Process Steps
Step 1: Creating a concept and plan
The first step of this project was to develop my idea. I wanted to make sure that I knew exactly what I wanted to do and be sure of my final project. The article I found for my project was a large source of inspiration for me. https://mega.onemega.com/futuristic-makeup-looks/ (website). During my soft pitch of my project my peers helped me develop my idea greatly. My original idea was to focus on the makeup of what futuristic people will look like; starting off with a pattern in the eye of small squares inside each other to give the illusion of being hypnotized my computers. I would then print it and use acrylic to strictly paint the face, (eyes, nose, lips, eyebrows) in black and possibly tints of blue. My last step of this project would then be to add some type of plastic, I was considering vinyl, as the last layer. After pitching this idea and concept to the class I decided to take the idea of using my face as a canvas and my medium being paint. I decided to change the medium to makeup and make the project what it is about, futuristic makeup.
Step 2: The start of Photoshopping
This is the beginning of when I was photoshopping. I inserted a JPEG from Illustrator after applying my pattern in the eyes. I then started to use the brush tool to add a slight layer of grey tone over my skin. I turned the opacity to 20% so it became more of a wash rather than an obvious layer on top of the skin. At this point the idea of adding the pattern to the background had not occurred to me yet and I was planning on leaving the background plain. As you can tell by the photo, I took a studio light and positioned it to the right of me to create a cast shadow to add a light source.
Step 3: Before the refining and editing
This is what my piece looked like when I did a test print and laminate. I added the pattern to the background and used the stamp and eraser tool around me to create precision. I also decided to explore and add geometric shapes and planes to my face to further intensify the concept of becoming robotic. I also chose to add more grey and blue undertones. I chose to leave my hair the color it is because it adds contrast and gives the piece something to stand out.
Overall Process:
Overall I feel this piece has the most progress out of all of my projects that I have done for this class. My initial idea of what I wanted to do evolved and it actually became more of what I wanted to create when I decided on my final idea. This project is one of the most personal to me because of what makeup means to me and how it has helped me grow into the person I am today. A lot of people do not think twice about makeup but for me it is the opposite and has influenced who I am today. The reason why it means so much to me is because it helped me when I needed it the most. In my first few years of high school I struggled with anxiety and almost nothing would help. After school I would sit in front of my vanity, put some music on, and do my makeup and it would all go away. I finally felt like I was apart of something, the beauty community. When I use makeup in my art it isn’t just about aesthetic reasons but rather how it makes me feel on the inside. I am happy I chose to do this on my face rather than on a canvas because it gives it a deeper meaning. In a sense I can relate this whole project to myself and how the eyes are being taken over by something bigger and more than me. Mental health takes over your body and turns you into someone your not and that is how I felt. This project was very reflective of myself and made me see how much I have grown since then, in more aspects than one. When I look up at my process photos it all makes sense to me in my head. I had a clear plan in the beginning but it evolved and I tried new things such as adding the shapes to the face and the pattern to the background. It made the piece more interesting and added more dimensions. This is only something you can do through the process. What I realized most is that if you only do what you plan out then you aren’t really trying new ways to make your piece better. Overall I am glad that my plan changed and grew into something more complex.
Final Piece:
This is my final piece. I added shadows to the sides of the walls to make it appear more three dimensional. I decided to use the paint brush tool to paint white in my eyes around the pattern. I did this because I thought it would seem more artificial and allow the pattern to stand out. One of my last steps was using the selection tool to select my lips, pick the color, fill with the fill bucket, and then layer on top the different tones so that it is sharper. The last thing I did was select my face and change the colors to more blue and cool tones. I also blurred my face from filters to create a smoother, more blended look. I think all of these small steps helped the piece stand out more, become clearer, and overall have a more refined look and feel.
