Clean Bandit - Canada AM

Almost a mth ago I had the pleasure of working w/ the UK group Clean Bandit on their EARLY morning appearance on Canada AM while they were doing their North American tour.  I totally forgot to blog about this but after I got my cheque in the mail this wk from Warner Music it reminded me I really should have hahaha ;)

They were a really great group of ppl and I'm totally in love w/ their hit "Rather Be" which is on repeat on my running playlist right now!  Cool thing was I also got to go to their concert at Mod Club that night...it was totally packed and the crowd loved the show!  What was really awesome for the concert was their violinist (who couldn't make the Canada AM performance b/c of a Visa issue) came onto the stage about 3 songs into their act!  He came straight from the airport, into a cab and then up on the stage...of course the crowd went wild over this lol!

Anyway, here's their performance :)

http://canadaam.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=440102&playlistId=1.2007151&binId=1.815913&playlistPageNum=1&binPageNum=1

Also, here's a couple of pics I took from the video and me w/ the band...it was very early so excuse my appearance lol

Just Makeup - Wedding Edition

I've talked a lot in the past about the importance of learning Hair for my Bridal business.  In all honesty I literally wouldn't have a bridal business if I didn't do hair or at least have ppl on my team that do hair.  I'm also expanding my wedding business this year and that means adding more ppl to my team of artists.  It's actually been very interesting interviewing and meeting other artists out there.  I was actually surprised how many of them didn't do hair, or were surprised when I even asked about hair.  Truth is almost everyone will get their hair done for a wedding...not everyone will get their makeup done.  Do I agree w/ this idea, of course not but it's the reality of the business in Toronto and if you want to be successful (like I personally do) you learn this quick, face your fears and learn how to do hair!

Of course there is the odd wedding where I have the pleasure of just doing the makeup!  It's always nice and sort of a treat to just be able to focus on one thing for the entire wedding.  Sometimes this happens b/c it's a big wedding and therefore I've hired another artist to just do hair while I just do makeup or once in awhile I literally get hired for a Makeup Only job!

So I thought I'd share a couple of my Makeup Only weddings w/ you guys.

The first one was a wonderful, sweet and beautiful bride Melissa.  Melissa lives out West and booked her wedding well in advance. I first did her trial during the Xmas holiday of 2011.  She had a large wedding - 7 ppl Hair & Makeup so I thought it would just make it easier if I hired my trusted friend and artist Ashley Readings to do ALL the hair and then I could stick to doing ALL the makeup!  Makes both of our lives easy and a little more stress free when you can just concentrate on one thing all morning and really get in a groove.

The trial went fabulously and Melissa was such a sweetheart (I think she said she was more nervous about the Makeup & Hair then anything else lol).  We agreed I'd make her extensions b/c the girl wanted BIG hair...on the wedding day she kept saying BIGGER, BIGGER lol in reference to the volume!  I did a really soft pink, brown w/ a touch of gold/bronze smokey eye and a natural lip.  Just before the wedding I actually met up w/ Melissa to drop of the extensions and I barely recognized her, literally!  I know a lot of brides say they are going to lose weight but Melissa actually did it..she was beautiful at the trial but HOLY SHIT did she look good at that wedding!  Man that girl worked hard!

And she must have about the sweetest then fiance now husband EVER!  Her engagement story had both Ashley and I "Ahhing" and on the wedding day the gifts and card her fiance wrote literally almost had me in tears...and I don't usually cry at stuff like that!  Such a sweet girl definitely deserves a guy like that!

Both Melissa's hair and makeup looked gorgeous when Ashley and I were finished!  I saw pictures at the ceremony and she still looked gorgeous (which was a relief b/c it was literally one of the hottest days that Summer)!

Photos Courtesy of Maverick Photography

So Pretty!

 Got my usual "Game Face" on ;)

 Mother & Sister

What a cute couple!

 Ashley did such a beautiful job w/ the hair that day!

Another wedding I worked on in the beg. of Nov. where I did only makeup was for a bride named Stephanie.  Stephanie wanted a clean beauty look w/ a little extra "oomph".  The look we agreed on was so pretty I actually referenced her trial pictures to a lot of other brides to see if it was similar to what they had in mind.  What was great about this wedding was I actually got to airbrush ALL the girls!  Sometimes I get to do airbrush on the bride but I never have a wedding where ALL the girls get airbrush...and the photo I got really showcases how great they look!  This was also a group that wasn't afraid of makeup!  It was so refreshing to have a bunch of girls that wanted a bit of glamour and even still in the pic I think they look really beautiful and natural...but don't be fooled ladies - these girls were wearing some makeup - trust me!  See the camera really does eat up the makeup...that's why it's always a battle w/ my brides to let me put more makeup on them...not w/ this group though they were all for it!

Also, I didn't know their hair person that day but he was AMAZING!  Seriously, sometimes I've worked weddings where I've done just the makeup or just the hair and I've looked over and though oh those poor girls.  But that definitely wasn't the case w/ this artist...he had serious talent!

Man this group of girls looked good next to one another...you'd swear they were all sisters w/ their beautiful blonde hair.  They just went so well as a group!  Esp. b/c they were all okay w/ a little more makeup, no one looked more "overdone" then the next one.

Asian Beauty - Behind the Scenes

Last week I got to reunite and work w/ one of my all time fav photographer friend's Todd Anthony Tyler.  Yes, that's right the same Todd Anthony Tyler that first suggested I go out to Shanghai and try my luck their back when I was all fresh and new to the makeup world.  Can you believe it's been almost 4 yrs since I went out there for 6 mths and started this blog!  Wow have things changed!

Well anyway, I've of course seen him a few times in the past few years (pretty much anytime he's been back to Canada to visit his family).  But this marked the first time in 3.5 years that we actually got the chance to work w/ one another again!  When I look back man has my work changed a lot in the past 4 yrs...esp. my hair skills.  I'm like a completely different artist when it comes to that!

This wasn't a fancy or really technical shoot...in fact it was beyond simple...beauty shots that we actually shot on my back patio and roof!  No styling, props, fancy lights...just outdoors, a couple of models and the focus all on their faces!  Hopefully next time we'll get to a full on styled shoot...but this little "mini shoot" will have to hold me over until then ;)

In recent mths Todd has been working on Asia's Next Top Model as a Lead Judge and Resident Photographer...kind of like the Nigel Barker of this incarnation of the show.  As you can imagine this is a pretty big deal b/c it's not just China but for all of Asia and they are doing the show to showcase all the different types of beauty across Asia which are varied and vast.

Anyway, Todd is thinking of putting together a book to showcase all the different types of Asian beauty...which he knows just a thing or two about after living over there all these years!  So while in Toronto he wanted to do a simple beauty shoot w/ a few of Toronto's Asian beauties.

The great thing about the shoot as I mentioned before was that it was a beauty shoot...therefore the makeup was key.  I wanted to keep things on trend, striking and clean...as I often do w/ my style but also timeless so that in a few years ppl wouldn't look at the pics and think "Oh that's so 2012" or whatever.  We were working w/ two models and I always like to think of things in terms of "stories" or "pages" for my book...I've mentioned before to new artists the importance of thinking this way when doing shoots.

I decided I would do the first model Gail w/ a very clean face (I didn't even put eyeliner on her eyes) but a very deep burgundy lip which is very hot right now.  For the second model Pem I kept the lips nude but did a very striking black graphic liner and big false lash.  For both girls I kept the skin really clean and focused more on highlight and contour for the cheeks.  Hair really natural and down.  I should give a special thanks to Spot 6 for sending us two really great, friendly and professional models!

As I mentioned before we shot both girls just outside on my deck...well technically in my bedroom doorway.  Love when I can do a shoot at my apt...makes doing the hair and makeup so easy when it's at my place lol!  It was a really bright and sunny day...and hot too!  For Pem we expanded and actually took her up to my roof which is flat and overlooks the city...really kind of excited to see these ones as I've never had anyone shoot on my roof before.  I got the idea after I noticed that some of my neighbours when up their to watch the Pride Parade this past Summer (I live on Yonge near Wellesley so Pride goes literally right down my street).

So here's some behind the scenes photos taken by Todd's lovely wife Karina...she's def. got some talent herself ;)  Can't wait to see the finished product!

 Me Doing My Thang!...With The Trademark Jessica Intensity Of Course ;)

 

Nice Yaby Macro...Even Though I Didn't Use Any Of These On This Shoot They Still Look So Pretty!

Now It's Todd's Turn To Look Intense...This Is Up On My Roof!

Todd May Start A Shoot Standing...But By The End He's Always On The Ground Lol!

End Of The Shoot!

Entertainment Toronto

A few mths back I got a fun opportunity to work w/ an old university classmate Natalie on a fun tv show called Entertainment Toronto that's made specifically to attract tourists from the US to Toronto.  She's the host of the show and her husband is the producer and it was the craziest way we even ran into each other in the first place!

A few mths before filming I was actually helping my friend Ashley Readings (who I mention all the time) out at her then workplace Blo and Natalie had stopped in to get her hair done.  She was very pregnant at the time and it was just the craziest coincidence b/c I literally only helped out b/c Ashley was in dire need of help.  I gave her my card and said to keep me in mind for any upcoming film projects.

A couple of mths later her husband Kevin got in contact w/ me and I ended up doing her makeup and hair for her first tv appearance after the birth of her baby girl.  Literally the baby was just a couple of wks old!

I just got the clip and I'm really happy to see how good her hair and makeup looks!  Natalie naturally has VERY curly hair btw!  If I hadn't of known she just gave birth just a few wks before this I wouldn't have known at all...seriously she looks so good!

This clip specifically touches on some Mirvish Productions that were in town the past couple of mths

Super Sexy Hair Time - BLO Blow Dry Bar Giveaway!

Yesterday morning I got a text from my frequently mentioned friend/colleague Ashley Readings.  She was working at Blo @ Bloor West and it was a Monday (and voting day) so of course it was a bit slow.  For those of you not in the know Blo is a salon where you go to get amazing blow outs, updos and styles all really reasonably prices and relatively quick...no cuts no colour just styling!  This job btw has made Ashley an amazing hair person and I'm very envious of her insane skills!

Anyway, back to the text!  She wanted to know if I wanted to come down to the salon get my hair done and do a giveaway for my fellow bloggers!  Of course I JUMPED at this opportunity.  Funny thing - Ashley and I have been friends for a long while now and I've never visited her at Blo...I don't know why it was lots of fun and it had been SO LONG since I had any sort of professional do ANYTHING w/ my  hair (seriously if my clients knew my last haircut they call me a hypocrite for always preaching reg. trims...which I am I guess lol).  Plus I don't know about you guys but I've been feeling rather bluesy lately w/ all the rain...really affects my mood something fierce.  I think if I was richer I'd go get my hair done every day I was feeling down...it really helps lol!  Also I had dinner plans last night so I knew the hair wasn't going to go to waste ;)

So after I did my National Duty and cast my Vote I headed down to the salon to get pampered!  Ashley did her thing - washed my hair, dried it w/ a round brush, pinned it, teased the hell out of if and finally shook it and smoothed it all out to create some of the most glorious and voluminous hair my head has seen in a long time...possibly EVER! 

I should note that at no time did she use a curling iron..this was all done w/ a round brush and blow dryer!  I have insanely straight, long and silky hair...I need to put layers in it...ppl are shocked when I tell them I do not straighten or even dry my hair a lot of times and how straight it is (probably also why I can go so long between cuts w/ no split ends).  Ashley even was shocked w/ how shiny and slippery my hair was even when she tried to "dirty it up and give it grip" w/ various products lol.   So even to say that Ashley did an AMAZING job is an understatement lol.  I'm not going to lie when she first finished it was a bit Jersey Shore and I was a bit embarrassed to leave the salon in my hoodie and lulu lemons on the subway but of course after a couple of hrs it settled into just gorgeous soft voluminous curls.

FYI the picture above is after a couple of hrs in my apt.  Still gorgeous looking!  The picture below was at Blo just after my hair was finished.  Sorry not the best quality it was taken w/ Ashley's iPhone.

This picture is to remind you guys what my natural hair looks like - it has not been straightened in this picture and in fact this was a couple of mths ago in my old apt. and it's a bit longer now lol!

So now on to the GIVEAWAY!  This one is only open to TORONTO residents or surrounding area (as long as you don't mind travelling to Blo @ Bloor West).  I have a gift card for 1 FREE BLOW OUT at the Blo @ Bloor West location - it is ONLY good for that location fyi. 

How do you ENTER - I'm going to make it INSANELY simple...nothing fancy here.  Just leave a comment in my comment box w/ your name and email and we're all good!  Yes, that's it!  I want to make this as easy as possible for everyone! 

So come on and ENTER who doesn't want gorgeous hair for that special night on the town...or just b/c you're having a crappy day like I was!

GOOD LUCK!

Forgot to mention the contest will run until Tues May 10!  I'll announce the winner then!

Weddings - Makeup Artist Rules to Live By

I'm happy to announce my wedding business is progressing along very nicely now! I've actually booked 2 weddings this wk for June & July! What sucks is turning down weddings b/c you're already booked that date :( ...come on brides there aren't only 2 dates in the Summer to get married lol.

So I want to give a few tips to the Makeup Artists out there about weddings.

1. DON'T UNDERCUT

I know this sounds like basic knowledge but you don't know how many MUAs I see that post their prices on craigslist or their site and I wouldn't even leave my house for the price they are charging. Of course understand your area and what you can charge but if you're in TORONTO (like me) this is a major city...charge for it! I'm not quite sure if these MUAs are doing this as a hobby and have a husband at home to support them, live w/ their parents or if they've never actually figured out their costs and what they end up making per hr. Doing a bride's makeup or any of her bridesmaids for under $50/person is NOT acceptable...hell doing a bride for under $100 in my book isn't acceptable but I'll give some room I suppose (btw I'm taking just makeup here, no hair).

Remember when you undercut you're not just hurting yourself you're also hurting the business and all the other makeup artists out there! You'll never be able to raise your prices b/c you'll be known as a budget makeup artist and therefore you'll only attract budget brides. Plus remember you have to travel to the person's house or hotel or whatever...so your rate needs to reflect this service. Your product costs money and needs to be refilled. You have taxes...you do pay taxes right ;) You have to pay for your website and advertising. Plus all the time you spend not just doing makeup but cleaning brushes, emailing, networking etc. Weddings are WAY too much stress and trouble to be giving our services away...have a little respect for yourself and your profession!

2. Learn How to Do Bridal Hair

This will open up so many doors for you as a makeup artist if you can offer this service too...plus it means more $$$ which is always a good thing in my book lol! If you're hopeless at hair find a hair person to team up w/ and make a go of it together. Brides love anything that makes their lives easier b/c the planning of the wedding can be a very stressful time.

3. Know the Importance of a Trial AND Charge for It!

I see a lot of MUAs giving away trials for free. I don't agree w/ this (esp. when this same MUA is only charging $50/person...OMG). Time = Money and MY TIME is important! Why would I give away my time and skills for free when I could better spend that time making money on another makeup job. I get booked for photo shoots, music videos, print advertising, proms etc. I don't have time to GIVE away my talents when I could be making money for that time. I'm not opposed to charging a bit less for the trial but understand the trial is A LOT of work. Sometimes it can be more stressful then the actual wedding day b/c this is the chance for the bride to figure out exactly what she wants and to assure her that you can help create her vision...sometimes it takes a few alterations that day. Plus it takes a couple of hours...hours I can't book other work during! If a bride went to a salon to get her hair done would the hairdresser do that for FREE...I don't think so. If yes tell me the salon b/c I think I need a trial updo next time I have a night out ;)

4. The Trial is an Interview

So often we think of the trial as a way for the bride to decide if she wants to use our services. It's like an interview/audition of sorts. But you have to remember to look at it from the reverse point of view. Makeup Artist Liz Yu really got this concept into my head - YOU are also interviewing the BRIDE! YOU don't have to take that booking if you get a bad feeling at the trial b/c you think she'll probably be a bridezilla or more stress then she's worth! Truth is if you're good and do your networking you'll probably get another bride inquiring about that same date...someone who might not be worth the headache. This is why it's important to charge for a trial. It shows that you respect yourself, your time and your skills and it also let's you have the power to turn down a wedding if you don't want to take it b/c you don't think it will be a good fit. I'm not saying this will happen often or anything but it's good to be able to say no if you want to.

5. Avoid Bargainers

If the bride is trying to bargain your prices right at the beginning it's a warning sign of bad things to come. I'm not saying it's a guarantee but in my experience ppl that bargain and care more about the bottom line don't appreciate what you have to bring to the table and will NEVER be satisfied w/ your services b/c they don't respect your services in the beginning. These will be the ppl that email you constantly and complain about everything and want multiple trials (free of charge :S ). You want clients that respect your craft and the skills you bring to the table...remember we are ARTISTS!

6. Network, Network, Network!

Bridal business is just like any other makeup business it requires A LOT of networking. Build a good website. If you're starting out set up some mock bridal shoots w/ photographers so you have some nice pics for your website. Contact local wedding photographers and introduce yourself to them...lots of brides ask photographers about makeup/hair artists. Set up a links page on your site and link to vendors that are also willing to link to you. Get your website SEOed! Go on bridal forums and give your opinion or advice about things. Even network w/ other bridal makeup artists...they aren't the enemy or competition sometimes they can help you out! If they are booked they might refer you to the bride and likewise!

I know I've missed some things so let me know what you think is great advice for other Bridal Artists out there!

http://www.weddingmakeuptoronto.com/

In Beauty Magazine

I FINALLY got my copy of In Beauty Spring/Summer 10 Magazine. For those of you that don't know In Beauty is LITERALLY my makeup and hair beauty bible for the fashion seasons. Stumbling upon the premiere issue last yr was literally one of the best things to happen to me as far as research and expanding my ideas for makeup/hair trends.

Basically, it's a magazine that gives detailed explanations and close up pictures of all the important runway shows in Milan, Paris, London and New York. It's so great to have these pictures as references b/c a lot of times when you look at the runway pics after the shows you can't see the makeup and hair up close enough to see all the details and nuances b/c let's be real the main focus of these shows are the clothes lol.

The magazine is a bit pricey at $45 CAN but for me it is worth every penny and MORE! Seriously, it's a magazine of pure gold...every page is just more and more inspiration. I'm so glad I came across it by pure luck that first time and actually bought it.

It's always a guessing game when trying to figure out when this magazine will come out b/c it only comes out twice a year a few mths after the runway shows and it's VERY hard to find in stores b/c 1. Not many stores carry the magazine 2. The stores that do only carry like 1 or 2 copies 3. It's becoming a big magazine for makeup artists to buy

Thankfully, I'm persistent and even when I was working in China I had good friends go find a copy for me. The magazine is actually made in Taiwan so I had to contact them and they told me when it was coming out and put me in touch w/ the very friendly and patient distributor in Toronto who even had a copy sent to a store personally for me b/c there were no more it stores at the time.

So if you do happen to stumble upon this little gem I say BUY IT! BUY IT NOW!!

Networking the Key to Success!

Last Weds. I had the pleasure of doing a creative w/ photographer Bryan Lockyer. I've never met or worked w/ him before so it was great to get an email out of the blue asking to work w/ me. Basically, his scheduled MUA had to cancel and he was looking for another MUA to replace her. He asked his friend Mackenzie James if he knew anyone and he suggested me.

What's crazy about this is I've actually never worked w/ Mackenzie or Bryan. Basically, when I got back from Shanghai I contacted a bunch of photographers I admired and asked for a meeting. Mackenzie was on of the photographers that got back to me and we really hit it off during the time I showed my book to him. He told Bryan my work was great and I had an amazing personality so that's why Bryan contacted me. It's important to remember those first impressions really are EVERYTHING sometimes and it's not even just about how good your work is a lot of times it also has to do w/ your personality and if the other person thinks you'll mesh well w/ their team.

So I was the first to arrive on set on Weds...this tends to happen to me a lot b/c of my perpetual need to ALWAYS be early lol. I swear if I'm going to be 2 mins late I'm calling the photographer to let them know lol! Bryan and I definitely had a long time to get to know each other b/c both the stylist and model were running late. The model was actually from London, ON so I can totally understand how this happened. I was just really happy to get to work w/ her as she usually only travels to Toronto for paid work. She's w/ NEXT Canada and her name is Virginia and she has a great look.

Because of Shanghai I don't really have many blond models so I was really excited to work w/ her b/c it fills a hole in my book. Whenever you accept a creative or any work that isn't paid it's important to remember what that shoot is going to do for you and how does it help your portfolio. No use doing a creative if you've already done that concept 3 times or you have multiple models in your book that have similar looks to the one being offered.

Once the stylist and model arrived we finally were able to get things started! The styling was exactly what I was expecting but what can you do sometimes that happens. Overall, I'm really happy w/ what I did as far as makeup and hair goes and I think the team was too. The look I did focused on a really dramatic purple and black winged eye w/ very sculpted cheekbones and a nude glossy lip...very 80's and very cool IMO! Hopefully, I'll get at least a few cool pics from the shoot to make it worth my while even though the styling was exactly what I was expecting. I saw some of the pics that Bryan took and they looked really great just off the camera so I can't wait to see how they look once they've been retouched. I definitely hope to work w/ Bryan again on some other shoots.

I think this could be an exciting time for me b/c I feel like all the groundwork I've been laying these past few mths is finally starting to fall into place. Photographers I met are starting to contact me, photographers I've worked w/ are passing my name on to other ppl in the industry, word is starting to get around about my work (hopefully all good ;) ). It takes time of course but this is how it has to happen if you ever want to make a serious business of this. In the end it's all about the NETWORKING!

Me Doing Makeup

Bryan Shooting Virginia on a Bridge
Virginia

Water World Part 2

Today was Take 2 for Underwater Series and I'm SO GLAD we got a chance to work w/ the wonderful and talented Tyleen. She was AMAZING! Seriously, she swam laps around any expectations I might have had or hoped for. In all honesty, she probably could have sat on the bottom of the pool like a rock and I would have been happier then the last shoot lol...at least her whole head would have been underwater unlike the other model!

But in all seriousness I can't even tell you how excited I am to see the pics from today's shoot. I KNOW they are going to be breathtaking little pieces of art! In fact the Outdoor Exhibition featuring them is actually happening next wk - Fri. July 10 - Sun. July 12 in Nathan Philips Square (it's free!). If you're in Toronto w/ nothing to do I highly recommend checking it out and not just b/c of Meaghan's exhibit which I know will rock (she won a ppl's choice award last yr at the exhibition). There will be over 500 exhibitors so what have you got to lose. Gorgeous Summer days, free art show, lots of talented peeps - Can't Beat That!

Btw I did get some of the shots from the last underwater shoot and they are Gorgeous! I don't want to put them up before the exhibition b/c that's not fair but I can tell you I know what we had to work w/ that day and seriously Meaghan pulled off a miracle w/ this one. I don't know how she made a model that was terrified of water and almost wouldn't get her head fully emersed in water look like art but she did! I can only imagine what she'll have to work w/ on the Tyleen shoot...in fact she's working on those pics RIGHT NOW in hopes of getting them done for the art show this weekend!

So here are some behind the scenes pics from today...seriously I can't wait to show you guys the real stuff I KNOW you'll LOVE it!

New Condo...What A View!

So about a mth ago when I got back to Toronto I moved into a new condo w/ the bf. It's an AMAZING downtown location and has some AMAZING amenities including: indoor and outdoor pools, rooftop bbq, squash courts, aerobics room and classes, gym, sauna, whirlpool etc. We're on the 25th floor and technically our place is referred to as PH5 (penthouse 5) but don't get too excited...it's not actually a penthouse lol...just a really nice apt. and really big esp. for downtown Toronto standards. The bf did an amazing job in finding the place and we definitely got a sweet ass deal I can tell you that! I'm hoping to use my sweet pad, view and amenities to lure some cool photographers here to shoot w/ me lol! Plus my little breakfast nook area has two floor to ceiling windows w/ great natural light - can you say perfect place to do makeup! The bedroom also has two floor to ceiling windows as well...gorgeous and the perfect way to wake up every morning! So anyway, here's a few pics of the view from my apt...enjoy a bit of downtown Toronto in all its splendor!

A bit of lakeview

Air Canada Centre and Royal York Hotel
Some other buildings
Breakfast Nook AKA Perfect Makeup Station LOL

Portfolio Printing

So yesterday I met up w/ the wonderful and talented Sian Melton in Toronto's beautiful Distillery District to print pics for my portfolio. First off what a perfect and gorgeous day yesterday. We started w/ some yummy lunch at Cafe Uno...my treat for her taking the time to help a computer reject like me print stuff. Great to catch up and gossip ;) w/ other artists about work, life and all that jazz.

Got my pics printed...lots of double pagers so it ended up being like 18 new pages for my book. On a positive note they look fabulous and on a negative note I NEED a bigger portfolio lol...not really that negative but I don't have the money right now to get one from House of Portfolios like I want :(

If you're in Toronto I highly recommend Pikto for your printing needs. You can rent a computer station for an hr to print your pics and make sure they are sized right and all that (if your pic order is over $25 the hr is free..reg $15/hr for station 1). See when I first started I was naive and I was getting 9X12 which I could actually print from the downstairs computers which were easy to use. Now I know better and I'm printing the professional size pics 11X14 but unfortunately the easy to use computers don't offer that size...damn them! So it's either bribe my computer savy friends w/ lunch and have them help me or pay almost $20/print to have pikto do it...btw if you print it yourself using the computers upstairs it's $4.75/print AND you get the pics that day...can't beat that!

Unfortunately for Sian she saved her pics wrong on her CD so she couldn't print yesterday...this sucks for her but actually works out better for me. I have like 3 editorials that I'm getting in pdf format next wk so I can just go w/ her again and she can help me again (maybe this time I can actually learn how to do it on my own so I don't need to harass my overly generous friends lol). Now the big problem is where the hell am I going to fit them in my book!?! Right now I have 40 pgs but I think in the next portfolio I'm going to move it up to 60 pgs...or I could start separating my Beauty from Editorial work...we'll see.

Next on my to do list - meet w/ agencies and get a new business card (kind of waiting on this one till I know about the agency thing so I could put them on the card ;) )

P.S. Someone commented about Todd wearing the same pants for all the shoots lol! Trust me this is an on-going joke between he and I regarding his "uniform". Just so everyone knows he has several camouflage cargo pants...it's not the same pair lol. As many of you may have noticed he really likes to get on the ground a lot when he shoots so you know he has to keep it practical and comfortable.

Heading Home!!

So this is just a super quick one peeps! Officially heading back to Canada TODAY!! I'm sitting in a restaurant at the airport all checked in and relaxing b/c they thankfully DIDN'T weight my carry on luggage lol. They are actually getting a lot stricter on carry on luggage and I saw one check in girl weighing ppls....I was terrified I would have to go to her counter. Thankfully no! The only way I got my luggage in the weight restrictions was throwing out pretty much all my winter clothes (30 lbs lighter now they don't fit anyway :) ) and by making my carry on bag like 35 lbs (only suppose to be 20 lbs).

So excited to get back to Canada and get things going there again. I've been contacting a lot of super cool stylists, photographers, models etc. about working together so I can't wait! Don't worry I'm still going to keep this blog going as I'd hate to disappoint my "fans" lol.

Btw I did a really cool shoot yesterday w/ a yoga clothing brand called Aumnie Athletics. I'll write more about that another day and include some behind the scenes photos. The owner is actually from Vancouver but the company is based out of Shanghai.

Toronto, Mumbai, Beijing - Oh My!

First off just want to say I'm sorry, I've been a bad blogger as of late :(

Okay now on to the fun stuff! First I CAN'T believe I'm headed back to Canada in 2.5 wks...CRAZY!! I'm definitely ready to get back and I'm already so pumped about contacting all sorts of great photographers, models, stylists and setting up some exciting shoots. I really miss doing creatives...you can't really do them here b/c of the whole styling situation that I've talked about before...it's very frustrating when all I want to do is create!! Also need to get my book fully together again and start knocking on those agency doors. I think I'm ready...or at least I hope I'm ready. I should have 4 editorials coming out in the next mth or two also which is cool!

A friend of mine who is a wedding planer in Toronto also told me she has a lot of weddings coming up in late Summer/early Fall. She's Chinese and deals w/ a lot of Chinese clients at the hotel she works for and they keep asking her do you know a makeup artist that can do Asian makeup...umm yes she does lol! So hopefully I'll get some bookings out of that.

Also I don't think I've mentioned this on here before but I have plans to head out to Mumbai, India for work either this upcoming Oct. or Jan. and work there for a few mths (date is still a little up in the air). I was actually suppose to go this last Jan. but it was very complicated to do a work visa as a Canadian in China going to India and I wouldn't have gotten out there till 1.5 mths after originally planned so I decided to wait until I could do it right...plus I need to save some more money again ;) .

Talks of this all started when I asked photographer Troy Moth about his time assisting in India. He gave me the name of his photographer friend - Colston Julian. Who I just contacted on a whim more just to you know introduce myself and maybe learn a thing or two about working in India. This photographer couldn't have been nicer and was so willing to help me out w/ so many things over there. So really excited about this future prospect and I think it could be really exciting and way better than Shanghai to be honest!

So now on to Beijing! I've booked myself a little mini trip for next weekend to Beijing! I figure I only have a few wks left here I need to get out and do what I can b/c honestly who knows if I'll ever be back in China again. I'll worry about the money when I get back to Canada I guess lol...plus I've been living like a pauper for mths now I think I deserve a little enjoyment (yes I have to justify things...I do the same thing w/ shopping ALL the time lol). So yeah I head there on Fri. Booked myself some tours for Sat. and Sun. (Great Wall, Forbidden City etc) and what I'm most excited about I've booked a ticket to go see some Peking Opera. Okay now what's really cool is I've arranged to go early and watch the performers put on their makeup...and I can take pictures and everything! How cool is that!?!

Shanghai - How I Got Here!

So a few ppl have asked me to tell my story about how I came to live and work in Shanghai in these recent mths. So I'll try to explain it as best as I can w/out being too long winded and boring (umm definitely ended up being long winded, hopefully not too boring lol). I think it's actually a pretty interesting story but I guess that will have to be for you guys to decide :)

Okay well I'll start w/ a little background info. I'm actually a pretty new MUA. I've actually only been finished school a little less than 2 yrs now so in the grand scheme of things I'm still a rookie! I was doing shoots while in school but officially I've been at this less than 2 yrs now...overall I'm pretty excited and happy w/ how I've grown as an artist these past two yrs and what I've been able to accomplish and do thus far. I wish I had some pics from my very first shoot so you guys could see just how much I've grown but I'm pretty sure I've burned all that evidence lol! Actually here's a pic from my third ever photoshoot (it was for school). The model is my beautiful friend Sophia. I actually still really like this pic but I can tell you they weren't all winners like this one!

I've been able to find a few pics from shoots I did while still in school...ugghh I can't believe I'm going to show these to you guys but I think they will motivate and inspire newbies that they can/will get better. Also it will show I didn't always work w/ great photographers and models! Even though I had some hits (ice princess above) I definitely had some misses and still do and I think it's important to see and realize that not ever shoot is going to be amazing and it's good for the growth process to sometimes suck lol! Here they are (btw these aren't the worst...those don't exist anymore lol):

This was for a school assignment not a real shoot just my digital camera - see even I did cliches like sprinkles on the lips lol! It's actually not that bad I mean my lines were clean...always a big thing for me!
This was my take on Kate Moss' The Biba look in Kevyn Aucoin's Making Faces

This one actually does make me cringe...it was suppose to be pheasant inspired or something stupid...this was a shoot where I just felt oh no this is sooo not working! Btw same model as the pic above.
This was kind of a Halloween inspired look...for me the lines aren't clean like they should be!

Okay so that's a visit down memory lane now I'll get to my first "big break". About 6 mths after I finished school I saw an ad posted in Craigslist looking for an MUA for some magazine editorials. I thought this sounds kind of crazy (I mean what legit photographer advertises mag editorials on Craigslist lol) but whatever what did I have to lose! So I responded and the photographer got back to me and we set up an interview at Starbucks. So I went to the interview that day and that's when I met photographer Todd Anthony Tyler. He looked through my book and explained why he was looking for an MUA for mag editorials on Craigslist. Turns out he didn't know any Toronto MUAs b/c he was just in from Shanghai, China visiting his family in Toronto and wanted to do a few mag editorials while in town.

So anyway, he explained that he would be shooting editorials for two mags - Maxim China (male fashion editorial) and Vision (female editorial). We talked for a long time about his travels, work, fashion, the business, life...everything lol. I really lucked out b/c the MUA that was suppose to come after me never arrived so I talked to him for over an hr that day (I will forever be thankful to that flaky MUA lol)! He interviewed a lot of MUAs that day but he just really enjoyed my enthusiasm and excitment about the shoots and his work so he took a chance and hired me on the spot for the two editorials even though I can tell you my book was definitely not that strong!

So the first shoot we ever did together was for Maxim China w/ the male model. This started off awfully and thank God he didn't hold this day against me! I had to take the GO train out to the location (his mother's house lol) and I made a mistake and got off at the wrong stop. I was waiting for him to pick me up for over an hr and I was freaking out that I was blowing the biggest opportunity of my life. I kept trying to call him to find out what was going on but I couldn't get through b/c he only had a Chinese number. I was ready to cry right there and give up when finally this woman came frantically up to me "Jessica?" she asked..."Yes!!" I answered...it was his mother they had somehow figured out that I went to the wrong stop and she found me! YEAH! I felt soo bad though b/c I'm super anal about punctuality and all of that I even spoke to him about this in our first meeting...thankfully he didn't hold it against me lol!
Here's a couple of pics that were featured in that editorial (it was an X-mas shoot). The model's name is Justin:

So now on to the second shoot! The big shoot! I mean a male model is nothing but the next one was a female model...my makeup and hair concept! So this shoot was on a Sunday and I almost royally screwed up this one too! Again I had to take the GO train out to Whitby but I almost did not make that train! I forgot on Sundays the subway doesn't start until 9 am in Toronto and I literally almost missed that train...OMG my heart actually starts racing when I think about it! The train was set to leave at 9 am I got to the station and bought my ticket at 8:57 I then had to run through the station and up about 4 flights of stairs to get to the train...did I mention I had my kit w/ me of course! Now this is why I am so glad I've always been one to condense my kit and never believed in those kits on wheels. Relying on the metro and living in a city w/ a lot of snow in the Winter a kit w/ wheels just doesn't make sense so I've always had something I can throw over my shoulder and run w/. And man did I run....OMG I ran up 4 flights of stairs and I literally was ready to throw my body through the doors if the train was closing I didn't care what kind of bruises I would have gotten! I mean can you imagine after the other mishap saying to the photographer umm I missed my train you have to come get me in Toronto the next train isn't for an hr! I got on that train w/ 1 min to spare. I sat there shaking and hyperventiallating for at least 10 mins once the train got moving.

Once on set everything was great that day! The only real issue was the model - Victoria (Elmer Olsen) was brand new...she was 15. Like other than a test shoot this was her first real shoot...damn what a way to start an 8 pg editorial in an international mag! Of course her posing was stiff but Todd made it work for the story. We were shooting at this awesome location. It was this stone, gravel and sand work yard and Todd shot two stories 1. featuring the stone, sand and gravel and 2. featuring the trucks and metal. I personally liked the stone and gravel story better in the end but all the mags went for the truck story (China doesn't really have big trucks so I guess it was different for them). Here's a few pics from the shoot that day. I'm including one pic from the unused stone story and a couple that were actually printed w/ the trucks:

I still love this pic! From the unused story! She's 15!!

These pics were actually featured in the mags!

Okay so that explains how I met Todd Anthony Tyler and our first couple of shoots together. During the shoots he said something to me about all the opportunities in Shanghai and how I should think about going out there to work or something. I'm sure he was probably just saying it casually like when someone says yeah come to my cottage this Summer...I mean no one actually goes to the cottage lol. Well I didn't care whether he meant the invitation or not I was going to take him up on it. So before even the second shoot ended I said I'm going to come to Shanghai at some point! I'm sure he didn't think I was serious but he was like yeah that would be cool. It's so funny b/c to me it seemed like a no brainer to take this opportunity but after talking to a lot of ppl it seems I'm actually a bit crazy b/c most ppl I talked to said they don't think they would have done it but I looked at it like I'd be CRAZY to NOT do it! But I guess that's what truly separates ppl - some are willing to risk everything to go after what they want and some like to play it safe.

Anyway, over the next few mths we kept in contact and emailed each other every couple of wks. Then I started to seriously talk to him about the prospect of me going out to Shanghai. He was totally up for it and was willing to help me out a lot. I decided that I would go in the Summer and check things out. Unfortunately, this past Summer was probably one of the worst times as a foreigner to try and come to China...umm the Olympics anyone!?! Yes they were in Beijing but getting a visa was an ordeal in itself. So before I left for Shanghai Todd came back to Toronto and we did three more editorials together while he was in town and then I left for Shanghai w/ him! So during my two mths in Shanghai I tried to do as much as I could as far as networking, meeting other photographers, mag editors, ppl in the business etc. Right away I knew this was a much better market for a newer MUA like myself. To be honest it was not that profitable for me in the Summer b/c everyone was preoccupied w/ the Olympics so there just wasn't as many shoots as usual which sucked but I could see there was potential and I liked the city enough that I decided I wanted to come back and give it a real try a few mths later.

When I got back to Toronto I made it my mission to build my book as much as I could during the next few mths before I went back to Shanghai. Plus w/ the few editorials I had in my book and working in Shanghai for the past few mths I seemed a lot more exciting and enticing to a lot of good photographers in Toronto. It's amazing how cool you sound when ppl ask so what have you been up to and you can say "well I just spent the past few mths living/working in Shanghai" lol. I mean isn't that the way in Canada ppl only care about you once you've gone somewhere else and done something lol! So it was during this time that I met photographer Troy Moth and as many of you know some of my fav. work has been created w/ him. It's literally been like the last 6 mths that my book has just gone threw an amazing growth and change and I've really started to come into my own.

So come Nov. I decided to head on back to Shanghai where I've now been these past 2 mths. It hasn't all been easy as many of you know from reading this blog. I've been pretty broke and I've been working hard but I feel it's all starting to come together now. It's important to remember that it takes time even when you have a great connection like Todd. I'm really optimistic about this yr. and I'm excited to see where this crazy adventure will take me! I mean if someone had ever said to me 2 yrs ago you'll be living/working in Shanghai I would have laughed at them! So yeah basically that's my story...I know it's long sorry lol. But hopefully some of you will find it inspirational or something and I figure if nothing else I can be the Urban Legend of the Makeup Artist who got her big break through a Craigslist Ad lol!