Anita Berber- Continuity

Otto Dix (German, 1891-1969). The Dancer Anita Berber, 1925. Oil and tempera on plywood. 47 1/4 x 25 9/16 in. (120 x 65 cm). Loan of the Landesbank Baden-Würtemberg in the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart.

Anita Berber was a famous performer in Weimar Berlin. Her alcoholism, drug addiction, bisexuality, androgyny and promiscuity were some of the traits that made her so well known.

We were asked to create a historical hair and make-up look which we were to create in 45 minutes on a partner two weeks in a row, to practice continuity. This was to be based on how we think she would have looked when this painting was created.

 This was my face chart for this look. I chose to keep the look quite simple so I didn't struggle to complete it in the time given. I used supracolour on the eyelids to give a shiney, greasey finish to the look. I also chose to not cover the natural brows too much as when I was looking at Anita Berber I noticed that you can see her natural brows underneath those that she had drawn on. 

The image on the left is from the first week, and that on the right was my recreation. The supracolour reflected the light differently when we used the studio lighting, and I had lost my phone so didn't have the images from the week before when I was recreating this look. These things considered, I think I did a good job at recreating the look. The eyebrows remained the same shape, as did the lips and the eye makeup.