Past Perfect -- collage for Thursday
So I started this on the Mel Brooks night, and finished it this morning. It started as a photo of actress Gloria Swanson, but I'm not sure it's even recognizable as her, any more.
I really love overpainting photos. No, seriously. There's something about getting the balance just right -- it's a combination of reduction of the image to its essentials, coupled with trying to keep the layers of paint subtle. I fail at this, a lot (the failures gaze at me reproachfully until I cover them up with other collage stuff), but I'm really happy when it goes well.
I like this one.
I really love overpainting photos. No, seriously. There's something about getting the balance just right -- it's a combination of reduction of the image to its essentials, coupled with trying to keep the layers of paint subtle. I fail at this, a lot (the failures gaze at me reproachfully until I cover them up with other collage stuff), but I'm really happy when it goes well.
I like this one.
Comments
I mess up the overpainting so many times -- it's really easy to go overboard, and then the effect is absolutely not what I want.
Of course, the most important thing is starting with a great photo - and I find twentieth-century film/opera glamour headshots are just perfect!