Elizabeth Brydges and final design idea face charts

Elizabeth Brydges, 1589

• Daughter of Giles Brydges (the third baron Chandos)
• Liked embroidery: gowns, silks, fabrics, intricate detail > I noticed that in many portraits she wore dark dresses; black, dark blue - symbolic of nobility
• Liked jewels
• Enjoyed reading and music
• Had a romantic affair with the Earl of Essex (which offended Queen Elizabeth)
• Was turned out of the Coffer Chamber for going to watch the Earl play without permission
• Was included in Queen Elizabeth’s funeral processions
• Married a married man
• Died deserted, in poverty
• Dog in portrait; symbolises faithfulness

http://www.geni.com/people/Elizabeth-Brydges/6000000012481831915

Thoughts:                                                          

• Disobedient/defiant/unruly – playful
• Doesn’t follow conventions
• The idea that dogs symbolise faithfulness seems ironic; offending the Queen with her romance with the Earl of Essex, and generally misbehaving
• In the modern day we associate dark colours, like she often wore, with the above qualities
• Enjoyed luxuries
• Ultimately sad ending; perhaps karma; foreboding  

Firstly, I wanted to play around with my own ideas and thoughts that I had reached from my knowledge of Elizabeth Brydges. I initially felt inspired by the idea of dark colours representing a devious nature. I opted for a deep greyish-purple lip and reddish-orange eyes. I liked the idea of bold brows to modernise the Elizabethan look, contrasting the typical bleached or bare brows from the period. I used bronze and gold tones to contour the face. This, and the eye colour choice was because I had not applied the typical red lip, but still wanted to include the typical Elizabethan colours, or reds, oranges and golds. To mirror the usual Elizabethan pale and minimal eye make-up, I decided to use a white mascara. I liked the finished look, although felt the colours were quite muted, and would have preferred at least some of the face to be more bold, e.g. the lip colour. I found it quite challenging working on paper instead of a face, but an effective way to plan and experiment with make-up ideas.  

For the next face chart I decided to find inspiration that visually matched my thoughts on the character of Elizabeth Brydges. I found this photo, the make-up done by Alex Box, from a 2014 edition of Vogue. Instantly the pale skin, bleached brows and bold heart-shaped lips reminded me of Elizabethan fashions. Also, the large, furry ruff and the jewellery in the model's ears and on her fingers were similar to those in Elizabethan portraiture. However, I liked how, unlike Elizabethan portraiture, the spidery lashes and pinky-purple eyeshadow added a sense of mischief and flirtation; reminding me of the impression I get from the Lady in Waiting, Elizabeth Brydges.
I used this look to help me create my face chart. I kept the colour scheme and eyeshadow placement, but in my own look removed the beauty spots seen beneath the model's eyes, as I am aware that in the Elizabethan era they often tried to remove freckles and other such blemishes. I also kept the eyelash placement, below the lower lash line to make the eyes appear larger and doll-like, maintaining the flirtatious and playful theme. I adapted the lips slightly, using more of an ombre effect. 

I couldn't decide which look I preferred, out of this look and the first one I created. I liked the bold brows in the first one, but the bold colour scheme in the second. I feel I need to practice my application techniques on face charts - I frequently smudged the make-up, ending up with shapes I had not originally wanted; for example I would've preferred more heart-shaped lips, mirroring the heart-shaped hair that was preferable in Elizabethan styles. 

My final look was taken from the work of Frances Hathaway, a make-up artist I had not discovered before. I absolutely loved the white strip across the eyes in this photo by Yulia Gorbachenko. This, the bold lip, and golden tones, reminded me of Elizabethan make-up. Again, the black lip colour, as opposed to the typical Elizabethan rouge, reflected my thoughts of Elizabeth Brydge's darker, unruly tendencies. I felt that this look modernised Elizabethan make-up through the eyes; it is almost as though the typical Elizabethan look is physically emerging through them. I liked that the model, Vanessa Cruz, does not appear to be wearing clothes; or at least they are low-cut. This reinforces the flirtatious themes I would like to follow in my work.

For my third face chart I followed the make-up in Hathaway's look. I felt that this look ended up a bit messy, as I struggled with products and smudging them. I tried to recreate the golden and bronze tones, and heavily highlighted upper lip, nose and inner corner, as I felt that these features in particularly were what made the look more contemporary, as in Elizabethan times the make-up was often very matte. I made the brows a bit bolder, however I think I should have experimented with middle-ground eyebrow, to see how it would have looked with visible, but thin brows; as two of my face charts have bold brows. 

In terms of hair, I will most likely opt for a pushed-back hairline, possibly with milkmaid plaits across the top of the head, furthering the illusion of a large forehead.

Following this exercise, I feel much more inspired and confident about working towards my final outcome. Before this, I did not have much inspiration, or any ideas. Now, however, I know that I enjoy playing around with the playful and disobedient themes, and how I can visually represent them. I seem to gravitate towards golden shades and bold colours; I really liked the use of dark pink and bold lips. I also liked the long, messy eyelashes, and think that this may be something I incorporate in my finished piece.