Practical: Complimentary Colour Contouring

During this practical, we explored extreme contouring and highlighting combined with the use of the colour wheel. We used two complimentary colours and decided which colour would be best for contouring and the best for highlighting. The colours I chose were blue and orange. I thought it was better to use the orange to highlight and the blue to contour.  Using such bright colours allowed the contouring to be more obvious and it really created an interesting outcome.

To achieve this look as best as possible, we prepped the skin, applied and base and heavily powdered. This allowed the colour powders to be applied to the skin with more ease.

After the face had been contoured with complimentary colours, we decided to use grease based colours to paint on definite lines to create a more interesting outcome. I did this at random, but often followed the lines of the face.

The Colour Wheel

We explored the colour wheel this week and how it can be a useful colour aid.

Primary colour – red, blue, yellow.

Secondary colours – orange, purple, green.

The colour wheel can be divided into two sections to determine cold and warm.

Tints, shades and tones:

Tints – adding white.

Shades – adding black.

Tones – adding grey.

Harmonious colour schemes:

Monochromatic palette

Analogous colours:

Adjacent on the colour wheel. Three neighbouring colours. Often found in lip or eye palettes.

Complimentary colours:

Opposites on the colour wheel.

Triad and tetrad colours:

Triad – triangle of colour wheel.

Tetrad – two sets of complimentary colours.

Contemporary Elizabethan Figure

After researching into Elizabethan portraiture and discovering symbolism of objects, makeup and styling, I have chosen my contemporary Elizabethan figure to be Beyonce. The fact that her artist name doesn’t need to Beyonce Knowles alone tells us her status and fame. Beyonce is the woman that men want to be with and women want to be. She is massively classy and holds so much power. She reminds me of Elizabeth I because of how powerful she is as a woman and how much stance and respect she owns.  

Here is a very ideal image of Beyonce which highly replicates an Elizabethan portrait.

The image speaks for itself. She looks regal, strong, powerful, dominating yet feminine and beautiful. There isn’t a whole lot more that could be done to this image to create a more contemporary Elizabethan portrait of Beyonce as she captures it fully with this promo for her ‘Mrs Carter Tour’.  

Lady Gaga is another example of a contemporary Elizabethan figure. I believe that she is also a very powerful woman within society and often makes extremely influencing statements and is followed by millions of fans. She is a strong and powerful woman who creates her own mark on most things. Her styling is incredibly unique and outrageous and often symbolic of something. Like in most Elizabethan portraits, there is a lot of symbolism incorporated within. This reminds me of Lady Gaga so much because her outfits, hair and makeup are often either to promote a new single, make a political statement or just to cause outrage and discussion.


Bob Marley – one of the most influential musicians of the 20^th century. I believe he was a New Elizabethan because I truly believe he changed music forever. His music has influenced so may people’s lives and has also changed the way people create music at this current time. His outlook on life was that he just wanted to enjoy himself and make the most of everything he had. His songs are still played today, years after his death and his music still inspires many up and coming artists.

“Bob Marley influenced the youth in the United States and Europe and was considered as a prophet by Rastafarians. Most of his songs were about freedom, justice, fighting for rights and dignity. A Rastafarian is a follower of the teachings of Marcus Garvey who believed in the teachings by King Haile Selassie who was also known as Ras Tafari.”

http://uk.ask.com/question/who-did-bob-marley-influence

14.11.13

Contouring and Blusher

Equipment: 

•               Cleanser, toner, moisturiser

•               Cotton pads and buds

•               Foundation

•               Concealer

•               Powder

•               Cream and powder blusher 

Application:

•               Prepare skin using cleanser, toner and moisturiser.

•               Apply base foundation (optional to add primer)

•               Conceal on blemishes, under eyes, mouth, nose, etc.

•               DON’T APPLY POWDER YET! 

•               Using concealer (one to two shades lighter) to highlight forehead, eye (beneath brow), cheekbone, nose and jaw.

•               Using base (one to two shades darker) shade side of nose, cheekbone crease and under jaw.

•               Blend the different shades in to create a more subtle effect.

•               Apply grease blusher to the rounds of the cheeks. If you are using a powder blusher, powder before blusher application.

•               To create a stronger contour after powdering, use a darker brown shade of blusher and apply to shaded areas.

Practical: Egg White Application

In class we practised using egg white as it was a technique used during the Elizabethan era. Women would paste their faces in lead to create a pale conplexion and to reduce signs of aging. They would then glaze their faces with egg white to almost cement the lead and to achieve a glossy finish.

Here is an image of the base application before the egg white was applied. The idea was to create a slightly paler skin tone to replicate the skin they wished to achieve. 

Here, we can see a single layer of egg white applied to the left of the face and then a double layer to the right.

After a while, the egg began to crumble slightly and it became quite uncomfortable. 

Contemporary Elizabethan Makeup

This is an example of extreme Elizabethan makeup. The makeup they used to apply was so dense and bad for the skin, so this artist clearly decided to take this look to a completely new level. It is possible that it was created from clay to emphasise the intense thickness of lead they would apply to reduce signs of aging. The effect to the skin was horrific, effectively poisoning their skin. The look is so intriguing and creates a completely new outlook on Elizabethan beauty.

This look stuck out to me because of the lace effect on the eyebrows. It makes such a simple look appear so intricate. It creates a regal effect so effortlessly.

This image is just beautiful. Everything about it; the lighting, the styling, the makeup, the model. Everything is so on point for a contemporary Elizabethan look right here. It captures so much female power and elegance.

 This look is simple, yet effective. The artist has placed emphasis on the pale complexion with use of a statement red lip. It has been made contemporary as the shade is deeper and more on trend. The ruffles are bold and make a statement with the material being black.

Here, the artist has created a sense of royalty through the detail on the face to create the effect of jewels. Again, we see a pale complexion with red lips which symbolised status in the Elizabethan era.

Lily Cole has been used again as her complexion and hair are ideal to represent this era. The makeup is subtle and feminie, but still shows a contemporary twist on this era. The head piece adds a dimension of power and royalty.

This look is very extreme with use of bold colours to contour and shape the face. It almost reminds me of a jester or a clown. The face is still pale and whitened to keep the Elizabethan influence obvious. 

Practical: Base and Concealing

Equipment:

·      Cleanser

·      Toner

·      Moisturiser

·      Cotton pads

·      Cotton buds

·      Foundation

·      Concealer

·      Powder

·      Blush

·      Brushes

·      Firstly, the skin is assessed in order to prepare the skin using cleanser, toner and moisturiser.

·      Check skin type to determine which foundation to use. For men, it is better to use tinted moisturiser due to their skin being more textured (stubble, etc).

·      Match foundation to skine tone. Test on jaw line to see if colours match. Use a spatula and mix on back of hand. DON’T DOUBLE DIP!

·      Apply base starting in the centre of the face, working outwards using brush.

·      Cover entire face, right up to lash line, nostrils and ears. DON’T FORGET NECK!

·      Conceal after foundation base has been applied, not before.

·      Apply powder to t-zone with puff, rest of the face with brush. (If using grease blusher, apply before powder. If using powder blusher, apply powder before)

Before:

After:

Researching Skin Care Products:

I have been doing a little bit of research into cleansing, toning and moisturising products that are available on the market today. I’m interested in the information about the products and their quality in relation to the price. Being a student, price is a major factor!

Dermalogica:

UltraCalming Cleanser (£26.30)

This product is aimed at people with sensitive skinbecause of its gentle cleansing. Yet, the reviews of this product are very mixed. Some reviews show bad reactions to the product which provides evidence that it may not suitable for sensitive skin afterall. Others say the new formula isnt as good as the original. Yet some people say that this product is a must have. Personally, my skin is quite sensitive so I wouldn’t want to risk using this product.

“After one or two uses of this product, my whole face broke out in small, itchy bumps.”

“The "new" formula which is now a few years old did sting a little for a couple of weeks, but then my skin got used to it.”

“I'm now well into my second bottle and I am recommending it to anyone who asks.”

Liz Earle :

Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (£14.75)

Instant Boost Skin Tonic (£13.25)

Skin Repair Moisturiser (£19.25)

According to the customer reviews, they average on 5/5 stars. I personally haven’t tried the products myself but I’ve heard nothing but positivity. I have been recommended Liz Earle products by many people and that they’re a great investment. These will definitely be on my Christmas list!

“If you only have one product in your skin care routine. This HAS TO BE THE ONE.”

“I cannot speak highly enough about it”

Proactiv Solution 3 Step System:

(£39.99 as a set)

This product is targetted at acne-prone skin to deep clense, sooth and smooth. Reviews are again mixed with these products but the majority appears to be fairly negative. I don't think I will be investing in these products any time soon based on the reviews. Maybe its worth testing it myself some day.

"It DRIED out my skin like NEVER BEFORE"

"I started using it once a day, for about a week and my skin got severely inflamed"

"Worked wonders by reducing the spots and making my face clear"