Final Evaluation

Project Evaluation

I have really loved working on a Gothic Horror brief this term. I’ve particularly enjoyed looking at the concept in both real life and fantasy. Creating characters from Great Expectations gave me the opportunity to research a different era and very diverse characters and use their varying qualities to create designs. Also, actively incorporating a continuity task within our assessments was something I felt I learnt from considerably. Lots detail in reference material is key to a concise replication in hair and makeup.

Claudia and Quentin was a lot of fun to work on because there was a lot of free reign to explore our initial concepts and ideas. There are so many different ways these characters could be interpreted so it was fun to take the brief into my ideal direction and work with ideas I enjoyed researching and designing.

The techniques I’ve learnt throughout the brief, in both hair and makeup, have been really useful and have definitely expanded my abilities as a hair and makeup artist. I have especially enjoyed the work I’ve done with creating wounds and illnesses as well as the silhouette work in hair classes. 

Quentin Assessment

I am pleased with the outcome of my Quentin. I opted for a dusty grey eyeshadow around the eyes and worked white supra colour into the eyelashes. I also used bronzer to give a stubble like shade around the jaw line.

Claudia Assessment

I am really pleased with the outcome of my Claudia shoot. She really does resemble a psycho little girl who could be ranked along the same lines as Esther or Wednesday.  

Quentin Designs

These are the designs for Quentin. I knew right away from my research, what I wanted to create. Simple makeup with a painted on moustache. Simple sleek hair in a discreet ponytail. 

Claudia Designs

Because my inspiration for Claudia are the characters of two young girls, I am using a young model (14 years old) and am creating a 'little girl look'.

This is my final makeup design.

 This is a hair design idea, I find it's a little too mature looking for a little girls hairstyle.

 This is the final hair design. Ponytails are iconic little girls' hairstyles. I've included ribbon too to emphasis her youth.

 This is another makeup look that I felt was a little too sophisticated/mature for the look I wanted to achieve. 

Quentin

Quentin is simply a figment of Claudia's imagination. He isn't real and his image changes as she pleases. Claudia doesn't socialise with anybody so I imagine she imprints these images of her ideal boyfriend onto her own face. Therefore, I have chosen to use the same model as Claudia to bring a deep rooted connection between the two characters.

For Quentin, I was inspired by Italian style villans in top hats with thin moustaches. For example, Dick Dastardly from Wacky Races and Goob from Meet The Robinsons.

The Bowler Hat Guy-Villain of Meet the Robinsons. 2014. The Bowler Hat Guy-Villain of Meet the Robinsons. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.disneyvillains.net/BowlerHatGuy. [Accessed 05 May 2014].

Claudia

My horror film inspirations for my idea of Claudia derive from the character Ester in Orphan and Wednesday in The Addams Family. I see Claudia as somebody who suffers from multiple personality disorder which explains her alteration of image according to her favourite horror film. 

Orphan

Orphan is a 2009 American psychological thriller horror film. The plot of the film sees a family adopt a mysterious 9 year old to ease the pain of their deceased unborn child. Esther, the orphan, is well spoken and dresses quite periodically with long sleeves and high neck lines to her outfits. A significant plot twist in the film leads to the revelation that Esther isn’t a child but actually a 33 year old woman who suffers from a hormone disorder that stunted her physical growth. She spends her life posing as a little girl and makes sexual advances on the fathers of her adoptive family. Esther has a murderous past and her conservative outfits are simply to cover the scars from trying to escape her straitjacket. 

Pin by Danika Sandhu on Claudia | Pinterest. 2014. Pin by Danika Sandhu on Claudia | Pinterest. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.pinterest.com/pin/306455949616433549/. [Accessed 05 May 2014].

The Addams Family

One of my all time favourite series and films, The Addams Family. I adore everything about their creepy, unusual family, especially the daughter, Wednesday Addams. I definitely see her as inspiration for my Claudia character.

1991 film, The Addams Family follows the satirical American family that ooze Gothic horror. The daughter of the family, Wednesday Addams is renowned for her vacant stare, lack of emotion and fascination with death. She’s pale in appearance with dark hair in two tight plaits. She wears black, head to toe and rarely smiles. 

Hello Claudia and Quentin

For the second part of the Gothic Horror brief, I have to design and create two characters for a music video. These characters are Claudia and Quentin.

Claudia has agoraphobia. She spends her time, indoors, fixated on any and every horror film. She takes her horror film obsession to the extreme, changing her image to suit her latest favourite horror star. She also model’s her imaginary boyfriend, Quentin on characters from horror films.

In order to get the design process flowing, I’m going to explore my favourite horror films and other gothic related material. 

Dirtying Down

Products & Equipment:

-     Cotton buds

-     Kryolan tooth enamel

-     Make up brush set

-     Supra colour palette

Method:

1.      Before you begin, consider the storyboard/theme and reasoning behind the actors deteriorated look, also consider the environment and time scale. If they fell in a field, what kind of mud/dirt should be created? Will you have to work with the wardrobe department to match dirty downed clothes?

2.      To achieve a ‘No Make Up’ look…
- apply a base
- apply a grease/cream blusher
- use waterproof brown mascara
- fill in the eyebrows with eye gel
- no lipstick

3.      Dirty the palms of the hands, underneath the fingernails, under the sleeves and in the rips of any clothes
- think chipped nail varnish
- apply moisturiser to the hand
- use supra colours
- apply a darker colour underneath the nails

4.      For the hair, use brill cream to make the hair greasy, grease down from the roots

5.      Use dry shampoo to dull down the hair

6.      Crying/running mascara appearance…
- run a cotton bud with water along the inner water line

7.      Tooth enamel by Kryolan comes in gold, silver, nicotine and black with other colours also available to buy
- dry the teeth you’re applying it to with a cotton bud

8.      Dip a cotton bud into the enamel and put onto the teeth

NOTES:

Men should wear as little makeup as possible

Smooth and shiny hair

Products & Equipment:

-     Brush kit

-     Hair grips & sectioning grips

-     Hair mousse

-     Hair dryer

Method:

·        Begin by sectioning the hair, working from the bottom/ underneath part first

·        Take a section of hair, roughly the width of a barrel brush

·        In order for the hair to sit flat to the scalp, the hair cuticles have to be smooth. This is achievable by using a hairdryer

·        Using a hairdryer, direct the air from root to tip, holding the hair taught with a brush

·        Continue drying the section until the hair is noticeable smoother

·        Repeat on more sections, working up the head, until you’ve done so on all of the hair

·        If you wish to incorporate a middle parting, do so before sectioning and drying the top part of the hair

·        Apply a generous amount of mousse to the hair and run it over the scalp to give shine and keep the hair neat

·        Brush the hair into the direction of choice before securing discreetly and tightly with either a hair grip or tie 

What is Gothic Horror?

Gothic fiction, sometimes referred to as Gothic horror, is a genre or mode of literature that combines fiction, horror and Romanticism. 

Gothic fiction - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2014. Gothic fiction - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_fiction. [Accessed 01 April 2014].

Gothic Horror on Pinterest. 2014. Gothic Horror on Pinterest. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.pinterest.com/danikayasmin/gothic-horror/. [Accessed 05 May 2014].

Light scarring using moulds

Products & Equipment:

-     Brush set & disposables

-     Tee pin

-     Set scar mould

-     Pros-Aide (adhesive)

-     Pros-Aide remover

-     Supra colour Palette

Method:

1.      Make sure the area of skin you’re attaching the mould to is free from grease or moisture, otherwise the prosthetic won’t stick

2.      Powder over the mould to avoid it sticking together

3.      Lift the scar from the mould using a tee pin

4.      Powder on the reverse side, again, to avoid it sticking

5.      Attach the prosthetic pieces with Pros-Aide

6.      Melt away any edges using a cotton bud in warm water if the mould is gelatine or acetone if the mould is latex

7.      Make up the scar using colours from your supra colour palette

8.      Use Pros-Aide remover to remove the scar

NOTES:

These moulds can be made of latex, silicone or gelatine.

To create your own gelatine mould, simply pour the melted mixture into the mould and smooth over, then put into the fridge to cool quickly

Goodbye Great Expectations

Great Expectations has been an interesting focal point for designing this term. It has taught me just how much research and consideration you can have over just one character. Their foundations, the history and the circumstances all come in to factor when you create a look for a character. It was especially fun to have to create period looks and learn techniques to achieve possible realistic skin problems and ageing. 

Evaluation of Estella

Choosing a period in Estella’s life with which to work with was a tough decision as I feel she changes so much as a character and in her appearance. However, I was particularly drawn to her characteristics post-marriage and explored her new personality traits through hair and makeup. I wanted to create a look that represented sophistication and class but also softness and kindness. Though I feel she’d changed, I wanted to maintain that superior motive she’s always had through an up styled hairdo and subtle, rosy toned makeup. Because Estella was shot in black and white, I got to play with stronger colours to give a variety of tone in the final image.  I am pleased with the outcome of my Estella look. The hair was a particular turning point for me as I felt I’d achieved a style I wouldn’t have been able to do so without the guidance and assistance from teachers.  

Final Estella designs

Here are my final hair and make up designs for Estella. To achieve this look...

Products & Equipment:

-     Makeup brushes

-     Cotton buds & disposable mascara wands

-     NYX concealer (light)

-     Kryolan foundation palette #G177

-     Illamasqua loose powder

-     Maybelline bronzer

-     Illamasqua powder blusher

-     Maybelline mascara

-     Kryolan eye shadow palette #almond & #cigar

-     Helen E lip pencil

-     Mac lipstick #brave A22

Method:

1.      Cleanse, tone and moisturise the face

2.      Apply a foundation base and blend concealer underneath the eyes

3.      Set the base with loose powder

4.      Contour with bronzer before applying blusher to the cheeks

5.      Apply the almond coloured eye shadow on the eyelids, blending into cigar colour in the crease

6.      Line the lips with lip pencil before filling in with lipstick 

Estella Assessment

Evaluation of Miss Havisham

It was fun designing a look that wasn’t glamorous but actually quite ugly and haggard. Creating a period look was tasking as I felt it limited my opportunities to be creative and explorative with my designs. I chose to create an older woman, with a messy hairstyle that still resembled a wedding hairdo. I blended tones from a concealer palette to create dark circles around her eyes, wanting her to look exhausted and gaunt. I considered ageing her with techniques taught in class but during my research into sun deprivation (an important factor in Miss Havisham’s life) I learnt that the ageing process will be considerable slowed down due to lack of sunlight. 

Because this look had to be recreated two weeks later, I was careful to be as detailed as possible in my plans and take plenty of pictures to refer to. This all came in very handy when it came to the recreation process. The second time around, I was a lot quicker creating the look. I felt more confident too as I knew what I was doing.  I’m pleased with the outcome of my Miss Havisham looks, I think my continuity was a very close match to my first practical application. 

Estella Hair Practise 2.0

Here's a second trial for my Estella, the back part of the hair is much neater.
For the front portion, I used a technique taught in class that creates a wave
into a curl. I think this hairstyle is more mature and in keeping with the Estella look
I want to create.

Estella Hair Practise

Here's my first attempt at creating my Estella hair design,
I feel the curls at the back need to sit neater and show more uniformity.
The curls at the front of the hair look too youthful for the appearance I want
to give.

Estella Hair

I envision the character of Estella to be
largely misunderstood and perceptively
cold hearted and fierce.
I imagine, if it weren’t for her upbringing,
she’d have quite a gentle soul and be naturally
kind hearted and considerate.
To comply with the combination of
characteristics, I have designed a hairstyle to
represent all the elements.
The curls represent the tranquil aspects of
her personality whereas the uniformity of the
curls and up-styled structure represent her
cruel nature.

Design Method

-   Section off the front portion of the hair,
in front of the ears and loose hair around
the nape of the neck/hairline

-  Part the back of the hair, down the
centre, and curl sections around
large barrel curlers in the direction
indicated by the design

-   Fix with sectioning clips whilst they cool
in their formation

-   When the curls have cooled, fix the curls
in the same directions with hair grips, bound
tightly together in the middle of the head

-   Curl the front portion of the hair horizontally
from a middle parting to the ears

-   Allow them to cool in formation before fixing them
into pin curls around the of the face
Fix the entire hairstyle with hairspray
 

Designs for Estella

 Because Estella would be photographed in black and white, I considered tone rather than colours. I wanted the make-up to be a natural look that is in keeping with the period that Great Expectations is set. In the two initial designs below, I looked at a strong contour and different coloured lips. The latter isn't quite natural but again, being shot under black and white, it won't show.

Second Assessment (Havisham)

Bold Hair using finger waves, ringlets & pin curls

Products & Equipment:

-     Brush set

-     Hair grips & sectioning grips

-     Water spray

-     Curling tongs

·        To create pin curls
- Taking small sections of hair each time, curl the hair in a spherical motion from tip to root so it sits flat against the scalp. Fasten securely and discreetly with a hair grip. In order to maintain the shape, you may choose to dampen the hair beforehand or fix with hairspray afterwards.

-     To create finger wave
-Section the front portion of the hair and dampen with a water spray (this will help the style to hold), then brush the hair away from the face for the initial direction of the wave. Starting at the roots of this first section, place your middle finger horizontally, pressing down to form a groove. Whilst holding your finger here, comb the hair below it towards the face to create the movement. Bring your forefinger parallel to your middle finger and pinch the hair up slightly, secure this section formed using a sectioning grip. Repeat this action below the grip, brushing the hair towards the back of the head again to continue the wave pattern. Once the entire section is secured in the wave pattern, it can be left to dry naturally or under heat, the grips can then be released to reveal the style which you can fix with hairspray or go on to style accordingly.

-     To create ringlets
- Take a section of hair and starting a little shy of the root, manually wrap the hair around the curling iron, closing the lever down on the end. When heated through, release the hair to create a ringlet. Continue this on the rest of the hair. If you wish, you can brush the ringlets into each other to create a wave effect. 

Continuity

Continuity is important in every aspect of film and television programme making from the positioning of the actors and props to lighting, stage direction and hair and makeup. Often, the scenes of a film or television programme are shot out of sequence and some scenes may be revisited weeks after the initial filming. In order to comply with continuity, a hair and makeup artist needs to be able to recreate a look from pictures and design plans. It has to be exactly the same as before to add the believability of the scene.

In my Miss Havisham assessment, I am tested on my continuity. The period look I have created for Miss Havisham will be recreated in two weeks. The pictures will then be compared to assess how similar it looks to the first time I carried it out.

To help myself recreate the look as similarly as possible, I have written up detailed application methods and taken plenty of pictures that I shall use as reference as I recreate the look.  

Third Estella Hair Design

Products & Equipment:

-     Brush set

-     Hair grips & sectioning grips

-     Large barrel curlers

-     Small barrel curlers

-     Ribbon

-     Heat defence spray

-     Hairspray

Method:

·        First, section off the front portion of hair, in line with the ears

·        Part the back of the hair down the centre

·        Beginning on one side, take a section of hair from the top and curl around large barrel curlers towards the middle of the head

·        Fix each curl with a grip whilst it cools

·        Continue curling and securing sections on either side of the head

·        When all the curls have cooled, fix the curls
in the same directions with hair grips, tightly intertwining them with one another

·        Curl the front portion of the hair with small barrel curlers

·        Fix with hairspray before tying a length of red ribbon in a band around the model’s head

Evaluation:

This design was an adaptation of my first one, I made the style more mature to reflect the stage in the character’s life I was representing. When creating this style, I made the back section much neater and compact to present an efficient period hairstyle.

Second Estella Hair Design

Products & Equipment:

·        Brush set

·        Hair grips & ties

·        Donut shaped hair pad

·        Hair mousse

·        Hair spray

Method:

-     Begin by brushing through the hair and creating a middle parting with a pin tail comb

-     Run a generous amount of hair mousse through the top of the hair and brush the hair directed towards the nape of the neck, keeping the hair as smooth and tight to the scalp as possible however have the hair come down partially over the face, covering the model’s ears

-     Keeping the hair taught, gather towards the base of the head and secure as a pony tail with a hair tie

-     Slide the hair through the donut pad

-     Have the hair in the pony tail fold back on itself to disguise the padding, securing with hair grips placed inwards, beneath the donut

-     With the excess hair, gather and braid in a plait to wind around the break between the donut and the scalp

-     Secure the plait with a hair grip before fixing the whole style with hairspray

Evaluation:

Though my inspiration for this look was taken from a selection of Victorian hairstyles, the overall look isn’t particularly period and could quite easily suit a modern day trend. It’s a straightforward design that’s easy to achieve and doesn’t require many skills that I’ve learnt especially for this project.