|| Taming of the shrew - Review ||

The Taming of the shrew is a Shakespeare retold, which came out in 2005. This film presents a lot of Elizabethan aspecsts, which intrigued me into writing this post. It shows how important certain colours, objects or even fabrics were in that specific time in the English history. For example, Bianca's room was red which was a colour that represented royalty. In the film it was used to show her status, she had a high paid job and was classed as a part of the higher classes. The painted room gave an impression of Bianca being surrounded by royalty, which I thought was a very interesting way of representing her character. Also, another thing that I noticed was (more physical) - her hairline. It was very uneat and almost "wonky". This I think told us something about her personality, it suggested that she is not a neat, organised person. The fact that her mother & sister were both wearing expensive fabrics such as velvet, also reminded me of the Elizabethan times. Fabrics such as that one and silk were only for the upper classes and nobalists. 

Catheryn's character reminds me very much of Elizabeth herself. She is very self centred, knows what she wants and has her mind set on specific things. 

Her manager, has also been represented in a way that says a lot about his character. He wears a black suit, which in the Elizabethan times symbolised power. This was very relevant and effective I think, because of the fact how much we already "knew" about him as a person, from the first time we saw him on the screen.  

Overall, I think this film includes a lot of Elizabethan influences which help to build the characters and represent them in the correct way. There was one influence that I remembered the most from the film, and  it was also the one that very much reminded me of the film- Elizabeth. It was the scene were Catheryn is about to marry her fiancé and then she finds him cross dressed, pretending to me a woman. The same situation happened in the Elizabethan film, which I think was very interesting. 

|| Carina Buckley Analytical Review - The Danger Dress ||

I was walking down the Sunset Boulevard today at 7am. I loved the way the sun shined onto the buildings... I wasn't on my own. But I don't wanna go in TOO MUCH detail ;-) The party I went to had a cowboy theme, so when I saw this wall I had to take a pic and and make it a memory- a part of that night! (it was awesome!) I didn't dress up though... too cool for that.

I love how it said 'Surfing cowboys', think it reflects the fact we're from LA? That's how I see it anyway. It is funny how big and powerful I look in this...standing in the shadow and still having the light shine on to me, REAL TALENT right here. Almost looks like a spotlight. Almost.

Can you tell I took about 20 different versions of this photo? I'm a perfectionist. It can get annoying at times... Especially when you have people on their way to work looking at you taking a random selfie, people that actually have a life and daily routines. And then there is me and surfing cowboys.

I love LA. ♡

PS. This is a made up story and the photo is owned by Fashiontoast, Link: http://fashiontoast.com/2013/11/where-have-all-the-surfing-cowboys-gone/

|| Drawing ||

Drawing is very important when it comes to doing make up and actually applying it onto the face. Sometimes you have to do a straight line... or two. Therefore I thought it would be good to practise! 

I drew parallel lines, which are quite important when doing make up such as a sugar skull for example. (Make ups in which symmetry is very important). I started off practising simple shapes such as circles, triangles and squares. 

Next, I moved onto creating shadows and seeing where they should be for the drawings to look realistic. This was quite tricky as I realised that you also have to think about the base for the shapes, otherwise they will look like they are levitating! 

After that, I decided to experiment with the pencils that I had- 6B,HB2 and HB. I wanted to see how intense they were and what kind of shading etc. I could use them for. 

Then, I moved onto drawing chiaroscuro objects. Here, I had to focus on the light and dark parts of whatever I was drawing. 

I really enjoyed doing this because I feel like it allowed me to learn even more about shadows and highlights, which is a useful knowledge when it comes to for example- contouring the face. 

                                             

This is my drawing of a still life- a bottle, a cup, garlic and a bowl on a table. I thought it was a very classic one and perfect for a first drawing of still life objects. 

I did not use any shading/shading techniques, only what I have practised in my seminar which was quite challenging because I am not used to this specific technique. However, I very much enjoyed sketching this and really got into it!:) I found dealing with shapes intriguing and am happy with my outcomes, although I will practise a lot more. YOU CAN ALWAYS GET EVEN BETTER. :)

|| Removing The Make Up ||

The cleansing part is a very important part of creating a look as it sets a base for it. A dry skin needs something that will moisturise it and an oily skin something that will mattify it. Also, when you are working at a fast pace e.g. fashion shows, you'll need something that will be effective but also quick to use. I have found this Urban Decay Meltdown Make-Up Remover, £18.

This product is very good for taking off even the long lasting make up, and it is also very good for your skin. It is for all skin types which is a big plus! Sea Fan Extract combats inflammation, while Beta Carotene (a source of Vitamin A) and Gatuline In-Tense (harvested from the South African Rain Forest Peekabo Plant) revitalize collagen production. Cranberry and Raspberry Seed Oils, along with Kukui Nut and Oat Oil, moisturize and replenish. The 2.5 oz. squeeze tube is easy to use, as well as small enough to take when travelling.

Photo and product info source: http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Urban+Decay+Meltdown+Make-Up+Remover/153358186,default,pd.html

- Clinique -

I have also looked at some Clinique products as they are known for being very close to professional products. 

Take The Day Off Makeup Remover For Lids,Eyes & Lips 

This is a make up remover with a very unique, two-way formula that loosens the grip, then speeds the departure of the most persistent, eye makeups, mascara and lipsticks. It is ophthalmologist tested as well as being suitable for contact lens wearers. This is a very big and important factor when it comes to working with clients because it would be uncomfortable for the people that you work with to have to take their contact lenses out every time you want to cleanse their face. Price: £17

Photo and product info: http://www.clinique.co.uk/product/1673/5380/Skin-Care/CleansersMakeup-Removers/Take-The-Day-Off-Makeup-Remover-For-Lids-Lashes-Lips

Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel 

Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel is oil-free and non-comedogenic. It gives you the lightweight hydration without oiliness so your skin feels smoother, softer and more comfortable. This would be very good for photo shoots as it is not as oily and would not affect the make up. 

It is available in 125ml bottle with a pump or 50ml tube. Price: £30

Photo and product info: http://www.clinique.co.uk/product/12794/5047/3--step/Combination-Oily-Type-3/Dramatically-Different-Moisturizing-Gel/with-pump--Combination-to-Oily-Skin-Types

|| First Celebrity MUA - Kevin Aucoin ||

"In 1983, makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin took a Greyhound bus from his hometown of Lafayette, Louisiana, to New York City with his portfolio under his arm, and no formal work or credits on his resume. After a chance meeting at Vogue, Kevyn's fate in the industry was sealed; within months he was working for Steven Meisel on the set of high fashion shoots and backstage at couture shows. " - www.kevinaucoin.com 

By the end of a decade, Kevyn had become a makeup legend; painting and sculpting the faces of magazine cover models and celebrities including Cher, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Janet Jackson, revealing true timeless beauty in a way no one had before or since. Despite his untimely passing in 2002, Kevyn Aucoin's legacy lives on through his unrivaled, time-tested techniques, his New York Times best-selling books The Art of Makeup, Making Faces, and Face Forward, and the Kevyn Aucoin Beauty brand he founded and launched in 2001. Through his life's work, Kevyn Aucoin set the standard for makeup artistry, recognized today as the makeup artist that continues to inspire the world of beauty.

Source: www.kevinaucoin.com 

Kevin has been an inspiration for many. The famous 'Kim Kardashian face contour' was based on Kevin's idea and vision for it,which was to use concealers and foundations to sculpt the face: 

|| Ellis Faas ||

A photo of Ellis Faas

I have watched a short clip/video "Identity Revealed" (which can be found at http://vimeo.com/109956784) by Ellis Faas who is said to be one of the most influential make up artists of her time. This has inspired me to look at her as a person more and also her work which is very much appreciated in the industry. 

Screen shot of the film

"Ellis’ work has been published on the covers of the world’s best-known fashion magazines. Additionally, Ellis has worked for make-up brands, such as Clinique, Lancôme and MAC Cosmetics – and she was asked by L'Oréal to create a make-up line for their skin care brand, Biotherm. After the contract with L’Oréal ended in 2007, the way was paved for her to create her own brand: ELLIS FAAS." - Ellis' Official Website 

While watching the film I felt inspired more and more with every second. Every detail did not feel like a detail, it was very noticeable and played a big part in the whole make up look. You could tell it was there for a reason. This is something I want to do while creating my Elizabethan look- I don't want anything to be coincidental. I like how there is a theme of just dark skin tone people being a part of it and then towards the end of the film, we see a white person having a black string/rope on their face wrapped all around it. This reflected what the film was initially about- masks. Ellis herself asks "Can one truly change one's identity, or is it merely a temporary transformation? And who or what defines someone's true identity? Is it the mask, is it the human being behind the mask, or maybe even the creator of the mask?". This film in my opinion has not revealed the answer to these questions but has definitely emphasises the meaning of it. All the masks were over the top, bright, big, deformed and very fake looking. I like how all the make up looks were just emphasising the face features, but in a very bold way. This created a whole new look which looked like a very interesting mask. For example this look: 

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WHO USES THE PRODUCTS ?

I have found a video of the very famous PixiWoo using Faas' products while also doing a tutorial. She  very clearly explained what the products are like and showed how the look on the skin, which was very helpful while finding out about Ellis' make up! She talked about the textures, colours and the packaging. 

Another video that intrigued me was recorded by a Make Up Artist called Wayne who is also very famous and appreciated on YouTube. He very much recommended the Skin Foundation which he said to be amazing! 

     

                                       

|| The Seven Photographs That Changed Fashion ||

I have watched 'The Seven Photographs That Changed Fashion' and decided to look at one of the photographs in more detail.

Helmut Newton, Yves Saint Laurent, Rue Aubriot, Vogue France, 1975, Paris

Helmut was a German- Australian photographer known for presenting women in another light. Instead of making them overly feminine, he used to add a masculine feel to them. This once pushed the feminists to protesting one of his exhibits by throwing paint at his photographs. He even said '"In my vocabulary ART is a dirty word''. This made him stand out and created his own style, because he simply had no limits or morals when it came to photography. 

The feel of this photograph is very dark, which just emphasises the masculinity. It also feels very rough as well as classy because of the buildings. The lights are on, but there is no one there which creates the intimate side to this photograph.  

I did some research and came across another- contemporary version of this photograph for the same company. 

Cara Delevingne for YSL Baby Doll Mascara, 2013

This photo has definitely got a similar feel to the photo above. It shows the connection that the two women in it have and that it is quite intimate. One woman is clearly more masculine then the other, and of course one of them is naked. Also the hair in both photos is almost the same, a classy low bun, with a side parting.