When making the first self portrait on Photoshop, I wanted to see how I could edit it and in what ways I could make it look interesting from just my photo alone. I started by using simple adjustments like black and white and increasing the exposure to get the black and white to stand out more.
I then decided that while I could have ended it on just using adjustments, I wanted to see what else I could do. This resulted in me using the filter gallery and seeing what fit most out of all of the filters. After flicking through a few, I found the one that worked best and went with it.
The second portrait was a lot more interesting as I wanted to experiment with a similar more cartoony look that I used in my Illustrator Self Portraits. However, unlike that one which is more family friendly, this one is based more on my horror style of art.
I started by keeping the colour scheme as a simple black and white, so I could focus more on the tone work and seeing how I could do it. For the top hat, I used a very similar design for it that I used in a lot of other designs, however the suit is something completely original, especially the bow tie given a horror twist.
However, I decided that red should still be the colour behind the drawing. This is because it is the best colour that works with black and white sketches and drawings. In the words of another blog poster, Allison Leigh Lilly (2020), “There is a power in these three colors — something that compels us, pulls us in, changes the way we see the world.” I agree completely with this statement and its one of the many reasons why it works well with my work.
The Process of the First Self Portrait Photoshop
The Process of the Second Self Portrait Photoshop
References
Leigh Lilly, A (2020), Black & White & Red All Over: The Mysterious Power of Three Common Colors, (Available online alisonleighlilly.com/2020/02/14/black-white-red-all-over-the-mysterious-power-of-three-common-colors/) (Accessed 11/12/2024)