SFX Bruises

Outdoor Lighting / Natural Lighting

My goals in life are endless, and the best artists have pages of goals. 

One of my goals is to be a Special Effects Makeup Artist or anything in that field. 

I am in college for Theatrical Makeup at University of Wisconsin - River Falls. 

I know what I have the ability to create, I stress about it daily. Today I decided to step foot and do a simple SFX Design. 

Bruises in Special Effects are essential in a Horror movie or anything really. 

Bruises are not gory as like slashes and gashes but they still are a little "weird" and "gross looking".

In movies, if a brick is going to fall on you---you will get a nasty bruise. 

Making it look believable is the goal in SFX Makeup. 

Process of Creating

It's all about layering and blending!
My tips are to use translucent powder each layer to make it set and all have the same consistency.


I used Ben Nye products as shown below:

I barley used the top image shown due to the fact of them being too bright of colors. The top image I mostly used for the vein effects of highlighting my natural blue veins. I mostly used the bottom image of the Ben Nye's more "bruised" color wheel. 

To look believable, the right color schemes matter.

Lighting Differences 

The lighting difference create a different overall mood. When choosing what you're doing, always put lighting and where you're going to shoot into context. Also, camera quality. My phone camera barley picks up the details I have compared to my DSLR Nikon D300 camera. As an artist, that has to be thought about.

Indoor Lighting with Slight Natural Light

History and Information

The injury required to produce a bruise varies with age. Bruising occurs more easily in the elderly because their capillaries are more fragile than those of young people. 

          Bruises change in appearance over time, and it may be possible to tell by looking at a bruise how old it is. When it first appears, a bruise will be reddish looking, reflecting the color of the blood in the skin. By one to two days, the reddish iron from the blood undergoes a change and the bruise will appear blue or purple. By day six, the color changes to green and by day eight to nine, the bruise will appear yellowish-brown. In general, the bruised area will be repaired by the body in two to three weeks after which the skin will return to normal.

Also, bruises that are raised, firm, multiple, and occur without any injury can be a sign of various types of "autoimmune" diseases (diseases in which the body attacks its own blood vessels.

Kathryn Imagin

July 14, 2015

When I photograph people, I have a genuinely great time. Why I have so much fun is because it's an art form and I get to find ways to capture people's personalities.

Capturing people's personalities is all I want in my photography business.

I want to show the beauty and uniqueness in people. 

Lately, I have been getting a lot of clientele and I am so amazed on how far I am getting! Especially for being so young and starting my hobbies so quickly. I have been doing great and not only that but I get compliments left and right. This isn't bragging or anything, it's me being proud of what I do as a personal career choice. I feel like everyone should have a passion for something and hold it tight.

Hair, Makeup, Model: Kathryn Imagin
Photography: Ava Adore Artistry
Location: Stillwater, Minnesota & Woodbury, MN

She was the winner of a small contest I was hosting on my personal Facebook ---

Link to My Personal Facebook

Some of  the photos were located on the side of the road in Woodbury MN. I am always on the road in my life with my second job. And I always seem to observe the side of the road in an artistic way. I sometimes see spots on the side of the road where I scream, "I NEED TO SHOOT THERE!" Like a lot of photographers do. It's kinda funny because these photos really do not look like its by a road. Except one where she was on it.

What I really love about Kathryn is the fact she came prepared and she knew what she was doing! She is the Selfie Master on Facebook, with her amazingly gorgeous wigs and perfectly flawless makeup! And oh! Her piercings too! All so beautiful my eyes can't handle it!

Here are some of the Woodbury, MN (Location 1) Photos: 

This had to be our favorite because you can really see her flawless makeup and awesome circle lenses!

I forgot to tell you! She also has modeled for a giant wig business (I can't think of the name at the moment!) Rockstar Wigs? Something popular on instagram. 

We added these flowers. I always hand-pick flowers
and say "Take These!" and starting photographing like a mad queen.

 

I love the flow of the shall created by just wind! 

I am glad I bought that statement necklace at Target for this shoot, it really complimented everything! Sometimes (actually no, all the dang time) I buy props and costumes for my clients! I have bins and racks of them. *shrugs shoulders in shame*

Stillwater Photos (Location 2):

What I love about this shoot was I kept switching her wardrobe that I provided and we worked together on making outfits go with different wigs! This wig was one of favorites--so gorgeous!

Those heels!  

How cute! 

The shall I added was really nice touch on this photo and the previous two. 

Added a feather choker, I was on a roll.
And that pose! So confident! 

One shoulder open---at first I wasn't too fond of but with
a second look I do like it now

Gotta play with angles.

One of my favs! I love the flowers, the background brick,
and the beautiful statue bird bath in the background.

Ah, Stillwater is truly a beautiful place! It was very crowded that day too.
This depth in this photo, makes me swoon. I remember posing her for this and it came out perfect.
Reminds me of Greek Art or something. The broken pot by her feet are my favorite.

*Please leave feedback--it would be much appreciated!*

Review on Collaboration:

Kathryn is so far one of my ABSOLUTE favorite models I have collaborated with! 

First, she was so sweet, mannered, GORGEOUS girl! 

Secondly, she caught on so quick to what I was saying when position her for the photograph. 

Not only that but her and her sweet mother just had a genuine personality and I felt like they belonged in "my tribe". That's something I say when I feel connected withs someone to a high degree in a unique way.

That reminds me of a quote I saw in a book---

"When you meet someone from your soul tribe, you feel like you already know them."

"Like" my page to keep updated on my photography!
https://www.facebook.com/AvaAdoreArtistry/

Thanks so much for reading! <3

Rottenly Sad Dolls - Lily

 


Lately I have been trying to do a rough outline 1st and then go in on another piece of paper and make a more elaborate sketch of my first original concept and ideas. 

One is a more abstract while the other has more of a realism feel to it. Each piece will attract different eyes in different ways, but they are still the same woman.

Lily is inspired by Smashing Pumpkins songs, as is most of my dolls from "Rottenly Sad Dolls" (rough sketches to the right).

These dolls final stages will be presented in Woodbury, MN City Hall in September.

Pop Art Maleficent

Objective: to create the Disney character Maleficent in a pop-art/abstracted and “sketchy” way. I wanted her to be colorful instead of dark.

What happens when you generate imagery using more than 1 material? Why is it different?

The artist begins to explore their creative boundaries. The art piece becomes more interesting and adds dimension ad variety. It is different because the eye becomes more appealed to the piece when viewing.

How/why is it similar and just different process for making imagery?

For example, Photoshop, you can add layers and different textures. Many types of art forms have the same perspective when adding more materials.
It’s a different process (ex: photoshop VS painting and using other materials) because you are using different tools and techniques. To express your artwork with more than 1 material adds an assortment to your collection.


Materials used: Prismacolor Markers (Thick & Thin tip), Colored Pencil (Yellow), and Pigma MICRON 03 Pen.

A throwback of a huge piece I did in my Senior Year of high school! The size I am not too sure of, but man it's big. 

This was my somewhat Abstract Japanese Geisha that as fought so many battles, and is a type of woman that isn't afraid to get blood on her face of her enemies. 

This was on display at Hastings High School in my Senior Year for some conference/art viewing...I believe? 

It was displayed the whole 2013 year in the art room. It was supposed to be on displayed in the art room "forever "but I loved it so much I took it when I graduated.

---The story behind this painting: ----- Long read but I guarantee it will help you get a better understanding in this piece & me as an artist! 

smile emoticon

I was assigned a huge board of wood to paint on. I was in Independent Studies at the time (due to having TOO many art credits). I had some crazy number due to going to another high school that was just for Art Majors (Creative Arts in St. Paul).

Anyways, this piece of wood is extremely thin and had already pre-made edges so it can be placed nicely. I sadly, had to gesso over someone else work (from so many years ago-extremely outdated) --due to be instructed by my teacher. Which is my favorite high school teacher (one of the few people who made me want to become a teacher in life).

----The Thought Process: ----

I paint women due to their beauty and purity. I wanted to portray a women who is not afraid "to get a little blood & guts on her face". I wanted her to express herself highly through makeup and have a Japanese Geisha vibe / style. 

The background was how I developed my "signature style". I accidentally spilled black paint on this painting, I wanted to cry (probably did haha) after making the background a perfect wash with my acrylics. But, when I make mistakes artistically I always seem to find a WAY better solution than my original plan. So what I did was I spilt some more on the canvas, stepped back, flicked some with my wet brush, and saw the hair dryer in the art room. I then directed where the paint would go by the heat of the hair dryer and also by me blowing on it aggressively with my breath. This process to me is quite more aesthetically pleasing to me visually than any other "drip-like effect" I have done due to the Movement and Flow.

Every black line in the background is used by acrylic, water, a hair dryer, and brush. 

I loved the flow of it dearly, and still do. I spiced up my version of Japanese styled work and added some Golden & Redish-Bronze acrylic Flowers with simple dots in the center. I didn't want them to be a main focus, so I made them simple. (Which is funny because I don't like to paint flowers personally- too over done. But I guess I wanted to!) The golden & bronze paint is also very textured. Texture is like my best friend! You'll always see texture in my paintings. 

Finally, the hand print. The hand print is my own, I felt like it added a lot to the painting personally and to the story behind the woman and what she's fighting for. Kinda like what you see in a horror movie, the classic--hand blood splatter on the white wall...dragging down before the death of the "survivor." 

----The Story Behind: ----

In my paintings I like to have a "story to tell", sometimes it's not easy to decode and sometimes it is. I really believe the goal of creating art is to express & to show emotion or feeling or whatever it may be. The story behind this woman is kinda like the story of Disney's, Mulan. 

This woman doesn't have a name, but she is a fighter. She has a unique looking sword, which I tried to do a gradient type technique with the acrylic paint I used. The wounds all over her show what's she's been through. These wounds visually are textured and stippled. The wounds I spent probably 1 week total. She has abstract stitches that has a self explanatory message of it's own.

If you noticed, she doesn't have a body and she isn't realistic. I did this because I wanted the focal point to just be her face and her weapon of choice. And this time in my life I didn't want my art to be realistic, but my own. This is when I started to develop my artistic style of painting expressive women. 

Ava Adore FB - Post On This Piece

Queen of All Hearts

 

"Queen of All Hearts"
Materials: Pastels and Acrylic Paint

The woman with the most elegance, the most power of the kingdom with a porcelain white face. The Queen is in control of many hearts and many souls. When war struck, her beautiful face started to crack away. She was never ashamed of her stress showing because the queen knew her power and strength as a woman. Red is a sign of love and death to me, which I believe are somewhat the same thing. Love is beautiful but horrible. We all have similarities of the Queen of All Hearts. She is in control but sometimes rots away. But, when you start to rot---don't be ashamed, view it as a beautiful thing.

Ava Adore Art - Tumblr

Ava Adore Art - Facebook Page