Over the years Queen Elizabeth I has been portrayed by many different faces throughout film and television. Here are just a few examples.
Elisabeth (1998) and Elizabeth, the golden age. (2007) Film.
"This film details the ascension to the throne and the early reign of Queen Elizabeth the First, as played by Cate Blanchett. The main focus is the endless attempts by her council to marry her off, the Catholic hatred of her and her romance with Lord Robert Dudley." (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0127536/)
Elizabeth - Cate Blanchett.
Hair Designer and Make up Designer - Jenny Shircore.
Hair stylists and Make up Artists - Anita Burger, Miranda Davidson, Karen Ferguson, Christine Greenwood, Lisa Pickering, Ivana Primorac, Christine Whitney.
Directed by - Shekhar Kapur.
"A mature Queen Elizabeth endures multiple crises late in her reign including court intrigues, an assassination plot, the Spanish Armada, and romantic disappointments."(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414055/)
Elizabeth - Cate Blanchett.
Hair Designer and Make up Designer - Jenny Shircore.
Hair Stylists and Make up Artists - Jon Henry Gordon-hair, Joe Hopker-make up, Susan Howard-make up, Gemma Waugh, Morag Ross (Cate Blanchett's hair and make up).
Directed by - Shekhar Kapur.
Comparing to two films, I feel it is easy to see a difference in the styling of Elizabeth. the first film is all about Elizabeth finding herself and becoming the Queen that she is known for today, however the second film is all about her maintaining the image she has created for herself.
The first thing that caught my attention where contrast between the covers of the films.
Whilst researching these films I found this interview which I found incredibly insightful:
"How did Elizabethan women have achieve their pale skin with the make-up available at the time?
Elizabeth I, who was emulated by her people, wore white make-up. The alabaster coloured skin was a sign of wealth and considered very beautiful. In fact, it covered signs of disease, pockmarks, and the manifestations of ageing skin. In order to achieve this look, women used a foundation colour made from lead and vinegar. It was poisonous and eventually more harmful than help to the skin. After the base colour, raw egg white was often applied as a 'glaze'! The cheeks and lips were rouged with cochineal, applied with pads of animal hide and rabbit's foot brushes. It was fashionable to severely pluck the eyebrows and also the front hairline; with all shades of red hair being immensely popular.
How long does it take to create the look of Elizabeth's character?
It took three hours every day to complete the hair, make up and wardrobe for the character of Elizabeth; with the wigs already prepped and ready to go on the head.
Do you work closely with wardrobe on the make-up look?
Alex Byrne is an inspirational costume designer and artist and I went to all the costume fittings to work out the wig styles in tandem with her. Everything has to work together, and Alex would give me the jewels to dress into the wigs to match the costumes. The balance of the size of the wigs and the shade of red hair was important for each different costume. I used 16 wigs in total...
How do you keep the make-up looking consistent while filming?
All the different looks and scenes are photographed with a digital camera, and documented. Sometimes we will shoot the beginning of a scene on one day, and finish the same scene 6 weeks later!
What tips and tricks can you share for film set makeup?
Film make-up has to last a 16-hour day in front of the cameras. Good skin is the basis of a good make-up. I used SKII products, on the Elizabeth character, and MAC's Prep and Prime as a base for the foundation. This means an easier, smoother foundation application, and longer-lasting make-up. Occasional mists of Evian hydrate the make-up and the skin throughout the day and plenty of lip balm and 'Refresh' eye drops keep the features fresh.
What products did you use to create the different looks in the film?
To create Elizabeth's white make-up, I prepped the character's skin with MAC Prep and Prime. I then applied Full Coverage Foundation in NW15, and stippled over it with Studio Fix powder foundation. I powdered initially with Shu Uemura loose powder in colorless matte and added MAC loose powder in Porcelaine for a lighter effect, or La Prairie translucent No.1 to soften the tone and the skin texture. I used a mixture of Pinch O' Peach and Fleur Power powder blushes on the cheeks and over the sockets of the eyes. The eyebrows and lashes I bleached almost white, so I defined gently under the eyes with 'Strada' powder colour. For the lips I used a mixture of Lorac's lip tint in Red-Brown, and MAC's crme stick liner in Red Enriched and Portside gently rubbed onto the lips after lipbalm.
Interview with Alexandra Byrne" (http://www.costumersguide.com/cr_elizabeth2.shtml)
Comparing to two films, I feel it is easy to see a difference in the styling of Elizabeth. the first film is all about Elizabeth finding herself and becoming the Queen that she is known for today, however the second film is all about her maintaining the image she has created for herself.
The first thing that caught my attention where contrast between the covers of the films.
Instantly I made the connection with the coronation portrait of Elizabeth for the first film; her long flowing golden hair, her yellow dress and angelic features. However in the second I instantly seemed to associate it with Joan of Arc. this is interesting as throughout the film she is hardly, if ever seen with her hair down and wore ornate wigs apart from when going to bed or having a bath as she cut it all off in the first film. I feel this is a clever manipulation to truly show that Elizabeth is a force to be reckoned with.
Whilst researching these films I found this interview which I found incredibly insightful:
"How did Elizabethan women have achieve their pale skin with the make-up available at the time?
Elizabeth I, who was emulated by her people, wore white make-up. The alabaster coloured skin was a sign of wealth and considered very beautiful. In fact, it covered signs of disease, pockmarks, and the manifestations of ageing skin. In order to achieve this look, women used a foundation colour made from lead and vinegar. It was poisonous and eventually more harmful than help to the skin. After the base colour, raw egg white was often applied as a 'glaze'! The cheeks and lips were rouged with cochineal, applied with pads of animal hide and rabbit's foot brushes. It was fashionable to severely pluck the eyebrows and also the front hairline; with all shades of red hair being immensely popular.
How long does it take to create the look of Elizabeth's character?
It took three hours every day to complete the hair, make up and wardrobe for the character of Elizabeth; with the wigs already prepped and ready to go on the head.
Do you work closely with wardrobe on the make-up look?
Alex Byrne is an inspirational costume designer and artist and I went to all the costume fittings to work out the wig styles in tandem with her. Everything has to work together, and Alex would give me the jewels to dress into the wigs to match the costumes. The balance of the size of the wigs and the shade of red hair was important for each different costume. I used 16 wigs in total...
How do you keep the make-up looking consistent while filming?
All the different looks and scenes are photographed with a digital camera, and documented. Sometimes we will shoot the beginning of a scene on one day, and finish the same scene 6 weeks later!
What tips and tricks can you share for film set makeup?
Film make-up has to last a 16-hour day in front of the cameras. Good skin is the basis of a good make-up. I used SKII products, on the Elizabeth character, and MAC's Prep and Prime as a base for the foundation. This means an easier, smoother foundation application, and longer-lasting make-up. Occasional mists of Evian hydrate the make-up and the skin throughout the day and plenty of lip balm and 'Refresh' eye drops keep the features fresh.
What products did you use to create the different looks in the film?
To create Elizabeth's white make-up, I prepped the character's skin with MAC Prep and Prime. I then applied Full Coverage Foundation in NW15, and stippled over it with Studio Fix powder foundation. I powdered initially with Shu Uemura loose powder in colorless matte and added MAC loose powder in Porcelaine for a lighter effect, or La Prairie translucent No.1 to soften the tone and the skin texture. I used a mixture of Pinch O' Peach and Fleur Power powder blushes on the cheeks and over the sockets of the eyes. The eyebrows and lashes I bleached almost white, so I defined gently under the eyes with 'Strada' powder colour. For the lips I used a mixture of Lorac's lip tint in Red-Brown, and MAC's crme stick liner in Red Enriched and Portside gently rubbed onto the lips after lipbalm.
Interview with Alexandra Byrne" (http://www.costumersguide.com/cr_elizabeth2.shtml)
The Virgin Queen (2005) TV series.
"The Virgin Queen explores the full sweep of Elizabeth's life: from her days of fear as a potential victim of her sister's terror; through her great love affair with Robert Dudley; into her years of triumph over the Armada; and finally her old age and her last, enigmatic relationship with her young protégé, the Earl of Essex." (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0481459/)
Elizabeth - Anne-Marie Duff.
Directed by - Coky Giedroyc, Paula Milne.
Daily makeup artist - Sjaan Gillings .
Makeup artist - Caroline Greenough.
Special effects teeth - Chris Lyons.
Special makeup effects artist - Josh Weston.
Daily makeup artist - Sjaan Gillings .
Makeup artist - Caroline Greenough.
Special effects teeth - Chris Lyons.
Special makeup effects artist - Josh Weston.
Again the transition from a girl to a woman is very apparent in the styling of this film.
Elizabeth R (1971) TV series.
Elizabeth - Glenda Jackson.
Costume Designer - Elizabeth Waller.
Makeup Artist - Dawn Alcock, Sandra Sheperd.
"When Elizabeth Tudor comes to the throne, her (male) advisers know she has to marry. Doesn't she? Thus starts a decades-long political/ matrimonial game, during an age of high passions and high achievement." (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066652/)
Out of all the portrayals I have looked at, I really feel that this series really shows the greatest progression with the styling and make up of her character as she slowly becomes fail and weak throughout the series.
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