Conduct allergy test on model's forearm and check no rash or itchiness appears
Check with model for any current skin complaints
Make sure all sponges/brushes are clean
Make sure model's eyes are closed at all times whilst using products on the face
Cover model
Wash hands
Check if teeth have been recently whitened
Do not use brush in enamel bottle
Consultation Notes
Name: Bronya Leavesley
Age: 20
Hair type: Short blonde hair - dyed
Skin type: Normal to Combination
Skin tone: Light with pink undertones
Allergies: N/A
Process (Skin)
Moisturise skin
Use supracolour under nails and in knuckles (create brown/earth/dark tones to re-create dirt)
Mix fuller's earth with water and apply with fingers onto skin
Dry with warm hairdryer
Use colour hairsprays to create splatters and build up colour
Self Reflection
In this technical lesson I did not feel like it was very successful. I wasn't exactly sure what the process was meant to achieve (if was meant to be like dry mud or just dirty skin) but I found the product Fuller's Earth a difficult product to work with. The reason being the cracking and if you build up layers, once it cracks just white is left underneath distracting from the colours you've built up. Also I found it hard getting to grips with using sprays to build up colour. It was hard to not just spray a circle onto the surface. I feel like next time I would apply a lighter layer of both the Fuller's Earth and the colours. I liked the finish of the dirtied nails however.
Bronya's attempt on my hand - step by step
Process (Teeth)
Shake up the bottle of enamel
Dry the tooth/teeth you're going to use
Use a cotton bud to grab tooth enamel and paint tooth
Use small amounts of surgical spirit if enamel is applied in places it shouldn't be
Reflection
Beth applied the products in this application. I think the products are useful in giving a character further depth and accuracy with story lines, however, with our first try we did not think the black was very effective. I think when I next use the enamel, I will use the yellowy colour more with tiny amount of black to make it look more decayed in a more subtle way (instead of just blocking out the tooth). However, the teeth that are yellow with black on the bottom work well indicating chipped or decayed teeth.
My model Beth and I took time out after class to practise some of my new skills to see what is going to be most effective and what doesn't look good. In this series of photos I applied a layer of latex over areas I wanted to visibly age or create dry skin (I followed the process Sue taught us in our technical lesson). Beth has very youthful and plump skin so I found it very difficult to create wrinkles! They were not very visible once I had dried the latex and once I applied my base (Kryolan Ultrafoundation and Illamasqua Skin Base) the layer of latex became extremely visible and create a rough and dry texture on areas that were meant to look like her skin. It also clung to the latex a lot so all the colour was in a block on the latex and was almost impossible to blend. I spoke to Sue and she advised how it may have been the Skin Base I mixed in that caused it to become so dry. I was very unhappy with the resul as it was so visible and would not be good for high definition broadcasting. However, the effect I created for dry skin (shown in the last 2 photos) are very effective in a subtle way and I feel if I practised again and coloured them effectively it would a good way to incorporate sfx subtly in this assessment. Foundation and Concealer
I also wanted to try out ageing with soft brown shades of concealer that Sue had demonstrated in our tech ageing lesson. I applied a mixture of Illamasqua Skin Base in 1 and Kryolan Ultrafoundation in Ivory to create a pale complexion but I do think it is slightly too white so I will try and mix less white next time to keep it looking realistic (which will make the blending of the wrinkles less obvious). I did not apply anything to the brows to keep it historically accurate, however, next application I may brush a little bit of white to age her further. Following that, I use a mixture of D14 + D15 Kryolan concealers to sculpt and add wrinkles (added lines on forehead and smile lines then blended). I focused the sculpting to the cheekbones, eye sockets and nose area. I feel it worked effectively as it was very subtle but may need to be slightly heavier to be picked up in HD. I will also apply this sculpting colour to the temples next attempt to slim the face further to create a skeletal look. Powder was applied all over, however, next time I will only apply to Beth's oily areas as I have designed my character to have deserted her appearance so she would not have applied powder but the look still needs to be HD ready so I will use a fine powder sparingly.
When designing my look for Miss Havisham at the end of the novel, I had to keep in mind that I wanted to have subtle ageing whichever direction I took the look. On my face charts I have pointed out areas I want to experiment using latex on to give a subtle affect. I also want to try out soft, dark concealer shades to contour and sculpt the face to slim it down and make my model look gaunt. Her complexion will be pale, so I intend on using a pale Kryolan Ultrafoundation mixed with the Illamasqua skin base in 1 to produce and pale and lifeless shade to add to her wax-like, skeletal look.
The three designs I have produced have variations of how I want Miss Havisham to look. I have explored in my research how environments may have affected her and I want to see what physical toll her lifestyle would've had on her. I will try out the various aspects to hopefully discover what is most effective and create a final look.
In design 1, I had added chapped lips to reflect malnutrition and dehydration as Miss Havisham's life was overwhelmed by revenge and redemption and her appearance and health took a back seat.
Design 2 explores the more detrimental affect her environment would've had on her skin. Damp and mouldy environments would sometimes show visibly on the skin through dryness, redness, itchiness or sores. Using latex, I would build up a texture that was rough and had holes to fill with colours that would re-create a sore and broken surface to reflect the physical toll her lifestyle has on her. This more full-on approach may be harder to re-create for continuity.
For my final design, it incorporated the simplicity of design on combined with a couple more subtle aspects like dry skin, rough and sore nose and irritated-looking eyes. This would be a more obvious demonstration of her lifestyle and gives me the opportunity to experiment more with sfx than the first design.
Section the hair - a front section (in a middle parting) for the curls and a back section for the bun.
Section each side of the middle parting at the front of the hair in 3 and curl each to create identical curls away from the face.
Pin curls onto head to set after heating up each section and leave to cool.
Pull all the hair in the back section into a tight ponytail.
Plait the ponytail hair.
Wrap plait around the hair tie and pin to head.
Unpin the curls and allow to drop.
Run fingers through hair and began to mess up.
Back comb curled sections roughly.
Pull apart the plaited bun and backcombed sections.
Pull at hair pulled into a bun to loosen the tension and create frizz.
Dry shampoo roots to age hair.
Reflection of Trial
I am very pleased with my final design and feel the first attempt was successful. It gave me an idea of timing and as we only have an hour and a half, I feel I could complete this in half an hour to leave a large portion for my makeup (as I want to apply sfx). Creating the look neatly and then distressing it has made it easy to replicate and create a step-by-step for myself which will be extremely useful in terms of continuity. In my next practise session, I want to make sure the centre parting is completely straight and the curled sections are even. I also would like to make the plaited bun much messier to match the front of the hair.
Initially for my character design of Miss Havisham, I wanted to create a very neat and traditional early Victorian hairstyle to reflect her life and how she would've been presented before she was left by her fiance. There would be a centre parting and a plait either side of my models face leading back into a twisted bun. I would roughen up the plait and the bun to reflect her self-destruction and self-abandonment.
Design 2
F0r my second design, I took a lot of influence from the early Victorian hair styles that were common in the era Miss Havisham would've lived in. Women's hair would almost always been in a centre parting with either plaits or curls either side of the face to frame the woman's beauty. I want to create three symmetrical curls either side of my models face to reflect her status she once held as a well turned out woman of wealth. I will tie the rest of the hair away into a plaited bun. In this time in Victorian England, woman's hair was long but always tied up so I will include this aspect into Miss Havisham's design. I want to explore what type of curls I will create - ringlets, curls or messy waves - and this will be affected by the time in the book I style her around.
Design 3
I have elaborated on my first design to incorporate the time I am basing my character of Miss Havisham around. I want to produce a design for when she is at the end of her life in the novel following her life of tormenting Pip and seeking revenge. As Pip is now grown up, it has been at least 15 years since we were first introduced to her (and even at that point she was not presented very well). As she has abandoned herself throughout a life of misery, her hair will be matted and messy. I intend on create the style of my first design but will use backcombing techniques to mess up the style in a strategic way that will be easy to re-create for continuity.
Conduct allergy test on model's forearm and check no rash or itchiness appears
Check with model for any current skin complaints
Make sure all sponges/brushes are clean
Make sure model's eyes are closed at all times whilst using latex or acetone on the face
Test heat of melted gelatine on own arm before applying
Keep Glycerin away from eyes
Cover model
Wash hands
Consultation Notes
Name: Charlotte Roth
Age: 18
Hair type: Long dark hair
Skin type: Combination
Skin tone: Light to medium with yellow undertones
Allergies: N/A
Process:
(For fever)
Mix red shades from supra colour palette with moisturiser to thin out mixture
Layer varied shades lightly on the skin to build up a rash-like appearance
Optionally you can mix the colours with alcohol to flick onto the skin with a large artists brush (keep clients eyes shut at all times)
(Sweat)
Apply Glycerin onto a stipple sponge
Stipple product onto areas where sweat needs to be applied
Spray water into hairline to add to the affect
(Chapped Lips)
Ask client to pucker their lips
Apply a layer of latex onto lips whilst puckered
Allow to dry, apply more if needed
Use fingers or a small pin carefully to peel bits away to create a further chapped look once the lips are relaxed
(Black Eye)
Use supra colour palette or a bruise wheel and apply darkest shade first
Use a real life image as reference
Apply colours mainly around socket
Apply vaseline over finished application to add subtle shine
Self Reflection
I thoroughly enjoyed this lesson as I was able to apply and learn a lot of techniques this lesson. I had constant feed back from Sue which allowed me to really get stuck in and make it a good attempt. These techniques are not ones I would necessarily use for this project, apart from the chapped lips, but are valuable techniques to have in the world of SFX - the area I want to specialise in. I feel my application of the feverish skin could've been slightly for translucent and subtle but I enjoyed the process of building up the colour slowly. I feel like the chapped lips were most successful as they ended up looking very realistic and this encouraged me to use this aspect within my character design as she is dehydrated and does not take care of herself physically. I attempted to apply small sections of latex on parts of her face to create dry skin but it was not very affective with red applied over the top but I would like to try create dry skin for my character at some point in the design process.
As this unit is focused around high definition makeup and broadcasting, my design for Miss Havisham must take into account the amount of detail and precision the look needs to be realistic for the screen. I have decided to base my design around the final stage in the novel that Miss Havisham features in. After Pip visits for the last time, Miss Havisham tries to seek forgiveness and redeem herself following deliberately creating a life of misery and heartbreak for young Pip. Once he agrees to forgive her, it is as though her life is complete and she needs to be set free. Shortly after his departure, she is caught in a fire and soon dies after. My design for this character will show her just before her death, her face will reflect a life of torment and loss alongside visible skin irritations or altercations as she has been a reclusive for the majority of her adult life is a large, abandoned mansion full of damp and dust.
Makeup design: I want to use some of my recent skills of light sfx to demonstrate to the viewer her age and her damaged skin. It is hinted throughout the book she is around 50 years old, but her lifestyle would've undoubtedly aged her further. I want to experiment using liquid latex to create wrinkles on my model but I will also try out using natural concealer/foundation shades to sculpt these out further. I do not want her to look like a theatrical old lady so I will have to experiment to see which is the best hd product for a subtle affect. I also want to use latex to create dry, flaky skin and chapped lips. Her complexion will be pale, but not a flat white as she is still alive. A brush of white through the brows will age her further and I am thinking about adding a red shade in or around the eyes to hint to an irritation or upset.
Hair design: The hair will reflect a classic early Victorian updo hairstyle as the book was set in the early 1800's. As she has lost the will to look after herself as she focuses on tormenting others, her hair will be distressed and messy. I want to create a stereotypical Victorian style that is matted and tangled through back combing. I will also want to create white roots in the hair to show an aged look.
How will this impact on viewers and the audience: Using these techniques to create a distressed and undone look will hopefully demonstrate clearly to the viewer her age but more importantly the impact her lifestyle can have on her - physically and mentally. Up until this point, she is a strongly disliked character and she is so desperately seeking approval or redemption and with the aspect I plan to incorporate, I hope to portray the stage in her life to the audience obviously.
High Definition Broadcasting: provides a resolution that is substantially higher than that of standard-definition television
In recent years, the standard of definition is more than four times the sharpness and clarity of conventional filming therefore makeup for HD needs to be blended very well to almost not appear on screen. Any lines or patches created by cosmetics that are inadequately blended are far more obvious in high definition. Also, non-micronised setting powders are inclined to show up in HD filming. Although to the naked eye the product is almost invisible, on camera it can give an ashy, dull effect on the skin. Airbrushes have been an extremely popular tool in the world of film and television makeup as soft blending can be achieved quickly and effectively. Too much makeup can appear very obviously in HD so cleansing, toning and moisturising is very important too. It is also incredibly important to constantly check in the mirror to have an idea what the camera will be seeing.
Continuity: The maintenance of continuous action and self-consistent detail in the various scenes of a film or broadcast.
One of the main responsibilities for a makeup artist for television or film is to maintain continuity. Without doing so, films become unreal to the viewer and the imaginary world created by the film crew crumbles.
A script supervisor (also called continuity supervisor) is a member of a film crew and oversees the continuity of the motion picture including wardrobe, props, set dressing, hair, makeup and the actions of the actors during a scene. Actors must be dressed the same, have the same skin tones, wear their hair at the same length, and have the same make-up. If this is not the case, the result will be sadly noticeable when the film is edited. Also, to assist with maintaining this aspect makeup artists document photos and keep continuity notes to re-create the makeup accurately. Often people are hired to film pick-up shots. All changes to hairstyles, costume, and make-up should be logged with a scene number and day number of the film sequence.
References:
BBC. (2016). Tips: Makeup for HD. [20th February] Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/production/article/art20130702112136285
Woodbridge Productions. 2005.Looking Great in High Definition. [20th February] Available:
http://www.woodbridgeproductions.co.uk/hd5.htm
Delamar. (2009). Continuity for The Makeup Artist. Available: http://www.delamaracademy.co.uk/blog/2009/06/an-introduction-to-continuity-for-the-make-up-artist [20th February]
My 1st Attempt
My two attempts ended up quite different - one being larger and more obvious than the other one. The second one took much less time, however, I may have skipped out stages of layering and that may have been why they look different. Next time I re-create something for continuity purposes I will make notes and have a photo sheet to refer to, making it easier than following a video.
Mike Newell directed the 2012 adaption of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. It is the most popular depiction of the tale making £6.2 million in the box office (and probably the most widely known recent version). It also features many famous faces such as Helena Bonham Carter as Miss Havisham and Ralph Fiennes as Magwitch as well as some younger faces like Jeremy Irvine as Pip and Holliday Grainger as Estella. In terms of makeup and costume design, this film is one of the most theatrical and the characters really come alive with brilliant actors and actresses.
When Miss Havisham first appears, she comes across as dazed, confused and fidgety. She has mad and wild curls with grey colours filtering through - much like a stereotypical depiction of a witch. The hairstyle is not typical of the era the book was written and has taken a more creative twist with big volume, dyed hair and frizzy curls. Helena's complexion is pale, eyebrows are bold and dark, rouged lips and has dark areas around her eyes. Her actual skin is clear and almost flawless which does not indicate any influence of her harsh surroundings affecting her. It appears she does also have some sort of mascara on along side her dark eyebrows which, again, is not in-keeping with the era. However, these aspects add to the creative and stylistic approach Newell produced.
Towards the end of the story, the makeup and hair team have subtly aged her (as the story progresses over around 10/15 years). She has noticeably darker bags under her eyes with darker eyeshadows on the lids to darker the eye area. Her lips are pale and dry and her skin looks dirtied and more sculpted with age and malnutrition. Miss Havisham's dramatic fire scene is the most graphic of the adaptions with her whole face being melted away and burnt. Overall, in terms of makeup and hair design this is not my favourite adaptation. Although the interpretation of Miss Havisham is inkeeping with the style of the movie, I do not feel it produces the right ora around the character. It feels, to me, as over the top and almost makes the role jokey and light-hearted. The aspect I liked was the subtle ageing and I will take ideas of this into my idea to help create an HD makeup look.
A Victorian wedding day was well-planned but quiet occasions, much different to wedding celebrations of the 21st century. Before the day could even be planned, the engagement and proposal would've been taken very seriously as you generally have to be matched to someone in your social class and potentially for beneficial economic reasons. As well as that, most couples would be chaperoned before marriage whilst they were alone. To prepare the bride, a dress would need to be picked. The colour of the gown was thought to influence this woman's future life:
White-chosen right
Blue-love will be true
Yellow-ashamed of her fellow
Red-wish herself dead
Black-wish herself back
Grey-travel far away
Pink-of you he'll always think
Green-ashamed to be seen
However, ever since Queen Victoria's wedding in 1840, white has since remained the traditional colour. The early Victorian wedding dress had a fitted bodice, small waist, and full skirt (over hoops and petticoats.) It was made of lace, gauze, silk, linen or cashmere. The veil was a fine gauze, sheer cotton or lace. Grooms would be dressed in their best suit to signify their economic status. Victorians almost always held their weddings during the morning hours in church or at the home of the bride or groom. Most weddings were small, with only close friends and family in attendance. My chosen character Miss Havisham intended on being this beautiful bride surrounded by close family and had her future economically and socially planned out for her. In one morning, this was all taken away from her after receiving a letter from her fiance that he was leaving her. Since this point in her life, the clocks have stopped and she has not removed her attire. For my final design, I want to make sure the adornments and costume are accurate and allow me to produce a professional final image for both assessments. I want to include the traditional white lace dress that would have a high neck to show modesty, virginity and her loyalty the potential husband she lost. I have a off-white blouse I intend to use for my model.
References
Kat Stromquist. (2001-2016). Victorian Era Wedding Traditions.Available: http://classroom.synonym.com/victorian-era-wedding-traditions-7133.html. Last accessed 16th February.
M. Hoppe. (1997). The Victorian Wedding. Available: http://www.literary-liaisons.com/article003.html. Last accessed 16th February.
Through the Victorian era, there was a shift in hair trends. There was a movement of interest from the sides to the back of the hair. The long hair that became fashionable, but discreet, in the early part of this era was now more visible. More hair would be pulled back off of the face and drawn back to remove the focus from framing the face. Fringes would be short and curled or drawn back up into the elaborate hairstyle. 'Drooping chignons formed of large loose coils of hair were being worn...the hair was dressed high with waves or frizzles over the forehead whilst the back hair, in plaits or large rolls, was fastened with coronet-like tortoiseshell combs. A few stray curls only were allowed on the neck, but for evening wear especially, long curls or twists of hair continued to be worn and remained fashionable into the next decade.' (Courtais 2006). Hairpieces & Adornments
More accessories were being used in this period. Flowers were often used to adorn the hair, recent or dried, and would be incorporated by placing them on top of the head or 'long trailing sprays were mixed with the hair or curved down the one side of the head tucked in among the large curls' (Courtais 2006). Hair pieces also took off massively in this portion of the Victorian era. In 1866 The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine told it's readers that "such a large quantity of false hair is necessary for the formation of modern coiffures that we think it well to inform our lady readers into the secrets of the fictitious curls, bows, plaits and chignons to be used for each of them". In 1872, Marcel Grateau created his iconic curling iron that is still a successful business today, however, they were not often used in this era.
In the story of Great Expectations, Charles Dickens' does not only go in depth with descriptions of the various characters but also explores the worlds surrounding them throughout their lives in great detail. By describing the environments so greatly, it gives the reader an idea of their life story and background. When Pip first meets Miss Havisham, Dickens' describes her dressing room in great detail, 'It was then I began to understand that everything in the room had stopped, like the watch and the clock, a long time ago. I noticed that Miss Havisham put down the jewel exactly on the spot from which she had taken it up...Without this arrest of everything, this standing still of all the pale decayed objects, not even the withered bridal dress on the collapsed form could have looked so like grave-clothes, or the long veil so like a shroud.' All the objects in her room have a symbolic reference to her identity. For example, the stopped clock demonstrates her refusal to move forward past a painful abandonment. 'The yellowing room and its yellowing objects reveal a former glory that once belonged to its main occupant. In addition to mirroring her past, Satis House actively shapes Miss Havisham by isolating her from “a thousand natural and healing influences." Both Satis House and Miss Havisham decay from the inside out.' (Brown University, 2008). It is important for me as a designer to take into account the characters surroundings as they heavily affect how she will appear.
A historical reference for the type of environment Miss Havisham would've been living in is Marlborough House in 1890. Even though the building is photographed in the late part of the era, the wealth and furnishing are much like what has been described of Satis House. This house was owned by The Prince of Wales. Marlborough house would've been constantly full of servants. 'Out of eighty-eight servants - twenty-nine female and fifty-nine male - seventeen had nowhere to sleep in the house, and servants of any visitors who came to stay had to boarded out'. This gives us an idea of how busy stately homes in the Victorian era would've been. In contrast to this, Miss Havisham lives with only her daughter for a period of the book then she is alone. Other people of her status of the time would constantly be surround by people and would've been waited on, making their lives easier and full of life. However, for Miss Havisham, life would've been lonely and empty in a great house like Satis House and this would've taken a toll on her mentality throughout years of loneliness after being abandoned on her wedding day.
In the 1946 adaptation by David Lean of Great Expectations, the description of Miss Havisham's house in chapter eight is explored visually. As Pip enters the house, he travels through a dark hallway and stairway with just a candlelight to see - making the house classically gothic and scary with not knowing whats in the darkness and creating an eery atmosphere as so far there are no furnishing or signs of life. As he enters Miss Havisham's room, there are huge spiderwebs crawling across the ceilings and travelling between pieces of furniture. The decor and furniture is all very elaborate and beautiful and reflects her previously elegant life. As a viewer, I can notice subtly in the background that her mirror is covered in a layer of dust and this is suggesting that she cannot or has not seen her reflection for some time. This setting reflects her abandonment of herself and her life.
In BBC1's 2011 adaptation, there is a scene where Pip returns to Satis house nearing the end to visit Miss Havisham one last time. At this point, it has been many, many years since she would've had visitors as her daughter has moved away and Pip has been living in London. Everything is covered in a layer of dust and the walls are damp-ridden. The decay of her home runs parallel with her self destruction and deterioration. This is the section of the story I would like to focus my character design on so it is important to take in the surroundings and how it would've affected her physically. Interpreting her surroundings into the design could mean that dirt and grim that would've built up in the rooms could have caused her to be ill or affected her skin. Damp and mouldy environments can cause nasal irritation, coughing, eye irritation or skin complaints. Living in an environment that is full of dust can also cause dangerous lung diseases. All these symptoms would take its toll on someone's appearance and health, meaning they would look more skeletal if they were not well or have a visible skin irritation. These tell-tale signs of a unhealthy environment are ones I would like to experiment with whilst designing.
References
Brown University, 2008. Defining Characters By Their Chosen Environment. [14th February] Available from: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/ge/lii6.html
Susan Lusdan. 1981. Victorians At Home.
London: George Weidenfeld and Nicolson Limited.
