New Elizabethan Age.

These are the images i have chosen in response to Edward Bond's "The third crisis: Drama and civilisation." I have chosen these because i feel they are a good representation of a contemporary Elizabethan. The hair is a lot like the Elizabethans, but much more modern. Crimped instead of curled in some, different size curls etc. The use of jewellery in the hair still but again a much more modern version. The skin make up is pale and natural in all three images (like the Elizabethans) but the eyes or lip is where it gives a more contemporary edge. Bold, striking black eyes are very different from the Elizabethan's making it much more 'now'. The use of collars in the styling are used but yet again in fashion and not as big and bold as the Elizabethans had.

A contemporary figure who uses a lot of the Elizabethan styles, sometimes big or sometimes just subtle hints throughout her looks, is Lady Gaga. She is known for being 'out there' with her fashion but after researching the Elizabethan Era i have noticed she uses a lot of there style in her own looks. Lady Gaga  i feel is a new Elizabethan because she is always getting peoples attention. Whether it be for her music or crazy fashion sense. Everyone is always wants to know what she is going to wear/do next. She has 40,509,123 twitter followers (her 'little monsters' as she calls her fans) which shows how popular she is. Everyone has heard of her and she is influencing our generation.
She has also taken over in others way, recently she has made a flying dress. Which is the worlds first ever flying dress and never seen before. She is influencing the future now as so much more could come from this. This has also given me ideas to give my design a more futuristic vibe. I would try and do this by accentuating the hair and using colours that represent to me the future.

The beads, embellishments and different textures in this top really give a feel of Elizabethan and symbolise wealth. I like the idea of the shoulders being larger than normal which i feel make it much more contemproary which is  something i would consider doing when creating my Elizabethan look.

I choose this image because of the style of the dress. The different layers and ruffles give off a very contemporary Elizabethan feel. I like how how the neckline, is on the top ruffle, as it make it look more edgy. The idea of layering fabrics or different fabrics would be something i would consider doing. Perhaps not in clothing's but somehow within my hair and make up look, layering different textures etc.


Another person i feel who would be a new Elizabethan is Bob Geldof. I have chosen Bob Geldof mainly because of his activism for anti-poverty in countries in Africa. He has set up charities and organisations for famine relief in Ethiopia.  He founded the charity Band Aid and then went on to organise live aid where well known bands perform a concert to raise money and awareness which made approx. 30 million. He has been given an honorary knighthood, as 'the man of peace' title and was also nominated for the nobel peace prize. He has made a massive contribution in raising awareness and influencing and inspiring people all over the world including famous celebrities who take part and contribute in his concerts and singles. (Artists such as Bono, Sting, Boy George, George Michael and many more performed.)

Make up practical week 4.

This week was a revise week so we went over and practised the skills we had already learnt.

Prepping the skin, base, concealing, contouring and blusher. But more extreme than we had done it before.

I feel the overall base and concealing was much better. Also the colour match was better then in previous weeks. I still feel i could go a bit more heavier with the contouring.

Face charts.

This week we were asked to make four face charts for our Elizabethan character based on, complimentary colours, monochromatic colours, neutral colours and analogous colours.

Here are the four i created:

Complimentary colours: 

I choose to use blue and orange for my complimentary colours. I decided to make the focus of the look be the eyebrows. Elizabethan eyebrows were high so at first i experimented with thin blue high eyebrows but found it a bit plain and boring. So i developed it still to a high blue brow, but flicking up more and shaded with more blue around the eyebrow which i feel makes it more exciting and contemporary. As they are so bold i didn't  want the rest of the look to overpower it. So i kept it simple. With slight orange shading under the eye and in the corners above. And some orange blusher blended down the cheekbone. I decided to keep the lips bare a neutral as i didn't want them to steal focus away. 

Neutral Colours: 

 For my neutral look i choose to do a smokey eye with a thin sharp straight liner. I would keep the eyebrows high and thin and would also use a white foundation to really give an Elizabethan feel, mixed with a smokey eye and a bold lip.

Analogous Colour:

For this face chart i choose the analogous colours, red, orange and purple. Although the photo doesn't show but the foundation would be white to in keep with the Elizabethan era. I would do a bold orangey red lip with slight red blush but not too much. I decided to do the eyes bold too as i feel these colours would be able to pull it off. The purple is also a colour of wealth in the Elizabethan times which would be a good colour to use when designing my look as it would have symbolism within it. I want to create a new face chart inspired by these using colours which were symbolic in the Elizabethan era, like purples and blues. 

Monochromatic Colours: 

For the monochromatic face chart i chose red. I would want thick, straight, red brows, although not high like the Elizabethans i feel the thinness represents it. The base would be completely white or a very pale foundation as i would want the colour to stand out more and still have the touch of Elizabethan. I wanted to keep the eyes plain, with a slight bit of shadow going across as i don't want them to draw away from the eyebrows. I wanted the emphasise the cheeks and lips in the look making them bold and where your attention goes. I wanted the whole overall look to be very blunt and straight on top of a white base. 

After doing the face charts i feel the colours that work the best together was the analogous colours. However my favourite design i created was the complimentary colours one. So experimenting with the design of the complimentary colours with the analogous colours will be my next step and developing that look further with contouring. 

Extreme Contouring

In lesson this week we learnt extreme contouring. We had to use complimentary colours and create an extreme colours. Here is my result:

I choose the complimentary colours, blue and orange and then added white to accentuate the highlighed areas.

Make up Practical Week 3.

Make up practical.

Week 3.

Contouring and Blusher.

Equipment: 

• Skin prep equipment. 
• Foundation
• Concealer
• Powder
• Blusher. 

Practical- 

• Prepare skin. Base and conceal. Don't put powder on. 
• Use concealer, one shade lighter to highlight. And one shade darker to shade. 
• Lighter goes above the bone.
• Darker goes below the bone.
• Highlight along top of cheekbone and eye area, down nose, jaw, ears, beneath eyebrows and blend. 
• Shade below the cheekbone, sides of nose, sides of forehead, neck and blend. 
• If you aren't using a grease blusher powder now. If you are using a grease blusher do blusher first the powder.
• Get client to smile whilst applying blusher and make sure its blended nicely and doesn't look harsh. 

Before.

After.

Evauluation- I must concentrate on blending in blusher and contour lines more as i had a couple harsh lines still on the face. And really concentrate of concealing as all blemishes should have been covered a bit better. I think that the over all coverage and colour of the base though was good and a much better match than last week. 

Introduction.

This semester i will be focusing on the Elizabethan era and will learn the basic skills and techniques of make up design. I will be aiming to design and create a contemporary look for that era. I will research the Elizabethan period (portraits, quotes etc) in order to develop ideas and understanding and create three image ideas with step by step guidance of how to create it accurately. I will also be learning how to follow instructions and have a full understanding of the terminology so that i can create looks based upon written or verbal direction. I will then use these skills to create a member of my classes look. I am looking forward to this unit and excited to express my imagination and come up with a contemporary Elizabethan image.

Queen Elizabeth-Contemporary Figure.

After looking through different portraits from the Elizabethan Era i have chosen this one of Queen Elizabeth:

I have chosen this because of how extravagant everything is. Her dress is huge with so much detail you cant help but look at it. Her hair has such a vibrant colour but so tamed and styled at the same time. Excessive amounts of jewllery and accessories and make up done to perefection. All of these things were to draw you in and make you look at her which is exactly what it does and what Queen Elizabeth wanted. She was also showing wealth and power. I love the detail in the sleeves of the dress, it looks like sequins and beads embodied into it. Intricate designs on her dresses weren't uncommon. This reminds me of a couple of tops i have now which shows how much we still use components of her style.

I have chosen Nicole Sherzinger as my contemporary figure.

She comes across a strong, independent fierce woman, but then has a more vulnerable side; very similar to Queen Elizabeth. Another reason that i have chosen her is because i think it would be great to mix up two completely different cultures and ethnicity's. Although Nicole Sherzinger and Queen Elizabeth are so far apart in appearance i have picked up on a couple similarities. Not in Make up but in hair and styling of a couple photographs i have found.

The styling in this photograph with the dress with all the ruffles coming up to the neck has a slight Elizabethan feel. The hair also is all scraped back which is a typical Elizabethan hair style, especially with a the big bun. (Although not curly i still feel there are slight similarities.)

If i were to style Nicole Sherzinger to resemble my Elizabethan Portrait but with a contemporary twist I would do a few things. I would want my portrait to have the feel of a different culture still without the Elizabethan feel being too overpowering, i would want small, subtle hints throughout. 

Firstly i would start with using white henna over the face- the white for the touch of the Elizabethan and the henna to represent a different culture (Although Nicole isn't from India i feel she is a good model to represent this.) 

White Henna

I would use henna like the photo above, but coming down one side of the face and possibly onto the neck. I would want it too look elegant and pretty so i would make sure it was thin and a subtle design.

I would also use a bindi, in white and would possibly even use the Henna to create a collar like the Queen Elizabeth has in the portrait.

Top: White bindi design. Bottom: a henna collar design.

I would then pull the hair all back off the face and have it very big at the back to get that Elizabethan feel! Queen Elizabeth always has lots of accessories, jewellery and crowns etc in her hair. So i would add accessories to the hair that i feel keep in with the theme of my look.

For the styling i would either go for one of two ways. I would continue with my bollywood theme  And use something like these pictures below. The patterns and the material have a real Elizabethan feel although its not your typical Elizabethan dress there are aspects of it that are, which i think finish off my look. 

Or i would go for something more obviously Elizabethan but still in keeping with my cultural and ethnic Elizabethan interpretation. 

After doing this task and researching i have realised and found out that there are so many more similarities with the Indian/Bollywood style and Elizabethan than i had first thought. They both use jewels and beads and broaches in the hair. And they both have beaded and intricately designed and patterned clothing (although very different styles sometimes.) It has been very interesting and made me want to explore other cultures and sub cultures to see what else is out there and what other similarites there might be or Elizabethan traits that are still being used.  And to see how else i could contemporaries them too. 

Make up Practical- Egg whites.

This week we experimented with layering egg whites over our bases. Layering was big in Elizabethan times as they would layer on their make up very thick. They would use a mixture of lead and vinegar, 'ceruse' and this would be applied to the face. They would then glaze over egg whites. This would be to lift skin and help with fines line and wrinkles; as when you whisk an egg enzymes are released which help it sit better.

We then mixed the egg whites with powder paint which turned it into more of a paste. We applied it over the face, thin and lightly with big brush strokes. This gave a cracked skin effect had a much more Elizabethan feel. When it is applied on the skin it feels really tight like a drying face mask. 

Queen Elizabeth was often referred to as the most beautiful women in that time because of her appearance due to her extreme make up. It was also a sign of wealth as the lower class could not afford to go to such extremes, had the time or resources. I think this would be a great start to contemporaries an Elizabethan look as layering was a key element of the image.

Top left and right- Egg whites with powder paint. Bottem left- egg whites.

An image from the video we were shown in lesson from 'Nowness' by Lernert and Sander where they layered a years worth of make up onto the models face. 

Contemporary Elizabethan Make up Research

This is an image that really struck me, i felt like the styling in this really made me think of the Elizabethan era. It is by Paco Peregrin, and its the large shoulders and collar and headpiece which gave it a slight Elizabethan feel in a really contemporary way.

 Here are some contemporary Elizabethan make up images i have found which are inspiring to me:

After looking at these contemporary images i decided to look at people who have played roles of queen Elizabeth in films, to see how it was interpreted. Firstly i looked at Kate Blanchett who plays Queen Elizabeth in the film Elizabeth.

I then looked at Helen Mirren who plays Elizabeth in another film.

And finally Judi Dench.

You can see an obvious similarity in all of them, but yet there are so many different aspects to each character even though they are playing the same role. Judi Dench has been made much more firm and harsh looking, in comparison to Kate Blanchett. It is interesting to see how different she has been portrayed through age as the second two are a much older Elizabeth and you can tell this by looks and how her persona is coming across in the images above. You can see this through, her clothes, how bigger and more embellished they got through time. Her hair colour, the redder it was. And herself, the first she look more innocent and naive, and the other two she's much more strong and confident looking.

Cleanser and toners

There are so many cleaners and toners on the market these days, so finding the right one is quite difficult. I have extremely sensitive and dry skin so i have always used and would recommend Simple. It has no perfume, colour, harsh chemicals or unnecessary ingredients so it is perfect for people with sensitive skin. It gives a thorough cleanse even around sensitive eye areas. And at £2.99 for a 200ml bottle you can't complain. Which is perfect for our make up kits. I have also used the Laura Mercier One step cleanser (Not on myself) but have always had great feedback from clients. It is also fragrance free and dermatologically and allergy tested to prevent irritation for those who do have sensitive skin. But at around the £30.00 mark for a 200ml its a bit too expensive.

For toner again i use simple as i find it quite difficult to find a toner that doesn't dry my skin out even more, or cause irritation. Again its completely colour, perfume and alcohol free. Its dermatologically tested and is non drying. It has always taken the last bits of my make up of and left my skin soft without drying it out even more or feeling tight. And for a 200ml bottle its £2.99. Simple often do a 3 for 2 deal which makes it even better value.

I then finish with Nivea Rich moisturising day cream for dry and sensitive skin. It has natural almond oil and Hyrda Q in which gives a more intense moisture and also has SPF 15 to help protect against sunlight.

Analysis of Art gallery piece.

After looking round the art gallery i choose this piece by Selina Snow from the Indian and Children series. Selina Snow is the artist, this collection was influenced by a trip to India and a strong desire for children.

I first choose this piece purely because it was quite quirky, different and childlike. The colourfulness and youthfulness drew me to the picture. After studying it more though and researching the artist i feel it is much more than that. It is representing two completely different cultures. The lamb (which is very british) is big and bold and takes your focus. However the flower (which i believe is representing India) Is more subtle with the small Indian god sat on the top. Which made me think why the lamb was so big compared to the Indian god? The lamb is sat on a blue circle which seems solid, whereas the god is balanced in a flower and could disappear. This makes me think that the lamb and the british side is the stronger. The patterns in the background look more ethnic which fits in with the cross-cultural feel of the painting. After further research i discovered the flower is a lotus flower which is a symbol that represents the virtues of sexual purity and non attachment in the hindu religion. The two images contrast each other. So although the British lamb catches your eye and seems the more powerful out of the two; the Indian side has greater deeper meaning which subtly draws you in.

Although i think the overall feel of the painting is more british, it is the Indian, ethnic side that inspires me more. The patterns in the background with the vibrant colours of the flower i think would be a start for a make-up design stenciled onto the face. Or creating a more contemporary version of the god.
Examples of this and inspiration:

After looking at Selina Snow's gallery, i thought about some pieces i have in my own house which i could relate to within the Elizabethan era. 

These are two pictures that my sister gave me. Looking at them firstly i thought they look quite ethnic and oriental. But after further analysis from starting this project i can see hints of Elizabethan in them. The pale skin and rosey cheeks. And use of head wear throughout both, are both really strong traits from the Elizabethan era and great way to start into looking at ways i can contemporaries a design. As i feel both these pieces look really contemporary. 

This is the second image, a painting my sister painted for me. Although this is not a face i feel like this could be a great way to symbolise the era. The colour of the cherries represent to me; the colour of Queen Elizabeths hair or her two rosey red cheeks. 

Make up Practical week 2.

Make up Practical.

Week 2.

Base and Concealing.

Equipment-

• Cleanser
• Toner
• Moisturiser
• Cotton pads
• Cotton buds
• Foundation
• Concealer
• Powder and blush
• Brushes

Preparing.

• Consultation. Check skin type so you can decide which foundation. (Men- better to use tinted moisturiser as they are more textured and foundation can make them look flat.)
• Cleanse, tone moisturise and remover eye make up.
• Mix colours to match skin tone. Do not double dip, take with spatula and mix on hand
• Put small amount on side of the face jaw line to see if colour is correct. You should not be able to see if once blended slightly if you are going for a natural look.
• Conceal on top of the base, not before.
• Pay attention to corners of nose, eyes and mouth as redness if common. Those areas tend to repel make up.
• Pink tones get rid of blueness in the skin.
• Peach tones get rid of yellowy browns.
• Green tones get rid of redness.
• Mix primer in with base. Matte is completely matte. Satin gives a slight glow.
• If you use powder blusher put on after you powder. If you are using a grease blusher put on before you powder. 

Base and concealing.

• Start in the centre of face and work outwards in circular motions, with brush or sponge.
• Make sure to cover all skin. Right up too lash line, ears, under a fringe.
• Don’t forget neck! Take off gown and put couch roll in t-shirt and take the base down.
• Conceal areas with smaller brush that need it. Light dabbing motions. Don’t forget, corners of nose, under eyes, corners of mouth etc.
• Powder t-zone with puff. Use brush for the rest of the face.

Evaluation- Practical went well. Need to work on mixing colours of foundation as first attempt was a bit pale.

Before and after-

Make up Practical week 1.

Make-up Practical.

Week 1-

Preparing skin-

Equipment-

• Cleanser 
• Toner
• Moisturiser
• Cotton pads   
• Cotton buds

Step 1.

•  Look at client’s skin type and use products suitable for it. (Best to be extra cautious and use sensitive skin products.)
• Check skin for any skin diseases.
• Ask client if they are on any medication.
• See if client has any allergies.
• Wash hands thoroughly.

Step 2.

• Put cleanser on two cotton buds and start to remover make up from face. Always use upward stroking motions.
• Use cotton buds around the eyes. (Can ask client to go over eyes if they are wearing heavy eye make-
• Be careful not to get into eye.
• Put toner on two cotton buds. This will remove anything else left on the skin.
• Moistures (Pea size in palm of hand)
• Exfoliate (optional.) Clears top layer. Probably too stimulating before the model is about to go in front of the camera. But would be useful after the shoot.

Evaluation. 

Practical session went well. Remember to be more thorough around the eyes next time as there was still a bit of mascara left. Also I need to remember not to put other hand on clients head whilst using the other hand to work with.

Analysis of Elizabethan Portrait.

Elizabethan Portrait.

This is the portrait of Queen Elizabeth 1st. Queen Elizabeth I, 1592. Circle of Nicholas Hilliard. Hardwick House.

Just from looking at this portrait you can tell it is in the later years of her life. As her life went on her portraits of herself became more extravagant. And comparing this to one in the 1560’s you can see this. The dress is showing wealth and that image counts. It’s large, eye catching and has so much going on you can’t help but stare which is what she wanted. It is also in black which is a colour of the upper class.

The picture, like a lot of hers, is loaded with other things to draw attention away from her and the fact that she is a woman. Women were seen as second class, so the big extravagant dress, huge scraped back hair, bold make up, cluttered background, the use of props and heaps of jewellery are to not only to show wealth and power but for people not to focus on the fact she’s a woman. She’s showing female power and stood with her head high.

The pearls round her neck and symbolising purity and were also considered the most valuable. The rose on her dress is also symbolizing purity and virginal. As it had religious meanings as the symbol of Virgin Mary. Holding the gloves in her hands she is trying to symbolize elegance.

The fact that there is a thrown in the background with a cushion with her initials on is her wanting people to know that she is the Queen and how powerful and rich she is. Signify monarchy. The spikes coming out of her dress are making her look untouchable

So although she is trying to give an impression of being a strong queen and that she is powerful and wealthy, after looking closely you see that she is also trying to convey another side to her, an elegant virginal godless like woman. I think she gives this harsh first impression off because she doesn’t want to seem like a feeble woman, she wants to be a queen that people look up too even though she’s a woman and don’t doubt her for that.