Context
One of the most iconic examples of abstract colourisation is Andy Warhol’s 1962 painting, ‘Marilyn Diptych’. However, whilst I used Adobe Photoshop to create my piece, he instead used a technique first used in 1911 called Screen Printing – a technique where ink is transferred onto a surface using a mesh.
Whilst this work could be argued to be relatively basic (since it’s just the same image printed over and over), it does show Monroe’s undeniable media presence and personality through its bold colours and repetition.
Production
In creating this piece, I decided to choose such an abstract palette of colours for a number of reasons. The first of which was more of a scientific choice. I opted for a ‘cool’ choice of colours because a giraffe’s spots work to expel body heat – to cool it down. I also chose these colours to emphasise on the message of being unique. Every giraffe’s spot pattern is different, so the giraffe’s colours complement this affect.
Being able to decide which brush effect to use on different layers played a big part in the final piece. Since these effects would affect each layer differently, it was important to choose one that worked well.
Evaluation
I personally found my work’s most compelling feature is the contrast between the different colours on different parts of the giraffe. However, some people’s feedback suggested that the colours on the giraffe should be more blended together.
On the contrary, most feedback on my piece was positive. Some mentioned that the vibrant tones worked well for the piece, and that choosing to opt for an abstract approach for the image was the most suitable option.
Although this piece can portray a message, it doesn’t really tell much of a story. If I were to redo the task, I would try to tell a plot through my work – perhaps by using selective colourisation instead.