Practical art class... blog - iqew

...exam for the next few weeks is the current topic.

A few days ago we got a new practical art class exam and we're supposed do create a portrait, but not in the usual way. We have to think about other ways to show a portrait than the usual photography/painting and are actually supposed to think in a box (hahaha?), as the portrait actually is supposed to be inside of a box. As I am a hobby environment artist I couldn't help myself but thinking of environments in the first place. I have plenty ideas about a jungle scene showing a figure in a rain forrest/jungle like theme.

Highres: Img714.imageshack.us
(Remember, it was a first idea and just some thinking, in the following you will see that I have a little different idea in mind now)

Maybe I should explain the task a bit more, as it's a little difficult to get. We can use any sort of box (paper, wood, whatever) and are supposed to find a way to make a portrait of a person (well known, fiction, we decide) inside of this box. So we can decorate the box in any way and therefor find symbols f.e. for famous people and put things in there that connect to the main topic of the box (f.e. Obama and American flags or something).

It's one of the very few tasks that needs crafting/building skills instead of just drawing or painting something since 8th grade or something. However, I have plenty ideas to craft stuff and build a good environment. I hope that I can also impliment a real light source at the top of the box making somekind of lightfocus onto the figure through a little hole. For the inside of the box walls I will use a mix of photography and/or matte paintings. I still have to think what would work best to create the best 3d illusion possible for this. I think that I will create a panorama matte painting and will not use the four static walls, but build a complete round corner with that panorama on top of it.

Also, I want to have a transformation from the photo to the real world. That means that I want to connect real objects as good as possible with the photography, so you get the illusion that the photo becomes alive.

Really high goals and expectations for myself, but I can see myself achieving it and I also have realistic ideas how to create such an illusion, will take a lot of time and thinking though, but I find this project really interesting, because I really have to craft the ideas I have in mind and I don't just draw or paint them on the computer. It really has to work, therefor there can't bee too much crazy ideas which would work in a sci-fi image or something.

Also, I will buy a nice little camera, so I can actually keep you on track with my project and can inform you guys with some little photo stories, sweeeet :D

stay tuned~

cheers.