Editing A Madonna...

For my final edit I decided to search for a 1950's clock image to cut out and place in the background.  I'd been to see Elizabeth Barnett and that's what she'd suggested they done in the Gaultier shoot.  

I hadn't been able to find a red head piece prior to shooting.  I ended up buying multi coloured flowers and colorizing them red on Photoshop.  This proved successful along with me layering in the clock...here is the final result...

I loved the idea of turning one of my images into a stained glass window.  I loved looking at the me when I visited the V & A i knew this would look great in my book.  I decided that this was the image I also wanted as a stained glass window.  I'd originally wanted to do something extra to use but I sadly ran out of time...had I more time in the future this would definitely be something id work on more.  I added and effect to my final image of Marta then made cut outs and recreated het into the stained glass final image...

Shooting A Madonna...

My Madonna shoot was completely inspired by the Jean Paul Gaultier image from my research.  I sourced materials from Fabric land to drape around the body and a flower head piece to use on top of the head.  My makeup was simple and was the use of the same colours from Jean-Paul's image...I knew how important model choice was going to be for this look. I'd seen something a friend of mine had done and I knew the model would be perfect.  Her name was Marta a polish girl, she had the exact look I wanted facially, I wish she had different coloured hair.  In an ideal world I would of dyed it but her condition was far too bad to change it...

Book Cover Worries...

After spending all night in the library and thinking my book cover is ready for print...i suddenly decided in the morning I hated it, changed the whole thing and resent to the printer.  20 minutes after sending to the printers I had my tutorial with Sharon and Jennifer, they now hated the new one.  Finally we came to a decision about the cover...so excited it's finally gone to print and everyone likes it...

Dealing with sickness and cancelling shoots...

Two weeks before my hand-in and i've come down with a really bad sickness bug i've had to cancel my proposed shoots and try to re-schedule them.  This is making me very anxious as i still have quite a lot to do...

Book Layout...

My images were now beginning to fill the book up.  I was now able to start seeing everything taking shape.  I started now to research quotes relating to my inspirations.  I got the ideas from seminars and courses I'd attended at the Arthur Findlay College.  I also began to look at different phrases from different religious texts such as the bible.  The pressure to make sure everything was looking perfect was kicking in full-force.  One of the hardest things was sizing all the images correctly to fit the book.  This is something i've been pulled about throughout University, I think this is a key area I need to strongly keep considering for my future work.

Editing Auric Fields...

My photographer from the levitation shoot had shown little interest in editing this particular look.  I decided that all my newfound skills were going to enable me to do it on my own.  I put everything to the test and here is the final outcome...

After attending my tutorial Sharon pointed out that I'd missed a piece of hair on one side...I corrected this in the final edit ready for print.

Editing Jesus...

For the photography on the shoot I used a friend Simon.  He's an amazing photographer but also understands and knows how to use Photoshop very well.  We sat together after the shoot and both threw out ideas of how it should and could look.  He mentioned that he knew how to make the wood look like burning metal, I said this is amazing and better than I'd originally thought.  When we were sitting together on the computer he added the effect and then by accident he added it to the whole image.  I instantly fell in love...He'd gone right past it I said "go back immediately".  We found it again and this was the final outcome...

Shooting Jesus inspired look...

I was originally meant to use another male model for my shoot.  A couple of days prior to shooting he made a mistake and had to shave his full beard off.  At the last minute I woke up early and dyed my beard dark so that I could self-style myself as Jesus.  I knew the exact look I wanted from my research I just had to hope I could do it on myself.  In the morning after I dyed my beard, Lottie helped me to pin synthetic hair around my hairline.  i knew this would help in getting the toothpicks to stay in...

I simply began pushing cocktail sticks into the creation one by one until it looked how I wanted it.  I'd gone the day before shooting and sourced lots of rings for the hands.  I knew it was going to be to be topless so as soon as everything was easy we began shooting...

Researching Madonna Inspiration...

At the start of my project Emma Calder showed me an amazing image from Jean Paul Gaultiers exhibition in London.  I knew this was exactly what I wanted to put in my book.  Although I've heavily used the reference, I like to think it's a homage more than anything else...lets just hope I can do it justice on my shoot...

Researching Jesus Inspiration...

I knew a crown of thorns was what I wanted to use for my Jesus inspired shoot.  I'd found an inspirational image by accident at the beginning of my research...

i loved the styling of this shot, how they'd achieved there crown of thorns was something that I wanted to create my own version of.  I also loved the use of jewellery.  After one of my tutorials Sharon sent me an image of a crown of thorns she'd found.  It was perfect and cheap to make which was exactly what I had in mind, she sent me a link to the fabulous Charlie-Le-Mindu...

Researching Tombs...

When I went to the V & A to carry out my primary research I was particularly taken by the room in which there are just rows and rows of tombs...

I really wanted to try and incorporate this somehow into one of my looks.  As I began to continue my search for inspiration through imagery I came across a shoot by Steven Klein, with Kate Moss as the model...

I just loved this shoot, in particular the use of flowers.  I knew this is something I wanted to create my own interpretation of.  The tombs would give an element of resurrection to my my book in the religion section.

Shooting Meditation looks...

For the images I'd had a model in mind.  I decide to use a girl Michelle she had a strong look but was also a keen Yoga follower.  I knew this would be important in bringing authenticity to my final outcome. I sourced earrings and decided on one simple gem on each cheek for the face piercing.  Money was probably the factor that held me back from going exactly where I wanted too.  I think considering the circumstances it came out really well...For the hair I simply copied the look used on the Givenchy catwalk.  I attached al the jewellery I'd sourced and put a simple outfit on het with simple embellishment. 

When we actually got on set I asked Michelle to just try several of her Yoga poses and we'd start shooting...I wanted to just try a few so that we had plenty to work with afterwards in order to pick the best possible final outcome.  Here are the final images...

After attending my tutorial, Sharon pointed out that there were two mistakes.  One was on the top, in one shot you could see Michelle's bra-strap.  In the other shot she had a line across her stomach.  I took note and made sure this was rectified in the final images ready for print.

Researching Givenchy Catwalk Show...

I'd decided that part of my Eastern Spirituality section would contain a model posing in Yoga positions.  I went to my tutorial and put my ideas forward to Jennifer and Sharon. Jennifer really liked the concept but said that I should look at Givenchy for styling inspiration.  She showed me briefly in the tutorial, it was perfect it had the exact feel I wanted for my shoot...

After researching the looks I began thinking about how I could achieve these looks.  I went and sought advice from Lottie so I knew how to a) achieve the hair look and b) carry out the pierced face look.  This was also a great help as I didn't really know where to start looking for the jewellery.

Creating the two Native Americans under moonlight...

I knew exactly how I wanted this image to look.  I wanted a moon in the background with my red indian and spirit animal influenced image facing opposite directions.  I wanted to create the feeling of the moon being responsible for the character change.  I'd used the same model so I think this adde to the final outcome.  To create the image Id taken pictures of the moon then edited it blue this had to be done t the same colour of the gel lights used in bit shoots...

Once i'd created the moon exactly the colour I wanted it to be all I had to do was layer my images together on photoshop.  Here is the final outcome...

Shooting a Red Indian...

I'd already completed the first half of this shoot...This gave me an exact understanding of lighting.  We went with the same blue gels to achieve the look...Here is the final outcome...

Researching second Native American...

I had already begun the research of my second Native American...I wanted her to have a more traditional/tribal kind of feel.  Here are the images I used for inspiration...

The main focus throughout my project has been the hair.  I wanted this to look to hab=ve long hair and feathers like a traditional native american.   To achieve I prepared a wig on the block and built up several plaits so I could attach the feathers to it.  I wanted to create something different than just a band with feathers attached...

The week prior to my shoot I helped another student with their look.   This gave me a chance to practice the technique I would use to create my makeup for this look.  I used masking tape to create a definite straight line with no bleeding...

This practice run meant I knew that it would work.  I was doing the same technique but using red paint in a different position.  The results came out very well...

With my makeup now complete all that was left to do was attach the wig and get ready to shoot.  Here is the final outcome of the look ready to go on set...