Logo Designs

I sent my original logo idea over to my graphic designer for him to improve on for me to be able to use it on my website.  Below is what I received back.

My Original Design

Above is an improved image of the original idea for my logo.  The graphic designer has brightened up the background and lightened the shade of the lipstick marks that I used to create the prophecy ball in the background.  It is a lot better than the rough logo that I had made, and I prefer the font that he has used.

Graphic Designer's Designs

Here are four other designs created, that the graphic designer felt would work well with my concept for my branding.  I really like them all and feel that the simplicity of them would work a lot better for my magazine, rather than trying to make too much of a statement with the design of a prophecy ball being used.  Out of all four of these, my favourite is the top left, because it still uses the element of the lipstick stains from my original idea and it adds some colour to the brand.

After receiving the above ideas and being drawn towards the design that uses the purple, I asked for it to be mocked up with a white square and black writing as well.  Below is the outcome which I am also really happy with.  Having spoken to a select group of my target market, they agreed that this was the best design outcome produced.  Therefore, I think that this will be the final logo for my magazine.

Final Logo Design

Mid-point Thoughts

ORGANISATION

Organising teams of people has been extremely difficult so far.  I feel that I have been well organised in trying to gather a team, however the communication back to me has not been good.  I have sent mood boards to my photographers with available dates to work with, however in some cases I have had to prompt them in order to receive a reply.
My models have been good at letting me know their availability and working with them has not been so difficult.  What I have struggled with the most is making sure that the whole team is available at the same time, which in some cases has meant that I have had to photograph the looks myself.  This has not been a complete disaster, as I am fairly confident behind the camera for beauty shots, however when I want to use specific techniques that I do not know how to achieve, I need to make sure that one of my photographers is available to help me.
From these occurrences I have learnt that to make operations smoother along the way, there are things that I could do prior to photoshoots that would improve the communication between myself and my team.  For example, creating call sheets and setting up a group message to communicate with everyone at one would probably make things slightly easier, and in turn it should improve the organisation of the group.

PRODUCTION
I am still a bit behind on my production schedule, however I am making up good time and getting on with my work in order to get myself back on track.  So far I have completed four of my photoshoots and I have another one planned for the end of this week.  After my week off for Easter, I need to crack on and get all of my shoots done so that I can start adding content to my website layout.
For the content of my magazine, I have photoshoots complete, however I need to begin writing up my articles to accompany them.  This will be hard if I leave it much longer to begin them, so my aim for the next few weeks is to make a start on the articles.

PROGRESSION
To progress further and achieve everything that I have set out to in time for the project deadline, I need to focus on:
- Completing my photoshoots
- Finalising my website layout
- Building my website
- Writing my magazine articles
This is achievable if I am strict with myself and make sure that I stay on track with my schedule plan.

Working Titles

The current title for my magazine is 'FORESEEN', however during my mid-point presentation, the lecturers pointed out that they did not agree with this title.  Therefore I have been looking at new ideas, as listed below:

FORE-SEEN

OUTLOOK

FASHION FIRST

BEAUTY FIRST

PROPHESY/PROPHET/PROPHECY

AUGUR

FORETELL

THE BEAUTY PROPHET/THE BEAUTY PROPHECY

When searching for a name, I was thinking of the future and words that can be used to portray the forecasting element of the magazine.  I found it difficult to think of a name off of the top of my head, so when 'FORESEEN' was turned down I typed it into the thesaurus to see what other words there were that would give the same idea.  At the moment I really like the idea of 'THE BEAUTY PROPHECY', and I have designed a rough logo idea below.

I like this idea for a logo design, so have sent it to a graphic designer for his help, in order to make it look better and more professional.

Mid-point Presentation Formative Feedback

What has been successful so far, what have you been pleased with?

Are you on track with your original production schedule, if not why and what needs adjusting?

How have you resolved any major issues?

What requires further improvement?

What other ideas do you have for further development of your project?

Based around the questions above that were set out by the lecturers, I explained in my presentation how and why my project has changed direction, and how I am currently behind schedule.  I also showed the group a selection of unedited images from my recent photo shoots, and then went on to talk them through a rough layout idea for my online magazine (refer to previous posts for details).

FEEDBACK (Emma, Jane and Elizabeth)

The feedback from the tutors on my presentation was mixed.  They liked the photo shoots that I showed them and liked the layout design of my website, however they had some issues with certain areas of my project.  For example, neither three of them were keen on the name that I had come up with for the magazine, and they believe that my knowledge of fashion isn't enough to cover that area on my magazine.  Instead, they suggested that I should focus on the hair and beauty aspects, as that is my area of expertise and they believe that I can achieve my full potential if I just focus on these areas.  Emma also suggested and believes that some still life product imagery would fit well with the magazine and boost the content.

NEXT STEPS

- Decide on a new title for the magazine

- Create a sell/tag line to go underneath the heading

- Make sure that the trends are dated for the readers

- Scrap the FASHION section

- Include some product imagery

- Make separate tabs for the magazine, do not just have all the content under TRENDS

- Look at some 'edgier' magazines, such as V Magazine, for inspiration

Fragrance Photoshoot

INSPIRATION

Here is a basic moodboard of inspiration for my fragrance photoshoot.  The key element to this look will be the gel lighting, to create a moody atmosphere in the image.  The main colour gels that I want to experiment with are red, green and blue, as I think that these will work best as a combination.  To work with these colours, I will apply a shimmery orange lipstick to my model's lips.

https://uk.pinterest.com/dannilove09/color/

https://fstoppers.com/studio/shooting-color-gels-2723

https://modxchange.wordpress.com/2014/03/10/how-to-wear-orange-lipstick-this-spring/

UNEDITED IMAGES

The theme behind this photoshoot was to represent fragrance, so I decided to play with coloured gels to create different moods within the images.  I am happy with the outcome of these images, however I think that I could have been a bit more adventurous with the poses and stances for the model  had I been more prepared leading up to the shoot, as the images are all quite similarly structured.

Luckily one of my photographers was free to help me with this photoshoot, as I am not confident in using gels, and I think that the lighting looks really good, with thanks to my photographer.  I was really happy with the make-up that I had created for my model's face, however it does not show up greatly in the images due to the lighting.  Looking back, I think that we should have captured some images without the gels to give me a variety of choice when it comes to finalising my images for the magazine.

Overall I am fairly pleased with the outcome of these images, however there are a few changes that I would like to make in post-production.  Firstly, I would like to play with the lighting and see if I can make the make-up any more visible than it is in the unedited images, and secondly I would like to take out the model's nose stud and tidy up the wispy hairs around her head.  The images will also need to be cropped to take out the models top and the excess areas of background.

Initial Website Design

Here I have created a rough outline of the layout that I wish to create for my online magazine.  As general features, I plan to have a banner at the top of my website with the logo and tag line and then a menu bar underneath.  I would like the menu bar to stay at the top of the page as the reader scrolls, as this will keep everything easily accessible for the reader.

Homepage

On the homepage I plan to have a News Feed on the right of the page where new 'trend alerts' will pop up, and when clicked on will take you to another area of the website where there will be a more in depth article about the trend.  Underneath the menu bar in the main space of the homepage, I plan to have a slideshow of various articles that can be found within the site.  I will make the slideshow interactive, so that when the viewer clicks on an image related to an article, it will take them to that page.

Trends Page

When the reader clicks the link to the Trends page, it will take them to a page with all of the trends of the season lined up.  Each trend will be represented by an image which the reader will click on to take them to the next page where they can read and learn more about it, which brings us to the layout below.

Trend Article Page

This is what I envision each article page to look like.  Once the reader has clicked on the trend that they want to read more about, it will take them to a page with a slideshow of images that will visually communicate the ideas behind it to the reader.  Accompanying the slideshow of images will be an article.  Each article will inform the reader about the trend and it's background, and how they can achieve it for themselves.

Eye Photoshoot

For the eye look, I want to create a dark smokey eye that has been glossed over with vaseline, similar to what can be seen in the moodboard above.  Paired with the dark glossy eye, I will give my model a matte nude lip to create contrast in the make-up.  This will also be so that the make-up look is balanced nicely, because if I were to opt for a dark lip and dark eye, it would confuse the viewer and I want them to be solely focused on the eye make-up.

http://newsbeat.co.ke/gossip/12-different-eyeliner-looks/

http://dy6g3i6a1660s.cloudfront.net/Gg3AyXuPBm1Bzvdeud9l6wPUAaM/orig.jpg

http://makeup.lovetoknow.com/Homemade_Lip_Gloss

https://briellebrennerbeauty.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/25-best-blue-smokey-eye-make-up-ideas-looks-of-2012-26.jpg

UNEDITED IMAGES

Unfortunately I am not very happy with the outcome of these images and I am considering not using them for the final outcome of my project.  The aim of my outcome was the achieve a dark glossy eye with a fairly nude lip, but what I did not anticipate was how creased the eye would become when I added the gloss over the top of the eyeshadow.  I was continuously blending the eyes in between shots, however this did not do much for them and the creasing continued to show through.

I will attempt to correct this in post-production, however I do not think that I have the correct skill set to be able to recover these images.  Although I do not think that this would achieve the desired effect of the photoshoot, as it would make the eyes lighter and blurrier than I would like them.  An alternative option would be to re-shoot this look, however I know that the model I used is very busy herself with her own projects, and so I feel that it is unfair for me to call on her again.

From doing this photoshoot, I have learnt that I need to plan my looks better and consider all possibilities when it comes to using innovative ideas within photoshoots.  In the future if I want to create a glossy eye, I will test the products that I want to use first on myself to ensure that they will look good on camera and not smudge or crease.

GLAMOUR Beauty Festival

Saturday 12th March 2016, 14:00 - 18:00

The Saatchi Gallery

The GLAMOUR Beauty Festival, Britain's first 'beauty theme park'.  The weekend was held at the Saatchi Gallery, in Chelsea, hosting an array of beauty, hair and fashion brands with free treatments on offer, as well as an amazing line up of guest speakers and sit-in masterclasses.  The beauty festival had some of the industry's biggest names to offer, all sharing their wisdom with those that attended.

The festival was spread across the three floors of the Saatchi, with a different areas of beauty overtaking each floor:

GROUND FLOOR

GLAMOUR THEATRE - A space celebrity guests and industry legends take over to reveal their secrets and stories that have shaped the world of beauty.

GLAMOUR MASTERCLASS - Workshops held by the GLAMOUR team; from reinventing classic pieces and working the season's trends to beauty and careers advice.

HAIR ZONE - REDKEN BACKSTAGE POP-UP

                    Choose your runway hairstyle at the Done/Undone hair bar.

                    OGX & THE BRAID BAR

                    The chance to find a healthy hair treatment and your prettiest plait.

                    GHD - STRAIGHT VS CURL

                    Choose between the ultimate straight or curly 'do at the pop-up styling salon.

MAKE-UP ZONE - LAURA MERCIER

                         Foundation Fitting - One-to-one personalised base colour-fitting to find your perfect match.

                         ILLAMASQUA

                         Statement Eyes - Offering catwalk inspired eye make-up from Illamasqua's team of artists.

                         BENEFIT COSMETICS

                         Brow Bar - Mapping, trimming, waxing and tweezing your brows to frame your face.

                         NARS

                         Blush/Bronzer Masterclass - Finding you your perfect blush-bronzer combination.

FIRST FLOOR

FRAGRANCE LOUNGE - Offering the new season's range of designer perfumes.

GLAMOUR SHOP - Filled with exclusive GLAMOUR goodies, including the latest Spring Edit in Beauty box with Alessandra Steinherr's favourite products.

SKINCARE ZONE - GARNIER

                           Healthy Hydration - Introducing their new moisture bomb treatments, with healthy refreshments and fitness seminars.

                           BALANCE ME

                           Skin Scan - A diagnostic skin scan along with indulgent hand and arm massages.

                           ELIZABETH ARDEN

                           Eight Hour Facial - Mini oxygen blast facials and eight-hour treatments with expert advice.

                           LIZ EARLE

                           Pro Cleanse - Professional cleanses, choose between a facial or a hand and arm massage.

SECOND FLOOR

LANCOME COVER SHOOT ZONE - Get yourself prepped and pampered in the Lancome Styling Salon before heading to the Selfie Booth or GLAMOUR Cover Shoot to get papped and star on your own cover of the magazine.

NAIL ZONE - OPI

                    Nail Art - Get an OPI manicure with a nail dedicated to a design of your choice.

                    SALLY HANSEN

                    Nail Rehab - Nourishing nail treatments to prep your nails for the nude manicure season.

                    RIMMEL LONDON

                    On-trend Mani - Get a manicure with the brand's new Super Gel polish in a range of catwalk inspired colours.

It was a great day packed with beauty lovers and I enjoyed being a part of GLAMOUR's first year of hosting it.  The chosen talk that I attended was the Pixiwoo Masterclass hosted by Alessandra Steinherr.  They demonstrated the differences between everyday make-up and an Instagram make-up look.  They were both working on models alongside each other to show the contrast between the two and so that the audience could see the difference between the amount of make-up that is used to create them.  It was a great masterclass to attend and it was inspiring to see the Pixiwoo sisters working whilst in conversation with GLAMOUR's Beauty Director Alessandra Steinherr.

Attending this event has helped me to grasp a first-hand understanding of areas of the beauty industry.  I learnt a lot more about specific brand ethos and aesthetic from talking to the workers on the stands and from experiencing their layouts and branding in the moment.  In terms of the new direction of my magazine, the convention was really helpful for me because I could see how different brands adapted their own versions of trends.  This knowledge will help me going forward with my project.

Research - A/W 16 Trends

The catwalk for A/W 16 saw a variety of beauty and hair trends this year.  From glittery adorned faces to the darkest lips, it was all seen from various brands.  Each of these trends all allow me something to work with in order to create my online magazine.  I plan to have areas within each feature called 'What's Been Seen on the Catwalk?' in which these images and ideas will fit perfectly.  Below are some of the key trends that I will take inspiration from for my online forecasting magazine.

BLACKCURRANT LIPS

Dior, Louis Vuitton, Rodarte and others alike all showcased dark berry lips this year.  Some glossy and some more matte, this trend is one that I have already looked into for my magazine and will continue to explore for my future readers.

DECADENT HAIR ACCESSORIES

Brooches, jewels and chains adorned the hair of models at the likes of Alexander McQueen and Erdem, whilst Rodarte used a mixture of real and metal flowers intertwined together.

ILLUMINATED SKIN

Barely there make-up was seen at shows such as Gucci and Valentino.  Ideas similar to this can be used within my skincare feature on my magazine.

SUPER GRAPHIC LINER

Innovative ideas for eyeliner have made an appearance this season on runways such as Giamba, Kenzo and Fendi.  Black and colourful lines have been seen in many different designs.

GLITTER

Sparkly eyes and brows were seen at the likes of Burberry and Giambattista Valli catwalks, showcasing the upcoming party season.  For my online magazine I can use glitter for feature areas such as eyes and nails.

VOGUE, 2016. Autumn/Winter 2016 Beauty Trends [online] [viewed 12th March 2016]. Available from: http://www.vogue.co.uk/beauty/2016/03/10/autumn-winter-2016-beauty-trends

All images found on Vogue.co.uk

Skincare Photoshoot

INSPIRATION

This moodboard of inspiration for my skincare photoshoot shows natural looking skin with highlights and a neutral lip colour.  I think that when creating a skincare look, it is important that the make-up looks natural and not overdone, otherwise it would defeat the point of the look being about keeping your skin healthy without the need for make-up.  To go with the make-up look, I would like to create a plaited hairstyle to keep the model's hair off of her face.  This will allow me to really focus on her face and the make-up, and it will also incorporate the idea of the overall trend behind the magazine - structure.  I believe that braids represent this well because they are quite regimented and tight against the head.

http://www.thefairytalemakeupartist.co.uk/strobing/

https://www.listaddicts.com/top-7-best-summer-cornrow-styles-for-women-2015/

http://www.elle.gr/article.asp?catid=24964&subid=2&pubid=129833215

https://www.newbeauty.com/treatments/lip-enhancement/

http://www.illamasqua.com/gleam-in-aurora/

http://www.lifewiththechampions.com/wedding-day-beauty-look/

UNEDITED IMAGES

The theme behind this photoshoot is skincare.  I wanted to create a natural effect with the make-up to mirror the idea that skincare regimes are becoming more popular and that they can make someone's skin look better without having to wear as much make-up.  I feel that I have achieved the outcome that I was aiming for with the make-up, and I am pleased with the way that the skin looks fresh and smooth and I have worked with the conventions of beauty to achieve the imagery above by creating close-up shots of the face and adjusting the lighting so that the highlight really stands out.

For the hair in this image, I wanted it off of the face so that the focus would be on the skin.  I opted for cornrow braids, as they took the hair back but still portray the idea of structure, being in regimented lines down the back of the head.  I am happy with the braids and the way that they sit, however the model's hair was quite layered and you can see these layers falling out of the braids in some of the images and there are also little fuzzy ends of hair surround the braids.

In post-production, I plan to brighten the images slightly to really show off the glow of the skin.  I will also be cleaning up the loose fuzzy hairs, in order to achieve the high quality, clean cut imagery that I want to publish in my magazine.  I will also crop some of the images, so that it is focused just on the face and the skin.

Lip Photoshoot

INSPIRATION

Here is a moodboard of inspiration for my lip photoshoot.  I want the shoot to focus on the trend of dark lipstick shades for Autumn, so I plan to use Urban Decay's Revolution Lipstick in Shame, as shown in the image above.  To compliment the lipstick shade, I would like to create a soft gold smoky eye, using a similar shade to the pigment shown in the moodboard.  I think that the combination of this eye and lip look will create a nice image that mainly focuses on the model's lips.  To accentuate this and make sure the focus is on the lips, I will have the model's hair pulled off of her face.  Similarly to the hairstyle seen in the image, but probably a bit tighter to the head and not as pouffy on top.

https://uk.pinterest.com/abco11/beauty/

http://www.polyvore.com/eye_shadow/collection?id=463738

https://uk.pinterest.com/explore/it-cosmetics/

http://www.urbandecay.co.uk

http://www.estanbul.com/mevsime-uygun-5-koyu-ruj-onerisi-437335.html

http://www.elle.com/beauty/makeup-skin-care/tips/g8585/gold-makeup-eyes-lips/

http://www.allfashionnews.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/How-to-Use-Dark-Purple-Lipstick-Well.jpg

UNEDITED IMAGES

Today I did a photo shoot for one of my lip looks, which I am really happy with.  My photographer was unavailable so I shot the images myself, but I feel that they have come out well.  The theme of this photoshoot was to focus on the lip, and the trend of dark Autumnal shades.  The lip line that has been created is clean without a bleed, which I am impressed with, and I feel that the bronzed shades of eyeshadow work well with the lip colour in order to make it stand out.  Here I have worked with the conventions of beauty in order to create a set of imagery that draws your attention to the model's lips.  I have done this by creating a neutral make-up look with a bold coloured lip that stands out most within the imagery.  Having the hair off of the face also allows the viewer to focus more on the make-up, and in particular the lip shape and colour.

The hair I am disappointed with.  My aim was a smooth, sleek bun with small wisps of hair falling around the front of the face, however my model had very think hair which was difficult to get as sleek as I had wished.  The wisps of hair also look a lot messier than I had originally envisioned, therefore some of the stray hairs will need to be edited out in post-production.  Overall, I am pleased with the outcome of this photoshoot, however there are parts that need to be worked on in the post-production stage in order to achieve a cleaner image, ready for my magazine.

In post-production I do not plan to do a lot to the images, because I do not want to over work them.  I would like to brighten the subject of the photos slightly in order to make the make-up really stand out, and I will tidy up the extra wispy hairs that can be seen around the side of the head.