Human Body is the Mark Final

I think I was excited about this project the most because I was so sure of what I wanted to capture. The following are photos I found on Pinterest that originally inspired me.

I wanted to mask the identity of the model and focus on the body solely. I found this mask with feathers on the top and decided to use that. I also knew the setting of the final photographs would be somewhere in nature - in the woods. 

I also knew that clothing was going to be a major distraction so like the above photos, I went with a minimalistic approach. The model wore basic lingerie to compliment the mask and the natural curves, bust, etc of the model.

The photographs represent a figure in the woods with a human body. The identity of the form/person is purposely unknown. The form is hidden in the trees and brush in order to frame the curvature and ligaments of the body. The skin tone was hi-lighted by natural lighting to focus on the color tone, imperfections, etc. of the flesh. I wanted the form to be as natural as possible. 

The model was also very Bambi or doe-like to represent naive or innocence in the woods. Unaware of civilization or industrialization in society. The model posed like this to represent that and to highlight the form specifically - fingers dangling to focus on them and the whole hand as a form. 

The photo with the model's back turned is one of the more important photos in the series because it shows the other side of the body and it's imperfections - which is my favorite part. 

Drawing on Objects

 The following photos from Pinterest are what inspired me for this project. I loved how the manipulation was done and how each one is so unique:

I bought three framed original paintings from a local thrift shop. I intended the original work to be a little aged and imperfect.

The first is a portrait of Roosevelt that I was certainly attracted to. I started sewing with thick string along the eyes - from the eyebrows down - exactly where a pair of sunglasses would lay. I decided to go back and criss cross the string in order to hide the eyes as much as possible. It is probably my favorite.

Before and after




The next I manipulated much more than the first. I used thick string and thin thread and sewed through the painting. I followed lines I saw that the tree trunks and shadows made. I then bought some frosted glass spray and focused in the edges of the glass. I smeared it while wet in order for it to look dream-like and blurry.
Colored pastels were then added wet and dry with my fingers in specific areas of interest. Blue and yellow in order to contrast the red string. Cutting, scratching and slicing was also done with a box cutter and scissors for a more "used and abused" look.

This final one is much cleaner - the string outlines negative space I wanted to play with. I took the lines I saw with the barbed wire and extended it upwards and down. I scratched lines into the flowers and the wood grain of the barn. I then added a color to compliment the red and used my fingers to add the pastel. Both wet and dry. I wanted it to have movement and as I added the color it was very freeing to not have any structure.