Assessment Peer Review & Self Reflection

Peer Review - Becky, The MUA
Overall Im fairly happy with the outcome of my partners assessment. Its not 100% prefect, there are a couple details I'm not completely happy with. I think she's carried out my design but possibly gone a little too intense with the contouring around the forehead and used to much grey which has resulted in kind of muddy looking effect. I think was due to her concern that it wouldn't come out well under studio lighting. I also think an element that could have been improved was the lips which appear a but uneven, she could have taken some extra time to even these up a little. However I feel Becky has worked well as a make up artist, she's been dedicated and hardworking. Her application skills are very professional and gentle. I think the highlighting she's done looks incredible and her foundations application is flawless but some of this is perhaps tainted by the contouring on the forehead. 

Self Relflection as the Designer
I feel as a designer i could have played my part a little better. I feel I should have finalised my designs sooner and understood what I wanted earlier in proceedings in order to make things clearer for my partner. I feel throughout the project my skills in designing have come along and that the quality of my designs has come along way and now my illustrations look a lot more professional and detailed. Overall, I think Ive been a fair designer, I feel my design is contemporary but still references the elizabethan era in ways perhaps others haven't in my investigation of Mary Stuart. I also feel Ive been helpful towards my Make Up artist in the sense that I've provided her with good information, instructions and guidance throughout.

Second practice with Final Design

In our second practice session we weren't able to use the studios so we worked in our of our flats. We found that the lighting wasn't very good and it was difficult judging intensity and shade.

Again Im really pleased with outcome, i think it looks really soft and pretty, the effect I'm aiming for. Im confident at this stage my partner will be able to complete the look to my specification in the assessment.

Practising the final design with my partner

For our first practice with the final design I took Becky through the design and how to accomplish it.

No Make up

Firstly, Mix Kryolan foundations from the palette with Illamasqua skinbase to match my natural skin tone. Apply all over with a foundation brush and buff out.

Use the Kryolan concealer palette to concealer any spots or under eye circles.

Apply Illamasqua skin base above skin bones, down the nose, forehead and beaneth the eyebrows to highlight and blend in.

Using the Illamasqua translucent powder all over the face. Then apply Kryolan 'Fennel' over the highlighted areas.

Using a mascara wand brush through the brows so that that lay neat and in the same direction. 

Using a combination of nostly the Kryolan Contour in ‘Olive’ and Kryolan ‘Caraway’ contour beneath the cheekbones, the inner eye socket, forehead and jaw. Remember to blend the contour around the eye out.

Apply Kryolan ‘Fennel’ to the eyelids, repeat two or three times to produce a good pigment of colour. Next, apply Kryolan ‘Black Pepper’ to the crease of the eyelids and blend.

Finally, mix together Kryolan lip colours 004, 008, 142 and apply the lips. Blot and apply once more.

Overall really pleased with how the look has been executed by my partner and I think its looks really pretty and soft and subtle. Really pleased with the lip colour swell and the intensity of shadow on the lids. Im confident by the next practice that my partner will be prepared for the assessment.

Developing on myself and Final Design

At home I decided to take on board some of the changes I decided to make in my initial practice and see how I felt about them on my self to ensure Id made the right decisions.

As you can see I've matched my own skin tones, kept my natural auburn brows on show, featured a natural toned lip and kept the shadowy contour on the cheekbones and around the nose and eyes.
I still don't think this design is perfect, although I'm happy with the changes I've made. At the moment I think the eyes look too bare so i think some shadowing could be added to emphasise this feature seen in portraits of Mary Stuart.
I also feel that the lip colour is a bit too coral-toned and doesn't really fit in with the elizabethan theme so Ill practice nixing up a more rose toned colour for future.
So with all these ideas taken on board I completed my final design illustration.

Final Design

Initial Practice with Partner & Thoughts

Taking forward my 2nd design idea, my partner and I decided to put it in to practice. I also wanted to see if there were any changes I wanted to make.

2nd Design idea

During the practice I asked Becky to experiment with the lip palette to create a two-tone lip then faded from dark red to pink in the centre which i thought would make an interesting combination and add some intrigue to the design. my inspiration for this was the natural toned lips seen in portraits of Mary Stuart as well as historical accounts of her beheading in which she wore a rich red undergarment, the colour of a martyr. 
When completed I decided I really didn't like this effect and that i wouldn't be included it in my final design.
I also wasnt particularly happy with the paleness of the skin and decided that i would con temporise the look by having the skin colour matched to my own.
Also, Becky didn't feel very confident about the blocked out brows in my design and i personally wasn't crazy about them so I decided to feature my own naturally auburn brows instead. 

Timed Assessment Peer Review & Self Reflection as the Make Up Artist

The following post includes images from my timed assessment in which i was required to reproduce my partner's New Elizabethan make up design.

Self reflection as the MUA

Overall Im really pleased with how well the final look turned out because I think it looks really professional and well executed. I knew Becky's design very well which meant i was able to carry it out swiftly without much prompt from the notes and images she had provided for me. I am delighted with the flour and water mixture and the result created, I think through our practice sessions I mastered how to create the right consistency as well as the right amount to apply to the face. I absolutely love how the cracking effect has turned out in these final images, her skin literally looks like its been over processed and is falling off her face. Im slightly disappointed that I didn't continue the application of the white skin base around the back of the neck and shoulders as I feel you can see a little too much of Becky's natural skin colour. I also feel I've taken the contouring on the right side of the face in the image below a little lower than the left side which puts the look in a little bit of dis-symmetry. 

I feel that Becky's design could have actually done with a third layer of white skin base to intensify the white complexion as I think under studio lighting the pink under tones shone through a lot more than both of is anticipated. In future I will make sure to consider both mine and my designers looks in terms of artificial lighting environments.

Front view

Right side

Left side

Peer Review, Becky the Designer
Becky was a very clear and determined designer. I found her instructions to be concise and very well informed. She had practiced her design herself at home and therefore knew it very well. Becky was also very helpful in helping me to understand how to formulate the appropriate consistency of flour and water mixture for her design. Im struggling to think of anything Becky could have done differently in this partnership, the only thing I was slightly unsure of during the whole process was how far she wanted me to take the make up round the neck and down the chest, but again this is probably a mistake on both our parts. 
Overall Im really happy that I was paired up with Becky and I was able to complete this design because of it's extreme difference to anyone else's I've seen in the year group. I think the design is really artistic and very clever. 

Practicing my Partners Design - Second Attempt

On this second attempt at Becky's make up design she provided me with both the face chart and a set of instructions to help guide me through the application process. 
Here is how I achieved the look, wight he help of Becky's Instructions:

 I applied red Supra colour over the face avoiding the eye and nose area where white would be applied. This would forms the red of the cracks created.

 I then applied the flour & water mixture to on top of the red supra colour making sure to go slightly beyond the line of the supra colour. I applied this is a slightly thinner coat then my previous practice to ensure the mixture would set in time.

 Around the nose and mouth area I stippled the mixture on rather than painting it on to create a very textured effect.

 I applied gentle heat to the mixture using a hair dryer on the lowest settings to speed the drying process. You can see above the mixture has dried and Ive been able to apply the white skin base in the eye area. I also applied white supra colour through the eyebrows against the natural growth to give the textured effect Becky desired. 

 In order to intensify the cracked effect I gently used my thumbs to pull apart some of the set mixture to create cracks in the mask. You can see I've also gone over the mixture using white skin base, however it needed another coat to reduce the pink coming through from the initial coat of red supra colour. 

 The cracking around the nose and mouth looked incredible, as if her skin was literally falling off her face. 

 Once I applied another layer of white skin base which I continued down the neck, I set with translucent powder all over. I then added the contour Becky desired using a mixture of two pink blushers from my palette.

 I applied the same blusher to the lips using a fluffy brush to colour them subtly. 

I was really pleased with the outcome and think it had improved since the first practice we had, overall i felt confident to be able to produce it on the day of the assessment. 

Becky was also pleased with the outcome and only made a few suggestions regarding blending the mixture further in to the hair line and not taking my cheek contour quite so far down the face. After speaking with one of our lecturers she decided she would like the flour mixture to be extended down to the knock gradually thinning out to make the look more finished. I took this on board with confidence for my assessment the following week. 

Practising my Partners Design - First Attempt

A few days ago my partner and I got together to discuss her New Elizabethan make up design and for me to have a practice at it.

Becky's Face Chart

Upon initial inspection of Becky's face chart I noticed that its a fairly artistic representation of the Elizabethan era. It involves the application of a mixture of water and flour to the face to create a sort of mask. This mask then dries and make up is applied over the top to represent the damage elizabethan cosmetics would have done to the wearers face.

Here's the look I created on the day.

Im really pleased with the outcome considering it was my first attempt using materials Id never used before. There are a few things I need to work on though.

1. I need to apply less flour mixture to the cheeks as in this attempt it didn't dry in time and didn't produce the cracked effect Becky was aiming for.

2. I need to blend the flour mixture in to the hair line more to make the application look more finished and flawless, and thus do the same with the products used on top.

3. My contouring needs a bit of work, on one side I've taken it further down the cheek and also the placement is a little bit off. Next time i need to remember to build up the application gradually and also to feel the cheek to help my placement 

Becky also decided that another layer of white skin base over the top would be needed to intensify the white as at the moment it looks a bit too pink. 

In this post I haven't gone in to great detail about the process used to complete the look as on this occasion Becky just wanted to get comfortable with using the products and the overall look she was aiming for.

My Contemporary Sitter & New Elizabethan

Sitter
Ive decided that the purpose of my contemporary Elizabethan look will be a design featured in a high fashion magazine editorial article based on the interpretation of icons throughout history. 

Ive decided that the sitter for my contemporary look will be Barbara Palvin.

Barbara Palvin for L'Oreal Paris
http://www.hdwallpapers.in/barbara_palvin_for_loreal_paris-wallpapers.html

The reason Ive chosen Barbara is because I feel she fits the bill as a contemporary Mary Stuart. Her complexion is beautifully pale and her hair is a beautiful shade of chestnut brown, altogether she has a very renaissance look about her. I feel her appearance would lend itself greatly to my high fashion design.

My New ElizabethanI have been tasked to nominate a modern individual who represents a new elizabethan. The aim of this I think is to solidify my understanding of the elizabethan era and individuals within it. 
I have chosen Prince Harry.

Prince Harry of Wales
http://tinyurl.com/lcme3r3

The reason I've nominated prince Harry as my new elizabethan is because i think he draws a few similarities with my researched elizabethan Mary Queen of Scots. First of all, they are both members of british regency. Like Mary Prince Harry has a claim to the throne, but as second born son this is overshadowed by his older brother prince William who has a direct line to the throne and would be the rightful ruler after his father, Prince Charles. Similarly, Mary had a claim to the throne but this was overshadowed by Elizabeth's stronger claim through her blood relation to King Henry VII. 

Although I doubt William's tried to murder his brother and nephew. 

Colour Theory

'Colour theory' is a guidance to colour mixing and the visual effects of colour combinations. The way we perceive colours has not always been entirely clear and theories date back to as early as Leonardo Da Vinci c.1490. 

Colour can attributed to moods, attract an audience and make statements. As a make up artist and designer I feel its essential to have a good understanding of colour and the effects combinations of colour can have.

The 'Colour Wheel' is a diagram that demonstrates the relationship between colours, this visual demonstration is most often associated with Sir Isaac Newton. The wheel is designed to show how show how colours relate to each other. Below is an example of a common colour wheel.

RYB Colour Wheel
http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-theory-intro.htm

In this traditional colour wheel the Primary colours are red, yellow and blue. 

Primary Colours are a group of colours which when mixed create all other colours. The Three Secondary colours in this model are green, orange and purple which are created by mixing two primary colours together. The remaining six colours are Tertiary which means they have been created by mixing primary and secondary colours together. 

Colours that lay opposite each other other on the colour wheel are considered to be Complementary Colours, these tones are contrasting and often create a sense of vibrancy. For example red and green.

Complementary Combination
http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-theory-intro.htm

Analogous Colours are found next to each other on the colour wheel. These colour combinations are often similar and create a sense of harmony. 
Tigercolor.com suggests that when using an Analogous colour scheme one should choose one tone to dominate, another to support and the third to accent. 

An Analogous Combination
http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-theory-intro.htm

An Achromatic Colour Scheme is one that is void of colour and uses black, white and grey.

A Monochromatic Colour scheme is that focuses on the use of a single colour. It is achieved by by using one colour and making use of that colours various tints, hues, tones and shades.

A Monochromatic Combination - Purple
https://cs.nyu.edu/courses/fall02/V22.0380-001/color_theory.htm

Having looked at colour theory and the various relationship between colours on a colour wheel, I have experimented using face charts to try and harness these concepts. 

My Monochromatic look

For this look I've focused on the colour blue and tried to execute difference tones and saturations in order to create an intiguring look. Overall I think its a visually pleasing look, the addition of the darker and more saturated tone of blue on the lips completes the look and without it the whole design would loose impact. 

My Analogous look

For this look I've tried to create an analogous colour scheme of Pinks and Purples. Unfortunately upon reflection I don't think Ive varied the tones enough and it looks more like a monochromatic scheme than analogous. Unfortunately the tones of pink and purple I've used are quite similar and perhaps I should tried to introduce a more blue-tones purple or a more red-toned pink in order to accomplish this look.

Practical - Historical & Contemporary Elizabethan Make up

Awaiting practical catch up on Tuesday.

Developing & Experimenting with my design

Developing my idea - Kyrolan Lip Palette used

In this picture I've captured my trial application of one of my design ideas. Unfortunately I haven't blocked the eyebrows out as in my design as I couldn't get my hands on any soap or glue stick. Here Ive applied subtle shadowing around the socket of my eye as seen in my original design however I felt it was a bit too subtle and could be made more prominent. Although this was in the evening under domestic lighting which needs to be taken in to consideration, this could look differently under studio lighting.

Close up - Kryolan lip palette used

I also feel my mixture of lip colours has turned out a little too coral toned i feel this tone isn't particularly relevant to the Elizbethan era and in portraits I've studied of Mary and others the cheek and lip colour is natural hues of rosy pink. 

In this image you can see I have experimented with a different medium and choice of colour. I decided to dust a pink toned powder on to the lips and i think the result is very soft and natural looking and i feel the colour is appropriate however I feel the coverage of Kryolan lip colour is better and provide a more contemporary and striking look than the powder method. 
In this little experiment I've also added to the grey shadowing around the eye and m pleased with the result, it confirms my ideas that in the first attempt i was too light handed. 

Taking my design forward...
- I will feature a more natural tone of rosy pink more similar to that seen in portraits of Mary Stuart using matte lip colour
- I will make the contour shadowing around the eyes more prominent and perhaps depen the contour in the cheeks accordingly