Sometimes the worst things can be the best

The past few days have been a bit of a whirlwind of emotions and confusion. It has been evident that Chris (the photographer) and I have been clashing with ideas and concept developments over the past week or so, and I have been feeling for a while that the project that I first proposed to Chris was starting to feel less and less like my own. I feel that Chris has been trying to steer it into a direction that I wasn’t entirely comfortable with, as although we are both working towards the same final outcome, we are of course presenting our work from two different fields. 

Both Chris and I are both very theoretical in our approach to work, which is what I have liked the most when working with him as it has added a great deal of depth and reference points to start designing. However I feel that 80% of his work is based on theory, the rest of course within the outcome of his photography. My own work is very much a 50/50 share of theoretical development and final practical skill and outcome and for this reason, there has been far too much pressure to produce essay-like pieces of work to justify every creative idea that I have proposed to him so far. I have been finding this stifling as a designer, as I feel that I am not able to freely produce creative sketches without having to reference at every stage of design, something that is quite tiring and less enjoyable.

Chris and I did our first test last Tuesday 31^st Jan, which I felt went very well. The images were emotive, capturing the beauty and obscurity of what was planned and discussed. The contact sheet from the shoot is here>

 

Chris expressed a few days after the shoot that he felt that the model was wearing too much makeup which I disagreed with, however I was willing to tone down some areas as a compromise for the experimental nature of makeup design to follow in the consecutive chapters. However we have both recently reached the conclusion that having to make such ‘compromises’ for our Final Major Projects was something that we were both unhappy with, and although I have enjoyed working in a professional and collaborative way, it is just unsuitable for the creative demand and freedom that a project such as this will require.

It is the best decision I have made so far in the project, as I now feel totally free to design and create my own limitations, which is refreshing and inspiring for me as a designer. As I proposed the original concept and chapter development for the project, I will continue to follow these guidelines which create realistic boundaries, whilst still allowing me to experiment with designs and be as free as I would like. I am now going to be collaborating with the wonderful Lauren Catherine Kaigg who I have worked with countless times in the past and have produced stunning results. I met Lauren when I first started using Model Mayhem and since then, a great relationship and trust has been formed which is very reassuring for the demand and pressure of my FMP. We have devised a meticulous production plan which breaks down dates, studio times and locations, to ensure that all images will be photographed and edited by 11^th April. This will give me almost 4 weeks to finalise layout plans, get the images printed and finally create the book myself.

 

Originally, the book was going to be produced and compiled by Chris and I, however I feel much happier and more confident to produce everything alone. This is a personal project and upon reflection, I feel that I would be unhappy to compromise my ideas along the way. I do, however, welcome criticism and ensure to take it on board to improve and drive my creativity further. However I feel that the final decision in an FMP should be personal, and although Lauren will be extremely inspiring in taking beautiful photographs and contributing to ideas, I feel much happier and more comfortable with the fact that the final outcome will be a very personal production.

We are beginning to shoot the first 2 chapters from 16^th February as Lauren is away in Berlin next week, which will give me plenty of time to test, test and test some more and source some beautiful models. I am really excited for the foreseeable future outcomes, and can’t wait to work with Lauren once again!

Design Testing for 'Closing'

The focus of the make up and hair design is to maintain an element of naturalism with a suggestive shift into the surreal. I have experimented on myself which I always find very helpful before starting to finalise a polished design.

I want to create a beautifully dewy skin to resemble an element of distress and unknown eventuality (in the context of ascending into a dream state.) The most important element within this design is to make the imperfect appear perfect. This is very effective through a dark, smudged and glossy eye, prominent brow and strong facial contouring as it creates a residual effect. The idea of residue symbolises the thoughts and impressions of her day that she is leaving behind, the experiences of her day are left on her face for all to see.

She closes her eyes


into a space of unknown


infinite


black


resounding possibility


bustling serenity


blissful hope

< The Outline Brow
 This design is symbolic of the way human interaction is trained to follow a guideline of etiquette yet the 'line' is followed by all. It is rebellious, ambitious and simplistically brave.

The Arched Brow > Similarly to the other brow design, this look also follows a guideline of form. It is a much more classic style, highlighting the natural beauty of the brow and eye. It is less stylised than the 'Outline Brow' which may be more suitable to the story as the focus is to explore the model's natural form and beauty.

Mert and Marcus reference

'Closing' - The facets of the face

What is in a face? How can a face identify who we are? Agnes, the character of Milan Kundera’s book Immortality is asking such questions. A face we have not chosen, but given are supposed to communicate our inner selves to the rest of society.

 
Are our faces who we are? Chris and I wish to analyse this further related to photography and the experimental design medium of makeup. Photographs are not necessarily the truth, nor is the exterior of the face, both act as a representation of the truth. The immediacy of a face and a photograph could very well be altered by the creator, creating  a blur of the real and the hyperreal. In a progressively commercialised society, photographed faces are often idolised, resulting in the fade of a rational reality. Before the existence of photography, faces were remembered by minds. Some were immortalised by paintings, which is still prevalent today through artist's work such as Jenny Saville and Francis Bacon; however the fast pace of photography and post production is resulting in the face being explored more and more. We are remembered by a photograph, and this ultimately allows the face to become immortalised through the confines of it.

Chris asks,

 can portraits, that only capture our figurative presence represent our ‘self’?

We will explore this idea within the 'Closing' series by focusing on the intimate details of the self such as the hands and feet, as well as the obvious face in order to explore how geometrical form can hint to emotional and psychological form within. Several artists have attempted to investigate the face in this way such as historical photographer August Sander in 1920s Germany, the contemporary artist Chuck Close and Avedon and Penn’s portraits of selected individuals as well as the images of art photographers Reneke Djikstra and Thomas Ruff.

Physically, our anatomical differences are unique to us, the texture of our skin for instance. Our differences help to identify us and by enhancing this it will aim to focus on the reality of who we really are. Human anatomy was an increasing interest in the renaissance for painters such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michaelangelo. Especially famous is Vinci’s ‘Vitrucian man’ which scientifically illustrates the proportions of a man. Interested in human proportions German photographer August Sander photographed not what people wanted to project, but a deeper psychological reality that was lurking under the surface of the skin. He did this by focusing on their proportions and gesture which is what we aim to explore in the project.

'nothing is more hateful to me than photography sugar-coated with gimmicks, poses and false effects' - Sander

The anatomy in this chapter will become a landscape, vast and unique in comparison to any other scenery. Contemporary painter Chuck Close paints vast images, which at first glance can appear to be a photograph of someone, but when studied closely it becomes abstract and leaves the viewer to make up their own interpretations as to what they are looking at. This is crucial in 'Closing' to challenge the viewer to surpass their own experience and knowledge of human form, and allow themselves to be immersed into the finer details in order to really feel what they are looking at, as appose to just seeing it.

'Closing’ is the moment where the conscious inevitability of sleep blurs itself with the unpredictability of the unconscious state of dream. Hanna Segal quotes 

'It is a surreal moment in time where conscious and unconscious thoughts unite within the realm of life experience' in order for the world of reality and fantasy to join into an ironic state of reality and ‘surreality’. In this series of images we wish to focus on the reality that exists before sleep occurs. The reality of ‘Closing’ is very important in signifying the concept of self as subject of consciousness before exploring the unconscious inner self. Therefore we wish to work with realism and enhance the features of the model’s face. By photographing rather close-up images nothing will be able to disturb the viewer from focusing on the model’s features.

The images will be photographed in black and white to avoid the model's features to be distracted by colour, leaving the image to be about nothing but the exterior of the self. Thomas Ruff insists that his photographs capture only the surface of things, only being interested in producing the image and its means of productio, and leaving the viewer's interpretation to create the resounding depth and meaning. 

Like the analogy of a song whereby a set form of lyrics and melody is presented, the meaning only becomes clear within each individual interpretation of such 'guidelines' of a song. Chris states that

'An interesting portrait is one which we either recognise ourselves in, or reject. Either way it is a subjective experience. The surface will lead to ‘guidelines’ of the viewer to subjectively interpret'.

Craig McDean