Produce a look on yourself based on your identity
My look is homage to a lifetime experience I had, aged 18 & my home up-bringing, showcasing a more mysterious, adventurous side to me. I lived in the Arctic tundra, Lapland after finishing school. I slept under the Aurora Borealis Northern Lights and was amazed by the experience seeing such a natural wonder. I was always fascinated by nature, and butterflies and the variant colours of their wings, being brought up in the Irish countryside. In the past few years I've started to bring to life my drag persona "JMac", which is heavily influenced by my home background and living in Lapland.
Create a look that represents your own personal icon
I find Bowe's Ziggy Stardust look to have created a huge shift in the makeup world, as much as it changed how artists, musicians and performers were perceived. I'm channelling Ziggy's iconic lightning strike and morphed it into my own concept.
Create a look that incorporates a mask that reveals more than it hides.
Aged 16, I experienced being caught out on stormy seas whilst sailing. Returning to land I received news of my grandfather's bad health, subsequently he passed away and the following months proved hard to maintain a strong front to safeguard my own feelings. This creative brief was to reveal more than it is meant to hide as a "Mask". I used the waves from my experience as a metaphor for portraying the image of a mask.
Produce looks that look to the club kid scene.
My makeup journey started off in Drag and I've always had an interest in alternative art/drag makeup. When I discovered Fenton Bailey's "Party Monster" I became inspired by New York's club kid icons James St James, Ernie Glam and Kabuki Starshine. I created a flamboyant look that screams vivid detail, distorted eye makeup & bold colours.
Create a look that embodies your worst nightmare, fear or phobia
This SFX look related to a childhood fear I had after being tackled by a ram in a farm yard near my homeland. It was a fabricated fear that stuck with me until mt teen years and returned again in my adult years as a nostalgic nightmare. I worked three silicone prosthetic pieces into the creation of this look.
Transform a model in to a super hero
The quarter finals theme was "Superheroes". I created a Celtic tree warrior named "Cuvi" which derives from the Irish word ’cumhacht’ meaning "strength".
Trees in Celtic culture represent balance, power and resilience, which was a strength I felt I needed to carry throughout the competition in order to reach the finish line.
Design and create a look based on one of the four classical elements; earth, wind, air and fire
The semi final creative brief was a surprise brief with no preparation beforehand. I was given the element of Earth. I approached this brief with the idea of creating more of "the Earth" rather than simply the element Earth. I believe the earth is a constant cycle of all elements working together, including what's above and below the Earth's surface.
Create a look with a theme of evolution
The Season 2 Finale creative brief was "Evolution".
I approached the brief looking at the scientific term Osmosis. As a definition, osmosis can be a gradual assimilation of ideas, knowledge - quiet like how I felt I progressed through the competition. I soaked up so much of the competition as a whole experience, allowing myself to try new techniques and enjoy the process as much as possible.
I've learned to listen to judges' critiques and understand how to take advice and adapt my work to briefs.
