Beauty | Miranda Kerr Look | Victoria's Secret Inspired

A beautiful clean look inspired by Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr.

Brought to you by 105 LOOKS and Tanya Burr

A bit on Miranda



Hope you enjoyed this weekend's beauty post... sorry for the brevity but this weekend is mad busy and will leave you with a little more of Miranda's work.

xoxo

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Photoshop | Hyper Realistic Manga

I was looking for something challenging to try to do the other week, when I stumbled on another book on Advanced Photoshop techniques. Saw this tutorial and had to give it a whirl. 

First thing was to purchase this shot of a model from iStockPhoto.com

Next was to adjust the head to give it a more rounded look.

Followed by shaping the jaw line a little :)

I selected her eyes and on a separate layer, enlarged them to start really changing the look. At this point she is starting to remind me more of a Mark Ryden painting. Which might be a cool post down the road when I think on it.

I apply a similar technique to the nose and mouth and desaturate the lips.

With the use of a layer mask, she gets a new doo and some ribbons. The new look is just about achieved. Time for a cool background. 

I really had a hard at this point settling. It was too much fun and really wanted the piece to be more than just a run through a tute. Something more original. But due to the amount of projects on my plate, I just went with it. The piece was a little dark and wanted to do something a little different, so I added one of Renata's necklaces to her, adjusted the color some and here is the final result.

I am working on an original piece for a friend, author Sam Kirshaw, taking one of her publicity shots and well, I will save the idea for later :)

Any questions on this, I would be happy  to answer, technique-wise.

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Beauty | Luxe Metallics Look | Phillip Lim Inspired

Lim, photographed in the New York loft that will soon be his new HQ | Photo by Jake Chessum

Phillip Lim: "We Live by the Dress and Die by the Dress."
Excerpt from Bee Shyuan-Chang's great article in Fast Company's United States of Design

"I WANT MY WORK TO SPEAK FOR ME." Phillip Lim says these words flatly, much as he says everything when you first meet him. It's really quite a fashion-designery thing to say--rather predictable, a tad pretentious, and not meaning much at all. Except in Lim's case, he's not kidding, because he doesn't seem to want to speak for himself.

"Phillip is elusive," says Wen Zhou, CEO of Lim's company, 3.1 Phillip Lim. "It's shy," Lim clarifies. Elusive, shy, even distant and aloof--he does not seem like a designer for these times of red carpets and paparazzi, social climbing and social media. "If you're giving all the time to the flashbulbs, to the people at the parties, it's exhausting," he says of his choice to stay mostly off the circuit. He avoids Facebook and Twitter. In conversation, he often deflects prying questions with one-liners that seem direct but are cryptic in retrospect. He once defined his style as "classic but twisted." What does that even mean?

Whatever it is, shoppers have loved it. Lim's style has, in just six years, fueled a fashion engine that is on target to drive $60 million in revenue this year. Along with his original womenswear collection, he now does menswear, childrenswear, swimwear, accessories, even lingerie. But the genius of 3.1 Phillip Lim isn't found only in the design of the clothes; you can also spot it on the price tag. Tomoko Ogura, women's fashion director of Barneys Co-op, says,"He's a pioneer in terms of bringing a level of sophistication and a true integrity to design at the contemporary price point." In other words, the clothes are made well, look good, and won't cost you a month's wages--a troika in fashion that's all too rare.At 38, Lim finds himself both a commercial and critical darling. In 2007, the Council of Fashion Designers of America presented him with its Swarovski award for womenswear; this year, he was a finalist for menswear. And on September 2, a day after his birthday, GQ Chinamade him its 2011 designer of the year. Fashion-criticism doyenne Suzy Menkes of the International Herald Tribune has praised the "careful craftsmanship" of his work, calling it "dynamic" and "energizing." And, of course, he has his requisite celebrity following. "He designs so beautifully," says actress Rachel Bilson, who last year cohosted, with Vogue, a first-anniversary fete for Lim's L.A. store. "There is always a brilliant nod to femininity with a touch of edge."

For the more of the story, CLICK HERE.

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Beata Synkiewicz | Fashion + Art

Beata Synkiewicz was born in Krakow in 1986 under the shadow of Chernobyl. She began writing as a child and was inspired by fashion even then when she started drawing. 

Despite her obvious interest in art, Beata’s parents decided to send her to music school since it was discovered she had perfect pitch. Beata loved the violin but the school only had a cello available… she didn’t like the school to begin and that was the last straw. She rebelled. She transferred to a new school and focused on athletics since a child she was always a little bit chubby. With her art ability, she got involved designing posters and such for school activities. When she turned 14, she discovered graphic design and computers and was hooked for life.

During high school, Beata got her first computer and scanner. Her creativity blossomed… Creating digital collages using trial versions of design software. When they expired she would then reformat her whole PC to use them again. Playing piano and singing along with designing filled her life with inspiration. Songwriting also became another huge form of self-expression. The piano became another of her best friends.



In her own words

It all started when I had the chance to go to medical school but fell in love instead and soon became a single mother. My daughter, Kinga, changed my life completely. She motivated me to become a better person and strive to be someone she could look up to.

So I decided to follow my father’s footsteps in agriculture and studied animal husbandry in college. As my child grew so did my ideas despite some financial difficulty. A scholarship enabled me to buy my first camera and I never went anywhere without it. It became my passion. Shooting anything that captured my imagination; photography empowered me even if I didn’t know exactly what I was doing. I could use my camera and computer to create a world of my very own. My interest in shooting people began when I realized I need actors to populate this world and began seeking out the players to inhabit my creations.

The owner of M&M Studios in Staszow then discovered my work online. He wanted me to photograph evening gowns with the freedom to do it any way I saw fit. The location was Wawel castle. It was exciting. Working with professional models, makeup artists and directing them was a wonderful experience.

After that shoot, my career truly began. Fashion shoots of anything from a line of blouses to bikinis, I discovered others appreciated my work and soon was doing wedding photography as well. I felt became a true photographer. Enamored with old black and white photography, the glamour and mood they had spoke to me. Vintage clothes along with distressed textures also worked its way into my own work.

My music still helps keep me balanced and compliments my photography and continues to help me express myself.

Interview

R&J: We are pleased to introduce you to photographer and artist, Beata Sienkiewicz. While we are here to talk a little photography, just couldn’t help share some of her art work and the scene at her first art show.



R&J: First we want to thank you for joining us today, Beata, could you tells us a little about living in Krakow as an artistic, creative person.

Beata: No, no… Thank you for taking an interview with me. Your blog seem to be one of the most interesting I’ve ever visited. About the question… Krakow is very unique city. A place where art is created at the speed of light, it is in the air, where you can meet professional artists playing guitar, singing or painting on the streets at night. We all feel the freedom in creating. It is our reality. It’s wonderful. I don’t really feel like an artist at all… I have passion… a love for imagery, for light … I also love drawing (especially old humpbacked men with birdcages ;) but not on the streets - I draw whenever I can find the time, usually on buses, during my way home/work.



R&J: LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your work, it has a wonderful edginess, intensity and the occasional a dash of mystery, especially your black and white shoots, do you prepare differently for a black and white shoot compared to color? What does fashion mean to you?

Beata: My understanding of word “fashion” differs from most. I feel it’s like a picture, which is created by each person and placed into her environment. A composition of colours and form, a kind of a collage representing a piece of your style, yourself, even your soul. Fashion is kind of language I have only just begun to learn. In my work, I try to make a dialogue with the people expressing it. Fashion inspires, but I still feel more inspired by fashion photographers (like Richard Avedon, Paolo Roversi, Annie Liebovitz) than designers. Of course, the world of fashion does influence my life, but not as much as the photography itself, catching the moment, light and beauty.

When taking a photo, I already know if it’s going to be in black and white or color. It depends mostly on nature of the shapes sculpted by light. I prefer black and white because I always felt, that colour is only illusion but the sharpness, contrast and structure are always constant, and that’s what black and white shows – truth.







R&J: What is your favorite camera? What advice would you recommend for someone starting out in photography?

Beata: I love all of the cameras I’ve ever had. I began with Nokia 3220, then I went with a Panasonic FZ7, I think my favourite one was and still is the PENTAX K100D because of the M42, and the sound of shutter, its also quite heavy – you feel the iron and glass in it. It was my first reflex camera and I still use it sometimes. For beginners, I have only one piece of advice. Don’t pay a lot of money for the camera until you understand your own needs as a photographer. Buy something affordable, learn how to use it, find out what your needs are then invest in the next one – make this choice wisely and try to rely on your own experience.

R&J: You are a parent, a student, an artist and photographer, how on earth do you manage to do all that and still sleep?

Beata: Sleep? What does that strange word mean? ;) No… I was juggling. ;) It’s gets easier when you doing all the stuff you love, that you’re really interested in. I relax while taking the photos, I feel wonderful while creating some graphics – it’s similar to a moment with good book or listening to your favourite music (my favourites are Bjork and old swing bands) and I love being a parent – so this is perfect situation for me. I don’t feel I just do all these things. I’d even take a risk in saying, that without these all these things I’d be uncomfortable, sad and I’d miss each one of them.









R&J: Beata, what advice would you give to a single mother out there, who also has a dream, but maybe not sure where to start?

Beata: Hmmm… would it be unkind if I told them just to make their dreams come true and that’s all? It has to be something like determination. Every day should bring to us something new and special. Don’t go asleep if you can’t say, that today you learned something new, you did something special… And try to do everything to make your loved ones proud of you.

My biggest inspiration is my daughter, I love her with all my heart – and all I do – I do for her as well, so she will be proud of me.



You can see more of Beata’s work HERE. If you are interested in working with Beata you can reach via phone @ +48791860509 or email her at b.synkiewicz@gmail.com. Thank you all for joining us. xoxo

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Beauty | Rebel | Freja Beha Erichsen

"The queen of cool. Probably one of the most-requested models of all my clients. She is the perfect old-school clothes-hanger with a little eighties androgyny thrown in." Kendall Herbst New York Magazine

Freja Beha was one of the inspirations behind one of 105 LOOK's latest issues, REBEL, so be sure to check that out. Discovered in Denmark in 2005 by an agent in a passing taxi, Freja has been turning heads ever since. On the runway and in print, her work for the likes of Gucci, Chanel and others is just incredible.

With that in mind, I am happy to share with you our choice for an incredible weekend look. Inspired by Freja and a rebellious spirit and made possible by 105 LOOKs. We hope you enjoy and rock this look. XOXO

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BEAUTY | BURNT RED LIPS

A nice easy autumn look for the weekend. Enjoy!



For more great looks, visit our friends at 105LOOKS

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PHOTOSHOP | Advanced Techniques

The other month at Barnes & Noble Books, I discovered the UK's Advanced Photoshop Magazine. It has amazing tutorials. I was hooked. Looking through these pages I was inspired. The whole creative process is intriguing. The behind the scenes bit, the effort that goes on behind the door, stage or screen, design, photo, painting, etc. Those mysterious steps that lead to the elusive magical, amazing or just plain wow moments.

I really have been wanting and needing to raise my game and decided to give challenging looking tutorials a go, come what may. This was my first attempt and the steps I took to complete it. Be most happy to answer any questions but if you are seeking a straight tutorial, you will have to get November's AP 87, the latest print issue and following along. The downloadable tutorial for this project isn't quite online yet. In the future, I will to try and choose projects that are.

This was a lot of fun, like when trying to cook and actually follow the recipe, once I got started I started adding a few of my own ingredients and hoped for the the best.

The start was a model (courtesy of iStockPhoto.com) and the first step was to remove the background forever more to be known as BG via the PEN TOOL and LAYER MASK and touch up the water with the CLONE tool.

I originally thought to keep her right forearm and hand (deviation numero uno) but as you will see later I ditched the idea.

Next called for a few ADJUSTMENT LAYERS (color balance, hue/saturation, vibrance and exposure) It was really cool seeing how the ALs worked together and the variations created by the order in which they are stacked.

Then inserting a new BG texture from a site I never heard of and glad I did. STOCK.XCHNG Highly recommended for free stock files and much appreciated for the completion of little Pygmalion here.

Working in the LAYER MASK of the model we begin to blend her in with the BRUSH TOOL and tweaking the over all color with the ADJUSTMENT LAYERS and playing with opacities.

First try at creating depth by creating shadows...here's where it stated getting kooky, fun but KOOKY and at the same time felt like I was breaking new ground for me, so exciting too.

Now for for some serious retouching, never tried to to such an extent. The tute included a file of a statue bust to replace the bikini top. Then cloned out the bottom remaining strap. I think this stage was very pretty.

Getting close to a finish, I added a second texture for more realism and a carved from rock feel takes form.

One last texture and assorted noodlings... still very ethereal and decided to go for more contrast for the final

On an end note, I worked in Photoshop CS4 and pretty happy with the results here, definitely learned a thing or two, please let me know if you have any specific questions, I will try and be more detailed next time around. Hope you enjoyed this. Look forward to your comments. :)

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BEAUTY | 105 LOOKS

105 LOOKS is the premier video-centric beauty site for style-savvy women who want to know how to wear the latest beauty trends.  Whether you want something a little edgy or casually chic, we present the best videos on creating the wearable looks you want and the products you’ll need to make it happen. 
Today, I am thrilled to present  to you their latest looks in this great makeup tutorial.

Chic Day + Intense Night | One Palette Two Looks

Marcus and Caroline

Brother and sister, Marcus and Caroline Dahllöf, were experiencing way too much frustration trying to follow the latest tips on beauty via YouTube. They wanted to be able to find the best videos for each occasion or style, e.g. all the best evening looks regardless of which makeup artist had done the video.  It was easy to get lost in an endless sea of videos. And with video production quality varying so much, it was time consuming sorting the good from the bad. Using traditional keywords and tags weren’t really helping either. Inspiration struck.

105 LOOKS was born.

The idea. Handpick the top beauty videos on YouTube and set a standard of quality, make them searchable by style, celebrity name, product name, and occasion or makeup color, all in a way that makes sense for cosmetics. Whether you are a professional makeup artist or getting ready for your prom, Marcus and Caroline have worked hard to make the latest styles accessible and easy for you to find and use. With work, school, and the demands of a busy life there’s no wasted time, no fuss and you can be sure to find the best beauty videos for each style or occasion.  All videos meet a minimum level of quality for audio, video and lighting.

105 LOOKS is runway inspired, but the looks are extremely wearable - wanting to inspire women to try new looks that might seem intimidating at first but can actually be quite wearable if done right. In their weekly TREND GUIDE, they offer a range of styles and skill levels in the latest looks. And the videos come with easy-to-follow instructions that show how to create a look from beginning to end.

A conversation with co-founder, Marcus Dahllhöf of 105 LOOKS.

R&J: Thank you for joining us, Marcus. 105 LOOKS is an amazing site and you’ve both done a fantastic job so far. What are your hopes for the future of 105 LOOKS?

105 LOOKS: We hope the site will become a destination for women that want to learn to do makeup, whether it is the latest runway looks or getting introduced to makeup.  Online video is such a fantastic way to learn makeup. 

Going forward we will continue to improve the content and the experience of 105 LOOKS.  For example, we are currently focusing on making the site more social.

R&J: There are so many factors in deciding what look to do (makeup-wise) for an evening out. Any advice for someone wanting to try something new yet maybe unsure what to choose?

105 LOOKS: Well, you can actually search for evening looks on our site. Here’s a link: http://www.105looks.com/occasion_or_color/d/223-party and then further refine those results by your favorite makeup color. 

I would also suggest browsing the looks from our Trend Guide this fall, we have some great evening looks in there.

In general, for an evening look you should go for a bolder, more intense look. Make sure to match appropriately with your attire – if you are looking to make a statement with your makeup you don’t need your clothes to do the same. Now, if you are going on a first date, I would not suggest experiment with a new look – stick to something you know works and that enhances you!

R&J: Off the top of your head, what are the top 5 products (brands) a girl just shouldn’t be with out?

105 LOOKS: I would suggest taking a close look at the following products and brands:

• Cheater! Mascara by the Balm is excellent, and it comes with a great brush.

• Dior’s 5-color Palette in Mitzah is one we highly recommend for the fall – the colors are super trendy and because they are natural colors they will work on most women.

• NARS’ Blush in Orgasm is a really popular blush and that works really well on most people.

• There are some great lip products out there that match color according to body heat. For example, Dior Lip Glow and a drugstore alternative is Black Radiance’s Perfect Tone Lip Color.

• Instead of traditional foundations, we like tinted moisturizers. Because your natural skin color will vary with the season a nice tip is to get 2 in similar shades and then blend for a perfect color match.  Laura Mercier makes some great oil free tinted moisturizers that come with SPF.

R&J: Thanks again, Marcus, for your time and wish you continued success.

We are very happy to introduce you to 105 LOOKS and thank them for the time shared with us. If you would like to see more video tutorials here please let us know and will do our best to present more in the future. We all hope you enjoyed the post.

You can visit them at 105LOOKS and be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter. (all with appropriate links)

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A Day in Soho | NYC

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PORTRAITS | Paolo Roversi

Fashion Photographer Paolo Roversi's work behind a lens is more than beautiful, it is…

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FOR STRANGE WOMEN

Welcome to our feature on For Strange Women, a collection of 100% natural artisan perfumes and other concoctions fragranced with all plant extractions. With inspiration drawn from the Victorian era and a deep respect of nature, this perfumery evokes the serenity found in a pristine forest while visually creates a hauntingly beautiful sense of the past. Quirky concepts and delightfully odd original recipes combine with an eco-friendly approach and the artful romantic design of her products make For Strange Women a true, one of a kind, unique experience.

We are thrilled to introduce you to its founder, Jill McKeever.

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A SLIGHTLY MAD HATTER - An Interview with Milliner Ella Gajewska of London

Written by Jonathan Wilson

Ella Gajewska is professional milliner working in London and Krakow. Hats are the love of her life. She has been working as a milliner since 1996, though her passion for hats started much earlier, in her childhood, when Ella created hats for her dolls to give them a bit more of an extravagant look.

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THE LAST PRE RAPHAELITE

Art-wise, I love the classical (anywhere from the 15th to 20th century). When not making cute little cartoony characters, I am getting in the habit of copying the masters. I missed out on this practice in art school because, I took commercial art.


II had time today to seek out some inspiration and, lucky me, I found some. In the form of Frank Cadogan Cowper. I had never heard of the fellow until I stumbled on his painting, "Vanity." OMG... just beautiful!

This painting is reminiscent of the work of Bougereau (an all time fav)
and was Cowper's diploma work for the Royal Academy.

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