More Dragan

I really love the Dragan effect. There's just so much you can do with it. It's a style I've tried to learn for very long, and through snippets here and there on the web, I've been able to create my own style of which I'm quite proud.

Here's a before and after photo of the Dragan effect for comparison.

Experimenting...

The Jim Beam and Iron Brew seem to bring out the best in me, and the resulting 'Art' is good at scaring the midgets as well.

I tried my hand at Draganizing, and I'm quite pleased with the result.

Vortex

This time when the argument started, I went into the Vortex, and came out the other side, bulletproof.

If it were Darker.

A friend of mine once said, when asked why she always wore black, that it was only because there wasn't a darker colour.I still smile when I think how they misunderstood her preference for the dark colour, and naturally asumed that she was either 'troubled' or a Goth. Some wiseass conspirators even rumoured her to be a drug pusher.

In fact she was a very intelligent woman, who had a deliberate affection for those with little education. As if they were playthings, not unlike a cat might toy with a mouse until it has died from pure exhaustion.

Less educated meant anyone silly enough not to understand the benefits of having passed matric with distinction and then continued to pursue a higher education at University. She would never dream of stopping there. After completing her second Honours degree she's currently residing in Paris, having already registered for her next degree at the Sorbonne in 2008. I think of her as I contemplate mainstream society's misconceptions.

But, as much as I'd love to tell you more about this wonderful woman, it is not the subject of the article which I meant to write. It's only a drifting thought as I ponder the subject of my article.

And what I do wish to write about is society's misconception of certain mediums of Art and the witch hunt that plays itself out by the damning to Hell, all those who create visual and sometimes tangible evidence of mankinds' darker psyche.

Bear with me as I attempt to offer my insight into society's fears of, and the alternate trebulation experienced by, 'Underground Artists'. I could start my analysis by offering Graffitti artists as an acceptable entry into underground art, but I'd rather dunk you in fire and dose you off with some petrol, so that we can jump right in with the shock factor.

As a means to a start I offer you an illustration by renowned underground artist Trevor Brown.

After the innitial shock, you might have taken a more analytical look, and perhaps drawn some conclusion as to what message (if any) the artist wished to convey. I for one, have not read the background on Trevor Brown, nor have I analysed his work in great detail. I merely wish to use a medium of underground art to get my point across.

Yes, my eye was drawn to the fact that the girl is very young and surrounded by an assortment of sex toys and an enormous amount of phalic symbols. I tried to make word of the different letters and numbers, and then tried to 'get the message' as you might have (if you're still here).

The one-eyed Mickey Mouse obviously (to me) refers to the one-eyed monster, the penis. At the same time he's wearing a condom portraying safe sex. weird? A Teddie Bear in a childs arms is normally associated with the safety factor/zone, as it might be with a child that has a favourite blanket or pillow. But here, I see the Pink Teddie as a symbol of molestation, disguised within the 'comfort zone' of the child. The lollipops and sweets can be a form of payment to silence the child or even to assure future 'playtimes'. Even the ejaculating penis is disguised as a jack in the box. A toy, perhaps to comfort the child with the thought that it's just a game.

I could continue and analyse every aspect of the illustration and come to a conclusion that might differ from your view, had you approached the subject matter from a different angle. But, if you had continued to read up to here and even analysed the illustration yourself, the innitial shock might have left you by now and you're looking at the picture more objectively. A few might still be shocked, maybe even more so because of the in-dept analysis.

The message that I'm trying to convey, is that if we take time to analyse or even get to know something better(however evil that might be), we are better able to have an objective view of our surroundings and the people we come into contact with every day. It's an educational journey that hopefully gives us a better understanding why there are both evil, and wonderful people in the world. The name of the above illustration is Nursery Crime. Changes your perception a bit, doesn't it?

However, I leave you with the sad and honest truth.

Girl with machine gun

Children go to war everyday, they're molested, killed and maimed. If we continue to walk around with our eyes closed to the realities of the world, we might never know, and never act against the true evil.

Do not condemn me as evil, just because I made you see.

Pixi Girl

My Photographic Inspiration - Final

Paul Politis

I guess I enjoy Paul Politis' photography because he explores so many different subjects and mediums. As an amateur it's inspirational, because I'm yet to find a niche for myself, a happy medium that I'm comfortable with in the photographic world. He's black and white photos seem lively almost, and the colour photos, pastel-like, and never too bright.

Looking at his photos have a calming effect on me, because they're never controversial or too in-your-face.

Here are a few of my favourites. Please visit his site for many more great Photographs.

And then I get my inspiration from a whole world of photographers at Hardcore Street Photography. Visit the Flickr site via my links on the right. The best site for candid street photography. My favourite subject.

My Photographic Inspiration #3

Henri Cartier-Bresson. The Father of Photojournalism and 'street style' photography

I would do the man a great injustice if I were to ramble off my thoughts about one of the greatest photographers the modern world has known. Few famous, and not so famous photographers can tell you with a straight face that they have not heard of the man.

Here is one article I found at Photo-seminars that touches on every aspect of this photographer's life and his work. It encapsulates all that I could wish to write about Mr. Cartier-Bresson. A modern hero.

Here are my favourite photos of Henri Cartier-Bresson.







Next : Paul Politis - Alive and cooking!

My Photographic Inspiration #2

Charles Sheeler

I've writen before how I love big machinery. Big trucks, heavy lift and industrial machinery and so forth. Not for the tons of pollution they create, but simply, their steely beauty.

Sheeler coined the name Precisionism, and it is a very real element in his photographs. The photos are all high definition reflections, with stark lines and tones. No photographers in his era and few since, have been able to capture the ugliness of industry in such a beautiful way.

Here's a few examples of his work. You may be able to enlarge some, not all.





Next: The father of street photography - Henri Cartier-Bresson.