Final images

Ok, so after doing the powerpoint, I asked Nicolleto send me the images which had finished editing sent me a bunch which she believes to be the best out of all of them so that I can add them to the powerpoint. I've whittled them down and the ones I think are the best are below. Tell me what you think and whether you agree with these being the final images !??

Do people agree ? if not PLEASE please say because there are still more to choose from.

The edits so far

I really love the edits which Nicolle has been working on, and like the fact that there is a wide selection for us to choose from in terms of what style we want to aim our photoshoot at. I think the first image of Sarah in the red jumper is a bit too harsh, but I like the version which Nicolle has updated which is slightly more subtle, and doesn't actually look it has been photoshopped too much. In a way I still think the eye liner is still a bit too dark, as it gives the photoshoot and the look we were going for for Sarah quite a twisted look, which I know is sort of what we were going for, but in comparison to the image of her in her blue dress is quite regal and calm.
This is just my opinion, and it would be good to know what everyone else thinks.

Ideas for our photoshoot

After looking at all the images, and ideas we had collected so far, we met up as a group to decide what style of look we were going for for our model.
We came to the conclusion that it would work really well to make our 'Queen' look quite sophisticated and glamorous, but with a slight twist i.e hair extensions, coloured fingernails etc. The reason we decided on this was because we wanted it to related back well to the original queen, and the image of her on the english bank note, but still to be slightly different.
Originally we were going to make her style extremely out there and different, with influences from the punk style and The Sex Pistols, instead of using this inspiration for the styling of the models, we are going to use the inspiration in the way the model poses, her hair and her make-up, we thought this would give an interesting twist to the original queen.
We have decided on 4 outfits for our queen to wear, with different hair styles for each. We are going to keep the make-up the same throughout to have some consistency. One thing we decided on was that we are now going to have a 'Prince/King' in some of the images, to add variety and to make some of the shots more interesting.
Instead of just keeping each image the same and having our model copy the queens pose, we decided to look at some images of the royal family for inspiration for our photoshoot, to make it seems a bit different and for it not to turn out boring.

This first image is of Kate and William announcing their engagement. You can tell that they are both extremely happy, and are standing in elegant poses. If we were to recreate this image then we could have the same idea as the male and female model, and give it a slight twist, with what the female model looked like, and how she was posing.

This next image is a different idea to the one above, but it could work really really well for our photoshoot. This picture shows the Queen sitting on a chair surrounded by Prince Phillip, Prince Charles, and Prince William. For our photoshoot we could recreate this just with the queen and one of the Prince's standing near her. It could just depend on her pose, and how she acts with the Prince.

These are just a couple of the many images that we could use as inspiration for our "Queen" photoshoot. We know exactly how she is going to be styled, and we have some great ideas for her posing. I have found a large selection of magazine tear-outs which we can use to show the model how we want her to pose, and for her to get inspiration from them and interpret them in her own way, which I hope will get her to start posing in which way she thinks suitable.

-Beth-

Hair and Make-up research

I have collected a range of images from magazines which I think are a good idea for the hair and make-up for our shoot. I have scanned in a couple of the pictures to show you what I think would work well for our model. Most of the images constitute quite bold, large styles which will really attract the audiences attention, and make the model stand out, which is exactly the style we were aiming for.

I found these images in Vogue magazine, and really think they would work for the style of hair we're looking at (especially the right hand side) as we are thinking of going for a more edgy look, with it still being quite feminine and contemporary.

Because our model has quite long hair I think it would be effective to back comb her hair and make it really voluminous as this would really stand out, and would definitely fit in with our punky/rocker style for the photoshoot.

These images were found in Vogue magazine, which I scanned in because I really think the make-up is effective. Because we wanted to make our model look quite edgy I think the simple foundation, with quite heavy eye-liner and red lips would look really effective, and would definitely stand out. Alternatively I do really like the purple eyes in the top image, as it is one of the things to focus on, and really draws the audiences attention to the eye area, which is the most powerful. The use of nude lip colour is effective for this style, as otherwise it would be too overpowering if you had a strong colour on the lips as well.

-Beth-

Trends for Spring Summer 2011

After looking at research for the colours which would be popular for Spring Summer 2011, I then wanted to focus on specific trends which are going to be new for this season. Below is a range of trends which I have found using both WGSN and Harper's Bazaar to find the best, and most recent information I could. Below is a picture of the trends which are coming popular, and also a brief description of the trend itself.

The Inspiration: American Classics

A nod to nautical-inspired sportswear with red, white or blue prints, and stripes are a must. Keep a timeless appeal with neutral platforms, slick shades, or bright bracelets.

From Left: YSL, Rachel Bilson and Alexa Chung.

The Inspiration: Tribal Overtones

Put a little pizzazz in your wardrobe this season. Opt for ikat, tie dyed, and paisley touches. Carry the theme through to your extras: chunky beads and ethnic cuffs. From left: Suno, Proenza Schouler and Dries van Noten.

The Inspiration: Citrus Shades

Combine eye-popping prints in neon hues with khaki and other neutrals for a balanced look. Finish off your ensemble with a notice-me necklace or a more simple sandal. From left: Jason Wu and Versace.

All of these trends need to be taken into consideration when trying to style for our photoshoot. Although the trends are very much in fashion at the moment, and will be for the next few months, they don't quite meet the criteria that we had set for our photoshoot, as we wanted it to be more punky and slightly more rock-chick. 

The Tribal Overtones trend could be a possibility for the styling for our shoot as it is quite bold and out-there, with a range of different colours and prints making the garments really stand out to the eye, which is what we are trying to aim for with our styling of the model.

I do really like the smart, sophisticated look of all the trends though, which works really well for our photoshoot as we are taking influence from the queen, so it needs to be quite elegant and regal, whilst still being edgy and different. I think we can definitely incorporate these trends into the styling of our model, and I think it would be really effective in the end.

-Beth-

Colour Trends for Spring Summer 2011

I have gathered some research on up and coming trends for Spring Summer 2011, as this is the next season which is out when we conduct our photoshoot.
I have used the trend website WGSN (Worth Global Style Network) to research into existing trends and popular colour choices for this season, to see if anything would be suitable for our photoshoot, and whether we could use the styles as inspiration for our styling.

• Greys are subtly coloured and tinted with lilac.
• All tones of green are important, especially khaki, moss and olive.
• Neutrals take on a brown cast and shades of taupe are key.
• Watery blues are important again and range from deep and dark indigo to pale and clean, icy blue.
• Corals become more orange-infused and intense.
• Red is either pink or orange cast.
• Moving away from the brights of previous seasons, yellow becomes either egg yolk or maize.
• Metallics are transient and infused, creating tonal colour.

Colour Analysis

"Colour for spring/summer 2011 is optimistic yet contemplative. 

We redefine value, find inspiration and comfort from old and found treasures, and celebrate aged, decayed and time-worn imperfect colour. In contrast, we see an increasing desire for honest, clean colour, as our quest for authenticity and simple product increases.

It is also important to embrace the unpredictable and experimental, using clashing and unexplored colours inspired by science and nature. Acid-infused chemical combinations contrast with dappled, filtered colours, creating using light and shadow."

The great thing about these colours is that they're very bright and eye-catching, especially the oranges, purples, reds and pinks and the yellows. For our photoshoot we want to include splashes of bright colours to really attract the audiences eye .. i envisage lots of purples and green as I think they are the most effective colours for the type of photoshoot we are doing.

The Sex Pistols - Research

Because of the look of the photoshoot which we are going to go for I thought I would conduct some research into The Sex Pistols, as this seems to be a popular music band which some members of the group have used as their inspiration. The reason I wanted to look at The Sex Pistols was because they are well known for their outrageous behaviour, and their style. The main thing which makes me interested in them is their use of the Union Jack and the queen, which I think is "symbolic" to the band as a whole.

 I wanted to find out some basic information on the band, so I could learn the basics to their background as a band.

The Sex Pistols

The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians. Although their initial career lasted just two-and-a-half years and produced only four singles and one studio album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, they are regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of popular music.

Below is a youtube clip of The Sex Pistols performing "God Save the Queen" - which is one of their most iconic songs, and which I thought was really appropriate for our research for the appropriated image of the queen on the english bank notes.

Their 1977 single "God Save the Queen", attacking Britons' social conformity and deference to the Crown, precipitated the "last and greatest outbreak of pop-based moral pandemonium".

I created a mood board of images on photoshop which I thought depicted the best bits of The Sex Pistols, I really like the inclusion of the Union Jack in most of the pictures, even if it is just in the background of the image. As you can see, the queen is quite influential in The Sex Pistols promotion, and they also have altered the way she looks.

By creating this mood board it has really helped me to understand the basics to The Sex Pistols, and it really gives inspiration for what style of dress, what colours and poses which are popular in this era, and would work for our photoshoot.

-Beth-

Notes from other countries

As we have decided on recreating the queen on an english bank note, I thought it would also be a good idea to research into foreign money to see what their main figure on their notes were, and whether we could use any of them as inspiration.


One of the most well known foreign currency is the American dollar, which ranges in value from $1 to $100 on one single bill. Each of these notes have different famous people on the front of them (all male) to differentiate between the set amounts on the bills.

The above image is of a $10 bill, with Alexander Hamilton featured on the obverse of the note, the U.S Treasury is featured on the back. This image could also be used as an idea for our appropriation brief, we could recreate this image of Alexander Hamilton, as a slight change to our original english queen.

The above image is of a $100 bill, featuring Benjamin Franklin on the front, and Independence Hall on the back. This image could also be appropriated as a change on the queen, and could work well with it looking so old fashioned if we were to put a modern spin to it.

The Indian rupee is also another possibility for use of appropriation. On the front of the note their is an image of Mahatma Gadhi, who is a famous icon which I have previously researched into. He became famous for his courageous work for the civil rights movement in the early 1900's, which is why I think this could be used as a good appropriation image.

Although I have only given a few images as examples, I think it clearly shows the idea of being able to manipulate an original image into something which you are going to try and recreate. All of the images on the pictures which I have uploaded are all suitable for image appropriation, as they are all iconic figures and they would be reasonably simple to copy, but still look effective.

Out of all the note images we have looked at so far I still think that the english note with the queens head would be the most effective, as it is the most iconic currency for our group. Although if we wanted to introduce other currency's as an alternative to the queen, then the examples I have provided would be great options, especially with them being male which is a direct opposite of the queen.

-Beth-

Research for queen images

Like Danielle was saying, I think the image of the queen is a great idea for our image appropriation brief. Instead of following the norms and having a well presented Queen, in a regal pose, I think we should mix it up and go for something more outrageous, with splashes of bold colour, wild hair and make-up and crazy dresses and outfits.

As we have to create 4 different images for our final product, it would be good to have a range of shots, instead of just having images of the queens face (like it is on the notes) we could have full body shots of her whole outfit, and we could get her to do different poses each time.

This is an image of the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland (2010 Tim Burton). I just chose to look at it, because I think it could provide us with inspiration for our Queen character. The bright and different hair colour and style, and the big bold make-up is really over the top and really stands out, and makes an effect on the audience. I know that this character is computerised, but it's just the idea of the hair, make-up and crown which will provide us with inspiration, when we are trying to style our queen.

This is a youtube clip which I found, and is a scene from the new Alice in Wonderland film, which really shows the queens hair and make-up well .... and also gives us an idea of what she is like as a character, which we can also use as inspiration.

This is also an image from the new Alice in Wonderland film, which shows the White Queen. The reason I chose to look at this image was because it shows another style of queen which we could take as inspiration. The white queen is far more regal in the way she dresses and her hair and make-up, so this wouldn't necessarily be the right sort of look we were going to go for, for our shoot, but it could also work, if we were to include some bold colours and to mess up her hair a bit.

The above image is an image from a magazine (on a double page spread) which shows a model, wearing quite wacky clothing and having quite crazy hair. I thought this could be a good example of what we could get our model to do for us. I think the idea of the pose she is doing is great, and could work well for our photoshoot, but instead of using a piece of driftwood and some rope, maybe we could get her to slouch over a chair or something similar, to really show the difference between her and the real Queen.

This image is another picture from a magazine which I found and scanned in. It shows Lucy Jones posing on a bath tub, with a Top Hat and a large green tutu on. The reason why I chose to look at this was because Danielle said she can imagine our queen to wear a big tutu, so I thought this was a great picture which really shows how effective a tutu can look on its own in a picture. I think the fact that it is bright green also has something to do with it as the colour really stands out against the pale background, and when looking at the image, the first thing you notice is the bright green tutu.

-Beth-

Icon's and influential people

When trying to decide on an iconic picture to appropriate for our project, it becomes a lot easier when you decide on a particular person, or item, and choose which you think would be most suitable.
When someone says "iconic picture" I immediately think of images taken by famous photographers as they shoot famous models all over the world, but really there are many famous images taken on spur of the moment events.
The images do not have to be fashion related, as there are many influential and iconic people in all different field, e.g. politics, sport, music and art. I am going to research into the iconic people within these fields and chose some pictures which I think represent the person chosen well.


Politics

Barack Obama (Barack Hussein Obama II) is the 44th and current President of the United States. One of the many reasons as to why Barack Obama is so iconic, is because he is the first ever African American to hold the office. Not only has the work he has done since taking over as president, changed and affected peoples life, but the way he goes about what he does, and the inclusion of his family within his work really highlights his iconic status.

This photo is a great example of Obama's family lifestyle, showing an image (on the left) of J. F. Kennedy working and his little son John F. Kennedy Jr playing "hide and seek" under his father's desk, in 1963. The second picture shows Obama's daughter Sasha doing the same thing.

This image is extremely effective, and could be an idea to use as our appropriated image.

Sport

It remains the most famous sports action photograph of the 20th century: Muhammad Ali looms over Sonny Liston, whose arms are splayed, before Ali retains the heavyweight championship in 1965. Longtime Sports Illustrated photographer Neil Leifer snapped the photo.

 At the 1984 Winter Olympics the pair became the highest scoring figure skaters of all time (for a single programme) receiving twelve perfect 6.0s and six 5.9's which included artistic impression scores of 6.0 from every judge.  The pair turned professional following the 1984 Olympics, regaining amateur status briefly ten years later in 1994 to compete in the Olympics once again.

This image is the most famous image of Torville and Dean as it shows their starting pose of their most famous dance the Bolero.

This image could easily be appropriated as is is very simple, yet effective with the white ice as the background, and the strong blue costumes contrasting with it. The elegant arm movements and their postures are a great addition to the picture.

Torville and Dean after winning the 1984 Winter Olympics, with their gold medals and flowers. This image could also be a possibility of using as appropriation.

Music

Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor. Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became a successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, being the idol of the "bobby soxers." His professional career had stalled by the 1950s, but it was reborn in 1954 after he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

He was one of the most famous artists of his time, and remains a legend until this day. With images of him in smart suits, and singing into old fashion microphones, he has really made a name for himself in the music industry, and his music appears to be as popular now as it was when he first started his work.

Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. Presley is regarded as one of the most important figures of 20th-century popular culture. He had a versatile voice and unusually wide success encompassing many genres, including country, pop ballads, gospel, and blues. He is the best-selling solo artist in the history of popular music.

This image was a publicity photo taken for his single Jail House Rock, which we could also use as our appropriation photo.

-Beth-

What is appropriation?

I think one of the most important things, and one of the first things we need to look at for our research is the true definition of appropriation. Everyone has their own opinion of what they believe appropriation to be, but by defining it in the correct way could really help with the understanding of the task in hand.

The definition of appropriation

In terms of the "visual arts" appropriate means adopt, borrow, recycle or sample aspects (or the entire form) of man-made visual culture. Strategies include "re-vision, re-evaluation, variation, version, interpretation, imitation, proximation, supplement, increment, improvisation, prequel... pastiche, paraphrase, parody, forgery, homage, mimicry, travesty, shan-zhai, echo, allusion, intertextuality and karaoke."  The term appropriation refers to the use of borrowed elements in the creation of a new work.

The history of appropriation

The use of image appropriation in art has been around for a long time, and many people say that artists such as Leonardo de Vinci used the style of appropriation in their work. Both Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque were one of the next artists to include the style in their paintings, and since then many other artists have started appropriating images also. Some of these artists include Vikky Alexander, Luke Sullivan, Felipe Jesus Consalvos, Mark Divo, Benjamin Edwards, Damien Loeb and Robert Rauschenberg.
Appropriation artists comment on all aspects of culture and society. Artists working today increasingly incorporate and quote from both art and non-art elements. In the 1990s artists continued to produce appropriation art, using it as a medium to address theories and social issues, rather than focussing on the works themselves.


Examples of appropriated images

Pablo Picasso 

The Mona Lisa 

Marilyn Monroe

Campbell's tomato soup

-Beth-

Icon's through time

Although the term "icon" is associated with different meanings, it is clear to see that they have changed over time. What people might perceive today as an "icon" e.g. Madonna, is completely different to what people would have chosen as an "icon" say 50 years ago e.g. Mahatma Ghandi.
Unfortunately not only is it the hero's who gain "iconic" recognition, but it is also those labelled the "villains" who get themselves an iconic status e.g. Jack the Ripper
I think it's fair to say that in most people's opinion the term "icon" is a positive word which describes a human being, in a positive way for the things which they have done over time.


Icon's of the past 
Take Martin Luther King Jr for example, an American clergyman and the leader of the African American civil rights movement. In 1964 Martin Luther King, Jr received a Nobel Peace Prize, making him the youngest ever receiver of the reward - for his work to end racial segregation and racial discrimination through civil obedience and other nonviolent means. Not only did he achieve iconic status for the things which he did for the African people of America, but also for the way he presented himself, and the way he took charge and didn't let anything phase him.

Above is a (rather long) video of Martin Luther King Jr's most famous speech titled "I have a dream". This speech is one of the most famous speech's of all time which outlines all of Martin Luther King's ambition's for America.

Already King was becoming known as an Icon for African Americans, and many other races around the world, but it was his assassination on April 4th 1968, which really upped his iconic status.

Above are two images of Martin Luther King, which could be strong possibilities in terms of appropriating the image. Although the idea of using thousands of people in a crowd could be extremely difficult, it could be really effective, with the fact that you could take the pose of Martin Luther King, and recreate it with a different setting as the background, but the whole time making sure that the idea of the image is still focused around Martin Luther King and the things which he achieved in his lifetime.

Audrey Hepburn is another popular example of a famous "icon", but for very different reasons to that of Martin Luther King Jr. Hepburn is best know for her acting and modelling skills, and is most famous for her all time popular film "Breakfast at Tiffany's"

Her classic style is known all over the world as the typical style of Audrey Hepburn, with the black dress, high hair style, and classic pearls. Audrey Hepburn has had many images taken of her in her time, as she also worked as a model for a few years before she made it as an actress. Below is one of her most well known images, and also of Paris Hilton interpreting it herself.

With Audrey Hepburn being one of the most Iconic women of her time, I would have assumed that image appropriation had already occurred with some of her previous pictures. But research has shown that not many of her images have been recreated, and infact all I could find was the image above with Paris Hilton. I'm sure magazines and newspapers have all had a go at recreating the Hepburn pictures, but I think as a group we could create a great appropriated image in the style of audrey Hepburn.

Icons of the Present

With people from the past being known as the most "iconic" people of all time, it takes a lot of work for new and upcoming celebrities to become "icons".

One example of a young female who has achieved "iconic" status is Lady Gaga, born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, is an American singer-songwriter. Inspired by glam rock artists like David Bowie and Queen, as well as pop singers such as Madonna and Michael Jackson, Gaga is well-recognized for her extravagant sense of style as a recording artist, in fashion, in performance and in her music videos.

Throughout her time in the music industry Lady Gaga has pulled off some fantastic, but risky outfits, whether these are for her music video's, performances or even award ceremonies. With dresses made of police tape, lace, masking tape and even real meat. All of her outfits are created to make a statement, and it's these, along with her outstanding music which really make her known as an icon.

All of the above images are popular images of lady Gaga, which can all be possible styles for appropriating our images. The bottom image is of Nicole Richie, as she copies Lady Gaga's classic pose, with the use of similar hair style, jewellery and colour scheme. Although very basic, and only uses a few props it is very effective, because of the bold use of colour and the clashing pink and gold detailing against the pink background, and the addition on Gaga's hair colour.

-Beth-