Second Practice

With this practice, I am far happier with the outcome compared to my first one. I have completely changed my approach, with a much more natural use of colour, instead of theatrical and almost cartoon-like. I also feel this will be much easier to replicate as the colours are simple.

Also with this practice, I have used my fang prosthetic, where I melted the mold that goes inside using boiling water, inserted it into the piece and then into the mouth. This was successful first time and I feel that it definitely enhances the impact of my design overall. 

I feel that the more subtle and better blended use of red on the lips and eyes means that it is more authentic to the period as a bold lip would not have been seen during this time.

I am not 100% please with my blending of the prosthetic edges, but as this is a reused piece from my first practice, and is the piece with the thickest edges, I expect the piece that I will use on the day to look much better. Including the outcome of the colour as I had to try to wash off the previous colour i had put on it and cover it with the new.

Prosthetic Painting Part 2

After being unhappy with the outcome of my first practice of my initial design, I needed to remove the make-up of my practice prosthetic and test my new design concept. After finding the outcome to be too bold and theatrical, and definitely not suitable for film, I had to rethink my approach. After considering my options and also the products I already have available to me, I came up with a new idea.

I wanted my new design to be a lot more natural in appearance, and for the prosthetic to look as matching to the skin it is applied to as possible. Part of my read for originally opting for white Supracolor was the thick, grease-based and creamy consistency which provided a coverage thick enough to make the complexion of my model and the prosthetic as much of a close match as possible.

I then realised that the answer was very obvious and simple:- Kryolan's Ultra foundation palette. This gave me enough of a range of highlight and shade tones and also allowed me to pick a shade that was both natural and human-like but also pale. As well as this, the consistency is thick enough and easily bendable that I could create the outcome that I wanted.

Once I decided on this, I painted my prosthetic using regular beauty brushes and the foundation, using darker shades in the deep areas and lighter shades in the higher parts, with a pale shade as the base. 

Once I had done this, I did another make-up practice on my model to test the new outcome, and was very please with the result:

(prosthetic before and after)

First practice

Overall, I am not very happy with this outcome. I found it almost impossible to achieve the same colour on the prosthetic as on to the natural skin and then  I also found that the same with the shading, practically outlining the edges of the prosthetic with colour making it obvious. The redness around the eye looks pinkish in colour and the lips too bold for the period. I mixed black and white greasepaint and it looked blueish in colour. Overall, this looks very theatrical and not at all suitable for film. I feel this is mostly due to the boldness of the shades and their application. Therefore, I need to rethink my approach. I am currently considering a more natural and human-like shade as the base, like a very pale foundation. I then would like to use grease-based darker foundation shades to add shading as I think this will look a lot more realistic. I also plan to use greasepaint instead of eyeshadow around the eyes which I will blend lots to create a softer and more natural effect. I am also going to use a softer shade of red (more rouge like) on the lips to be more authentic to the victorian era.

Prosthetic Painting

Below is my current design idea for the make-up. I have sourced an appropriate prosthetic, which I have 3 of - One for practicing with, one for the first assessment and one for the second. I have decided to paint 1 of my prosthetics, to test if I feel that my approach with colour and highlight & shade is appropriate and to see how it translates to a real face. I will be doing my first ever practice tomorrow, so I will be able to judge it's success.

Below is a before and after comparison of my piece painted. I have done only a basic and general application colour to save time, and hope that with my practice, i'll be able to incorporate new shadows to help blend the prosthetic with my model's own face shape.

Design Ideas

 Design 1.

Above is my initial idea for my character design. I wanted my character to look pale, and to look unwell with red around her eyes and lips to enhance it. I also wanted to have blood dripping down her chin as in my chosen scene, she had just bitten someone and her appearance is described as this. As she is also described as animalistic, I considered making my design more interesting with a colour added on the face that looks animal-like. The image below is where I found inspiration for this idea:

Pinterest, (2015). Yolandi Visser Vampire. [image] Available at: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/346003183851186890/ [Accessed 28 Feb. 2016].

After drawing up my initial idea, it occurred to me that my design would be very hard to create for continuity and at this stage I want decide on something achievable. The blood in particular would be especially hard to get it to drip in the same way. I also found my animal-like aspect on the skin may not look as effective as I want and difficult to achieve.

Design 2.

With this design, I tried to approach my design in a way that was a lot less abstract and more vampire-like. After drawing my design I found my ideas to be too predictable and uninspiring. I felt that I needed something with originality, but still recognisable as a vampire. I also felt that my design also did not reflect the period in any way.

Design 3.

I decided that a good way for me to achieve some creative flare and also be successful in continuity would be to incorporate the use of prosthetic in my design.

I felt very confident with this idea and decided to practice it on my model:

When creating my design, I decided to swap out the grey powder for greasepaint as this would not apply well on to the prosthetic and I wanted it to match on the face. After doing this design, I realised that everything looked far too threatical for a TV design and almost cartoon like which made it look comical. I realised I needed to reconsider my products and colours what I wanted to use to make it look more suitable.

With this design , I followed the same idea as before but this time everything is toned down. I have gone for a much softer use of red around the eyes and lips to look more natural and gone for a pale skin tone instead of white. This therefore still looks vampire like but without the boldness:

After practicing this design, I realised I like this approach much better and the more natural look is much more suited to the Victorian period. 

Technical File - Hair Design Initial Idea Practice and Outcome

After some discussion with Helen, I realised that my hope to do a typical late Victorian Hairstyle (as shown in previous Technical file practice) was far too adventurous to fit into my time frame, particularly as I hope to do quite a complex make-up. Therefore, I have chosen a hairstyle which is much simpler and requires less heat setting etc.

The pictures above are of a general shape which Helen put together to help bring an idea to life, which I am adapting further to create a style that would be true to the Victorian era but also be quite simple.

Below is a drawn and adapted version of my idea, which I will later practice on my model properly using her length of hair as this will be influential in my approach to the style:

Technical File - Horror meets Fashion

In this practical lesson, we looked at examples of make-ups for Fashion that are inspired by the Horror genre. There was various pictures of examples laid out at the front that we chose from to recreate. Above is the image that I selected and above that is my creation.

Products Used:

• Kryolan Supracolor (greasepaint) - black, white, pink and purple.

How to:

To create this look, I a soft brush and used a blending motion to create the effect. I layered on the colours, starting with the lightest first and going darker. On the eyebrows, I used an angled brush. I applied white on the face very lightly using a soft brush and a light stippling motion.

Evaluation / Feedback:

I found the eye area easy and fun to create. Looking back at the pictures I realised I should have brought more colour up to the inner eyebrows as there is a space there, and  I had finished where her actual eyebrows stopped rather than the ones I had drawn on. The eyebrows I drew on are too round and not straight like the original image due to me following her eyebrow shape rather than going against it. I hadn't really noticed that there should have been more of an application of white on the lower part of the face as it looks quite faded in the image and made the effect I did on the lips stand out too much in contrast. Despite this, I am quite happy with the outcome and is definitely close as a recreation.

Technical File - Fever/Pallor, Sweat, Rash and Tears.

Products Used:

• Black Stipple Sponge
• Alcohol
• Supracolor
• Glycerine
• Flick Brush
• Beauty Brushes
• Eyelash Glue (or Liquid Latex as an alternative)

Fever

How to:

1. Conceal any blemishes on the skin.
2. Blot on red Supracolor with your fingers around the face in places that would get particularly red from a fever - including ears, neck eyes and the hairline.
3. Put eyelash glue with your fingers on the lips, use a dabbing motion to create texture.
4. Add powder over glue ones dry to create a drier effect.
5. Red Supracolor and Liquid Blood can be used in between the dry skin effects to look sore.

Health and Safety:

• Be careful when adding eyelash glue and powder to the lips so that it doesn't get in the mouth.
• Do not close the lips together until the glue is dry.

Evaluation:

Overall, I am sort of happy with the look of my fever effect. If I were to do it again, I would have less red around the side of the face and more of the cheeks area as this would look more realistic. I would also add more of a blotchy effect as I feel the redness looks to even in some areas.

Sweat

How to:

• Using a black stipple sponge, dab Glycerine to the skin focus on the forehead area.

Health and Safety:

• Excessive amount of Glycerine product application could cause it to drip down the forehead and is a risk to the eye area.

Evaluation:

Overall, I think my application was ok, but I felt that it effected the appearance of existing applied make-up which therefore reduced the effectiveness. If I were to do this again, I would be more careful and considerate of the application of the product.

Rash

How to:

• Mix red Supracolor and IPA together to make a wet consistency.
• Using a stiff brush, flick the consistency on to the skin to create a rash-like appearance.

Health and Safety:

• Ensure client's eyes are kept completely closed during this process as IPA in particular would be dangerous to the eyes.

Evaluation:

Overall, I am not happy with the appearance of the effect. I should have done this aspect at the very last minute as when I edited my fever effect, it smudged the rash effect which made it look more like an injury. I would also mix the two products together much better to prevent larger bits of paint going on to the skin.

Tears

How to:

• Apply eye drops into an open eye to simulate the appearance of tears.

Health and Safety:

• Ensure you use a fresh eye drop tube on each individual and eye to prevent cross-contamination.

Technical File - Dirtying Down & Missing Teeth

Dirtying Down Hands/Skin

Products Used:

• Greasepaint - Red, yellow and black.

Method:

• If applying to hands, make sure to pull down the sleeve of clothing that is being worn to make sure that no clean skin is exposed during shot.
• Apply moisturiser to the area to ensure the colour rubs in well.
• Mix red, yellow and black greasepaint colours to achieve a muddy brown shade.
• Rub into knuckles (while they are bent, to get between creases) and around/under nails.

Health and Safety:

• Decant all product that will be used on to a palette to keep cleanliness.

Mud/Dirt on the Skin

Products Used:

• Fullers Earth
• Water
• Black Spray (for hair)

Method:

• Mix Fuller's Earth and water in a bowl to mix it into a paste (but can alternatively be used dry and directly for a different effect).
• Using a spatula, apply the mix over the skin.
• Dry the mix with a warm hairdryer, until it has turned white.
• Spray over the effect with a coloured spray.

Health and Safety:

• When using sprays, ensure that your client is warned prior so that they can stop themselves from breathing it in due to toxic fumes and the effect on breathing.

Blacking Out Teeth

Products Used:

• Kryolan Tooth Enamel (in Black)

Method:

• Shake product well before use to ensure it is a good and even consistency.
• Dry the tooth/teeth you will be applying on to using a cotton bud.
• Apply the tooth enamel by painting it on to the tooth using a cotton bud.
• To remove the product,  clean the tooth using Surgical Spirit with a cotton bud.

Health and Safety:

• Do not use the brush that comes with the product to apply on to someone as this is unhygienic.
• Do not apply on to people with braces.

Technical File - Creating Scars using Gelatin Moulds

Products Used:

• Gelatine Mould
• Prosaide
• Pro-clean
• Baby Powder
• Supracolor
• Foundation

Method:

• Create a piece using Gelatin and pre-made scar mould.
• Once cooled and dry, cut edges, making sure none of them are straight.
• Apply Prosaide adhesive to area of application, allowing the adhesive to start to turn clear.
• Press the piece on to the skin firmly, particularly on the edges.
• Blend out the edges using Witch Hazel and a cotton bud, pushing across instead of along the edges.
• Remove any glue around edges using prosaide.
• Powder down the piece using baby powder to get rid of the sticking consistency.
• Apply foundation over the area to match the skin tone around it.
• Add red Supracolor that is well blended to give a fleshy and new appearance to the scar.

Health and Safety:

• Remove the piece using the correct remover - Pro-clean.
• Decant any product that is used to ensure cleanliness and avoid cross-contamination.

Evaluation:

Overall, I am fairly happy with the outcome. I mostly struggled with the colouring of the piece to make it look realistic and wasn't really sure how to approach it. In hindsight, I probably should have done the red on the risen areas, instead of around them which would have looked more realistic. I also struggled with blending out the edges and probably didn't as much time on this as needed.

Technical File - Ageing with Liquid Latex

Products Used:

• Liquid Latex
• Old-age Stipple
• Acetone
• Barrier Cream

Method:

1. Use Barrier Cream after thoroughly cleaning the skin and without using moisturiser as this is too greasy.
2. Stretch the skin using your fingers.
3. Apply Liquid Latex or Old-age stipple on the area that is stretched.
4. While still holding the area, dry using a cool hairdryer on the area.
5. Gently release the skin and lightly push it together to form the creases.
6. This process can be repeated a few times if you want a more dramatic effect.
7. Use Acetone on a cotton bud to melt away any un-blended/obvious edges.
8. Powder over the area when finished to eliminate shine.

Health and Safety:

• As liquid latex was used, you have to ensure that the model is tested for any allergic reaction prior.
• When using a hair dryer to dry the latex, test on yourself first to ensure it is a suitable temperature and won't burn your model.
• Make sure all product is decanted and not used straight from the palette/bottle to keep good hygiene.
• Use clean brushes.
• When working around the eye area, be careful around the eye area and avoid using harsh products such as Acetone here.

Evaluation:

Overall, I am very happy with the results from this practical and think that it looks very effective. I do not think my edges are perfectly blended but this is mostly due to the fact it's around the eye area and I did not want to irritate the eyes from the fumes of Acetone or risk getting it in her eye. If I were to do this again I would experiment with other areas on the face and also try using Old-age Stipple.

Technical File - 3rd Degree Gelatin Burns

Types of burns:

1st Degree - Causes red skin. Typically caused by sun burn or boiling water.

2nd Degree - Causes red skin, blistering and peeling and also often shiny. Typically caused by acid or heat.

3rd Degree - Fleshy and bloody in appearance. Typically caused by acid or fire.

How to create a 3rd degree burn with Gelatin:

Products needed;

• Gelatin
• Supracolor
• Hairdryer
• SFX Blood
• Moisturiser 

Step by Step:

1. Get a piece of Gelatin and put it in a bowl and put it in the microwave for about 10/20 seconds (depending on size).
2. Once heated, allow it to cool slightly so that it doesn't burn the skin. If you are unsure, test it on yourself first and not the person you are applying the burn on to.
3. Apply over the area of the skin, with a spatula, and use it to make texture rather than staying smooth.
4. To blend out the edges, use witchhazel and a cotton bud and rub away the edges with a zig zag motion.
5. Powder over the gelatin with translucent powder.
6. Apply red supracolor over the area with a soft brush, making sure to keep the edges blended.
7. Apply some moisturiser, particularly in risen areas, to add shine to the burn.
8. Add darker shades (such as dark red, purple, and even black in the very deepest areas) to add depth to the burn.
9. Add blood in the deep and flat areas of the burn to make it look like an injury (as without blood, the burn would just look more like a skin condition).

Health and Safety:

• Make sure all product is decanted and not used straight from the palette/bottle to keep good hygiene.
• Use clean brushes/sponges.
• Ask your model if they are Vegan as an alternative to Gelatine will need to be used.
• Test the Gelatine after being heated on yourself before using it on your model to make sure it isn't too hot/won't burn them.
• When using a hair dryer to dry the Gelatine, test on yourself first to ensure it is a suitable temperature and won't burn your model.

Evaluation:

Overall, I am quite pleased with my burn and think that it looks effective. If I were to do it again, I would make the edges with supracolor on it more blended as it looks quite obvious that it was applied with a brush which reduces how realistic it looks.

Technical File - Late Victorian Hair Styling

Step by Step:

First, I set the front of the hair in medium-small sized heated rollers. I set them so that the hair would fall in the direction I wanted it to be in once cooled.

With the back section of the hair, I halved it across the head and put the top half in a ponytail. I then sectioned the hair into 4 and curled the hair under itself with a heated tong and then pinned it into a clover-like shape.

I then began to heat the hair in the same way as above in various places which I brought up and around the bun I had made to stop it appearing bun-like and more random.

I then took out the heated rollers from the front and parted the hair and placed it around to finish off the style.

I then took the bottom section and curled it to make 2 large ringlets.


Evaluation:

Overall, I am very disappointed with my styling and think that every aspect of it is unsymmetrical. I also feel I did not disguise the bun well at all. In the future I will need to perfect my middle parting before setting the hair with heat as this contributed to the lack of symmetry. Despite this, I do not think it is terrible for a first attempt and feel that after this practice, future ones will be much more successful.

Technical File - Early Victorian Hair Styling

Early Victorian Hair Plate. (n.d.). [image] Available at: https://uk.pinterest.com/explore/victorian-hairstyles/ [Accessed 10 Feb. 2016].

For this early Victorian hairstyle, I created a plait bun and had two plaits coming down from a center parting, going underneath the ears and joining the plait bun. This style was inspired by early Victorian concepts such as on the plate above (Top right, Centre).

How to:

1. To start the style, I made sure the hair was combed through fully to get rid of any knots or stray hairs that would prevent it from looking as sleek as possible as this part of the period focused heavily on neat and sleek styles.
2. After this, I sectioned the front and back halves of the hair and parted the front section down the middle.
3. I took the back section and made a ponytail just below the crown of the head, which I then plaited.
4. I wrapped the plait around itself and pinned it in, into a bun shape.
5. I then took one half of the front section and began to plait it just above the ears.
6. Once the plait was finished it, I then draped it under the ear and pinned the end into the bun.
7. I then repeated this process on the other half, completing the style.

Evaluation:

Overall, I am quite happy with this first attempt and think that the front section looks best. I am not overly pleased with the bun as I feel that the pins look too obvious and the ends of the plaits do not blend in as nicely as I would like. If I were to practice this again, I would work on improving the bun for a more polished finish.

Technical File - SFX injuries

SFX Cut

Products Used:

• Cinewax
• Liquid Latex
• Creme foundation (Kryolan)
• Glamour Glow Palette (Kryolan)
• Wound Filler
• Liquid Blood

Method:

Firstly, I applied and smoothed out the Cinewax using a spatula and then sliced down the middle.

Secondly, with a old brush, I covered the wax with liquid latex to seal it. I dried the liquid latex using a cool hair dryer.

I then coloured over the fake wound with coloured powder with the kryolan glamour glow palette (later realising the kryolan foundation should have been applied first).

Once I realised that the Kryolan foundation should have been applied, I then tried to recover it by applying the foundation over the top, although this was unsuccessful as the wax was still visible due to my mistake.

Using the end of a hair pin, I then filled in the open cut with Wound Filler and then followed this method with the liquid blood.

Health and Safety:

• As liquid latex was used, you have to ensure that the model is tested for any allergic reaction prior.
• When using a hair dryer to dry the latex, test on yourself first to ensure it is a suitable temperature and won't burn your model.
• Make sure all product is decanted and not used straight from the palette/bottle to keep good hygiene.
• Use clean brushes.

Evaluation:

Overall, I am not 100% happy with the appearance of my cut as the wax is very visible and not as blended as I would have liked, Next time I would spend more time blending it and would make sure I apply the foundation first and then powder over after.

SFX Graze

Products Used:

• Black coarse stipple sponge
• Liquid Blood (Dark)

Method:

Using the corner of a black stipple sponge, I dipped it in dark liquid blood and lightly swept it on the arm in the desired area.

Health and Safety:

• Make sure all product is decanted and not used straight from the palette/bottle to keep good hygiene.
• Use clean brushes/sponges.

Evaluation:

I love this method as it extremely easy to do and looks very realistic and effective. I am happy with the results.

SFX Keloid Scar

Products Used:

• Tuplast
• Kryolan Creme foundation

Method:

Apply a line of Tuplast directly on to the skin. Allow it to dry and then apply foundation (of a correct shade) over it with a soft brush. 

Health and Safety:

• Make sure all product is decanted and not used straight from the palette/bottle to keep good hygiene.
• Use clean brushes/sponges.

Evaluation:

This effect was extremely easy and effective to do. By accident, I applied the foundation just before it was dry which made some areas dip in slightly. Although this was a mistake, I felt it made it look even more effective. 

SFX Deep Scar

Products Used:

• Collodion
• Kryolan Creme foundation
• Illamasqua translucent powder

Method:

Apply a line of Collodion with a brush and allow it to dry while gently holding the skin together. Apply an appropriate shade of foundation and then powder over it.

Health and Safety:

• Make sure all product is decanted and not used straight from the palette/bottle to keep good hygiene.
• Use clean brushes/sponges.

Evaluation:

Although I am quite happy with the results from this, I feel I didn't need to apply the foundation over it as it dried clear anyway and felt it reduced the reality of it's appearance.

SFX Bruising

Products Used:

• Kryolan Bruise Wheel 
• Red Greasepaint

Method:

Firstly I applied the lightest shade girls and worked my way to the darker shades. I made sure to add red as this is very common in black eyes. I left the inner eye light as this would have less impact and darker shades around the eye socket. I applied these shades with a porous sponge. I also experimented with bruising to make the nose appear broken and a bruise under the jaw.

Health and Safety:

• Make sure all product is decanted and not used straight from the palette/bottle to keep good hygiene.
• Use clean brushes/sponges.
• Be careful with product when working around the eye area.

Evaluation

Overall I am very happy with this bruising and feel that it looks very realistic. I am pleased with my method but would have liked to have experimented with vaseline to add shine.

Research - Victorian Beauty Ideals

Victorian Hair

Below are a series of collages I made with images of Plates from the 'Fashions in Hair' book by Richard Corson. I have chosen the plates I feel sum up the era well and help to support my information/research I have gathered.

Early Victorian Men (1830-1860)

1830 - 1840 - In this part of the period, hair length was generally short to medium in length and fairly ruffled and messy with waves that were often swept to the side. Side burns / mutton chops were sometimes seen but facial hair in general was minimal.

1840 - 1850 - Hair has increased in length since the 30s and has become more medium to long in length. Hair is generally straight but occasionally some subtle waves. No facial hair was still seen but sometimes alone beards, mustaches or a combination of both was starting to come into fashion.

1850 - 1860 - Hair has become shorter again, usually sitting just below the ears. The hair is usually textured with waves. Facial hair has almost completely gone but side burns or mutton chops are sometimes present.

Late Victorian Men (1860-1900)

1860 - 1870 - Hair is now usually just above the ears and either straight or flicked at the ends. The parting is usually at the side or swept back. Full facial hair is in fashion but also sometimes a beard with a mustache is seen.

1870 - 1880 - Hair is still often short and facial hair has lessened again to no facial hair or a mustache on it's own. Only sometimes a beard is present.

1880 - 1890 - Hair is now even shorter and neat and often straight. Sometimes the hair is long but quite rare. Mustaches, often paired with beards is now in fashion.

Early Victorian Women (1830-1860)

1830 - 1840 - In this early part of the period, the hair is parted down the middle and often has a type of bun using the back section of the hair on the head. The remaining hair from the front section is plaited or made into ringlets from the ears down, leaving the top straight. The length of the hair usually ended around the jawline.

1840 - 1850 - The hair in this part of the period is very similar, only the hair is now longer and often finishes just past the collarbones. Occasionally, remaining hair that is down is plaited and brought back under the ears and the ends incorporated into the bun. 

1850 - 1860 - In this part of the period, the front section of the hair is parted down the middle and pulled back over the ears and is often waved. The back section is usually in a spiral twisted bun or rolled back with height.

1860s - Again, the hair is parted down the middle, only this time the front and back halves of the hair flow together rather than separated. The back rolling with height element of the 50s is now heavily used with much more visual complexity; coming in from various angles with various shapes and sizes.

Late Victorian Women (1870-1900)

1870 - 1880 - The hair has evolved even further from the 50s - 60s to now into the 70s. Hair rolls, also known as barrel curls, are used in abundance. The hair is covered in rolls starting from the front of the head coming all the way down to the very back. Occasionally, the hair may be finished off with ringlets falling from the very back.

1880 - 1890 - The fashion of the rolls are still going, only now they are starting to fizzle out subtly, with the rolls being kept to just the back section and front being brought back but waved. Tiny fringes at front of the hair that resemble baby hairs which were often curled are now seen.

1890 - 1900 - The hair is now all brought back in one continuous roll with added height around the head, all meeting in a small bun on the crown or just below. The bun sometimes features small adornments for evening wear.

1900s - The height of the hair leading to the bun has increased dramatically, as has the bun, which is now at the top of the head and styled in various creative ways.

For my final design, I plan to do a type of bun that is seen on the 1890-1900s plates, as the book I have chosen is set in 1897. This is very late Victorian, which is obvious due to it's similarities to the popular bouffant type bun seen in the Edwardian era which came not long after. Therefore, this hairstyle seems like a natural choice for my female character.

Victorian Make-up

Queen Victoria Picture: Queen Victoria. (n.d.). [image] Available at: http://www.scottish-country-dancing-dictionary.com/dance-crib/queen-victoria.html [Accessed 8 Feb. 2016].
King Edward Picture: King Edward. (n.d.). [image] Available at: http://cookit.e2bn.org/historycookbook/22-112-edwardians-and-ww1-Food-facts.html [Accessed 8 Feb. 2016].

In the Victorian era, make-up was something to be ashamed of. As Queen Victoria was in reign, she herself did not wear make-up, nor did she approve of it. During this era, royalty was extremely influential in terms of fashions and opinions, therefore this influenced what the people of the country of that era did. It is said that her son, who later became King Edward after Victoria's death, was highly promiscuous. Victoria blamed this on the influence of actresses and prostitutes, the only women of that time to wear make-up. Therefore, in Victoria's eyes, make-up equaled women of poor reputation. After Victoria's death, with King Edwards leniency, make-up was slowly started to be reintroduced into society.

A pale complexion was the height of fashion during the Victorian era and also suggested that you were not a working woman, and therefore were not in the outdoors long enough to get a tan. Women were supposed to be sweet, respectable and fragile in nature, and a pale skin was supposed to support this ideal. Unlike previous eras, a pale/white complexion was achieved with a non-toxic substance. This substance was Zinc Oxide, which was a white mineral powder. They sometimes even drank vinegar as they felt it helped to prevent a tan. 

Due to the secrecy surrounding cosmetics, they would be bought in secret and hidden in their rooms. Rouge was added to their cheeks with what was simply beet juice, which would be applied lightly to give a natural appearance. Eyeshadows were made with lead and antimony sulfide and lipsticks were made with mercuric sulfide - again, these were only applied to enhance features and were not applied in a way that would show they were wearing make-up.

Victorian Woman Picture: Victorian Woman. (2014). [image] Available at: https://uk.pinterest.com/explore/victorian-paintings/ [Accessed 8 Feb. 2016].

As my character is a Victorian Vampire, a lot of these traditional Victorian attributes cross-over with that of a Vampire. Therefore, I shall be ensuring that a very pale complexion and redness of the lips are key features in my design, as well as some subtle eye definition. Thankfully, these features do not interfere with a Vampire concept, therefore I will be able to incorporate them in a way which is historically accurate without reducing the impact of my design.

References for this post:

beautifulwithbrains.com, (2010). Beauty In The Victorian Age. [online] Available at: http://beautifulwithbrains.com/2010/08/06/beauty-in-the-victorian-age/ [Accessed 8 Feb. 2016].

Corson, R. (1965). Fashions in hair. New York: Hastings House.

Corson, R. (1972). Fashions in makeup. New York: Universe Books.

Research - Importance of Continuity

Blogger, (2016). Harry Potter. [image] Available at: http://nicklongfilmmaking.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/the-filmmakers-guide-to-continuity.html [Accessed 14 Mar. 2016].

When creating a make-up design for a film or TV series, it is important to consider continuity. When the consideration of continuity is absent, it not only separates the audience from the escapism appeal of the film and bringing them to the reality of it's production, it also reflects badly on the quality of the film and therefore it's producers.

Continuity has to be maintained by the costume, make-up and set departments. Failure to do this is a poor reflection on the person(s) fulfilling their role and may even impact their future employment, therefore it is is even in their personal interest.

As a make-up artist, continuity can be maintained by taking their own personal continuity photos, making templates, writing notes and being on set and looking out for any changes to the hair and make-up during shooting that would impact it.

During the recreation of a make-up, a make-up artist can refer to these things to help them with continuity. Templates can be used to recreate exact placements and sizing of small prosthetics and other materials which can be inconsistent. Notes can allow them to refer to next steps that are taken during the application. Photos mean that you can pay close attention to detail to ensure that any outcomes that may not be clearly outlined in the design or notes that can be added again in the same way. 

Research - The Evolution of Fangs

A reoccurring feature among visual and descriptive representations of the Vampire is the fangs. Throughout history, fangs have been a key feature due to them being the tool to carry out the Vampire way of living - drawing blood. In modern day, regardless of the placement of the fangs among the mouth, the appearance of fangs on a human-like form is an instant recognition for the identification of a Vampire. I am going to research into the various placements and use of fangs on a Vampire character through looking at film and television and the approach to this key feature.

Film - Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)

Directed by Neil Jordan

Interview with the Vampire. (2013). [image] Available at: http://thedancingrest.com/2013/07/08/different-vampire-teeth-for-different-movies/ [Accessed 7 Mar. 2016].

IwtV: Normal fangs. (2013). [image] Available at: http://thedancingrest.com/2013/07/08/different-vampire-teeth-for-different-movies/ [Accessed 7 Mar. 2016].

IwtV: Attack fangs. (2013). [image] Available at: http://thedancingrest.com/2013/07/08/different-vampire-teeth-for-different-movies/ [Accessed 7 Mar. 2016].

In this film, a very traditional looking set of fangs is used when the Vampire is going about it's regular life. The fangs are not too distinctive but are also clearly different from a normal person's set of teeth. When the Vampire is in attack mode, about to or currently feeding, the fangs grow slightly longer, sharper and more obvious in appearance. Although the fangs may appear traditional, a slight double-fang effect is done with a total of 4 fangs, 2 either side which are next to eachother, the inner ones being shorter and less sharp. Although I like this fang concept, I do not find it to be inspiring or interesting enough for me to want to have it in my design although I appreciate that it is both simple and unique.



Film - Fright Night (1985)
Directed by Tom Holland

Amy Peterson. (n.d.). [image] Available at: http://frightnight.wikia.com/wiki/Amy_Peterson [Accessed 7 Mar. 2016].

Andrew, R. (2015). Fright Night. [image] Available at: http://crypticrock.com/fright-night-a-decade-defining-horror-film-30-years-later/ [Accessed 7 Mar. 2016].

In this film, the fangs used are completely traditional in placement, with them being only on the canine teeth in a traditional human mouth set up. In this representation, like the previous film mentioned, there is also a difference between normal and attack Vampire mode. As shown in the image above, the mouth becomes unnaturally wide, and the teeth placement and quality becomes distorted. This Vampire representation is particularly disturbing to me (therefore effective) and likely to require a high set of make-up design skills which would be too advance for me to incorporate into my design at this stage.



Film - Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922)
Directed by F.W. Murnau

Nosferatu fangs. (2013). [image] Available at: http://thedancingrest.com/2013/07/08/different-vampire-teeth-for-different-movies/ [Accessed 7 Mar. 2016].

Nosferatu fangs representation. (2013). [image] Available at: http://thedancingrest.com/2013/07/08/different-vampire-teeth-for-different-movies/ [Accessed 7 Mar. 2016].

In this film, the fang placement is different from the norm. I find this particularly interesting due to the film being so old and yet there is such a big stray from the traditional aesthetics of the vampire. Typically, unique takes on the Vampire are seen in the late 20th Century but comes back around to traditions in modern day. To me, the way in which a fang puncture on the neck is described, it makes an awful lot of sense to have fangs set out this way as they are close together, as described in early Gothic Horror, yet the actual descriptions of fangs are on the canine teeth, which are too far away to create what is described. For this reason I chose this style of fangs for my design after reading early fang puncture descriptions as this is not only unique to typical takes but I also feel it makes a lot of logical sense too.



Film - From Dusk till Dawn (1996)
Directed by Robert Rodriguez

Pinterest, (2015). Snake Vampire. [image] Available at: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/500110733597833327/ [Accessed 7 Mar. 2016].

This Vampire adaptation is very interesting as it's a 'Snake-Vampire' hybrid which means that the design for the fangs was very particularly and also very unique. From what I can see, the design has made the placement of the fangs traditional, placed where you would expect human canine teeth to be. But, with this twist, there is no teeth in between, only gums, just like a snake. The fangs are also very long, thin and pointed like a snake. This adaptation makes a lot of sense as the teeth between fangs, as proved by real life snakes, are redundant in design. Obviously, these types of fangs would not have been appropriate as a design concept for my current level of skills, and also isn't necessary as mine is not a snake cross over, but regardless it works well.

Film - 30 Days of Night (2007)

Directed by David Slade

30 Days of Night fangs. (2013). [image] Available at: http://thedancingrest.com/2013/07/08/different-vampire-teeth-for-different-movies/ [Accessed 7 Mar. 2016].

In this film, as seen, this interpretation includes all of the teeth in the entire mouth to act as fangs. All of the teeth are sharp, but not particularly long. This is because the vampires in this film have a more of a 'eating' type of approach to attaining human blood, rather than simply drawing it with two simple fangs. This definitely adds more horror type aspect to the Vampire, as the conclusion of this type of feeding is most likely certain fairly quick death instead of other traditional outcomes post-feeding. I feel that this fang design is very particularly to the modernism of the film, as well as the individual characteristics of a Vampire here. Although I like this take on the design, it is not someting I can apply to my own due to it not relating close enough to my chosen character.

Tv Series - True Blood (2008 - 2014)
Directed by Alan Ball

McGarry, L. (2013). True Blood Fangs. [image] Available at: http://primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk/missing-true-blood-best-funniest-sexiest-alexander-skarsgard-pictures-from-around-the-internet-finale-spoilers/ [Accessed 7 Mar. 2016].

True Blood fangs representation. (2013). [image] Available at: http://thedancingrest.com/2013/07/08/different-vampire-teeth-for-different-movies/ [Accessed 7 Mar. 2016].

In the Tv series true blood, the fangs are typically hidden until it is feeding time. In which case, the fangs retract. Although these fangs are fairly traditional (like most modern day adaptations as stated before), this has a slight difference with the fangs being the next teeth in, the lateral incisors. To me, due to my previous point of the original descriptions of fang punctures being quite close together, this placement makes quite a lot of sense. Not only this, but when the audience sees a Vampire, in his obvious Vampire form, the actors mouth needs to only be slightly open for the fangs to be visible, which is more natural and obvious to show them off. For me, this one a close second consideration for my design approach as the consideration behind the design is one that is traditional, aesthetically pleasing and logical.