Inspired by 9th/10th century Ganesha statue

          Lately I've been favoring a subtle streamlined look that packs some heat. For this 'Inspired by art' post, I'm featuring this photograph I took of a 9th/10th century Indonesian statue of the God Ganesha, Remover of Obstacles. If you look closely, the statue has a rough porous texture. That's because it's carved from Andesite, an igneous volcanic rock. I can't help but wonder if that is the reason the display backdrop was painted a burning red-orange reminiscent of molten magma. The contrast between the calm ash grey rock and the fiery color of volcanic eruption evokes emotion that really transcends time. The simple combination works well for this ancient statue and for a more modern look that I'll describe below!

           A fiery color is best used in small doses. The perfect way to wear an undiluted magma-esque color is to wear a bright nail color. Bright orange and orange corals are very on-trend this season. My favorite colors for this are Dior Vernis in Aloha (Summer 2011) and Dior Vernis in Riviera (Spring 2012). Aloha is a bright orange, while Riviera is a bright coral that looks more orange or pink depending upon the lighting. When worn, brief glimpses of these intense color appear like flickers of flame on your fingertips!

          To keep with the elemental theme, makeup should be natural with only hints of color. Orange toned makeup can be overwhelming when over-applied, however, orange can add a beautiful element of intrigue when trace amounts are used to counter the eyes or cheeks.  NARS Multiple in South Beach can blended onto the cheeks for a sheer, warm, glowing effect. The same color can be used to add highlights or other color elsewhere. To keep the look minimal, I prefer not to add in other blushes, bronzers, or highlighters. MAC Rule eyeshadow, a burnished orange, can be lightly used on the outer V or in the crease for slight contouring of the eye. The result is similar to a nude face. However, the use of orange gives the face a lit-by-glowing embers effect as opposed to the typical sunkissed effect that bronzers and browns might give.

          The cool, calm, and carved stone sculpture above embodies a polar opposite state of its amorphous and volatile origins. To add some human precision into my look, I define the eyes with a liquid eyeliner. My Urban Decay 24/7 liquid eyeliner in Perversion has a nice small tip fit for the occasion. A slightly winged eye, or cat-eye, seems to be trending now. For a more intense look, a stony grey color like L'Oreal Sultry smoke can be smudged along the lashline.

         I hope you enjoyed this 'Inspired by Art' post! As you can see, I've been favoring orange tones quite a bit lately. What color palettes have you been wearing?


Love, Dovey.

P.S. I'm getting to comments--- the internet at my home has been intermittent (at best) for the past few days. Hopefully the repairman will solve things early next week!