UNIT 8 Photo Editing

After experimenting within the 3D workshop I decided to further explore layering in a more 2D aspect by beginning to involve portraiture with cartography. I used two different methods of photo editing to combine cartography and portraiture in the form of layering: Brushes App and Photoshop.

Photoshop

To combine portraiture and cartography I participated in a Photoshop workshop where I was taught how to create a double exposed image with this software. I used an image from my primary research of the 'Changing Faces of Leeds' exhibition and cut around his face using the rough selection tool. I then layered this above a map of Leeds to create a connection between the map and  model similar to Ed Fairburns work. I then played around with affects and colour on both layers to produce several images. I felt out of my comfort zone within this workshop as I wasn't used to the software and was fairly clueless however I gained more confidence in my skills and I am happy with the results.

My own image of a friend 

Brushes App

I've used the brushes app as a platform to create digital art before in the past however the tools provided can allow me to layer images to create a double exposed image. I used a photograph I took of my friend during a trip for the portraiture aspect of the image and combined it with an AA road map of Yorkshire. By using this map I have taken influence from Ed Fairburn as I am creating a connection between the map and the model.

Screenshot of the Brushes App

In the layers bar along the side I created two layers and added the images onto each layer; the photograph of my friend being on the top layer. I then reduced the transparency of layer 2 to 61% therefore the map underneath becomes visible. Now I used the transforming tool on the second layer to move and resize the image so that it would line up with the map; to finish off the image I cropped off the excess map.

My illustration 

Using the double exposed image I produced as a guideline I created an Ed Fairburn style illustration in order to gain more knowledge and understanding of how portraiture and cartography flow so well together. Fairburn puts emphasis on the connection between map and model therefore I chose this particular map segment of Yorkshire as my friends hometown is Doncaster; if you look carefully on the screenshot you can see that the town of Doncaster is in the corner of her eye and the roads follow the shapes of her face showing evidence of just how well her face flows into the map of her birthplace. 

I was really happy with how successful my outcomes have been from photo editing and how portraiture has flowed into my work naturally. Since this a 2D experiment of my work on layering I might incorporate another one of my 3D techniques with these images - perhaps to create an acid etch - and explore how effective those outcomes may be.