Imperfection: TM Chatham

Environmentalist: Timothy Michael Chatham

New Zealand (2010)

Gallery Collection: Pop Art - Portraits

Automatist Digital Sculpture: Exercise 4

Revitalization - the Twelve Steps

Everything Starts With Something… or Nothing by Ron Maubidea

It was late summer in 2008, when work began on this photograph. The image was of a woman who trained hunting birds in her native country and Costa Rica. Plagued by poor quality, the photo offered little more than basic shapes and a faded background. 

After eliminating the background and zooming in on her shoulders, the concept of a bust-like portrait began to emerge. I focused the sculpting technique on the right side of the image when a muscular limb took shape. Since biceps had neither feathers nor wings, the work was abandoned until 2009.

What you see in the first photo (step 1), was the result of a lost theme and how it was recovered. The following steps will demonstrate the various stages in ADS and how they were applied...

                          The Falconer and her Bird of Prey

 

Step 1 

Reconsider the existing form

Step 2

Image Redefined (adjust color and contrast)

Step 3

Image Redefined (monochrome)

Step 4

 The Addition of Color Filters

Step 5

Image Realigned and Cropped

Step 6

 Cleanup with Enhanced Color

Step 7

Concept Expansion A

Step 8

Refinement

Step 9

Concept Expansion B (sculpting the falcon)

Step 10

Refinement

Step 11

Refinement

Step 12

Clean Up and Final Adjustments

Haitian Creole Pudding: Happenstance and Feathers (2009)

Honorable Mention: Christopher Hitchens

Best wishes on a speedy recovery!

* One of my favorite writers * 

Photo Enhancements: Exercise 6

The Original Image

Due to the existing Photoshop enhancements, unnatural shading has been added to the composition of the image. These artifacts are most notable on the palm of the upper hand and head area.  

Step 1

Experiment with color variations and emotional amplification. In this instance; the model’s eyebrow as been slightly raised to alter her demeanor.

Step 2

The central portion of the image has been “keyed” with soft edges (ellipical marquee tool). Select “inverse” to further isolate the subject and begin to experiment with the surrounding area.

Duplicate and Save each version worthy of additional time and/or interest.

Step 3

To alter the perspective… try flipping the image horizontally for additional possibilities. By redefining the flow of energy, you are creating new paths for the viewer’s eyes to follow.

A “new dialogue” if you will . . .

Step 4

After cancelling both the marquee and inverse tools, modest levels of grain and diffusion have been added to create a mode éthérée (an ethereal disposition).

Note the remaining green artifacts (unnatural shading) in the subjects’ hair.

Step 5

A blue filter has been added to “cool” the effect of the diffusion. The “quick selection tool” was employed to separate the areas you may wish to change. In doing so, the central portion of the photograph will remain intact.

 

Step 6: Clean Up... The final image

Not unlike the traditional form of cel animation,  a total of twelve variations were used to get to this point. Those of little importance can be deleted if space on your drive is a consideration.

Always save the critical steps in the development of your images. It is not uncommon to review them at a later date, to further explore what has previously been established. 

Photograph courtesy of Nana Thurler

Regina and ikye: Modèles de Studio

Subtitle: État Passager de Régression Angélique

Translation: Transient State of Angelic Regression

 Description: A brief snapshot of the Artist Muse and Galerie Intern

Cassandra Landau - Gallery Coordinator

Maubidea Interview: random excerpts

Interview and Content (c) 2010 Putain d'art

All Rights Reserved

Quote: I think the art world as a whole… has an overabundance of pretty paintings and photographs. These pleasant images have a positive / soothing effect on our subconscious and serve a very specific purpose.

On the other hand… the world for many does not have a pretty face. Hence the need for visual disassociation, conscious and otherwise.

*What are your considerations when developing an image?

For the greater part… the work will generally focus on amplifying the darker shades of emotion, exploring the irrational and the absurd. As human beings, these aberrations in “normal” behaviors are most compelling and deserve an effective voice.

*Looking closer at that statement, don’t you mean “normal” expressions and not behaviors?

The face is our personal mirror and directly reflects what an individual is feeling at any given moment. Perhaps if someone was being tortured and the goal was to hang tough and look unaffected, sure… expressions might appear confusing.

Behaviors also reflect what we are feeling and those emotions are translated through facial expressions. Whichever may come first is a toss-up, but in this case I was referring to behaviors.

*From the tone of your statement, are you suggesting that artists abandon the idea of classic landscapes and traditional portraiture?

I’m not suggesting anything of the sort. Traditional landscapes and portraits make up a huge part of the marketplace. Sometimes… in order to do one thing you must first do another. That is the nature of global commerce and a noteworthy concern when attempting to pay for your overhead, things like rent and art supplies.

It was never a conscious decision to specifically focus on certain themes, as the work is subconsciously driven and almost impossible to predict. But after a while certain patterns begin to emerge. Those patterns are what determine the source of a style and it is that which needs greater attention.

*How would you define normal behaviors?

You simply cannot! If everyone walked about like Stepford Wives (robots), there would not exist a visible range of emotions. Expressions would be limited to happy, sad, confused and so on. People would look and act the same all the time which would eliminate the possibility of individualism.

What appears to be normal… is the scale of general expressions people choose to manifest. When that chain is broken and an individual steps outside of what is considered socially or morally acceptable (e.g. child molestation, spousal abuse), it is those and other deviant behaviors most would view as unacceptable and not in the normale de mode.

What is deliberate, is trying to find a method to exaggerate those expressions and push the envelope of absurdity to its illogical conclusion.

*You mention on the About page of your website, that you have never used a digital paintbrush or drawing tablet to develop an image… is that still an accurate statement?


Yes… but today it’s sort of a yes and no depending on what you call painting. Through 2008-09, the only tool I was using was the Liquify and the various modes in that menu. Much had to do with color variations, shading, adjustments to the hue and so forth.

As the program became more familiar and my application (technique) began to expand, the paintbrush became an essential fill tool. Ultimately to change or color correct an area, I began to incorporate the Marquee as it felt natural and a better choice.

You have to remember... the software was part of a purchase for a Digital Drawing Tablet (still unused), and I had no previous training or experience with Photoshop.

*What was the most notable comment on your work to date?

That's an easy one (laughing)... it came from my website developer Nadia, a former Nuclear Physicist.

We were in her studio trying to decide on a particular piece when she turned to me and said; "You make such beautiful pictures for a Photoshop illiterate, I simply do not understand how you can do this... amazing"

Gallery image: Minotaur: Eclipsing the Moon

Radical Displacement of Cytoplasm

Subtitle: Corruptible Fatty Enzymes

Genre: Automatist Digital Sculpture

Collection: Microbiology - Chemistry - Science

Cassandra Landau - Gallery Coordinator