WEBSITE PROGRESS

Despite all the difficulty I experienced with website design, I am now very happy with the layout that I have created - the most important aspect of the exhibition is that it is able to deliver the viewer a cinematic experience. To do this I have incorporated moving images that fill pages accompanied by unnerving text and static sound in-between the silent pages of still imagery.

(I created the sound by layering static tv sound over soft piano music which I have slowed down - the sound used is free royalty music I found on Soundcloud.)

The viewer is greeted by a simple landing page - the logo fades in followed by the explore button which turns red upon hovering over it.

I introduce the exhibition by presenting dreams as unique stories dictated by personal history and emotion. Static sound becomes louder as the viewer reads the statement. 

Images are either displayed by themselves or in a pair to give maximum impact.

Moving images fill the screen as the next character is revealed accompanied by a statement about dream.

When doing my research for sleep paralysis, I came upon this powerful quote describing the emotions, and sensations of sleep paralysis written by Charles Dickens. I thought that this was an incredibly haunting and beautiful piece of text and included it to introduce my character inspired by the sleep phenomenon. 

The exhibition is concluded with a quote from Stephen King leaving the viewer disturbed. 

I thought that it was very important to put the acknowledgements at the end of the exhibition, as the team was kept minimal, the names work when aligned in the centre. The viewer sees a summary of the characters and can click on each character to go back to that specific stage of the exhibition. This page also has much more relieving sound. 

TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT

Perhaps the most challenging part of this project is actually compiling all the materials and creating the website. I am not highly skilled in website design which made the process very frustrating. Having been more concerned over the content of the exhibition, I found myself procrastinating designing and putting the website together. Putting the website together is taking longer than I imagined and i regret not starting this process earlier.

Initially I planned to have a very simple website in the layout of a gallery. Here is a snippet from my project proposal:

I used website builder Wix to create the mock website for the proposal. Since then, I had experimented with alternatives Adobe Muse and Squarespace. I found Muse very difficult to use as it was a software that I had never used before, I decided that I couldn't waste anymore time trying to figure out the software.

Afterwards I spent a long time experimenting with Squarespace. Although Squarespace provided very aesthetically pleasing templates, I failed to find one that enabled me to fully customise the pages - the gallery templates were the most frustrating as they kept cropping into my images and the sizing was a problem. I tried to create the website on a few of the templates before I gave up and went back to using Wix. Wix was able to give me a blank website that was fully customizable and I found it a lot easier to use.

I had fallen out of love for my initial mock design and felt that it looked very amateur. The main issue regarding my initial design was that all the characters are revealed in the home page, I decided that I wanted to reveal the characters as the viewer navigates through the exhibition which would evoke an element of fear and excitement as they cannot predict what comes next.

For design inspiration; I proceeded to find examples of good web design by looking at other online exhibition, galleries and photography portfolios including that of Tim Walker. My main concern was how I was going to arrange the images. I found the Postmatter exhibition which was a one page website, I thought the layout was very sleek and decided to arrange my website in that format to see if it would work but half way through decided that a one page exhibition would make the exhibition experience very short. 

Although I was very concerned about the time remaining for me to complete my website, I had to take a break and freshen my mind. I had a think about what experiences an online exhibition should give to the viewers and imagined what my exhibition would be like if it was physical:

• Visitors are greeted by a black room with an introduction projected on the wall accompanied by loud static noise, they are unnerved. 
• The next room is bright crimson, a projection of a girl dances on one wall to ambient sound - introduction to first series of images.
• The images in the gallery are mounted on black walls, one/two images on each wall

I went on to transfer these room/wall designs into pages for the website. My aim is to create an atmospheric experience for the viewer, as though it was a physical exhibition equipped with sound and movement. 

Website Design Sketch

PHANTASIA TEASER TRAILER

I decided that a good way to promote my exhibition was to create a teaser trailer. I collected and reviewed clips of film that had taken from the shoots and spent a day putting them together to create a thirty second video which I thought was enough to capture an audience's attention without revealing too much, I only showcased three characters out of five to keep the project mysterious.

I spent hours alone trying to find music to go with the video, I decided to use free music from Soundcloud - I liked the effect of the gentle piano, distorted sounds and static which I find unnerving and haunting. I used Final Cut Pro to edit the video, I spent a long time cutting clips to capture the perfect moments and slowed down many of the clips and added different effects to accentuate movement. I found colour correction difficult because all the clips were captured on different shoots which meant that the lighting was always different, I adjusted levels of exposure, contrast and tones, going back and forth making adjustments until I found all the clips to appear coherent. Overall I am happy with the outcome, and I have posted the video on my professional Youtube channel and shared the video on Facebook and Instagram. 

MY DREAMS & SELF PORTRAITURE

Since I was a child, I have always had very vivid dreams. I have many memories of dreams, some dreams from many many years ago still haunt me. Growing up, I have always been very intrigued by the supernatural, horror has always been a love of mine and I often fill my mind with stories of ghosts and demons. Nightmares are my favourite kind of dream, the feeling of terror brings excitement and upon waking I feel very much inspired. I guess my own dream world is the main motivation and inspiration behind this project. 

My most vivid dream memory is being chased by a gigantic emerald green snake. Snakes are my biggest fear. They always slither into my dreams and terrify me. I have not questioned the meaning of these dreams until I began this project, dream dictionary gives a plethora of explanations such as running away from emotions or dealing with intimidating situations. However, the explanation that I am most drawn to is the symbolism of transformation - snakes shed their skin. I feel that especially during the last couple years and throughout this project I have transformed not only as a make-up artist but also as an artist. 

For the last character of my Phantasia series, I want to create a series of self portraits reflecting on my personal dreams - the idea of incorporating the self into my work is inspired by the art of Cristina Francov which I have talk about one of my previous posts. I think that concluding the exhibition with a personal message will create a personal connection between the viewer and the artist. 

In a subtle way, I plan to use the theme of snakes - I will become the snake who sheds skin and transforms. 

Mood board of lighting, colour and beauty inspiration.

For styling, I am thinking of wearing a emerald green cheongsam - a tight traditional Chinese dress. The sheen and pattern of the dress can resemble the skin of a snake from a distance.

MADNESS: CHARACTER DESIGN

People who have nightmares are more open to their feelings and the world around them. In fact, nightmare sufferers are more likely to be creative people and artists. Hartmann calls this trait “vulnerability” because these people have a greater ability to be touched by the world, to experience life and all of its pain. So this vulnerability is a double-edged sword, pointing towards both creativity as well as increased suffering. And also madness. It is true that nightmare sufferers tend to be more creative, but they also have a greater chance, statistically speaking, of being prone to mental illness (schizophrenia). This is the opposite of neurosis – which is having too many psychological defenses in play. (Hartmann, 2001) 

For this series of images, I wanted to create a character that represents madness, referring to the text above, I want to create very painterly portraits to symbolise the creativity of the character and capture her descent into insanity.

I wanted to create the texture of broken wood on the skin which could make the character appear like a broken doll, heavy paint strokes on the skin would create the effect of cracks when the paint dries, creating texture that could also give the illusion that her skin is deteriorating.

To give the character a more doll like effect, I will be blocking out the eyebrows and lips and then painting on the features messily. The way the eyebrows will be painted on will give the model the expressions of anger and sadness.  Relating back to the links in creativity and madness - I want the character to appear as if she is a watercolour or acrylic painting, forever trapped in this 'canvas of dream'.

To keep an oriental theme running throughout my project, I took inspiration from geisha and Chinese theatrical makeup for this look especially with the placement and choice of colour. For styling, I have purchased a black floor length kimono with floral patterns, again to complement the oriental theme. 

LOGO DESIGN

From as early my project proposal, I had already thought out the design for the Phantasia logo which is simply made out of the janeausten font I found on DaFont.com - I knew I wanted a font that was handwritten and romantic. I spent a long time finding the perfect shade of red, I worked towards creating crimson lettering which I bevelled for a three dimensional effect as I wanted the letters to appear as through they have been freshly written with thick ink. I am pleased with the outcome, although minor changes may still need to be made depending on the colouring of the website. 

SHOOT 4: VISITATION DREAM

For this series of images, I tried to experiment with different lighting, combining both cool and warm colours. I achieved this by using two spotlights on either side of the model, one utilising a cool gel filter and the other a warm gel filter. In a couple of the images, I created a hazy gradient background by aiming a pink light upwards from under the model. Using a cloth filter over the camera lens also gave the images a dreamy effect and the model an airbrushed feel which smoothens the skin whilst adding a glowing effect. I found that this setup worked particularly well, I also found that adjusting the intensity of the light gave different effects, making the image either softer or more contrasting. I was very happy with the studio set up, having regularly assisted shoots in the past, I feel that I have put to use the skills that I have learnt from various photographers and adjusted techniques to find my personal style. By using similar effects on all series of images I will be able to keep the images looking consistent. 

I was very happy with the model, I had a conversation with her before the shoot about the Edith Wharton story that inspired the character and having also seen Crimson Peak, she understood the dark gothic romance storyline. 

VISITATION DREAM: CHARACTER DESIGN

Since my project is centred around darker dreams, my dream character for this series of images will resemble a vengeful spirit with sinister intentions - she is a deceased lover of someone who is still living, one who contradicts the phrase till death do us part. The series of images that I will create can be described as a twisted love story. As discussed in the previous post, this series is inspired by Edith's Warton's Pomegranate Seed. 

Red will be used as a symbolic colour. Red is a colour which symbolises love and romance, rage and anger, blood and malice - all the emotions this character is to portray.

For the makeup, I was inspired by the ghostly character designs from Guillermo Del Toro films such as the Devils Backbone (2001) and Crimson Peak (2016) where blood flows down along the natural contours of the face but leaving some to defy gravity by flowing upwards giving it a supernatural effect. I wanted to create intricate details around the eyes to imitate the pattern of lace but also cracks and veins. I chose a model with blue eyes so that the eyes really stand out from the makeup. 

Designing the hair is always a challenge. For this shoot I have decided to give the model big blonde hair with curls that imitate unravelled 1930s hair to give softness to the harshness of the look but to also to create a more historical look.

 I have decided to use wigs for all my images because using the model's real hair really limits colour, length and volume. By styling wigs ready for each shoot I am able to drastically transform the model and it drastically saves time when getting the model through hair and makeup.  

MOVING IMAGES

Since I wanted to incorporate moving images within still images I decided to experiment with gifs. I created the first two using clips that I had filmed for the test shoot for the proposal and the last from the sexsomnia shoot. My aim was to create a hypnotising and surreal images and I achieved these by slowing down, reversing and distorting movement. I think the last gif works particularly well because I used a filter which makes the image look three-dimensional.

SHOOT 3: DEVELOPING SLEEP PARALYSIS

For the second shoot which was intended to develop the character of the succubus, I have created and developed a second make-up look which will add variety to the series of images. I also intended for the make-up to portray a more sinister side of the character. 

She waits in the darkness.

This was one of the first images I took at the beginning of the shoot - as the shoot continues, more and more make-up is added to portray the development of the character. Working with glossy eyes proved very challenging because it would crease the eye makeup, preventing the fake eyelashes from adhering properly - I often had to readjust the eye make-up throughout the shoot. Despite the problems that gloss caused, the effects played nicely with the camera, by using a filter over the camera lens, the gloss caught the light creating iridescent sparkles which I thought gave the makeup texture and dimension. The muted clarity of the image and play of colour works well for this character - I was happy that although without a photography I was still able to create a filmic feel to the images. The image below reminds me of Woman in Black (2012). 

A closer look

These image gives a closer look at the details of the hair, I was loosely inspired by oriental hair designs and decided to create a pattern at the front by looping the hair around and hid the pins by using flowers to accentuate the design. I felt that by simply pinning the hair upwards made the wig look a lot more natural - it also looks as though a lot more effort was put into the hair although it was quite easy to create. 

Although these images are still predominately beauty focused, I think the use of texture to the skin gives an unusual twist. As the shoot progressed, I found myself using my fingers to paint and adjust the makeup which was much quicker, using a brush gave precise clean lines that I wanted to avoid. 

The following image is one of my favourites out of the series, I used paint and beads on the lips to create an almost grotesque dried- blood texture - it appears like the character has been feeding on something.

During the shoot, I also experimented with sheer fabric - I particularly liked this one red mesh fabric. This photo was captured by throwing the fabric upwards and letting it fall upon the model. It gave an interesting effect, almost appears like aura radiating from her, or 'the souls that she is consuming'.

Overall I think the shoot was successful, knowing that I am capable of capturing such photographs without the need of a photographer or assistant put my mind at ease because I know that I can always depend on myself. 

SEXSOMNIA: RETOUCHED IMAGES

For this series of images that represent the sleep phenomenon 'sexsomnia', I wanted to create a 'blossoming' effect with the protagonist. 

In the first two images, the protagonist appears very sweet and innocent and almost demure - these represent the beginning of the dream. In post production, I made the makeup stand out a little bit more, I feel that the blush around the eyes gives an oriental touch - almost geisha like. I may give all series an oriental touch, both subtle or obvious as a sort of creator signature. Although not intended I like the soft and blurriness of the first two images compared to the last images - it can represent the heightening clarity of the dream. 

As more flowers appear, she transcends into a state of seduction. She appears graceful and relaxed. I think that the lighting and background worked very well for the following image, there is a balance of cool and warm tones which makes this image very relaxing to look at. There is a quite a romantic presence. However, I really do wish that I could've added more flowers to the skin, especially the neck and shoulders, to give an unnerving aspect which is missing from this photo.

She climaxes. I like how unsettling the image is, the eyes are turned up and I feel that the use of upwards motion blur heightens the impact of the image. 

She awakens.

I like the coldness of this last image, it is the only image in which the character has her eyes open which works well because only when she wakes does she open her eyes. Unlike the character inspired by sleep paralysis who derives from the dream world, this character portrays the sleeper as she experiences sexsomnia. The reflective material wrapped around her almost gives an impression that she is underwater which I find unnerving because it gives an impression that the character is trapped or suffocating, or dead.

Out of all the images taken, I feel that the last two images were most successful. Although I like the previous images, I feel that there is a part of the story missing. Some have described sexsomia as pleasurable but most find it threatening, some who have experienced sexsomnia have believed it to be rape. I think I will take a break from these images and return with a fresh mind as to how it can be improved.

SLEEP PARALYSIS: CHARACTER DESIGN

Sleep paralysis is a phenomenon that is massively unnerving.


I have based a character around this phenomenon, a character that derives from the hallucinations encountered in sleep paralysis. She is a female demon (succubus) that haunts and seduces the sleeper.

Still from film: Painted Skin (2012) 

Inspiration for such demon derives from a traditional Chinese folktale about Huli Jing (fox demon). She is a shapeshifter who, when is strong exists as a beautiful young woman but must survive and protect her beauty by absorbing human souls. Like a vampire, Huli Jing stalks and seduces men/women in the night, stealing their breaths to feed her hunger.








Part of my plan for this series of images is to also capture the effects of sleep paralysis on the sleeper, such as terror, suffocation and silence.

Author's own concept illustration

I have illustrated an image that I envision for the shoot, the victim appears to be choking on the flowers representing the immobilisation of speech during sleep paralysis. Make-up is simple, blushing red cheeks an red lined eyes, the hair is styled as though it has been wrapped around the subject's neck giving the impression of suffocation and restraint.

Mood Board:

Below is a face chart I created for the look that I envision for the demon. The main focus of this look is the hollowed out eyes and long bottom lashes. The lips are chapped to create a 'hungry' effect, although I may remove the blood dripping from the centre of the lips to avoid it looking too macabre. 

Wig Purchased

For hair I have a purchased a long silver lace front wig, since the same model will be portraying both characters (the demon and the victim), a drastic change in hair will give a clear separation of both characters. Also, since the makeup and styling is dark, lighter hair will give the images more dimension. Long silver hair will also give a magical and fairytale feel to the look.

The hair will need to be styled according to the models face shape, and I will experiment with it by leaving it down and pairing with flower hair ornaments or pinning it up to achieve slightly different looks in the series.













Styling wise, for the demon character I have bought this beautiful floor length lace dress. The black drop will be black and with pin point lighting the dress will merge into the background but I thought the lace peek-throughs will add delicate detail. The model I have chosen is also tattooed on the arms and legs so I purposely chose a dress that covers those areas.

Although sleep paralysis is a terrifying experience, I do not want to create macabre imagery. Inspired by films such as Woman in Black and Crimson Peak, the aim is to capture this nightmare with a filmic aesthetic with a touch of softness and romance as seen in the works of Tim Walker and Paolo Roversi. 

Above: Paolo Roversi Editorial

This shoot will be shot by myself. Time will be tight because I have to do everything by myself which is a first. The photographer that I had planned to work with for this project is unavailable and I don't want to rely on someone I have never worked with before. It will be a challenge to shoot by myself, however I feel that this will be a good experience for me to strengthen my organisation, time management and photography skills. 

DARIO ARGENTO: TECHNICOLOR IN HORROR

SUSPERIA, (1977)

I decided to intensively utilize primary colors — blue, green and red — to identify the normal flow of life and then apply a complementary color, mainly yellow, to contaminate them. A [horror] film brings to the surface some of the ancestral fears we hide deep inside us, and Suspiria would not have had the same cathartic function if I had used the fullness and consolatory sweetness of the full color spectrum. To immediately make Suspiria a total abstraction from what we call “everyday reality” I used the usually reassuring primary colors only in their purest essence, making them immediately, surprisingly violent and provocative. This brings the audience into the world of Suspiria. 

- Cinematographer Luciano Tovoli

 INFERNO, 1980

In 1980, technicolour was at it's prime. In Inferno, Dario Argento drenched his characters in vivid colour. These hues interact with the main characters to cinematically illustrate the horror of physical, psychological, and supernatural chaos in motion. Viewing these colours results in a chaotic mental state due to our distracted focus of the colours and the emotions it portrays. The use of coloured lighting is unnatural and gives the film a dreamlike aesthetic, 

My aim from the very beginning is to create images with vivid colour in a filmic aesthetic; Dario Argento's work is the perfect example of the coloured lighting that I want to achieve in my images, specifically the use of contrasting hues of red and blue. 

________________________________________________________________________

American Cinematographer, The International Journal of Motion Imaging, 2010, Vol 91 No. 2, Pg. 68

Cristine Sellin, Film Theory and Criticism: http://mahara.cs.lewisu.edu/view/artefact.php?artefact=4363&view=554