Final Image

-For my final image I decided to have myself photographed in a city centre car park.
-This was intended intended to further expand upon the idea of where I'm coming from against where I'm going to. Particularly the anxiety I've experienced the past week over both being in a new city and starting a new course.
-Therefore the decision to shoot the final photographic inside a car park was meant symbolise how the permanence of living away from home is yet to fully sink in/seem like my reality. Much in the same way that a public city centre car park is designed only as a temporary site of occupation for a vehicle/person.

Development

-Originally I had planned on making my mask as a three dimensional object that would fit onto rather than in front of some ones head.
-However due to being over ambitious with regards to the size of the mask and my own abilities at making three dimensional objects I decided to opt instead to go for a flat mask.
-So as to make the surface of the mask more interesting I added some subtle dimensional features such as half ping pong balls for eyes and raised layers of card for both the brow line and nose.

-When adding colour I chose to use acrylic so as to give a flat/solid tone
.-The majority of the mask I simply left monotone for two reasons.
-From an aesthetic point of view much of what I wear is simply white/grey upon black and therefore to have it match may create a more dramatic final image.
-Conceptually I intended it to convey the duality of where I've come from and where I am now/wanting to go.

-As a little joke on the side I decided to make a second mask from the offcuts of the first.
-It was intended to represent the confidence and skill I want to gain from the course as well as living independently away from my home city.
-Therefore I followed the same basic rules of composition and colour but reversed the layout maing the bottom half of the face the focal point.

Making a Mask of Yourself

Initial Ideas

-Two main ways to approach the task.
-Firstly to design a mask based on actual facial features in particular aspects that are particularly prominent. Are there any other ways to show these features without being literal?
-With the latter point in mind I therefore decided draw a series of different designs depicting masks with four eyes showing my use of glasses.
-I used a minimal style when creating these images so as to create potential out comes reminiscent of various tribal masks that can be found all over the world.
-Working further into this aesthetic I decided to focus on other 'defining' features. In particular my heavy brow line and large, often red nose. This was also intended as a tongue in cheek approach to depicting myself.

-The second way to approach this task would be to try and create a mask that conveys certain aspects about yourself.
-Having simultaneously moved away from home for the first time and been immersed into a new learning environment the past week has felt both overwhelming and incredibly nerve racking.
-This has led to what has felt like a massive knock to my confidence both socially and creatively.
-Therefore I decided to focus the features of my mask to the top portion of the human face choosing not to include a mouth in my design.
-This was so as to convey loss of voice creatively and socially.