research and planning - shooting schedule and flat plans

Like I mentioned in previous posts, I will model for my magazine cover. I created a rough sketch of how the main cover will look, the back cover will just be a photo of the drawing I created. The first page will have another photo from the shoot and the second page, the table of contents will be laid out like in the sketch (the titles of the articles on two columns with two images sitting diagonally: one image of some makeup brushes scattered over the painting and another portrait of me holding a paint brush and pretending to apply my make up with it).

main cover sketch

first page

table of contents

For the drawing I made, I ended up using pastels instead of paint. It's not an art medium that I am very experienced in, but I liked the challenge and I discovered that pastels are very similar to eyeshadow - you can blend them with brushes or your fingers, you can add multiple layers for better colour payoff but they come in a stick form instead of in a palette. The drawing took a while to make, I made it on a big piece of cardboard that I cut out. I used a pen to sketch out where the white lines are, added all of the colours after matching them as well as I could to my colour palette, and then coloured in the rest with white. When I edit this post I will add a photo of the final product but these are some process photos.

process photo

first sketch

I also decided that the title for my magazine will be "Make Urself Art". It comes from the acronym "MUA" which means make up artist. The letters M, U and A are capitalised.

For the photo shoot, I found a studio in Cluj that you can rent out for a couple of hours that is equipped with different lights and backgrounds. I will bring my own camera to take photos on and I will use their white background option. I rented it out for three hours on Friday next week. I think three hours is way more than enough, but I want to have some extra time in case anything happens. I will do my make up before at home, which will take some time but it's okay because my reservation is in the evening. There is a changing room at the studio, so I will bring some extra clothes with me so that I have options. Because the cover photo is a portrait, the whole outfit will not matter but I will wear a black collared shirt with a necklace because I don't want the top part of the outfit to be too distracting, the focus will be on the face makeup. As props, I will bring some makeup brushes, painting brushes and the pastels i used, my palettes that I will use if I need any touch ups and of course the drawing. My mother will accompany me to help with the transport and stay with me so that I have some company. I will ask her to take some behind the scenes photos so that I can add them here.