Graphic Love: Picasso’s Portrait

The idea for this photo shoot came to me out of nowhere. Hours after seeing the image on the top right of the moodboard, a shot from the 2015 W Mag Movie Issue, I was researching Picasso’s work and different make-up techniques inspired by his work.

Fun fact: One week after we shot, Picasso’s Woman of Algiers painting broke the record of most expensive painting to sell at auction, going for $160 million. I love when things turn out to be unexpectedly relevant!

I wanted to take this concept in a much different direction from our last feature, Glitter Mania. The focus would be portrait shots to showcase elaborate make-up. We would create a specific scene by shooting it in a studio, with no distractions.

Each model had a specific theme and color scheme. I wanted to pull colors from Picasso’s work—bright and rich blues, greens, reds, oranges and yellows. I love how direct and purposeful his work is, no matter how elaborate, and I wanted to explore how you could break his harsh and direct lines down on a real human face.

I took some later inspiration from a small Snapchat / Tumblr trend inspired by Steph, #burntpicasso. The whole idea of making yourself a piece of art makes me warm inside. Have a great rest of the week!

Creative Direction: Ashley Monaghan | Photography: Malarie Zaunbrecher | Make-up: Meghan Mcgee | Stylist: Makenzie Godzo | Clothing: Time Warp