On the newest episode of Face Off, the remaining 12 makeup artists were partnered up to bring mythical demons to life. We finally got a look at how the script changes--mid-challenge alterations to the original task--work. They're a good twist on the format. Instead of creating accurate representations of the demons, the artists have to create accurate versions of the demons in ice forms. Hell froze over and these monstrous beings are cold and angry.
The challenge was a solid one, though I wish they got their facts straight about these demons. They're mythological creatures, but that doesn't mean that SyFy gets to fabricate whole new stories about them. There was no excuse for choosing one particular demon that they couldn't even get the right name of. If I had been in the workroom, I would have called them out on it, especially since the form of the name would have clued me into general styles I could incorporate into a design. I would have been pissed to find out they meant another figure with limited information available rather than a much more expansive character that would stand out in the challenge.
The top looks for the challenge were Alam & Anthony and Eric F. & Wayne.
Alam & Anthony probably had the hardest challenge, taking on a non-demon figure in Demus. Demus, more commonly Durga, is the warrior form of the Supreme Goddess in Hinduism. Her appearance is strange but she is not a dark spirit like the other creatures in the challenge.
Alam & Anthony reflected this perfectly. Their Demus was a beautiful and intimidating figure. They abandoned the many arms of the goddess, giving her an elaborate series of horns and blue skin. The styling is really what sold the look, with an ice blue sari, elaborate gold jewelry, and a bindi.
Eric F. & Wayne had a more traditional demon concept to work with. Chort is the being of total evil in Slavic mythology. He has all the tropes of the traditional devil--horn, hooves, claws, and tail--plus the face of a pig.
Eric F. & Wayne landed in the top because of their execution of a very difficult sculpt. They created a large head with a deep, cavernous mouth the model Could see out of. I wasn't crazy about the styling or the actual look of the face, but it was an effective representation of a very twisted demonic figure.
Alam & Anthony's Demus was declared the winner, with Anthony taking the victory (two in a row) for his face sculpt over Alam's styling, paint job, and feet sculpt.
The bottom two looks were Alexandra & Autumn and Jenna & Katie.
Alexandra & Autumn had the iconic Pazuzu. Pazuzu, best known for his appearance in The Exorcist though best loved for his appearance as the Professor's pet in Futurama, is an Assyrian and Babylonian demon. He brings famine and locusts as a grotesque blend of scorpion, lion, dog, eagle, leathery wings, serpent, and human.
I actually liked Alexandra & Autumn's design and execution, so it's a bit of a struggle to relay why they were in the bottom two. What it seemed like was that there were five very strong looks and the show couldn't just have the losing team on the bottom. The judges dinged them for the construction of the wings and not adapting their very flexible design to specific cold weather concepts.
Jenna & Katie had Eurynome, which I assume was supposed to be Eurynomos. Euroynomos is part of the ancient Greek mythology lost to time. He is either a minor spirit, the embodiment of rotting corpses in the underworld, or one whose texts have been lost. He might even be a construct of a much later painter exploring Greek mythology. Eurynome is actually a divine figure in Greeky mythology, an Oceanid worshiped in the form of mermaid. Knowing that SyFy couldn't even get the name right, it's no wonder that Jenna & Kate struggled so much with the research they were provided.
Jenna & Katie had to rely on staples of creating demons at Halloween events, including arm extensions and a ripped up face. It just didn't work. Jenna struggled to complete her sculpt because of a medical condition--a benign tumor in her hand is pinching a nerve--and Katie did a very poor job at building out the arm extensions. If they ditched the arms, they might have skirted by as the overall effect was really good. That demon looked like it was rotting and that's really all they had to go on.
Ultimately, Jenna & Katie had the bottom look and Katie was sent home for the arm extensions. It was the right choice even if it blind-sided Katie. Jenna has been on top already and consistently put out good work. Katie has consistently been in the bottom of the challenges and barely got through last week on the superhero challenge.
Like the images in this post? They come from SyFy's Face Off galleries. Check them out.