Photography Self Portrait Research and Contextualisation

Tool, one of the most influential in the most innate sense on modern music, and probably the most mysterious progressive rock band of the last two decades. Their whole discography goes through a very elaborate journey. Their earlier sound was very rough and energetic, with Maynard's gross lyrical imagery is very intense and has a very pessimistic view on humanity as a whole. going from 'Opiate' to 'Undertow' and then 'Anaemia' there is a subtle progression of gradual frustration and resentment towards the human race, or american society. Each album progresses from what the other left off from, and each are more technically advanced and lyrically my cryptic and 'deep and meaningful'.

   From 'Anaemia's' last song on the album 'Third Eye', is almost a glimpse into the future, it is almost as if they were setting themselves us for their mind altering, transcendental, musical masterpiece, 'Lateralus'. It was with this album that the solidified their genius! On this album are truly mesmerising sounds, conveying a whole range of thoughts and feeling, mostly generated around spiritual development, and broadening conscious to see and feel the whole untapped world that underlies our existence. The significant themes of this album there are, reconnecting to oneself, reconnecting to others and the universe in total. The theme of  the transcendental is tightly woven into the music and art alike.

 That is because the Artist who created the artwork for both Lateralus and 10,000 days, is no other than Alex Grey. This i see is a clear pathway from musical quartet to artistic master mind. i first listened to the album, then i saw the art, and researched up who the artist was and i came across his whole body of work. I amazed me! the themes of his work seemed to resonate deeply with me as if i had already seen them before, especially the 'Net Of Being'. it had a profound effect on me when i first saw it.

With these two artists, i decided to create a poster for Tool, a new Tour, and album, would be included, and as Alex Grey has done the artwork for both of their latest releases it only seems natural to make the subject of alex grey decent. Thus my final work will look like this.

 

Photography

Whats working?
i like the progression going from bottom to top, my  face with layered elements of skull and black face, and the mari to frame it all.
Whats not working?
i think the use of the eraser could be done little better, with more care and less rushed.
Whats next?
for my next experiment i will take more time over the eraser tool., and make the mari frame more semetrical  

Final Building Image Presentation

                                                   From chaos and Oblivion we are born.

                                             A death in this world, it but only to be reborn.

                                                      Incarnated through Fire

                                                     Lifted by Air

                                                     Cleansed by Water

                                            ...To Reach re:birth and the Totality of Oneself

Photography

                                          10,000 Days

                                          Lateralus

                                          Sleeping Giant

Whats working?
I like the use of layering, and changing the opacity settings so i can get a very fluid and easy transition of form, or making two images become one.
Whats not working?
some of the pictures that i have taken myself don't match up exactly with what i am layering onto.
Whats next?
In the future i will have a copy of the photo i would like to put my layer over, so that i can get the exact angles and proportions that are needed in order to create a seem-less image.

6 Page Works: Mystic publication

                                                     Life

                                                     Oblivioin

                                                      Earth

                                                       Fire

                                                     Water

                                                    Air

Bosch, Entry into Paradice

Photoshop Application

Building Image:

Whats working?
i like the layered repetition of form (skull) and the mannequin's face and the general compositing.
i also like the colours that i used in photoshop with high contrast.
Whats not working?
The background is uneven and there are some power plugs in the way.
Whats next?
maybe still using the general composition, i could make the background more aesthetically pleasing and maybe add more skulls and faces into the background.

Whats working?
i like the idea behind the picture the eye coming though the hand of the artist. I like the strong colours and high contrast. Also how there is paint on my hand.
Whats not working?
the background doesnt work as well as i would like it too. i cant put my finger on it but i think it is because there is a light switch, and there is black at the sides.
Whats next?
maybe i could make the eye fit a bit better into my hand? also make the background either plain? or try to make a kind of frame that it will fit in.



                                                                Lens Based:

  Whats working?
i like the pose i am in. i like the halo-like disc above my head, as well as the red beam of the supporting structure of the building. i like how the light is almost coming from where the camera is angled, we can only see a little bit of shadow.
Whats not working?
i am at a slight angle which i dont think is as effective if i was face on. the eye on the halo above me is slightly off centre and it is not easy to determine that it is an eye.
Whats next?
i will take the shot front on, maybe with the sun doing straight as well. and make the eye in the disc more recognisable.

Whats working?
i like how my face has been merged with the jaw of the pig, and the top of my head appears to be sprouting a silver fern. i also like the pattern i put on top, slightly faded.
Whats not working?
i mistakenly put, 'show time and date' in the picture :@ and the fern doesnt sit on the centre of my head.
Whats next?
i am going to toy with the idea of plants/buildings/thoughts/objects? sprouting out of head and the idea of putting a pattern faded over the top.

Building Image: Scanned Image with Text

BUilding Image: Photo Merging

Photography Application

Photographing: Texture

                          Line

                          Pattern

Manifesto

Everything exists for a reason,
Everything happens for a reason,
Everything is for a reason!
Death is only a transition to another world.

Mother Nature is no coincidence,
She is art and we are,
All products of her creation.

"I think therefore, I am" (De carte)

Building image research

Cover of 'The Edler Scrolls' Oblivion game. It depicts a symbol of an Oblivion Gate, where through on the other side is a hellish world full of evil creatures and demons, governed by the 600 foot, multiple armed Mehrunz Dagon. One of the most devilish of the Daedric Gods. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4b/The_Elder_Scrolls_IV_Oblivion_cover.png

Photography

Photographed myself in Leonard's famous 'star man' position, and photoshopped elements of visionary artist Alex Grey's art work to make an interesting composition.

Here you can see my development process, fiddling around with colour and composition.

Whats working?

i like the general composition, the way my arms are spread out in 'da vinci style' i also like the arch way that frames my body, it gives a good focal point to the picture. in the final picture i also like how the layered pattern gives the illusion of depth. i also kind of like how Ambers face is caught in the moment looking back at the viewer.

Whats not working?

i dont really like how my you cannot see my body, my skin, i feel it would look more natural if i were de clothed. i dont really like the background with the fence and the road wit h a parked car there. it interferes with what the picture is about. 

Whats next? conduct the same picture maybe taking off my t-shirt? taking a picture of some bush land so i can photoshop that in and make it a more harmonious scene. 

Building Image

Here I took photographs of 'Claudia' (my life size maniquin) and pictures of the scare crow with a pigs skull as a base, to create an interesting mystical picture

Whats working?
I like the colours and repeated images, i like skulls.
whats not working?
i like the general composition although there are some parts where it is a bit off centre and where the image has been cut off with a straight edge.
Whats next?
take photos that include the entire object so that i dont get parts that are cut off, and measure out the dimensions of the composition to avoid the off centred-ness.