Elizabethan inspired face charts.

 Complementary colours.

The first face chart I constructed was created by using complementary colours. The colours I chose were  what I would describe as a deepish electric blue and red with an orange tint. I chose these colours as stating the obvious they work well together and the colour blue was often associated with royalty, and the colour orange/red was Elizabeth's trend setting hair colour all of which I created a complementary style of makeup. A pale base was used to have some aspects of the Elizabethan era.

 Here I used Macs Prep and Prime primer in the neutralising tone, this adds a glow to my skin as well as evening out my skintone. I then applied Macs Studio sculpt foundation In NC15 I used this as it is a medium coverage so it is not too heavy and creates a slight dewy base. I then used Illamasqua's translucent powder to set the base. I contoured my cheeks with Krylonas  powder blusher in cherrywood which is an orangey red colour. On the apples of my cheek I used Kryolans powder blusher in Rosewood to create that flushed look that the Elizabethans cherished.    

 On the eyes I used Kryolans event foundation in pearl as a primer. I then used Kryolans grease paint in an electric blue colour to create a winged liner, I went over the grease paint with kryolan eyeshadow colour blue coral. I then lightly feathered in the brows using Mac spiked as I wanted the brows to look natural. I used a tiny bit of lancome hypnose mascara. I used Kryolans grease paints to create this colour I mixed the red grease paint with the orange and applied mac lady danger lipstick on top.

I am not sure if I would like to use this look for my paper lash lesson as it seems to be a rather flat look;however the lashes could make this look come to life.

As I was not 100% sure on my first design I decided to play about with texture a little more which added a fuller eye look. By using two shades of metallic blue on top and under the eye as well as creating the winged liner with shadow instead of grease paint, I also lined the eyes with black kohl pencil. I felt this look worked better and gave me more self fulfillment than the look before hand. I could also say that the metallic can represent the wealth of some people.

Monochromatic colour.

I constructed this face chart using the colour purple. Why purple? Simply as only the extremely wealthy and royalty wore the colour purple as it was an expensive colour to produce. It holds so many rich, deep tones. Whilst designing this face chart I decided to create it with a sub culture twist. Gothic! Why? because gothic makeup is dark and mysterious to me. I wanted heavy eyes and heavy lips and cheeks. To create a busy image.

To create this look I used Illamasqua's matte base primer to prep the skin. I then used Max Factor creme foundation in shade Honey, which I pushed into the skin using a flat sponge to create a matte skin. I used Mac studio sculpt concealer in nw20 under the eyes and on blemishes that showed through. I then applied two layers of translucent powder which again I pressed into the skin.  On the eyes I applied too faced eye primer and applied kryolans white eyeshadow over the eye to the brow. I then used the colour Bused off urban decays Naked 2 palette which I blended u to the crease and to the middle of the eye lid. I blended this outwards to create a wing an under the outer corner of the eye. I used a deep plum blusher from coastal scents. On this lips I used Macs captive which I found too pink for my friend's skin tone so decided to go darker and use Maybelline's timeless plum matte lipstick. I applied lancome hypnose mascara in black on the lashes and Mac spiked on the brows. 

Over all I am not sure if I like this look on a darker skin tone and feel it looks a bit glamorous or drag instead of dark and mysterious. Therefore If I create this look I would like to use  on a fairer complexion.

Analogous colour.

For my analogous colours I chose warms colours such as golden toned yellows and browns,oranges and warms reds. I have not created this look on myself or another. I chose these colours to represent The Spanish Armada the spanish flag consists of red and yellow. Which was my initial Elizabethan inspiration. 

Neutral colour.

For my final face chart I wanted to create a sort of natural look that the young Elizabeth once conveyed. The rosy cheeks and nude eyes. Therefore my idea behind this was nudes.

To create this look I used NYX HD foundation of which does not have a name but the most ghostly colour. This foundations creates a soft looking matte base, which I then powdered over lightly with translucent powder. On the cheeks I used kryolan eyeshadow Almond and went over it in Kryolans colour cherrywood which created a earthly warm cheek which I liked. On the lips I used Kryolans lip palette color LC004 which is a nudey earthly orange.

 I applied too faced primer on my eye lids and covered the eye in Kryolans white eyeshadow. I then applied Kryolans eyeshadow in colour Almond all over the lid blending to the crease and above. As I have hooded eyes I always have to create my own crease and I like mine high. I found the colour was not string enough against my skin, therefore I wet the eyeshadow making the colour become more prominent. I applied kryolans highlight eyeshadow in the inner corners of my eye. To lengthen the lashes I used Lancome Hypnose mascara in black. I feathered my brows in with Mac spiked. 

Experimenting with texture.

I wanted to experiment with different textures as I think I would like to create a beautiful face with maybe cracked hands or ears to represent not being so pure and innocent. As I think I would like to create an image that is sensual and would like an innocent face but maybe the prop and the hands showing that this person is not so virginal. I have been inspired by an image  by  artist Titan of his daughter;just by looking at it it spiraled off thoughts in my head of how I can create my own a character and my own message within the look.

Cracked effect.

I used baby powder and water to create this cracked effect! I created a paste with it and painted it on with a flat foundation brush. It helped create that alabaster look. It was a lot more gentle to the skin than egg whites and went on more smoothly . Also made my face feel extremely smooth and smell amazing after wards. Also when the paste cracked it started to fall off like a powder. Had a crumbling effect which I think would look amazing as an action shot if you was to put it on your hands. For me it could represent innocence crumbling or getting older.

Dewy Skin.

After seeing the different textures on paintings linking back to the art exhibition by Selina Snow as her image with Lamb on it's texture looked very shiny its inspired me to play around with textures on the skin. I have always preferred dewy skin over matte as I feel it looks more natural and just makes the skin glow with youthfulness which I suppose could of been one of Selina's reasoning behind the texture. 

I created this skin by using a Clarins moisturizer sparingly. I then applied MAC's prep and prime primer in shade Neutralise as this makes the skin glow as well as evening skin tone. I then a mixed MAC's mineralize foundation NC15 with Kryolans event foundation in Pearl which I applied with a foundation brush a beauty blender, and extra blending with my fingers. I used the beauty blender as I find that it often thins down the prodcut if you apply more than needed waer which is what I wanted.It also blends some foundations seamsly. I used a thin layer of translucent powder.

Matte skin.

As random as this sounds I wanted to do a matte skin as I saw this car that was matte car which really stood out to me. I wanted to create this texture smooth texture.

I applied a little moisturizer. I then applied Illamasqua's matte primer. I used Dior's Dior skin forever foundation in the lightest shade. I applied this with a beauty blender as I find this blends the foundation to look almost perfect. I then applied concealer under the eyes and on blemishes where needed using a concealer brush and MAC studio fix concealer NC15. i then powdered on top using a MAC studio finish powder in NC15. I also applied MAC 's powder blusher in pink swoon.

I quite liked the skin as it had more of a flawless look to it and can make a look cleaner. I think I will use a matte skin for my Elizabethan look.

Contouring.

Contouring is an illusion it can change a person’s face shape and structure. Which reminds me of why I love makeup soo much as you can create illusions, and completely change the way a person looks.

Makeup artist Eve Pearl has a phenomenal book out "plastic surgery without the surgery". It was created to inspire women to not run straight to the surgeon there are other less painful, dangerous solutions! It demonstrates the power of makeup. However some people may say that this book shows us how vain western society really is! That we cannot be satisfied with the way we look; we often forget that the way we look does not always reflect us as humans. Its sad to think that we must always compare ourselves to celebrities. It makes me think that cosmetics in today's society has been  created to mask your beauty and not enhance it. Like many of the men believed in The Elizabethan era (Cosmetics in Shakespearean and Renaissance Drama

 By Farah Karim-Cooper)

The fact that some want to change their facial features could link back to Elizabethan times as they tried to change their face shapes. By plucking their hairline to make it seem as if their forehead was higher to make the face look more oval. Even plucking their brows thinly can alter a face shape t a certain extent. Times really have not changed in a sense of ideal beauty. The public still tried to look like someone else.

Natural contouring.

(For a more dramatic contour go lighter on the highlight and darker on the contour)

To highlight use concealer 2 shades lighter for a subtle effect.

Contour colour for a subtle effect should be 1 to 2 shade darker.

Start with the highlight first.

Apply highlight to the top of the cheek structure ,forehead, middle of the nose, jaw and under the eyes.

Adding a little bit of concealer at a time.

To find the cheekbones you can get your model to suck their cheeks in and feel where to cheekbone is to contour.

Contour the temples, sides of the nose, and the jawline.

Make sure to blend makeup into the hairline.

Powder the contour well.

If you want a more dramatic effect you can always apply powder product on top.

Blend the edges away with a puff.

Kevyn Aucoin Making Faces
Page 24.

Here is a exaggerated example of contouring and highlighting that I found in Makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin's book Making Faces. I found this a useful. Kevyn also explained the process.

Highlighting and contouring using complementary colours.

In class we got to chose two colours of which had to complementary, use the lightest colour as a highlight and the darkest colour for contour. The colours I chose were pink and green. I used two shades of pink one matte and one metallic to give it texture.

I think that pink and green work well together as they are both equally striking colours. Pink is associated more with femininity where as green is associated more with growth and emotions like envy as its not a particularly pretty strong colour.

I feel the colours orange and blue go well together. As blue is a calming colour and works really well with shocking orange it creates an eye catching look. I want to do an orange and blue face chart to help me create a contemporary Elizabethan character.

The colour theory.

Link:Webdesignsoloutions.com
viewed:30.10.13

The color theory is a theory that many creatives use today to help create their work. The colour wheel is a device that was invented by Isaac newton in  1666. It was based on the three primary colours red,yellow and blue. It has since then been developed further by scientists and artists.

Primary colours.
Primary colours (red,yellow,blue) are the colours that we mix together to create a secondary colour (orange,green,purple) you then mix these to a primary colour or to the same colour group to create a tertiary colour such as browns and greys. You can then make a colour look cold or warm by adding tints (white) , shades (black) and tones (grey).

Color harmony.
Color harmony is visually pleasing and creates a good sense of balance to the eye. When colours do not harmonious it can often not look eye catching.

Color harmony formulas.
Analogous colours are any three colours that are adjacent to each other on the colour wheel (yellow,orange,green).

Complementary colours.
 Complementary colors are colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel (green, red) creating stability to the eye.

Using complimentary colour to contour and highlight.

Lara highlighted the face first with a yellow eye shadow after applying a thin base.
Highlighting

• Center of the forehead.
• center of the nose.
• cupids bow.
• underneath the chin.
• triangle underneath the eyes.
• Inner corners of the eyes.
• Highest arch of the brow.

Contour. She then contoured using the complementary purple.

• Underneath the cheekbones.
• Underneath the jawline.
• The temples.
• Outer corner of he eye.
• Sides of the nose.

She used different brushes to create different shades and textures.

The Lara went on to use a white garlic paint and made some random lines and squiggles over some of the highlighted and contoured areas. I thought hits really ought the look to life!

We then all had a go at it which was extremely fun as I have documented on my contouring post!

Contemporary Elizabethan images.

Contemporary Elizabethan images.

Link:Dailymail.co.uk/Thome-Brownes-New-York-Fashion-week
Viewed:14.10.13

To me this is a contemporary version of Elizabethan makeup in a high fashion perspective. To me it has kept some of the original `ideal` Elizabethan beauty traits. Such as the alabaster complexion of the skin, the skin here looks very pure and soft- could it be conveying a message of virginal innocence? The brows are drastically light. A majority of the women had bleached out brows.The brows help dramatize the heavy eyes and lips.There is no rosy glow to the cheeks, which is sometimes how women wore their makeup. What is modern to me about this image is the heavy,messy eyes with what looks like there is no mascara on they eyes. The red,smudged lip making the makeup seem artistic to me as it give it that edge. It also reminds me of a clown. It also compliments the clothing as from what I can see it looks rather plain. However the shoulders appear to be puffed making me think that taking into consideration the overall look this look could have very well  been inspired by the Elizabethan era!

Link:magazin.net.hr
Viewed:14.10.13

I find this image to be a modernized version of Elizabethan beauty. As they have kept some traits such as the fair skin, and light brows. However this image is contemporary to me as it looks to me as though this image is a hybrid of another sub culture or era. It looks sort of Gothic to me with the dark eyes and lips. Also the facial expression has a strong attitude look about it, the eyes look moody to me. It also reminds me of the 20s era with the dark eyes and lips. Possibly mixed time eras!

Link:eyeshadowlipstick.com
Viewed:14.10.13

 Again to me I find this to be a modern take on the 1500's era as at the beginning of Elizabeth's reign the skin makeup seemed  more natural and perhaps virginal. The cheeks have a flush of pink, as do the lips. The brows are very light too. The lips seem to have a what looks to me like a dry texture to them. I love the way the pink brightens the face making it look more feminine. I love the dewy fresh faced look on the skin it is beautiful and really to me suggests innocence and virtue.

Book:Makeup is art. Author:The Academy of freelance makeup
Pg:169

This to me is contemporary. The image looks to me as if it has been influenced by different cultures due to the what looks like henna tattoo but could have been painted on. The lips loo theatrical to me, as you often see theatrical characters with just the cross bow of their lip and the opposing part of the lip colored in to make the lips appear smaller and shaped like a heart almost. The brows remind me of perhaps the 20's era as thin eyebrows on women was seen as the `ideal beauty`. I love that they have kept the classic pale skin and red frizzy plaited hair. This image almost looks tribal. This looks really inspired me to incorporate other cultures to make my look,look contemporary.

Book:Makeup is art. Author Academy of freelance makeup.
Pg 152.

I think this image is so beautiful. Its just simple and very pure looking. I like how the skin is just what looks like has just been left pale. The look on the models face looks as if she is deep in thought and almost ghostly!  I adore the contrast of the copper red hair against the alabaster skin. The expression on the face and big hair tells a story. Making me question why is she is posed and expressing herself the way she is? I believe this shot is an intentional pure beauty shot the drama is all n the skin. Possibly suggesting to me that its a blank canvas you can read this image how you please? Make your own story out of it?  It looks to me as if she is almost looking like a stone statue sitting there so still. Possibly communicating that this ideal beauty is long gone in our society. As I feel that  we are very pressured in western culture to have glowing tanned skin long hair, be extremely thin, yet have some shape to our bodies.

 I also think the image reminds me of an artist called Caravaggio who used to have mainly boys pose for him in action shots sometimes for hours whilst he painted them. They also look deep in thought. The woman in the contemporary image also looks a bit like a male due to the way her hair and makeup had possibly been overdone to some to look this way. Whilst briefly looking into some of the portraits I realised that almost all of them were of young boys half or if not fully naked. This made me question his sexuality. I thought it was seen as a sin in that era to be a homosexual. I was intrigued by this. I decided to watch the film (Caravaggio directed by Derek Jarman,1986) the film was retelling the painters life was some added dramas. I found this film intriguing it showed him being a homosexual so my judgment on his pictures may of been right.

Girl with a basket of fruits.

Artist: Titian

Style: Renaissance

Year: 1558

Museum: Staatliche Museen, Berlin, Germany

Artist: Titian

Style: Renaissance

Year: 1558

Museum: Staatliche Museen, Berlin, Germany

This is an oil painting  by Italian artist Titan. the painting started in 1555 and was completed in 1558(start of Elizabeth's reign). The sitter in the painting is called Lavinia. It is believed that the female in the picture is Titans daughter. italy was said to be very ahead of fashion and styles in the Renassancie."works of these painters are the source for most of our information about styles;members of the families frequently sat fr their portraits"(Fashions in hair Richard Corson pg 135)."These paintings are most likely to be proved the best source of current fashions"(Fashions in hair Richard Corson) Therefore this image to me is giving me a what would of been a modern image in terms of style. The fruit is meant to be an emblem of `freshness` purity, begin ripe, and sweet.

I have decided to analyse the image starting from the background of the painting. I can see what looks like some sort of landscape. It looks to me as if there are mountains behind the woman. Suggesting to me that she is high up; as her upper body seems to be sky line level. This could be the actual setting or could be symbolizing possibly she is `God like` to me. Or powerful The sky looks pink which can mean that the next day is going to be sunny. Could be implying  to some she lights up the sky? In the left corner of the painting there appears to be a curtain that has been positioned to the side. this could possibly symbolize to me something is about to begin! Like when you go and see a theater show the curtains symbolize a start to something.

The prop she is holding is a what looks like a silver tray. Could this be suggesting she is a maid serving the wealthy and powerful? Or it could be purely for prop use. Fruit to me symbolizes purity, ripeness, sweetness, and pleasure referencing back to the bible of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:6). The fruit could even be symbolizing class as fruit was seen as a luxury food. She is holding it up to the sky this to me is a powerful position which implies power. Or could even be symbolizing how she is the fruit of his  wives loom. Researching about Titans life I discovered that his wife ceased. Possibly holding the fruit up to the heavens?

The costume suggests some wealth but not major wealth as the gown is green which was a colour the upper class would wear. The dress appears to have a pattern embroidered on it, upper classes peoples dresses oozed with detail. I love the back of the dress the way it scoops down showing off the top if the back looks simple and elegant. The material draped round the back adds contrast to the green dress. I think that the pearls look grand and could even be her mothers. They look so simple and classy. I like the jewel band in the hair and the what looks to me like matching earrings. It is not too much and is a great balance with the fruit.

I like the makeup it is simple and pure. The girl appears to have very beautiful soft skin. which is something I think I would like to portray in my character is  beautiful pale skin. I like the way you can only see the start and middle of the brow making it look as if the girl only has half a brow, this could potentially help me create an interesting look. I like the contours in the nose and around the eyes. The hair is in an updo which makes me question whether she is married or not as it was said "Normally women covered their hair after marriage and wore it long and flowing before"(Fashions in hair Richard Corson pg 139) Which makes me question if she is not married is she virginal?

What really captured my attention to this image was the pose! I love it I think it could potentially work really well in a shoot holding a prop. the pose to me looks powerful, yet soft in the face, creating a great visual balance. Making the photo not look majorly theatrical. The expression on her face is almost sensual in the eyes. The skin showing on the back and the curve of the spine could suggest to me sensuality. Which makes me want to create a character that can produce signals of sensuality, and makes me think of using props such as an apple to represent the forbidden fruit.

This image can also seem quite worrying to me as it looks sort of incest. The way her dress is drooped low which may have been seen as slightly obscene in that era and the way she is looking at her farther. This has made me curious

The apple of my eye.

Portrait of a Gdańsk female patrician.
Artist:Anton Moller
Current location:National museum Gdansk

As soon as I set my eyes on this portrait I  could not take my eyes off how beautiful the woman is in the portrait. This image intrigues me as I feel the main focal is on the woman. She does not need all of the props in the background. Her face is symbolic and intriguing enough. From this image I believe that this woman is possibly a part of the bourgeoisie , or of a higher class. Due to the indulgent what looks like  a red velvet gown. The ruffles, the collar, gold bracelets and chains round her neck. The red dress, embroided with gold may signify wealth and social class. Her head piece is adorned with pearls and gold its actually rather subtle in comparison to other Elizabethan head pieces I have witnessed. In the image it looks to me like she is holding a apple, or a kiwi I do not believe this woman is British. Which to me the fruit (if it is a kiwi) makes the image look exotic for that era, and original as I am yet to see another portrait of a Elizabethan woman holding such a fruit. Perhaps the fruit is connotating ripeness? Yet if it is an apple is is not yet ripe; possibly implying to me that the woman in the image is not pure or ripe.

The more I aimlessly stare at the picture the more I can see this destructive facial expression, (mainly on the right side of the face). I am not whether I think this because she has a rather structured face and brows making her face look a little harsh. I may be reading her body language wrong but to me she looks as if she is twiddling her necklace in her fingers; her body language looks restricted to me as if she is holding back something yet her face says otherwise. She could be holding her necklace like that as it could have great personal worth to her;i.e a relatives,or a present from a lover. Yet still so pure and beautiful. Her hair and brows are dark contrasting with her eyes and hair. The black backdrop makes gives the picture to me a dark, mysterious, interesting looking picture. Creating shadows on the face , to me suggesting there's a dark side to this innocent face.
This portait has inspired me to convey a message of innocence and simplicity.

Contemporary image.

Link:www.ew.com
Viewed18.1013

Natalie Portman to me is one of the most  classically beautiful  woman on this earth. This image to me connotates class, and elegance. In comparison to the Elizabethan portrait they both show visually pleasing faces. I can see similarity in the face as Natalie has a fair smooth complexion,rosy cheeks, and light pink lips. She has dark hair and brows her hair is sort of pushed back complementing her face shape. Her hair has been twisted and plaited into a bun (How very Elizabethan).

The styling in both images could be seen from my point of view as similar contemporary version of the dress. The dress is red, displays many different textures, ruffles,layers. The dress has been embodied with beads, and and what could be jewels. The dress goes in at the waist accentuating the figure, and flows out slightly. She is clutching her handbag, her handbag could be seen as her prop;there are many personal belongings in a woman's bags. In Elizabethan portraits often women wore something personal to them. posing in a way that promotes confidence like the Elizabethan image.

Styling Natalie.

If I could put a contemporary Elizabethan look together using Natalie Portman I would keep many Elizabethan aspects to it.

I would dress her in a red velvet Elizabethan style frock, with slim arms, the shoulders would be puffy but leather. I would put a high neck collar that starts at the top of the back to the top of the hair style made from leather but covered in pearls.

hair.
I would style the hair in a high bun layered messy bun with pink roses acting as the hair tie.

Face.
I would keep the face simple, a fair base yet glowing wit soft pink cheeks,slight soft pink eyes almost blocked out brows with a drawn on tin brow below the actual brow and pink cheeks. I would also use a stick on diamond style gem to resemble a mole

I would like the look to have a feminine look to it as Natalie has such a pretty face it would be a shame to ruin it, so I wanted to keep the makeup simple yet pretty. Which is why I chose the flowers and pink, and pearls to modernize the look.

Base,Lips&Gem mole

Brows (excuse the terrible lighting)

Glossy cheeks&skin