Decade: Psylocke by Request

Products Used:

Primer: Tarte Base Tape Hydrating Primer.

Foundation: Make Up Forever Ultra HD 115=R230.

Contour: Make Up Forever Sculpting Kit 1.

Bronzer: Tarte Park Ave Princess Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer.

Blush: Nars Deep Throat.

Highlight: MAC Soft Frost Extra Dimension Skinfinish and LXMI Nilotica Goddess Glow Hydrating Illuminator.

Eyes: Ipsy Tetris Eye Shadow Palette in High Score with MAC Eye Shadow in Stars ‘N’ Rockets with Stila Eyes are the Window Shadow Palette in Amethyst and Urban Decay Game of Thrones Eye Shadow Palette in Stormborn and Take the Black.

Liner: Ciate London Wonderwand Gel Kohl Liner.

Lashes: Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara in Brynn Rich Black.

Brows: Stila in the know Eye Shadow Palette in rain.

Lips: Lime Crime Velvetines in Posh with Ipsy Tetris Eye Shadow Palette in Line Clear.

Clothing: Blackmilk Clothing.

Wig: Wigisfashion.

X-Men Apocalypse: Psylocke

There's a story on why Psylocke is a character close to my heart. She wasn't prevalent in any of the cartoons I watched and it took me until my teen years to get into the comics. Plus, it's really hard to start something when it was started in 1963 and I'm a person who needs to begin at the start. You should have seen my disappointment at Doctor Who. But that's a story for another time.

When everyone my age was collecting Pokemon cards and I had no money for them so I drew my own like a little weirdo. My brother had just started getting into Overpower cards with his friends. Now I can bring up Overpower cards to ninety percent of the people I know and they'll have no idea what I'm talking about. To the ones that do a very merry cheers to you friend. Come and lets talk about this small joy of the universe. No, for real. Let's talk.

So, to the people who don't know, Overpower cards were comic based cards and there were actual tournaments that took place so it was a legit card game. Most of what I learned about characters started with these cards. My brother taught me how to play and I was soon hooked but what really got me was all the characters. I'd go through the binders of cards to "build my deck" when in reality I was looking at the art on the cards and getting fascinated by certain characters. One of them was Psylocke. It was one of those love at first sight for the absolute aesthetics of her.

Of course, I had to learn all about her. Elizabeth "Betsy" Braddock a.k.a Psylocke has quite the story behind her. What got to me when I was younger was that she had been "bodyswapped" into the badass ninja-esque body that I'd fallen in love with. And she's stuck there. Her previous body was dead. Talk about body dysmorphic disorder. It always made me sad to think about but it's not like any story comic wise has a pleasant history.

To be completely honest i don't know why she's in the movie. She seems like a huge filler character with no plot whatsoever. She's really cool looking and that's it. I hope people who see the movie actually take the time to read up on her and not just think she's cool looking. There's too much awesome behind those looks to let it go overlooked.

Without further ado let's get to this fard.

Products used:

Foundation: Kat Von D lock-it foundation in Light 44

Contour: Morphe Brushes 9BZ Palette

Highlight: Make Up Forever Face Contour Kit 1

Blush: Nars Deep Throat

Eyes: Morphe Brushes Palette 35E Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palette in Amethyst and moonstone as well as Make Up Forever Aquaseal for the liner.

Lashes: Make Up Forever Smoky Lash.

Brows: Stila in the know palette colour in rain.

Lips: Jeffree Star I'm Royalty with Morphe Brushes Palette 35E Shadows

Up Next: Alice in Wonderland. If you have any suggestions for future themes or just want to geek out with me hit me up with a comment or e-mail me at artistry@nicoletessela.com

X-Men Apocalypse: Mystique

This is probably my great big start into geek culture. Well, X-Men the animated series in the 90s. It was my introduction via my older brother that quickly spiraled into a massive accumulation that probably now scares him. But yeah, this is what shaped me as a person. X-Men cartoons, my brother, and that geek spiral. I've gone through it all. None of the genres have been safe.

The Age of Apocalypse was always quite frankly the most doomed of the timelines. The amount of possible destruction done by one man and the overwhelming fear that it triggered in humanity was catastrophic. Every new X-Men movie that was announced my brother would turn to me and say "it better be Apocalypse". 

It finally happened! Please don't screw it up. It's a cherished childhood memory you could be ruining!

I think in a few months time I'm going to be amazed at how many characters are blue. There were four looks for this movie I could have chosen from that were blue. This time votes were in for me to do a Mystique look. The answer was of course I'm doing Mystique. She's practically who I am with her ever morphing features.

I was a little upset with her look in X-Men Days of Future Past. The character was done entirely different then all the other movies. Even First Class. The look was so much less satisfactory. I haven't been watching the Apocalypse trailers that closely because they always add in something that gives the plot away.

I'm a big fan of comic book Mystique. The movie version just can't match up. There's just so much backstory that makes her amazing and in the movies all you really get is a brief glimpse. So, the inspiration for this look was more based on the comics with a little addition from the movies.

Products used:

Foundation? How I got my skin this shade: Kat Von D lock-it foundation in Light 44 mixed with Make Up Forever Flash Palette Turquoise 000 as well as Kryolan Rubber Mask grease Paint in 091

Contour: Naked Cosmetics #HE-06 and Kryolan Aqua

Highlight: Stila Cosmetics Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palette Aquamarine

Eyes: Make Up Forever Artist Shadow Palette ME-930 I-918 as well as Kryolan Aqua

Lashes: Make Up Forever Smoky Lash.

Brows: Make Up Forever Artist Shadow Palette ME-930

Lips: Jeffree Star in Redrum

Keep an eye out for the next mutant look later this week.

Captain America Civil War: Iron Man

First off, sorry for how long this took. I had quite the illness I had to get over that put me back a few paces. All is well again. So without further ado, I present you with "Tonya Stark" aka Iron Man. The genderbending continues on this weeks installment of Civil War with the woman of red and gold.

I'm never going to have the absolute charisma of Robert Downey Jr and how he is most definitely Tony Stark in real life. I don't think anyone can deny that. I tried to bring a little of the movie into this look. The more emotional side mind not the battle hardened side. If you haven't seen the movie yet I can highly recommend it. I promise not to give any spoilers. And if I do, well be sure to unfollow me on any platform because that is complete and utter blasphemy.

I wanted to bring this look back to Tony's roots. In his lab making robots all covered in grease and dirt being a genius. And he's working so hard to just not think about anything that plagues him by putting all his efforts into manual labour.

It's a look into a Tony who has lost so much but is at that place where he has to be strong. To hide all of himself behind sarcasm and jokes a very thin veneer to mask his heart and vulnerability. Hopefully I conveyed that if only just a little bit.

Products used:

Foundation: Kat Von D lock-it foundation in Light 44

Contour: Morphe Brushes 9BZ Palette

Highlight: Make Up Forever Face Contour Kit 1

Blush: Nars Deep Throat

Bronzer: MAC Global Glow Mineralize Skinfinish

Eyes: Stila in the know palette in ebony as well as Doucce Cosmetics ultra precision eyeliner 500

Lashes: Make Up Forever Smoky Lash.

Brows: Stila in the know palette colour in earth.

Lips: Jeffree Star in Posh Spice

Wig: Lacey Costume Wigs

Arc Reactor: Think Geek. It's a coaster.

Next week, technically this weeks theme is X-Men. Stay Tuned for some mutants. If you have any requests do please email me at artistry@nicoletessela.com.

Captain America Civil War: "Stephanie" Rogers

Welcome to week two. Captain America Civil War. I'll be making some interesting choices this week as there's not many woman I can portray. So, sit back and enjoy a week of genderbending.

I've been waiting for this moment. I enjoy the Captain America movies (well mostly all superhero movies with some noted exceptions) and this one looks epic. Marvel is really stepping up the game to a beautifully large collaboration. It kinda reminds me of those huge Marvel character spreads that were Where's Waldo like in character intensity. 

We all know what happens in the comics. At least I hope we do. Spoilers: I'm not going to tell you. Let's just hope that the movie deviates a little for some mystery. I know some people get annoyed when movies take creative license from subjects that they love but if you know everything that's coming how exciting would it really be? I like to think of it as having two separate mediums you can enjoy. Sometimes more!

I decided to bring Captain America back to the 40s and make him a woman. I drew inspiration from the time period and one Peggy Carter. It was a very fun experiment turning a morally upright man into a confident lady.

Products used:

Foundation: Kat Von D lock-it foundation in Light 44

Contour: Morphe Brushes 9BZ Palette

Highlight: Make Up Forever Face Contour Kit 1

Blush: Nars Deep Throat

Bronzer: MAC Global Glow Mineralize Skinfinish

Eyes: Stila in the know palette earth, desert, wind, air. MAC warm neutral warm breeze and gingersnap. Elizabeth Mott Glitterati liquid eyeliner

Lashes: Make Up Forever Smoky Lash. Red Cherry Lashes.

Brows: Stila in the know palette colour in rain.

Lips: Jeffree Star in Hoe Hoe Hoe

Wig: Lacey Costume Wigs

Necklace: My mom made it

Fascinator: Made by me.

The Captain America shield fascinator is one of the gifts at the end of the month so if it's something that you want email or comment me.