Throughout this module i have enjoyed being able to recreate various different looks whilst getting the opportunity to create my own personal portfolio.

At the start of the year i had a different concept in mind for what i wanted my shoots to look like, i had specific plans for the locations of my shoots including derelict buildings and forest area’s. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic everything, including my university work was put on hold. I was forced to temporarily move back home from manchester with no notice which means all of my belongings are still in manchester waiting to be collected when the uk wide lockdown is lifted. With all of those things not going to plan i had to figure out how i was going to create these photoshoots at home with little equipment. Even though most of the looks were on myself i have enjoyed having something to do whilst stuck indoors. it isn’t ideal that all of my photos were taken on a camera phone however under the circumstances they turned out a good quality, having a professional camera and lighting would have been better. When lockdown is over i plan to carry on my makeup work and hope to get chance to do this again but with a model and photographer. A couple of weeks before lockdown photographers and model weren’t available to continue with the shoots which meant collaborating wasn’t a option.

For my final look i went with a look which focused on special effects as i had seen a couple of photos which i wanted to try and recreate in my own style. My main concept for this look was to create a nun which had been possessed. I got this idea by seeing an upside down cross carved into the head. I liked how this looked as it made me feel uncomfortable just looking at it and knew i could re create this with the makeup i have.

When recreating the look i left my skin bare with a light foundation as i wanted to use a toothbrush and flick the blood all over my face/body and letting it naturally drip from where i would be placing my wounds. I created the wounds by applying scar wax to the area needed and blending it into the skin. I then got my spatula to create a cut into the wax and then adding a darker red paint to create depth. I then created a cut mouth by only using grease paints. I wanted to make it look as though i had been crying tears of blood so i decided to tip my head back and let them drip naturally down my face this led to me getting the blood in my eye, my eyes started watering really badly which was a problem. Resolving this was simple i just got some tissue and wiped my eyes trying not to touch the makeup and ruin it. I definitely wouldn’t do this on someone else as i wouldn’t want to harm anyone.

I edited my final photo as i wanted my eye blacked out to make it more scary and i was happy with how that made my look turn out. I would have ordered myself a nun outfit if i could of afford it but sadly i couldn’t. I would have like to have this photo taken place in front of a old church to make the photo more realistic and spooky. Overall i am happy with how my final image turned out and want to re create another look similar to this as i had a lot of fun creating it.

For my next look I wanted to create a glamorous look, I wanted to do this to show variety within my portfolio. The inspiration for my look was again taken from Instagram, i looked at P Louise’s make up page to get some ideas of what I wanted to do. @plouise_makeup_academy is very popular at the minute and has made waves in the make up industry. Her own products are featured all over her make up page and demonstrated on a model. P Louise doesn’t just create a simple cut crease she takes the traditional cut crease to the next level by using different shapes and angles to create a unique and new look for the eyes. Her looks are always over the top with glitter, eyeshadow and highlight the quality of her work it looks like something that has been made digitally. I have been watching her IGTV makeup tutorials, they have taught me that the looks she creates take a long time to create as there are so many steps to complete. I wouldn’t attempt one of her looks if knew i didn’t have a long time to do so.

I decided i wanted to do a blue eyeshadow with a dramatic cut crease. I created this by using eyeshadow bases and shadows on top to make the colours more vibrant. When i apply eyeshadow i like to take my time blending the eyeshadows together to get a seamless blend. I think eyeshadow can look quite messy when not blended correctly. A lot of brushes are needed to create these type of looks as there is a lot of different consistency to the products including creams and pigments. It is essential i have a full clean kit when working, not only for mine and the clients health and safety but also to show my professionalism. After completing the eye look i decided to add glitter to the corner of the eye and to the bottom lash line as i knew it would capture nicely on camera. glitter always makes the look flirty and fun, this look would be fantastic for a music festival.

When taking my final photos i decided to get some close ups of the eye, I prefer how they look compared to the full face photos. I played around with the setting by making the sharpness and texture higher as i think it helped make the photos more detailed. I know that studio lighting would of helped with capturing the colour, sparkle and details. I would love to re-create this look again on a different model with a professional photographer that way i could capture the full look in better detail instead of just the one.

For shoot five i wanted to create a look which i haven’t done before. To do this i chose to create a look on my own face using tape and makeup. I got this idea from a video on Instagram by @sfx_makeup_mariana who created a mask using the base as tape and placing it over her mouth and eyes leaving a little cap so that she could see. This look interested me and i wanted to try it out myself and possibly learn a different skill.

This look was definitely a look to do on a model as it was really challenging to create it on myself as i had cover most of my eyes which really effected the application. I used tape, latex and tissue for the base which was also a difficult job which again needed to be done on a model. I think with practice and patience this look would work really well for creating all different sort of masks. But i wouldn’t ever do this concept on tv/film as i don’t think its a good quality piece compared to if it was made out of silicone but its a good trick if i’m wanting to do something quick and fun. Next time i would definitely sculpt this piece out of clay and then fill it with silicone as i wasn’t happy with it.

Costuming would have played a big roll in this look. I Would have liked to had a big black cloak with a hood, it would have made it more professional making the final image a higher standard. I think this photo would of been great if it was taken in a dark room with a flash to achieve an eerie effect or even outside within the tress. I didn’t do much editing to this piece apart from putting an effect on the photo to make it look distorted.

My inspiration for this look comes from one of my favourite artists Billie Eilish and her music video ‘when the party’s over’. This video was released last year and the first time i saw this video i fell in love with it and had to keep playing it over and over again. The video is so captivating and interesting, i automatically wanted to know how they had created it.

Billie Eilish has a very unique sense of style, she plays around mixing looks including goth, emo and punk. The direction of her videos incorporates make up, hair and setting to create a video that is as scary as possible for a mainstream pop star. The video of “when the party’s over’ really intrigued me, i had to find out how they achieved the look. When i researched the video i found out that it is all down to wires that are connected to the corner of her eye pumping liquid through tubes. The tubes have then been edited out for the final video to create the illusion that she is crying out ink. I am really impressed by the video.

I had to think of a different wayS to recreate this look. As i only have limited products i decided to use black grease paint and a brush to draw the lines down my face. Billie doesn’t appear to wear a lot of makeup however i didn’t want to leave the rest of the face bare so i decided i wanted to glam the look up by doing my eye makeup and lips. I wanted this look to be dark so i chose a black lipstick and did a dramatic eyeliner which worked really well as a final look. I added little silver stars to my eyes to add an extra dimension to the look, I really like it as an extra detail.

When i started to take the photos i knew i didn’t want the photo taken from a normal angle i wanted it to be in an awkward position which was effective and showed my work. I also wanted to use black on my eyes as Billie has done this in videos before like ‘ bury a friend’. i adjusted my filter on the photo as i preferred the way it looked in black and white than colour. To me it makes the picture so much more aesthetically pleasing. This photo would have benefited from being taken behind a black or white backgrounds with the right lighting. If i had a model i would have poured black fake blood all over the body as well as the face.

For my third look i wanted to create a gory/special effects makeup look. I had a lot of ideas on this subject and what i wanted to create but couldn’t decide on a final piece. Whenever i am unsure about what to create i have to start looking on Instagram as there are so many ideas and creations to choose from. I then came across a post by @glambycamx on Instagram and i loved the concept and how it looked. The look involved special effects but also a little bit of makeup such as lashes but i was mostly focused on how the special effects turned out rather than the lashes. i think it would look good with or without.

I decided not to do any makeup other than the special effects as i didn’t want it turn into a glam look, I wanted to focus solely on gore, nothing detracting from it. Creating this look i only needed a couple of products which were scar wax, fake blood ( scabbed and normal fake blood), grease paints and a spatula. i did have to use a white pencil to draw out my lines to know where i should be applying my scar wax and paints. It was a time consuming look as it involved a lot of blending and accuracy. If i was to create this look again and had the chance to do it on a model, not myself it would be easier to apply. On the day of re-creating this look i was having issues with my lighting and i couldn’t find a way to work around it so i had to make the most of what i had available. The final image ended up being darker than i would have liked but i tried using my front flash on my phones camera to capture the brightness and that helped a little bit. In the original artist’s photo the girl is bald which gave her the option to carry the makeup up on to her head which really adds to the look, the overall effect is fantastic. If i had the all of my equipment and use of the studios at university i would absolutely have made a bald cap, it takes the look to a completely different level, I will re-create that as soon as i am back home and in the studio.

When i went to edit this photo my brown eyes didn’t go with the aesthetic i wanted to create for this look, I wanted the look to be as disturbing as possible so i decided to change my eye colours to make the final photo more effective. I am happy with the outcome.

My second shoot had to take place at home as i had to come back to sheffield due to Covid-19. The whole pandemic has had a huge impact my learning and has made it difficult for me to do shoots at home. I have had to leave most of my makeup back in Manchester and have had limited amount of products to work with, along with ring light and hair tools. I tried to achieve the best results i possibly could with the products i had with me. I then had to start creating the looks on myself and with family members i have been living with which also wasn’t easy as there wasn’t enough space but also looking after children at the same time.

I enjoyed creating my first look so much i wanted to carry the clown theme on a little bit. I was scrolling on Instagram and a picture of a artist came up and i really liked how the look looked. i had recently bought some uv eyeshadow pigments and though they would work well as eyeshadow as the photo also shows. Neon eyeshadow was also used.

With this look i saw that the artist had blocked the brows and made they eye appear bigger which has been given extra long lashes. lots of different shapes are involved with this look which really caught my eyes and i thought it was cool. Stars, Circles, triangles and lines are created by using shadows and liners which i thought would look good when photographed.

This look was quite time consuming to create as there was a lot of different steps to actually complete the look. The shoot would have took a lot longer if i was at university doing it as my model was relaxed and didn’t need any breaks, I also didn’t have to wait for the studio to become available which i would have normally had to do. Being able to take my time when doing makeup does usually make the outcome a lot neater and more detailed but on a job in industry i wouldn’t always have the luxury of time so i need to practice on picking up my pace whilst working to a high standard. I am happy with how my work turned out an how the picture looked, The colours went together really well but i would have liked to change the nose as i feel that area of the face was quite visually messy. I did try to touch the Photo up in photoshop but felt like i was making it look even more muddy. I didn’t have any contact lens and my model doesn’t like to put them in so instead i decided to blur one eye pupil out to make her look more sinister and dark. I didn’t know what to do with the hair so i decided to use some P’Louise eye base in ‘acid reign’ on the hair and roots as it matched the colour on the eyes and helped the makeup and hair go together. for that idea I was inspired by the artist Billie Eilish, she has green in her roots and i love the aesthetic. When it came to taking the photo i placed my model on a blank wall to make it as professional as possible whilst using the torch on my phone to improve the lighting.

For my first shoot i wanted to create a look which was fun and colourful but also had a creepy edge to it. I was scrolling through Instagram when i saw a post by @crystal.will.see.you.now who is a drag queen, her makeup is very strong and bold.

This is exactly the type of work that inspires me, Crystals makeup is always over the top, she always goes all out with her use of tone and colour. Her drag aesthetic is unique and edgy and aside from he use of contrasting colours i am always taking inspiration from her makeup skills.

The look i wanted to re-create is, in my interpretation a vibrant clown. This look is well thought out and well executed, it is quirky and the visual effect is amazing. I knew that i wanted to try re creating this look myself as i think it suits my personal style and would be something i would find fun to figure out the techniques and re-create.

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A post shared by 💎 CRYSTAL 💎 (@crystal.will.see.you.now)

when considering what makeup i was going to use to re-create this look i had to pick products that i knew would match to the colours in the picture. She did not give any indication of what products she had used and didn’t tag any brands in her post.

I needed to pick bright and strong pigmented products as i wanted it to be caught on camera the best it could. By just looking at the photo i decided that cream paints and powders would be the best to get a full coverage on the skin. I then chose bright cream paints and pack shadow on top to get the best result with the colours. I am really proud of how my final image turned out, this is a look i would never usually of created but i am so happy with the results. If i had the chance to re-do the look i would have changed a couple of things, Firstly I would have added some white contact lenses, they would have really added to the tone of the make up making the final image scarier. secondly i would have used a costume and a wig, that would have helped the whole look come together, make up looks in the time of coronavirus are not totally what i would want them to be but i worked with the products that i had available.

This shoot took place at university and was shot by one of my teachers as i had not had chance to speak to a photographer or a model. I had to use one of my classmates as my model as it was my only option. I think the background i chose works well, i picked the white background specifically as it helps the viewer focus on the model. in hindsight i think a black background would also be effective and would have make it more spooky.

my final image:

A lot of my inspiration came from social media, mainly focussing on Instagram. I follow many accounts that inspire me my absolute favourite has to be @the_wigs_and_makeup_manager her work is visually and technically strong. She combines glam makeup and special effects makeup into one look and the outcome is phenomenal. I get a lot of inspiration from seeing her work, not only because she’s so good at what she does but because it makes me want to improve my work and keep practicing allowing me to achieve the same standard of work that she creates.

My special effects inspiration comes from a variety of special effects artists. Instagram accounts are so accessible, they’re often updated at least once a day either on their wall (which is a permanent post) or in their stories (a visual story set to expire within 24 hours) among the list of my favourite accounts are:

@gnicotero

and

@therealve.

Both of these artists have been in the makeup industry a long time and have worked on popular shows and movies. Ve neil (@therealve) is unquestionably the person I look up to most in the makeup world. She has worked on so many amazing movies including but not limited to Beetlejuice, Sweeney Todd and Edward scissor hands. the cult following of these films speak for themselves, they are classed as classics in the own right. ve neil has been hired by Tim Burton many times, he always chooses her to create all his weird and wonderful characters, she is central in making the characters come to life.

I have chosen to show case some scary and glam looks. I have always been interested subjects that could be classed as ‘dark’ and i like to represent that in my looks by making the subjects lean towards horror with an edge of glam. I do however also like to create glam looks for anything more commercial as they are more wearable on a day-to-day basis. i love mixing the genre’s playing with bright and dark colours. I know as a makeup artist that every client is different, none of us are the same and we all want to feel individual. There would be nothing worse than walking out the door looking the same as one another (unless that is the look you’re going for, of course.) it is important to know how to apply makeup in different ways on different personalities and skin type’s.