I thought I’d share the collection I did for NAHA 2022. Although I didn’t place I figured I’d still share the behind the scenes. Sadly it’s not as detailed as my Cyberpunk collection (which won MUA of the Year 2021, yay!) I hope it helps fellow artists even you take away one thing from it.
There is a reason why it’s not as detailed and I will try to keep it brief. In May of 2021 my husband and I received terrible news that father in law, Steve, didn’t have long to live. This absolutely devastated us beyond words so you can imagine the want to create anything was just not there. To add to this horrible news we couldn’t travel to the UK, where his parents are located, so we couldn’t even be by his side during the last couple of months he had left. We tried to get on with things but it was very difficult. I’m trying not to tear up as I write this but it’s very hard. Sadly we lost him late July. I had the shoot scheduled for the 2nd of August and had to be postponed. Obviously at this point I even debated entering but I knew Steve would have told me to do it and would have been cheering on, he wouldn’t want me to have given up.
The shoot was rescheduled with little resources and a very vague idea. I let the shoot evolve, adapting to the challenges as it went. The tears were added at the very last after I knew I had THE shot. Subconsciously I think I added the tears to express my grief in a way. Although I find this set very beautiful and shared with those close to me, it’s still a very painful memory. What’s even more painful is that he never got to see me win Makeup Artist of the Year, he would have been so proud of me.
There are some missing steps in the images but hopefully it gives you the rough idea. The pearl body necklace that you see can be purchased on Amazon here:
Rebecca was such a trooper. I few days prior she had her wisdom teeth pulled out and because she wanted to help me out and be a part of the collection she powered through it. Love her dedication.
The lighting setup was basic in comparison to the Cyberpunk collection. Only two lights to keep it somewhat dramatic but soft. I also wanted to keep a nude color palette except for the dominant colors. One model was gold and blue, second was red and gold, and third was purple and gold.
Sam is also an absolute sweetheart and I love this woman to the moon and back. She traveled from Indiana just to shoot and hang. I’m super thankful to have her in my life.
To add a bit of drama to Sam’s hair I bought a wig (many years ago) off Amazon. This wig in particular was roughly $16 to $20 at the time. I’m sure you can still find an assortment of great quality just to add that extra-ness!
My sister was kind enough to be one of my models as well. After we finished the shoot we played video games, something we do on a regular basis.
This is, sadly, the last shot taken from the shoot. My husband had to leave to take care of somethings and it was just my sister and I in the end.
For those wondering what was used for the gold as well as the tears here’s a list:
Mehron Metallic Powder
Karo Light Corn Syrup
Wilton Icing Colors
Mix all three and you’ll get glittery, colored tears that drip slowly and not run. Great for special effects blood too! The Mehron metallic powder was used to accent freckles, highlighter, lips, and even lash points. It’s so diverse as well as strong. Not to mention it’s not pricey at all and a little bit goes a long way. I’m not sponsored by them at ALL. If I truly believe and use the product I will give you my honest opinion about them.
Here are the final results!
