For my design idea on Claudia and Quentin I decided to choose the American hit TV series American Horror Story - Coven. The episode that I am focusing on is part of the fourth series where the witches of the coven have to undergo several tests to determine who will become 'Supreme'. Claudia who is also a witch took part in the tests but failing in the decensum test in which the witches have to go into hell and come out again. Claudia could not return after the hourglass was up and so she is stuck in her own personal hell forever.
Claudia's vision of hell is her old apartment where she lived with her boyfriend Quentin. Claudia and Quentin are both obsessed with the way they look and their whole being revolves around vanity. Claudia who is constantly trying to impress Quentin becomes jealous when she hears voices telling her that Quentin may be cheating. She was unaware of her powers when with Quentin and acted out because of his suspicious and flirty ways towards the neighbour next door that visited once and a while. Both Claudia and Quentin were always striving for perfection Claudia to impress him and Quentin because he was quite the ladies man. They both appear plastic and doll-like in Claudia's 'hell' as that's ultimately what they both wanted. In a jealous rage one evening as Claudia was sat drinking tea, Quentin then enters asking Claudia 'what the hell are you wearing' she then replies asking him where he's been and as he answers saying he's been out with friends thee voices once again tell Claudia that he is lying and in a jealous rage she smashes her teacup, picks up a shard of china and slits Quentins throat.
She relives this moment over and over again on repeat and can never alter the outcome this is why it is her idea of hell. Everytime Quentin is killed he comes back as someone different depending on how she's feeling, most of the time he appears smart, good looking and cocky but when she's feeling helpless he turns into a childhood sweetheart kind of guy.
My final designs for Claudia and Quentin are going to reflect the feeling of vanity and I'm planning on having Quentin appear plastic and fake and having Claudia looking doll-like and creepy almost like a stepford wives sort of thing using bright colours.
For her hair design these are my initial ideas just using images I've found to inspire me.
My plan is to hopefully use a similar dress to the girl in the top left picture holding the telephone with big bouncing curls and big baby-doll eyes. I want her to appear as if she's trying to be the perfect wife!
My original make-up design and facechart was inspired by the John Galliano look I did in class from 2010 s/s by Pat Mcgrath. I am now howver thinking of toning the makeup down in colour as this design might not work as well with my styling and overall theme.
Facechart 1
Facechart 2
Quentin's design is going to feature prosthetics to make the skin appear plastic and as if the model has had surgery to enhance certain facial features. I've recently looked at Philip Toledano's photography work for 'A new kind of beauty' he has photographed people who have undergone surgery questioning whether it is us stipping down our own original selves, whether we put our fate in the hands in the surgeon, whether we are influenced by contemporary culture or simply revealing who we really are? The way in which they are photographed portrays them in a powerful manner not in a way that we sometimes see on TV which often appears in bad taste and we as a viewer are almost made to feel sorry for that person. These models from Philip Toledano's work look content and the images remind for some reason of ancient greek and roman portrait images due to their stance and demeanour.
Here is a link to Philip Toledano's work:
http://www.mrtoledano.com/a-new-kind-of-beauty
Through a bit of research I've come across a few videos showing how to apply prosthetics to the face to create that high cheekbone look that many people aspire to have and have undergone surgery for. Here is a video from one of my favourite make-up gurus Chrisspy showing how she recreated Disney's Malefient look. I know this is very different to what I'm trying to achieve but the technique is still helpful!
Ballistics gel is also supposed to be good in replicating human flesh and there are cost effective ways of making it yourself and I may see which one looks more effective on the skin.
To make the skin look plastic I am going to see if I can use liquid latex and also speak to a lecturer to find out what products would work best to get that shiny effect.
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