Hi, I'm Shannen and I'm in my first year of studying Hair and Makeup design at Southampton Solent. Currently I am working on a project based on Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I will also include research and inspiration of Gothic horror and Gothic fashion. Right here on my blog is where I will share all my thoughts and progress with anyone who is interested, hope you enjoy! :)
Wednesday, 9 April 2014
Hair – the mad hatter
BBC Three had a
series called ‘Hair’ a group of people were competing against each other to
become Britain’s best amateur hair stylist. There were six episodes during the series;
there was one specific episode that really inspired me which was when the hair
stylist had to create a fairy tail through their hair design.
Katie Crompton's mad hatter made of hair
One contester, Katie Crompton, created a Mad Hatter made
from hair. This also reminded me of The Vogue Netherlands
‘Neo-Victorian’ that I previously posted on my blog. Katie originally made her
mad hatters hat from wire, cardboard and synthetic hair. Her final hair design
in this episode was amazing. This made me think that I could create something
similar for Quentin.
I also then watched Tim Burtons Alice in Wonderland with Johnny Depp playing the mad hatter. I began picturing Quentin in my head as a mad hatter. Quentin is a figure of Claudia's crazy imagination. This could mean that Alice is a representation of Claudia.
I would love to base my Quentin designs around the mad hatter and develop it into something with a more Gothic feel to it.
Reference
[Online] [Image] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bh8Yrl6IgAAdxLG.jpg last accessed 9.4.14
[Online] [Video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPK67tnsfZc [found on YouTube] last accessed 9.4.14
Claudia the femme fatale
Femme fatale - an attractive and seductive woman,
especially one who will ultimately cause distress to a man who becomes involved
with her:
‘a femme fatale
who plays one man off against another in pursuit of money’
These images below are from a ‘Timeless Femme Fatale’ photo shoot
which were found on trenthunter.com. The specific images in this post were
released in Anidote magazine to showcase the little black dress. The model
Malgosia Bela was photographed in many little black dresses for the feature in
the magazine, all the photos were taken in black and white by Jan Welters.
It was said that these images all has a seductive femme
fatale quality. The makeup artist that worked on this shoot, Juergen Braun used
a lot of contouring to emphasis Malgosias amazing bone structure.
For my Claudia designs I want to have a strong structure to
the face, I will do this by strongly highlighting and contouring the face.
These images are great for showing structure of the face.
[Online] [Image] http://cdn.trendhunterstatic.com/phpthumbnails/159/159825/159825_1_600.jpeg last accessed 9.4.14
[Online] [Image] http://cdn.trendhunterstatic.com/phpthumbnails/159/159825/159825_4_600.jpeg last accessed 9.4.14
[Online] [Image] http://cdn.trendhunterstatic.com/phpthumbnails/159/159825/159825_6_600.jpeg last acessed 9.4.14
Glitzy Gothic editorials
Glitzy Gothic editorials
This image was photographed by Thomas Lagrange for Jacquelyn
Jablonski Antidote magazine. The images that were released in this magazine
spread where known as ‘elegant and edgy’.
I love that the lips in the image are the main focus. The shoot was
inspired by vampires; these images were released in 2011 when the Twilight saga
by Stephanie Meyers was huge.
Lipstick, high heeled shoes, leather and lace all in black
are always a must have for any women’s wardrobe. This image also reminded me a
lot of Jessie J’s ‘Do It Like A Dude’ music video which was released on 18th
November 2010 while the video was filmed on 25th and 26th
October 2010.
The beginning of the video shows a close up of Jessie J’s black
jewelled lips while she beings to sing. The video was filmed in a dark hall
tower, a very dark and gloomy setting which I think can also reference to a
gothic theme. After I watched the whole of the video, it made me think of
Claudia as Jessie J is acting in a very strange way throughout the video. She’s
often making sharp movements, shaking her head exaggeratedly. At the end of the
video Jessie J disappears, I can image Claudia having the same mannerisms as
Jessie J has in this video.
I think dark lips with a bit of ‘lip art’ is something that
I will include in one of my face charts for Claudia.
To gather some more inspiration to begin
designing some hair and makeup looks for Claudia and Quentin I wanted to look
more into Gothic fashion. Here are a few images that I think are interesting. All
these images on this blog post were found on trenthunter.com
Black Celebration
Black Celebration
There was an article that was fitted with
this image which was called ‘The Dress to Kill ‘Black Celebration’ Editorial is
Glamorously Dark’ it was published in October 2012. This image was
photographed by Toronto and Montreal-based photography duo Lily & Lilca.
This image is a very modern take on Gothic
fashion. It has reference to other era and how fashion constantly goes around
in circles. The eye makeup that the model is wearing in this image could be
relevant to Claudia reminds me of tears running from the eyes, although this
looks like it is feather like material that has been stuck to the face. The
hair in this photo is very simple like when we created sleek hair in a
practical lesson. The block fringe is very bold and eye catching.
These Ludivine Poiblanc Looks are
Elegantly Dark
These Ludivine Poiblanc Looks are
Elegantly Dark
This
specific image was one of the outfits from New York-based, French designer Ludivine
Poiblanc and was photographed by Fabien Baron.
There was also an article that was fitted with this
image which was published on 14th April 2012. The article was
called ‘These Ludivine Poiblanc Looks are Elegantly Dark’. Within the
article the writer talks about how gothic fashion has been around for years –
how it formed from a sub-culture that was most popular in the 80’s.
In
the article the writer gave some advice that flowing dresses with pleats,
feather like fabrics, shot in black and white can be great for creating a more
Gothic feel to an image.
The
first thing I noticed about this image was the hair. I love how simple but
effect the dark section at the front of the head is. I definitely want to
include something like this for my Claudia hair design.
The Vogue Netherlands
‘Neo-Victorian’ Editorial Stars Anna de Rijk
The Vogue Netherlands ‘Neo-Victorian’
Editorial Stars Anna de Rijk
This image was published in the Netherlands vogue magazine. This
outfit was known was glamorously Gothic with a modern twist. This dress is sexy
and dark in an elegantly sophisticated way.
This editorial was lensed by Marc de Groot who is a
photographer based in Amsterdam. The article that fits with this image was
published on October 30th 2012. The fashion editor that worked on
this shoot was Marije Geokoop, it was believed that she wanted to create a
damsel in distress vampire queen.
What I loved most about this image was the use of the top hat.
It really stood out to me and I think I could use some inspiration from this
image to include in my designs for Quentin as I think that top hats are much
more masculine than feminine, therefore would be more appropriate for Quentin’s
character rather than Claudia.
To begin gathering some inspiration for my creation of Claudia and Quentin I have been looking at music videos on YouTube that have a Gothic reference. Here are some of the videos that I find interesting that I may use to help me develop my designs for Claudia and Quentin. Some of these videos even shows stories or characters that I can relate to Claudia and Quentin.
David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj - Turn me on
This video was originally released in 2001, on David Guetta album 'nothing but the beat'. The beginning of this video shows David Guetta tinkering
with Nicki Minaj’s singing lips until she slowing comes to life. In the video
Nicki Minaj resembles a doll. She is then dressed in a Gothic 19th century
inspired dress.
Screen shot of the dolls in the music video.
There is other doll like people throughout the music video. Originally
in the video David Guetta was human however he is then stripped down to a doll
made of armor by the other doll like characters in the video.
I love the doll like reference throughout the video, I am going to research further into human like dolls. Although the dolls in the video resemble more china dolls, I would like to explore a more theatrical way to create this effect using makeup.
Cradle of filth - Nymphetamine
Cradle of filth are an extreme
English metal band, this sing was released in 2004. The title of this song ‘nymphetamine’ is not a real word; however it has a meaning of
two words combined together. The two
words are Nymphomanic and Amphetamine.
A nymphomanic is someone who is addicted to sex. Amphetamines are drugs that
cause a deep dependence upon them.
Screen shot from music video
I thought that
this was interesting because I can reference this to Claudia, I personally see
Claudia as a young women who has had a tough upbringing, therefore had become
sick and twisted by watching too many horror films. However I do also believe
that she has been misunderstood.
As this is a metal
band, they are therefore having a Gothic theme to their appearance. Here are a
few screenshots of the video that I would like to use as inspiration for my
Quentin design ideas.
Throughout this video the men in the band have very dark makeup around the eyes and on the lips. I will also do this for my Quentin design however I would like to create a more fashion take of the design. Skrillex - First of the year
This video was
originally released in 2011. This video doesn’t actually have any gothic
reference to it however I think that this video it a more contemporary version
of a horror story. It shows a story of a paedophile trying to molest a young
girl – his next victim. I love how in the video the little girl he is trying to
cause harm upon has a supernatural power, with a creature behind her throughout
the video.
I think that the creature behind the young girl in the video could be seen as a representation of Claudia and Quentin. Claudia is the young girl with a creature of her imagination (Quentin) behind her.
The Cure - Lullaby
This video was
originally released in 1989. The meaning of ‘lullaby’ which is the title of the
song is a metaphor for addiction or depression. This is relevant to Claudia as
she has an addiction to horror movies, and seems to be depressed as she has
imagined Quentin as her boyfriend.
Screen shot of singer with spider web like material
This music video
has a gothic theme to it; the settings are very dark and gloomy. At one point
in the video the singer is laying in the bed with spider web like material over
him. It appears that he is trapped underneath it.
The hair and
makeup for the video is similar to the Cradle of filth video. The eye makeup is
very dark along with dark lips. The singer’s hair is styled in a ‘wild’ way; his
hair reminds me of a nutty professor.
Screen shoot of messy, gothic makeup with wild hair in video.
