Megan Hoff

Reflective Journal

In this post, I will break down and reflect on all of the steps I have taken on my journey towards my final piece of this unit, including any workshops or work experience that I have taken part in between the time the unit was active.

23/01/2023 – Today, my unit 11 brief was launched. As a class we brainstormed what is culture, British culture, and what makes you, before we completed research into the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation.

23/01/2023 – In today’s hair lesson we continued our braiding practice. Here I produced two fishtail braids. Although I still need some more practice to perfect this technique I now feel much more confident. Additionally, I created my first cornrow braid. I created this braid on a much larger scale than usual as it was my first try – so I could get used to my hand placement. Now I feel much more comfortable creating the effect I must practice at its usual, smaller scale.

25/01/2023 – Today, I have my first two University Interviews, at Solent University in Southampton. I am very nervous as this is my first choice university and I would really like to secure a place here. After attending my interview I feel confident I did the best I could. However, I do regret booking my first choice uni interview first – as I went in really nervous because I didn’t know what to expect, and I do believe this showed through my body language and therefore It did not necessarily go as well as I had hoped, and I feel I could have done so much better.

More than 100 jobs could be lost at Southampton Solent University | Daily Echo

27/01/2023 – Today, I received an email from Solent university informing me I have secured a conditional offer for my chosen courses. This offer is conditional to me achieving over 88 UCAS points at the end of this year, which I am fairly confident I will surpass – due to my predicted grades. I am so happy I received this email, as I previously mentioned this university was my first choice and I was scared that my nerves had gotten the better of me in my interview. Overall I am so happy with this result, and have taken their feedback onboard ready for my next three interviews.

28/01/2023 – Today, I completed my initial research of Asia and South Africa. I searched multiple aspects of their cultures, looking into stereotypes, significant symbols, facts, celebrations, religions, languages and trends within each area.

31/01/2023 – Today I created some mood boards for the cultures I had completed my initial research on; Britain, Asia and South Africa. I collected a range of images to represent all areas of each culture.

06/02/2023 – On this day I had impact wisdom tooth removal surgery, which had some complications resulting in a longer recovery time, hence why there is a gap in my work.

08/02/2023 – Today was my interview with Buckinghamshire New University. As I only had surgery three days ago, I had to complete this interview online, via a teams call. I didn’t feel nervous for multiple reasons; the interview as over the phone making it slightly more comfortable, and because we have already met Emma from Bucks New, when we had a trip to Pinewood Studios during our first year. Therefore I felt very comfortable talking to her. I am fairly confident this interview went well, and am exited to hear back from them.

09/02/2023 – Today I received an email from Buckinghamshire New University, confirming they have offered me an unconditional place to study. Although this is not my first choice uni, I am over the moon with this result, and it has helped to really boost my confidence.

16/02/2023 – A friend of mine studies fashion photography at Solent University, and is aware this university is my top choice. To help me gain some experience and become familiar with the setting she has invited me to collaborate with her on multiple shoots. Today I completed make-up for the first editorial beauty shoot in one of her classes, completing a workshop on lighting. Below, you can see the inspiration image, along with some behind the scenes and final images.

20/02/2023 – Today I returned to college, where we had a class on the breakdown of Mexican culture. This helped further develop my understanding of the difference between culture appreciation and appropriation, and guided me on what to research when refining my ideas. In this lesson we spoke about how specific symbolism’s within designs can speak volumes, which was really helpful. In this class we also discovered semiotics.

21/02/2023 – Today we had Anne-Marie and Ben, from SIMEX, come to college and deliver a practical workshop on an introduction to moulage makeup, and a theory session on complex human anatomy. These sessions were really helpful, and got me thinking about how I could create realistic looking wounds with techniques and skills I am already confident with.

27/02/2023 – In today’s practical session we started culture inspired body art experiments. Although I didn’t complete any make-up today, as I modeled for a classmate, I practiced my free hand drawing skills by drawing a Koi-Carp ready for one of our next practical sessions. I also used this time to conduct some research into make-up artist, Lisa Eldridge.

28/02/2023 – Rowner Junior school reached out to college asking for us make-up students to complete hair and makeup looks on their students for their piece in the Dance Live! Competition. Today, 12 students came in for a hair and make-up trial, so we were confident with what to do before the show next week.

01/03/2023 – Today I completed an editorial test shoot with Izzy at Solent University. Today we practiced looks that we will recreate in a few weeks for her assessment. However, today we experimented, ensuring we were happy with how the make-up looks on camera. This also gave Izzy the opportunity to experiment with light placements.

06/03/2023 – In today’s practical session we continued our culture inspired body art practice, by creating a mexico inspired piece on the back. I completed some quick initial research into symbols and colors of importance within Mexican culture, before creating this design. Then, in our theory session we created some initial designs, and collected resources for our mood boards. I used this theory session to collect some information on significant symbols within South African culture, and practice my freehand drawing skills.

07/03/2023 – Today we were required to attend the Portsmouth Guild Hall, to complete hair and make-up looks on students from Rowner Junior school, in the Dance Live! Competition. I really enjoyed this experience, and the school was visibly happy with our work, so much so that they have invited us back on the 27th of April, to complete the looks again – as their students got through to the finals.

10/03/2023 – Today, I attended my interview at Arts University Bournemouth. I didn’t feel too nervous today now I know what to expect, however I initially had some technical difficulties while getting my e-portfolio to load which threw me off track a bit. However this was a blessing in disguise as it gave me and my interviewer a chance to have a general chat and get to know each other a bit better. This university does seem great, but is very similar to Solent, and I would rather study at Solent and be closer to home, than movie just for the sake of it.

12/02/2023 – I received a UCAS update today, outlining I have been offered a conditional place at AUB, dependent on me gaining 120 UCAS points at the end of this year. Although this is not my first choice university, I am extremely proud I received the offer, as this means I have been accepted into all of my university choices. As I have received all decisions, I may now accept my offers, and make a firm and insurance choice. Although I am fairly sure which two I am going to choose, I have decided to think about it for a few days so I don’t regret my decision. Therefore, today I completed some of my further research into South African culture; tribes, traditions and history.

13/03/2023 – In today’s practical session I completed my Koi-Carp design, as part of our culture inspired body art experiments. We were challenged to include a three dimensional element such as string into our design. I chose to enhance the mouth and create some bubbles with the string, and really like the overall effect this created. I received great positive feedback from my peers and teacher, especially on; my use of string, the feathering technique I used to create the fins, and the splatter effect I used on the background.

13-16/03/2023 – On the 13th, 14th and 16th of March I was part of the team responsible for creating hair and make-up looks on performing arts students from Fareham College, for their production of the Addams Family Musical. We were all given a main character each, and then had to go as and where needed. My allocated character was Uncle Fester. Although I do not have images of every look I created, I also worked on; Lurch, Morticia, Gomez and multiple ancestors. We received very positive feedback from the actors, directors and audience of the production.

15/03/2023 – Today I missed the production of the Adams family Musical as I had an appointment at the same time I was needed for make-up. However, I used this day to complete further research into popular garments and hair and make-up techniques, as well as famous make-up artists in South Africa. I also used today to accept my university offers. Although I have not yet attended my interview for Film and Screen school, I had already been offered a conditional place meaning I was able to make my decisions now. Film and Screen school, does look like an excellent facility however, I would rather study a course that covers Fashion and Editorial make-up as well as the Performance and Special Effects side. For this reason, I have accepted my offer at Solent University as my firm choice, with my Unconditional offer at Bucks New as my insurance.

17/03/2023 – Today I completed my research into South Africa’s current affairs, and representation within the media. Through this I learned some extremely valuable information, which helped to inspire my further designs. I also created some more face and body plans today.

21/02/2023 – In today’s practical session we continued our culture inspired body art experiments by creating a tribal inspired look on the back. This session was extremely helpful for me, as it fits my chosen culture perfectly. I received good feedback on this design, however I wish I had outlined the elements in black to make them stand out more.

22/02/2023 – Today I received some of the final edited images from my previous two shoots with Izzy at Solent University. She also shared the feedback given by her lecturers, allowing us to create an even better result next time. As some of the images are edited in black and white, we were advised to focus only on the eyes, leaving the face completely natural, as the make-up application on the face created a flat image.

23-24/03/2023 – The teachers at West Hill Park School reached out to college, asking if we could return, this time creating looks for their production of Dracula. I always have a great time working with the teachers and students here, and we always receive great feedback.

25/03/2023 – Today I refined my ideas, and created my final face and body art designs ready for my mood board creation. Now I have drawn out my vision I am really excited to bring it to life.

26/03/2023 – In preparation for my assessment, today I cleaned off the cow horns to prevent any cross contamination that may have occurred otherwise – as they are real so were covered in all kinds of dirt and debris before. Then, I created my feather crown, and packed my make-up case. Finally, I created my final mood board.

27/03/2023 – Today was our practical assessment day. I had five hours, between 9:30 and 2:30, to complete a body art piece inspired by my culture. Then, I was required to present my piece along with my mood board. Although I faced some unexpected difficulties I am overall really impressed with the result of this assessment, and my attitude towards handling difficult situations. After our assessment had finished, we were presented our FMP brief, allowing us time to generate our ideas and think of any questions over the Easter holidays.

28/03/2023 – As most people in my class used other classmates as models for their assessments, they had to switch over meaning today was also an assessment day. However, as I brought a model in yesterday, and wasn’t modeling for anyone today, I used this time at college to generate some ideas for my FMP, and begin my initial research.

30/03/2023 – Today I completed another editorial photo shoot with Izzy at Solent University. Today, we are-created one of the looks from our previous test shoot. I have received one preview image, and I’m so excited to see the results. I was nervous for this shoot, as our model is a student on the Hair and Make-Up design course at Solent University. However, she was really lovely and gave me great feedback. This was also a good opportunity for me as I was able to speak to her about life at Solent, as she is currently on the course I would like to study.

31/03/2023 – Today is the Hand in deadline for this unit. I am yet to receive my final professional images back, so can not yet upload my evaluation or reflective journal. However, everything is ready and waiting to be added to my blog.

05/04/2023 – Today I received my images back, allowing me to completely finish and upload all of my blog posts for the this unit. Overall, I am so happy with all of my work throughout the last two months, and am extremely excited to begin my FMP.

Bibliography

In this post i will use Harvard referencing to document any works I have cited.

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Cocking, Lauren. “The 12 Most Famous Mexicans and How They Made Their Name.” Culture Trip, theculturetrip.com/north-america/mexico/articles/the-12-most-famous-mexicans-and-how-they-made-their-name/.

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Engle, Jeremy. “Is It Offensive for Sports Teams and Their Fans to Use Native American Names, Imagery and Gestures?” The New York Times, 31 Jan. 2020, http://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/31/learning/is-it-offensive-for-sports-teams-and-their-fans-to-use-native-american-names-imagery-and-gestures.html#:~:text=Native%20American%20names%20and%20symbols.

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Holmes, Kelsey. “Cultural Appreciation vs. Cultural Appropriation: Why It Matters | Greenheart International.” Greenheart.org, 2019, greenheart.org/blog/greenheart-international/cultural-appreciation-vs-cultural-appropriation-why-it-matters/.

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LaMorte, Wayne W. “What Is Culture?” Sphweb.bumc.bu.edu, 3 May 2016, sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/mph-modules/PH/CulturalAwareness/CulturalAwareness2.html#:~:text=Culture%20can%20be%20defined%20as.

Lim, Amanda, and amanda. “10 Inspiring Asian Celebrities We Can Look up to.” Marie France Asia, Women’s Magazine, 21 Oct. 2015, http://www.mariefranceasia.com/culture/entertainment/asian-scene/star-power-asian-celebrities-talented-inspiring-134759.html#item=10. Accessed 14 Mar. 2023.

Love, Preemptive. “What Is Cultural Appreciation (and How It’s Different from Cultural Appropriation)?” Preemptive Love, 31 May 2020, preemptivelove.org/blog/what-is-cultural-appreciation/#:~:text=Cultural%20appreciation%20is%20when%20you.

Magazine, You. “The Nation Has Voted This Famous Face as the Greatest British Celeb.” YOU Magazine, 11 Oct. 2018, http://www.you.co.uk/greatest-british-celebrities/. Accessed 3 Mar. 2023.

Nxumalo, Mdu J. “African Tribes | Tribes of South Africa | South Africa Culture.” The South Africa Guide, 7 Apr. 2010, http://www.thesouthafricaguide.com/african-tribes/african-tribes-south-african-tribes-south-africa-culture/.

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Rogers, Richard A. “From Cultural Exchange to Transculturation: A Review and Reconceptualization of Cultural Appropriation.” Communication Theory, vol. 16, no. 4, Nov. 2006, pp. 474–503, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2885.2006.00277.x.

“South African Culture, Customs, and Traditions.” WorldAtlas, 21 Sept. 2018, http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/south-african-culture-customs-and-traditions.html#:~:text=Ancestral%20worship%20is%20a%20common.

“The 15 Most Famous Asian Actors and Actresses in the World.” Next Luxury, 9 May 2022, nextluxury.com/entertainment/famous-asian-actors/. Accessed 14 Mar. 2023.

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Zulu | People.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 12 Sept. 2018, http://www.britannica.com/topic/Zulu.

“TOP 100 LIST of FAMOUS ASIANS CELEBRITIES.” IMDb, http://www.imdb.com/list/ls063067463/. Accessed 14 Mar. 2023.

Visser, Anina. “25 Unforgettable Moment’s in SA’s Democracy.” 25yearsoftravel.traveller24.com, 25yearsoftravel.traveller24.com/25-Unforgettable-Moments-in-SA-s-Democracy/index.html.

Wagura, Mary. “Introduction to the South African Culture and Traditions.” Briefly, 27 Feb. 2020, briefly.co.za/53077-important-south-african-culture-traditions-celebrate.html.

Wells, Ashley. “Appropriation and Appreciation: What’s the Difference? | Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” Www.edi.nih.gov, 1 Nov. 2021, http://www.edi.nih.gov/blog/communities/appropriation-and-appreciation-whats-difference.

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Evaluation

In this post I will create an in depth evaluation of my final culture; body art peace, created in my five hour assessment.

Face; After completing my research into popular hair and make-up trends in South Africa, I learned a less-is-more approach is extremely popular when creating a base. Therefore, I created a natural base layer, using translucent powder to set and mattify the base, as matte products are dominant in South Africa’s make-up market. The base make-up I created was flawless, and created a smooth appearance, therefore creating the exact effect I had hoped for.

Additionally, I learned many women in South Africa celebrate their love for color by creating bold eye and lip looks, using bright colors. Furthermore, when completing my research into tribal make-up I learned the meaning and significance of many different colors. From this, I know blue is used to symbolize trust and peace, while red is used to symbolize daring energy, and urgency. Therefore, I supported my idea on empowering women by using these colors to create a bold glam effect.

Next, I created a modern tribal paint using the colors red and white. Building upon the idea of empowering women through my design, I repeated my use of the color red, while also using white to signify hope and purity. I believe my application of this paint was good, and am impressed with the symmetry I created within this design.

Chest; On the chest, I had planned to create a tribal scarring effect using a SFX technique, allowing me to add more elements of make-up into my design, rather than just using body paints. From a distance, I believe this was very effective, however when you come closer to the make-up I feel the effect is not as great, and looks messy. I chose to create this effect using sculpt gel, rather than scar wax, as it helped to give a more realistic scar texture. However, if I was to create this look again I think I would still use the sculpt gel, but try mixing the color into the product before application, rather than painting over the gel once it had dried, as this method was hard to seamlessly blend into the skin.

Furthermore, as previously mentioned in my last post, I had intended to cover my models breast area with a piece of black fabric. She could not wear a bandeaux or bra as I needed access to the whole of her back. Therefore, I had planned to use body tape to attach a band of fabric across the front half of her body. However, for some reason the body tape would not stay stuck to my model, or the fabric. Therefore, I decided to just use nipple covers, and leave her breasts uncovered, and unpainted. As I discovered within my research into the tribes of South Africa, it is fairly common for young, unmarried women, to have their breasts uncovered. Therefore, this error partially worked in my favor, as it allowed me to represent another aspect of traditional tribal life. However, for my models’ comfort I have censored this area in my published images.

Torso; In my final design, I chose to create a tribal collage on the torso, bordering the South African Flag. Firstly, I think the addition of the flag worked really well with my design, and helped to clearly express what culture I was representing, therefore preventing any confusion. Furthermore, I also like the effect that was created with the mixture of tribal patterns, and color placements, around the flag.

I also planned to add South Africa’s national flower, the King Protea, in the lower corner of the design. However, although it is visible I do not believe it is necessarily clear. Therefore, If I was to create this look again I would add much more definition to this element of my design. In fact, I may even add it on to the leg, along with the national tree.

Arms; In my design, I had planned to create a band of animal prints on one arm, and tribal patterns on the other. I am happy with the overall effect of this, however it didn’t quite work out as planned. In order to add another 3D element into my design, I had planned to use spirit gum to stick strips of string in between each pattern change. However, even though the model had been patch tested, both liquid latex and spirit gum were causing minor irritation when applied to her skin. Therefore, I tried to tie the ribbon around each band, but it kept falling off so eventually I gave up on the idea, as I didn’t want to keep re-applying the string and ruin my paint work. Although I am disappointed that it did not work the way I had planned, I am really pleased with the overall finish. The clear distinction between each pattern helps to show my strong color application skills, as there are no patchy, or ‘muddy’ blended together areas.

Legs; As previously noted, the totem pole was my favorite design on the leg. Although it was a last minute design choice I am so glad I decided to add this element, as it created a really effective finish. However, as you can see in the images the tribal mask face is painted on the side of the leg, rather than the front. If I was to create this again I would ensure the design was central to the leg, if looking from a straight on position, as I feel the overall effect would be much stronger.

Furthermore, the design I created on the other leg, using branches and leaves to represent the national Yellow wood tree, was not as effective as I had planned it to be. As I did not use darker colors, or outline the design, it seemed to get lost among the bright blue background, and therefore it is not very clear. If i was to create this again I would ensure to use a combination of darker colors for the design, and lighter colors for the background, in a bid to make the overall finish more visible. As just mentioned, I would also add the King Protea, South Africa’s national flower, on to the same leg, to prevent it from getting lost among the tribal print design on the torso.

Back; On the back, I chose to create one large tribal mask, surrounded by multiple smaller alternatives. In my final design, I decided this was more practical than the tribal mask collage, as it would allow me more time to create additional intricate detailing in other areas of the design. Although the look was effective, I wish I had added further definition to the masks, allowing me to create a more three-dimensional and realistic effect, as I feel they look cartoon like. I also decided to make a minor adjustment to my design while in the assessment, choosing to add some tribal weapons along with the masks. Although I am happy with this choice, as it allowed me to add yet another element into my design, I wish I had used a darker color to outline the objects, therefore making them more defined.

Hair; When attempting to create my avante garde style, crumpled, cow horn up-do, I discovered my model’s hair was slightly too short for the cage I had created. If I had tried this prior, I could have made the cage smaller, or used added hair in my design. However, due to my assessment time limit there was nothing I could do to tackle the problem without wasting valuable time. I did consider just crimping the hair and leaving it down, but felt this was far too simplistic, and would also take the focus away from other aspects in my design. Therefore, I decided to create my alternative hairstyle, the bubble braid. Although this hairstyle is fairly simple, it allowed me to keep the focus on my body art design. Furthermore, it helped to enhance the feather crown I had made, helping to further elevate my look.

Accessories; For this assessment I had challenged myself to hand make all of my accessories. I created multiple pieces of string and beaded jewelry to help enhance the look, and bring my vision to life. I also collected items such as real feathers and cow horns, allowing me to create an authentic feel within my design. I even included a walking stick, made by my father, as a prop in the images. I feel the use of accessories really helps to elevate my design to a whole new level, and effectively bring my visions to life.

Overall, although the the assessment may not have gone as smoothly as I would have intended, I am very happy with the overall result of my design. I feel I created a great piece of artwork, representing many aspects of my chosen culture. Furthermore, I have proved to myself how far I have come over the last few years, by becoming aware of how strong my creative problem solving skills are. I pleasantly surprised myself with my quick thinking to solve multiple problems throughout the exam, while keeping calm and still successfully completing my design in the allocated time.

Additionally, I feel I have met my goal by effectively creating a look that empowers women. When looking at this image, I sense true courage and confidence.

Culture body-art assessment

In this post I will break down the aspects of my final design in my body art assessment and give a brief evaluation. A more in depth evaluation will follow in the next post.

For the assessment, I had five hours to complete a full body art look based on a culture of my choice. We were only required to cover the face, back, torso, upper arms and legs, however I chose to cover the lower arm and hands as well.

Face; For the face, I created a natural base makeup, inspired by the popular, less-is-more look in South Africa. Then, I created a more beautiful editorial kind of tribal face paint, to represent the modern blend between the tribal traditions, and western modernization. I created a bold blue eye shadow, partnered with a bright red lip, to acknowledge the celebration of bright color in this country. Furthermore, in my research I outlined I wanted my design to empower women, and these colours have meanings such as; peace, calm, affection and draining energy, helping to support this idea.

Chest; On the chest, I created a tribal scarring effect using sculpt gel. I like how this turned out but from a closer perspective it is not as effective, so I would do it differently if I was to create this look again. Furthermore, I had some fabric to wrap around the models breasts as I didn’t plan to paint them, however the body tape would not stay stuck. In the end I decided to leave them un-painted and uncovered (apart from nipple covers), as this is a common practice for young, unmarried women in many South African tribes. However, for my models modesty I have censored the area in these images.

Torso; I am really impressed with how this area turned out. This is the only part of the design I had not practiced prior to the assessment, however I am so happy with the result. I believe the flag in the center looks really effective, and is a great central point for the design, as it helps clearly show who and what I am trying to represent – therefore preventing any confusion.

Arms; I love the animal and tribal print bands I created on the arms. I believe they create a great effect, and help to represent many areas of the country. However, I had planned to add another 3D element into my design, by adding lines of string through each change in pattern. Although this didn’t work exactly how I wanted it to, I still really like the result.

Legs; My favorite part of the legs is the totem pole design. Although this was a last minute addition to my design I felt it was very effective and worked really well. However, the Yellow wood tree design on the other leg was not as clear and defined as I had hoped it would be, making the overall finish less effective.

Back; On the back, I scrapped the idea of a tribal mask collage to help save me time to create more intricate designs on other areas of the body. However, I still decided to stick with a similar aspect, creating one large and two smaller tribal masks. Then, veering away slightly from my design I chose to add some tribal spears along the shoulders, rather than repeating another two masks. This allowed me to add even more elements of the different sub cultures into my design.

Hair; Although I was disappointed that my cow horn, crimped, hair cage plan did not work out, I really like the effect the feather crown creates. Although the hairstyle itself was fairly simplistic, it helped draw the focus to the crown which I felt really elevated my design.

Accessories; Although the cow horns did not work in the hair, how I wanted them too, I didn’t want them to go to waste. Therefore, I used some wire to create a spacer, allowing me to place them over my models shoulders. I feel this created a really effective finish and am so happy with this decision. Furthermore, the jewelry I made to help accessorize the design helped further elevate and really bring my vision to life. Finally, I also brung along a walking stick to use as a prop in the images. This created a great effect.

Overall, I am really happy with the end result of this unit, and feel I have accurately represented my culture, to the best of my ability.

Mood Board

In this post I will break down the elements I included in my mood board.

Once I had chosen my culture, and finalized my design, I created a larger mood board. My initial mood board, included in my initial research, was made to just give a brief visual overview of the culture I was researching. However, my final mood board was much more detailed.

In this mood board, I included a large variety of images to represent many aspects of South African culture. From all tribal groups, to patterns, garments, beauty trends, accessories, architecture, landscape, nature, animals, famous faces and popular colours, this mood board really helped to visualize the thought process I went through when creating my final designs.

Furthermore, I added 3D elements to my mood board, to add texture, and give a more accurate visual representation to my design. I added; cow horns, feathers, felt, fabric scraps, wooden sticks, stamps, beads and paper pom poms.

I also added my face and body plans to this board, along with a brief explanation as to why I chose South Africa, and why I have included certain symbols in my design. This mood board was used to present my piece after my assessment, and helped my assessor really understand the process behind the design.

Final Culture body-art designs

In this post I will explain my final body-art designs.

Once I had chosen to use South Africa as my chosen culture, I began to refine my body art design. Although I liked my previous designs, I still don’t feel they represented the whole of the country, instead they seemed to focus solely on the tribal groups.Therefore, I created another design in a bid to represent many different aspects of this culture.

Face; Continuing to represent the popular beauty trends of South Africa, I chose to create a light and natural, no-make-up make-up base. Then I created a bold lip and eye shadow. After completing my research into popular beauty trends, and the symbolism’s of different colors and images, I chose to use red on the lips and blue on the eyes. I chose these colors to further support my idea of empowering women, as blue represents peace, calm, trust and affection, while red represents daring energy. Then, I added some simplistic tribal markings on the face, to represent the combination of traditional tribal beauty and modern westernization.

Body; In my refined body art design I added a combination of tribal prints, animal prints and national symbols to represent the whole of the country. I used a variety of bold colours and geometric shapes to represent the different tribal groups of South Africa, as well as recognizing their celebration of all things bright and bold. I used symbols such as; the national flower (Pretoria), and the national tree (Yellow wood), along with the flag, to represent the country as a whole. Then, I created a band of animal prints (Cheetah, Zebra, Snake, Giraffe) on one arm to celebrate the country’s wild wildlife. Then, I planned to use SFX techniques to create a tribal scarring effect on the chest. Finally, on the back I planned to create a collection of different tribal masks, while also creating a tribal totem pole on one of the legs.

Hair; Recently, we have began lessons on avant garde hair-styling by learning how to make hair cages. One of my hair designs was based around this. I intended to create a crimped, messy up-do with the hair cage, to mimic a lions mane. I would then use wire to intertwine some cow horns in to the hair cage, creating a tribal warrior inspired look.

PROM HAIRSTYLES, hairdressers, Berkshire and Hampshire

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However, in the case this would not work, my second plan is to create a bubble braid to keep the hair off the face, and back, allowing the whole of my design to be seen. Then, I will use a feather crown I created to finalize the look, creating a tribal leader inspired outcome.

30 Cute Bubble Braid Hairstyles : Sleek ponytail with bubbles effect I Take You | Wedding Readings | Wedding Ideas | Wedding Dresses | Wedding Theme

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Initial Culture body-art designs

In this post, I will show the design process I went through to get my final product, by describing my initial designs.

British Culture

Face; For my initial British culture design, I created a look inspired by editorial beauty. The fashion scene in Britain is huge, with London Fashion week drawing a global audience of designers, influencers and retailers. It is even considered one of the top four Fashion Weeks, along with New York, Milan and Paris. As fashion and editorial beauty is such a big part of our culture, I wanted to represent this in my design. I chose to create a bold graphic eye and lip, inspired by the colors of our flag. I then also incorporated the flag into the design.

Body; For the body, I decided to once again use the colors of the flag (red, white and blue) to create my base. Then, I chose some of the most iconic symbols of Britain, such as; Big Ben, the crown jewels, London underground, red bus, the queen’s guard, and a phone box to decorate the back and torso. Then, on each limb I created a collage of iconic symbols from each important genre, such as sport; rugby ball, football, racket, tennis ball, shuttlecock, food; fish and chip cone, tea, tea pot, biscuits, a pint of beer, weather; an umbrella, the sun, a cloud, raindrops, and a collection of music notes to represent our legendary music scene. By doing this, I was able to represent many areas of our culture, rather than focusing on just one.

Asian Culture

In my first Asian inspired design, I created a body chart based solely on Chinese culture. Colors are widely celebrated, so I used a combination of bright colored and important symbols in a bid to represent their culture. I used symbols such as; the Chinese dragon, a yin yang, temples, a bonsai tree, lotus flower, a fan, chopsticks, a lantern and a blossom tree to paint a picture of a Chinese scene. I also planned to write ’China’, in Chinese, on the leg. Although this design was a good initial design, and literally just a brain dump of images I thought of when hearing ‘China’, I felt I had stuck very closely to their stereotypes, therefore I hadn’t really pushed the boundaries and presented the true beauty of their culture, which is my aim for this unit. Therefore, I created a further design.

Face; For my next design, I chose to represent the whole of Asia, rather than just one area. In my face plan, I decided I wanted to create a geisha inspired make-up. I planned to create a pale base makeup, with bright pink blush, and a smudged pink lip. I also wanted to create a pink ‘blossom’ inspired eyeshadow. That way, I am creating a look inspired by a traditional geisha, without actually directly copying the look – which may cause offense.

Body; As I chose to represent the whole of Asia in this design, I planned to add elements from all different countries across the continent. For example, on one arm I planned to create a Chinese dragon, and on the other map out a traditional Korean floral pattern. Then, I would create a Tokyo inspired billboard sign on one leg, and pay homage to Asia’s celebrations on the other by adding lanterns and fireworks. Then, on the back I planned to create a henna inspired design representing India, while using the front of the body to recognize their celebration of color by creating a watercolor splash effect behind an outline of the Asian continent. I also planned to add some important symbols, as well as writing ‘Asia’, in Chinese.

South African Culture

In my very first design for South Africa, I created a body art design based mainly on different tribal prints, patterns and symbolism’s. I used a combination of bright colours and geometric shapes to recognize a range of tribal groups across the country. I also planned to create a tribal mask collage on the back. Although I liked this design, I felt it was very specific to the tribes of South Africa, and I wanted my design to represent the country as a whole. Therefore, I created a further design.

Face; As just mentioned, I wanted this design to represent the whole of South Africa. Therefore, I created a popular beauty look on the face. In South Africa, a less-is-more approach for a make-up base is very common. Therefore, I intended to create a light, no-make-up make-up, while adding freckles to make it appear even more natural. Then, following along with their popular make-up trends, I planned to create a bold, graphic liner and lip. I used orange for this, to represent their popular use of bold colors.

Body; I really liked the effect the tribal mask collage created, so I decided to keep that element in this look. Then, I decided to create two different tribal bands across each arm, and another around the torso, to represent different tribal groups. Then, I planned to create a beaded necklace illusion paint around the neck, before creating the South African flag on one leg, and using SFX techniques to create a tribal scarring effect on the other.

South African Hair and Make-Up trends

In this post I will explore the popular Hair and Make-Up trends in South Africa, and create an overview of my findings.

As mentioned in some of my previous posts, natural beauty is widely embraced within African culture, meaning a less is more approach to makeup is extremely popular. However, although women commonly create a more natural base, a bright lip or eye liner is fairly common too. Matte base products also seem to be a favorite in South Africa’s beauty market.

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Due to South Africa’s warm climate, and its vast variety of ethnic groups, there are many kinds of hairstyles seen worn, However, braids are among the most popular. All different kinds of braids and twists are worn by different women, including; dutch braids, cornrows, and micro braids. Due to the heat, short hair is also fairly common, and natural hair is widely embraced.

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It goes without saying that Tribal make-up is a popular choice for people within the tribal groups of South Africa. Tribal makeup holds extreme cultural and spiritual significance, and the kind of markings a person wears often refers to their social standing and authority.

Whats behind the Tribal makeup? | Hadithi Africa

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Tribal markings can be used to represent a variety of different aspects of life, including; hunting, religious representation, tradition, military purpose, to scare an enemy, social marking, distinguishing boy from man, representing marital status, and symbolizing different tribes – allowing people to tell the difference.

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Furthermore, a person will usually start with few and simplistic markings and symbolism’s – weather that be with makeup or a permanent tattoo – then, they will add more throughout their life to represent certain achievements and stages of life. Therefore, usually the more complex markings represent a person of much higher rank.

African Beauty Within The Tribe - Sika'a

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Tribal makeup is usually created using either paints or clay’s that are mixed into different hues using dried flowers and plants. The color of each tribal marking also holds significance. Below I have created a list of the main colors incorporated within tribal markings, and their individual significance.

Red – Danger, Daring, Urgency, Energy.

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Blue – Peace, Calm, Trust, Affection.

Grey – Security, Authority, Maturity, Stability.

Black – Power, Evil, Death, Mystery.

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White – Hope, Purity, Light.

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Green – Life, Growth, Freshness, Healing.

Purple – Royalty, Luxury, Wisdom, Passion.

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Yellow – Joy, Warmth, Energy.

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After completing this research I know I definitely want to incorporate both the popular natural, no-make-up make-up, and the tribal marking makeup into my design. I will use this color guide to help me represent different elements of the culture.

Bongi Mlotshwa

For this task I was required to research two make-up artists. The second MUA I chose to study was Bongi Mlotshwa. As I have chosen South Africa for my culture, I felt it was appropriate to research one of the country’s largest names in hair and make-up.

Born on the 30th of September 1969, in South Africa, Bongi Mlotshwa is a renowned make-up artist, working mainly in film and TV. Her professional journey began in 1997, when she studied make-up at the Face To Face Academy. She is also mother to one of South Africa’s most famous actresses’ and TV presenter, Mbali Mlotshwa.

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During her career, Bongi has worked as a celebrity make-up artist, but has mainly focused her work on film and TV soaps. Known for her gorgeous, less is more finish, Bongi is a perfect example of the embrace for natural beauty that is celebrated in South Africa.

Bongi’s work can be seen in soaps and films such as; Generations; The Legacy, The river, Zulu wedding, She is King, Farewell Ella Bella, Society and State enemy no.1. She is also responsible for creating the Plan B Beauty Team, mentoring young and upcoming hair and make-up artists, allowing for a smoother transition into the industry.

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Within her 29 year (and continuing) professional career, Bongi has been nominated for multiple Golden Horn Awards including; wardrobe,make-up and hair styling in a TV soap (2016), make-up and hair in a TV soap (2017), best achievement in hair and make-up for telenova (2019), Make-up and hair in a feature film (2020), and Make-up and hair styling for a TV soap (2020 and 2022). She has won twice, being awarded the SAFTA Golden Horn for Best Achievement in Make-up and Hair styling in a TV Soap in 2016, for her work on Generations, as well as winning the same award in 2020 for her work on The River.

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Lisa Eldridge

For this task I have been asked to research two make-up artists. The first I decided to study was Lisa Eldridge. I decided to research Lisa as I love her initiative and creativity. She has created a large range of looks, including an editorial shoot for Dansk Magazine, in which she created a makeup look using only paper.

Known as one of the world’s leading Make-Up Artists, Lisa’s prestigious artistic instincts are wanted by celebrities, designers, editors, photographers and art directors all over the globe.

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Lisa has famously worked for some of the industries biggest names in fashion, including; Chanel, Calvin Klein, Chloè, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Hermes, H&M, and Prada, celebrities including; Dua Lipa, Lily Collins, Cindy Crawford, and has even crafted runway for; Nicole Farhi, Matthew Williamson, Alberta Ferretti and Yohji Yamamoto.

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Born on October 26, 1974 in New Zealand, Lisa found her passion for make-up at a very early age- around six years old ! Lisa often recalls the day she discovered a box of vintage make-up from the 60’s at her grandmother’s house, and instantly fell head over heels in love with the idea of working with make-up. On her 13th birthday, Lisa received a book about theater make-up, and became confident this was her career path for life – to the extent Lisa even recalls telling her teachers she didn’t need to study math as she wanted to be a makeup artist. During the 80’s, it would have been rather unusual for a person so young to have their heart set on this kind of career, but Lisa was destined to get where she wanted to be and never let anyone get in the way of her dreams.

https://www.lisaeldridge.com/blogs/gallery

Eventually, Lisa moved to the UK where she studied photographic make-up at Complexions in the evenings, while working on a Lancomè make-up counter in Harrods by day. During her time here, Lisa began to build her portfolio and subsequently was signed to an agency.

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Her career set off in a storm during 1990, when Shiseido approached Lisa, asking her to work on developing the concept of a new make-up line.

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During her early career, Lisa was hired by ELLE to shoot with model Cindy Crawford, creating many further opportunities for her. This is often referred to as her big break. After this, she moved across the globe, basing in Paris, New York and Los Angeles, however Lisa has since returned to the UK, now residing in London.

42,900+ 3d Globe Illustrations, Royalty-Free Vector Graphics & Clip Art - iStock | 3d globe icon, 3d globe vector, 3d globe rotating

During her global career, Lisa has worked with some of the world’s leading experts in each field. Her work has been published in magazines such as; Vogue – British, Italian, French, Chinese and Japanese – Love, Allure, Glamour, ELLE, Numeo, Harper’s Bazaar, POP, i-D, and Lula. She has collaborated with photographers such as; Rankin, Paolo Roversi, David Simms, Mario Testino, and Patrick Dermachelier, as well as worked on runways and advertising campaigns for; Lancomè , Chloè , Prada, Donna Karan, Moschino, Yohji Yamamoto, and Pucci.

In her first creative Director role, Lisa became CD for Boots NO7 in 2003, and was responsible for the re-launching of the brand. Lisa worked in this role until 2013. Then, in a similar task, Lisa was hired to re-design Chanel’s website in 2011.

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Noticing a gap in the market, Lisa created her you tube channel during 2010 which took off in a storm.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFghPtzFcmyDiID1ASMA4Dg

During 2013, Lisa was named one of the artists responsible for shaping the global fashion industry, by the Business of fashion in their annual Fashion Five Hundred list.

https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/lisa-eldridge?query=Lisa%20Eldridge&offset=0

Then, just two years later Lisa was made the creative director of Lancomè , on the 6th of January 2015. In October of the same year, Lisa’s first book ‘Face Paint; The Story of Make-Up’, focusing on the history of hair and makeup, was published.

Face Paint - The Story of Makeup | Lisa Eldridge

On her next venture, Lisa launched her own make-up brand in 2018. Between then and now, she has appeared on GMTV, Lorraine, and The Today Show, as well as becoming the resident on screen expert for 10 years younger, on channel 4, and hosting Makeup; A glamorous history, for the BBC in 2021.

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TV tonight: Lisa Eldridge examines the history of makeup | Television | The Guardian

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000vcc2

Now, Lisa is a renowned hair and make-up artist, businesswoman, author, and YouTuber – with over 2 million subscribers! She continues to be one of the most admired artists in the industry, held in high regard by all that have met her.