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"

"Skin Shows III"

Some photos from "Skin Shows III", a tattoo archive of sorts, by Chris Wroblewski.

Flicking through I took poor photos on my phone (sorry about that) of all the tattoos that had a "Tribal" quality to them! Some of them are amazing! 

I love the use of bold black in all of them! The solidity and intensity is gorgeous! I love that in this one there is a face etched with the twisting shapes!

Looking at it at first, I thought that it looked almost oriental with the curves it used, but now really brings to mind a maori warrior like the one I showed here :).

I don't know if this one can count as 'Tribal' really. For some reason, I feel that the Native American history that has clearly inspired this woman's tattoo is more of a culture of a people rather than lone tribes people.

I don't know if thats a fair comment. I need to look further into it!

Now this one, is most definitely not a tribal tattoo in its design. However, its ETHOS to me is what makes it tribal. The idea that one can cover oneself with a bold pattern and clear display of self like this, is what links this man to the hundreds of thousands of tribesmen who have decorated themselves over the centuries!

It's simplicity lends to that! 

Tattooing the Mouth

The more I look into the idea of tattooing the mouth, the more I find it deserves it's own post away from  other 'Tribal' tattoos.

Teeth Lacquering

While not a tattoo per se, it is a long-lasting body modification, just like the art work on the rest of the body. I came across this image in Catherine Legrand's 'Textiles: A World Tour'. It is of a woman of the White Trouser Yao tribe in the Viet Quang, Vietnam. I'll put in her description of the process because its so frickin interesting!!

Teeth Lacquering on a Yao woman, from 'Textiles: A World Tour'

I make the dye by crushing ants wings in lemon juice and letting the mixture steep for seven days... I do it at night and repeat the process at least five timesm until my teeth are really black. In the meantime, I just drink, no eating. I do the whole thing again every year. The dye stops your teeth decaying

In the book it talks about other mountain tribes in the Viet Quang who practice similar techniques. On further investigation, I found this article that says that 'it was believed that only savages, wild animals and the demons of the underworld had long white teeth'. For this reason, it was common for children across Asia to have their teeth filed down or painted as they hit puberty. 

Tattooing In the Tribal World

It's hard to know where to start looking for inspiration on "Tribal" tattooing, without becoming overwhelmed at the seemingly infinite number of designs. Thousands of different clans of people use them to show thousands of different messages.

 For religion, to respect the dead, to show age, for protection against evil, to take power from animals, and many more reasons, people have permanently decorated their bodies with unique patterns and shapes.

The Kayapo

Looking at the Kayapo/Kaiapo people again, I saw it mentioned that "After an attack on an enemy village, the chest of the warriors must be tattooed and scraped with the purpose of eliminating the superfluous ‘bad’ and thus dangerous blood".

HOW INTERESTING!!!!! They tattooed themselves while scraping the skin to rid themselves of bad blood from battle!!

That said, I did find this image (admittedly from Tumblr) which showed a young male tattooed...

A Young Kaiapo male, tattoed on his face and torso, from www.tumblr.com

I think it's interesting that he has markings in the same place as the male in the other post... wait... I'll just show you again:

 There must be a significant meaning to painting on the cheeks, shaving the centre of the head, and the red paint used on the eyes and forehead. All three share one or more of these characteristics. The Kayapo are a large group of tribes. I can't see anything to say that all three are form the same tribe. Perhaps it is that they have "trends" as we do... that these stylings are in fashion?!?! Hmmm...

The Moari

A Maori Warrior, taken from EnvironmentalGraffiti.com

The Ta Moko tattooing methods used by Maori tribes in New Zealand are STUNNING! Because of the way that the ink is carved rather than punctured into their sun-darkened skin, the tattoos give the effect of embossing on leather. As though their skin was formed that way. IT'S ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!! Imagine the feel of that under your fingers.

The description from EnvironmentalGraffiti that accompanied this image (->) 

says that "Persons of high social status would receive moko in a prominent place like the face so that their special status was immediately recognisable". So it's almost their uniform!!

Also, it explains that the tattoos are also used as part of the transition to adulthood as they are with so many other tribes around the world. 

Giving it a go... Tattooing

Let rip on my boyfriend with the same design I took from Jean-Luc. Not as neat as I would have hoped, but I think that was down to lack of practice and the consistency of the product.
I used a MAC 210 liner brush and Kryolan black Aquacolour.
I used that hoping that it wouldn't smudge. But because I had to keep adding water and playing with the viscosity, I often ended up with an over loaded brush.
I would need to use a wet water based product next time, so that it dries and doesn't smudge, but also allows me to keep redipping my brush.

Trying to be Mr. Moerman

Soooooo... I gave it a go! Just tried to copy a little section of Jean-Luc Moerman's work into my sketchbook! I definitely don't have his finesse! Then again, his is digitally edited!

Got to now try this on a person :P WAAAAY MORE FUN!!

WOW!!! Jean-Luc Moerman!!

Jean-Luc Moerman and Marilyn Monroe

Restyling a classic portrait

Retouching a Pin-Up

Improving a beauty shot!

Jean-Luc is a Belgian born painter, who modifies old works and collaborates with contemporary artists, to create new images and objects, all emblazoned with his iconic and intricate 'tattoos'. It is amazing to behold and so well done!!! Its hard to tell if his drawings are additions in post or pre-production. Common sense says definitely the former!!!

I wish I had that skilful penmanship! Going to have to give it a go!

SWEET NIBLETS!!!
HE DID A COLLABORATION WITH LONGCHAMP!!! Oh God... if only I had that 600.00 Euros!!!

Jean-Luc's bag for Longchamp, taken from his website

PLEASE LOOK AT HIS FLICKR!

You'll get sucked in!!!

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!!!