Seven Days, Seven Self-Portraits

After my first self-portrait (last post on this blog), I ended up doing an art challenge of doing one self-portrait per day. Each of these self-portraits were created in the painting simulator 'Fresh Paint' on my Microsoft Surface tablet, and drawn with a stylus.

Saturday 23rd April

This is the first picture and the one that started it all. It's got its own blog entry (the previous one to this). I was just getting used to the stylus, so it is not as neat as it could be. The nose is a bit flattened at the the bottom, and this is the first picture where I noticed that I was struggling to draw noses. 

I was aiming for dramatic lighting with dark blue/purple shadows, but I think I was a little zealous with the lilacs and lavenders in this, making me look a little alien-purple over all. I spent the rest of the series trying to alter that balance to something I liked. The emerald green hair came out really well, especially the contrasts and shadows in it, and I am also really happy with the shimmer effect on the sparkly/iridescent lipgloss (over black lipstick). 

Sunday 24th April

I really like how this one looks like it's almost from an old horror-movie poster, back when they were done with paintings, rather than digital collages of footage from the film/photographs taken for promotional pictures and then digitally manipulated. I feel like I belong in a b-movie about witches or vampires in this picture, which to me, is just perfect. There's something about an artist's interpretation of a film that always adds something special - art interpreting art. 

The circlet I am wearing is hand-made, and bought from Far Fetched in Inverness. I think it's made by a local woman, but I'm not entirely sure - I will find out more when I am next in that shop. I was told when I bought the circlet, but I have since forgotten. It was picked on account of looking very elfin - a mixture of Art Nouveau and Celtic swirls. Raven's been inspired by the whole circlet thing, and wants to start making his own designs - I've also been doing sketches of my own designs for circlets, so perhaps there will be more of those in future. 

The pentacle-and-moon necklace was from Claire's Accessories of all places - I guess this awful 'trend' based off occult imagery is useful for something, even if as an actual witch I take issue with turning my symbols into a commercialised meaningless trend, and it being used to signify a sort of hollow 'edginess'. In retrospect, buying something from a retailer that is part of that commercialisation, even if I am going to wear that necklace as an un-ironic, un-pretentious and authentic reflection of my faith and spirituality, as each sale just feeds the capitalist machine. 

Artistically, there's a few errors of proportion in this - the cheek-bone on the right isn't quite the right shape, and my nose is not the best rendition thereof. It's the bottom of the nose, around the bulb and nostrils, that I struggle with most. I have been paying close attention to how I do my nose in the subsequent pictures as I've realised that noses are something I really struggle with. The shading on the neck is a bit on the 'sharp'. I am happy with how the hair turned out, however, and think that the brighter streak in my hair (Crazy Colour Emerald Green comes out apple green, and the rest of my hair is Directions Apple Green, which comes out emerald green... go figure!) worked really well in this particular rendition. 

Monday 25th April

Artistically, I think this was probably the least successful. The proportions of my face are wrong - especially the cheeks looking too puffy, and the nose being at an odd angle. Again, I struggled with the nostrils and the bulb of the nose.

The hair turned out pretty well, although trying to get all the flicks and swirls would have possibly been more effective with a finer bush - I was using the finest brush size available on Fresh Paint, however. I also like how painterly the colours are on this - they seem quite alive and vibrant, and the picture, while probably not the most accurate likeness of me in terms of actually looking like my face, probably captures the most energy. There's also something a bit fey, pixie-like about it, which I rather like. 

Tuesday 26th April

I have 'resting bitch face' in this picture. I look a mixture of imperious and angry, and a little bit derisive. That wasn't intentional, more the result of actually looking crabby because I was having a bad day, and few errors of artistry that have come together to make me look even more foul-tempered. I think it's a very severe line of the mouth that's the greatest culprit in this for my expression. 

The nose is a little off straight, but my nose actually IS a bit bent as it was broken when I was a child. I think however that I made it a little wonkier than it actually is - perhaps subconsciously done, as I'm quite self-conscious about it. I am happy with how the green shimmer came out on the lipstick - I am wearing the green iridescent lipgloss again, but this time over 'Blackberry Fool' lipstick from the Collection 'Lasting Colour' range. 

Angry expression aside, this is probably my favourite picture of the lot. Actually, maybe the angry expression contributes, but the angle of the pose, the framing of my hair, and the solidity I have given my face all seem quite stately and powerful here. The angry and slightly imperious expression probably contribute to that in a "do not meddle with the affairs of dragons, for you are crunch and taste good with sauce" sort of way :P (Although I'm sure I'm some sort of harpy rather than a dragon! )

Wednesday 27th April

In general, I find this one a bit "meh". Artistically, I've got the blending down a lot better than in the previous pictures, but there's something lifeless about it, a little anodyne and unremarkable. I guess the uninteresting make-up doesn't help; simple black eye-shadow and eye-liner, and simple purple lips. The expression is a the sort of smile one does for photographs that doesn't quite seem genuine and doesn't quite seem false, and this picture does not have the contrast or dynamic angles of some of the others.

The hair is also the wrong colour - my hair is emerald green, for the most part, and in this it seems too grass-green. Certainly the colours over all seem warmer, but even with this considered the hair seems too yellow-green.

This is probably the best nose so far, and I think all the care and attention I have put into doing the noses over the course of the week has been paying off and there has been an improvement with each new picture. 

Thursday 28th April

The eye makeup on this one is something I wore a few weeks back when I got my new curly dark green wig. I felt like making a reprise with it for this self-portrait. 

I think with each iteration of the challenge, the images become a closer and closer likeness of me. This one seems a little squiff, however. I drew it in more than one sitting, and I think the nose and mouth are slightly out of align with the rest of the face and the eyes. I am still struggling to paint good noses, but they are improving - even if this one is perhaps a bit out of align. 

The necklace is an ankh in the Gothic architectural style. I love the mixture of influences in this necklace. It's one of my collection of Alchemy Gothic jewellery. I've slowly been accumulating a collection of all the jewellery I wanted in the early '00s but was neither allowed to buy nor had the money for. 15 years later I am finally getting my talons on them! This ankh is probably my favourite necklace at the moment in terms of design. ! 

I was attempting to do something interesting with the contrast, and with negative space in both terms of black and white negative space. I'm not sure if the composition really worked out, with the detailed parts being on the diagonal between the block of white and block of black, but that's what the intention was.

Friday 29th April

Last, but not least, a portrait trying to show the blues and purples still in my hair. For the most part, my hair is now emerald green, but previously, as frequent readers will know, my hair was half a rainbow of colours, and it was quite difficult to get some of the colours out, and some parts were therefore re-coloured as accents, meaning that while my hair is predominantly green, there are a few flashes of blue and purple in it. These are mostly in the under-layers, so for this picture I deliberately styles my hair so a few strands of those colours would come to the fore. Flashes of blue near the bottom have been visible in previous self-portraits, but this is the first where it is clear that these are indeed accents in my hair, and not just a trick of lighting. 

I still haven't figured out how to get my noses correct and consistent, but I do think there has been an overall improvement in them over the course of the week. I guess the more I practice, the more I will learn. 

The choker/necklace is another Alchemy Gothic piece - in this case a hinged choker with bat-wings, skulls and cross-bones and Gothic tracery. I really like the Alchemy designs that incorporate elements of the Gothic architectural style. 

Make-up is more of my favourite swirlies and purple lipstick. The swirls in this one are both regular black liquid eye-liner, and silver eye-liner. It is a lot easier to draw the swirls on the flatness of a painting than on the curves of my face, that is for sure! 

~✵✯✩*⭒*✩✯✵~

This week's self-portrait challenge has been challenging indeed, and hopefully it has taught me a few things - not just about FreshPaint and digital painting, but about portraiture in general. Practice makes improvement, especially if that practice is challenging and pushes me into trying things I don't often do, and which need improvement. I know I am not so good at noses, and so I will continue to work on improving those in my art. I would love to hear what you think of the pictures - constructive criticisms included. I can only improve if I know where I am going wrong! 

Self-Portrait and Green Hair

After all the struggles and fuss of trying to re-dye my hair (I will make a post about that, too, but it's going to be a long one) I figured it needed commemorating with something more than just a selfie.

Ok, that's not really why I did this (well, maybe a little; that is some VERY green hair I now have) and I actually did it to get back into making art. I've done so much for my university coursework that is design, but since the first term, not much drawing that isn't technical. I happen to really like drawing in a more illustrative sort of way; I like doing recognisable artistic pictures of things. Don't get me wrong, technical drawing and CAD are really important in architecture, and have their own beauty when done well (or maybe that's just because I've got really perfectionist about lining up annotations and line-widths and arranging things in the clearest manner...) but sometimes I just want to make a pretty picture. 

This was done with the painting simulator FreshPaint on my shiny new Microsoft Surface tablet. It has a stylus and I am learning how to use the stylus. I like using the painting simulator more than I like actual digital art programs like illustrator; it does a reasonable job of mimicking how paint works, and turning stylus strokes and pressure differences into realistic brush-strokes. I think this looks reasonably like what it would be if it was an actual acrylic painting I ahd done. I don't want it to stylistically be all perfect and smooth like a digital painting, or a very time-consuming oil or water-colour; I wanted it to look painted, a tad impressionistic at the edges. 

And I was wearing iridescent, slightly glittery lipstick. 

I know the nose is a bit off, and that one eye seems slightly droopy, and I would love any constructive criticism. 

Acceptance, Defiance and Difference

Is mainstream acceptance a blessing, or does it mean that we can no longer engage in sartorial protest against the failings of the mainstream?

This post was inspired by my musings after watching the section on not wanting to be acceptable in ::this:: video by Jwlhyfer de Winter.

Personally, most of the long-term Goths I've met have been more about keeping true to their selves, their unusual fascination with the dark, the macabre, the sinister, in the face of opposition of a society that feared and loathed those things than engaging in an active rebellion; wanting to shock and 'be a rebel' always seemed the realm of teenagers for whom Goth was a means to express teenage angst and rail against the world as it is revealed to be deeply unfair, rather than a core motivation of the subculture. I've often argued that no, we're not in it to shock, we're not in it for the attention, we're just here to enjoy our own thing, that it is purely motivated by a desire to express ourselves, our interests and passions and our creativity. 

But Goth evolved from Punk, and Punk involved fashion as a political statement, and Goth as well - it was a deliberate embracing of imagery and symbolism that was provocative; it was making a statement, yet I was not even born yet when people declared "punk is dead", and while the subculture and values will probably never die, I think Punk's viability as a counterculture rather than subculture has wained.  

Partly, times have simply moved on, and actions and fashions that were once capable of being a viable statement of more than just one's sartorial proclivities are now seen as simply being shocking for attention, and possibly ticket and music sales - a publicity stunt, either personal or as an entertainer. Marilyn Manson's criticisms of the church and society are largely ignored as his shock rock is seen as a way to titillate, provoke and make him an awful lot of money. That sort of thing is nothing new! I think it was Paganini who helped propagate rumours that he had sold his soul to the devil for his talents, because it boosted concert attendance - people wanted to hear the devil play - and Marilyn Manson, the "antichrist superstar" can be seen as not that different. This is not to say I don't like Marilyn Manson (or Paganini), but that their very attempts to shock us with a message can get cynically dismissed, and the message becomes lost.

Fashion as a means to shock is loosing it's power too - even Lady GaGa's most ridiculous outfits, while they initially were discussed by the media as so daring, or making a mockery, or even disgusting (the infamous "meat dress"), discussion of her clothes has been relegated to the gossip papers, and she no longer shocks, if she ever really did. Discussions as to whether her whole stage persona was an elaborately self-parodying send-up of the pop-industry became discussion of her as just another pop-star. She's probably one of the few pop musicians whose output I like (at least her earlier tracks) and I appreciated the dark aesthetic of many of her videos, but the question of whether she was really creating a tapestry of thickly woven satire, parody and irony behind her 'poker face' or whether she was simply another person looking for fame and stardom by being as dramatic and weird and shocking as possible is as yet to be resolved - personally, I think the lyric content of her songs points that she is in fact creating her own artistic of protest of the very establishment of popular entertainment that sustains her. 

Neither of the two artists above are Goth, though, and although I think that they have definitely been influenced by the Gothic aesthetic, if not the subculture, and have then themselves, in their prominence in the parent cultural mainstream, fed back into the subculture. This is mostly because the bands and musicians who became famous enough to make a visible musical and political statement and who fit as Punks or Goths (or whom were labeled as such) did so either before I was born, or before I was old enough to understand what was going on, and that contemporary bands are working within an established genre and subculture rather than breaking new ground in terms of their ethos - even if people are certainly continuing to be original musically. 

It does not seem to me that shock tactics are really going to work in a world that has had decades to get used to Punks and Goths, and the only people who will be shocked are those who are comparatively conservative by the standards of the mainstream, and more is being done to change them by time and progress and by their ideology being challenged than by us dressing in the most morbid black and proclaiming our love for what they will find outrageous - that tends to get us vilified more than achieve actual change.

As a teen, I adopted Goth as a means to annoy those around me who tried to force me to conform to a set of values that did not suit me - those who were homophobic, religiously intolerant, those who tried to stifle my creativity, deny my differences, and force me to be something they would accept but was alien to my self. My sartorial defiance of the rules  as a teenager, brought upon me a whole heap of erroneous assumptions, and my power to shock was far outweighed by the power of others to make my life miserable - it only made my immediate situation worse. I might have been defiant and I will still never change who I am to suit others - but I also did not change those around me; I simply outlasted them and moved away and moved on. It taught me a lesson in resilience, but it did nothing to alter those who already disliked me, rather it provoked some into actually despising me and it was confrontational enough to simply further entrench them. All I can be is living proof that the were wrong. 

With the shock value taken away, it means that instead of reacting to something provocative, those who come across us have the emotional distance to listen more carefully to the statements we want to make; I think we can deliver a sartorial message that is more subtle, but no less potent. Our clothes speak of embracing our own mortality, looking unflinchingly at that which can terrify us, of embodying our demons to overcome them, of drawing power from the symbolism of witches, vampires and zombies and using those symbols and concepts as lenses and metaphors for the world around us, we can walk around as dark reversal of the bright colours of the old aristocracy; we can be the portraits of Dorian Grey, and as we are not trying to shout in the face of the world, we can do all this and be listened to - Jillian Venters is onto something with her "subversion through politeness". 

I prefer our being accepted, or at least tolerated by the mainstream, because it's frankly a lot better than the constant harassment and threats of violence (often escalating to actual violence ) that I, and other Goths used to face (and depending on location, still face), and how I got treated as if I was genuinely an evil degenerate, the revulsion, the way people looked down on me. I don't want others to be bullied, harassed or attacked - I don't want them to suffer the same ire and disrespect as I did, that's part of why I write this blog; to educate people and promote a more tolerant atmosphere.

In my consideration, the burgeoning acceptance of Goths also signifies how Gothic values, especially those from the pre-subculture, literary/art movement meaning of the word - the Gothic in terms of the sublime, the dark, the morbid, etc. are being embraced by more people. I think we've had a positive affect in getting people to appreciate the dark! It is becoming mainstream, it is being embraced by the establishment - something of a double-edged sword! What I  really don't like is when the Gothic becomes another trend to latch onto in the eyes of the corporate, consumerist machine - when it becomes just another "fashion" detached from its symbolism, from its roots, from the subculture that spawned it, and its longer past (which the British Library and the BBC have done a valiant and educational effort to avoid in a recent exhibition and documentary - the documentary I will review soon, and the exhibition as soon as I go to England and visit it!).

Let it be clear that I am not advocating our changing to become more acceptable; we are doing nothing wrong, nothing that needs to change - it is those that come at us with hatred, with insults, with judgements and debasement. We do not need to become acceptable; the world needs to become accepting, and at least in my experience over the last 10+ years I've been Goth, the world slowly is, and my thanks goes towards groups like the ::Sophie Lancaster Foundation:: for helping to make it so.  

Friday 13th, Full Moon and Skulls

For what is probably one of the most Gothic dates in the calendar, I am show casing one of the most Gothic paintings I've done. 

Raven took a photo because I lost my camera

It's an amethyst-coloured crystalline vampire skull on a black background with a black frame - pretty cliché!

As I mentioned in my last blog post, I have not been very well lately. While I was at home ill the weekend after my last post, I did this painting. I actually started it a couple weeks before, at the art club I attended, but it was just a roughly realised sketch in purple over white with the black background blocked in and the forms of the skull pretty much drawn, but with no real detail, depth or finish. As I was too ill to really do much at all, especially not anything particularly active, and I was struggling to sleep at night or during the day due to how much I was woken by my own coughing, I had to find something to occupy my time. As this was a small painting done on board with no need for an easel and not requiring much space, this was the perfect project to do wrapped up warmly in the living-room - no need to move much, I could sit on my over-sized cushion or the couch, and it required little physical activity. The painting needed to dry between stages, giving me time to nap during the day, too.

I saw the doctor on the Friday and it turns out that I had sinusitis yet again and I ended up on a course of antibiotics. I'm still very mildly congested, but I'm thoroughly functioning. Anyway, back on Monday I was at work again, if still not well, as I was well enough to function. As such, I was in town, so I took the painting in to the framers. I collected the painting again this Friday. On the bus back from town, the painting garnered quite a bit of interest from two passengers - one who was totally fascinated by it, and offered to buy it, but sadly not at a price that covered the expense of framing, let alone my time. If he had offered me more, I would have sold it to him there and then!

I don't often sell my paintings, and this picture was intended as a mere exercise in practising acrylic painting as it is something I had not done in a while and something I felt rather rusty at. It's not a piece with any great meaning, it's just a painting of a crystalline or glass skull with elongated teeth and distorted proportions to be that of a vampire. It was done completely freehand without a reference, and while the proportions are deliberately not correct for a human skull, I think it stands fairly well to show that I have drawn possibly a few too many skulls in my time! 

The reason that I am wanting to sell it is two-fold - one is that my bicycle is in need of repairs and I am trying to raise the cash to pay for it, and the other is that I have a limited amount of picture hooks (due to the rental agreement) and a limited amount of storage space (due to the size of the flat) and think that while it is certainly the kind of art that I would display in my home, in this case I feel that if I keep it, it is liable to be damaged in storage and it is certainly the kind of subject matter I could easily paint again. I am actually having a bit of a clear-out as Raven and I may be moving again in the near future, and having fewer things means less to pack and move, and it is also an opportunity to assess what I really want to keep, and what is clutter. I don't think this painting is clutter by any means, but I don't want to hold on to something I am likely to damage, and I need the money. 

The Motive Behind The Frills

It all started with a question common to many Goths: "Why are you dressed like that?"

That question got me thinking. My stock reply is "because I like it" which is true, but doesn't really go into why I like it and why I chose that sort of fashion in the first place. Usually, when I get asked "why are you dressed like that?" it is when I am wearing one of the more ostentatious and flamboyant variations of Goth fashion, and that got me thinking about why it is that I dress that way. Of course, this is only my personal reasoning and I am sure other Goths (and Lolitas and New Romantics, etc.) have their own reasoning - this is something I'd really love to hear about, actually, so if you have blogged/written about this, please link me to it in the comments, or if this post inspires you to write about why you have chosen your fashion, please have a go and send me a link to the results! 

The picture below is about a year old, but it pretty aptly describes how I often dress. I feel it is important to mention this is by no means how I always dress, though, as I alternate between opulence and practicality depending on mood and task, and that it is important to reinforce that however I am dressed, I am the same person as the clothes are just a shell; they cannot change who I am. (This sentiment is further explored in ::this:: post from last year.)

Photograph by Raven of Chance Photography
(see link in side bar for his website)

It is an outfit channeling an anachronistic aristocratic aesthetic, with ruffles, petticoats, flock and tulle - white stockings echoing the silk stockings of 18th C. gentlemen and my loose flowing silver wig that is simultaneously a nod to the far more ornate up-do wigs of that same century and the very modern platinum blonde hair-pieces/wigs of Lady GaGa. I have decorative corset lacing, and petticoats on a short skirt, and a cane that only occasionally gets used to prop me vertical. It's a nod to the past, but it is also very modern, and very much a playful mix-up of anachronistic elements, many of which are from very different time periods. It fits the mainstream of no period or culture, not even the British present, and yet sits quite well within the broad category of "Romantic Goth". 

In terms of anachronism, I think my clothes aptly describe me in visual form; on the one hand many of my hobbies and skills (such as playing the piano, singing, embroidery, drawing and speaking French) would be considered suitable "accomplishments" for one of the female characters of a Jane Austen characters, but I also associate myself with a Romantic attitude to life, and am equally inspired by the works of Keats, Wordsworth and Clare as I am by the much later works of the Rosettis, Holman-Hunt, Millais and Morris, and to add to that mix that I am very much a modern woman; a Feminist, a believer that I am equal to my male counterparts and that my role in life is that which I choose, not one to be arbitrarily assigned to me on the basis of my sex, and certainly not demure, let alone submissive, and when it comes to sex and sexuality, I'm relatively liberal even by modern standards. My political views may have their roots in the workers' movements of times past, but they address contemporary issues. I have roots in many times, but belong to none, not even conforming to my own present. 

Certainly I dress to reflect my personality, but there's more to it than anachronism. Many of the clothes I wear are seen by society as decidedly feminine in a modern context (even when frilly shirts, wigs, make-up and even heeled shoes were often associated with men in past times), but a lot of my interests, and even a lot of how I think, is seen as tomboyish, and my practical wardrobe involves a bit of cross-dressing as I buy my combat trousers and boots from the men's section, and many of my more traditional Goth accessories such as spiked bracelets are pretty un-gendered. Fashion is my only traditionally feminine interest, and often my clothes are seen as a stark contrast to my personality. 

My practical wardrobe seems to suit a lot of my personality; I'm often seen  stomping about in New Rocks and army boots, hair cut short, spikes on my wrists, combats (cargo pants, to Americans) with their pockets stuffed full of useful bits and bobs, wooly fingerless gloves to keep my hands warm, and turtleneck jumper to keep the rest warm - things that are practical rather than feminine, snug rather than sexy, and with enough pockets to keep all my possessions safe. Certainly, clothes like that suit my lifestyle; throughout the winter I wear a men's coat, an endless supply of neat "office" trousers, and some silver New Rocks that look like studded Dr. Martens to work and most of the rest  of the time. 

I guess the frills are a partly an escape; there is so little room in my working life and practical life for things that can easily get caught, torn, damaged or simply get in the way, so wearing frills on the occasions when I have time to myself helps delineate that time as my own and gives me an opportunity to indulge in all the sorts of clothes that most of the time would just be a hinderance, and I guess that part of the reason I am SO fancy is that it is a reaction to just how plainly practical I am the rest of the time; some of it is a feeling of making up for lost time by trying to cram as much ostentatious fashion as possible into the tine where I can wear it.

On an aesthetic level, I love things with ornate patterns, interesting textures and lots of attention to detail - this shows in my love of everything from Gothic architecture to the Arts and Crafts movement and William Morris creations - it is unsurprising that if given the opportunity, I will apply that sort of aesthetic to myself. I choose richly textured fabrics like velvet, flocked fabrics, lace and chiffon, and intricate damascene and baroque patterns; I layer and contrast pieces and accessories to build up what is quite a complex arrangement by the time I am finished, but the monochrome colour-scheme of almost all black allows me to have great complexity without it becoming visually busy. 

I also love things that relate to the macabre and various horror archetypes (one of the many reasons why I'm part of the Goth subculture) so, again, it is unsurprising that I choose to apply that to my fashion choices - I consciously draw inspiration from the aesthetic of the evil witches, vampires, dark queens and spooky women of horror and fantasy - I never directly copy, though, as that would not be a representation of me, but a form of cosplay. I am not dressing up, I am just mining the aesthetic and its symbolism. All of the characters that draw me in are complex, dark and powerful, and I think the Gothic has a rich supply of interesting and powerful women, both in Gothic literature and fantasy and in the subculture itself - it's a subculture that draws in a lot of strong women. The Gothic allows for an aesthetic that is feminine yet powerful within the constraints of modern western society. 

I accept that there's something inherently a bit pretentious in dressing like something from a vampire movie, but it is not a case of pretending to be anyone (or anything) other than who I am. It is very much a reflection of who I am in a more genuine sense than any mundane clothes clothes could ever be because mundane clothes just do not reflect my personality, aesthetic, or connection to the Gothic subculture and my many historical influences. Yes, it sets me apart visually from the mainstream, but as so much of interests and way of viewing the world diverge from the mainstream anyway, at least this way I am visible to those who share at least an aesthetic with me. In some ways, as looking weird means that when people notice that I am eccentric it is accepted as what is expected form someone that looks like me rather than being more jarring and unnerving when it comes from someone that looks relatively normal. 

An interesting question would be "How do you feel when dressed like that?"

When I am clad in my ruffles and lace, I feel confident. My tightly-bound corsets feel like armour in the face of life. I feel powerful, I feel beautiful, I feel like I can take on the world. I feel like I am dressed like a queen or, on the fanciest days, an empress and can carry that feeling of regality with me into the world. It's not a secondary persona, but it is an extra boost when facing a world that can often seem hostile; after all, even the most fearsome warrior maiden does not begrudge good armour.

A lot of newer Goth and newer Lolitas struggle with garnering the confidence to be seen in public in such obviously different clothes, and plenty of bloggers have addressed the issue of gaining that confidence (including myself ::here::). This leads me to believe that the common assumption that Goths (and other visibly alternative folk) dress for attention is in most cases false. We accept that being different means we will get attention, but for many of us this is something we struggle with, not welcome. I personally feel much happier in the company of lots more equally fancy and alternative people than I do standing out from the crowd, even if I feel quite a bit more confident for my attire. If I had to be obviously different in clothes that didn't make me feel like my Romantic Goth attire does, I would be incredibly self-conscious, more than a little embarrassed and probably hide. 

As dressing the way I do is my just my clothes, rather than a costume, I feel pretty natural and comfortable in even very unusual clothes, to the point where I sometimes forget what it must be like coming across me at what seems like random for somebody that is not part of the subculture at all and has very little contact with such eccentric looking people, and so when I get many of the more direct responses I look at it with bemusement - such as when people stare or start asking lots of questions, complimenting me or want my photograph. I keep forgetting to them I look like I just walked out of a play or a convention and I am something of a curiosity. It makes me a bit uncomfortable - I'd often rather be left alone - but I accept that it will happen and try my best to answer questions politely and take compliments gracefully. 

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For those that are interested in what I am wearing in the photograph, this is the outfit rundown:

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Mini-hat: offbrand, from a fancy dress shop with cameo glued on by me;

Wig: offbrand from eBay ♛ Ruffled satin blouse: Zanzea ♛ High-waisted skirt: Banned, White stockings: offbrand ♛ Ruffled socks: Claire's ♛ Boots: Rogerson's, Gloves: Claire's ♛ Cane: offbrand, a gift!

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I bought the skirt by Banned from Kate's Gothic Clothing. Banned's sizes tend to run small, so their M was more like an S. The cane was a Christmas/Solstice present from Raven. I was wearing ruffled socks because I don't find the boots very comfortable on my calves without thick tights or socks, and those weren't very high denier. 

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Anyone with any comments, or their own discussion of why they wear what they do, I'd really like to hear from you, so please comment below. Thank-you!

Goth Is Not A 'Hipster' Subculture

I guess this was inevitable with how 'hipster' has become the quirky edge of the mainstream, and how elements of the Goth and Punk aesthetics have been taken up again as visual short-hand for "rebellious" or "edgy", but there are now people who seem to be treating Goth itself as if it is some form of hipsterism. I guess it is because those who appropriate Goth aesthetics and those who are actually Goth are not very visually distinct, combined with how there's an overlap between teenagers using Goth as a means to rebel and be "different" and unique and slightly older hipsters using all sorts of other things for the same ends. 

Aside: I'm not going to say that "Nu-Goth" or "Pastel Goth" are inherently 'hipster', because those things are aesthetics, and many of the people participating in those aesthetics do have a solid grasp on the actual Goth subculture, and are hybridising it rather than just co-opting Goth for a trend. 

Hipsters are apparently people who skim elements from other cultures, who as it was eloquently said on the PBS Ideas Chanel video on Youtube about hipsters, "hipsters enjoy things ironically, and not effusively" that they,"adopt the styles and affects of many cultures, cultures that aren't "theirs", that they don't actually belong to".  Hipsters are inherently appropriative; they seek the cultural capital of other groups, the "authenticity" as a means to make themselves seem more unique, quirky, individual, etc. Hipsters seem to try to buy individuality.

I think this is one of the reasons there has been such a huge outcry over cultural appropriation recently - it is even more infuriating to have people using the trappings of your culture for such purposes if you are part of a minority living in America, Australia, parts of Europe, etc. and have been on the receiving end of discrimination and prejudice because of that culture (or subculture), some of that institutionalised, and now that sort of appropriative outlook has become much more mainstream, whereas 5 to 10 years ago, trends (from what I saw, at least) were a lot more of what Hipsters would call mainstream, and using elements from 'Ethnic' things was seen as a bit "hippie" and weird. 

The Goth aesthetic might have its roots in plenty of pre-existing things (like all art movements) but instead of divorcing meaning, it is primarily built around meaning; ripped fishnets may look nice, but they also connect back to the Punk scene and the early days of Goth and Deathrock, pentagrams are often worn by either practising Pagans or at least people who know of both what they represent in terms of modern-day Neo-Pagan and occult circles and their historical significance, and a lot of avid corset-wearers can tell you more than you thought there was to know about corset history, tight-lacing, boning types, and for the uninitiated, the difference between an under-bust and a waspie... 

Each facet of the Goth aesthetic has behind it a string of connections and interconnections that we, for the most part, understand and care about. It is what ties our aesthetic to the air of morbid curiosity and appreciation for the darker things in life. We don't just look a bit like vampires, a lot of us are very well versed on vampire lore and fiction (for the most part though, WE DON'T THINK WE'RE REALLY VAMPIRES) and there's a reason why raven and bat skulls are more popular than other animal skulls, etc. There's a strong connection to the context, symbolism, inspiration and, for lack of a better term "art history" of our cultural capital. Part of what makes our subculture the way it is that most of us have an interest in that subcultural "art history"; most of us are actively interested in learning about what is behind what we wear, the music, the books, etc. 

I'm not going to say that Goth is not pretentious, as Goth, especially Romantic Goth is inherently a bit pretentious - we KNOW there is a discord between dressing like a vampiric European noble, acting anachronistically and living in the modern world. Some of that is escapism, some of that is a gilded view of the past based in a yearning for a world where doing the old-fashioned things we like in our context is a bit more acceptable, but a lot of that is genuine appreciation and enjoyment of the things we do. It might be pretentious, but at least it is an honest representation of ourselves and our passions; we're aware of those pretensions and take them with humour. 

Arthurian Legend, Medieval History and Gothic Architecture

Or how I came to fall in love with anachronism...

This is in response to Jess, who suggested the topic on the Domesticated Goth Facebook Page.

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I have always had a broad appreciation of history. My father is involved in archaeology as a geophysicist and archaeological surveyor, and I was therefore brought up saturated in local history and British history. This, however, can only partially explain why I like history in general, and not really explain why I have a fascination for the medieval in particular, or how this ties in with my other historical interests (we're heading over to Pre-Raphaelite territory...)

My attempts to be a real-life Pre-Rpahaelite depiction of Morgan LaFey

⚜ Childhood Fascination

It all started with an illustrated book of fairy tales from when I was a very, very small child. In it were children's versions of some Arthurian tales. I really, really wish I still had the book, but sadly it is long gone. I can't even remember what the book was called, but I remember that it had lavish, beautiful illustrations in full colour and great detail. There was this fabulous image of a knight in armour on a horse, with the horse adorned in barding and caparison and the knight with a very sharp and shiny looking sword. Then there was a book ordered from the back of a packet of Weetabix (::this:: book - I'm showing my age! ) which I read avidly and repeatedly and with great enthusiasm. It was the first book on history I ever owned, and my favourite section was that from the Norman Conquest on to Henry VIII - just a bit broader than the time-span  referred to as the 'High Middle Ages' and 'Late Middle Ages'.

This interest was picked up, and I was given a French language (I was brought up bilingual, my first language is actually French) history book with a few transparent pages called ::Le Château Fort:: which just fed this interest. I even got taken on some trips to some real-life castles, such as Rochester Castle in Kent, which probably sealed it for me. 

I can't really place what it is that drew me to these things, but  it was partially a confusion between what was myth and reality (probably on account of being a child with a broad imagination). There was something wonderful and exciting about believing that all these knights and maidens and brave chivalrous warriors and fierce monsters and witches and wizards had been real, just centuries and centuries ago. For some time, as a small child, my career ambitions were "knight"... 

As I read more I quickly learnt that no, dragons were not real (dinosaurs, on the other hand...) and neither was the Green Knight, and that chivalry and courtly love were not as later poets would have us believe. I also learnt, over time, that the "shining armour" of knights was often actually depictions things such as 1480s Gothic plate armour from what is now Germany and other parts of the Holy Roman Empire, that there are an awful lot of types of "pointy arches" buildings, and recorders are fabulous musical instruments with a long, long history. Basically, I learnt that a lot of the things I found really interesting came from between the mid 11thC and very beginning of the 16thC. 

⚜ Art History And Gothic Architecture

The more I got to know of art and architecture from that period, the more I realised that it was rich aesthetics that I adored, and still adore. 

I gained an interest in calligraphy and illuminated manuscripts when I was about 12 or 13, after being introduced to them in an English lesson focused on Arthurian myths. I began my first pseudo-'illuminated' Book of Shadows, the precursor to my current book of Shadows, which is all written in uncial calligraphy, richly decorated with a mixture of foliate, spiral and knot-work designs, a lot of silver and gold embellishments (albeit via more modern techniques) and even has a few illustrations. 

I also fell in love with Gothic architecture (no surprise to my regular readers). I like most styles of highly decorative architecture on grand scales, from the temples at Angkor Wat to Christopher Wren's St. Paul's Cathedral, but I have a special fondness for the Gothic and Gothic-Revival. I especially like buildings in the later Gothic styles, especially the Perpendicular Gothic, with their emphasis on verticality and arrays of stained glass windows. I can't explain why I prefer a pointed Gothic arch or fan-vaulted ceiling to a round Romanesque arch or barrel-vaulted ceiling, nor what it is about tracery designs that appeal to me, but that is the way I am, and I could spend all day looking at them. 

It is not enough for me to merely find interest in the appearance of buildings, I am always led to their function, and that then draws me back into the history - old abbeys, cathedrals, grand houses etc. always have rich histories, and it fascinates me how the uses of buildings change over centuries, and boggles me to think of all the thousands of people from so many periods and places that have visited these places and looked at them with their own unique perspectives. 

What also amazes me is the size and complexity of the buildings designed considering the limited understanding of physics and mathematics at the time. People sometimes think that because people in the past were illiterate and superstitious with a limited grasp of science and mathematics that they were stupid but education and intelligence are different things, as can be shown by ::this:: article, where it describes how a string and a weight could show if the vast spire of Salisbury Cathedral was straight or not (it wasn't, it was leaning, and Christopher Wren figured out how to straighten it in 1668) in an age long before optical surveying equipment, let alone laser levels! These cathedrals were built by a largely illiterate work force. People had to be creative and use their initiative to overcome the lack of technology and get things done by other means. 

This does not just apply to great cathedrals across Europe, or even to medieval times alone, of course, but it is one of the things about the medieval period that does intrigue me. 

Also, as an enthusiastic archer, and a person with an interest in historical arms and armour, Medieval European weaponry is very interesting to me, and to understand the weapons, one has to understand the conflicts that were their context, and how they became visual symbols in later periods, which necessitates some understanding of medieval life. 

(Those interested in medieval weaponry may be excited to know that I have asked a friend who is more knowledgeable than me in this area to write a guest post on such things!).

⚜Understanding Where I live
As my readers already know, I live in the UK, currently in Scotland and previously down in the Thames Valley. I am the sort of person that likes to know the history of the places where I live; they make up part of the culture, and inform present day attitudes (like someone I know here, with a tattoo of the Declaration of Arbroath, which was originally made in 1320). The history of the UK stretches back millennia and millennia before the Middle Ages, but much of its best recorded  history is that recorded by the monasteries and onwards, i.e Saxon through to Medieval and onwards. 

Earlier history interest me too, especially the pre-Roman 'Celtic' history of the various Iron Age, Bronze Age and earlier peoples of Britain, but much of these cultures is lost to time, and what we know is pieced together from artefacts and remains, and the writings of later Roman authors writing as outsiders. The very early history is full of mysteries, and these mysteries intrigue me, but they are mysteries, not things we know. 

Medieval history, on the other hand, includes quite a body of knowledge about what life was like then, and is quite accessible - it is not that expensive to go on a tour of Oxford castle and get quite good account of the castle's history, starting with its ecclesiastical history and moving forwards, and I certainly studied the Norman Invasion, the Charter of Liberties, the Magna Carter and the Peasant's Revolt at school, and am sure that various aspects of Medieval history are fairly widespread in history teaching at various levels. I guess it was something I could easily get into, and unlike Roman history, I wasn't faced with my Dad's near-obsession (he spent several years working at a Roman pottery manufacture site with several kilns and a processing works for clay) with the subject. 

⚜The Victorians Have A Lot To Answer for

Another thing my readers may well know is that I have an interest in Victorian things, and as all the Victorian-era Gothic Revival and Scottish Baronial architecture I photograph show, and the subject matter of many Pre-Raphaelite paintings also, there was a definite interest in a fairy-tale and Arthurian Medievalism in that period (as well as an interest in legitimate history). My interests become recursive at this point. To elaborate on the previous examples, I look at a Victorian Gothic Revival buildings, and see in them their stylistic ancestors (and giggle at the Victorian tendency to turn practical medieval things into nonsensical decorative devices.), I look at Pre-Raphaelite depictions of Arthurian legends, and wonder which suits of armour were used as costume references, and how many details are flights of fancy.  

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Hopefully I have managed to detail from where my interest stems in a helpful manner to those curious, and have not been too boring and introspective. Personally, I find the history far more interesting than my appreciation of it! I don't think this explanation is exhaustive, and in racking my brains I wonder if I am overlaying too much of who I am now onto my past self, but hopefully it is at least a bit helpful. 

Interview: Midnattsol - Alternative Model

I met Midnattsol not through photography or modelling, but as a friendly and terribly bouncy patron of the Goth club I used to frequent. I later found that she, along with another friend at the club Nitr0gene, was a model, and after having looked through her modelling portfolio was truly amazed at how good she is a model and how lucky she is to be photographed by some really good professional photographers. I asked her if she would be willing to be interviewed, and she was. She was very kind and got permission for me to use some of the professional photographs from her portfolio to illustrate this blog and showcase her amazing talent as a model. As per usual, text in bold is mine, and ordinary text is the response.

Midnattsol in ©Andy Proper Photography

⚜ About Midnattsoll:

Describe yourself!

Not sure what to say!! Im just a normal 25 year old girl who lives in Oxford, who dresses a little oddly, with brightly coloured hair!! I'm a total geek, who loves anything cute or twisted… sometimes both! Huge lover of anything fantasy, in fact most of the time I’m in my own little fantasy world (I daydream A LOT!!). I enjoy going out like any young girl, and love the industrial/metal scene, yet I love just as much to snuggle up at home with a book (I read waaaay too much), play computer games, or when I'm feeling particularly nerdy, cross-stitch!!! I love all forms of art, and although haven’t done so in a while now, I paint and draw. I also do a little bit of modelling here and there when I can squeeze it in between my Job in a lab, my degree in Biomedical Science and my personal life!!

I met you at Intrusion, Oxford's monthly Goth club night and a lot of the fashion you have modelled could be considered Gothic, but do you consider yourself a Goth? Ifso, what does Goth mean to you?
I’ve never really thought of myself as anything! I’m just me! I’ve always been interested and inclined more towards what people would describe as ‘gothic culture’, though I like a lot of normal things too. Goth is such a broad topic! To describe it would take me days. Initially what comes to mind when I hear the word is a sort of a dark, romantic beauty; from flowing gowns and beautiful castles to the more futuristic ‘Industrial’ take on goth!

How would you describe the clothes you wear in daily life?
I don’t think I could! My wardrobe contains such a huge variety!!! On a daily basis to work I wear 6 inch new rock platforms, skinny jeans or bondage pants with some kind of funky t-shirt! Generally all black. I currently love anything cute but dark such as Cupcake Cult and the Killer Panda clothes! If I’m feeling like dressing up a little more, I have all sorts, from Victorian gowns, to fetish wear!

What is your favourite food to cook yourself?
I love cooking when I have the time! I love experimenting with things and throwing bits together to see how it turns out.


⚜ About Modelling:

How long have you been modelling?

I’m not entirely sure! I guess on and off for about 4 or 5 years now,though photographic modelling I think only 3.

Is most of your modelling work professional?
Most of it is I guess, though I love it so much it always seems like a fun hobby to me! I’m registered by a few agencies, such as Dark Arts and Spirit Models which I get bits and pieces in from. I also work ;a lot on my portfolio, due to my continuously changing look which I love doing as I can be a lot more creative! I also do a lot for fun too! I’m constantly coming up with themes and ideas I want to create into an image. It’s a huge creative release for me!

How did you go from being an attractive young alternative lady to being a paid model?

I fell into it completely by accident. I never dreamed I’d be considered attractive enough to model, to be honest I still feel the same and am continuously amazed at it! I started off modelling at events. While out shopping and at events I’d get asked by the clothing designers to model for them at future events. I was also getting asked by event photographers to model for them, but I was so low in confidence it took me a couple of years to finally agree to give it a go! At my first shoot I had so much fun that I quickly became hooked!

What attracted you to modelling?
It was never really something I was particularly interested in doing, as I said I fell into it accidentally, though I always looked and admired with a distant envy at all the beautiful models! It was one of those dreams that every girl has, but never thought it was possible, so something I never actively pursued.

Midnattsol modelling for Alienskin Clothing, © Nick Parry Photography

Modelling for Alienskin Clothing
© Nick Parry Photography

How much does your modelling work reflect your personal fashion style?
Well a lot of my shoots involve clothing I wear out and about! My fashion style is so varied it does cover most of the styles I wear in my shoots! I use a lot of shoots as an excuse to wear clothing that I love but could never get away with wearing in real life!!

Which outfits from photo-shoots would you most like to take home with you?

Modelling for Alienskin Clothing
© Nick Parry Photography

A lot of clothing I’ve modelled that aren’t from my own wardrobe I’ve been allowed to keep, the only things I haven’t really have been are most of the latex outfits and I’d take all of them home if I could!

What outfits were your favourites to model?
A lot of my favourite outfits that I’ve modelled aren’t really ‘real’ outfits as such!! I’ve worn all sorts such as being wrapped in fairy lights with a dress made from cling film over so it glowed!! That was great fun to wear and be dressed in. I’ve also created a dress out of fishing netting, which I loved. I love anything creative!!

Part of the Fishing Net Dress, © Nick Parry Photography

The stereotype, in terms of appearance, for models is that they're all at least 5'10" and thin to the point of it being unhealthy - do you think you receive any negativity as a model for being 5'2" and a healthy shape?
Not at all!!! The only real negativity I get is from myself!! Most photographers I’ve worked with have been extremely impressed and I have worked with again and again! Due to being in proportion to my height, most people don’t actually realise how teeny I am! A few people have been shocked when meeting me in person!

Fishing Net Dress
© Nick Parry Photography

Do you get positivity for being outside the stereotype?
Not particularly! The people I’ve worked with have always been positive, but that’s because of my versatility and we’ve created images we love and have always got on well! My height and shape has never been an issue either way!


How does alternative modelling compare to mainstream modelling?
Mainstream seems to be stricter with what’s required to be a model, such as height and weight, whereas alt modelling is more accepting to a wider variety of people. Though I have been turned down for work for not having enough tattoos or piercings! The way you model seems to be different too; mainstream modelling is a lot of posing to get a perfect image, whereas alt modelling feels more like acting. I feel I can bring a character into the image which is what I love doing best. I love to be able to portray a lot of emotion and feeling into my work.

The Fishing Net Dress In Full
© Nick Parry Photography

I saw you got published in Devolution magazine! What was it like being published in a popular alternative magazine?
I feel very humbled and honoured by it! It’s a magazine I love and am now an official devo girl for which is extremely exciting!

What is it like coming across pictures of yourself on the internet? I still go "Ooo! That's my friend!" when I spot you at places like AlienSkin Clothing.
It’s extremely exciting!! It doesn’t always feel real and it’s hard to always think of that person in the photo as me!! I’m so normal in real life! I’m always coming across published bits of me that I didn’t even know existed, such as being on flyers for bodypainting events in Mexico!! It’s always a nice surprise, and I feel extremely honoured!

© Nick Parry Photography

Do you ever get insecurities about being visible on the internet?
Like everyone, I have bumps and flaws that I don’t like to be seen, and having them on full display to everyone is sometimes hard!! I also get quite embarrassed at times! There's a huge poster of me in ::Neo Hair::, and as proud as I am, I always get embarrassed when getting my hair done in case someone recognises me from the image and thinks "oh, she’s not so great in real life" I get so scared of disappointing people!!

What's it like modelling for alternative fashion makers/retailers such as Fetasia Latex and Alienskin Clothing? Do you own clothes by them?I’m always shocked they want me to model their clothing! But it really is amazing!! The clothing from everyone I’ve modelled for is just beautiful! I don’t own any from Alienskin yet, and Fetasia Latex I have my first piece coming within the next couple of weeks which is a custom piece based on Quorra from Tron. I do however own pieces from the likes of Emerald Angel, Rubber Monkey and Iron Fist all of which I have modelled for! There are more that I cannot think of right now!

© Nick Parry Photography

In the mainstream fashion industry, modelling and photography has come under attack for being unrealistic and over the extensive use of PhotoShop and similar digital re-touching tools. Digital re-touching plays a part in Alternative and Goth fashion photographs too. Do you think re-touching is a bad thing?
I think retouching has its good and bad points. I do think these images with models with flawless skin and perfect bodies can put a lot of pressure on people and too much emphasis on appearance and what it means to be beautiful. Even I get scared meeting a photographer for the first time as I know I don’t look as perfect as I do in my photos that made them want to work with me! But then I can understand the need for it too, just maybe not to the extent that it is used. I think it’s great for artistic purposes. A huge amount of alternative images are theme based, and so some manipulation may be required!

How obtainable do you think it is to look as fabulous as the photographs of Gothic and Alternative models one sees on the internet and in adverts and magazines?
It’s a hard question! Theres a few of my images, particularly a large proportion of the ones I’ve done with Nick Parry, where I’ve personally had no retouching done at all on me!! Though even then the perfect lighting and angles make a huge difference! I do think it’s important to always be aware that these people do look as good as they do because of skilled artists! The photographers know how to light a face to create/remove shadows to enhance, to take it from the right angle to flatter the models shape. Then there’s the fact that it’s a models job to look good; they work hard to learn what angles, expressions and poses flatter them most and enhance their looks!! Not to mention the makeup and perfectly styled clothing to suit!! And then there’s the PhotoShop and post-processing!!!

Do you think that people in the Gothic subculture tend to be more at home in their own skins than in the mainstream?
I do! I think that all cultures have their own pressures on what looks good and what beauty is, but due to the nature of Goth and how it see’s beauty in things that other people might consider ugly dark etc, it is much more open to the idea of what true beauty is and that its not all superficial!

⚜About Photography:
What's it like working with photographers? Are most of them rather pleasant, or do you get strange demands?
Most of the photographers I’ve worked with are lovely!! They are all just normal people who’s job is to create art with a camera! Luckily everyone I’ve worked with, I’ve kept in contact with and many I have ;become friends with! Not had any strange demands yet! Well not in a bad way anyway!

What do you think of photography as portraiture, and in comparison to drawn/painted portraiture?
I think photographers are not given enough credit for their work!! I think the talent needed to understand lighting, angles, cropping and what makes a good photograph is completely underestimated! And I believe that what they do is just as much art and contains just as much skill, when done right, as a painting

Do you think that people react differently to art portraiture of an actual, living non-celebrity person than they do to celebrity portraiture or historical portraits?
I don’t really follow celebrities so im not sure how to answer this. For me personally it’s the overall image that I fall in love with, not who is in it!! But I guess people tend to be drawn to what they know, so if its someone in the public eye it would make sense that they would get more attention!!

As a model, what is your advice to photographers for working with models?
Communication is essential!! Its always good as a model to know ;what the photographer’s looking for and if what your doing is right etc! we are human after all and want to get it right! Also be professional, yet friendly. To get the best performance out of a model they need to be comfortable!!

I see you work frequently with the rather amazing ::Nick Parry::! Can you tell us a little about that?
Nick Parry I met a couple of years ago, we started working together for bodypaint shoots. I think he really liked my versatility and emotion in my modelling, and how I acted rather than modelled, as he did a lot of acting for theatre! You only need to look at his pictures to see that he’s an incredible photographer! We very quickly developed not only a very good model-photographer relationship, but became really good friends! He is one of my favourite people to work with and shooting with him is always fun, and I tend to stay with him for several days. Once makeup and styling's done, I’m only in front of the camera about 10 minutes!! Its more like a mini holiday with a shoot here and there when working with him. He’s just an extremely talented and incredible person!

I've seen you in some rather lovely fantasy themed photo-manipulations? What do you think of mixed media digital-art and photography?
I love it! I have huge admiration for mixed media artists! I think it takes a huge amount of talent to be able to combine something real and something created and to make them match well enough to blend in and work as a whole image! It’s very exciting as a model to see what is a very basic image of you be made into something completely fantastical! I have spent many hours watching Kestrel manipulate some of our images in complete awe and fascination!

⚜ About Bodypainting:

© Nick Parry Photography

Who does the bodypainting?
I have worked with several bodypainters, the main one being the incredibly talented John Davis - another one of my favourite people to work with. I’ve also worked with world champion Alex Hansen, who worked on '300', Hollywood makeup artist and bodypainter Lyma Millot, and world bodypainting champion Raphaelle Fieldhouse! Also done some with my partner Rus, who was a special effects makeup artist and the owner of Awen Creations.


Can you give me a summary of the process?
There are 2 different methods of bodypainting, brush & sponge and airbrush. For a full bodypaint obviously you need to be nude, though many painters will paint over a thong, or you can get prosthetic thongs and nipple pasties to keep modesty while avoiding having underwear lines! If prosthetics are used they’ll be applied first. Usually a base layer is put on and layers of colour will be built up, with contouring and shading and eventually final details, either hand painted/airbrushed or by using stencils.

Photography © Nick Parry
Bodypainting © A. Hansen & L. Millot

Being painted up looks very time-consuming! Is it hard staying still while being painted? Is it cold?
My longest body paint was 10 hours for the Giger bodypaint with john Davis and Nick Parry! Think my shortest was about 4 hours! It can be exhausting standing for so long, but watching the process is completely fascinating! Standing still for that many hours can be realy difficult, and with the Giger, I was falling asleep while standing, and had to eat and drink while being painted! And when I did the paint with Lyma and Alex, I couldn’t stop shivering! They had to get a hairdryer on me to get me still enough for them to paint me! No matter how warm the room is, having high pressured air blown a you for hours does lower your body temperature, and with brush and sponge, obviously the paint is wet and cold!!!

Photography © Nick Parry
Bodypainting © A. Hansen & L. Millot

What do you think of body-paint as an artistic medium?
I have a huge appreciation for bodyart! The skill to be able to turn the body into a canvas and art form is incredible! Its hard enough to paint on a flat surface, let alone work on something as complex as the human figure, with all its shapes and textures!! There is a lot of technicality and understanding of the human body needed to be able to do it well! And seeing a piece of art that can really come to life at the end is incredible to watch!

Is it always something paired with a photographic final image or as part of a dance or other performance?
Not at all! I have also modelled at bodypainting festivals in competitions! It's also used for walking promotional purposes at events, in clubs, people get it done for fancy dress, then as I said, Alex Hansen bodypainted the warriors in the movie '300' to give them (and enhance) their six packs!

How do you feel about participating in an art form that must take a lot of time and effort to accomplish, but is transient and will ultimately be washed off you?
I always enjoy the process of watching it grow, but you do become attached to the art on your body, and I always feel guilty and hate washing all their hard work off! Afterwards I always feel so plain! But I think for the result you get, it’s well worth the hours of waiting, even if you only experience the final result for a short while. This is why I always do it for shoots! I hate the thought that all that hard work will be washed down the drain and forgotten! At least with a shoot you have a record of the artwork to be able to remember it!

Giger inspired body paint © John Davis
 Photography © Nick Parry Photography

Do you think it is under-appreciated and under-represented?
Definitely!!! They are all so talented and work so hard! Like I said before, theres so many technical aspects, and its not just about being a good artist, but being able to understand the human form and how it moves and how it affects the shape of an image; to be able to work it to the shape of a body!

Most of the body-paint work I've seen you model has been horror, science-fiction or fantasy based - how does it feel to be temporarily transformed into a fabulous creature?
Its amazing!! As I stated earlier, I love bringing out a character in my work and I act more, rather than pose for shoots, so this is ideal for me! Its crazy, but as the artwork grows you really do start becoming the character you're being turned into!! You naturally start moving the way the creature would! I love the energy you can put in! Its just such an incredible feeling!

Are you a fan of these genres outside of your modelling work?
Definitely!! In fact im obsessed with fantasy! I read a lot of fantasy novels and have lots of books on fantasy art. When I had the time to draw and paint it would be of a mythical/fantasy nature. I collect dragon statues, fairies and elves - anything magical, weird or beautiful! I love being transported to another world

In the bio-mechanical set photographed by Nick Parry, how much of that was physical costuming and how much was painted?
All of it was painted!! There was a couple of bits of prosthetics that were glued onto my skin to enhance and add texture, but these were painted too!

Are you approached by the body-painters as a model, or do you approach them?
I first got into it as I had seen it on TV, and, being into different art forms, fell in love with it, so I messaged John Davis for advice on how to start learning, what paints are best etc, and he said he’d teach me if I came to be painted! Its all grown from their! It has always been a mutual thing with John. We got on well and enjoyed working together so we’d be casually chatting and would come up with incredible ideas that we’d then put into practice! Everyone else approached me!

How involved are you in the creative process beyond being a living canvas?
With John, all ideas were discussed and created together beforehand, and the things with Awen Creations I had a large design part in the prosthetics. The work with Alex, Raph and Lyma was designed by them.

⚜ About Latex:
You have stated your desire on your Model Mayhem profile to work with latex designers, why do you especially like latex?
Well at the time it was something I was missing from my portfolio! I still don’t have enough. Latex shots seem to be really good for portfolios. Its always so flattering and shows off your figure amazingly, without the need to be nude! Plus its shiny and beautiful, sexy without being slutty.

© Nick Parry Photography

What do you think of latex's potential as a fashion fabric outside of fetish-wear?
I think latex is great as fetish wear, but I think it’s a beautiful form-fitting fabric that is great as fashion wear! Personally, if I could afford it, I’d have a huge wardrobe full! I think now though, a lot of Latex designers are creating more vintage styles in latex, rather than the traditional fetish wear, which I think is great! Like a futuristic take on traditional vintage styles!

Do you think it has become more popular to wear latex and PVC to club nights?
Definitely. I think its becoming a more accepted medium of fabric to wear, I think that people are beginning to open up to the idea of it and so are loosing their prejudices on it being a purely fetish thing and seeing it for the beauty it can be!

What sort of impact does latex's position as a material favoured by pin-ups and fetishists have on you modelling it?
Not a lot really! I was into latex before I got into the whole modelling thing, as more of a shiny futuristic industrial look rather than fetish. Only back then I couldn’t afford it so had to make do with PVC as a substitute!!

⚜ About Hair:

© Nick Parry Photography  

Your hair is always so fabulous! I can't think of a colour it hasn't been. Who does your hair?
My hair is done at ::Neo Hair Design:: by the extremely talented Owen Roberts in Cardiff! They are such a brilliant salon with an incredible team! Could never go anywhere else now!

How does having such vivid and brightly coloured hair go down in your everyday life?
I love it!! I get stopped most days when im out by complete strangers telling me they love my hair! It has never given me any problems!

© Nick Parry Photography  

You have a rather professional day-job of working in biosciences - what is it like being visibly alternative in that sort of work environment?
Its not been a problem at all! In fact they all love it! In general I have fitted in pretty well, though I have been told some of them were nervous of me when I first started! I’ve had one doctor disapprove of my appearance, being concerned of the affect it will have on the donors, but in general everyone has got used to me and find my ever-changing vibrant look refreshing!

How do you keep your hair healthy despite repeatedly dyeing it?
I always get top products from the salon to keep it in good condition. It really is worth paying the extra money for it! Also Owen, my stylist, looks after my hair, does deep treatments when needed etc. I also keep heat styling to a minimum, things like that!

© Nick Parry Photography

You seem quite unafraid to try new hair designs - do you have any dream hair-style at the moment?

I don’t have any in particular! Though I'm always seeing colours and hair I love! I’m currently really happy letting Owen decide my colour and style as he really is amazing and knows what will suit me!

Where do you get inspiration for the hair-styles from?
I don't! I let Owen design my hair! The most input I have is occasionally telling him the theme of a shoot I need it for! Otherwise I give him free reign and love seeing what he comes up with! It's become like a bit of an addiction!!

© Nick Parry Photography

Your hair is really quite something, very colourful and creative - do you think hair design can be seen as art as well as fashion?

Definitely!! Watching Owen do my hair has proved so! You need to understand how hair will hang and fall, peoples face shapes and how the hair will change that, so knowing what to do to suit,& understanding colours, what will suit different skin tones, how it will fade so it will always look good. And the dyeing process - he literally does paint my hair! He gets an image in his head of how I'm going to look and the colour, cuts and sculpts 'til it gets there! He completely transforms my appearance, so yes, hair, when done properly is definitely an art form!


A big "Thank-you" to Midnattsol for being interviewed, and to all the photographers involved for letting me illustrate this blog with their pictures of her.


⚜ Links:

Midnattsol's Modelling Profiles
❧ Her own website
❧ Her Facebook Page
❧ At Model Mayhem
❧ At Spirit Models
❧ At Dark Arts
Photographers
❧ Nick Parry's Website
❧ Nick Parry's Facebook
❧ Andy Proper's Website
Bodypainters
❧ John Davis' Website
❧ Alex Hansen's Website
❧ Lyma Millot's Website
❧ Raphaelle Fieldhouse's Website