Wild Kingdom Timed Assessment

Here is my image from the Wild Kingdom timed assessment. The design and facechart are by Jessica Chalmers. I really like the way this look turned out - it feels tribal but has an element of glamour too. 

My Wild Kingdom Story Board

Mood Board: Catwalk

Mood Board: Editorial

FINAL IMAGES!

Here are my final editorial and catwalk images! I'm so happy with the way they turned out- I think they really reflect my research and ideas, and I hope that I've created believable yet contemporary mash-ups in my images. I think my models look great in their respective looks as well. These images definitely reflect some of my best work so I hope they have managed to achieve the desired effect for the Wild Kingdom module. Having created these looks and written this blog, I would definitely say that this has been one of my favorite projects so far.

FINAL DESIGN: Catwalk

This is my final design for my catwalk look. I think this design is much better than my first one, and will be really bright and vibrant on camera. The design is more complex than my first one, and hopefully the white details will look really good against my model's dark hair, and against the bright colours that will be the base of the makeup. I've definitely settled on this as my final design and I'm really happy with it. I think that adding anymore to the styling other than the headdress would be a bad idea, as my design style is typically simple and graphic, and as this look is so bright and colourful anyway, I dont want to distract from that or overdo it. This makeup should hopefully complement the headdress well.

FINAL DESIGN: Editorial

Here is the face chart for my final design for my editorial look. Admittedly it isnt my best face chart as the jet black skin wasnt easy to fill in, but the idea is there. This look involves my whole colour palette, and I think that glossy black skin is going to perfectly represent the oil that I was inspired by. I think it will look amazing on camera. The white, gold, and turquoise should look much brighter and more graphic against the jet black and my model's pale blue eyes should really pop. The glossy black wig is going to top the whole look off, and I'm reaallyyy happy with this design, I can't wait to shoot it!

First Face Chart: Catwalk

Here is my first facechart for my catwalk look. I tried to incorporate as many colours from my colour palette into this look without overdoing it, however I think now that it might be too plain. I want my final design to be fairly graphic, but I feel that this design might be too stark and basic. I do think that this makeup would look good underneath the headdress, so its something to keep in mind, but I definately think I need to revise it and make my final design more complex and vibrant so that it contrasts with my editorial look. 

First Face Chart: Editorial

Here is my first face chart for my editorial look. I have done a few other face charts before this, but nothing that I would consider using as they did not live up to the potential of my model or my colour palette. I really like this one, I think that the colours look great together and would look good against the wig, but I'm not 100% happy with the design. I feel that the black glossy lips are too 'glamorous' and not gritty or tribal enough, and the turquiose 'scratch marks' may be too much of a tribal stereotype. I really like the deep bronzed and contoured skin and brushed up eyebrows, so they may be something to move forward with. 

Styling Elements

This headdress I bought will be the main styling focus of my catwalk look. Although this look is supposed to focus equally on styling and makeup, I am trying to represent a menswear catwalk, many of which display models that are shirtless, and simply styled. I think that this headdress is so authentic, perfectly fits my colour theme, and is a real statement piece, and therefore think that as far as styling goes, this will be enough. I think that shirtless with this headdress on, my model will look extremely striking, and reflect that statuesque air that Native American warriors had. 

Styling Elements

Here is a wig I have bought for my editorial shoot. My female model will be wearing this to complement her black, white, gold and turquoise makeup. The wig is jet-black, long and straight, and it reminds me of the traditional hair style and colour of Native American tribal members. Their hair is almost unfailingly in this style and colour, although often braided or bound with material. I'm not sure yet whether I'll style it, braid it or add material into it, but it is a synthetic wig so I won't be able to use heat stylers on it. I am happy with it the way it is though, and I think it is the key to changing my model, and taking my look from good to great. 

Colour Palettes

Here is my colour palette for my editorial look. I have chosen these colours because they are a complete contrast to the colour palette I have chosen to base my catwalk look around. They are much more contrasting, dark and luxurious. These colours have been inspired by African jewellery, where the gold and turquoise is concerned, and by natural products used by both the Fulani people, and Native American people such as oil, clay and natural kohl where the black and white are concered. I really love all of these colours together and think they're going to make for a really striking look.

Colour Palettes

The first thing I have decided to do in my planning for my final designs in choose colour palette. I think that this is one of the most important elements of my design, as I'm choosing them for specific reasons, in order to reflect certain parts of the two tribes I have chosen. I also want both of my looks to be very different at a first glance, but have subtle similarities and underlying themes that connect them together.

Catwalk Colour Palette:

For my catwalk look I have chosen a main colour theme of orange, blue, yellow, white and red. I want this look to be exremely colourful and reflect both the bright embroidery found in Native American clothing and the festival outfits of the Navajo tribe, and the colourful beaded jewellery and fabric of the Fulani people. I think these colours will look great against the dark hair of my male model. 

Model Casting - Nuval

The second model that I have cast, as my catwalk model, is Nuval. I chose him because he is a stark contrast to my first model, and because he has the perfect skin tone, hair and eye colour for what I want to do with my catwalk look. He has great bone structure which I think will come out really well on camera, and he is Indian and African origin, which is the perfect combination of my chosen tribes! I think my catwalk look is going to come out really well using this model.

Model Casting - Amelia

 

 I have been on the lookout for models for both of my shoots. When we were first given the brief for this project, we were told to choose our models carefully, and cast them with the project brief and our final look in mind. I know that I definitely want to use a male and female model just to keep things interesting, and I am fairly certain at this point that I want to use a female for my editorial look, as this one will most likely be more feminine in design anyway. Although at first I was focused on trying to find an ethnic model, I later decided against that for this look, as I found the perfect model. I also realised that the design and techniques I have been working on will work just as well, if not better on my chosen model. 

 Her name is Amelia, and there are a number of reasons why I have cast her. Her skin is exceptionally clear and she has lovely features, and long hair that I could do plenty with. The main reason that I have cast her is for her eyes. They are big and very pale blue, and with the colour palette that I already have in mind for my design, I know that they are going to look amazing on camera. I'm really excited to shoot her. 

Skills to Consider: Wig Application

Out of everything we have learned throughout this module, wig application is my FAVORITE! I absolutely love how quick and easy it is to do, but how EFFECTIVE it is- it can completely change your model, and take a makeup look to a whole new level. Preparing the model's hair underneath the wig is really simple and will save so much time, and I think as long as I can manage to find the right kind of wig for my look, and in good quality, it is definitely something I want to use. I'm really really excited about this one!

Skills to Consider: Scarification

With almost every tribe that I have researched so far, Scarification seems to play an important part in their identity. Whether they are long, thick scars, small raised nicks in the skin, or full-on body modification, scars are an important part of identifying who who belongs to which tribe, who's who within that tribe, and in some cases, documenting your family and your history. From what I have seen and heard so far, scarification seems to be the popular technique of choice for final designs, and I have seen alot of scarification in editorial shoots on the internet and in magazines, and that makes it a less desirable choice for me. However it does look amazing when done properly, so it is still something to consider.

Practical Skills to Consider: Freehand Patterns

A freehand pattern painted onto the skin seems like a surefire way to create a tribal look - I really like the effect that this gives, especially in a graphic colour like black or white, and in the gold that I have used here. The only issue I have found with this technique is that it does take some time, especially when trying to make all of the lines perfect, which is important in making the design look professional enough. It is still something to consider though, as it have an undeniable tribal feel to it.

Practical Skills to Consider: Sculptural Hair

I really love this faux mohican that I created using just pins and backcombing. It took some time to tease the hair enough to get it to stand, and to pin it all into place so that it looked even with no gaps, but on the whole was very easy to create using little product. I think with some coloured spray or crepe hair added in, it will look very quirky, modern and tribal. Its definitely a technique I will remember when it comes to designing my looks.

Practical Skills to Consider: Texturising the Skin and Hair

Throughout the Wild Kingdom module, we have been learning and practicing new skills that will help us to create the best look that we can. Although all of them have been exciting and helpful to learn, I'm sure it would almost be almost impossible to incorporate them all into two looks, and there stands the risk of overkill! The style of makeup design that I strive to achieve leans towards a more simplistic, striking look, so it is important for me that I choose carefully which techniques will work in my designs and make them the best they can be. Here are some of the techniques we've practiced that I am considering incorporating into my designs: 1. Adding texture to the hair and skin.

Challenges: The Mashup

The first challenge that I have come across, as I mentioned in my last post, is not to do something that has already been done too often. It is proving difficult to find the balance between not doing something too 'authentic', as in too close to the real thing and making it commercial and editorial enough, and creating an interpretation that has not been seen or done before. My solution for this as it stands is to look to other sources and authentic items, such as the jewellery and materials worn by the people of the two tribes, along with materials they wear and materials they use to create their makeup. I will also look at the things that they use in daily life and the things they hold sacred, such as natural earthy materials, animals, and they landscapes that they live on. 

The other challenge that I've found so far is creating a believable mashup using the two tribes. While the Fulani people and Native American people are very different and from completely different areas and types of places, it is important that I find common ground between the two so that I can make a complete and striking look that combines elements of both tribes, but also keep some continuity between my two shots. I want them to be completely different in design and colour, but have a mash up of elements that are continuous throughout, like the two tribes I have researched.  

Inspiration: Native American Tribal Style in the Fashion and Makeup Industries

As with the African and Fulani images from the fashion and makeup industries, here are some images from fashion shows and editorials where Native American style and influences have been used. I chose each individual image carefully because each one comes from a very different place, representing how the Native American style is an influence in all areas of the industry. Some are from commercial fashion shows, some from more amateur beauty editorials, and some editorials from more alternative magazines. Again, my aim is not to use these as inspiration for my own looks as such, just to see how Native American tribal style has influenced modern style, and to see what has already been put out there. 

Inspiration: African and Fulani Style in the Fashion and Makeup Industries

As I have already posted the best photos I could find of traditional Fulani tribes people, I thought I would look to the fashion and makeup industries for inspirations of Fulani and African styling and makeup. Since the Fulani tribe specifically is very small and not that well known, most of the pictures I found and liked are mainly of generalised African styling and makeup - they are however very closely linked so I still found this useful. Although I aim never to do something that has already been done, and don't usually look to secondary sources as inspiration, I found it extremely interesting to look at how African style is represented in the industry. It also helped me to see what has already been put out there, and therefore what I could do differently. Here are my favorite inspirational images: