Final Quentin

This is my final image of Quentin. I think I've achieved this look really well and my model does look really ill. The eyes stand out the most to me because of how red they are. The camera constantly fails me as without it my model did look really red and blotchy but it just doesn't come out on camera. I need to remember from now on to apply more than I think or take photos when I think I'm done and if the makeup doesn't show up enough on camera then apply more. I think the hair looks great though as it is messy and just what I wanted although you can't see the sweat but as I said I need to apply more and maybe take close ups of certain details like this.

Final Claudia

This is my final image of Claudia. I made a few alterations since I drew out my chart by applying blood on her chin and the lace is black instead of white. I applied the blood on her chin to exaggerate the idea she's a cannibal and make it more obvious. I also changed the lace to black to suit the look more as the white lace wasn't really working out.Unfortunately the camera I used didn't show up the splattered blood I put on her face and the eyeshadow isn't dark enough. I should've applied more but didn't think about it at the time. I'm happy with the lips, eye liner and eyebrows as they stand out the most and without that I don't think the look would've come out that great. I do think I have transformed my model as she does look frightening and very different without the makeup. I created the hair by straightening her hair using straighteners then making clean partings at the top and making a bun on her head but the shape didn't frame her face well so I pinned more hair back.

Quentin's Hair Chart

I find it difficult to portray how I want a male's hair to look from my head to paper but this is my best attempt. I want Quentin's hair to look messy along with sweat in his hair to carry out how unwell he looks. This will be quite easy to achieve as I am going to spray his hair with water and mess it up with my fingers.

Quentin's Chart

For Quentin I want to make him look really ill to reflect on Claudia's mood when she's depressed. To achieve this I am going to apply red blotches using the Kryolan Colour Palette as well as spraying him with water to make him look like he's sweating. His eyes are going to look tired and red by also using the Kryolan palette. To fit in with the gothic theme I am going to apply black Mac eyeliner under his eyes along with black lips.

Claudia's Hair Chart

Inspired by the image above and the gothic hairstyle I learnt where the hair is slicked back behind the ears I thought I should combined the two into this face chart. I want the hair for Claudia to be straight and smoothed back with a bun on the top and clean partings. I wanted to have a bun on top to give her hair a twist and be more interesting than just smooth hair.

Claudia's Face Charts

 This face chart revolves around the idea of Claudia being flawlessly beautiful but deadly. I thought to achieve this her eye makeup should look glamorous along with red lips to symbolise love and danger. I've applied lace under the eyes to make her look more gothic. Her eyebrows are white with an outline of red to make her look more eccentric along with blood dripping down her chin to fit the cannibalism theme. Her face is also splattered with blood because she has a fetish for it and loves spraying it on her face. I thought this idea should fit in with both face charts as I like how twisted this is.

This face chart revolves around the idea of Claudia being a mess and more grouchy than beautiful. This also expresses a more gothic look as there is a lot of black going on. I wanted to make her look hollow by contouring her cheeks grey. I think this chart shows a more eccentric look than the chart above and if I use this chart as a final it will show my ability to create something more than glamour and pretty. I thought the extreme smoky eyes and black lips would show the gloom and gothic side Claudia has as well as the lace on her eyebrows. The blood is splattered on her face as explained above. She might have blood dripping down her chin too I wasn't 100% sure when I created this chart.

Quentin's Story

I'm going to create Quentin through the idea that he looks the way Claudia feels. So when she's happy he looks amazing but when she's depressed or angry he looks fatally ill. Despite these mood changes he still will have gothic makeup applied to his face to still fit in with the theme. I think to achieve this whole idea I should make him look ill so that I can show my ability to create something more interesting than just a pretty face.

Claudia's Moodboard

For Claudia's character I decided to make her out to be playing a cannibal as I think it would be fun to create a twisted girl with a story such as being a human flesh eating monster. I want her to have dark eye makeup either clean or smudged all around her eyes. I'm not too sure yet. She could either look like a complete mess or absolutely flawless. I also want to apply lace on her face specifically around the eye area to fit in with the gothic theme.

Horror Music Videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MXOspWx7ic&noredirect=1

Chris Brown - Wall to Wall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA

Michael Jackson - Thriller

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1mU6h4Xdxc

Rihanna - Disturbia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3af4Gz4Daw

Kanye West Ft. Jay-Z, Nick Minaj, Bon Iver

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1Czsw7OPUI 

B.o.B Ft. Nicki Minaj - Out of My Mind

I love the way all these videos have been created in unique ways to portray the gothic horror themes. Chris Brown and Michael Jackson both wear red at the beginning (and MJ wears it throughout) symbolising the danger to come in their videos. Rihanna starts her song with horror film music and disturbing noises to match and show the theme of the rest of her video. I think Kanye's video is clever in how creative it is set out to look so disturbing as well ass B.o.B's psycho video expressing how crazy someone can become.

More Gothic Films

 Jonathon Demme, (1991) The Silence of the Lambs [ONLINE] Available at: http://putlocker.bz/watch-the-silence-of-the-lambs-online-free-putlocker.html [Accessed 14th April 14]

I really like the idea of putting cannibalism into my characters and the Hannibal Lector films draw me in even more. He's so frightening as you never know when he's gonna strike next on the rest with his manipulative cleverness. It's almost disturbing but not as disturbing as the guy that sews up women's skin. So freaky.

 Richard Kelly, (2001) Donnie Darko [ONLINE] Available at: http://putlocker.bz/watch-donnie-darko-online-free-putlocker.html [Accessed 17th April 14]

I love love love Donnie Darko! After watching this I couldn't stop thinking about it and trying to understand everything about it. I looked up the twist and facts of the film after and got so interested. I think the best films out there are the ones that make you think or feel something afterwards.

 James Whale, (1935) The Bride of Frankenstein [ONLINE] Available at: http://putlocker.bz/watch-bride-of-frankenstein-online-free-putlocker.html [Accessed 17th April 14]

Barry Sonnenfield, (1991) The Addams Family [ONLINE] Available at: http://megashare.info/watch-the-addams-family-online-TXpjMU5nPT0 [Accessed 17th April]

These two films have very similar themes in the way they are set out. Both including a frankenstein character and very typically gothic themed with the black colours used and pale skin. I think Wednesday Addams draws me in the most because of her hairstyles and how they were similar to the hairstyle I tried out in class which was hair slicked back  behind the ears with a clean centre parting.

Tim Burton

Tim Burton's (a director) work is full of gothic themes from a Halloween world (The Nightmare Before Christmas) to brides awakening from the dead (Corpse Bride). I love his films and get so intrigued in the way he sets out his characters, scenery and overall mood. His films can provide a variety of ideas for my project as he has endless tales of all types of horror themes. If I could describe the mood of his films I would say gloomy and weird but I wouldn't have it any other way.

 Tim Burton (2007) Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street [ONLINE] http://www.cda.pl/video/105817af/Sweeney-Todd-online-2007-Napisy-PL [Accessed 3rd April]

 Tim Burton (1988) Beetlejuice [ONLINE] Available at: http://putlocker.bz/watch-beetlejuice-online-free-putlocker.html [Accessed 3rd April]

 Tim Burton (1990) Edward Scissorhands [ONLINE] Available at: http://megashare.info/watch-edward-scissorhands-online-TlRrM05BPT0 [Accessed 4th April]

 Tim Burton (2005) Corpse Bride [ONLINE] Available at: http://megashare.info/watch-corpse-bride-online-TXpJeU53PT0 [Accessed 5th April]

 Tim Burton (1993) The Nightmare Before Christmas [ONLINE] Available at: http://megashare.info/watch-the-nightmare-before-christmas-online-TWpreQ [Accessed 5th April]

The Vampire Genre

Vampires have the whole Femme Fatale thing going on. They'll lure you in then suck your blood. When I watch 'Van Helsing' I was so interested in the vampires and think they are shown exactly the way a vampire would be. They express so much beauty yet so much fear at the same time. They have been shown in slightly different ways in different films - sometimes they have fangs, sometimes they don't. They're eyes can be a burning red or white. They run fast or sparkle according to Twilight.
Dracula is shown in a variety of different ways too such as he has 3 wives in Van Helsing but in other  films he is only interested in biting women and sucking their blood such as Dracula (1931 film).

Stephen Sommers (2004) Van Helsing [ONLINE] Available at: http://megashare.info/watch-van-helsing-online-TVRRdw [Accessed 30th March]

Tod Browning (1931) Dracula [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.tubeplus.me/movie/154311/Dracula/ [Accessed 27th March]

The Psycho Genre

These films involve the concept of a character going mad and becoming the danger. I do find this whole idea intriguing especially the process of what makes that character become who they are to get to the stage of going crazy. I've never seen The Shining but I've read the book (by Stephen King) which was filled with so much detail and made me understand the paranoia going on in Jack Torrence's head and how it takes over him.

 Stanley Kubrick, (1980) The Shining [ONLINE] Available at: http://putlocker.bz/watch-the-shining-online-free-putlocker.html [Accessed 17th March]

Alfred Hitchcock (1960) Psycho [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.tubeplus.me/movie/433846/Psycho/ [Accessed 18th March]

Mary Harron (2000) American Psycho [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.nowvideo.sx/video/fcb8e873da8c7 [Accessed 18th March]

Introduction to Claudia and Quentin

For the second part of my project I need to create two characters for a music video. I will do this by researching through films, music videos and general gothic research - Claudia and Quentin. The base of their story is that Claudia is a girl in her 20s, living in an apartment that she never leaves. Her parents gave her very little guidance therefore she turned to learning life through films and developed an unhealthy relationship with horror films. She acts horror films out pretending she is all sorts of characters played in these films. She believes that horror films is the way real life as she has no clear idea of what the world is really like. Her neighbours provide her with everyday needs.

She also has an imaginary boyfriend - Quentin. Quentin is long suffering and a constant disappointment to Claudia. He comes round to her apartment regularly. His appearance changes to suit her mood, from being and amazing hot guy to a couch potato. Claudia sometimes believes that Quentin is having affairs and tortures him by keeping him locked up in one her rooms.

Final Estella

 My final images of Estella had to be in black and white. Unfortunately my mistake was that I forgot to bring the flower accessories during the assessment. I also had to pin back the front curled sections as my models hair was too long and didn't frame her face nicely. On the other hand by pinning the front sides back it made the shape a lot better and made the curls have layers. My curls also came out really well as they were tight. I was upset that I had made an error and forgot my flowers, it would have made the shape more interesting and complete. Atleast I managed to alter something to make it better than it would've turned out even with out the flowers.

Final Miss Havisham

 For my assessment I had to repeat the process of creating my Miss Havisham design twice and making them look exactly the same. The image above is my first process. I thought my first time round creating Miss Havisham went quite well as I managed to finish my look in time and the makeup and hair succesfully expresses how Miss Havisham would look.

This image is of my 2nd process creating my Miss Havisham design. Comparing it to the first image the hair isn't as messy and the fabrics have been placed differently on her head. The makeup basically looks the same though other than the contour not really showing in the second image but the lighting and background is different so this could possibly be why.

Estella's Makeup

To create my final makeup design applied to the chart blusher for the cheeks and a natural pink lip colour. I've also drawn some eyelashes around the eyes to indicate I will be applying mascara. I've tried to make my face chart as natural as possible although there is quite a bit of makeup involved but it's basically like applying a natural but beautiful day makeup look. I thought I should apply mascara to make her eyes look more alive and popping. I don't want to over do the mascara though - just apply enough to bring out her features. I thought this pink lip colour should be applied to also bring out her feature and also make bring out her femininity. The blusher is also going to be applied to indicate her age and innocence as well as her love for Pip.

Estella Hair Chart

To create my final Estella hair design I've drawn out on my chart her hair half up half down, full of curls with the finger waves technique a the front of the hair. The swirls in the middle are meant to be flowers sitting on top of the head. I thought I should have flowers surrounding the tied up part of her hair to create more of a shape. The curls I am going to create are going to be tight to fit in with the traditional Victorian curls. Overall I think this will suit the character's style as it matches the innocent and romantic child Estella I want including everything that I've found fascinating in the Victorians hairstyles and techniques.

Finger Waves

This image is of a Victorian style I learnt to create where the front of the hair is a separated from the back with a centre parting and a thick waved curl is formed on both sides. The curls are created using curling tongs and sectioning the hair into barrel curls, leaving the hair to set then taking them out and brush through them with a comb. This style is called 'finger waves'. I really enjoyed creating this look as I found it easy to do and wasn't struggling to finish it in time. I might use this idea as part of my final hair chart for Estella as it involves curls relating to the child innocence I want to bring out in the look.

Estella's Hair

 To create my Estella hair and makeup design I decided to choose an age of her and go from there. I thought about what specifically caught my attention while watching Estella in the 2012 film which was when her hair went from being tied back to changing to loose curls when she was teaching Pip to dance. This part indicated how inside she was falling for Pip and being styled how a normal young girl should look, despite her original intentions of being cruel to him. From researching other Victorian hairstyles that she would have I wanted to include some sort of accessory to the hair such as flowers for how she is still young. I also want to put flowers in her to symbolize the romance blossoming between her and Pip. I also want to include curls as they make a young girl look innocent. If I'm going to have to create a child Estella then her makeup would have to be very natural as she would never have makeup on in the first place. Her cheeks could have some blusher applied to match the young and falling in love ideas.

Victorian Hair Shapes

I've learnt how to create a Victorian hairstyle that was inspired by its silhouette shape. I created my hairstyle from the 1st image above by back combing and brushing the hair into a round shape and securing it with a pin and then rapping fabrics into round shapes and pinning them on top of the hair. I was really happy with the result as I managed to create a style and not struggle to much to understand how to put it together. I needed some guidance at the begin but managed to find my way through out the rest of creating this shape.

Practising Makeup

This a practice of my final Miss Havisham design. After completing it and taking photos I thought the contour came out quite well on the side profile but not so much as the second image where she is facing the camera. I think if i want it to be more noticable at all angles I should apply more. I also need to draw out the wrinkles more harshly as they are way too soft and you can't see them in the photo. I think the overall complexion of her skin looks really good though as she looks very grey and almost ill looking along with her dark undereyes.

Final Makeup Chart

This is my final makeup chart for Miss Havisham. After thinking about the results of what Miss Havsiham would look like and looking through research as well as the series and film, I think she should look old by applying wrinkles and with a grey complexion - hence the quite heavy grey contour on her cheeks and outline of her nose. She should also look tired and dried out - I am going to make this clear by applying red under her eyes and very dry lips.

Practicing Final Hair

Inspired by the Victorian hairstyle I thought I could use it turn it into a decayed version for Miss Havisham's hairstyle. This image is a practice of my final hair design. I was quite happy with the progression of it as I managed to create the shape quite freely and was confident in what I was doing. I think it needs one more bit of material in the middle and maybe the hair could look more messy at the front but this might not be needed once I apply the dry shampoo in my assessment.

Final Chart

This is my final hair chart for Miss Havisham. As my model has short I thought it would be best to backcomb it and pin it up into a messy shape. I really enjoyed practicing Victorian shapes with materials and that thought it would be good to include this in my chart using different bridal lace materials. I also want to apply dry shampoo to the roots to make the hair dry and grey.

General Victorian Hairstyles

Victorian hairstyles are the most exaggerate and pristine looks I have come ever come across. Most of their updos are full of all sorts of curls and buns. I think the image above shows just how creative Victorians were with hairstyling. There is so much detail to this style that it confuses me as to how they would have made it! I quite like how the ribbon completes the look as it flows underneath the hair like loose curls. I couldn't imagine having to create these styles on my head everyday in those times.

Estella Hair Research

After analyzing the different hairstyles that were created for Estella in different films and series of Great Expectations, I've noticed that her styles are exaggerate and elegant so that she can stand out from the crowd. I think the image above explains this perfectly - in order for an Estella hairstyle it needs to have height and a unique shape.

I also noticed that Estella had ribbons and flowers in her hair in some scenes. I love hair accessories and think this would be the perfect opportunity to use them as it was such a popular trend in the Victorian era.

Aging Skin

In the story of Great Expectations the book is narrated by Pip, therefore his interpretation of Miss Havisham when he first sees her is through a child's eyes. Pip makes her sound very frightening as if she were a skeleton in a wedding dress. He said her eyes had sunken indicating how old she looked. I think the idea of how old Miss Havisham looked in Pip's eyes is quite fascinating and I feel like I believe that she really does look like that for it could be possible. Someone never leaving their house, never seeing sunlight and just withering away makes me think her skin is peeling and becoming more sunken than ever (as Pip described).

I did a practical on aging makeup and thought it would definitely be part of my design for Miss Havisham. It wasn't too difficult to do either and I quite enjoyed the experience of transforming young skin and making it look old with wrinkles. I think I could have added more though just so it could be shown more exaggerate in the image. I also had my model wear a grey wig and have grey eyebrows to elaborate on this aging idea.

Breaking Down A Traditional Wedding Hairstyle

I thought it would be best to find images of traditional Victorian wedding hairstyles and think about how I can wear them down and make the style look decayed.

From what I have gathered most of the wedding styles I found were tied up. Some have a volume of shape and some not. Although most hairstyles were like this they sometimes did have a few loose curls at the bottom.

 I think most of the decaying would lead me having to backcomb the hair but keep it up as well. If I wanted any curls involved they would also need some backcombing too. Parts of the hair would become loose over the years and Miss Havisham's hair would also turn grey. Her veil could still be attached to her head depending on the style too.

Miss Havisham Makeup

There are variety of different ideas I can create on Miss Havisham. Imagine what it would be like to never go outside and see daylight outside your window? To never change out of a wedding dress and leave everything as it is for the rest of your life! My first thoughts is the health of Miss Havisham as she hasn't bathed in years as well as the dust settling in her mansion, never to be cleaned.

I think the image above can relate to Miss Havisham as it reminds me of how dried up and dirty her skin must look. It also relates to the idea that she wants time to stand still as the image almost looks like a statue
Miss Havisham could possibly have the opposite effect and have a greasy face from never washing and being so un-hygenic. Makeup that was worn in the Victorian times was very natural and nude colours were used for lips and skin. There is a possibility this could be visible and worn down over the years as well as Miss Havisham being in tears at the beginning of this craziness!

Ideas for Miss Havisham

For someone that hasn't taken care of their hair in a very long time, a variety of things could happen to it such as messy hair. This image reminds me of Miss Havisham as her hair could be messy and white as well as looking almost like a knot of cobwebs.

Her hair could be super greasy or very dry and powdery. The greasiness could be from never washing her hair but the option of her hair being very dry could be possible because of the dust in Miss Havisham's house as well as the result from never leaving the house.

Hair Reflecting

I thought this hair reflected a romantic look as it is a loose hair style with a natural wave. I think the height of the hair on top looks quite beautiful the way it has been scooped into shape.

To me this image describes eccentric hair perfectly. I think colour is important in a style and adding different shades of yellow and orange definitely make it look more striking. The shape has been back combed up into a shape of big messy curls which is what makes the style unique. You can never go too far with eccentric and adding flowers to this hair definitely adds a mood to the look. The flowers give this hairstyle a crazy romantic feel.

 I think to make a hairstyle to reflect the cold it would need to be tight back to symbolise the character being strict and held back. The colour should have icy shades such as the image above. I think this makes the style look more striking and represents a cold look very well despite the loose hairstyle. Even so the hair does seem quite controlled and stiff.