Sunday 20 February 2011

Orchirly Ad Spring 2011




Latest Orchirly ad, shot with amazing Model, once again work with top photographer Wing shya, celebrity stylist Sean K and Ray Chan for hair. Makeup by me Karen Yiu, its my honor to work with such strong team and get a wonderful image
http://www.ochirly.com.cn

Wednesday 16 February 2011

Monday 24 January 2011

Rodarte x Maggie Cheung Collection (short film by Wing Shya)

Check out YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag4ac5QqbmQ





This time i painted model's whole body totally in White, but white is a very difficult color to put one evenly and smoothly, so i use the paint brush first then keep spray a few layers onto the body until it is smooth and even.

JOYCE is delighted to announce a truly unique charity programme in aid of UNICEF, a collaboration with critically-acclaimed fashion label Rodarte, luxury brand SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS, and famous actress Maggie Cheung. Rodarte designers, Kate and Laura Mulleavy, have handmade four one-of-a-kind creations specifically for this charitable initiative. Each piece is inspired by Maggie Cheung and references one of her films: In the Mood for Love, Hero, Clean, and Heroic Trio. The four stunning pieces have been captured in a short film by Wing Shya with music by Peter Kam. For every click of the short film on YouTube from now to 31 March 2010, JOYCE will donate HK$1 to UNICEF.

Orchirly Ad

Shot in Hong Kong

Shot in Macau

Shot in Malaysia

Shot in Hong Kong

Shot in Macau

Photographer: Wing Shya
Styling: Sean K
Hair: Ray Chan
Makeup: Karen Yiu
Orchirly is a famous fashion brand in China, each season they work with photographer Wing Shya and Stylist Sean to create fantastic Ad, its my honor to work with them and create such amazing work

Saturday 22 January 2011

Editorial for ID magazine


Wonderful experience working with Wing Shya for ID magazine in Beijing. This is my first time work with super star Zhou Xun 周迅, I was very exciting to take part in this project!



The concept of the shoot want to review the new age Chines Rock Band, I suggest a star tattoo on her face, it show the new generation want to show off their identity.

Thursday 20 January 2011

Editoral China Bazzaar - Ochirly 欧时力







This is an Editorial for Ochirly 欧时力, its my first time work with Liu Dan, she is very cool, Photo by Whing Shya, Styling by Sean K, Hair by Ray Chan and makeup by me, i am so glad to work with such a strong team

Thursday 13 January 2011

Editorial: Alice in the wonderland for Tatler magazine






Alice in the wonderland for Tatler Magazine, shot with Olaf Mueller, makeup by Karen Yiu, hair by Jean Tong.
It a very fun and creative shot with different characters.

Beauty editorial shot with Marie Clarie



Beauty Editorial shot with Marie Claire Magazine in Hong Kong
Hair and makeup by Karen Yiu
Styling by Cozy Lau

Wednesday 12 January 2011

New Test with Baldovino HITCHHIKER




This is a new test shoot with Baldovino under heavy rain for the whole day, but under B's magic camera, images are amazing, for all the picture view pls visit B's site http://www.baldovinobarani.com/the-hitchhiker

Bodyart


I was asked to re-create the pattern of a wallpaper onto the model Sky. It was a live event, I was painting for 2 hours while the audience was watching me. It was the first time I had so many people watching me while I worked on the model in Hong Kong. The model had to stand still for hours to keep the pattern from smudging. I had to camoflage the body to the pattern on the wall. This event was done by Lane Crawford.

Carrie Lam



I had to bodypaint Miss Hong Kong Carrie Lam for an art event that was sponsered by 1664 Beer. I made the dress and painted her torso in a blue and gold pattern. This was a French beer so I used the colours on the French flag, I was inspired by the patterns usually seen in old French furniture and fabric. It took me two hours to do her body and her face. Norman did Carrie's hair.

Catherine Deane Advertisement


This is an ad I did for the brand Catherine Deane. I did all the hair and makeup. Photographer was Baldavino. This is their 2011 ad campaign. We shot this campaign on Lantau island in Hong Kong. The model was Alina Romanchuk.

Sentinel Cover Shoot



This was for a cover shoot for the Chinese magazine, Sentinel. I did all the hair and makeup. Shiva Shabani did the styling. Jonas' photography.

To Coin A Face




Hong Kong has a spiralling number of fashion magazines, an endless supply of writers, a smaller number of good photographers, an even tinier number of decent stylists, and just a handful of good makeup artists, which makes Karen Yiu a rare gem, confirms P.Ramakrishnan. All images by Ike.

It's hard for her to pin down the exact number of faces she's held in her hand - oily, dry, clear, tan, pale, Asian, Caucasian, African-American, female, male, smooth or rough - and converted the often questionable canvas into a flawless piece of art. Sound hyperbolic? Just visit her website as faces are converted into showcases for her extraordinary talents with a brush. Karen Yiu, 28, does hair and make up. Sound simple? Well, there's more.

If you've ever seen a perfectly attractive girl look ordinary or, conversely, an ordinary looking girl out-pout Angelina Jolie, then credit artists like Yiu who highlight the good, hide the bad, and get rid of the ugly altogether. She can make an acne-stricken male teenager look like an Italian stud or an anaemic model seem to be in the pink of health, all within an hour.

Having seen her in action at various shoots, what never ceases to surprise, the way she maintains her genial spirit while working with difficult people (not all models are as pretty in person as they are in print) needs to be rewarded. Under the constant stress of limited time and merciless working conditions, her unwavering hand can provide astonishing results, delivering exactly what the art directors and editors ask for, mostly going beyond expectations.


"I love what I do" says Yiu with her ever-present smile. "I used to be a social worker until 2001 as I have a degree in social work, but then I decided that I wanted to do something creative. I like colouring and drawing so when I first enrolled at the London College of Fashion, I studied fashion design. But I didn't get the chance to draw everyday, so I studied the art of makeup and finally I got to do what I like - so I switched courses."

I wonder if she looks at the visage of a woman as one would a large jigsaw puzzle that requires assembly and construction, where every 'body' is just a 'body of work' that needs to be done? "When I look at a person, I don't know immediately what I'm going to do with their face," she confesses, adding that she likes to study her subject before the first touch of powder ever hits the epidermis. "I talk to them, ask them what they like, find out more about their personality, what their favourite colour is, and so on. Some makeup artists know instantly what to do when they see a face, but I need some time to absorb all the information."

In her unaffected manner, she earnestly says,"I want to make people happy by creating something new for them."


New and innovative was the theme of Yiu's recent exihibition where she displayed pictures of her work over the last year. Together with fashion photographer Ike, the duo hosted the event entitled, 'Second Skin'. The evening coincided with the release of a photo book, 'Oriental Eye', a stunning showcase of Ike's trademark black and white images, described as "an intimate look at Asian beauty". Consisting predominantly of images of Asian nudes, Yiu's within the collaboration was a bare necessity as she did most of the creative makeup and body art, molding the entire naked body to create erotic, aesthetic human landscapes.

"Makeup design cannot work on its own; it needs a photographer to capture the images," says Yiy. "Photography plays a very important part in the whole process; therefore makeup artists and photographers need to have good communication and a connection. Ike has been one of the most important and significant people in my career so far, as he gave me a chance when I was a fresh graduate. I would have an idea when I was walking down the street, and then I would call him, he would get a model, set up the shoot and we would do test shots. He did the same with me and I'd come up with ways to put his ideas into makeup."

As an image of a girl, bearded with gold dust comes into view on one of the pages of the book, it's easy to see why the novel odd couple (he's a tall Chicago native, she's a petite Hong Kong resident), somehow gel and mesh together so well. "We've worked together on many projects and I'm so grateful he gave me my break."

In addition to focusing on fashion and bridal makeup, as well as body art, Yiu says on the record that nothing beats editorial work with creative magazines and daring photographers.

"I like editorial work more because you can create something original and through a magazine people will know that," says Yiu. "I don't like to look at other magazines or the work of other artists or stylists for inspiration, because you can just end up copying them and what's the point in that?"


Did Yiu always have a particular passion for makeup? "I have always liked beautiful things," she says with a laugh and then drops the bomb. "But actually, I have only been doing professional makeup in Hong Kong since last April." In such a short period of time, being counted among the best in the field is a grand achievement. "Trying new looks and testing images is not common practice for most photographers or magazines in this town, and I consider myself lucky that I've met people like Ike, and worked with creative magazines and visionary people to produce original images."

Lucky indeed, but Yiu's sheer talent is what it's all about.

Contact Karen: Karen Yiu: The Art of Makeup

Pak Ho Chau Album Cover








I was asked to do a temporary tattoo for Pak Ho Chau's Album Cover for Remembrance.