Goth History

Goth history starts in the early eighties out of what was then known as post punk. By the late seventies and early eighties, punk itself began fade from popularity so many bands associated with the punk genre began experimenting in different areas. Bands such as the Virgin Prunes, Bauhaus and Specimen came to define the British scene while U.S. bands like Christian Death, Kommunity FK and the Super Heroines would define the American Goth scene, otherwise called deathrock. Death rock would retain more of a punk sound while the British would have more of an experimental tinge to their music. It was within this post-punk experimental phase that goth itself began to take on a distinct definition in gothic history. However, many bands that were considered goth rejected the goth label so as not to be boxed in a certain category along with retaining the punk notion of rejecting labels in any form.

Regarding fashion, establishments such as the batcave in London was a mecca when it came flaunting the weirdest in goth clothing hearing the latest goth bands. Goth fashion during this period still retained classic punk punk elements: dark makeup, puffed up hair and Mohawks; the difference now being more outlandish and theatrical when it came to the goth scene. Singer Andi Sex Gang from the Sex Gang Children wore pale makeup and dark clothing on stage and so did his legion of fans. Virgin Prunes were an act unto themselves and wore dark and weird theatrical makeup in the late seventies before goth history began. Singer Dave Vanian from The Damned dressed as a vampire and was known for his crooner style singing which also helped shaped the goth scene.
The second wave of goth bands included Fields of the Nephilim, Sisters of Mercy and Alien Sex Fiend which took on a more rock/alternative sound instead of the early influence of punk in the first wave. Goth history evolved in the later nineties and deathrock and traditional goth rock had to now co exist with EBM and industrial elements that became mixed in with goth music. Throughout the decades, goth has broken off in many forms: cyber, neoclassical, darkwave, ethereal etc. and each subgenre within goth has its own distinct fashion sense.

Death Rock

Death rock evolved in the late seventies on the west coast of America while goth itself developed out of Britain. Though both movements have evolved separately, bands from each side have borrowed and come to influence each other. Death rock evolved alongside punk and came to be seen as a darker version of the punk movement. Death rock artists for the most part have take inspiration from old horror movies, camp and spooky aesthetics.

Bands like 45 Grave are known for their tongue in cheek and horror themes in their music and stage performances. Other themes include religious references, cabaret and other theatrical themes that have come to define death rock over the decades. Death rock bands, however, have displayed dark emotion and bands like Christian Death were the ones who came to give death rock its own definitive sound. When Rozz Williams was in Christian Death in the early eighties, the album Only Theatre of Pain of 1981 is a deathrock classic. It was Christian Death who shifted the death rock scene into a more dark emotional, cabaret style instead of the horror punk elements in other bands.

Musicians and fans within the death rock scene sported theatrical makeup and throwback punk elements when it came to fashion. Mowhaks were popular and in the death rock scene they became deathawks which were had its own distinct style from the traditional Mohawk of the punk movements. For more on the death hawk, look it up on the article directory. Death rock fashion came mix elements from both goth and punk and merged it into one unique style independent of both goth and punk.

Russian Fashion History

Before the reign of Peter the Great, Russian fashion mostly consisted of outdated clothing dating all the way back to the middle ages. Russians prided themselves on tradition instead of mimicking the west, separating themselves from western culture and fashion. However, the old fashions were not acceptable to Peter the Great and when he became czar he sought to modernize Russia by connecting to the west and adopting western style clothing in the 1700s. It became no longer acceptable for nobles to sport beards; traditionally the beard was considered a symbol of manliness in Russian culture and the same type of view would be later adopted in the Victorian era, but during Peter the Great’s time, it was considered uncouth for men to sport beards. Therefore, Peter the Great forced nobles to cut their beards and those who did not were forced to pay a beard tax to keep their facial hair. Both women and men had to attend court in western style dress.

For women, the traditional sarafana, a traditional style of Russian dress of all women was discarded among upper classes but lower class women continued to wear them. Some traits of Russian fashion remained in the new western style including the kokoshniks which was a headdress that went with the sarafana. The kokoshniks were for all classes of women and this was one garment in Russian fashion which remained. Conservative nobles were not pleased with the new style of dress, but it benefited Russia later down the road when it came to contact with the rest and Catherine the Great would later open a wider door for the west to enter Russia.

Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery Home Study Course

If you want to draw like Charles Gibson or Gil Elvgren then the Pencil Portrait Mastery Study Course is for you. Are you also a fashion student or aspiring designer who needs to draw and render the styles and fashions you have in mind? Drawing classes online can be difficult to find and you don’t know the right ones that will help you. Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery Home Study Course is a great way to get started if you are a beginning artist or someone who wants to further refine your skills. They start you out easy, first drawing simple features such the eyes, ears, nose and mouth and allows you to easily put the pieces together, allowing you to render a fully professional portrait. Do no listen to those who tell you that drawing is a talent you born with.

It takes practice and practice to get to the desired style you want. Anyone can reach the level of a professional artist; it simply takes dedication. Drawing classes online is something that is affordable and you don’t have to go out of your way to attend classes at a college that only gives mixed results as you hone your drawing craft. Drawing classes online gives you more flexibility with your schedule and you can go at your own pace instead of trying to keep with a physical class. The price for the Realist Pencil Portrait Mastery Home Study Course is $47 with a 60 day money back guarantee and you get lots of books and bonus materials that will help you long term. This is great for people in the fashion and design world who need to pencil their ideas down on paper. If your drawing skills are not good then this will help you focus and draw like a professional. You will be able to draw realistic portraits along with the human form that will flesh out the designs and fashions you have in mind. If interested, Click Here!

Testimonials

I have bought this course because I wanted to be able to draw realistic portraits and I felt that I did not have the skills to produce a beautiful realistic portrait.

This course has been a great help, although I still need loads of practice I feel that I have learned so much through following this course in techniques and observation. The lessons are so easy to follow especially with the aid of the process maps which show which steps to tackle next.

The reference photos are also a great help to those who need material to work from, I myself preferred to use my own photos to work from as they are of more interest to me personally.

I thought that this course would be benefit from a section on how to draw/trace the head before you add the features. When I wrote to Christopher about this he answered promptly and suggested ways of doing this and even sent me a video link to help me with this process.

I feel that my work has improved a great deal since I started this course and I still use it as reference whenever I work on a new portrait. I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to draw truly realistic portraits from photographs.

- Miriam Borg, Malta

Hi Christopher,

I'm a watercolor portrait artist www.michalmadison.com & the drawing course has helped me a lot. i like the way you work in sections - that's been helpful - looking for the shadows & subtle value changes. i drew pencil portraits before i started painting watercolor portraits & it's been a great refresher course. when i meet anyone who is interested in drawing portraits, i will definitely recommend your course. you make it simple and easy to understand. so yes, it's been helpful.

i hope you have a great day also!

thank you for sharing your passion for art!

- Michal Madison, United States

Hi Christopher,

It is a privilege for me to tell you how great your course of "Realistic Pencil Portrait Mastery" is. I am thrilled because I have always battled to draw a nose and ear realistically, but thanks to your course people think am a real artist now, when they look at my portraits. I am a grandma and have 6 grandchildren. I am doing pencil drawings of their baby photo's at the moment. Thanks to your course I find it much easier now especially to draw their hair. I am only drawing for 2 years but suddenly I feel like a real master :-)

It is so great that we here in South Africa can, thanks to technology, also benefit from your great eBooks on how to draw pencil portraits.

I can truthfully recommend it to students or anybody for that matter who is serious about their drawings. It is the very best!

Hope you have a wonderful day

- Rina Minné, South Africa

Cossack Clothing

Cossack clothing can best be described as Eastern inspired. The Cossacks are a group who resided in South Eastern Europe along the caucuses and the black sea; therefore, they have numerous contacts with Eastern cultures such as the Turks. The wearing of Eastern style in Cossack clothing was also a great diplomatic tool in dealing with non-European cultures. Typically, Cossack clothing would consist of tall, fur hats and sheepskin tunics and long robes and coats. They resided across many parts of Eastern Europe and have been traditionally been loyal to the czar which may explain why they faced little persecution. They also have their own culture, music, food and dance. Cossack men were traditionally scouts and embarked on reconnaissance missions throughout Russian Empire years. They were proficient with scimitars, rifles and knives and have played a large role in just about every major conflict in Eastern European history. Cossack clothing is a unique blend of Eastern European, western and Asian fashion, a very unique combination given their place at the tip of Europe on near parts of Asia.

Trench Coat History

Trench coat history began in the early years of World War One when greatcoats, coats traditionally used by soldiers throughout 19th century warfare, became cumbersome to wear. Trench coats were more comfortable, providing adequate protection from the rain and other elements while establishing proper rank among British and French armies. Both World Wars One and Two became popular in trench coat history and became popular among civilians when the war ended. D rings and shoulder straps were are typical accessories of trench coats. In pop culture, you have seen the typical hard-nosed private detective sporting the fedora and modern trench coat. Trench coats have also became popular in various subcultures such as steam punk and goth with their own interpretations on the trench coat. Trench coat history shifted from wartime to civilian popularity in the 20th century. Trench coats were typically made of hard materials: hard wool, leather and cottons.

Visual Kei Fashion

Visual kei fashion is a lavish form of dress from Japan that originates in the J rock (or Japnese rock) music genre. It is a subculture that began in the eighties and became wildly popular by the 1990s. Kei means visual style in Japanese and it is a way of expressing the music of J rock through lavish fashion. Those who sport the visual kei fashion have eccentric hairstyles and wild costumes. The influence of these fashions stem from Japanese rock musicians who sport these costumes on stage with their fans taking influence form their favorite bands and taking visual fashion into a high fashion medium. Bands like Malice Mizer are known for really defining and taking visual kei fashion to new heights.

Mana, who was the former bassist of Malice Mizer, is known for his hyper androgynous attire and makeup to the point where he is truly thought to be a woman at first glance. He is heavily involved in the Lolita scene through magazines and clothing lines. Attire varies when it comes to visual kei fashion; some clothing could be Victorian or historically inspired while other forms of dress can be more futuristic and technology themed. Androgyny is a big theme in visual kei fashion, so much so that female fans would try to imitate their favorite bands who were almost always male. Visual kei fashion has also come to influence the harajuku fashion scene and kei fashion can be seen in other Japanese subcultures. It is separate from the Lolita scene in Japan since Lolita is primarily about Victorian themed dresses. Visual kei can also be associated with the cosplay scene since the costumes and style of dress can also vary.

Mana from Malice Mizer

es.visualkei.wikia.com

miia-nikii.forumieren.com

www.fanpop.com