Contemporary Ideas for Miss Havisham

Here are some of the inspirational images I found in reference to a Contemporary idea of the character, Miss Havisham. I had thought of so many different creations and ideas for a contemporary Miss Havisham and  then it came to my realisation that the project stated that the makeup and hair must be kept in the original era.

Although I was a little disheartened by this after coming up with so many ideas, I didn't let it stop me from excelling these ideas as well as focusing more so on the stated project itself.

These images I have found all represent Miss Havisham in their own way. The first image on the right with the high ponytail screamed out to me. It is a gorgeous high fashion look but it also reminds me of the Victorian era. Victorian women used to often have their hair very high on top of their heads shaped into a bun and sometimes had some decorative hair pieces throughout.

Not only is the hair great in that particular photo, the styling also caught my eye. I feel the straps around her body could relate to how Miss Havisham is feeling; trapped. The material of leather could also give an idea of strength and power over others; the power she has over Estella and Pip when she demands they play together.

The next image also represents the way Miss Havisham is tied up in her past troubles of losing her husband on her wedding day, and the feeling of entrapment within her house as she never sees daylight. It is a beautiful picture and I love the makeup also.

http://www.brownsugar.ie/high-ponytails/

http://www.fashiongonerogue.com/eniko-mihalik-dons-daring-beauty-for-flair-magazine/

What is High Definition Broadcasting?

High Definition Broadcasting is what gives such incredible clear and crisp colours on the screen in comparison to a standard definition. Due to the great detail of HD, it can be a worry for makeup artists if they are working on Film or TV.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/faqs/bbchd_channels

The standard of makeup must be perfect as everything will be picked up on the big screen. That is a scary thought for us as makeup artists!

I found some tips from a man named John Woodbridge who is experienced in working on Film and TV with high definition makeup standards. He knows and uses all the up to date techniques; such as airbrushing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/production/article/art20130702112136285

Here are the tips from the man himself...

Prepare the skin
'Too much makeup can appear really obvious on HD. Cleansing, toning, moisturising and evening out the hydration of the skin is very important for HD. The better we prepare the canvass, the better the make-up will look.

Airbrushing
Many make-up artists believe that you need to use specialised cosmetics or make-up techniques for work in high definition. That’s simply not true. As long as you work to film standard, most of the makeup in your kit will work just fine in HD. However, employing airbrush techniques can give you a distinct advantage, so eventually you may wish to invest in an airbrush kit.

Airbrush cosmetics are made from micronized pigments that are far less detectable on camera. An airbrush kit contains a mini compressor. When switched on, this expels compressed air. The finish can be very lightweight due to the atomisation of the cosmetic. This is what gives the illusion of flawless skin and why airbrushing is so fast and synonymous with HD.

Another bonus of airbrushing is the length of wear. It tends to last longer than conventional makeup, and needs less retouching throughout the day.

The product is easily blended and leaves no hard lines of demarcation, so there’s nothing to distract the audience. If you have hotspots, you can lightly dust the area with transparent powder to lessen the shine.

You can also use the airbrush for highlighting, contouring and even to apply blusher. Poorly blended blusher looks terrible in HD, so use airbrushing to smooth out any imperfections.

Setting powders
One product that can sometimes prove problematic in HD is traditional setting powder. Although frequently invisible to the naked eye, these non-micronized powders can sometimes give the skin an ashy, dull caste on camera. Specialised HD setting powders are available in both loose and pressed forms to combat this problem.

Final checks
Most make-up artists working in television will be used to checking their work in the mirror, because in standard definition, as a general rule of thumb, the mirror sees what the camera sees. However, with High Definition, just as in film, you also need to eyeball the make-up closely. Any problems apparent to the naked eye will also become apparent on HD and film.'

Gothic Surroundings

As part of my research into Gothic Horror, I took some images of surroundings in which I feel give off an ideal setting for a Gothic story.

Here is a picture of the Bristol Temple Meads train station at night. I love the grainy effect of the image as it adds more of a spook effect. This was on my way back to Southampton from home and it was a perfect opportunity on a dark night to take some photographs.

The image below of the church is whilst I was in the car on my way to the train station. This is why the image is slightly blurry but I feel this adds a great feel to the picture. It makes me think of the unknown and gives a slightly ghostly, disturbing feel to it.

Whilst I was back at home near Bristol, I took some other photographs whilst taking my dog for a walk. There is a regular field in which she gets walked, and it has some perfect settings. There is a small abandoned building in the middle of the field, with greenery growing all over it. I personally think it is a beautiful building but on the other hand, could give a sense of fright for the unknown.

I took a fair few images of the same building at different angles to see which gave the biggest scare factor. My personal favourite is the image from afar with the silhouette of the tree branches just in front as it looks mysterious and very abandoned.

With my other peers, we took a stroll down to the Southampton common cemetery in which we had the opportunity to take some fabulously scary photographs. The photos speak for themselves in my opinion as it is representing death with the gravestones and being in a cemetery itself is not one of the most comfortable feelings I have experienced.

Lola Montez

The original name of Lola Montez is Marie Dolores Eliza Rosanna Gilbert. She was born Ireland 1818 and died in New York, 1861.

She was known for being a dancer who managed to travel around and express her passion for dancing in areas such as America, and Munich.

In 1846 when she danced in Munich, a man named Louis I was so struck by her beauty that he offered her a castle in which she accepted.

Montez was a figure of beauty, and she soon after published many different books. One of which, was based on beauty products, ingredients and how to look after yourself.

She created this book after she became a lecturer in need of money and some of her lectures were about beauty and they were a great success. This is how the publishing of the book came about.

The book is called The Arts of Beauty, or, Secrets of a Lady’s Toilet with Hints to Gentlemen on the Art of Fascination (1858).

I delved into this book online and found out some interesting facts and information about the beauty products and ways in which they created them. What better way to find out information than reading a book from a lady who lived in the Victorian era!

In Lola's eyes, there were three factors which equalled beauty. They were; exercise, cleanliness, and temperance.

Exercise was/is a great important factor when staying beautiful. It was recommended by her to make sure women did vigorous exercise outdoors in the fresh air to keep fit.

Temperance is all about controlling yourself and making sure your body receives what it needs. Something as simple as enough sleep as this will take a knock on effect on your health and appearance. A quote from Lola's book is “A young lady, were she as fair as Hebe, as charming as Venus herself, would soon destroy it all by too high living and late hours”.

Cleanliness was also important factor in keeping beautiful as it was a way of keeping the skin fresh and smooth from any skin conditions or problems. “The frequent use of the tepid bath is the best cosmetic I can recommend to my readers in this connection”

In Lola's book, she also explains many different recipes for people to look their best. Here are a few of them:

1. Brightening facial wash:“Take equal parts of the seeds of the melon pumpkin gourd and cucumber, pounded till they are reduced to powder; add to it sufficient fresh cream to dilute the flour, and then add milk enough to reduce the whole to a thin paste. Add a grain of musk, and a few drops of the oil of lemon. Anoint the face with this, leave it on twenty or thirty minutes, or overnight if convenient, and wash off with warm water. It gives a remarkable purity and brightness to the complexion.”

2. Increase in chest size
– Tincture of myrrh 1/2 oz
– Pimpernel water 4 oz
– Elder flower water 4 oz
– Musk 1 gr
– Rectified spirits of wine 6 oz
(Simply mix the ingredients together and rub the mixture on your bosom for 5 or 10 minutes, 2 or 3 times a day.)

3. Tooth powder
 I need not remind the ladies that clean white teeth are indispensable to a beautiful month, The lady who neglects to brush her teeth with pure cold water after every meal, not only loses the benefit of the natural whiteness of her teeth but she renders herself liable to have the disgusting evil of an impure breath. The best tooth powder I know of is made as follows:

Prepared chalk 6 oz
Cassia powder oz
Orris root 1 oz

These should be thoroughly mixed and used once a day with a firm brush.”

Lola also had recipes for 'beautiful hair' as this was a great importance in the Victorian era to have good hair. Lola believed “without a fine head of hair no woman can be really beautiful.” Looking after your hair was so important and Lola followed her own rules of hair guidelines such as; brushing your hair daily for at least ten minutes. and getting your hair cut frequently.

In her book, Lola gives tips and advice on which brushes to use and how "Two brushes are indispensable for the toilet – one for the rough use of cleaning the hair, and the other for polishing it. A black brush should be used for the former, and a white one for the latter. Ladies need not be told that washing spoils brushes. The way to clean them is to rub them thoroughly with bran, which removes all the grease, and leaves the bristles stiff and firm as ever. When the bristles of a brush become too limber for use, they may be hardened again by dipping them in one part of spirits of ammonia, and two of water. This will also thoroughly cleanse them from all greasy substances.”