Andy Warhol - The Pop Art King

Andy Warhol was best known for being a leading influential figure in the visual art movement of Pop Art.

What is Pop Art?

Pop Art began in the mid 1950's in Britain and spread to the USA in the late 1950's, it challenged Fine art as it included imagery from western and pop culture and usually combined with other unrelated materials. Pop art focused on mass-produced commercial goods, one of the most popular was Andy Warhol's works featuring "Campbell Soup Cans 1962".

"Campbell Soup Cans 1962"

Alongside creating iconic Pop Art, Andy Warhol also explored portraiture and expression within his work called 'Screen Tests'. Screen Tests were a series of  silent film portraits which each lasted around two minutes, they were shot in silent black and white focusing on the subjects, expression, movement and body language. Warhol usually featured his close friends and celebrities in his screen tests and encouraged them to use continuous movement and interactions.

The link below is a screen test of Baby Jane Holzer brushing her teeth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmW4zME8n3o

Isamaya Ffrench - My Make-up GOD

Isamaya Ffrench hands down is the real OG (Original Gangster), Ffrench challenges conformity and norms within make-up application and in result creates visually beautiful and fascinating art. I referenced Isaymaya's works during my art and design course as her works are inspirational within different aspects of fashion,make-up artist, photography and design, like Alex Box Ffrench uses the face as a blank canvas allowing her to paint creatively and freely without a plan.

Isamaya French has collaborated with Nick Knight, MAC Cosmetics, YSL, Richard Burbridge and many other respectable and inspiring practitioners. 

Below are some of favourite images of her works.

"Flowers"

"Lego"

"Practicing self-development"

Claire Barrow x Eloise Parry

"Move On".

Claire Barrow and Eloise Parry collaborated together making a short film that symbolises a focus on change within our lives and leaving the past behind. Eloise Parry's short film reflects on the bittersweet change of subcultures and style and how the past is being put to bed as we enter a new fashion period within history. 

“Move On represents a milestone for us, a change in the direction of our careers and lives, and putting the past to bed,”- Claire Barrow, Dazed and Confused interview September 2016.

“The collection itself was a study of historical dress,” - Claire Barrow, Dazed and Confused interview September 2016. The collection of historical clothing was delightful and intense throughout the film, I use the word delightful as you can relate and reflect on the past with each unique model featured within the film. Each garment within Barrows collection brings a sense of nostalgia as you follow history with every "look", reminding you of the subculture, behaviour, historical, political and social influence all attached to each garment. The generation of today still attach styles to different subcultures yet they no longer hold the same political and social value, in history clothing created identities, independence and personal value, today clothing is simply replicated  and reproduced for the sake of financial values and branding.

This collection celebrates and reflects on the past to welcome the present, but also represents the dying diversity and unique values fashion and style once held in history.

Claire Barrow AW16

Watch "Move On".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10lhEsvc75A&feature=youtu.be

See Claire Barrow's AW16 Collection.

http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/32676/1/claire-barrow-and-eloise-parry-team-up-on-subversive-film

Dripping in Gold

My holiday blues inspired this 'Dripping in Gold' make-up look,  when I went to the Crop Over festival in beautiful Barbados me and my two friends decided to wear glitter all over our bodies and faces to stand out more and the way the glitter reflected under the blazing sun was unreal. All the women dancing in the festival looked stunning and unique and the mix of rich, golden, bright colours and sprinkles of glitter became all one majestic blur. This make-up look is a golden, Caribbean, sun kissed and fun look which reminds me of the carnival and Bajan sunset. 

Products Used

Kryolan Essence palette

NYX Cream highlighter - bronze

NYX Cream highlighter - rose gold

Ben nye pressed powder paletter

Kryolan Brights palette 

Urban Decay naked 2 palette

Mac reflective glitter - holographic silver

Vivo eyeshadow palette - bronze

Kryolan supra colour palette

Kryolan Aqua palette

Soap and Glory black Mascara

Revolution eyeshadow palette 

Bonjour golden highlighter 

Olive Oil 

Mac highlighter 

Gold Glitter

Sci Fi and Highlighting

Since reading Frank Herbert's 'Dune', I wanted to create a editorial style make-up inspired by Sci Fi, aliens and all that good extra terrestrial stuff. The make-up look I created was based on earthy tones which reminded me of the setting of the desert in the book and I wanted to use highlighting products to create a different skin texture and finish similar to replicate Hollywood alien characters.

Products Used 
Kryolan Supra colour palette - gold (base colour)
Kryolan Essence palette- bronze - (contouring and highlighting)
Benefit eyeshadow palette - shimmery brown  (Contouring cheeks, nose, neck, collar bones and forehead)
Kryolan Aqua palette - gold, black (base, lips)
Maybelline kohl pencil - gold (eyes,brows)
Bojour 3d effect lip gloss- Bronze (Eyes)
Maybelline kohl pencil -black (lips)
Urban Decay naked 2 palette - Bronze,gold (eyes, eyebrows)
Ben Nye pressed powder palette - brown black white ( eyes, contouring, lips)
NYX Highlighting cream - rose gold
NYX Highlighting cream - bronze 
Black mascara 

I'm happy with the outcome of this look but to improve it I would have extended the base further onto my chest and also add some scar wax to create small bumps on the skin around the forehead area to make it look more theatrical and sfx inspired but this is something I can re create in the future.

Lon Chaney Sr

Lon Chaney Sr

"The man of a Thousand Faces".

Lon Chaney was a iconic silent film actor often referred to as "The man of a Thousand Faces", physically and mentally Lon Chaney Sr transformed his body and face in order to become different identities and characters on stage. Using make-up, clothing and props Chaney was able to transform himself into different characters in silent films, he was a very talented actor and took his craft seriously taking on different roles as much as he could. His late parents were deaf mutes which explains his incredible ability to communicate without sound and project different characters so well on stage. 

"Chaney referred to his expertise in both make-up and contorting his body to portray his subjects as "extraordinary characterization." Chaney's talents extended beyond the horror genre and stage makeup. He was also a highly skilled dancer, singer and comedian."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lon_Chaney

I admire Lon Chaney a lot especially his advanced skill in make-up artistry and adapting himself fully into different characters, he truly was beyond his time. The following link is to a youtube video where Lon Chaney Sr is acting in "The Hunchback Of Notre Dame", is this short clip you can see the detailing and skill Lon Chaney held in make-up artistry and stage make-up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUWgEvxZUFU

Jack Pierce

Jack Pierce was a Hollywood make-up artist who created the iconic make-up in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1931), Pierce also continued to work in Universal Studios creating makeup for classic monster movies such as Dracula (1931) and White Zombie. When creating characters Jack Pierce preferred using 'Out of the box techniques' which allowed him to build facial structure and features with products such as cotton wool and collodian instead of Latex appliances. It is said that Pierce spent up to 4 hours each day applying and creating make-up looks on actors, it's crazy to think that these special effects techniques are now being overtaken  and replaced by CGI instead of being hand made.

Frankenstein (1931)

The Wolf Man (1941)

In 1946 it was said that Jack Pierce was fired from Universal studios due to him refusing to use the 'Foam Latex' technique. This new technique became very popular in special effects make-up and was very beneficial for film production companies as it was cheaper and quicker to create make-up looks with. As Jack Pierce wanted to honour the traditional techniques, Universal studios were taken under new management who wanted to upgrade their movie to productions to a more prestige quality. Jack Pierce was one of the first special effects make-up artists to create credible and unique works that inspired and continue to inspire other successful make-up artists today.