetic was dry I left it overnight. I knew that it had dried as the latex had turned a yellow tone which indicates it has cured with the oxygen.

4. I brushed the entire piece with Ben Nye Translucent Powder, and as I began pulling it from the face cast I put a small fluffy brush underneath it to powder it as I peeled, to stop the latex from sticking to itself and curling up.

The Cheeks

I had intended on creating pointed cheekbone pieces for the look and so began to look what would be the best method for this. Making latex pieces like I had just done for the nose is not as easy, because the cheek is a relatively flat surface the latex would lose its' shape quite easily whilst on the face, so I would need to use something sturdier. 

My first and only attempt at this so far has been to use Ben Nye Nose and Scar Wax to mould the shape of a point onto my cheekbones. Although I did like the finish this gave, the wax was extremely difficult to work with and began to crease around where I had blended it. I also tried applying foundation over the top of it and it just bounced off and wouldn't stick.

I am continuing to look at how I can create the cheekbone pieces so that they are durable and long lasting for the duration of the shoot.

References:

1. goldiestarling, (2015). How to Make Prosthetics At Home by goldiestarling. [video] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr_YQm-xSek [Accessed 11 Mar. 2017].

Birthday Timeline Concept

The Golden Ratio

My concept is looking at the Virgo, and the concept of creating an evil 'White Witch' character to represent the negative traits of Virgos. I want my character to be beautiful, but also have the vain and obsessive traits of Virgo in her quest for beauty. To this end I began to look at what is considered to be a 'beautiful face'. 

I came across a theory about what makes the 'perfect face' which dates the whole way back to the Ancient Greeks, called the Golden Ratio. Dr. Stephen Marquardt is a doctor who has been researching the link between numbers and beauty for his entire career. The number in question is 1.618, or 'Phi' as it is referred to - and the idea is that within nature all beautiful things follow measurement based upon this number (Reference 1). With the most beautiful faces in the world we can see this; the mouth will be exactly 1.618 times the width of the nose. The front upper teeth are exactly 1.618 times the width of the tooth next to it. 

The Mask of Divine Proportion

Dr Marquardt then took this to the next level by creating the mask template of a 'perfect face' which uses this golden ratio and geometry, and is called The Mask of Divine Proportion.

(Above images, all Reference 2).

As you can see in the images above the mask uses harsh lines and shapes such as triangles, and using geometric techniques to create this 'perfect face' mask. This can be applied to women throughout history who have been considered as beautiful, such as Queen Nefertiti right through to Angelina Jolie in the present day. Their face fits the outlined shape created by the mask, meaning it is a beautiful face.

Looking at this mask really inspired my final character for my birthday timeline shoot. I wanted to emphasise how beautiful she is - but how the pursuit of trying to stay youthful is dark and evil.

Contemporary Research

 (Images from Left to Right, Reference 3, 4, 5).

This Mask of Divine Proportion instantly reminded me of Lady Gaga in 2011, when she had facial and body prosthetics to give her pointed features. I felt that this is really similar to the mask of divine proportion and influenced my decision to make my witch character have these same pointed features. This ties in with the idea that she is trying so hard to be youthful, and consume souls to do so - that she is heading in the extreme direction of being quite angular and odd to look at.

As I am creating a piece suitable for TV/Film I decided to look at how pieces similar to this have been used within this genre. The one which I found most commonly was Maleficent (Image right Reference 6)in which Angelina Jolie was given prosthetic cheekbones, ears and a nose piece to wear during filming to create the witch-type look.

The Logic Behind the Prosthetics

So there is some method in the madness! These cheekbones not only refer to the 'beautiful face' ideal, but also tie in with current research from Developmental Psychology and Human Physiology doctors. Brian Holtz from Temple University has conducted research which found that people with certain facial features appear more trustworthy than others. He found that in large studies of adults, they all rated the faces which had higher more prominent cheekbones as being more trustworthy, than those with shallow cheekbones (Reference 7). 

In terms of how this fits in with my concept - I feel that this witch character would need people to trust her so that she can lure them in before devouring them. So the mixture of her beauty and the science of trusting people with the higher cheekbones - this seems like an obvious aesthetic choice for me to make.

How am I reflecting this in my piece?

Within my piece I am going to be creating cheekbone prosthetics which will be really pointed and almost triangular. This is something I will definitely be doing, but would also like to take it further. I would also like to create a nose prosthetic which makes the nose look slightly upturned and pointed. I want the models face to look really angular overall and so will continue to research how I can achieve this overall look with the use of special effects and prosthetic.

References:

1. Meisner, G. (2014). Facial Analysis and the Beauty Mask. [online] Goldennumber.net. Available at: https://www.goldennumber.net/beauty/ [Accessed 8 Mar. 2017].
2. GoodStein, S. (2012). The Perfect Face - Golden Ratio Beauty Calculator. [online] Facethis.blogspot.co.uk. Available at: https://facethis.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/perfect-face-golden-ratio-beauty.html [Accessed 8 Mar. 2017].
3. An Open Vein. (2011). Lady Gaga in Egg and Gold Latex at the Grammy Awards 2011. [online] An Open Vein. Available at: http://anopenvein.com/famous-fashion/lady-gaga-egg-gold-latex-grammy-awards-2011/ [Accessed 8 Mar. 2017].
4. Thompson, J. (2011). Let's hope it doesn't catch on! Lady Gaga sports bizarre flesh-coloured facial horns. [online] Daily Mail. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1357258/Lady-Gaga-sports-bizarre-flesh-coloured-facial-horns-Jay-Leno.html [Accessed 8 Mar. 2017].
5. Robertson, A. (2011). Rihanna Beats Gaga To Facebook Top Spot. [online] digi.me blog. Available at: https://blog.digi.me/2011/07/15/rihanna-beats-gaga-to-facebook-top-spot/ [Accessed 8 Mar. 2017].
6. Charalambous, S. (2014). Lana Del Rey's Once Upon A Dream for Maleficent premieres at Grammys. [online] Mail Online. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2546565/Lana-Del-Reys-rendition-Once-Upon-A-Dream-Maleficent-premieres-Grammys-90-second-sneak-peek-trailer.html [Accessed 8 Mar. 2017].
7. Holtz, B.C. (2015). From first impression to fairness perception: Investigating the impact of initial trustworthiness beliefs. Personnel Psychology, 68(3), pp.499-546.