Creating Hair Shapes

In the past week, we have been looking at various Victorian hairstyles and silhouettes in order to develop our ideas for Miss Havisham and Estella. 

From the photos of Victorian portraits above, you can see that there are common aspects. We can see that the prominent middle parting is very popular, we can also see that the hair has a lot of volume at the top of the head or at the back. I have noticed that volume at the top of the head looks a lot more youthful, however, when the hair is pulled tightly back with volume at the back, a more mature shape is created. Victorian women normally had a lot of texture put into their hair such as waves, curls and ringlets. 

Above are very interesting silhouettes of Victorian hairstyles and it is very inspiring to see the outlines of the shapes. I can now start to think about what shapes I want to create and what skill and materials I need to create it bearing in mind the effect that I want to create. I feel that the two women on the left look a lot sweeter and younger whilst the two women on the right look a older.  

Here, we can see that a lot of texture and shape has been used to create this hairstyle. I love the use of feathers and jewels. This inspires me to look at objects I could use to create my hair for Miss Havisham. I could use a cobweb like texture, lace, jewels, and even insects and bone pieces to create a more unique look. 

We can see here that lace has been used to decorate the hair and also act as a diffuser, this creates a mysterious effect as the person looking at the hair might have to look longer and deeper, paying more attention. This might mean that you can add a lot of intricate details that are not obvious and details that might shock the audience.

Last week we looked at the silhouette and shape of the classic french twist. We have advanced and are starting to look at ways in which we can alter it to create a potential hair design for Miss Havisham. 

My aim was to create a french twist with a strong structure and a lot of volume and shape at the top of the head. 

You can see that in the photo above I have tried to re-create the big rounded quiff-like structure at the top of the head. I was pleased with the french twist, however, I feel that the gap between the twist and the shape at the top of the head appears awkward and unfinished. 

Above is a photo of the opposite side, you can see the detail of the twist, I have added loose curls on either side to create a softer look, however, I still feel that the hardness of the shape at the top of the head isn't fitting. It looks too smooth and tight, I feel that I need to add a lot more texture such as waves, crimps and curls to resolve this problem. I also think that it doesn't hang low enough onto the forehead. 

Above, you can see that I have tried to improve the hair slightly by rearranging the twist so there is less of a gap in-between the 'quiff' and the french twist. 

We were also encouraged to 'decay' the hair, creating a more Havisham piece, however, there was not enough time in the practical to do so further experimentation was done in my own time. 

To begin with I tried to recreate and add to the shape that I created in class. As you can see, there is a lot of texture in the front piece. I created the front shape with a pre-curled synthetic wig and secured it onto the head. I am really happy with the shape. 

This is the profile of the hair, I love the silhouette. I feel I have corrected the shape of the front piece and I also feel that it transitions well into the french twist instead of having the awkward gap in between when I first experimented. I have also added crimps to add a little texture on the sides as Victorian women often had sheep like textured hair. 

Above is a photo of the hair from behind,I feel that since there is a lot of texture in the front of the head, the back should have less. I think the formation of the back looks romantic.

I then started to decay and take apart the hair, I backcombed and pulled out bits. I also sprayed dry shampoo at short proximity to some parts making the hair look grey, dry and dusty. 

Above, is again the profile, again, I have added streaks of grey. The hair still looks structured but still contains an element of decay. The french twist has unfolded and curls have dropped and I had left them hanging. 

The back of the hair now looks very dusty, I love the softness I have created when trying to decay the hair, it is romantic, which can imply that once, Miss Havisham must have been very beautiful.

I now feel that I need to find ways to accessorise the hair to add more detail and character. I find Miss Havisham's hair from the Helena Bonham version very inspiring as there is so much detail in which the eye can explore. 

Special Effects Makeup: Theatrical Ageing

In Sue's practical, we were shown how to achieve an older looking character through different makeup techniques. This is the start to developing our Miss Havisham character. 

The products needed for theatrical ageing: 

> SUPRACOLOUR 

This is a grease based palette, this means that the colours are easier to blend.

> BRUSH KIT 

Different brushes are needed to create different effects, e.g. a fine eyeliner brush is great for drawing on very fine wrinkles and blemishes. 

> BENKYE LATEX 

Latex can be used to crepe the skin, however, it is important to do an allergy test before applying latex as some people are allergic to the material.

> FOUNDATIONS & CONCEALERS 

You want to conceal anything you don't want to show, it is best to conceal everything and and create your own features as this will improve continuity. 

> POWDER 

Older people generally have dryer skin, so you must remember to powder generously and set the make up. 

You can see that above I have aged one side of the face. 

Here are the steps which I followed: 

1. Gown the model, you will be using a lot of pigmented products and powder and you do not want any spillages.

2. Moisturise skin well. This will serve a barrier between the makeup and the skin and will also help the makeup glide on better. 

3. Apply base, cover anything that you don't want to show. You can leave dark under eye circles but conceal any spots as this will help with the continuity of the makeup. 

4. Tell the model to pull a face and, using a small eyeliner brush and sepia brown pigment, trace the natural wrinkles that are created.( Around the eyes, forehead, around the lips and cheeks. You can also add old age spots.

5. Blend, shade and shadow. Retrace fine lines if needed. 

6. Using a contour shade, shade the areas which will become gaunt with age, e.g cheekbones & sides of the nose & temples. 

7. Grey out and fade the eyebrows with grey spray on hair colour. Brush in the colour with a bristle eyebrow comb. You can also add streaks of grey into the hair, but make sure it starts at the very root. 

8. Highlight the face were the facial bones will be more protruding and between wrinkles. This will add dimension and more realism to the makeup. 

9. Get the model to purse the lips and using a foundation, go over the lips. This will create a dry, cracked effect. 

10. When you are happy, powder well. make sure that any skin showing is aged. 

If you want to crepe the skin to add more texture, you need: 

Liquid latex

Stipple Sponge 

Hairdryer

1. Stretch the skin in which you want to apply. 

2. Use a hairdyer to dry the latex whilst still stretching the skin. 

3. You can build up layers but make sure each layer is dry before you apply another.  

The Classic French Twist

In my first hair practical with Seema, I was shown how to do the classic French twist. It is a very elegant and structured up-do. 

A French twist can be styled in different ways, a tighter and higher structured French twist might portray a harsher meaner character whilst a soft wave or curly loose twist might portray a more gentle nature.






















When creating a french twist, you will need: 

> Hair grips 
> Sectioning clips 
> Geisha Pins 
> Hair spray
> Heat protectant 
> Hair Brush
> Teasing brush 
> Inch Curling Iron 


1. Brush through hair. Start from bottom and work through to the top to prevent breakage. 

 2. Decide the parting, or if you want a parting at all. 

3. Create 3 sections. 

4. Apply heat resistant to prevent damage to hair. 

5. Curl hair towards the centre back of the head. 

6. Keep the burrow curl in place with a sectioning clip and leave to set. 

7. Set the curls in a brick wall structure. 

8. Release all curls, and brush out forming one big curl.

9. Backcomb pieces of hair with a teasing brush to create volume and lift. 

10. Cross grip hair to one side, making sure grips are secure and straight. 

11. Wrap the side of hair over the hand, twist and hold into place. 

13. Using geisha pins, secure the twist by pushing the pins through the cross grips. 

14. Style accordingly and set in place with hairspray of choice. 

After achieving this classic up-do, I thought about how to add certain details to it to add character:

How could I adjust the hair to allow it to portray a softer character? 

How could I add elements of decay to portray Miss Havisham? 

I then did a little more experimentation:

Here, you can see that loose curls can soften up the look, however, by loosening the back of the hair does not make the look look more romantic but just looks rushed. Instead, I should try adding more delicate fine feminine details. 

Here, i have tried to add a element of decay by backcombing and adding more volume to the top of the head. However, again, I need to pay more attention to detail and be more precise as I will be tested on continuity. 

The Victorian Woman

Great Expectations was set in England during the early to mid 1800s. This period is known as the Victorian era, because of the reign of Queen Victoria - a time period in which great Britain was transformed by industrial, social and cultural developments. Great Britain was experiencing the industrial revolution. 

To understand this project brief furthermore, I have researched the roles and appearance of Victorian women to strengthen my understanding of the characters: Miss Havisham and Estella. 

Available from: www.fineartamerica.com
Last accessed: 29 Jan 2014 

During the reign of Queen Victoria, a women's place was at home. Unless you were well off, as a woman, you were in charge of all the household duties. Women were also seen as the possession of men. A wealthy widow or spinster (Miss Havisham) was a lucky exception, however, remaining single would attract social disapproval and pity. 

Miss Havisham was a very wealthy woman, and she was not restricted by a man: she had plenty of freedom. In contrast, Estella gave her hand to the brutish nobleman Drummle, no different to becoming a slave, but she pushed to make both of their lives hell. 

On the otherhand, women's clothing symbolised their constricted lives. Tight lacing into corsets and multiple layers of skirts impended a woman's freedom of movement. This challenges my perception of Miss Havisham, being single and wealthy; could she have thrown off the corset and presented herself in more flowing material like the Havisham in the Gillian Anderson version, or would she remain restricted and stiff like the Miss Havisham by Helena Bonham? 

Historically, skirts were so wide that many women died engulfed in flames after the material caught fire from an open grate or candle. -Flashback to Miss Havisham's death, was it intentional or was it suicide? 

Victorian women were not supposed to wear make-up, anything obvious on the cheeks and lips and you were a tart. However, they focused more on skin care and the less they did to their face, the more they did to their hair. 

Image available from: http://gibsonglamor.blogspot.co.uk
Last Accessed: 29th Jan 2014

Are you amused at the 'You are thirty? I have noticed that in many early advertisements, they like to point out flaws directly and insult the reader into buying products. Besides that, I have drawn attention to this particular add because of the key words, 'soft velvety whiteness'. Paleness was admired in the Victorian era, women who had a whiter complexion appeared more beautiful and those who were tanned were considered lower working class. Surprisingly, this idea is still relevant to eastern countries like China and Japan.

This idealism of paleness reflects my perception of Estella and Miss Havisham. Estella would be pale, a beautiful, youthful whiteness; which also reflects her cold lack of emotions. Whilst Miss Havisham can still be very beautiful, I see her as ghostly white, a white not full of youthfulness but a decaying white as she shrivels in her wedding dress. 

Available from: www.victoriannonsense.com
Last accessed: 29th Jan 2014

When it came to hair, it was their most prized possession. Women who could afford to style their hair to the latest fashions often had very damaged hair which gave off, from lots of heat styling, a burnt smell, which was then covered up by strong perfumes. You can see in some of the photos above that some of the hair has reduced to a very sheep-like texture. It was very fashionable for a woman to wear her hair in a smooth soft centre parting through to the 1870s. Curly hair was most popular, it was believed to indicate a sweeter, more gentle disposition. However, for women who lacked hair, hairpieces were widely available. 

A woman's hair had an effect on how she was perceived. Curly hair was a sign of a softer nature and has an element of youth, whilst women who wore their hair in straighter styles could have been perceived as more reserved and even unrefined. Hair was also styled according to age, when a girl's hair was long enough to be styled up, it was seen as a blossoming stage for young women. 

Although hair was often seen as a beautiful aspect, it can also be seen as a dangerous tool. Imagine what Rapunzul could have done with her hair if you got on the bad side of her.

Available from: www.yearningforwonderland.com
Last accessed: 29th Jan 2014

Above is a famous painting 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci' (The beautiful lady without mercy.

'I met a lady in the meads,

Full beautiful—a faery’s child,
Her hair was long, her foot was light,
And her eyes were wild'

                                                         -John Keats

We can see that from the image and the title of the piece that beautiful hair can be a deadly weapon. Hair can be compared to a spiders web and a poisonous snake; both very sinister images. Estella is beautiful, her hair must also be beautiful, enough to capture her victim and destroy it. I want to develop this idea when I design my image for Estella. 

Havisham Sketch

In chapter 8 of the novel, we are introduced to the infamous Miss Havisham. From the description of Miss Havisham, I picked out main words and phrases that I strike me and create the most impact in the way I percieve and image Miss Havisham in my mind. 

"satin, and lace, and silks - all of white"

"long white veil"

"ought to be white long ago...faded and yellow"

"bridal flowers"

"hair was white"

"...had no brightness but the brightness of her sunken eyes."

"shrunk to skin and bone" 

"Now waxwork and skeleton seemed to have dark eyes that moved and looked at me." 

This description inspired me to sketch out what I imagined Miss Havisham to be. I have this very beautiful ghostly image of Miss Havisham, almost like the corpse bride by Tim Burton. I wanted to make her face quite angular because of small bony structure, but with softer features, such as the lips and very large porcelain doll eyes. 

BBC GREAT EXPECTATIONS: CHARACTER INTERPRETATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT

The very first time I watched the Helena Bonham and Gillian Anderson productions of Great Expectations, I watched to understand the character roles and plot. 

Now, re-watching both versions again, I am starting to notice and analyse the characters' appearance. Paying more attention to how they are styled and how their styles change as the character progresses and develops throughout the film. 

The first character that we meet is Pip, the protagonist of the story. Lets look at his styling. 

Young Pip

On the left is Pip played by Oscar Kennedy in the Gillian Anderson version and on the right is Toby Irvine also playing Pip in the Helena Bonham version. 

We can see straight away that young Pip is presented differently in the two versions. The Pip on the left is very scruffy, his hair appears greasy and dull, but very natural. His face looks worn and he appears to be a hard working boy: the shadows under his eyes make him look tired and he has dirt on his face. 

On the other hand, the Pip on the right looks much healthier, his blonde hair has a lot more texture, with waves and curls but looks, again, very natural. If you look closely, you can see that his hair has highlights, sunkissed, meaning that he spends much of his time outside: a working class boy. 

I find Pip on the right looking much sweeter and more loveable, whilst the Pip on the left looks a lot more scruffy and unkept. 

Older Pip 

This is the older Pip. Pip on the left played by Douglas Booth in the Gillian Anderson version and Pip on the right played by Jeremy Irvine in the Helena Bonham version. 

As you can see, Pip on the left remains much of his young self, his hair in a similar style but on the right Pip appears much different to the young Pip he was, his hair, grown out of the cutesy ringlets into a darker wavey long mop which looks again, very natural. It looks unkept and uncared for, which might imply that Pip has settled into his lifestyle of being a blacksmith, not daring to dream of the life of a gentleman. 

Gentleman Pip

After Pip receives his fortune, he quickly changes his appearance - the appearance of a gentleman. In both versions of Great Expectations by the BBC, I have noticed that Pip adopts a new look fairly quickly, this may imply his immaturity and his idea of idealism, as soon as he finds out he can be a gentleman, he immediately acts and dresses the way he thinks a gentleman would. 

The Pip on the left, has adopted the romantic waves, there is a lot more detail and texture in the hair, this can be seen as a development in his character, his rising status - as a gentleman. Now that he has his fortune, he has so many 'expectations', symbolised by the amount of added detail to his hair.

On the other hand, Pip on the right has also gone for a drastic change, a haircut. He appears neater and cleaner, the change from long hair to short hair might symbolise his dropping of his lowly blacksmith status, as when Pip learns that he has 'Great Expectations' and comes to understand ideas like poverty, ignorance and immorality, he does not want be poor, ignorant or immoral. 

Miss Havisham

I love how Miss Havisham is presented in both productions. I found that her appearance remains very consistent throughout in both versions by the BBC. Miss Havisham wants to suspend time, and forever live in the moment: therefore she stays in her decaying wedding dress. In this unit, I will be focusing a lot on consistency as a skill, and I find it remarkable how the stylists can maintain the character throughout, as we, the audience, find her as we left her. 

On the left is Miss Havisham played by Gillian Anderson and on the right is Miss Havisham played by Helena Bonham. Straight away, I notice that the Miss Havisham by Gillian Anderson is much more toned down whilst the Miss Havisham by Helena Bonham is very dramatic, shown by the large dress and huge hair with the veil. 

Miss Havisham is presented differently because she is seen through different eyes. 

The Gillian Anderson version may be perceived through an adults perspective as Miss Havisham here adopts the crazy little traits such as itching and pinching her skin when she nervous or anxious. A child would not notice and recognise these. 

However, the Miss Havisham by Helena Bonham is visually crazier. Her appearance is exaggerated which may imply that she is perceived through the eyes of a child - Pip. 

I like the interpretations of both Miss Havishams' that we see here, however, I lean more towards the Gillian Anderson version. I feel that her character here is present more realistically, her hair is classic and elegant, and her dress is aged and limp which looks as though it once had more volume. 

On the other hand, I really like the hair in the Helena Bonham version, it has a lot of detail and character to it. I like the tones and texture within the hair, and also the extravagant shape. It encourages me to experiment with different techniques in order to achieve similar hair, and using some elements for my own interpretation of Miss Havisham. 

Young Estella 

Pip first meets Estella when they were kids. Here, we have the two versions of Estella, the left from Gillian Anderson's version and the right from Helena Bonham's version.

The young Estella from the Gillian Anderson version was always portrayed as a cold hearted girl - even as a child. She did not act like a child, it seems as though even at a early age Miss Havisham had already numbed her heart and her ability to act normal with people around her. In the picture, her hair is pulled away from her face and pinned into a very structured shape at the back, this hairstyle makes her look older than her age. 

However, on right, we have another Estella, this Estella appears more friendly and playful in the Helena Bonham production. She acts childlike when she is a child, this is also signified by her hair. Her hair is a rich golden colour with bouncy thick curls, this gives her a more childish character and symbolising youth. 

As the story progresses and she becomes fond of Pip, she puts her hair into pigtails, an even more childish hairstyle which may represent her affection towards Pip. 

Also, notice how both girls have been given a middle parting. It seems a middle parting was popular amongst girls in the Victorian era. 

The Older Estella

Estella is known to be very beautiful in the novel, and a trained weapon against men's hearts. Here, we can see the two interpretations of Estella in the BBC productions. 

There is a lot of differences in the styling of Estella. You can see on the right, that Estella appears softer, the hair has a lot of texture, but softness remains. The colour is also very soft and this hairstyle says something about her false coldness. Although her words are sharp and her appearance is cold, she still has elements of warmth and softness  

In contrast, the Estella on the right has a very structured hairstyle, this makes her appear cold as there appears to be no softness, the hair appears hard and almost too perfect - this could reflect her agenda, she knows exactly what she is doing and she will carry out what she was trained for with no second thoughts. 

...

These interpretations of the main characters are truly inspiring, I can now start to think about my own interpretation of these characters and how I can style to evoke emotion and create an impact. 

The Gothic Genre

'Great Expectations' is part of the tradition of Victorian Gothic novels. Gothic fiction, sometimes referred as Gothic horror, is a genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. The typical motifs of a Gothic novel includes suspense, horror, fear and superstition with a taste of medievel. Gothic literature is often intimately associated with Gothic architecture, a style prevalent in western Europe from 12th through to the 15th century and characterised by pointed arches, rib vaulting and emphasis on verticality and the impression of height. The term gothic suggested anything dark, sinister and mysterious.

The novel 'Great Expectations' contains many gothic elements: 

> SUFFERING

Miss Havisham seeks revenge, she selfishly makes both Estella and Pip suffer, only to bring suffering upon herself. In the end, Estella will not love her as she has raised her to have no heart. 

Estella causes her own suffering when she chooses to marry Drummle. 

> FORESHADOWING USING WEATHER & NATURE

The mist on the marshes symbolise danger and uncertainty. From the very beginning of the novel and as interpreted in the BBC productions, there is terror right from the start as Pip is threatened by Magwitch on the marshes. From then on, the audience is warned by the appearance of mist and significantly when Pip travels to London after receiving his fortune, he has to go past mist, foreshadowing that an apparently positive development in his life may have dangerous consequences. 

> PARTING OF LOVERS 

From the very beginning, we, as the audience know that Estella and Pip belong together but Dickens creates tension within the text, Estelle appears as cold, cynical and manipulative but we do not question her love for Pip. 

> MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE

Dicken keeps us guessing, feeding us information little by little. The big reveal that Estella is actually Magwitch's daughter shocks us, this means that, Estella is ironically from a lower class system to Pip. 

Even to the end of the story, there is no real conclusion to whether Pip and Estella get together, leaving the ending in suspense and passed onto the readers' hands to decide. 

> COINCIDENCE IN EVENTS - ALMOST SUPERNATURAL IN NATURE 

Who would have thought that all these events taken place in the book and the cause of suffering and terror all originate from the one event in which a poor bride was left at the alter - all the central characters are somehow connected and important to the development of the story. 

>>>Back to defining the meaning of gothic

Gothic can be seen in different lights, varying from gothic novels to gothic architecture to gothic artwork such as paintings to clothing, objects, furniture and nature. 

The images below match my understanding of the general characteristics of the term Gothic. 

Available from: http://www.deviantart.com/art/mist-II-112097868
Last accessed: 16th Jan 2014

Gothic scenery is very important, used to achieve a dark mood. I chose a photo black and white photo of a path going into the woods. The mist is creepy, you can't see much ahead and gives you scary feeling that something sinister is waiting at the end of the road. Again, the feeling of uncertainty is evoked by the mists in 'Great Expectations'. 

Available from: http://marco-art.deviantart.com/art/Hide-and-seek-204662185
Last accessed: 16th Jan 2014 

This again, is a gothic setting. The detail on the staircase feels quite Victorian and the decaying and ageing of it reminds me of Miss Havisham's house.  

Available from: http://www.deviantart.com/art/Gothic-Revival-Chair-DETAIL-28438482
Last accessed: 16th Jan 2014

I found this, and immediately thought the pattern was very gothic, it reminds me of the detail you see in medieval churches, with the very angular arches and vertical design.

Ophelia Painting by John Everett
Available from: www.kingsgalleries.com Last Accessed: 20th January 2014

This is a very famous painting from the Victorian Era. Although bright colours are used, I feel that the actual subject of the painting is very gothic and morbid. 

Stiff pose Victorian postmortem photograph
Available from: www.mdolla.com Last accessed: 20th Jan 2014

Believe it or not this is a photograph of a corpse. It was a very popular form of art during the Victorian era. The dead were photographed so they could be remembered. Child mortality rates in the Victorian Era was high and sometimes, the only photos a family would have together were postmortem photographs. 

I find the one above extremely creepy, it is unnatural. Keeping the eyes of the dead open and propping them up with a stand is extremely twisted, dark and gothic.