And indeed it twas. Not cold by many people's standards, but when the wind is kicking, and you're on top of a seven story building, it goes right through your clothes. I felt rather bad for our model, as my hands were freezing. Luckily the actual makeup construction took place elsewhere where it was not quite so cold.
I am exceedingly proud of the work I did yesterday. It was certainly my most experimental work to date. My boyfriend/photographer watched the process, and when I had started laying the ground work, I could see the dismay starting to show. It wasn't till some time later when I had all the contouring in place, and the highlights blended out that I think he realized what I was trying to accomplish.
I had spent weeks planning that look, obsessing over it. It seems to me that makeup artists these days are all focused on lips and eyes. That's all anyone cares about these days, is advanced eyeshadow techniques. The look I created was all focused on this model's beautiful ethnically African cheekbones. And while that look included the eyes, their own contouring was simply an extension of what I was trying to achieve with her bone structure.
It seems to me also that when people think of makeup artists these days, they think of these black-clad, multi-colored haired, tattooed, and extremely heavily made up humans you see in the MAC stores. Now, don't get me wrong. I have tattoos and piercings. But at my job, I have to cover them. They are not part of our mise-en-scène. When I am on-set, I wear jeans, loafers, a t-shirt, and whatever layers I need to keep myself comfortable. I generally have my hair tied back in a bandanna. The only thing that separates me from an anonymous lighting assistant (which I have also been known to do) is the ever-present overloaded brush belt. I very rarely wear more then sunscreen, foundation, powder and eyebrows during these things. I am not, nor will I ever be the makeup artist clicking around in stiletto heels.
But seriously: What happened to skin looking like skin? Or using beautiful ethnic features to an artist's creative advantage? Why must everything be "corrected"? It hurts me so much when I see the plastic-looking PhotoShop employed on so much commercial work today. Skin has a texture. There are certain creases around the eyes and face that are not so much a sign of age, but the stamp of the character that makes the individual what and who they are. While I am certainly capable of applying makeup in a way that will speak to the person' strong points, I see no reason at remove all a person's "flaws".
Anywho. As soon as the photos have been finished, I'll post a couple highlights. Look forward to it.
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2 comments:
not all of us photographers photoshop images to death. i hate that as well, and don't do it unless it has been impossible to persuade a big money client to do otherwise. every once in awhile i notice that a magazine has over-retouched images for me because they want that plastic feel, and then i can't show the tears anywhere because it doen't look like my work. i like natural faces and bodies, please!
Horray, someone agrees with me! Thanks Kristiina.
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