Externally set task: Disguise
My Starting Point: Disguise
I have selected the theme 'Disguise' as my starting point for the Externally Set Task.
I was quite interested in incorporating some abnormal elements in my work. I researched some artists such as Thomas Spieler and Matt Wisniewski, whose work i really liked and took some inspiration for the ideas i have.
I was quite interested in incorporating some abnormal elements in my work. I researched some artists such as Thomas Spieler and Matt Wisniewski, whose work i really liked and took some inspiration for the ideas i have.
Tallis Arts Pinterest:
First Response
When i first started to experiment some of my own disguises i used some white masks which covered the face pretty well, I found that these images were successful and i really liked the idea of the unknown and a scary theme. The lighting really helped develop the image more and some of the resources we used really added to the pictures. I then went onto photoshop to experiment as i'd never used it before. I then ventured onto photoshop and i'd taken an image of mine and added a quote over the face: I thought it was a really successful image because it had a scary element to it, which i then paid more attention and interested to creating . I merged my mask image with a scary quote because i felt that it had a horror element within it.
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Matt WisniewskiMatt Wisniewski is an American web developer and collage artist based in New York. Wisniewski has created many successful images by overlaying portraits with organic patterns—from flowers to jagged peaks to a Rorschach blot. He came to the combination through experiments. He also states that he creates these images because they're pretty; “It’s mostly just aesthetic,” and “Whatever looks nice, really.”
“Natural elements tend to be a little simpler and fit together a bit more obviously with the portraits than urban elements.” |
THOMAS SPIELER 's collage work is not about "what is hidden, but what is peeking through." He uses botanical and geological imagery in many of his collages, Spieler covers pictures of the human form, it could be an ancient stone bust or a similarly chiseled body. Though the subject is layered in overgrown foliage, piles of fallen rocks or discarded butterfly wings, Spieler allows the artifacts of human life still shine through, offering a shaded view into the past.
Spieler juxtaposes vintage black & white of human figures with brightly colored photographs of more abstract forms. Many of the black-and-white photos look like they could be ads or pictures of movie stars lifted from old magazines, while others appear to be photographs of classical sculptures. Meanwhile, the colorful photos are of objects found in nature, such as minerals, geological formations, butterfly wings and flower petals. |
Thomas Spieler
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Response to Matt Wisniewski
I edited this images on photoshop and it was something i had never used before and i had many attempts until i had achieved standard of work that i thought was appropriate and some that i was really impressed with. These images were inspired by Matt Wisniewski, I liked how he incorporated natural elements and blended them in with other features of someone or something.
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Douglas Gordon burns images of renowned celebrities- most notably hollywood actors- in his photo series 'Self Portrait of You & Me'.
The result is an image whereby the appearance of the photo subject has been marred by gaping holes. This act disguises the person by burning away the features on their faces. Burning facial features on someone is as if someone has taken away someone identity and to leave a blank space is an open ended way for ideas and interpretations of the image. |
India LawtonIn India Lawton's 'Scars' series, her photos all that remains are traces of a ghost family, decapitated memories, remembrances that have been burned forever, faces devoured by woodworms and unknown hands. To then discover that what India is showing us is something else, something invisible.
"In spite of the devastating violence, indeed something remains. The photographs, though mangled, wounded and partly incinerated, resist. And they remind us that statistically they can survive any natural disaster far better than man. They have scars that whisper of an inevitable destiny, but they invite us to take pleasure in our dear remains for as long as we can. " |
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Responses to Douglas Gordon & India Lawton
These images were inspired by Douglas Gordon aswell as India Lawton, I discovered the artists/photographers from Pinterest, which then i took my inspiration for my images. I used some old pictures of family and friends and burned a hole through the face, disguising them, I also used some models that i found in magazines. I thought, leaving a black canvas for the viewer to decide the facial features or the emotions on the faces was my interpretation of how i wanted the meaning for my images.
What i did was i tried to use a match stick to burn through the images but the flame had spread too fast, so i resorted to using an incense stick which i burned and placed the tip on the surface and let it burn through itself with no force. Also i used a knife and a pair of scissors to scratch the face.
What i did was i tried to use a match stick to burn through the images but the flame had spread too fast, so i resorted to using an incense stick which i burned and placed the tip on the surface and let it burn through itself with no force. Also i used a knife and a pair of scissors to scratch the face.
Response to Maria Frodl
The images that I've taken were inspired from Maria Frodl from some of her images that i saw on Pinterest, i found some interesting ideas and these were one of them. I really like the idea of bandaging the face and blurring the features or only revealing some features prominently such as the eye.
Display Strategies
These display strategies have given me ideas to display my set of images in a frame that's either connected or placed next to each other, e.g i'd like my images to be in frames and attached by strings so it hangs. I intend to make my own frames using thick card to mount my images on.
My Final Piece
I have chosen these set of images as my final pieces and these were inspired by Matt Wisniewski and Thomas Spieler, because i really liked how they incorporated natural elements and scenes in their images so i decided to give it a go on photoshop. My particular favourite image is the one with the ocean on benny's face, I really liked how it both blended together. I initially was going to choose one or two but then i preferred my images as a set. Overall i found this project quite challenging and it really challenged my abilities shown in my work. Although i mainly worked on photoshop i found that i worked better as when i tried to do experiments not on the computer but i wasn't very satisfied with the finished product.
I researched many artists such as: Maria Frodl, India Lawton, Douglas Gordon, and although i responded to these, they didn't satisfy me enough to be expanded and improved on further, i enjoyed creating the images in the process but was never happy with the final result. It did take me quite a while to choose the final set i have as i was really indecisive at a point and had to ask for advice from my peers as well as the teacher.
Overall, i found this whole project quite hard to focus on because i was motivated at the start of the project but when it started to progress for too long i honestly got uninterested from the project, but now that i've got a finished product. This project has taught me many things technically and It has taught me to be more persistent in my ideas.
I researched many artists such as: Maria Frodl, India Lawton, Douglas Gordon, and although i responded to these, they didn't satisfy me enough to be expanded and improved on further, i enjoyed creating the images in the process but was never happy with the final result. It did take me quite a while to choose the final set i have as i was really indecisive at a point and had to ask for advice from my peers as well as the teacher.
Overall, i found this whole project quite hard to focus on because i was motivated at the start of the project but when it started to progress for too long i honestly got uninterested from the project, but now that i've got a finished product. This project has taught me many things technically and It has taught me to be more persistent in my ideas.