My goal with this project is to combine the artist with their artwork. Some will be done with Photoshop, others may be projection, body paint, or simply shot in front of their work, etc. Each image will change completely depending on the artist’s style.

By Photographer & Makeup Artist Renee Keith .  www.ReneeKeith.com

Blush is a cosmetic that can be used to redden cheeks, contour the face, amplify facial features, and provide a more youthful, attractive, healthy appearance. Scientists at Scotland’s University of St. Andrews Perception Lab have shown that a rosy complexion can denote healthiness (oxygen rich blood) and higher sex hormones, while green and pale indicates illness. Also, when applying beauty makeup, foundation is usually used to even out skin tones, and blush can be used to bring some color back into the face.

IMO, Putting on blush correctly isn’t just about grabbing some nice pink/red color and throwing it on the apple of your cheek (I wish it were that easy, and that might even work for some people)… There is an art to it. My personal goals with this study: I would like to know when to use what colors, and why, as well as different ways to put it on to flatter the model’s facial features. For creative looks, I would like to get down the porcelain doll look and exaggerated stage makeup.

Makeup for photography is usually put on a lot heavier than normal because it doesn’t show up as much on camera…. especially blush. But don’t worry, even if it doesn’t show up too much,  a digital photographer will have the option to darken it in post processing. Most photographers don’t know makeup too well, so it is important that you get everything in the right spot.

There are several different types of blush to choose from including powder, creme, gel tint blush and shimmers. Powder is okay to use with all skin types, but works best with oily skin. Creme is rich in oils, so it is best for dry skin.  Gel is usually water based, and best to use for anyone with acne or pimples. It is fast drying and not recommended for dry skin. Tint Blush also drys fast, so you must spread it and blend it quickly. It should be applied over foundation, doesn’t really need touch up and works with all skin types. Matt finishes are generally recommended for women over 40.

Here is a quick YouTube video from Lucky Magazine briefly showing powder, creme and gel:

correct blush color example

Once you decide what type to go with, next comes what colors to use. Here are some simple guidelines: If your skin is really light, pinks (and sometimes peaches) look best. If your have warmer toned skin, corals, and roses  will help compliment your golden undertones. Bright and bold look best for darker skinned women. Ive read online, that a good way to find your blush color is to pinch your cheeks, and wait a few minutes. Another way is to match it yo your natural lip color. Of course, rules are just guidelines and ultimately, a talented trained eye will be what makes or breaks you. So far, when playing around with blush, Ive definitely noticed that color choice is a huge deal and if you want to be good at flattering women with makeup, small details are big ones.

The image to the right is  a great example of the wrong color vs the right color for her face. The left cheek looks unnatural with too warm of tones. The right cheek looks more natural matching skin tones and her lips.

Next, I will be going over different ways to put blush on. 

Where is the apple of your cheek? Click here to watch a Bobbie Brown Video on Oprah.com.

As I learn to put blush on, I am starting to wonder if I mostly use it to contour. The image to the left shows blush on the lower part of her cheek bone. Whereas the  link above shows to put blush on the round part of your cheek (easily found when you smile).  I don’t think I am doing it wrong really, just different… and I like it, but maybe I need to start using a different color for contouring rather than blush colors? I plan to figure this all out as I study how to put blush on.

- updates coming soon!

Beauty Makeup Study by Renee Keith

I am conducting my own in-depth study of how to apply beauty makeup. My goal is to be able to create awesome beauty looks for our photography with everything from simple beauty makeup to more exaggerated creative looks… knowing how to shape different faces, when to use what and why, learning what rules I can break an all that jazz.  You can expect posts around once a month during the whole year of 2012, the first one (Rouge) being towards the end of December 2011.

A little about my makeup artistry background: Makeup was never my forte, and I never thought I would be a makeup artist! As photographers, we are constantly needing makeup done on models, and I figured I would learn it myself. At first I was extremely out of my element. Even being around a bunch of makeup artists in class was really awkward for me. The two classes I took last year  (Jan 2011) were each over a period of 2 weeks, but it takes years and experience to become a professional. There are still a lot of things I don’t completely understand… like blush & contouring! I also have a hard time with lips. I figure the best way to learn is to do an in-depth study of each subject individually. I will be creating a series of  blog posts with plenty of pictures dedicated to learning different makeup techniques. 

As for now, here are some examples of makeup I have already done (after my classes, but before the study)…

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Beauty Makeup Study: Rouge, Blush or Blusher

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Homemade Cranberry Sauce:

One Cup Orange Juice

One Cup Sugar

12oz pkg of fresh cranberries.

Dissolve sugar in orange juice over medium heat, add cranberries, and cook or about 10 min. until they start to pop (skin breaks). At this point, you can add any optional ingredients. I added blueberries, pecans and a little bit of allspice. Chill in fridge, sauce should thicken. Serve with turkey, mmmm! Optional: Pecans, orange zest, raisins, currants, blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice.

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I didn’t get a picture of the Boston Cream Pie, There is a good one on their website along with the recipe at the following link: http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/5005/All-Chocolate-Boston-Cream-Pie.aspx

Everyone loved it, and I am pretty sure it is a new family favorite It is super rich, so small servings go a long way.

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For the Clam Dip, I used my mom’s recipe… not sure where she got it, but it was definitely one of my favorites for the holidays during my childhood.

1-2 Cups Cottage Cheese

4-8 oz Cream Cheese

2-3 TBSP Grated Onion

4-5 TBSP Mayo

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 – 1 can Clams

1-2 Large Minced Garlic Cloves

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Maple Roast Turkey and Gravy

I am going to try this recipe from allrecipes and will let you know how it goes

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/maple-roast-turkey-and-gravy-2/detail.aspx?src=ShareOnFacebook&recipeID=13521

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Apple Cider

I used 3 parts Apple Juice (I like fresh home made apple juice)

1 part water

Lemon Zest

Small slice fresh Ginger

Several cloves (too many will make it taste bitter)

Cinnamon sticks

Simmer apple juice, water, and spices (except for the cinnamon stick) for 15 min. Pour through a small strainer, or pick out chunks of spices.

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Candied Pecans:

Pecans, 1 egg white, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 TBSP Cinnamon, pinch of allspice, 1 tsp salt

Add egg white into bowl. Mix sugar, cinnamon, allspice and salt in a separate bowl. Roll pecans in egg white, and then sugar mixture. Place onto greased pan, and back at 250 F for 55 min stirring every 15-20 minutes.

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Sweet Potato Casserole: http://southernfood.about.com/od/sidedishcasseroles/r/bl90911u.htm

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Last but not least, I am going to make Carrot Cake, I am going to try the recipe from this blog: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2011/01/07/the-best-carrot-cake-recipe-ever/

It looks delicious!! UPDATE: It was fantastic!!

Todd and I put together a Witch Doctor series for the  2011 show… Here is one of the shots, and I will post the short film once it is on Youtube:

Previous Halloween and October shows: *Warning – these videos are bloody & graphic, mostly for adults who love horror themed photography and movies.

Death By Series (2008): A series of photos that tell a storyline of silly ways that they died. Death by G.I Joe, Death by Broken Heart, and Death by Fondue.

Meet Richard Series (2009): A man invites all of his online dates to his home, and then kills them.

Woman Gives Birth to Vampire Siamese Twins!

Pulp Art (2010): A series of horror themed images that you might see on the cover of National Inquirer, hehe. I don’t think we put a slideshow together, so once we have it, I will post it here. Here are a few shots from the series: Pulp Art Style Monster Tabloids Woman Gives Birth to Vampire Siamese Twins! Pulp Art Style Monster Tabloids A Scary Monster Lives in my Toilet! Pulp Art Style Monster Tabloids The Zombie Pizza Man Ate My Family!! … slide show vidoe coming soon

]]> http://reneekeith.com/2011/10/17/halloween-and-october-shows/feed/ 0 bellaorastudios WitchDR2_8675-Edit Woman Gives Birth to Vampire Siamese Twins! http://reneekeith.com/2011/10/06/art-project-tarot-cards-by-renee-keith/ http://reneekeith.com/2011/10/06/art-project-tarot-cards-by-renee-keith/#comments Thu, 06 Oct 2011 06:25:19 +0000 Renee Keith http://reneekeith.com/?p=1526 ]]> I have always had a major fascination with tarot/inspirational/oracle cards… and I love collecting different decks as well. One of my favorites is the Lo Scarabeo Dream Deck.

I’ve thought about designing my own deck for a while now, and finally got around to making my first card today. The cards are not going to be traditional at all… it will be more like inspiration cards and I will be breaking the unwritten rule of keeping them all vertical. Final images will be mixed mediums including all of my own photography, paintings, photo transfers,  ink, digital photography & digital editing, etc.  The symbolism can mean different things to different people, so there is no wrong or right way to read the cards. I will keep all of the updates in this blog post, so check back once in a while if you would like to see updates on new cards. I started this project October 2011, and plan to have a full deck by December 2011.

I would love to hear your thoughts, please feel free to comment at the bottom of the page. Thanks!!

*Cards are subject to change. I will delete and re-post if change anything

More about the cards…

Card #1: Crows

About this card:  The crows came from a photograph that I took in San Francisco. I had my friends stop the car so I could jump out and photograph this awesome bird. He was just sitting there watching me as I got closer and closer. Eventually I got close enough to where he flew away and I just kept taking pictures.  It wasn’t until I was home reviewing the photos, that I thought about putting all the crow shots together in one image.

Symbolism:

Crows have many different meanings depending on what part of the world you are in. They can symbolize anything from war, death, ill omen, tricksters, good luck, bad luck, change, spiritual strength, messengers, etc. They are also considered to be among the worlds most intelligent animals.

A Human skull can represent death & mortality, equality of all human beings in the face of death, a past life, or even a past life within this life. The Skeleton Key (master key) can open many doors which provides access.

The circle with a diamond shape in the middle is a symbol for a few different things: The astronomical sign of the sun, The open eye of god;purpose and revelation, Air,  pregnancy and new human life, Sunday (Roman), Annual.

The sunset/sunrise is a symbol of death, resurrection and immortality.

The crow is standing on the edge of a gate, and below that hangs a rich tapestry which can symbolize love for luxury.

The symbol on the top left is an oriental symbol of the soul’s pilgrimage through life.

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Card #2: Magical Wishing Fountain

About this card: This card is based off of a picture that I took of a fountain in Florence, Italy (located inside the Courtyard building in the Palazzo Vecchio). I loved it so much, that I  was inspired to draw it once I got back to my hotel room. Something about it is so magical.

Symbolism:

A wishing well is know for being good luck. It can also represent deep desires & inspirations, wishful thinking and good health.It is full of coins which can mean good fortune, power of manifestation, Happiness, Positive thinking.

I may end up adding a fish to this card some time in the future which could symbolize spirituality, going with the flow, searching, subconscious & depth of knowledge, happiness, good luck, eternity, fertility, etc.   

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Card #3: Prayer and Protection

About this card: I took this picture of my daughter in the Nevada desert (Valley of Fire). We had some angel wings from a previous photo shoot and decided to bring them with us on our road trip. She did such a great job modeling for us! The moon (taken by my hubby) was added in later during post processing.

Symbolism:

Angels are often seen as messengers, warriors, guardians or protectors. They can represent hope, goodness, purity, protection, comfort and consolation.

The full moon shares the symbolism of the circle as an image of wholeness and strength. The Chinese associate it with the essence of Yin and the feminine; to Buddhists it represents spiritual power. The Harvest Moon (a full Moon near the September equinox) symbolizes agricultural fertility. The word “lunatic” comes from the Latin for moon, luna, and originally meant “Moonstruck”. The full Moon was thought to worsen lunacy and is associated with wild behavior in animals and humans.

The Stars are connected with spiritual illumination and divine presence. In native American traditions stars are seen as campfire of the ancestors.

The child is a symbol of the future, youthful enthusiasm, impressionability, and potential.

The symbol on the bottom right is a Triquetra, which represents  love, honor, and protection.

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Card #4: Good vs. Evil

About this card: This card was created from one of my acrylic paintings. It is my take of good vs evil in the modern world.

Symbolism:

I am going to write my own personal definition for this card, and remember,  you can always create your own meanings. For me, this is a card of choice… everyone has the choice of good or evil and both are always there and  readily available. This can apply to your actions, your thoughts, or hidden in agreements and belief systems you make with yourself. Sometimes negativity sneaks up on you and then builds upon itself. Pay close attention to your thoughts and actions to see what is going on, and ask yourself… are you building yourself and other people up or destroying yourself and other people?

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Card #5: Creativity

About this card:  It was early in the year of 2010 that I decided to buy and airbrush and learn how to use it with the intention of later painting people. A few months later, this checkered image was born. I airbrushed the model, as well as the background and then took her picture in our studio. It is not photo-shopped although, for this card, it has been transferred from rice paper to watercolor paper and stylized in post processing with a grunge look . The original image is crisp and black & white. This is one of my favorite images from all of the body paintings we have done.

Symbolism:

Art and creativity ~ “Imagination rules the world.” Napoleon Bonaparte

Card #6: Spiritual Mirror

About this card: This photograph was from a shoot that we did for Andrea Hansen /Pretty Macabre (wardrobe designer) , located in SLC, UT. I was also working on creating ghosted images (one shot taken with a long & and multiple exposures to capture movement and “ghosted” images) for an exhibit that is on display during October 2011. This was one of my favorite images from the show. She is wearing a vintage style carnival performer sort of outfit, standing in front of a blue theater curtain.

Symbolism:

Spiritual reflection. The Spiritual Mirror Truthfully reflect the Consequences of our actions along with the Karmic rewards, or punishments, which the consequences of our actions have brought upon us.

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Card #7: Living in the Now

About this card: This is a collage of about 7 images & textures. The moon image was taken by my lovely husband. The desert image was taken in Southern Utah, the flying bird is form Italy, and the man in the mask is our friend James Morris who models for us often.

Symbolism:

“Now is the only time that has ever existed. There is only now. The past is an illusion, the future is an illusion, time is an illusion. There is only now”

The man standing in the moon light wearing a gas mask is protecting himself from any possible toxic gasses, but as you can see there is a bird flying that is just fine. This card can represent past issues affecting your present decisions. You may be feeling like you need to protect yourself which is preventing you from enjoying the current moment to its fullest.

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Card #8 Furious

About this card: I was photographing students for my friends makeup class. This was a fun shot that was later photo-shopped with added smoke and textures. After transferring this image for the tarot card, I painted some mazes on each side of the image.

Symbolism:

This girl came prepared for battle, and she is about to destroy someone! Smoke is rising from her fingers as if she just threw a fireball at someone/something.

Mazes can symbolize that you must untangle the maze in order to clear the path to self-knowledge and inner wisdom. You may be feeling like you’re running into walls in life. Try to identify those obstacles and think of ways to work through them. Are you using the same methods that don’t work over and over again? You may need to change your beliefs and expectations in order to make changes.

A mask is an article normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance or entertainment.

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Card #9: Post Card

About this card: While out looking for cool, old paper textures, I found this vintage blank post card at a bookstore down town in Salt Lake City.

Symbolism:

You may need to get in touch with someone. These days it is too easy to send a text or email… going out of your way to write a letter is usually done with a lot of thought and care. Make sure you take your time, there is an art to delivering a message.

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Card #10: Young Lovers

About this card: I took this shot of our friends up by the Salt Lake City, UT Capital building for some of their engagement photos.

*There will be one or two more lovers cards in the deck.

Symbolism:

Young lovers, passionately kissing and  so in love, about to start their life together. Everything is new and exciting!

This could be about putting your heart and soul (optimistically with the best intentions) into something whether it is is a person, hobby, work,  or project.

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Card #11: Adventurous / Travel Alone

About this card: This is a shot of another friend of ours… we were meeting out at the Salt Flats in Utah to take engagement photos for him and his wife to be.

Symbolism:

Adventurous: 1.Willing to take risks or to try out new methods, ideas, or experiences. 2. Involving new ideas or methods.

Could also be about traveling alone (mentally and/or physically)

This card van be about a male person in your life, or possibly adventure & taking risks… or maybe even both

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Card #12: Time

About this card: This shot came from a photography project called “Are You Interesting?” … Our friend who modeled for this had this cool watch collection so we had her put them all on. Who knew it would make such a cool tarot card?! Hehe

Symbolism:

Time. Waiting. Maternal Clock. Time running out? etc.

Numbers falling on clock could mean losing track of time.

I think most of our culture/society grows up on negative thinking and it is a constant challenge for A LOT of people to even realize what negative thinking is. What do you think?? *shaking your shoulders and looking you in the face* .. Do you even realize what a HUGE deal positive thinking is? And how it can change your entire life and make you feel all wonderful and warm inside? Hehe. I personally challenge anyone reading this post to pay special attention to your thoughts today, recognize any negative thinking patterns, stop it in its tracks and replace it with something awesome… even if you don’t believe it at first.