Brave New World evaluation

I have really enjoyed the project ‘Brave New World’ as I really feel that we were allowed creative freedom on this, and we really could take it in any direction that we wanted too, and wasn’t limited with what we could do. I really enjoyed looking at crocodiles when looking at my human hybrid, especially looking at its origins, and learning in depth about its history up to the present day as well as looking at different interpretations. The thing I found the hardest about this project was the blending of my hand pieces, and trying to make them stick, as they kept lifting in one area. I feel this was mostly due to the fact that it was on the hand and the movement of the hand in the way it bends made the piece lift. To try and overcome this problem I tried using pros-aide, but this didn’t work very well, I tried spirit gum, and this worked slightly better. In the end I had to leave it ad then stick the piece on at the last minute and try and use my supracolour and the fishnet tight to create scales over the pieces in an attempt to make my pieces work. Overall though I am really pleased with my overall outcome of my hybrid as I feel special effects is not one of my strongest areas, but I feel I did the best that I could by dedicating a lot of time and effort into this project.

Technical Evaluation

I have really enjoyed learning special effects, and I feel that as an aspiring makeup artist that this is a skill not many have the opportunity to explore. The part I feel I liked the most out of special effects was the moulding element. I like the way you had to really perfect and smooth your pieces for the best possible outcome. I also really enjoyed the process of making the pieces by measuring out the A and B and making sure not to cross contaminate as silicone is a highly sensitive material and will react to any form of cross contamination, this includes not using separate sticks for the A and B, as well as making sure to change gloves and always making sure to use the correct amounts of measurement for each substance. With the silicone as well, they reacted badly to aloe vera and garlic, so when sculpting and preparing our moulds, we had to make sure to stay away from these substances. I feel during the process of making of my pieces I was always referring back to my notes, as the whole process is really time consuming and quite complicated. Also there are a list of health and hygiene rules that you must abide by, for not only our own safety but for the safety of others around us, this ranged from using the correct equipment, e.g. scales, wearing old clothing, as wearing gloves, to having to wear masks when spraying petrolease and fixing spray, and also making sure to spray next to a window as not to contaminate the air in the studio. One part I struggled with was using the alcohol palette to colour my silicone pieces, and in the end resulting in using supracolour, as I feel I achieve a better result.

Final pictures (edited)

Final Images (not edited)

Back piece (no makeup)

This is my back piece with no makeup on. I am over all happy with this piece considering it was such a large piece, However i feel i could of had more room around my mould so that i could of had more super baldiez to blend.

Making the top

Because of my back piece i knew that i would need a halter neck top, as a normal t-shirt would cover the piece on the back. In order to do this i made a top using two different types a fabric, one a silk brown and greeny material and then a laser cut faux leather top. I made a triangle out of both pieces of fabric and then sewed them to a hoop necklace i had, then on the day i would tie it around my models back.

Brave New world moodboard

Creating my moulds

for my human hybrid i knew i wanted to create two hand pieces, and two more pieces to add onto the cheeks, i then also wanted to create a big back piece. I am feeling fairly confident in the smaller pieces however i feel that the back piece is going to take a lot more time, and this is something i am worried about, as i want to be able to create all my pieces on time.

Hand pieces 

Face pieces

Back piece

Back piece

i then want to repeat exactly what i have done on the hands and face onto the back, but this will be a larger piece, again layered with fishnet and colour used on.

Mohalk braid

For my hair for my human hybrid i want to create a mohawk braid this is done by sectioning the top part of the hair and then using a clear band put it into a pond, then taking a section from both side of the head, pull then into a pony, then with the first pony, split the hair in two and wrap around the second pony, then with the second pony pin the the top of head. You keep repeating this step until you get to the end, then band off, and pull the hair so it becomes bigger. I really like this as it reminds me of a crocodiles back and the bumps of the scales, also because my models hair is so long and thick it will almost be a replica of the crocodiles back leading into the tail.

Hand design

I want to create the hand design in a similar way to the face, in which i want to apply the piece to the hand and then using a fish net i want to stipple the super colour over the top to bend in the piece and extend the look further up the arms and hands. I also want to add some pointed false nails as i feel this will finish off my look. On the nails i will paint a green to black ombre as tis coordinates the colours i am using in my look.

Face Chart for Human Hybrid

For my makeup side of my human hybrid, i want to apply a foundation and powder to the skin in a tone that matches my model. I then want to put the pieces on the cheeks of the model, and then using fish nets i wanted to apply green, yellow, and black super colour and also a brown eyeshadow mixed with some water over the top of the pieces to blend them better and also add this scale effect to the nose, chin and forehead, as well as some parts of the body to have a consistent blend and make it flow better. I then want to create a green smokey eye, that looks dishevelled and messy looking using a mixture of green and black eyeshadow, once the eyeshadow is applied i then want to add a clear gold over the eyes to give it a wet effect. i then want to use a reddy browny colour for the lips and pat it as more of a stain and then smudge a little over the mouth area to make it appear as if she has eaten someone.

Achieving scales

For achieving the scales on my model i didn't want to use anything that would give too much texture as i didn't want it to take away from the texture in my moulds, so i experimented with putting a pair of fishnet tights onto the skin, and then using super colour and a sponge i then pushed the product over the top of the tights. I was really pleased with the overall effect, as i feel it has created the right two dimensional look, and also allows me to layer colour.

My Model for my human hybrid

This is my model for my human hybrid. I chose her as she has incredibly long and thick hair which is going to be helpful as i want to create a braid in the hair and need a lot of hair to create this. She also has green eyes, and seeming as a lot of my look is based around the colour green, this will add a great effect, and won't be something i will have to achieve in after effects.

Bib

http://www.crocoworld.com/crocodile-anatomy/
http://www.sciencemag.org/site/multimedia/slideshows/1226265/index.html
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bodysphere/biohackers-and-body-modification/6295194
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg013IsShFg
http://whatchareading.com/miyazaki-takahata-the-masters-of-studio-ghibli-ifc-in-nyc/

http://dhsquared.blogspot.co.uk/2006/02/return-to-narnia_02.html
https://youtu.be/JFmGxGUgpdw

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=lord+voldemort&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=979&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiOz7LU7KvJAhX

MWBQKHWj0A9UQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=Mb_1Ed0WZmF-2M%3A

https://youtu.be/5aYtNKOZ86s 

http://www.hexapolis.com/2014/09/24/12-strangest-hybrid-creatures-from-mythology/

http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/pernar20130807

http://www.darwins-theory-of-evolution.com/

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/photos/11-amazing-hybrid-animals/ligers#top-desktop

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/photos/11-amazing-hybrid-animals/grolar-bears#top-desktop

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/photos/11-amazing-hybrid-animals/savannah-cats#top-desktop

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/photos/11-amazing-hybrid-animals/zebroids#top-desktop

http://kaycoates.blog.com/files/2014/02/proportional_620_31373_h2048w2048gt.jpg

http://www.cogonline.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=32&pictureid=647

http://molliesrulesforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/second-degree-burn-2.jpg

http://img.webmd.com/dtmcms/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/media/medical/hw/hwkb17_002.jpg

https://ittcs.wordpress.com/2010/05/05/anatomy-and-physiology-the-spinal-column/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand
http://healthfavo.com/human-anatomy-diagram.html
http://www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/sobek.html
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Kom-Ombo-Sobek-et-couronnement-001.jpg
http://www.ask.com/pets-animals/crocodiles-live-148ac5d5bb76f9e5
http://crocodilian.com/cnhc/csl-maps.htm
http://www.livescience.com/28306-crocodiles.html
http://www.genesispark.com/exhibits/early-earth/larger-organisms/
http://dinosaurs.about.com/od/typesofdinosaurs/a/crocodilians.htm
912627-super_croc2.jpg

Rough drawing of crocodile eye and scale texture

Here is a really rough drawing using water colour to make a crocodile eye and scales, I just wanted to do this really just so I could get a feel for the rough colours I want to use for my human hybrid. 

Colour inspiration for human hybrid

I found these images and printed them as I really love led the colours that were in the swamp and I wanted to draw  nspiration from them for my human hybrid.

Story behind my human hybrid

My story behind my human hybrid:
The world is no longer recognisable as the earth plummets into a dark and dreary swamp. With a change of habitat the human race has to evolve in order to survive, chaos strikes, as the lost of order in the world has driven people to insanity. That is until a crocodile human hybrid emerges from the darkness to restore the loss of balance in the world. She is not a force to be reckoned with, for her sheer brut and power is enough to scare anyone who dares cross her path. With both the flesh of a human and the scales of a crocodile, she is able to effortlessly swim in the murky waters with great speed, as well as being able to walk on what little land is left. The rest of the human population has little choice then to follow her, and in return for there allegiance she restored balance and law into this new world.

crocodiles in dinosaur times

Of all the reptiles alive today, crocodiles and alligators may be the least changed from their prehistoric ancestors of the late Cretaceousperiod, over 65 million years ago--although the even earlier crocodiles of the Triassic and Jurassic periods sported some distinctly un-crocodile-like features, such as bipedal postures and vegetarian diets.By the start of the Jurassic period (about 200 million years ago), crocodiles had mostly abandoned their terrestrial lifestyles. This is when we begin to see the marine adaptations that characterize modern crocodiles and alligators: Long bodies, splayed limbs, and narrow, flat, tooth-studded snouts with powerful jaws (a necessary innovation, since crocodiles feasted on dinosaurs and other animals that ventured too close to the water). About 100 million years ago, toward the middle of the Cretaceous period, some crocodiles had begun to imitate their dinosaur cousins by evolving to enormous sizes. The king of the Cretaceous crocodiles was the enormous Sarcosuchus, dubbed "SuperCroc" by the media, which measured about 40 feet long from head to tail and weighed in the neighborhood of 10 tons.

Sobek (Egyptian Crocodile God)

Sobek was usually depicted as a half human and half crocodile god, with a body of a man and a head of a crocodile, he was believed to be born from 'Nun' and played eggs on the shore, thus creating the world. He was an important figure in Egyptian gods as he was associated with fertility, strength and protection. Many had mummified crocodiles with them in there tombs as protection in the netherworld. There later was a whole temple dedicated to him, along with various stories of his associations to many other important gods. In some areas a tame crocodile was worshiped as the earthly embodiment of Sobek, while in other places crocodiles were reviled, hunted and killed.It seems likely that Sobek began as a dark god who had to be appeased, but that his protective qualities and his strength were valued when hey were used in defence of the Pharaoh and the people.

The strength and speed of the crocodile were thought to represent the Pharaoh, and the word sovereign were used in the hieroglyphic of a crocodile.

Crocodiles habitats

Today, crocodiles are found in the tropical habitats of Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas. They normally live near lakes, rivers, wetlands, swamps and even some saltwater regions.

Inspiration (Rihanna Where Have You Been Video)

On looking for human hybrids with a crocodile i came across a Rihanna video in which in the first scenes you see her in a swamp with a prosthetic alligator scale skin on her back and on her top half, along with alligator trousers. I really like this look, but i want to make mine more hybrid looking, as i feel Rihanna's look is more beauty which works really well for the video, but i feel wont work well for my brave new world work. however i really like the back piece and i feel this gives a good effect, this is something i would like to use in my work.

Human anatomy

Looking at the cracking of a crocodiles skin

In most amniotes, keratinized structures like scales, hair, and feathers are formed from primordia, developmental nodes distributed in a predictable pattern. In their Report, Milinkovitch and colleagues show that the scales on the face and jaws of crocodiles do not develop in a predictable pattern but instead are the result of a physical cracking process.

Looking at the anatomy of a crocodile

The body of the crocodile is extremely complex which is one of the main reasons why researchers really find it a challenge to learn all about it. Even so, it is a challenge that many of them are more than willing to be involved with. While they may look quite old and simple enough the inside of them gives us a completely different story.

First, it is important to mention that the crocodile has a cerebral cortex. This is a type of tissue in the brain that we know is linked to intelligence, memory, and awareness. The fact that this animal is able to do so many different things and to have a high level of intelligence is due to this being in place.

They also have a four chambered heart. With a body that is symmetrical and streamlined, they are excellent swimmers. They have very short limbs which is why they seem much slower on land. Most of the time their movements in the water are below the surface where you can’t observe it. They have webbed feet that are well designed for movements in the water, especially in the shallow parts of it.

You may be curious about why they don’t end up swallowing lots of water as they move through it. This is because they have what is called a palatal flap which is very strong tissues found at the back of the mouth. They also are able to close their nostrils when they go below the surface of the water.

Looking at the difference between an alligator and a crocodile

Snout shape: Alligators have wider, U-shaped snouts, while crocodile front ends are more pointed and V-shaped. Toothy grin: When their snouts are shut, crocodiles look like they're flashing a toothy grin, as the fourth tooth on each side of the lower jaw sticks up over the upper lip

Real Human Hybrids

I wanted to look at humans how have used body modification to change themselves into essentially a human hybrid

Lizard Man

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bodysphere/biohackers-and-body-modification/6295194

Erik Sprague travels the world performing traditional sideshow acts. He swallows swords, breathes fire, inserts a corkscrew up his nose and sticks spikes into his flesh. He also looks like a lizard.

'I have spent over 700 hours being completely tattooed from head to toe with green reptilian scales and black markings,’ he says. ‘I've also had sub-dermal Teflon implants on my skull over my eyes to create horned ridges. My teeth have been filed into points via a dentist drill, and my tongue bifurcated, split in two like that of a snake, using an argon laser.'

Trip to national history museum

In order to have a better understanding of what human hybrid we wanted to go into, we took a trip to the National History Museum to be able to have a look at animals up close to be able to decide what animal we would want to make a human hybrid with.  I'm glad that i took this trip to the museum as i feel i was able to look at the textures of animals better then i would of been able to if i had just looked on the internet or in a book, also it gave us a chance to be able to look at animals we wouldn't of had a chance to unless going to a zoo and even then we wouldn't of been able to have a look at the animals in such in depth detail.

Shape shifting

Shape shifting is the transformation (mentally or physically) of one's self into an animal. A 'theriomorph' is a shapeshifter; a being who can assume an animal as well as a human form.
I was thinking of this when looking at Human hybrids, and thinking about tv programes which use this.
True Blood:

This is just a short video of where True blood got its inspiration from to make its shapeshifting characters. I found this clip quite interesting, and it's helpful to know just how much thought has gone into making these characters, along with background research.

Thinking about my human hybrid

Looking at the video in how they created Lord Voldemort, i then got inspired to look at reptiles. However i didn't want to do a snake or a lizard i feel like i would like to go down the path of looking at alligators or crocodiles. However i feel like i need to look at the two and see which path i feel like i would like to go down .

Hybrids in films

Hybrids have been used in movies for a very long time, this including the use of special effect, after effects on editing programs and also in animation, here are some examples i have found:

Howls Moving castle 

http://www.ifccenter.com/films/howls-moving-castle/

In the animation Howl's Moving Castle, howl can transform into a bird like creature, as well as other characters being able to transform themselves 

Narnia

http://dhsquared.blogspot.co.uk/2006/02/return-to-narnia_02.html

Narnia has lots of human hybrids in the film this ranging from a centor, a half human half horse man, as well as the famous character Mr Tummus, a half human half goat, this is just a small fraction of the characters that are in the fim, as there are many mythical creatures that are featured in the film.

Here is a video that i found that had all the information on ow they created all the different hybrids that you see in the movie, something i found extremely interesting.

Harry Potter, Lord Voldemort.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=lord+voldemort&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=979&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiOz7LU7KvJAhX
MWBQKHWj0A9UQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=Mb_1Ed0WZmF-2M%3A

Lord Voldemort is one of the most famous human hybrids, he is half human and part snake like, his image is clearly not human, but can only be seen on closer inspection, and the idea of him looking still so human yet something not looking quite right is something that gives the character a haunting appearance and in effect makes him more scary. 

I also found this video in which the directors talk about the character development of making Lord Voldemort, which again i found really interesting.

Evolution

http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/pernar20130807
http://www.darwins-theory-of-evolution.com/

I wanted to look at the human evolution as well as just looking at hybrids, as if you think about it we evolved from monkeys, and therefor still inhabit some of there features as well evolving into man as we know it. We can see in this chart the development and change we have undergone, this being partly due to having to change to be able to survive in the habitat we live in, but also to improve as humans.
In the middle phases of change you can see the resemblance of both human and monkeys, almost playing on the idea of a human hybrid.  
Darwin was first to come up with this theory, and the way we changed was due to a number of different reasons. Darwin's Theory of Evolution is the widely held notion that all life is related and has descended from a common ancestor: the birds and the bananas, the fishes and the flowers -- all related. Darwin's general theory presumes the development of life from non-life and stresses a purely naturalistic (undirected) "descent with modification". That is, complex creatures evolve from more simplistic ancestors naturally over time. In a nutshell, as random genetic mutations occur within an organism's genetic code, the beneficial mutations are preserved because they aid survival -- a process known as "natural selection." These beneficial mutations are passed on to the next generation. Over time, beneficial mutations accumulate and the result is an entirely different organism (not just a variation of the original, but an entirely different creature)