Hair design: Claudia

I am going for a simplistic hair style for my 'Claudia' character. My model has very dark, short hair that i want to style with a 'slicked back' hair style. I also want to add in some crimping on the crown of the head and brush it back to fit with the slicked back idea. I think this can represent the destruction and craziness in her life and the state she's in.
I will use a fine toothed comb and backcomb the frizzy crimped crown and then brush it into place and hairspray it. I want it to look neat but slightly dishevelled and uneven, and not your average hairstyle - as she is not your average girl!

Tools used:

• Hair straightener
• Hair crimper
• Fine comb
• Hairspray
• Bobby pins/grips

Practising 'Mrs Laderman'

MAKEUP

I wanted to create a dark yet soft and slightly sexual look for my character. The idea originally was to go very simplistic, with a dark smokey eye and dark berry red lip. When I practised this makeup look however, I didn't feel like it had the magic, WOW power that I wanted. I decided to stick with the original smokey eye but I tried a nude lip. I still wasn't feeling it.. So on a whim I decided to try these black sequins! I was going to stick with just black on their own but the contract between those and the rose gold sequins made my models eye pop so I put those on too.

Products used:

• Illamasqua skin primer in matte
• bareMinerals bareSkin foundation in 
• Illamasqua loose powder
• Kryolan concealer palette
• Revolution cream contour palette
• Revolutions palette - dusty brown 
• Illamasqua black eye shadow
• Forever makeup HD brow kit in ash brown 
• Benefit THEY'RE REAL mascara in black 
• Primark 'full look' lashes
• Primark sequin kit (black and rose gold)
• Kryolan lip palette in nude
• Revolution HD baked highlighter

Tools used:

• Zoeva buffing brush
• Zoeva concealer brush
• Zoeva mini buffing brush
• Zoeva powder brush
• Kryolan eyeshadow brush
• Mac crease blending brush
• Zoeva contour brush
• Kryolan lip brush
• Unknown (amazon brand) highlighting fan brush
• Tweezers

Practising 'Mrs Laderman'

HAIR STYLING

Inspiration images for my character

My character is a classy and beautiful lady. Knowing that my particular model, Ruby, had dark hair, I was keen to create a soft pin curl look and keep her looking elegant and glamorous. I want the hair to be a bit more messy than these three images however I want to keep the same sort of curl and parting.  I had a practise session with my model and tried to recreate a similar sort of look:

Practising the hairstyling for the character (before and after)

I achieved this look by using a 20mm barrelled curling wand and then leaving them to set in pins. I wanted to make sure the curls were big and full of volume, especially with a bit of lift at the top. I left the curls to cool in the pins and so left them whilst I practised the makeup. By the time I took the pins out I was left with the right hand picture as a result! I back combed nearer the roots and brushed out the curls to give them a softer look. I added some texture spray to the hair so that it stayed big and bouncy and then set the whole head with hairspray. Hope it goes this well on the day of the shoot!

Bibliography

https://moncheribridals.com/wedding-hairstyles/29-stunning-vintage-wedding-hairstyles/

http://www.examiner.com/slideshow/best-dressed-at-the-oscars-2013-academy-awards-fashion

Hair chart: Mrs Laderman

For my Mrs Laderman hair design I wanted to go simplistic but effective. My character is inspired by vintage fashion and is a very well put together woman, so I thought soft curls using a large barrel tong and pinning up one side would work well for this character.

Tools used:

• Large barrel curling tong
• Hairspray
• Hair grips

Second practise session

Second practise session with my model

Props for my continuity design

I wanted to create a prop for my continuity exam that would suit the era. I watched Bram Stoker's 'Dracula', 1992, for some inspiration as I was interested to see what the makeup and styling was like. I paid particular interest in Lucy as she is my chosen character, and especially liked her wedding dress in her final scenes. I really liked the ruff, and thought it would have looked particularly grim if it was covered in blood!! I took this as inspiration for creating my own Victorian ruff. I researched online and thought about buying one from eBay but decided to give making one a go by using lace and stitching it all together on a sewing machine.

The ruff I made was a lot smaller than the ruff Lucy Westenra had in the film production of Dracula. I think for my final design I will use some silk material and wrap it around my models shoulders - a simplistic approach to a wedding dress!! 
To create the ruff:
I bought about 2 meters of lace and half a meter of lacy material. I simply stitched the lace underneath each other and left two long pieces at the back so that I can tie them to my model - this also meant I can use it on several people for future shoots/designs (one size fits all!!). In my first practise session with my partner, I am going to apply the same fake blood to the lace ruff that will be on the model. Very pleased with this :) 

Bibliography:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/66/e4/ef/66e4ef558d3e274c121bb71c49e39c08.jpg

Practising my final continuity design

Practise session with my model

Today I practised my design on my model Amelia. I eventually chose to use the white base mixed in with the matte primer as it suited Amelia more than the satin primer! I found it really useful to practise on my model as I now know what will take extra time and what I want to change. I don't like how the eye makeup is darker than I wanted - so I decided to use less of the supra colour and go with the subtle look of the H&M eyeshadow. For the lips, I tried using supra colour in white before applying the fake blood; which I don't like. In our next practise session these are things I will change and improve for the final assessment.

As for the ruff; my model was very pleased with it and I was satisfied with how it fit on my model. As planned, I dirtied it up with the fake blood I used on Amelia, positioning it so that it looks as if it has dripped from her mouth onto her front. I love the overall effect of this!!!

Creating Lucy Westenra

First practise session with my model

For my design I wanted to stay simple. I have gone for a white base using a mixture between illamasqua's matte primer and illamasqua's white base to achieve a very gaunt and iron deficient looking model! For the eyes I used a matte purple shadow and for the brows I used wax on a clean mascara wand to roughen them up. I started using the white colour from the supra colour palette but in my next practise I want to use a darker colour as the base for the fake blood. The fake blood is pale in colour to make it look fresh!

I was pleased with the outcome of my first practise with Amelia and pleased with the overall effect of the hair and makeup combined. I also added a few splodges of blood to my home-made ruff to create a realistic representation of a vampire. I felt that the time given to complete the hair and makeup was very reasonable! I managed to get everything done in just over an hour and so had time to tweak certain bits at the end - ideal for the actual assessment. I am going to practise this look again before the assessment so that I feel confident on the day!

Continuity Design

For my continuity design I have chosen to go for a simplistic but effective vampire look. My character is still attractive even when she is described as 'undead', so I wanted to create a look that wasn't terrifyingly ugly but still had the attributes of a typical vampire - and someone who's supposedly been buried in a tomb for a couple of days!

I was originally hoping to create a design that involved a slit neck after enjoying learning about special effects in Sue's practical lessons. I had a sit down chat with Kat and we decided it would be better to keep my design simple for the continuity design, as a large wound could be quite hard to replicate. 

For my final design I have chosen to use (for the face) illamasqua's white base mixed in with their matte primer. I will need to practise on my partner for this part of the design, as I'm not sure whether my partner would be more suited to the satin primer or the matte primer. For under the eyes, I am going to use a mauve/purple matte eyeshadow by H&M and buff out an intense line under the lash line and downwards towards the eye socket/where natural eye bags would be. I will also buff the product up around the lid and the eye socket - this colour is great for making eyes look tired. To accentuate the look of tired eyes and the iron deficient look of a vampire who hasn't fed for days; I will use a thicker line of supra colour in dark burgundy very close to the lash line and buff this out to just underneath the eyes. For the eyebrows, I will warm some cinewax in my fingers and apply to the brow - my model has great, big eyebrows - and rough up the hairs using a clean mascara wand. Finally, for the lips I am going to apply liquid latex and leave it to dry naturally. I will then use supra colour in the red and apply this over the lips, finally finishing the look off by applying a small amount of fake blood to an orange stippling sponge and dabbing it over the mouth area/lips and down the chin.

Technical File: Sweat, pallor and fever

In our lesson with Sue today we learnt how to create sweat, pallor and fever. Sue said that it is best to keep this as realistic looking as possible, working with a natural base rather than foundation. In order to keep the continuity you must cover any blemishes/scratches/marks that must be covered throughout the continuity production, whether it's a film or television program etc.

To achieve fever/pallor:

For this rash/fever look I used my supra colour palette by mixing the red with the burgundy and lightening it up so look like hot skin with the white colour. I applied it with my finger to keep it looking light rather than caked on and patchy - I blended it through the skin on areas such as in inner eye socket, down the nose, round the nostrils, on the forehead and cheekbones, and a patch on the neck to keep it looking real rather than in a concentrated area.

To achieve dried lips:

To achieve the dry lips I used liquid latex. I dabbed the product on lightly using a brush whilst my model squashed his lips together! Using a hair dryer on a cool setting, I cooled the latex whilst the lips were still wrinkled together, when completely dry, and the lips relaxed, the latex looks like crusty dried lips!

To achieve sweat:

To achieve the beads of the sweat on the forehead, upper lip and nose, I used a decent splodge of glycerine and used a stippling sponge for texture. I dabbed this in the appropriate areas!

Tools used:

• Black stippling sponge
• Craft brushes

Products used:

• Supra colour pallet
• Liquid latex
• Fake blood
• Moisturiser
• Glycerine

HEALTH AND SAFETY:

For this particular makeup look I was aware that I would have to do a skin test for the liquid latex, so applied a small blob in the models inner arm and waited a while to see if there was any type of reaction. As well as this, I ensured that my working area was clean and clear of any clutter. I washed my hands before any makeup application and continued to wash them after each product used (supracolour/liquid latex/glycerine). 

Technical file: Dirtying teeth, Dirt

In Sue's practical lesson today we learnt and practised how to blacken teeth and make a model look muddy looking/dirty. Again, we referred to images of black teeth so that we were familiar with what looks real and effective. We then experimented with fullers earth on hands and arms. This could be used for several looks.

To create black teeth: (using KRYOLAN tooth enamel)

1. Cover you client to protect any clothing from being exposed to the tooth enamel.
2. Dry the teeth with a cotton bud to ensure the product sticks and doesn't slide straight off.
3. Pop a small amount of tooth enamel onto a mixing palette; don't put it on the back of your hand as it will stain and is hard to remove.
4. Using a cotton bud, apply small amounts of the product to the area you desire.
5. You can layer and add a mixture of yellows and blacks for a really grim look!
6. To remove, soak a cotton bud in white spirit and then dab onto couch roll to get rid of any excess. 
7. Voila!

Products used:

• Kryolan tooth enamel in yellow and black
• White spirit (to remove enamel)

Tools used:

• Baby cotton buds

I really enjoyed this lesson because it was a quick and easy process but was very effective!! I want to use this for a future project!

HEALTH AND SAFETY:

I was very aware that working with models mouths is a strange subject. I made sure that my hands were thoroughly clean before starting the process and covered my model over to make sure no product went on her clothing. I ensured that each cotton bud I used was new and I wasn't mixing products/making it unhygienic. As well as this, I was very careful not to dose the cotton bud in the white spirit as it was going in the clients mouth to remove any enamel product, so made sure I had clean tissues near by to wipe of any excess white spirit. 

Technical File: Cuts and Black eyes

In our practical lesson with Sue today we learnt how to create an effective looking black eye and also how to create cuts using special effects equipment.

Black eye

1. For the black eye, start with a clean base.
2. Moisturise the area you applying the products to, as a shiny black eye looks more effective than a matted down version.
3. Follow the shape of the eye socket; using a dark mauve/red/purply colour line the socket and blend with your ring finger. Add bits at a time and blend as you go along. 
4. You can refer to a photograph of a black eye throughout the process, as it is good to refer back to the colours and particular shapes. Usually the darker areas are in the inner sockets by the nose, and get lighter around the outside of the eyes. 
5. If you want to add red eye drops and use a red eye pencil this can be effective too!

My first attempt at a black eye

Products used for this look:

• Supra colour palette (the dark burgundy)
• Ben Nye's bruise wheel in the dark purple and dark red

Brushes used:

• Artist's paint brush (small)

Cuts:

1. Prepare the skin by using Kryolan's barrier cream
2. Take the amount of moulding wax you need using your spatula and put it on the back of your hand. This will warm the product up and make it easier to mould onto the skin and blend it in.
3. Apply the wax in small sections and blend the outer edges carefully. Once you have applied your wax and you're happy with it, cut a slit (or whatever kind of wound you want) into the middle, thicker areas
4. Apply liquid latex with a cotton bud and dry using a cool hairdryer
5. Once the liquid latex turns from white to clear, you are ready to neaten up any edges using a cotton bud and acetone. Take away any obvious mistakes.
6. Apply a foundation colour that is suited to your model and blend it in. You can also mix supra colour colours (in reds,blacks etc) with alcohol and create a pinker, sore look to the cut.
7. Apply wound filler to the inside of the cut with a hair pin, or wherever you want it to go
8. Lastly, add some blood and make it as gory as possible!!

From left: the moulding wax before the other products went on, the final product

I really enjoyed this lesson because we got to get quite creative!! I want to improve soon and make the cuts look more realistic. 

HEALTH AND SAFETY:

For this lesson I washed my hands thoroughly and made sure my work space was clean. I covered my area over with couch roll and laid out my products ready to use! I covered my client over and then tested the products on her skin before proceeding. 

Technical File: Creping of the skin/ageing

In our first lesson of the semester with Sue we learnt about liquid latex and how to age a person. It is really important to stick to the same health and safety rules we learnt last term to avoid spreading bacteria. Before you start working on your models face you must ensure that your hands have been washed thoroughly and that your work space is clear and clean.

ENSURE that you do an allergy test on your client before you start applying the liquid latex to them. Apply a small patch on the inside of their forearm (as the skin here is quite delicate) and wait until its dry to see if it causes a reaction. DO NOT use the product on them if the skin feels hot, itchy or goes red and patchy.

The tools used for this technique:

• Liquid latex
• Old age stipple
• (Pure) acetone
• Barrier cream

How to achieve the 'aged' look:

1. Remove any makeup from your clients face. Cleanse, tone and moisturise to ensure that the latex will stay put on the face. If your client has makeup on, the latex won't grip to the face and will slide off. 
2. Once the face is clean, use a barrier cream to protect the face and prepare the skin for the liquid latex. 
3. Prepare your liquid latex in a small bowl and make sure the bottle has it's lid on firmly. Use a small stippling sponge to apply the liquid latex to the skin; apply it fairly generously to taught skin if you want a very wrinkled effect, but buffer out the outer edges to ensure it blends well into the skin and isn't patchy. 
4. With a hairdryer on a cool setting, dry the liquid latex until it turns clear. (It goes on white so you'll know when it's dry when you can't see it anymore.)
5. Play with the skin a bit and you'll be left with wrinkled skin. You can do multiple layers for deeper lines.
6. You can add colour or texture by applying coloured or translucent powder. This dries the latex slightly and makes it more skin-like. 
7. If you have any mistakes or thick pieces of latex that don't look right, dip a cotton bud into acetone and gently rub at the error until it melts away. Don't scrub, as this removes big chunks and will make the latex uneven in places. 

My model, Liberty, a few years older!!!

I really enjoyed learning how to achieve this look as I've seen it everywhere and think it's amazing. I can't wait to get my teeth into this project and learn some new techniques!! I will definitely be purchasing my own liquid latex and I'll be perfecting this look. I found that using one layer of the latex created a dry, fine-lined effect, but layering the latex creates really deep, effective lines.

HEALTH AND SAFETY:

For this lesson I washed my hands and covered my work space and client over. I did a skin test for the liquid latex and tasted the heat of the hairdryer on myself before using it on the clients face. To remove the product I washed my hands again and assisted with peeling it off and removing any extra bits with witch hazel.

Practice