Amanda in Wonderland

Finally yesterday all my hard working and LONG planning w/ photographer Dexter Quinto all paid off! Dexter and I had been planning a creative together for literally MONTHS! So long in fact my makeup concept had to switch from Fall/Winter looks to Spring looks lol. Sometimes this happens when you're working w/ a really good photographer and you want a really strong team to get really strong images...it takes awhile for all the pieces to fall into place.

I take creatives VERY seriously! I'm VERY picky w/ them and basically only do them for three reasons 1. Fill a hole in my book 2. Amazing Team and Concept 3. Editorial Submission (which should include an amazing team and concept lol).

Truthfully, I needed this shoot for more then just the pictures. For the past few mths I've been sort of in a creative funk for various reasons. I just wasn't getting the opportunity to do any cool shoots w/ good photographers and the few shoots I did do were just not living up to my expectations. The creatives being offered to me were totally not worth it and the ones I was trying to set up for myself were just taking a long time to fall into place. It was a big difference compared to what I was use to in the past when I actually had quite a few editorials coming out. I was actually beginning to doubt my abilities and creativity...it was kind of depressing :(

Because of the mths of talking and things getting postponed and what not I was actually pretty nervous to shoot w/ Dexter b/c there was so much build up. I've worked w/ him quite a bit before but it was really clean head shot type stuff. I knew he was taking this A LOT more seriously and b/c of all the talking I knew his expectations for everything were high...I was just hoping I could live up to them. To say that I spent a few hours lying in bed thinking about the shoot over the last couple of wks would be an understatement.

Thankfully, yesterday the makeup and hair Gods were w/ me and things went Fantastically! Truthfully, I'm really happy w/ everything I did hair and makeup wise. Plus the stylist we got - Annie Lam w/ Plutino Group must have been reading my mind b/c all her outfits were PERFECT for the colour palette I had picked out!

Our model Amanda w/ Elite was gorgeous and so nice! Seriously, a real pro! It was a LONG day and she was totally there and kept her energy up the whole time and from what I saw just yesterday I know it will be worth it!

I seriously CAN'T WAIT to see these pics! Veronica, Dexter's assistant took some amazing behind the scenes pics. If she sends them to me I promise to post a couple.

P.S. Also want to do a shout out and thanks to my great assistant David Smith yesterday. He really helped me out a lot!

IMATS Toronto

So this weekend is IMATS Toronto. For those that don't know IMATS stands for International Makeup Artist Trade Show. Very excited! This is the one time of year that I really try to stock up on all the kit necessities that I need, plus some fun extras I've been drooling over b/c of the amazing deals offered. At first I was a bit worried about the vendors list but it's really come together now and I'm really excited to check things out and spend WAY too much money as per usual lol. Plus there's also tons of cool workshops and seminars for ppl to check out.

I won't have much time for the workshops or seminars b/c I'll be helping out Liz Yu at the Yaby booth this year w/ fellow blogger/MUA/friend Ashley Readings. So make sure if you're coming to the show to say hi b/c I love meeting others in the industry...esp. those who might actually be reading my blog lol.

It's so weird b/c last yr IMATS happened less than a wk before I left for Shanghai so it was pretty crazy and surreal for me for a number of reasons lol. It has officially been just over a year since I moved to Shanghai and then came back to Toronto. Crazy how much can happen in a year and how much things can change!

Girls, Girls, Girls!

So I told you about the Boy's Commercial Shoot I did w/ Troy Moth a few mths ago. I also did a similar Girl's shoot w/ Troy recently. The styling is a little more edgy but I really like the pics and I think it's a great addition to my Commercial book.

The models are Fayruz & Jacquie (Sutherland):

Boys, Boys, Boys!

As a makeup artist it's important to have a well rounded portfolio that includes - Editorial, Beauty and Commercial looks. When I came back from Shanghai I knew the area my portfolio was still lacking in was Commercial which in Toronto is what will actually get you the work lol.

Everyone kept saying the same thing. We love your book and you have great Editorial and Avant Garde Beauty work but you really need more clean Commercial work. I knew this was true but the hard part is finding a photographer to shoot a creative of Commercial work b/c let's be real...it's not very creative and who wants to shoot that for free just to build the book.

So when Troy Moth, one of my favourite collaborators and photographers said he also needed to build his Commercial book I was thrilled. A few mths ago...when it was still relatively warm and sunny we shot a great boys commercial shoot. Really clean, really commercial and overall perfect for my book!

Here's a few of my favs from that shoot:

Btw the stylist from this shoot was Nadia Pizzimenti (Judy Inc.).

Kill the Queen - Halloween 2009

I know I'm a makeup artist and Halloween should send me into some sort of orgasmic frenzy but it doesn't really. Sure I don't mind getting done up and going out for the night but overall I'm not obsessed w/ the Special Effects Gore makeup. I took it in school just so I knew the basics but it was definitely not my passion. I find like Star Wars people who are into Special Effects are REALLY into Special Effects lol!

Anyway, I decided to go out for Halloween to Tattoo Rock Parlour...it's a rock bar/tattoo parlour in Toronto and overall I really like it. Cool music, decent crowd and a good time. Very last minute costume but overall I think it was a cute idea. I went as a murdered Prom Queen. Got to still do the pretty makeup and look hot but also include some of the gore that goes w/ Halloween. I did the stab wounds very last minute like practically walking out the door so don't judge too harshly...plus it's weird doing it on yourself lol.

So here's a few pics from the night:

"Oh No...Someone's After Me!"
"I'm Scared and Vulnerable...but still Sexy"

"AHHHHHH!"
"I'll Get You W/ My Shoe"

Beware the Prom Queen
I'm Murdered but that doesn't mean I can't look Pretty!

Btw if you didn't notice my crown says "Bitch"...I'm a Prom Queen - Enough Said lol!