Corsets, Crinolines and Codpieces 8...The Eyes have it!

Shape Changing......Make up for the eyes

From historical records it seems that Kohl or a substitute may have been first used as a aid to deflect the sun from the eyes.  Modern cosmetic 'kohl' does not have these benefits.

Ancient Egyptian  Queen Nefrit ....3,300 year old painted stucco coated limestone

Queen Nefetari, a painting in her tomb, XIX th Dynasty......the eye as depicted here is very similar to the symbol for the Eye of Horus depicted below

The Eye of Horus is an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection, royal power and good health

I was told recently that men in Morocco rim their eyes with kohl to keep out the sun, sand and dust in the desert.

Amazigh Berber nomad, Sahara desert

It seems that Kohl was worn in countries where the sun was stronger,  there does not seem to be any historical records of it being worn in northern countries until it became a fashionable make up feature in modern times.

Portrait of a young lady by Petrus Christus 1465 - 70

Minoan Lady about 1400 BC originally from Knossos

with

Eye make up and lip colouring

Queen Elizabeth 1580 artist unknown

again eyes are not emphasized

The traditional make up of the Keisha

and a western parody of it

False eyelashes are added for more emphasis

Alice Prin a flapper

... and Twiggy, eyelashes are painted on the skin 

People whom you are used to seeing with eye make up look almost undressed with out it.
And to finish some steam punk make up...an art form in itself....

 I have not been able to credit some of the photos...but thank you ...

Wearable Art necklace and earrings finished at last

  If you remember, if you were following my blog, I started on a new wearable art piece

 It has been a challenge to make this piece..it happens!
I got as far as this....

 and then scrapped everything but the pendant, I have put aside the rest of the design as I still have ideas to make another necklace from it.
I kept the buttermilk silk yarn and introduced a stone and brown slubbed cotton yarn.
This when wrapped around the jersey material blended beautifully with the pendant.
I completed the two pieces of the necklace and made a hook and eye to fasten it.

I tried many ways to attach the pendant, none of them worked for me until I remembered that I had some leather pieces; cut in a strip and bound with yarn made the perfect fastening.

The effect was good but too plain so I added some yarn tassels.

I decided to add some more pieces of leather to the necklace.

At last I was happy with the results; I made a pair of earrings to complement the necklace.

The finished set  'Painted Jasper'