Rough Lil Snaps of the Results!!!

Here are a couple of quick unedited snaps from my shoots:

Delon in his test shoot as my runway model

Delon was an obvious choice for a model. As a large, toned, black male with a face for the runway, he worked amazingly. His dark skin tone meant that the make up worked extremely well. 

As his brows were so dark, I didn't add the black definition which was shown on the face chart, but that was the only real modification I made to the design once in the studio.

The pattern I designed on his chest was made with a topless walk in mind. The stripes continued up his neck to behind his ears so that some design would be showing if he had had to wear anything on his torso. 

Delon's hair was cut so short that I left it free of design. I had contemplated combing out his hair so it was a little larger, but decided it would look too messy. The cut he had was already a little rough around the edges and if it was any less refined, I think it would have made the entire look too messy. 

I think it came out really well as it was.

Though my shoot with Delon would be for the runway, I think he would have looked amazing next to Emma, my editorial model. The contrast of their skin tones next to each other, with their complimentary make ups could have looked exceptional in one image together.

Rough shot of Emma, my pale tribal Princess

I chose Emma for her pale skin and dark hair. The 'Snow White' quality to her played in excellent contrast to the tribal aspect of the design and kept it from looking too 'Wild' in my opinion. I think this contrast of culture and race is common in high fashion, as it is so intriguing.
The only modification I made to the design I had planned once in the studio, was to not add the black defining line to the eye socked. Emma's eye shape meant that the addition of this would have closed in her eyes, and made the viewer focus too much on the upper part of her face. Without it, I think the design is a lot more balanced.
If I was to shoot this again, I think I would create a hair piece to add more interest.

Make Up for Runway

Face Chart for Runway Look for Females

The base of this look, for both males and females, would be very plain to keep the red, black and white looking bold on the runway. The eyes and lips will be free of colour, only prepped with the base to keep them muted.

I want the red areas of the face chart to look as though painted on to the skin with natural elements. To do this, I tested layering streaks of aqua colours, adding highlights of lighter shades over it.

Although I think this look would look good on all models, to keep them looking individual, the red could be changed to a variety of earthy tones, and the placement of the streaks can be moved around the face. I.e: for fairer skin, a deep orange could be used instead of the red. Or for a fuller face, the streaks could be moved to the hollows of the cheeks to create added contour.

Hair Designs for Females - Changes depending on natural hair type

To keep the 'tribal' aspect of the hair, I want to keep it looking 'natural', as though it had been untampered with. To do this, the hairstyle for women would change depending on their natural hair type. As seen in these sketches and annotations, I have designed four key looks, which would work for almost all demographics of womens hair. 

The hair stylists behind the scenes, would work to these four designs for all the models, using their natural hair colour.

Notes on the Body Art for Models - Same for both male and female

 For the body, I have modified the body painting I did for the scarification. Using streaks or blocks of black, red or the base colour of choice used for the streaks on their face, the Make Up Artist would create individual patterns on each model.
The placement and shape of the blocks painted on to the body would vary, based on the model's wardrobe for the show, body type and hair style chosen for them.
The streaks would be drawn in a similar way to those on the face, to have the effect of a dry, streaky paint on the skin.
The design overlaid on these will be the same collection of scores on the skin, and stripes between them. The colour is down to the artist, again, the choice of white, black or the red tone used.

Scarification

In session at uni today we looked at the act of scarring oneself and tried to replicate it on our skin using rice, popping corn and latex! The effects were stunning!

I can't find my images of what I created :/ I'm a little worried! I may need to redo them on myself to show you properly how awesome it looked!

After watching this on National Geographic's YouTube channel:

...I was completely hypnotised by the easy slicing of the skin, the way in which the practitioner made perfect scores into it, all of them the perfect length and distance from each other.

It inspired me to try this.

I used a similar pattern to the one that Benin had cut into his skin in the video. I used the red to show the blood, and added the white and black to make it look as though it was truly a cut into the skin. Of course it was more for impression, for artistic licence than for realism.

I like how it came out. Because I used aqua colour and an angled brush, the original red lines were neat and sharp. The white and black I added, however, were deliberately less so, to keep the hand-crafted, finger painted style that one would associated with "tribalism"

America's Next Top Model

What a place to find inspiration. They always do such stunning photo shoot themes and put a lot of detail into the designs for their models. Just look at these from Cycle 12:

They are all stunning images. I love the combination of thick strokes of colour and the dusting of powder. The over all look reminds me of the Hindu Holi Festival with the bright explosion of colour!

I also LOVE the simple, subtle work done on the hair. While the looks aren't dedicated to being tribal, you can see the influences of tribalism in the weaving of wool and crepe hair though the looks. The braids are DELISH!

This image HAS to be my favourite for the Make Up itself! The colour of the yellow against the models skin is breathtaking and I love that that the focus is on the inner eyes and the frame of her face! GORGEOUS!!

Make Up Collections

When I first got 'into' make up, my first (and current) love was absolutely MAC! Obviously!!! The year I first bought products from them, they launched one of their 'Fall 2009' collections...

STYLE WARRIOR

Press image for Make Up Art Cosmetics Style Warrior collection, taken from Temptalia

While I love this for nostalgia reasons, who can not love it for its GORGEOUSNESS! The yellow is so vibrant on that models skin!! The accessories and everything sing tribalism, without losing any of the modern quirk!!! THAT MAKE UP!!! OH LORD!!! Stunning!!

Product shot from the collection by MAC taken from Beautiful Make Up Search

SIDE NOTE: how cool is it that they took the package design and made it into an earring for the model? Ingenious! 

There is a definite colour palette for this collection. Browns, soft pinks and golden hues. They also took two key bright colours, yellow and purple and carried them through the range. 

KEY: Decide on one or two colours to compliment the earthy tones of 'Tribalism' and make them BRIGHT. 

There is also a sunkissed look to a lot of the products, a sheen or shimmer. The blushes, however, are matte. DON"T OVER DO IT ON SHIMMER!

In the Studio...

As a make up artist, it is my duty to steal all of this loveliness and turn it into art for the body!!

Freehand body painting attempt 1...

I selected a pattern and painted it with a FAT paintbrush and a Snazaroo face paint to to Lauren's chest. Given the largeness of her breasts and the brush, I don't think it came out too badly :P! That blue is STUNNING on camera too!!!

In the World of Cosmetics

One of the first things that came to mind in terms of imagery for the word TRIBAL, was Alex Box's STUNNING front cover for her book 'The Make Up Artist'

Alex Box, cover shot from The Make Up Artist 2010

I don't think I know why this is what I thought of instantly. It's not traditional tribal make up in anyway that I have seen. But it is stunning and so... simple. Just using the plains of the head and a maori-styled 'penmanship', Alex Box has created a refined and stunning new identity for the model.

That said, the head dress and the lack of clothing on the shoulders does suggest at the traditional tribal style seen over the world, of choosing one area of the body to accent and dress up, and decorating it to the nth degree!