Contemporary Portrait

This is a photo of Iggy Azalea  on holiday with her boyfriend. They are on a private boat which is something that only people with money could afford. Being seen with a good looking man is something a lot of people desire which is another thing that could make her lifestyle seem appealing. Like we discussed in class, physical attributes also display wealth, and iggy is posing in a bikini to display her body in a way people would find attractive. 

US Weekly. (2014). Iggy Azalea. Available: http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/iggy-azalea-boyfriend-nick-young-take-trip-to-mexico-engagement-ahead-2014206. Last accessed 5th December 2014.

Elizabeth in Portraiture

Marileecody. (2014). Portraits of Queen Elizabeth. Available: http://www.marileecody.com/eliz1-images.html. Last accessed 5th December 2014.

The Rainbow Portrait 1600 - The gown is embroidered with english wildflowers, and she is posed specially. Her headers is decorated with rubies and pearls to symbolise her royalty and virginity. The Jewelled serpent, which holds a heart shaped ruby in its mouth. The serpent symbolises wisdom, and the ruby symbolises the queens heart. In her right hand, she holds a rainbow, which symbolises peace. There are eyes and ears all over to show she was able to see and hear all. 

The Elizabeth Files. (2014). Elizabeth 1st Pelican Portrait. Available: http://www.elizabethfiles.com/the-elizabeth-i-pelican-portrait/3940/. Last accessed 5th December 2014.

The Pelican Portrait - Pelican pinned to her chest. This symbolises love, as the pelican is associated with love as mother pelicans supposedly would pluck their own chests to feed their children is they need to. This was a myth, but this is where the symbol came from. She wore this to show how committed she was to England. She wears black white red and gold as they are the most expensive colours. Spain controlled the trade in Cochineal, so when Elizabeth wore red she was showing she could get it. Cherries in her ear symbolise virginity.

National Portrait Gallery. (2014). The Pheonix and the Pelican. Available: http://www.npg.org.uk/research/programmes/making-art-in-tudor-britain/the-phoenix-and-the-pelican-two-portraits-of-elizabeth-i-c.1575.php. Last accessed 5th December 2014.

 Phoenix Portrait -  The phenix was used to show Elizabeths uniqueness and individuality. The pearls were supposedly Elizabeths favourite jewel, and symbolise wealth, along with purity and virginity. 

The ermine Portrait - The ermine is a symbol of royalty, and it also wears a crown. She has the sword of state next to her. This shows that although she rules peacefully she will defend her realm at all costs. 

gosmite.net (no date) Grand Ladies, gogsmite.net. Grand Ladies. Available at: http://www.gogmsite.net/the_late_farthingale_era_fr/minialbum_queen_elizabeth_o/1585_ermine_portrait_by_nic.html (Accessed: 5 December 2014).

Tudor History. (2014). Elizabeth 1. Available: http://tudorhistory.org/elizabeth/queen.html. Last accessed 5th December 2014.

The Coronation Portrait - This portrait shows Elizabeth in her coronation robes. The robes are gold, and lined with ermine fur which is an animal associated with royalty. Elizabeth Hair is down in this picture as a signal of her un married state. 

luminarium. (2014). The Faces of Queen Elizabeth the 1st. Available: http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/elizface3.htm. Last accessed 5th December 2014.

The Armada Portrait -  Elizabeth has her hand resting on a globe in this picture, to signify her owning the world. In the background of the pictures you can see the Spanish Armada sailing in, and then being defeated by England. The Crown signifies shows Elizabeths important and royalty. Her gaze is away from the viewer as if to suggest she is more important. 

luminarium. (2014). Portraits of Queen Elizabeth. Available: http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/elizface2.htm. Last accessed 5th December 2014.

The Sieve Portrait - The sieve is a sign of chastity and virginity as in the story a roman vestal virgin proves her innocence by carrying water in a sieve and spilling none.

Christopher Stevens. (2014). Is this proof that the virgin queen was an impostor . Available: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2337774/Is-proof-Virgin-Queen-imposter-drag-Shocking-new-theory-Elizabeth-I-unearthed-historic-manuscripts.html. Last accessed 5th December 2014.

Elizabeth as a Princess - The portrait was given to Elizabeth by Edward as a gift. The book in the image shows her protestants which apparently pleased her brother. 

Tudor Rose - Symbolises the fusion of the Lancaster and Yorkist noble functions. 

Tales of Curiosity. (2014). The House of Tudor. Available: http://talesofcuriosity.com/v/Tudors/. Last accessed 5th December 2014.

 

The Westmore Family

George Westmore was a Wig Maker who fathered 6 sons: Perc, Ern, Monte, Wally, Bud and Frank. They all worked in Hollywood as make up artists and the family have worked on several films such as Gone With the Wind, Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Dr Jekyl And Mr Hyde. They dominated the Make up industry and the family was still involved in the industry in further generations.

Brittanica. (2014). Westmore Family. Available: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/641129/Westmore-Family. Last accessed 5th December 2014.

Kevin Aucoin

Kevin Aucoin.com. (2014). About. Available: http://kevynaucoin.com/the-brand. Last accessed 5th December 2014.
Softspoken.com. (2014). Who was Kevin Aucoin. Available: http://www.softspoken.com/2012/08/kevyn-aucoin-the-makeup-master/. Last accessed 5th December 2014.

Kevin Aucoin was a extremely influencial Make Up Artist. He was born in 1962 in Louisiana. After a supposedly troubled childhood, he set off in 1983 for New York after spending years preparing his portfolio. He was lucky and met contacts at Vogue and began working backstage with Steven Meisel at important fashion shows. After this his career really took off, and ten years later he was known as a 'Make up legend'. He worked with A list Celebrities such as Naomi Campbell and Julia Roberts. Many regarded him as a friend and loved working with him purely because he was such enjoyable company. Gwyneth Paltrow once said 'The best thing about him doing your make up is that you get to spend time with him'. He released a game changing collection for Revlon which was the first brand to  introduce a range of foundations with different undertones such as pink or yellow. This influenced other brands such as M.A.C. In 2001 he released his own line of Cosmetics, which is still produced today. I love the brand, and my favourite products are the Sensual Skin Enhancer, and Sculpting and Highlighting powders. I find that the products that he produced are very versatile and can be used for a variety of things. For example, I sometimes use the Sculpting and Highlighting powders to create a simple eye look when want to minimise the amount of products I am carrying.

Colour Theory

Colour Theory is practical guidance which helps an artist or make up artist to understand colour and which colours to use. It helps the artist understand which colours contrast and compliment each other, and which clash. 

Primary Colours - All colours are made up of the three primary colours: Red, Green and Blue.  These colours mix together to make the secondary colours which are Yellow, Orange, Red, Purple, Blue, and Green. 

Complementary Colours are colours that contrast each other as they are on opposite sides of the colour wheel. They create a contrasting and striking look.

Analogous Colours are colours that create a complimentary colour scheme which is pleasing on the eye.

Achromatic and Neutral Colours are Black, White and all shades of Grey.

Monochromatic is a colour scheme which goes from the lightest to the darkest shade of a colour. For example very pale lilac to a dark purple.

We were asked to create four different make up looks, one for each of these colour groups.

               Monochromatic

                    Achromatic 

                   Complimentary 

               

          Analagous

Today in class I created my Monochromatic look on Charlotte. I mostly used cream colours and my fingers to blend the product into the contours of the face, highlighting the bone structure of my model. I like the effect of countouring and highlighting with a non neutral shade, as it is taking a very classic look and making it modern. I thought that I did quite a good job translating my design from my face chart onto an actual model, but if I had had more time, I would of liked to have used powder colours over the top to add intensity to the look. 

Elizabethan Beauty and the Ideal Tudor Woman

Tudor History. (2014). Elizabeth 1. Available: http://tudorhistory.org/elizabeth/queen.html. Last accessed 5th December 2014.

The Elizabethan Idea of beauty was a woman with light hair, often strawberry blonde, with an extremely pale complexion and red lips and cheeks. Elizabeth the 1st was a classic example of this Elizabethan Beauty, and women aspired to be like her. Working Class women could not afford these expensive products and dies, and could not maintain a pale complexion as they would be working all day out in the sun.

Hair - The Elizabethans used a great variety of hair pieces and accessories to achieve their elaborate hair styles. Frizzier hair was more popular at the time, and this was put up (after marriage) into one of many plait, or bun hair styles. The fashionable hair colour was very light, or a strawberry blonde, and the women used dyes such as saffron, oil, cumin and selandine.

Skin - A sign of wealth in these times was a porcelain white complexion. Working class women were out all day working in the sun, and could not afford cosmetic products, so they could never achieve a naturally white face, or use make up to create the look.  The look was so pale, some times women even painted on veins to make the skin seem almost translucent. A mixture of lead and vinegar named Ceruse, was used to lighten the skin, this was found out later to be poisonous, and wrecked the skin after years of daily use, which then led to the women using even more make up to cover up the damage. 

Cheeks, lips and eyes - Red lips and cheeks were seen as beautiful in the Elizabethan era, as they contrasted beautifully against the ghostly pale skin. A dye made from crushed red beetles would be used to create this effect. The main product used on the eyes was kohl, which was used to line the eyes and create the illusion of thicker eye lashes which it is still used for today. 

The Elizabethan Era. (2014). Elizabethan Make Up. Available: http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-make-up.htm. Last accessed 29th November 2014.

Introduction to Project Brief - The New Elizabethans

Last week we were introduced to our first project brief 'The New Elizabethans'. For this project, we have to find a Elizabethan portrait, which we feel shows beauty. We will then design looks based on a modernised Elizabethan look, which for the assessment we will have applied on us by our partner.
I don't have any previous experience in make up apart from self teaching and practicing at home. I have studied the Elizabethan Era at school so have some knowledge on the subject, but feel like it would be beneficial for this project for me to do some more research, especially into the fashion, hair and make up side of things. My aspirations for this project would be to do well and to learn further how to research an idea and develop it into a final outcome. I think my main worry for the project would be managing my time efficiently and meeting all the deadlines. I am looking forward to learning how to work to a set brief, and also how to bring some one else's design to life by communicating and working as a team.