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An artsy mom has transformed icons of yesteryear into full-fledged members of Generation Z, using old iPad snapshots and flourishes to imagine what they would look like in 2023.
Hobbyist artist Becca Brandon, 30, from Burbage, Leicestershire, has seen her transformation videos, which add modern fashion trends to some of the world’s most recognizable stars, frequently go viral on social media.
The 30-year-old films herself working with the Procreate iPad app to reimagine what some of the world’s biggest icons would look like if they were enjoying their success today.
Among the famous faces given a Gen-Z makeover is Elvis Presley. The King’s signature quiff is styled into messy bangs that are attached to a newly formed beard and piercings.
And an 18-year-old Queen Elizabeth II looks almost unrecognizable, after Brandon added more makeup and loose locks to the late monarch’s teenage appearance.
Artist Becca Brandon uses her iPad to reimagine what 20th-century icons might have looked like: with the Queen, pictured at 18, getting the Generation-Z treatment
Other videos of the digital art show Audrey Hepburn seemingly getting a dose of lip filler and brow pencil, while Marilyn Monroe is given a voluminous blow-dry and eyeliner.
The full-time mom says she loves to imagine what the icons would have looked like if they had been born in the late ’90s and relishes the challenge of editing old photos.
The mother-of-four’s videos have been viewed more than two million times and many are torn between loving the visions and suggesting her predictions are wrong.
Becca said: ‘It’s really interesting to see them in a different light. I’ve wondered what they look like now.
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‘With older icons the image quality is low sometimes so I have to find an image to transform. Then I look at the styles that people have now and put that on them.
“I have always been interested in the Queen and I wanted to see what it would be like without protocols and if she was present now.
“I wanted to give her long hair and makeup that she couldn’t have.
Hobbyist artist Brandon did a BTEC in art and design before beginning her career as a social worker, but is now a full-time mum.
Audrey Hepburn could sport fuller lips and more pronounced eyebrows, according to Brandon
Princess Diana pictured as a teenager before marrying then-Prince Charles.
A hint of Diana’s face is recognizable after Brandon’s handiwork, but the late royal would sport much smokier eyes and fuller blonde locks.
“Her dress is a little more revealing and it’s interesting to see how she would dress now if she was 18 because they don’t dress fully covered.”
She says that when it came to updating Elvis, she wanted to stay true to his original look, but she could see the chart-topper embracing modern trends.
“People have longer hair, piercings and beards, which weren’t acceptable back then. The most difficult thing is to update an old image and make it realistic. I don’t want it to become cartoonish, so I have to blend everything just right.
Becca did a BTEC in art and design before beginning her career as a social worker and is now a full-time mom who pursues art as a hobby.
After trying his hand at digital art, he began fusing celebrities together and then went on to ‘modernize’ famous faces from the past.
Becca clips the camera to the iPad or uses a stand so she can capture some of the developments and turn them into videos.
The artist uses an Apple pencil to make the transformations, which have gone viral Right: Her videos show her transforming the images
A close-up shows how the Queen’s hair could be a different shade in modern times.
The talented mother admits that she struggles to find time to make art and film quietly in a dark room while taking care of four children.
In response to Queen Elizabeth II’s video, one wrote: “No way, that was awesome.”
Another commented: “That’s a completely different person.”
Becca responded, “That’s what would happen if you took a person from the 1940s/50s and put them in 2023.”
On the Audrey Hepburn video, one wrote: ‘Damn. She looks so different.
While one commented: ‘It looked better before.’
On the Elvis video, one user wrote: ‘A mix of Zayn Malik and Adam Lambert. Really cool.’
While another commented: ‘I’m madly obsessed with Elvis. What a beautiful specimen of a person. Elvis didn’t conform to ‘social norms’ so why would he now?’
While his work has been a hit with many who have seen the videos, others clearly have an interest in seeing the captions’ original appearance preserved.
She says: ‘It’s got a lot more interest than I thought. People have been delighted to see the icons they love so much and see what they would look like today.
Some people hate them and like them just the way they were. It’s hard to please everyone.