Kost Keywords

These are just a few keywords and facts about Kost to help me in breaking down the character and come up with suitable designs for my look. The main characteristic I want to come across in my final image are her flirtatiousness and confidence because these factors are what give her the sassy personality and are her main traits throughout the script.

I think I can do this by doing a smokey eye which will give her a sultry look. A darker red lip will show the sexy quality and also looks quite daring. I want to stick to the historical element by doing curls in the hair which of course won't be perfectly neat as she's constantly in and out of the bedroom. 

Clara Bow's hair in the photo to the right(http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/clara-bow/images/16579065/title/clara-bow-photo)is the type of look I want to achieve. I think the frizzier texture of the curls gives a sexier look and gives a bit more of an edge to the overall image. I like that it's quite big too as a lot of hair I have seen is precise curls with virtually no height on top.

Historical Makeup and Hair in 1929

Trademarks for any woman's face in this era was the cupids bow, heavily blushed cheeks and a smokey eye. It was almost unseen of for a woman to be without a splash of lipstick along with this type of look, the tones would mostly be different shades of red and very occasionally browns were used.


It was pretty rare to see a woman with long hair like you do now, most women had short bobs. Even so it was still a big deal for them to cut it off as short hair wasn't considered very feminine. American sweetheart Mary Pickford was one woman who did not conform to this trend as weirdly enough she felt too much pressure from her family and fans. 

“I could give a lengthy and, I think, convincing discourse about long hair making a woman more feminine, but there is some doubt in my mind as to whether it does or not. Of one thing I am sure: she looks smarter with a bob, and smartness rather than beauty seems to be the goal of every woman these days.” - Mary Pickford.(Right - http://a5.files.biography.com/image/upload). 

Curls were also featured consistently throughout any hairstyle as well as finger waves and kiss curls which are little locks of hair that are stuck down around the face and forehead.

Below left - http://ladybladeblog.wordpress.com/2014/02/14/pirate-word-of-the-day-bow-catchers-or-kiss-curls/

Below right - http://everydayislikewednesday.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/everything-else.html

 

The original blonde bombshell

Jean Harlow was an actress and a sex symbol of the 1930's and Hollywood's "Original blonde bombshell" as she was nicknamed. She starred in films that showcased her sex appeal, suggestive lines and strong stage presence which lead her to become the popular woman she was. Harlow also had a talent in the land of comedy and the world would soon see when she got her big break in the 1932 film Red-Headed Woman with a role created just for her. 

Though it seemed her life was more than perfect the young star actually had quite a troubled life until her early death at just 26 years old. Previous to this she had several broken marriages, one of which was caused by her second husband to have apparently committed suicide. All this along with her poor health would be difficult for any young woman in her 20's to deal with especially being in the limelight.(Image above - http://cometoverhollywood.com/tag/jean-harlow/).

I see many similarities between Jean Harlow and Fraulein Kost, who I chose to create for this project. Both women ooze glamor, sex appeal and are both blondes. I have grasped a lot of inspiration from Harlow's image despite the fact they are from quite different periods of history, Harlow would have actually got inspiration from a woman like Kost herself. It's not just the looks where the similarities lie, personality wise the girls were very flirtatious, suggestive and confident in doing so. 

Jean had a hard life running up to her death and I can only imagine it was the same for a woman like Kost having to earn her money the way that she did. Though the script doesn't state how Fraulein Kost's life is behind closed doors I'm sure that under that happy go lucky exterior is a pretty lonely person who craves acceptance and love. She needs money to survive so has to just grin and bare it rather than drive herself into a dark place, a lot like Jean must have done. 

The "Madonna of Dresden" - Anita Berber

Anita Berber was born on the 10th June 1899 in Germany. At the young age of 16 Berber left her town of Dresden and moved to Berlin where she became a cabaret dancer. She was a scandalous character who was addicted to drugs and supposedly drank a whole bottle of cognac per day which more than likely would have aided in her untimely death though the cause of death was listed as tuberculosis. Anita died in 1928 at just 29 years old.

She danced nude in nightclubs and appeared in silent films. She was said to be a bisexual and was married a total of 3 times in her life. Artist Otto Dix and his wife were to discover her while watching a performance which lead to this incredibly famous painting (see right) bringing Anita Berber into the limelight across the world.
http://www.nndb.com/people/115/000161629/ (21.10.14)

"When Anita got out of the car on Kurfürstendamm wearing her sable coat and a monocle, and with her painted face framed by her bright red hair, passers-by stopped and stared. Prostitutes flocked to see her, forming an aisle through which Anita swept into her chosen venue" - unknown witness.

As a dancer, she took her role very seriously. On one evening in particular while she was performing nude a member of the audience made a loud comment about her which completely outraged her and lead to her upturning tables and spilling drinks before she left the scene. 

"I know exactly what is wrong with me", she told a friendly journalist, whilst still naked. "I’m depraved. I snort cocaine. My nostrils are on fire.". She continued to apply her makeup until her face resembled a pale and ghostly mask. http://heldvodka.de/-Anita-Berber,57- (21.10.14)

It's a known fact that she would occasionally sell her body for money and also appeared in pornographic reels which was outrageous to some but a form of expression for Anita herself. 

http://www.wornthrough.com/2011/01/11/anarchists-of-style-anita-berber-part-2/ (21.10.14) 

Her trademark heavy charcoaled eyes and red lips would always be present on her face in public, lips so dark that in the black and white images they would look black and she would mostly be seen with her eye popping, flaming red hair which features in Dix's painting. As an artist Otto Dix was not usually a fan of using such vibrant colours but did so on this occasion for Anita Berber. 

Stanislavski Post 10 & 11

I see Kost as the type of person to get what she wants, she's very flirty and persuassive and uses her charm to lure people in.

 

lure¹

l(j)ʊə/

verb

verb: lure; 3rd person present: lures; past tense: lured; past participle: lured; gerund or present participle: luring

1. 1.

   tempt (a person or animal) to do something or to go somewhere, especially by offering some form of reward.

   "the child was lured into a car but managed to escape"

   synonyms:

   tempt, entice, attract, induce, coax, persuade, inveigle, allure, seduce, win over, cajole, beguile, bewitch, ensnare, captivate, enrapture; More decoy, draw, lead (on); whet someone's appetite "consumers are frequently lured into debt by clever advertising"

   antonyms:

   deter, put off

noun

noun: lure; plural noun: lures

1. 1.

   something that tempts or is used to tempt a person or animal to do something.

   "the film industry always has been a glamorous lure for young girls"

   synonyms:

   temptation, enticement, attraction, pull, draw, appeal; More inducement, allurement, fascination, interest; decoy, incentive, bait, magnet, siren song, drawing card, carrot, snare, trap; informalcome-on "Les could never resist the lure of the stage"

   • the strongly attractive quality of a person or thing.

     "the lure of the exotic East"

     synonyms:

     temptation, enticement, attraction, pull, draw, appeal; More inducement, allurement, fascination, interest; decoy, incentive, bait, magnet, siren song, drawing card, carrot, snare, trap; informalcome-on "Les could never resist the lure of the stage"

2. 2.

   a type of bait used in fishing or hunting.

   • Falconry

     a bunch of feathers with a piece of meat attached to a long string, swung around the head of the falconer to recall a hawk.

Stanislavski Post 6, 7, 8 & 9

Kost wants Money, love, affection, attention. I think she tries to come across like a confident woman but deep down probably despises the fact she has these sailors using her for sex. I think she would like nothing more than to find a man to fall in love with. Though herself and Schnider don't always see eye to eye Kost really has a heart of gold and when she is told about the engagement she's genuinely over the moon for the couple.

http://theideagirlsays.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/lingerie.jpg

Kost wants money simply to survive but also what girl doesn't like to treat herself now and then?! She occasionally would like to buy herself new makeup and lingerie which is actually not just for her, she needs to look her best for her sailors.

She wants attention as again she needs the money but also because she's lonely due to the job she has. She never has one man stick around for more than one evening and it's got to be tough to not have the affection she so desperately wants in a form other than sex.

She wants love too for similar reasons I have stated above. She's a woman who has probably never experienced real love and dreams of meeting the man of her dreams and settling down. It's a tough cycle she has to follow as theres no way she can find true love by being a prostitute but how would she survive without it? 

Women are impatient creatures! And why shouldn't she be? She's probably done prostitution from quite a young age and it must be getting tedious for her. She's stuck in the same rut  - meet a sailor, sleep with them, get paid and repeat. This happens on a daily basis and i bet she's getting fed up of it! I think she is probably worried that this is the life she's destined for forever and that she won't ever settle down and get what she's always wanted. 

Kost will continue in this lifestyle she's in and drive herself into a deep depression. She's content at the moment but within time she will crumble. She's getting older and sailors will start paying younger women to sleep with instead. If she doesn't have money she won't be able to survive!

 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Code_Hollywood 

 http://www.lomography.sk/magazine/lifestyle/2013/02/23/mlad-lska-rozkon-lska-pry-v-letech-1930-a-1940

John Tooey. (2013). SEVEN CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF AN AUTHOR. Available: http://junkshopsnapshots.blogspot.co.uk/2013_03_01_archive.html. Last accessed 4th Nov 2014.

Stanislavski Post 3,4 & 5

They are in Berlin, Germany before the Third Reich began. It is late 1920's/early 30's as that's the year the script states. I have a vision that it's early evening in winter and the women would be wearing glamorous coats with fur collars and cuffs and the men would have smart, long overcoats and hats on.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/297659856591654957/ - 20.10.14 (Image to the right)

It will be in early evening there will be fireplaces and vintage decor where the men and women would sit with a crystal glass of gin before heading out to The Kit Kat Klub to continue drinking and watch performers on stage.

http://www.myoldhouseonline.com/forum/topics/mystery-what-was-this-architectural-detail-between-two-windows - 20.10.14

The characters will at this scene be in the room Cliff is to rent from Schnider when Kost bursts through to complain that she has no hot water, she see's Cliff for the first time and immediately becomes very flirty. She's shortly humiliated by one of her sailors entering the room so begins her first of many lies stating that he is her nephew visiting her from Hamburg. Every time we see Kost she is either welcoming a sailor in or seeing them out so I think just before we meet her she is probably freshening  up in her room before greeting her next visitor. I don't imagine she gets out very much as she earns money by seeing sailors, she probably just leaves her room to go buy herself food and occasionally treats herself to new lingerie and makeup.

https://www.db.com/medien/en/content/history.htmhttps:/

http://www.cottages-gardens.com/StyleBeat/February-2011/Syrie-Maughan-Makes-A-Comeback/ 

Stanislavski Post 2

The scene I have chosen is Act 1 scene 3 which is the very first time we meet her. I think that's when you get the best of her flirtatious personality as straight away the first time she see's cliff she "gives him the eye" and openly invites him to join her in her room whenever he likes. I imagine her wearing a long, silky robe with a cigarette holder in hand and having a slow, sultry walk. I definitely see her as a confident character who is used to getting what she wants. 

 

http://www.stefaniegenda.com/uploads/8/4/9/0/8490903/2314919_orig.jpg - 20.10.14

Stanislavski Post 1

Fräulein Kost is a roomer at Fräulein Schneider's house who earns her living by offering favours to sailors. She is very flirtatious and confident though quite clearly embarrassed by what she does. Kost and Schneider don't always see eye to eye, Schneider doesn't want Kost bringing back countless amounts of men which leads her to sneaking around but the only way of paying her rent is by doing these favors which is why she is allowed to stay.

From reading the script I imagine Fräulein Kost to be a pretty lady who wears a lot of makeup and has her hair in a messy kind of way with pieces falling down. She has a lot of men in and out of her room all the time so she probably doesn't have much time in between to sort herself out! I imagine her in lingerie most of the time with a long robe to cover herself between seeing her guests. 

A lot of images I found when researching this character were older than I imagine her to look and not as made up. Though I think she is a little messy looking I do think she has a sense of glamor to her particularly in her makeup. 

 http://images.bwwstatic.com/upload10/663188/tn-500_cabaretchristinesherrillaskost.jpg

Technical Post - Wig Application

Products & Tools you will need:

• Pintail comb
• Kirby Grips
• Wip Cap
• Wig

Step one:

Start by parting the hair evenly into 2 sections using your pintail comb

Step two:

French plait both sides of the hair then take each plait and wrap them round to the opposite side of the head and secure at the top with a grip, it should look like a braided crown

Step three:

Once the hair is a flat as you can make it put the wig cap on, you can get your model to help pull the front down while you pull down the back

Step 4:

You are now ready to put your wig on, you can get your model to help like the last step and once it's on secure with more grips if necessary 

Cabaret Questions

1) What characteristic define your choice of character?

Sally Bowles - Vibrant, youthful yet streetsmart. She has a firm, good understanding of the sex fulled underground of the 1980's. With so much going on around her she seems to maintain her optimistic approach.

2) What knowledge of the period did the designer consider possessing to be able to develop these characters?

Although the film was set in the 1930s you can see some 60s & 70s elements from the time the film was actually created. A lot of the costumes were really accurate to the time, especially the mens hair, but there were a few scenes where Liza Minelli's makeup looked very 60s inspired e.g white liner and lashes.

3) According to your research so far, do you feel that the character designs in the film are appropriate?

I believe that the male character designs were much more true to the era like the sharp side partings and expensive tailored suits. The female characters however vary slightly. You do get the overall 1930s feel at first glace but when you look closer there are certain elements that do not belong in the 1930s. For example, the white eyeliner and heavy top and bottom lashes and flared trousers. I think Sally's makeup (particularly in the daytime) could have been toned down as the 30s makeup was fairly bold but simple.

4) How might you Improve it?

I would do a lot more reasearch into historical 30s hair and makeup to give a true representation. It all needs to be toned down, particularly the makeup on Sally. Showgirls would have a heavier look but I don't feel the correct shades were used.

5) Is it too subtle/too prominent?

It's all very prominent and I think it definitley should have been toned down to be true to the 30s era that it's supposed to be set in. I feel it looks too modern to be in the 30s.


6) Which techniques were used to create the hair and make-up?

False eyelashes were definitley used. I'd say her foundation was probably layered on quite heavily (both an influence of 1970s pansticks) and also to portray the caked on look Sally would have had. She wouldn't have had a lot of time to remove her makeup properly every night, so it may well have been layered on top. 

Liza Minelli's hair in the film is also very 60s/70s as it represents the famous Vidal Sassoon bob. Bobs were very popular amongst 1930s showgirls but this particular style is very 1960s/70s.

7) Comment upon the colour palette of the film. 

 I think the colour pallette of the film is quite dull in general. There is a lot of grey tones and is quite dark in general. There is a lot of colour in the hair and makeup particularly on Sally. I think this was done for many reasons. It made her stand out from the other characters.

Introduction

Before I was introduced to this unit the history of Berlin and  was something I knew very little about. I imagined it in my head to be quite a sophisticated type of place where the women are quite reserved and ladylike so it was a shock to see how life actually was in 1920's/30's and discover that it was actually the sex capital of Europe on that time. Tourists would come in from all over the world for this reason alone. Even though the Germans were at war with each other everyone celebrated life to the fullest which is actually quite inspiring.

I have heard of Cabaret before but it's not something I have seen before and it gave me a great idea of the type of people you would find in that city. I read the script first and really got into it, it was surprisingly easy to read and I enjoyed the storyline so when I watched the film I was a little disappointed. The story is different and some of the characters that appeared a lot in the script were not so much in the film.

Saying that I am really excited about creating a period and contemporary look based on this, from watching the film and other clips of the musical it's a really fun look to being working on! I do think that the summer project will help me when making colour choices for my makeup designs and I am definitely more aware of how these colours will make people feel emotionally.

Summer Project Blog Link

http://daniellepackmanfindandseek.blogspot.co.uk/

Technical Post - Abstract Painting With Aquacolour Palette

Products & tools you will need:

• Aquacolour palette
• Water
• Spatula
• Makeup brushes
• Sponge

ALWAYS cleanse, tone & moisturise before putting makeup onto the face!! 

Step One:

Using a spatula take some of the product from the aquacolour palette and mix a small amount of water to create a paste, you use the spatula to prevent cross contamination!! 

Step Two:

Use your prefered brush or a sponge to create the base makeup, sometimes a sponge works best in dabbing motions to get an even colour and coverage

Step 3:

Begin to add colours in your chosen design with brushes or a sponge, dab rather than brush otherwise the base will smear and become messy

Step 4:

Finish off with a fixer spray to prevent smudging the makeup 

Makeup below by Terri-anne Smith