Project Evaluation

I have really enjoyed taking part in the 'New Elizabethans' project. My one concern beginning this project was my confidence and lack of makeup skills, as I have had no background in makeup training. I am really pleased with my progress, and feel my skills and techniques have developed well, as well as my understanding. The research into the Elizabethan Era and not just focusing on contemporary has really boosted my understanding and knowledge of makeup, which will support me throughout my career. After studying A-Levels in Art, Photography and English, I feel my research skills for those subjects have benefited me, as I have studied Queen Elizabeth and her famous look. I will continue practising throughout the Christmas break, as I know that practise makes perfect. The technical sessions with Sue have really benefitted me as I was a student that had never done any sort of makeup training before, just self taught. I feel I was successful in creating Amelia's design, which was defiantly supported by my teaching in art. I have found difficulty in deciding on a final design, but I am really pleased with the outcome, as my partner Amelia worked hard to complete it how I wanted it. My notes on the process helped guide her along, which I feel shows in the final outcome. 
 I have learnt so much during this single project, I am excited for what the next project holds!

Peer Review

Overall, I feel myself and my partner Amelia's designs were both reconstructed how we envisioned them. Through discussion, we conversed about what were the best products to use, and talked each other through the process of our designs. Our communication skills were put to the test when Amelia was absent for the practise sessions, leaving me without her design to practise whilst she was absent, and only one session to practise it on her. This was quickly resolved by swapping the groups, I was now group B and Amelia was then group A. My biggest concern with Amelia's design were the shapes of the eyeshadows, as they were not quite clear on the face-chart, but with teamwork and a lot of discussion and practise, we came to a decision. I am pleased with the outcome of my design, although I would have liked to have deeper contouring around the cheekbones, as this didn't show up too well in the final images. Amelia did a great job at covering the eyebrows and blending the eyeshadows, which were the focal point of my look. I feel I created Amelia's look exactly how she wanted it, at least I hope I did! Working with Amelia was good as we both guided each other towards the final outcome. I am sad this project is coming towards an end, as I have enjoyed it greatly!

Review of Final Looks

I am pleased with the outcome of the look for my final design. I feel Amelia responded to my design really well, and we worked together to find the right tools and experiment with techniques. For example, in the practise sessions we used Supra colour for the eyebrows in the first session, but it became clear that there had to be minimal product on the brush for a clean line, but minimal product meant a less stronger pigment. We then decided to use a black eyeliner pencil, which Amelia was more comfortable with working with. I would have liked the contouring to be a little more defined, as I feel my partner was nervous about over-doing it with the purple colour. 

I am really pleased with the outcome of my work, using Amelia's design. The design was colourful and included a lot of blending, which I feel went really well in the assessment. I feel the look was successful, particularly the contrast between the bolder application of colours (blue,golds) to the subtle purple tones under the eyes. I was confident with the blocking of the eyebrows as I have practised this the most, as I feel a clear, even base is the most important part of creating a look. I have managed to conceal the eyebrows using glue, and worked over them in the eyeshadows to blend them away. I feel the least successful part of this look were the eyebrows, as I had trouble making them completely symmetrical, especially under the time pressure. Amelia's design challenged me, but I feel I have managed to complete the design just as Amelia had envisioned it. 

Final Assessment

Makeup Artist: Georgia Warwick, Designer: Amelia Kildear

Makeup Artist: Amelia Kildear, Designer: Georgia Warwick.

Practising Amelia's look.

I am very pleased with the outcome of this look, as this was my first practise at it. I completed the look in the same time as the assessment will be, which boosted my confidence for when I am completing this look on the day. I feel I was least successful in applying the white supra colour to under the eyes, as this was tricky due to the skin pulling under the eye, creating uneven lines, when Amelia wanted clean lines. found the eyebrows particularly difficult, not the application but trying to make them completely symmetrical, so I did a little bit at a time on each eyebrow. In this practise, I didn't apply enough glue to the eyebrow to fully cover the inside edge of the brow, but I know that is what I have to do next session. 

Practice Sessions

This is my design completed by my partner in the practise sessions. I am very pleased with the outcome of the makeup, particularly the symmetry of the look. We still needed to add the eyelashes, but decided not to use them in the practise session, to reduce the chance of them breaking as they are very fragile. Whilst talking about the look, we came to a decision to use glue instead of the soap and water technique, as my partner, Amelia, feels that this would be the her strongest technique out of the two. We also practised using two different methods of applying the eyebrows, the first product used was the supra colour in black, using an angled brush, and the second product was using an eye/lip pencil. When using the pencil, the application was much smoother with much less excess product smudging across the eye, but is still just as black as the supra colour. We conversed about the angles of the eyebrows and the shape of the eye shadow, and how I wanted them to be completed, which my partner has done well in the process. I

Finalising my design

After studying the work of Pat McGrath's makeup for John Galliano, I have been inspired to carry forward the purple colours into my final piece. I was particularly taken aback by the lips,  the shape is so perfectly defined on the top lip, which is highlighted by the silver outline on the cupid's bow. McGrath's makeup is a big reason why I wanted to become a makeup artist, she has always been very influential and creative with her designs. She manages to combine both definition and softness, as well as bold and light colours. Her work is very arty, especially this look for John Galliano.

Makeup Artist: Pat McGrath
John Galliano Spring/Summer 2010
Vogue

She has drawn on the eyebrows over the top of her models, and she hides them underneath the mass of messy but perfect silvers and purples. There is definite Elizabethan influence in this makeup, the eyebrows are hidden and drawn back on over the smudged, coal-black eyes and the bold lips. The base is also very pale, but is not a ice-white, but a very pale shade of nude. 

Final Design

My final design is a mixture of my designs, moulded into one. I wanted to continue with the purple theme, as I feel the red and black theme was very obvious for the task. My New Elizabethan look will be on a base of a very light foundation, a mixture of the Kryolan Foundation Palette and the White Skin Base. This look consists of strong contouring of the cheekbone using 'Shallot' from the Brilliant Colour Palette and the Brown from the Blush Palette by Kryolan, instead of the traditional, circular blush of the era. I want to bring the contour down to the jaw slightly, so that the bottom part of the face isn't bare. This contouring will continue onto the top of the forehead just at the sides, which will elongate my forehead, as the Elizabethans wanted long foreheads as this was a sign of intelligence and aristocracy. The eyebrows will be blocked out using glue, and a purple gradient will fill the space between the eye and brow, and on top of the brow to further conceal it. The eyes will be drawn back onto the face, using the Supra Colour by Kryolan in black, which will exaggerate the illusion of a high forehead. The eyelashes will be black lace, as the Elizabethans wore a lot of lace, especially the wealthier ladies. I feel by incorporating lace will add another texture to the look, but also links their costume to this makeup. The lips will be MAC Lip Mix in a mixture of the red and blue to create a deep plum colour. This will be outlined by the shimmer lipstick mixed with the gold Supra Colour, to define the look.

I have studied the 'Makeup Is Art' Book by The Academy Of Freelance Makeup, finding my inspiration and also tips on how to create my look. This book has supported my experimentation of products and method, particularly in the contouring and the application of fake eyelashes. As these are two very essential aspects to my design, I have used this book to study. 

Reference: Makeup Is Art, AOFM Pro

Timelapse of myself practising the look:

Final outcome: 

(Still need the eyelashes)

I am really pleased with the outcome of my design. I need to work on being precise with the eyebrows and them being symmetrical. I am pleased with the contrast of the tones, the bold lips and eyebrows balance out the features, and I think the eyelashes will really tie the design together. I am pleased on the progress of myself blocking the eyebrows, I am beginning to be able to conceal them more.

In class I practised blocking the eyebrows and blending the eyeshadow over the glue, as the glue doesn't pick up the pigment as much as the skin. 

I feel this is effective due to the shapes of the shadow, elongating my forehead. I think the blending has worked well, and the eyebrows are very close to being concealed completely!