Monday 30/3/20 - Masked Art

Revisiting the digital mask design I made for the previous propaganda project, I wanted to work on a small experiment related to the current project. One major idea I am covering in this project is using work that is iconic and widely recognisable to most people and another is using the mask as a universal connection between the themes such as identity, mental health and censorship.

This experiment was a small test of my photoshop skills and to create some minor pieces for this project. I decided to take very famous works of art, varying in both time of creation and the artist, and adding the very creepy mask I drew previously. I looked at a wide range of work and focused on the angles of people to see how well the mask would fit. This made me realise that the best works were portraits facing generally towards the viewer. Works where the people were particularly small also didn't work as the mask was very hard to see or didn't size down too well.

In the end I chose 4 pieces I had known throughout most of my life, these were ones I felt most people would instantaneously recognise. One in particular is a self portrait by one of the most influential artists for me growing up, Van Gogh. I have always admired his work and even visited Amsterdam with the intent to see the gallery housing most of his work.

With all things considered this is a concept I might revisit, it is something easier for me to complete with the current lockdown situation should I be unable to record my footage.