There's been a bit of radio silence lately- but I'm back with a new project and new inspiration. Though, before heading off to a new direction, I'm excited to briefly go over what I've been busy with for the past month or so!
After finishing my thesis piece, I got the opportunity to collaborate with the seniors in the theater strand. Their latest endeavor was to create two separate children's shows. A few of my classmates and I were tasked with making the backdrops for each show, as well as a few costume components. The process was a lot more involved than I expected, which you can read about in an upcoming post that you can find under the title 'Lights, Camera, Paint!'
Alright, let's get down to business. This new project will be a refreshing approach towards my artistic expression, especially since it's a collaborative effort! Providing a bright, alternative perspective is my classmate Leilani. I'll credit her with coming up with our theme, growth, and the title, 'How Far Will You Go?'
The project is going to be formatted in a series of three looks based on different aspects of growth: failure, appreciation, and resilience. Each aspect highlights a facet of growth and physically exemplifies the internal feelings experienced during these certain 'stages'. These looks will be head-to-toe, featuring fashion and makeup to express the trio. Once the looks are done, they'll be modeled by seniors in the art academy, including Xavier, Terra, and Leilani herself. Check out some of the planning down below
Leilani is going to be the head designer for the fashion as well as one of the models, which she covers the overall theme and progress as well as her own contributions (here)
Meanwhile, I'll be in charge of the makeup designs that will reflect the theme of the clothing. This is an interesting challenge, since I need to consider the models' unique features, and how their faces' compositions will alter the application of each look. The most important part of these looks is to truly reflect the outfits that Leilani puts together.
My planning for each word is as follows:
Failure: Makeup that mimics the bare face. The eyebrows are covered to remove an ease of expression and eyeshadow will mimic tears. An addition of mascara that has already run from crying, and a very 'raw' feeling will come from this look. Minimal to no contour and a neutral lip color.
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Appreciation: This look will be most similar to 'regular' makeup. Neutral colors with warm accents. The eyebrows will be brushed and lightly filled in. Eyeshadow will be used to accentuate the eyes. In order to provide a softer feeling, there will be a low amount of bronzer and a reasonable use of highlight. To finish off the look, the lips will have a simple tinted gloss.
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Resilience: A very impressionable look. Bold eyebrows carry any expression with lasting effects. A strong contour will help to accentuate the face and sharper features. Eyeshadow won't be entirely prominent, but accent colors can be used to bring out personality. A striking matte lip color will pull the composition together.
Of course, none of these looks were planned without inspiration from talented artists. One artist in particular being @visiblejune on instagram. This artist creates both simple and striking makeovers- with little hesitation to go outside the lines. Her beats (makeup looks) are even paired with hair and accessories to create a cohesive look. Below are three looks in particular that feature unique concepts while maintaining a cohesive style.
Now, planning for this project has been set quite a bit before this post. Thus, Leilani and I were actually able to sync our busy schedules to be able to thrift for outfit materials! Our first trip went surprisingly well. We were able to grab pieces that can be integrated into all three of the designs. The most successful finds were for failure, so we got to work right away on that outfit. As for the other two, they still need more material. Appreciation does have a base, and for Resilience Leilani was enamored by a statement piece jacket- you'll have to wait until the next update to see.
Seeing this project begin to materialize is motivating, and by next time there'll be much more to share. Let me know what you think about the overall project, and any details or extra feedback you have- I'm all ears!