Something I used to do 2 computers ago (when i had the graphics tablet and the software was compatible), was modifying old photographs.
I liked just collecting freaky old portraits for a bit, i did this anyway. One day I got to looking at them and noticed most of them were pretty creepy looking.
People who had to sit still for minutes to get a photograph done, all look a bit soul-less in the final shot. I love it. No spontaneity or come -as -you are shots!
You go to most antique shops and they have a range of good old photographs, like Andrew Slott (above), they cost usually a few dollars (to a bit more for a good wedding photo) each.
Then you get the graphics tablet and set it to smudge, you work away at it for a bit, and you get something like this – looks enough like a photograph that it’s very confusing for a bit when you look at it at first.
It’s a lot of fun. you can go subtle like just with the mouth):
Or less subtle, like those below.
I have some of these printed out and in frames at work. People come by and say ‘Oh, is that your relative?…oh…um…er’ – as they notice the lack of nose or something, and I laugh and laugh.
That last one, i like to call ‘See Evil, Hear Evil, Speak Evil’ – based on the exaggerations I’ve given them.
I’m not the biggest fan of photography but when done well I like it.
I adore Mike Disfarmer, who took shots of farmers during the first half of the 20th century.
The people in his shots look real, captured in time. No duckface at all!
