Experimentation: Collages

I had a go at some collages with a recurring element of covering up the faces with patterns. The first one I did (above) I feel doesn't have enough meaning behind it as i ask the question why are the faces covered up? I think some elements of this collage are quite effective but I don't think I will investigate into this much further because I feel the insect images and the collage/drawing below have more potential to experiment with.

With this collage/drawing I concentrated on one person and that the pattern starts to consume her face. I took this further and made it look like she has become camouflaged with the pattern. However I don't know wether to fill the white space with more of the pattern as I feel it maybe to much to look at, although this may intensify the camouflage appearance more effectively. To develop this further I could take my own photos to add a personal feel and I would be able construct the poses how I want.

On more thought I don't think i will investigate into this area anymore!

experimentation: insects

I wanted to produce an image that was intricate and concealed insects within the lines. I chose insects as they are a perfect example of camouflage as some are small and have developed into looking the same as their surroundings. With this image I have made the lines travel through each insect and are not angular because I want to keep a natural organic feel creating a cobweb effect. However with this piece I do not like the medium (pen) I have used as it produces no tone, although I like some of the lines and I tried in some cases to have a mirror like effect on the insects bodies.

For this piece I have used ink and blown at the ink blots to create more tangled and interesting lines across the insects. I prefer the effect the ink has made because it has more tonal variation.

I think what has worked best in this is the legs from the insects as they interweave and attach to other insects. However, the fact that the insects are filled in makes it quite obvious where the insects are which is going against the camouflage, hidden theme.

Using the same method as before, however this time not filling in the insects body, although this has lost some nice texture, it has made the cobweb effect becoming more of a challenge to see the insects which is what I want to achieve. I think I may add some detailed patterns or more lines to make it much more harder to see the insects as they are still quite prominent.

I had a little play on photoshop and repeated the image above in different shades. I like the formation of lines that were created however I can't make my mind up if i like the finished image. It may need more done to it however I don't think I want to produce them on the computer and I JUST DONT LIKE IT!

I tried a completely different approach to hiding the insects by using a toothbrush to splatter ink across the insects, which makes a mysterious effect. Although I prefer the details in the line formations because I like how you can follow the lines throughout the image.

Things to experiment:

-Water and ink
-Printing techniques e.g lino cut or dry point
-Paper cut out
-Sewing
-COLOUR!!!

-Patterns

Research: Cutting

I really want to experiment with cutting into the paper and maybe even forming a 3D object from it. I found all these examples on ffffound ages ago, so I can't find who did them.....very annoying!

Even though the image above doesn't involve a hidden aspect, but I really like the shape that has been cut and the how the pages have come away to form a textured plant shape.

The many holes running through these books produces other shapes combined with different shades of paper make perfect hiding places for images or text, maybe even creating a story like the 'Very hungry caterpillar' children's book. I really like the structures that has been formed from a quite simple idea.

This gives me great ideas to have a narrative in a 3D object. The different images that have been cut into the book go through the books like steps. There are so many hidden spaces in this piece it makes me feel the books are holding many secrets within the tangled though individual elements all creating really interesting shapes.

These beautiful paper cuts although simpler than Hina Aoyama very detailed pieces. however these pieces have a different finish, the top one especially is to entices you look through the bird shape and see the drawings behind. The larger and more striking paper cut although not particularly giving off the effect of hidden, I chose it because of the patterns that have been cut, as i think these make interesting shapes to see through to an image or even another paper cut.

Research: hiding faces

I am quite interested in the aspect of concealment over an image, as if it is engulfing the image behind it. For example fashion illustrator Sabine Pieper's piece below has a hair like textured pattern consuming her face. The pattern reminds me of a swarm of insects crawling all over her and her eye starring right at you gives the piece a quite creepy feel about it, however I really like the effect.

I love this image of two woman's heads and the concealed birds within the tangled, flowing, organic lines. From the expressions gives me real feeling of emotion and the distinct although hidden individual images gives this piece by Gabriel Moreno a powerful impression. As I studied each line and how they interconnect with each other gives me the idea to produce something that you follow to create a narrative within a single image.

This collage by ContainerPLUS shows a different angle how I could show a narrative in my work. I really like the composition of the images balanced by the white background on the left which gives it depth and a personal feel as though the image of the house and person is known by the illustrator. Again the flowing ink and pen lines make your eyes move across the image to absorb all the information in an order.

Emmanuel Polanco another collage illustrator produced these images with an old fashioned style. Each image has an concealment of a face however in this case it makes me feel as if they have a secret to hide. I really like all the different images and patterns used giving the images texture and a feast for your eyes to look around. The quite delicate images of women and flowers combined with the contrast of the dark backgrounds gives a mysterious feel adding to the the secretive atmosphere.

Research: illusion and detail

I am to produce a piece of work in response to the theme 'hidden' including intense research in the form of investigation and experimentation.
Feel free to leave any comments you would like to make.




I like this image because of the fact you can see the mirror within the grass however still has an optical illusion element about it. Compared to other optical illusions this one has been taken out of the usual context and involves the nature surroundings, which i find quite unusual and interesting.



I really like the idea of having an object being hidden within the space around it, quite like camouflage. As with the image above you can see that the person is in the image however its been so well done you have to take a second glance just to make sure!
I really like the detail within this image. I would love to know the process that has been made to produce it. Although i feel it cannot of been painted onto the person however if it has been done using the computer it would disappoint me slightly!

Staying with the theme of hidden objects within the image I found these amazing cut out pieces by Hina Aoyama, which astound me how intricate they are. It's the hidden detail that impresses me most, until you look closer you can see how much effort and careful cutting it took to produce these images. The top image as you look around the pieces you can see little flowers and birds weaved into the intricate lines that seem to be all connected.

I really like the different patterns that weave together smoothly and highlights parts of the herons body.