So yesterday night I noticed my water wasn't working but I thought maybe it was just them doing repairs for a few hrs or something but when I woke up this morning it still wasn't working. I went downstairs and talked (mimed) to the front desk the problem and I don't know what the maintenance guy did outside my apt. but he got it working. Yeah Great...I have water again!
Then randomly this afternoon my toilet starts over flooding...AHHH! Thank God I noticed soon after it started! It was just pouring everywhere and I of course am freaking out 1) b/c water is going everywhere 2) even though it's "clean" water it's still toilet water EWW! I grabbed some sort of bucket and was trying to collect the water to throw down the shower drain but that wasn't very effective. After like 3 mins I realized this isn't going to stop so I went downstairs and again mimed the problem w/ just a little bit more urgency this time. Came back upstairs and kept trying to keep the situation under control. Now I know why there is a drain in the middle of my bathroom floor! That drain saved my whole bathroom and probably hallway from getting flooded. Thankfully the maintenance guys are pretty quick here so I wasn't left waiting for too long and I was able to keep it somewhat under control. Again don't know what was wrong but he fixed it and all is good in the world again...hopefully!
The REAL Life & Work of a Professional Freelance Makeup Artist!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Inked Update
Ugghh sometimes magazines just really annoy me! So Todd sent the pics to Inked and they liked them but felt there wasn't enough tits and ass basically. Umm we were using an Asian model - she doesn't even have tits and ass lol! Well guess what it's Jan. in Shanghai and you want us to shoot outside how much tits and ass can we possibly show in the cold w/out getting arrested! If they wanted full glamour they need to supply us w/ a glamour tattooed model b/c unfortunately those don't exist in Shanghai.
It's just annoying b/c this mag gives no budget and then they aren't satisfied w/ the results. It's just like those annoying bridal clients who try to bargain you down and give them a deal. You'd think they'd be grateful that you cut them a deal but that's never the case they are always the most nit picky, complaining of the bunch and they are never satisfied always trying to get more and more.
I'm just happy to hear they are going to use the pics but they are going to go w/ a full Masson story like I'd hoped for in the beginning so that also works out fine for me although I feel sorry for the other model.
It's just annoying b/c this mag gives no budget and then they aren't satisfied w/ the results. It's just like those annoying bridal clients who try to bargain you down and give them a deal. You'd think they'd be grateful that you cut them a deal but that's never the case they are always the most nit picky, complaining of the bunch and they are never satisfied always trying to get more and more.
I'm just happy to hear they are going to use the pics but they are going to go w/ a full Masson story like I'd hoped for in the beginning so that also works out fine for me although I feel sorry for the other model.
Inked Photoshoot
So last night Todd and I worked together on a shoot for Inked Magazine. It's based on of NYC and it's a tattoo magazine that also has a cool fashion element to it. Todd has been trying to shoot for them for a long time but it's really hard finding models (or even relatively attractive girls for that matter) in Shanghai w/ tattoos. Back when I was here in the Summer we did a test shoot w/ two twins that had a bunch of tattoos and let's put it this way there was A LOT of dim lighting and smoke being used lol!
Anyway, it was a night shoot w/ two girls. One a fairly well known Asian model named Masson and the other was just a girl that is getting an amazing dragon tattoo all over her back. The prob was the regular girl was okay but no model and next to Mason it showed. I think Todd is just going to push for the Masson pics to be used b/c they are just way stronger and she had tattoos in various locations on her body while the other girl had an amazing piece on her back but how many times for a fashion/editorial shoot can you shoot someone's back and make it look different (and for me it's not like you can really see her face for the makeup even). Also yesterday was Chinese New Year so the study Todd normally works out of is closed for the holidays so we did something different. We did the makeup and hair and my place. Which actually was really nice b/c I didn't have to lug my kit anywhere and they came to me.
The models were real troopers though b/c like I mentioned it was a night shoot and Todd wanted it to be a cityscape shoot too b/c this edition of the mag is suppose to be about travel so he needs to show it's Shanghai. On a normal shoot this would be unpleasant b/c of the unusually cold weather Shanghai has been having the last few days but it was even more so b/c this is a tattoo shoot which means these girls have to have limited clothes at some points. Like the back tattoo basically she's posing outside in jeans, no shirt - holding something to cover her front while he's shooting the back and Masson's biggest tattoo is on her leg so that meant lots of shorts and skirts...and they had to walk to various locations near my place and it was like at least -5C...ouch!
Normally, I like to be there on set while they are shooting but I actually couldn't be there for this one b/c when they were shooting one girl I was getting the other one ready or I had to wait w/ the one girl in my apt. while the other was shooting or wait for the pizza to be delivered (yeah a little dip in detox lol). But Karina, Todd's fiance was on set and she use to model so she knew how to brush hair into place and things like that so I wasn't too worried. I saw the raw pics today and I gotta say I like them a lot, very sexy to me. Plus it's an American mag so that makes me happy. Didn't pay well but I'll mention a cosmetic brand that I was using and get credit for products at least. So can't wait till that comes out! Sorry no behind the scene pics on this one since I wasn't there during the shooting and none were taken while I was doing makeup b/c they were out shooting.
On another note I saw the DestinAsian cover layout and I have to admit I'm not impressed and definitely a bit disappointed. I think the mag just chose a really mediocre and blah pic for their cover. I saw some of the other pics and there were definitely better ones so that's kind of disappointing b/c it's my first cover and I don't even really like it but hey at least it's a cover I suppose.
Anyway, it was a night shoot w/ two girls. One a fairly well known Asian model named Masson and the other was just a girl that is getting an amazing dragon tattoo all over her back. The prob was the regular girl was okay but no model and next to Mason it showed. I think Todd is just going to push for the Masson pics to be used b/c they are just way stronger and she had tattoos in various locations on her body while the other girl had an amazing piece on her back but how many times for a fashion/editorial shoot can you shoot someone's back and make it look different (and for me it's not like you can really see her face for the makeup even). Also yesterday was Chinese New Year so the study Todd normally works out of is closed for the holidays so we did something different. We did the makeup and hair and my place. Which actually was really nice b/c I didn't have to lug my kit anywhere and they came to me.
The models were real troopers though b/c like I mentioned it was a night shoot and Todd wanted it to be a cityscape shoot too b/c this edition of the mag is suppose to be about travel so he needs to show it's Shanghai. On a normal shoot this would be unpleasant b/c of the unusually cold weather Shanghai has been having the last few days but it was even more so b/c this is a tattoo shoot which means these girls have to have limited clothes at some points. Like the back tattoo basically she's posing outside in jeans, no shirt - holding something to cover her front while he's shooting the back and Masson's biggest tattoo is on her leg so that meant lots of shorts and skirts...and they had to walk to various locations near my place and it was like at least -5C...ouch!
Normally, I like to be there on set while they are shooting but I actually couldn't be there for this one b/c when they were shooting one girl I was getting the other one ready or I had to wait w/ the one girl in my apt. while the other was shooting or wait for the pizza to be delivered (yeah a little dip in detox lol). But Karina, Todd's fiance was on set and she use to model so she knew how to brush hair into place and things like that so I wasn't too worried. I saw the raw pics today and I gotta say I like them a lot, very sexy to me. Plus it's an American mag so that makes me happy. Didn't pay well but I'll mention a cosmetic brand that I was using and get credit for products at least. So can't wait till that comes out! Sorry no behind the scene pics on this one since I wasn't there during the shooting and none were taken while I was doing makeup b/c they were out shooting.
On another note I saw the DestinAsian cover layout and I have to admit I'm not impressed and definitely a bit disappointed. I think the mag just chose a really mediocre and blah pic for their cover. I saw some of the other pics and there were definitely better ones so that's kind of disappointing b/c it's my first cover and I don't even really like it but hey at least it's a cover I suppose.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
新年快乐!
Apparently according to a translating program on the internet the title is suppose to mean "Happy New Year" or xinnian kuaile in pinyin ! If it doesn't mean that oh well I tried lol. It's Chinese New Year now so basically it's a mini war zone of fire crackers going off outside my apt. today.
I'm basically laying low and waiting for it all to pass to be honest. Nils says this is the best time of year b/c everyone is really happy and the Chinese girls are easier to get into bed lol...unfortunately getting Chinese girls into bed is not my modus operandi so it doesn't really help me out (btw Nils is going to hate me for writing that...Hi Nils!). Truthfully, I just want this whole thing over so work will start to pick up again...ugghh kind of annoying that this celebration is actually days/wks long.
Edit: Thank You Nils for telling me how to properly say Happy New Years!
I'm basically laying low and waiting for it all to pass to be honest. Nils says this is the best time of year b/c everyone is really happy and the Chinese girls are easier to get into bed lol...unfortunately getting Chinese girls into bed is not my modus operandi so it doesn't really help me out (btw Nils is going to hate me for writing that...Hi Nils!). Truthfully, I just want this whole thing over so work will start to pick up again...ugghh kind of annoying that this celebration is actually days/wks long.
Edit: Thank You Nils for telling me how to properly say Happy New Years!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
PUSH it Magazine
FINALLY a magazine has picked up an editorial I did back in the Summer during my first trip to Shanghai. Just a re-cap back in the Summer I did this really awesome shoot at Jin Mao (same place as DestinAsian shoot) that was suppose to be featured in a certain mag I will not name but at the last minute they cut the story UGGHH! Ever since then Todd has been trying to get this damn thing published somewhere. I think it's coming out in some mag that's being specially made for the World Fair in Shanghai in 2010 but that's not for another yr! So I was happy to get an email from Todd saying that it was now online in PUSH it Magazine . If you go to the Fashion section and then go to the Editorial titled Power Lady you will see the shoot. I'm really hoping that it will be in a published version of the mag too b/c right now it's just online and the published version doesn't come out for another mth or so. The model Genevieve was amazing and so beautiful...and she's Canadian so that was cool to have 3 Canadians all working on a shoot in Shanghai.
Edit: Thanks Amy for reminding me I could use the save screen function on my computer for the online editorial...Duh! I'm such a computer idiot...it's amazing I can keep this blog going w/ pics and links...seriously!!
Anyway, here's the featured editorial for your enjoyment:
Edit: Thanks Amy for reminding me I could use the save screen function on my computer for the online editorial...Duh! I'm such a computer idiot...it's amazing I can keep this blog going w/ pics and links...seriously!!
Anyway, here's the featured editorial for your enjoyment:
Private Lesson
So I did my private consultation/lesson today that was postponed last weekend and it went so well! I know this sounds weird but sometimes I get more nervous doing private lessons and consultations then I do going to a shoot. I guess b/c the model has no real say in what I do to her at a shoot so I don't care whether she likes it or not but obviously that's the main goal in a lesson. I'm always paranoid that the women aren't going to feel like they learned enough or anything new to make it money well spent or that they are going to have unrealistic expectations as to what I'm able to accomplish w/ a makeup brush lol.
I was a little nervous about this one for two reasons: 1) She's Asian and sometimes Asian women are skeptical that I can teach them how to do their makeup since I am obviously not Asian lol 2) From talking to her husband I got the impression that she already knew quite a bit about makeup and had quite a bit of makeup so again I was worried I wouldn't be able to teach her anything new
She's only 24 and had fabulous skin but I was able to give her some good suggestions on skincare and prep before makeup aka moisturizers and primers for the skin. Overall she had good base knowledge for her day look I just helped her spice it up a bit and taught her how to incorporate eyeshadow into a day look as well as how to fill in and finish off her eyebrows a bit w/out making them look too done. Plus she really liked the tips I gave her about contouring/highlighting her cheekbones a bit plus how to highlight/contour the bridge of her nose just a bit so that it was a bit more pronounced and not as flat but still totally realistic for the daytime.
I think the biggest thing she ended up being excited about was learning how to do a day time and night time smokey eye. I think every lesson I ever give though that is the one thing every woman wants to master is that elusive smokey eye. I had to be careful w/ her b/c her eyes were quite slanted and a bit small so I had to make sure not to make them smaller by going to dark on the makeup but she really loved what I was able to teach her. She already had a pretty good makeup collection but just didn't know how to use it so that helped a lot. Plus she was a really quick learner which made things so much easier...seriously sometimes I just don't get how women can not understand how to hold and use an angle brush it just seems natural to me but apparently not! I think sometimes the reason I undervalue the knowledge I'm giving to these women is b/c to me it just seems like common sense. Like I just mention random things that I think nothing of but then I realize that to so many others these things are like the most amazing tips they've never thought about or heard of before. Something simple like blending is really what made this lesson for her. She had tried and tried to do a smokey eye before and couldn't get it and then I taught her all about blending and having the right brushes (the one thing she does need to go buy) and it was like I handed her the greatest piece of information ever...I never thought of blending as that big of a secret but I mean it does make sense I can always tell an amateurs work from a pros by their ability to blend. So yeah...feels great to make this young woman so happy and for her to have a birthday gift she won't ever forget!
Only problem...slight setback on Detox Day 5. Her husband was very sweet and brought us lunch during the lesson. Lunch unfortunately for me consisted of: croissants, jam, orange juice and fruit...so basically we have everything I was trying to avoid all right there - bread, sugar and baby oranges...ugghh...of course I had to have a little bit I mean how rude and weird would it have been to not eat something after he went out and bought it for us all. Back on track tomorrow though!
P.S. I'm sorry my fellow Canadians that I mocked you yesterday w/ my talk of the weather. It's friggin' cold today in Shanghai...like Canada style cold -3C but feels like -11C. I know it's no -23C like you had before but still it serves me right rubbing my nice weather in your face lol.
I was a little nervous about this one for two reasons: 1) She's Asian and sometimes Asian women are skeptical that I can teach them how to do their makeup since I am obviously not Asian lol 2) From talking to her husband I got the impression that she already knew quite a bit about makeup and had quite a bit of makeup so again I was worried I wouldn't be able to teach her anything new
She's only 24 and had fabulous skin but I was able to give her some good suggestions on skincare and prep before makeup aka moisturizers and primers for the skin. Overall she had good base knowledge for her day look I just helped her spice it up a bit and taught her how to incorporate eyeshadow into a day look as well as how to fill in and finish off her eyebrows a bit w/out making them look too done. Plus she really liked the tips I gave her about contouring/highlighting her cheekbones a bit plus how to highlight/contour the bridge of her nose just a bit so that it was a bit more pronounced and not as flat but still totally realistic for the daytime.
I think the biggest thing she ended up being excited about was learning how to do a day time and night time smokey eye. I think every lesson I ever give though that is the one thing every woman wants to master is that elusive smokey eye. I had to be careful w/ her b/c her eyes were quite slanted and a bit small so I had to make sure not to make them smaller by going to dark on the makeup but she really loved what I was able to teach her. She already had a pretty good makeup collection but just didn't know how to use it so that helped a lot. Plus she was a really quick learner which made things so much easier...seriously sometimes I just don't get how women can not understand how to hold and use an angle brush it just seems natural to me but apparently not! I think sometimes the reason I undervalue the knowledge I'm giving to these women is b/c to me it just seems like common sense. Like I just mention random things that I think nothing of but then I realize that to so many others these things are like the most amazing tips they've never thought about or heard of before. Something simple like blending is really what made this lesson for her. She had tried and tried to do a smokey eye before and couldn't get it and then I taught her all about blending and having the right brushes (the one thing she does need to go buy) and it was like I handed her the greatest piece of information ever...I never thought of blending as that big of a secret but I mean it does make sense I can always tell an amateurs work from a pros by their ability to blend. So yeah...feels great to make this young woman so happy and for her to have a birthday gift she won't ever forget!
Only problem...slight setback on Detox Day 5. Her husband was very sweet and brought us lunch during the lesson. Lunch unfortunately for me consisted of: croissants, jam, orange juice and fruit...so basically we have everything I was trying to avoid all right there - bread, sugar and baby oranges...ugghh...of course I had to have a little bit I mean how rude and weird would it have been to not eat something after he went out and bought it for us all. Back on track tomorrow though!
P.S. I'm sorry my fellow Canadians that I mocked you yesterday w/ my talk of the weather. It's friggin' cold today in Shanghai...like Canada style cold -3C but feels like -11C. I know it's no -23C like you had before but still it serves me right rubbing my nice weather in your face lol.
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