Summer

Over the summer I worked full time as a hotel maid in the town I'm from. The job itself was hideous but I found myself working alone most days in vacant or departed hotel rooms this meant I had plenty of time to reflect and think about my previous and future years at university. I also found myself feeling extremely lucky that I was in fact at university studying a extremely rewarding course.

Conclusion

      This first year at uni has definitely changed me and not just in a academic sense; typing this from my room where I'm paying rent. Uni is huge change to most young adults lives, thank god I knew how to cook. Makeup and hair has improved my creativity, thinking out the box is second nature now. I think the course has also given me more confidence within applying my work onto what were strangers to working in groups that actually also cared about how well they were doing. What would I change? or even develop from well obviously I will develop my skills, if I could change anything I would make my final Claudia and Quentin designs a little more in the field of obvious horror so for example actually buying realistic blood for Quentin and place that were I placed the red shading. I also need to visit the library more. The relationship's I've built I'm so happy with I feel very lucky being placed into my class group and not only meeting talented people but ones who I'm now living with.

Reflection

1    At the start of the course I was pretty nervous about for one thinking it would turn out I was awful at makeup application or the fear of poking some poor model in the eye with a mascara wand. The technical tutors are literally a god send making you feel relaxed and capable but also showing you before with clear and descriptive demonstrations which help out deeply; everyone is nervous even the people that act like they aren't. We've all come here to do well and get the best grade we can at the end of third year. First year is all about making the silly mistakes and learning from them from applying the wrong mix of foundation for someone face shade to over filling the lips all which I've done. 

          First year is split into two main projects in which are ended with a final creation and Blog/technical final. Not only do you learn in-depth the processes of makeup over the centuries but from research you learn actually a lot of history which is cool to learn and write about (Did you know Queen Victoria mourned for 40 years and had the nickname "Widow of Windsor" after losing husband and first Cousin Prince Albert?) No?. The first project is all about the Elizabethan's; a complete contrast to beauty nowadays. This project was a lot of fun. In the studios we would create authentic looks using modern makeup (No lead please). We also watched a films based on green Elizabeth like the Golden Age. The women who married her country, no mere man. My blog was this project was called  "Little Doll" I realised near the start of the course that I really enjoyed writing and photographing great inspirations or documenting the work in studios. Of course we didn't just spend a couple of months creating clique Elizabethan looks we also looked into the real skin conditions that many people had to deal with from the poor sanitation and diseases that were around. Many things that are in the modern age have been Inspired by the Elizabethan ages which I was really interested by one of my favourite designers ever Vivienne Westwood is one and also Alexander McQueen who I blogged about. Just look at this incredible design from his show in f/w 13; the pearls and high collar. University is all about the independent learning and thinking you are expected not to pack up after a lesson and just go home to watch telly; especially with this course you need to be committed to the work load itself and still achieve more. I looked at a artist called Sacha Goldberger for modern inspiration and something different to blog about, I find his work extremely mesmerising especially this product with the iconic figures developed interpreted Elizabethan. Also the good thing is you actually like doing more take it from the person that hated doing work at school.

       

          At the end of the project we were given a brief on how to complete the work, basically were testing our skills on designing and also working in a pair. Our designs ourselves were given to the partner for them to do on ourselves; I'm a perfectionist so this at first was a test of my patience. Lucky for me me and my partner got along really well and practiced lots out of class in our uni halls. Overall I was happy with my work on her and also what she created for me on myself. My overall grade for the work I was so happy with and actually surprised with. Anna is on the left that is the makeup I applied; I'm on the left, the photo I feels not best represented with what the makeup was on the day and design but I still think it works.

      The end half of the year was for the next project entitled "Makeup in Motion" "Gothic Horror" where we looked at the Victorian age from Queen Victoria to gothic Literature such as Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and the castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole. With the makeup in motion side we looked at makeup in film and creating effects such as burns and bruising and cuts... this was a lot of fun to do, the actual processes as well were great to note down and blog about because they are important to remember for future works. 

 

     This project like the last was also a lot of researching and looking into the historical side of Victorian England. Watching films like Great Expectations and also The young Victoria. One of my favourite things about the entire project was the research by the end I actually felt complete sympathy and heartache at Victoria's life and how she lost Albert.

          Great Expectations was the main read for the project, one of the assessments was actually to create our own versions of Miss Havisham and Estella which was exciting especially as the characters were developed onto our partners only; The projects main idea was to create continuity having two assessments for each look that had to stay the same without difference each time. The angelic Estella to the weathered and lost Miss Havisham. This project was fun but I made a bad/ridiculous mistake of forgetting my wedding veil for Miss Havisham on the second half of her meaning my continuity had a large flaw. Lesson Learnt✔️

          The last half of the project was focused on modern Gothic horror looking at television series and creating characters to fit into a series we had chosen to go with. I went with True Blood as I was a fan of the television series and books. I went pretty in depth with my plans for my character making a big back story that could fit into the show easily. Looking back now I think the actual designs were simple which maybe wasn't right for the project being to subtle but I was happy with them. Was I playing it to safe? yes maybe accidentally I was. I think if my blog wasn't as developed with my plans for the characters my grade would be lower. 

     

      My overall grade for the year fit into a 2/2 bracket which is good but theres definite improvement to be done in the next two years. We are all aiming for a first.  

         What have I learnt? I've learnt that I am capable but I need to use a larger range of models and just carry on with my development of skills. I need to work hard all the time and document everything even if it doesn't seem important at the time. Overall though what a great first year.