Creative Images

I experimented with various ways to display my final images, I wanted to portray my second set of images in the style appropriate to the form of destruction they’re based on.
For the image based on ‘self destruction’ I burnt the second photograph. For the image representing ‘defaced’ I painted over the image to deface it, thereby creating the second image. The make-up based on being ‘doused in acid’ for the second photograph I painted PVA glue onto the image, I liked this effect whilst the glue was wet but once it had dried it was transparent and not very noticeable; I then decided to mix nail polish with PVA glue and painted over the top to leave some colour on the image so it was more intense and created impact. For the last image that was based on ‘no control / chance’ I decided to splatter the final image; once I had done this I preferred the ‘destroyed’ image over the original.

I also transferred my images onto material, I did this to experiment with creative ways of displaying my final images. This was so I learned how to print images onto material and to see how well it worked. If I liked the outcome – I could do this for some of my images for the Summer Show. It worked really well and was very effective.

Burning my final image

Transferring my final image to Material

Transferring my final image to Material

Transferring my final image to Material

Transferring my final image to Material

Transferring my final image to Material

Doused in Acid

Doused in Acid

No Control, Chance

No Control, Chance

Defaced

Defaced

Self – Destruction

Self – Destruction

Defacing Experimentation

In my make-up designs based on Defacing something it was challenging to find a way to ‘Deface’ my model using make-up. At first I looked into graffiti and how graffiti defaces public property and it is illegal to purposely vandalise. I chose against this as I thought it too simplistic and unoriginal and I really wanted to push myself and my designs this semester.

I began to look into freedom of open editing, how addition or removal of materials can deface and modify something. This lead me to look at how defacing something is a way of hiding behind something and can come across as secretive and a disguise. I thought I could use this into my final images but wasn’t sure how. I thought of using the disguise as a mask, something for my model to hide behind but at the same time I didn’t want to use a mask as in masquerade. I then thought about adding different materials can create the illusion of a mask without it actually being a mask.

If I was to put something over someone’s face it has to be added as if I was purposely vandalising them to contribute to my theme of ‘Defacing’. I researched ‘defaced make-up’ on google and photos of smudged and smeared make-up came up; this wasn’t what I wanted to do and began to plan my own look. I thought I would use paint as my additional material to create a mask, I thought to use paint as that is what graffiti is used with – however my look won’t be based on graffiti.

I want to create a mask using paint – this has to be able to sit on the models face without causing irritation to the eyes and has to appear to be intentionally defacing the model.

Thick paint added to the skin to see if it could sit as though it was a mask.

When adding water to the paint it dribbled, this is not how I want it to look on the face.

The paint separated when I added babyoil to it, this isn’t how I want it to look on the face.

In this image, I mixed the paint and water first making it less thick so it didn’t stay in a heavy line(like the first photo) I then mixed in babyoil and it didn’t separate – it gave it a glossy shine which I liked. This is how I want the mask to look on the face. Unintentional and still has the freedom of open editing.

No Control, Chance Photoshoot Experimentation

This look I am basing on the Artist Jackson Pollock, I wanted to use liquid paint and pour it, drip it and splatter it onto my canvas (model’s face). I would lie my model on the floor and splatter them with liquid paint and body paints.

Jackson Pollock’s quote about his paintings stuck with me, I wanted to try this way of painting and thinking whilst doing my make up designs:

“My painting does not come from the easel. I prefer to tack the unstretched canvas to the hard wall or the floor. I need the resistance of a hard surface. On the floor I am more at ease. I feel nearer, more part of the painting, since this way I can walk around it, work from the four sides and literally be in the painting. I continue to get further away from the usual painter’s tools such as easel, palette, brushes, etc. I prefer sticks, trowels, knives and dripping fluid paint or a heavy impasto with sand, broken glass or other foreign matter added. When I am in my painting, I’m not aware of what I’m doing. It is only after a sort of ‘get acquainted’ period that I see what I have been about. I have no fear of making changes, destroying the image, etc, because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise there is pure harmony, an easy give and take, and the painting comes out well.” —Jackson Pollock, My Painting, 1956

I want to work like this when I do my final image based on ‘No chance and No control’ For this I can’t experiment with the make-up before the day of the shoot. I have investigated the tools I’ll use, how I want the hair, and what paints I can use but until the day of the shoot I won’t practice the application. The final image is about how it turns out on the day, I’ll have no control over how this image looks as it is all based on the risk.

Doused in Acid Experimentation

For this idea I was very confused as to how I can represent ‘Doused in Acid’ into make-up. When artist douse their work in acid it melts their sculptures and dissolves their work. I thought I could experiment with that more when I come to distort the final image, as I can’t physically injure my model with acid!

Instead I thought I could show acid in make-up as a form of bleach and I could bleach my models features… I began by researching bleached editorial shoots and came across images where the models had bleached hair, bleached pale skin, bleached eyebrows etc. This is something I haven’t tried before so I have no images like this already in my portfolio. I didn’t think my model would allow me to bleach her hair so I looked at ways to overcome this; I thought of white wigs, painting the hair white, spray in hair colour but none of these would give me the effect I was looking for. I then looked into fullers earth and putting this in the hair, this gives a blonde effect and sets on the hair and begins to crack slightly. I thought this could work and may look as if it’s the bleach that has been left on the hair to long in the photos and it wouldn’t actually bleach or ruin the model’s hair.

As for the skin and eyebrows, I thought I’d use illamasqua white skinbase shade 01 mixed with a skintone colour so they would look white but not ghostly. As for the eyebrows I tried a mascara wand with skinbase 01 in white brushing it into the brows to see if this would cover them enough, it didn’t work as it made the eyebrows look grey, not bleached. I will have to find a model that is willing to let me bleach their actual eyebrows.

Skinbase 01 in the eyebrows didn’t work. They looked grey not bleached.

Fullers earth hair mask.

Self Destruction Experimentation

For make-up based on Self Destruction I have been researching into how people ‘Self-Destruct’. I have found that self-destruction is based on self hatred and the fear someone has when battling with their own inner demons.

Self-destructive behaviour can change from one person to another; there are many forms it can take. Some people develop a pattern and it is obvious when they are self destructing – for example lack of self confidence, unhealthy, substance abuse, depression, emotional breakdowns. Whereas with other types of self-destruction it can because of reasons like self punishment, habit, addictive, self inflicted anxiety and dysfunctional behaviour.

From this I went down a route of a dark demonic make-up look, I started to think of ways to represent self destruction through my designs. I wanted to show somebody struggling with their inner demons and how they’re battling with their own reflection. In my final image I thought the person could be looking into a mirror but seeing a different reflection looking back at them. I also wanted to smash the mirror but I thought if I did this the photographer would struggle once photoshopping in the different reflection. This made me think I could incorporate the cracked mirror effect into the make-up, as if the person was broken down from self sabotage.

Burning the mirror for the ‘Self Destruction’ Shoot

Burnt mirror for the ‘Self Destruction’ Shoot

Not sure how I can create ‘cracks’ in the make-up yet. This I tried illamasqua precision ink in different colours to see how it would look.

Photoshoot ideas

After researching into various forms of destruction I have decided I would like to represent four final images this semester. I will be displaying a different type of ‘destruction’ in each look through my make-up designs. The four looks I have chosen are:

Self-Destruction
Defaced
No Control
Doused in Acid

I am going to experiment with make-up and the destruction of my final images representing each look listed. I am hoping my final images will show creativity and confuse the viewer. By the end of my experimentation I will be left with eight images: four representing the make-up based on the type of destruction, and another four showing how I destroy/distort the image.