Modifying Images- Low-tech Body Modification

• What materials did you use to alter the face, and why?
• Are the colours and textures of the materials you have chosen significant?
• Are you using some materials because of their associations? E.g. pins because they are sharp. Sellotape because it is smoothing.
• Did you intend the  viewer to be able to recognize the human face? 
• Did you deliberately allow the face to be camouflaged by the materials you are using?
• Did you choosing to leave some areas exposed?  If so, state what face parts you selected and why.

 On this image I used sellotape, staples, blue tax and pen. I chose to use sellotape and try and fan it on her cheekbones to make it look like fins as I thought this would add a surreal element to the image. I used the staples and bluetac to try and look like scars on the body, and the pen pattern was inspired by an image I had seen of a woman in the Nuba tribe's back after childbirth which can be seen in this post. I chose the materials used as I wanted them to blend into the black and white image, so the staples, bluetac and pen all blend in, and the sellotape is clear. I did intend for the viewer to be able to recognise the human face as I find it looks more striking when it is recognised that it is a human but with certain modifications.

 On this image I started by using nail polish to create the dots over the brow. I liked these as they did blend in quite a bit so looked like scars. I then used tissue paper over the face to conceal the nose and change the texture of the face. I was thinking about a half-mask for this look and the next, but was interested in seeing the difference in how distorted the image is between masking the top or bottom of the face. In this image, even though the nose has been covered you can still see the human face through the modifications.

 For this image I stuck grains of rice over the entire forehead, then a row under the eyes. I was still experimenting with masks at this point but I used rice because I wanted to experiment with texture and patterns, while using a skin colour-like material. I liked this image a little more before I brought the rice under the eyes, as it gave a little bit of a crown effect that also looked less like a mask that was stuck on. I chose to leave the rest of the face exposed as I wanted it to have the look of a skin texture, modification or disease.

 For this image I used the staples first to accentuate the cheek bones, but then brought them up to the temple also. the staples reminded me of when people get face lifts and have their skin 'stapled' or 'pinned' back. I then added the paper clip as I wanted something to accentuate the jaw and define it a little more.

 On this image I wanted to focus on the mouth and then accentuate that shape with the headpiece, which I imagined to be horns of some sort. I used the green as it made me think of poison, and the shapes seemed a little like those a villain is drawn with in comics and cartoons.

On this image I used paperclips across the brow to accentuate them and make them more striking. I also used rolled up post it notes to create the 'cones' on the cheekbones. I think one of the most dramatic ways you can change a face is with the cheekbones.