Aion Photoshoot

Over the weekend I had a photoshoot with Artisto Virtuoso in studio and on location in a mosquito pit, errr a lovely field.

More photos can be found here.

Click "Read More" to find out about the makeup, the creative process, and some troubleshooting.

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Makeup
The first time I did makeup for the character I really wanted to draw in the colours of the costume. I opted for two tones of eye shadow, turquoise and pink. I found it looked strange in the end. This time around I used just pink. and it really made the difference. I usually don't use blush, but I found it worked well this time it added more dimension to my face that could be overpowered by the blond wig.
Here a list of the make up used for this shoot, in order of use: MAC Matte primer, Sephora Eye primer, MAC select foundation, MAC select cover-up, MAC blot powder, BeautyUK pink eye shadow, Rimmel black waterproof eyeliner, Covergirl Lash Blast black mascara, Snazaroo iridescent powder (as blush), MAC Viva Glam pink lip gloss and Quo 807 lashes.  For the eyebrows: Nyx gold eyeliner and some gold mascara. Contacts: Geo Angel Green
This was my first time using the BeautyUK makeup I just ordered, and I love it <3 Very colourful, no clumping and lasting colour... granted I used eye primer.

Wig
I though I was going to throw out this old wig after the photos I took with this costume at Anime North 2011. There were little hairs going everywhere! Artisto really wanted me in the blonde wig so I gave it a restyle and it looked great!  Lots of Got2Be Glue hair gel and a little water for the spikes and some Got2Be Freezing spray for the back of the wig. Since Aion has customizable characters almost any colour or style would do. I was considering a black wig with a long bob.
Fun fact: This is my old Halibel wig :)

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Creative Concept
Artisto wanted the shoot to be space inspired. We used some royal blue organza fabric to drape over the black backdrop to give it a spacey effect. As for the field, he through it would look magical and I found it fitting for the character. The field shoot had to be cut short since the mosquitoes were eating me alive.
We took a few shots with and without the wings and the sword. You can really appreciate the details of the costume more without the wings (like in this photo on the left).

Troubleshooting / Lessons Learned:
* Be aware of your space. My wings barely fit  the length of the backdrop. Posing was tricky since they flap or swivel. I had to keep track of their position and make sure they weren't at a weird angle.
* Props are your friends. I find it so much easier to shoot with a prop, it gives you so many possible poses. I find without one you are more reliant on facial expression and the backdrop. I find this especially true at conventions.
* Showcase certain costume elements one at a time. Since this costume is so busy it is best to have one item be the main focus of the image. Considering that many parts of the costume are hidden depending on the angle, it is best not to worry about it and to keep in mind to shift your body position.
*Bring more bug repellent when shooting in tall grassy areas. They ate me alive even though I had some Muskol on :(

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