My Project

To explain more clearly...

The focus of this project is to interpret the characters in a narrative through the means of designing the make-up looks and hair designs, also paying consideration to appropriate styling, imagining that the chosen narrative is to be turned into a film. The interpretations of these characters are to be documented in a professionally printed and bound book, showing all stages of character development with research. All imagery will be supported with text extracts from the chosen book, whether that be important quotations that best sum up that particular part of the story or, important quotations from or about specific characters that will be designed.
The intention of this book, showcasing the character design process, is for it to be ready to present to a production company or director with the film rights to the story pitching the designs with the desire to become the head make-up artist for the principle characters.




The narrative...

The narrative chosen to interpret is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (2011). Set in 1886, it is the story of a travelling circus that only appears at night, with no advertising and no warning. A fantasy tale of magic and forbidden romance, the story is about two young magicians serving as students under the guidance of two old magicians. They are taught different ideologies about learning magic, one magician believes you are born with magical talent and the other thinks it can be taught to one willing to dedicate their life to study. The young boy and girl are set up to battle against one another to prove that their form of magic is strongest but they end up falling in love.

“The circus arrives without warning. 

No announcements precede it.

It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. 

The black sign, painted in white letters that hangs upon the gates, reads: 

Opens at Nightfall 

Closes at Dawn

As the sun disappears beyond the horizon, all over the tents small lights begin to flicker, as though the entirety of the circus is covered in particularly bright fireflies. 

When the tents are all aglow, sparkling against the night sky, the sign appears. 

Le Cirque des Rêves. 

The Circus of Dreams. 

Now the circus is open. 

Now you may enter.”