S07.E13: Beautiful Disaster

[hincandenza]

Another solid episode; it bears repeating, but man the good natured feeling of this show is such a contrast to so much else on the TV these days.  Professionals, behaving like adults, and showing competency and helpfulness despite the "competitive" nature of the show.  The selfies with Mr. Westmore, and how everyone just gets along?!  Ugh, love this show- best thing on SyFy in ages.

 

Major props, as always, to Meghan- the model so damned good, we all know her name as much as any contestant.  She inhabits her characters- I think the robotic motions were meant to be tremors and shocks- and of course had that lovely piece of advice for the stressed out George.  I'd be curious how they handle model selection among the artists: we saw a few weeks ago when Drew (I think) had to change the gender of his model, and you'd imagine they'd all want Meghan, whenever it fit their design.

 

Cig:

Well, that was freakin' spectacular.  I didn't 100% get "fairy", but the way he did the iridescent makeup, and the oversized lips, really screamed "eternal" or "goddess", and it was a gorgeous piece, head to toe.  The silhouette and shapes were excellent, although I'll admit it felt a little 1980's airbrushed van art in its aesthetic, but the shimmering colors and those wings were soooo good.  It's always a positive sign when one of these Oscar-winning judges asks you, as Lois did about his wing fabrications, "How on earth did you do THAT?!?".  He's consistently a top looks guy every week, and has a couple of wins under his belt.  This was no exception; for a guy terrified of beauty makeup, it was, well... beautiful.  Severe, as you'd expect an ice/avalanche-infused faery to be, but beautiful.

 

George:

The whole episode, I was sure George was putting together a complete disaster- in the bad sense. :)  The silicone face looked like some kind of creepy serial killer mask, things weren't coming together, he was stressed out, and then... it was actually pretty good!  The model helped sell it of course, but I liked the creative touches like the earthquake shoulder, and even the green lightning which I have no idea when he had time to toss in. 

 

The face I really liked; I can see how the silicone on TV reads as plastic or glassy, but I loved how well he did two things:

First, he used really thin silicone to make it less mask-like and let the natural features of his model shine through, since she's already kind of pixie-looking.  I bet the judges gave additional consideration to working the material so well (except for that small rip), and I wish more often we didn't have makeups that so obliterated the natural look, but instead played it up.  This has/had been a frequent criticism of Cig, with his heavy, static face and cowl molds for his sculpts. 

Second, by taking Michael Westmore's advice- and for those of you watching along at home, notice how well he listened and recapped the points of advice... Sasha- and adding those overemphasized chin, nose, and cheekbones pieces he really did bring home the core aspect of the challenge: his model was the most faery-like or at least "elfin" in her appearance.

 

Loved also his interaction with Cig, while showing off his picture of Michael Westmore showing off the high cheekbones he thought would work on the model:

George: "Mr. Westmore has great applecheeks!"

Cig: "I bet he invented apple cheeks"

 

I guffawed.  George and Cig have such good camaraderie, I want them to star in a show about them just traveling around the country, cracking wise.

 

Dina:

Others disagree, but I felt Dina was a miss this week, or at least only "safe" if they'd done that. Now for her, a miss is still a very good makeup, but the similarity of her style now is potentially troubling down the home stretch.  I also felt that it needed some other colors in the torso to make it more... interesting from the neck down.  Still, a very good makeup as always.  Her use of color and exceptional attention to detail is fantastic; the comparisons to great creators like Anthony and Laura is dead-on with Dina.  Speaking of which, I wish the show wouldn't hammer "cake decorator" home so much, because it was once again confirmed this episode that she's worked for Anthony.  She's got plenty of actual lab experience, so it's not like she's the Face Off equivalent of the teenagers who audition for American Idol or The Voice with the claim "I've never sung in front of a real crowd before!". 

 

This is not to detract from her deep talent and skill; she's still the clear frontrunner so far.  But this week wasn't something new for her; good enough to stay, but with 4 next week, she might need to bring something a little fresher to the concepts she's given.

 

 

Drew:

When he was putting together his makeup, my first thought was that he'd do something like the glittery-black makeup used at the beginning of the Marina and the Diamonds video, "I Am Not A Robot" (great song, btw).  I thought that kind of effect on the face, with highlights that fades in and brighten the eyes to a lustruous, gem-like blue, would be gorgeous.  Add in making the non-oiled parts of the dress sandstone-like, with streaks of oil on it- and connecting that through to the hair and face, like her hair is oil cascading down- and I think the whole effect would really "pop", like an oily faery emerging from the spill zone.  Her makeup was too white and chalky!

 

I really liked his wings too, but they got hidden because of how he placed them; his original sketch had them off to the side by the hips, but they ended up in the back.  He should have made them more dragonfly-like, sticking out at either/both an upward or downward angle, like Tinkerbell.  But honestly, he wasn't going to overtake the top 2/3 no matter how well he executed his concept, and he did well enough to not go home this week in the top 5, so...

 

Stella:

Oof.  I guess it's nice that she went home on a disaster- again, not meaning to pun- with which she wasn't happy, so she knows what kinds of mistakes she can learn from.  This piece was awful.  No wings, no hint of anything remotely "faery" in her concept or design, some sloppy paint work and blending, and a sculpt that she did multiple times and still had nothing very workable. 

 

The crazy part to me was how much her "fire faery" looked like a shitty rip-off of Cig's "Mercury" from just the previous episode.  I'm not totally wrong: here's Stella this week, and Cig's Mercury from last week.  Just a total uncreative misfire: poor sculpting, poor painting, and the concept was lousy from the get-go.

[John.G]

I know next week's show has a preassigned theme, but they've missed a chance for something I've wanted to see: redo a past failure. All four remaining contestants have had bottom looks. In fact, each has had TWO bottom looks. This is the perfect setup! Each contestant would be assigned to redo their worst bottom look, taking the criticism from the reveal stage and doing it better this time.

Edited October 16, 2014 by John.G

[hincandenza]

I know next week's show has a preassigned theme, but they've missed a chance for something I've wanted to see: redo a past failure. All four remaining contestants have had bottom looks. In fact, each has had TWO bottom looks. This is the perfect setup! Each contestant would be assigned to redo their worst bottom look, taking the criticism from the reveal stage and doing it better this time.

That's an awesome idea! From your mouth to the producer's ears; I hope they implement that next year.

I think the only drawback is the sameness of the costumes we didn't like the first time, and the imbalance of what the criticism was. If it was just "your technique was flawed,but some small cosmetic changes should bring it up to snuff", that seems a lot easier to 'perfect' than "The whole concept sucked from the start". And would the artists even want to revisit a failed makeup closely, or would they just go all clean slate and do it entirely different, making it just another weekly challenge but with a reused or unclear theme?

Still, I like the idea a lot, or perhaps variations on it. The show continues to improve, such as the relative lack of monsters this year, so maybe they'd take that concept into consideration.

[Richness]

Yay for the beauty make-ups instead of monsters. And yay for Cig for finally winning one, especially in an area he was uncomfortable with.

 

With that said, the bright red lips on Cig's fairy seemed out of place to me. I felt like I was watching the opening to Rocky Horror Picture Show. The rest of the fairy was absolutely gorgeous though, especially the wings. I just wish he had went with a pale blue or white for the lipstick.

 

But after having seen the picture of Cig's fairy lips on the web site, I think my TV and/or DirecTV is just displaying some overly bright colors. I use to notice people's lips on CSI: Miami were overly saturated, but I thought that was just the style they were going for in Miami. (I shudder to think what Miami Vice would look like with all those pastels.)

 

I also had problems with the blue on Dina's fairy, though again it may be just my TV. I know she wanted and needed some color to pop against all the muted earth tones, but the blue made the fairy like a hooker to me. But again, the rest of the fairy was fantastic.

 

Glad George finally got his groove going. However, the flashing LED wire in the shoulder crevice was a little too disco for my tastes, and I'm a gay man that loves his disco.

 

Drew seemed to think he was on Project Runway in this episode, though I liked his fairy better than Stella's.

 

So long, Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeellaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Sorry, I had to get my Streetcar Named Desire scream out of the way, though someone already beat me to it.

 

The selfies were a little cute and a little obnoxious all at the same time. Despite my criticisms of the fairies, I did like this episode and the fairies, and I agreed with the judges.

[snakenax]

 

As for why is Drew still in the competition, how soon we forget his emo faun which was a win for him (and a nice little nod to one of the judges).  He got a top look, though not a win, in the Serpent Soldiers challenge.  Not without talent, but perhaps not as consistent as some of the others.

Personally I don't find it hard to see why Drew is there. He's a bit of a coaster, but most seasons have a coaster in the finale. George is the one that really perplexes me, since he's consistently made me wonder if he even has the base technical/creative skills someone on this show is supposed to have, and the closest i've felt to that in someone who made it past the first four episodes were Niko and House and those two really aren't great comparisons to be a part of. His stuff just so often looks like a costume for a school play, this one included.

[magpye29]

I feel like Dina keeps using the same shaped head in every challenge, kind of a rounded reptilian, if you know what I mean.  Then I think, well, Arthur Rackham's fairies all look kind of the same, and many artists have their own signature, so maybe it's okay, but there's a sameness there that takes away a little something for me.

 

I think Cig looks a little silly, but he did a good job this week and I was not unhappy that he won.

 

Sadly, I'm glad Stella is gone, but wish the save had been saved for her.  I have zero artistic talent, so I can't offer any suggestions as to how she could have fixed her design, but I think I would have tried something else instead of keep redoing what wasn't working in the first place.  Actually, it crossed my mind when she was shambling around that she should have tried to work some hair into her design so it would have the lightness and airiness that you expect from flames, and I would have built up rather than out and to the back, but sculpted some light, winglike flames up and back from the temples.  Does that make any sense?  I can see it, but I'm not sure I'm conveying it.

 

George is my favorite, but he seems a bit lost and his skill set seems pretty limited.  I love Drew's ideas, but his execution is kind of incomplete, sort of like the celebs on DWTS who don't point their toes and stretch their limbs.

Edited October 17, 2014 by magpye29

[Bella]

 

Actually, it crossed my mind when she was shambling around that she should have tried to work some hair into her design so it would have the lightness and airiness that you expect from flames, and I would have built up rather than out and to the back, but sculpted some light, winglike flames up and back from the temples.  Does that make any sense?  I can see it, but I'm not sure I'm conveying it.

 

I had a thought along the same lines - not the heaviness of the sculpt, but a lower piece with wires that had flame-colored pieces that waved whenever the model moved her head.

[Drogo]

I'm not entirely convinced that Cig isn't Elliot from E.T. all grown up. 

 

[green]

Dina wasn't the first to use chocolate as a substitute.  I have read that Alfred Hitchcock used chocolate syrup for blood in the shower scene of Psycho.  He found that it looked more realistic in black and white that fake blood. 

 

Perhaps this proves that whether you eat it or not, everybody needs chocolate (see what I did there?)

 

And since this is about the mud look too, I also read that British theatre in general and the Royal Shakespeare Company in particular have always used melted chocolate for the "muddy" effect on actor's faces.  Melting Mars bars and rubbing same on an actor's face and arms is old school over there.

[Lost Girl]

"Lois says the face 'reminded me of some of the fairies from legend.'"

I think she meant the fairies from Legend, the Tom Cruise movie.

[jbrecken]

"Lois says the face 'reminded me of some of the fairies from legend.'"

I think she meant the fairies from Legend, the Tom Cruise movie.

Lois worked on Legend, so that was definitely what she was referring to.

[Kromm]

This show overall is one of the most honest out there.  But I hate that in one area they fail--they grade on a curve a bit sometimes when it favors certain outcomes.

 

Dina should have won this, but they didn't want her to seem too dominant I'm guessing (and wanted a bit of a storyline about a guy winning a beauty makeup challenge).  What smells a bit is that they don't typically do the reverse to keep a male contestant from winning multiple horror makeup challenges--they've let sole contestants sweep those before.

 

Not that Cig did a bad job by any means.  But Dina is brilliant and the show shouldn't fear rewarding that.

[hincandenza]

This show overall is one of the most honest out there.  But I hate that in one area they fail--they grade on a curve a bit sometimes when it favors certain outcomes.

 

Dina should have won this, but they didn't want her to seem too dominant I'm guessing (and wanted a bit of a storyline about a guy winning a beauty makeup challenge).  What smells a bit is that they don't typically do the reverse to keep a male contestant from winning multiple horror makeup challenges--they've let sole contestants sweep those before.

 

Not that Cig did a bad job by any means.  But Dina is brilliant and the show shouldn't fear rewarding that.

I don't think that's entirely true or fair to the show. In this forum we've had varying opinions about Dina's work this week, even though most of us think she's overall marching towards a clear finale win. I honestly don't think she deserved it this week, and the judges agreed she was good, but Cig was better.

They've had people win consecutive challenges before, and this show is as good as any about being gender blind and impartial. I didn't start watching until season 3- so my very first episode was watching psycho Joe implode and quit/get tossed. Glad I stuck around! But Nicole won that year (over Roy and Laura!) and won 2 in a row after returning from elimination, 3 out of the last 4 including the finale. In season 4, eventual winner Anthony won the first 3, and 6 total including 3 of the last 4 (and he trained Dina), while Kris won 4 of 6 in the middle; while both male, that season the judges awarded all but one challenge win to two people. In season 5, Miranda took down 3 of the first 4; Laura's relative lack of wins in that season given her talent and number of top looks placements is probably the closest we have to supporting your theory, but the judges have shown no lack of love for Laura in her seasons, or in hiring her in the working world. Season 6 didn't really have a breakout dominant artist, nor has season 7... except maybe Dina, who has won 4 times so far, a full 1/3 of all spotlight challenges.

I just don't think there's any real evidence the judges avoid repeat winners, or have any gender bias in doing so. They may, all things being equal, reward a makeup that's equally as good as any other that week on the basis that it shows that artist improving by adapting to their specific criticism. But there's plenty of evidence that when either a male or female contestant is on a hot streak, they acknowledge it with consecutive wins.

[frenchtoast]

I appreciated that both Cig and George, while clearly not in their comfort zone, did not stonewall like Darren I-don't-do-robots and not fulfill the requirements of the challenge. They were worried because they could see they were at a disadvantage, but they followed the advice and did their best. I really liked how Cig likened it a beautiful work of art and that it changed his mindset. That they both felt that they learned something and grew as artists. I enjoy seeing people who are willing, however filled with trepidation they may be, to expand and explore something new. Especially artists.

[Monty]

I appreciated that both Cig and George, while clearly not in their comfort zone, did not stonewall like Darren I-don't-do-robots and not fulfill the requirements of the challenge. They were worried because they could see they were at a disadvantage, but they followed the advice and did their best. I really liked how Cig likened it a beautiful work of art and that it changed his mindset. That they both felt that they learned something and grew as artists. I enjoy seeing people who are willing, however filled with trepidation they may be, to expand and explore something new. Especially artists.

And when they were worried, they phrased it as "I'm worried that I won't do well at this" rather than "This is unfair because it doesn't play to my strengths," as has been known to happen on reality shows.

[April Bloodgate]

I don't think that's entirely true or fair to the show. In this forum we've had varying opinions about Dina's work this week, even though most of us think she's overall marching towards a clear finale win. I honestly don't think she deserved it this week, and the judges agreed she was good, but Cig was better.

I agree. I generally love Dina's work and definitely am rooting for her to win, but I didn't care for her fairy.

[Florinaldo]

Dina should have won this, but they didn't want her to seem too dominant I'm guessing (and wanted a bit of a storyline about a guy winning a beauty makeup challenge).  What smells a bit is that they don't typically do the reverse to keep a male contestant from winning multiple horror makeup challenges--they've let sole contestants sweep those before.

If I were to also guess about the judge's intentions, I certainly would not go in the same direction. I saw nothing to indicate that they are apportioning their decisions to spread the honours amongst the various contestants. They have repeatedly given the crown to Diana in the past, while others have not been so favoured (because they did not deserve it).

 

I do not believe either that it is really self-evident that she should have won. I thought her job was technically well-executed, but I found her design a bit unimaginative and not bringing anything original to the fairy imagery. Indeed I thought her creation looked more like a moth or a similar insect than a fairy, thanks to the color make-up above the eyes. Someone like George on the other hand enriched the traditional image of a fairy with much more originality than Dina, without piling on the "beauty" effects as she did.

 

As for Cig, although apparently unspectacular at first glance, it revealed its subtlety and beauty the more I looked at it. I felt it was also truly superior to Dina's. Because of that creation, Cig is temporarily forgiven for his stupid hats and silly clothes.

[Kromm]

Hah.  Cig is not forgiven his silly clothes and stupid hats regardless. He's like a walking talking parody of modern hipsterism.  Not that Dina is absent of this either, with her cleverly coordinated faux-retro gamine outfits.  While Face-Off itself is pretty honest in not shoving their contestants into roles... they sure like to do it themselves, don't they?

[eurekagirl mOo]

O.K. I confess--I love Cig. how can you not love a guy named Cig Neutron? Now he's younger then by son (by a good 15 years) but still.....love him, his hats, his make up, everything. Cig for the win.

[aradia22]

I loved Cig's character. I think this may be my favorite thing that he's done. The fairy character forced him to exercise restraint in a way that he doesn't with some of his other looks which prevents me from liking them. The makeup was still a little stiff and the costume had immovable parts but because he was focused on beauty he kept the face and a good deal of the body free from the kind of mask-like, armor-like makeup that usually turns me off. 

 

Dina also did a lovely job. She had a difficult concept working with a realistic flood instead of just doing some floofy thing with water. And she made it beautiful.

 

I wasn't as in love with George's look as they were. I think he got the best model and did a decent job. The shoulder was a good idea but when you pull back I don't think it actually works.

 

I didn't hate Drew's look. I wish his original concept with the dress had worked because it would have been gorgeous. I feel like all the finishing touches the judges discussed could be summed up in the fact that he didn't go far enough. Which is the problem with a lot of his makeups. I think he likes to keep things more subtle. 

 

Stella's look wasn't awful. But I'm so over the flames. 

[Jynnan tonnix]

Since I chimed in on the last episode years late, I may s well throw my two cents in again. I know I can't possibly cover everything in one post, but here goes.

I was sorry to see Stella go as she was one of my early-to-midseason picks for the finals. Honestly, I did actually like her makeup marginally more than I did Drew's, but she also failed in capturing that ethereal lightness associated with fairies. Not to mention the lack of wings. Not that Drew exactly succeeded either. Maybe another part of her failure had to do with the fire, which is, as someone else mentioned above, so difficult to capture because it is so "alive". There's almost nothing in the world that is as difficult to capture in a static image as fire; nothing which changes form quite so quickly and constantly. Plus it seemed so similar to Cig's not-quite-successful Apollo from the previous week.

Someone else mentioned ice as being another thing rarely captured successfully, but I kind of disagree there. Ice may be challenging in its own ways, but it's also, by definition, frozen and static. Capturing the crystalline quality in sculpture or painting is difficult, but if you can use something like the plastic Cig used for his fairy's wings, it can be really effective, and can communicate a sense of intangibility more easily than anything opaque.

I did like Cig's fairy slightly more than Dina's in this instance, though I did really enjoy her color palette and the way she kept what was an inherently muddy concept from appearing muddy. I'm not even much of a fan of combinations of blue and brown in general, though I see quite a lot of them popping up in home decor, but the shades she chose worked off each other brilliantly.

Lastly, on a slightly shallower note, I've been finding Cig rather cute ever since the first time he really smiled. I tend to focus on teeth to the virtual exclusion of other facial features, and find things like hair and clothing all but peripheral...and he does have a very sweet smile in there. And I do get a kick out of his sculpted beard, as affected as it is,