For this project, we were tasked to create a composite portrait that represented and spoke about the identities of both myself and my partner. I was in an interesting position in during this project since my assigned partner was my good friend Julia Vidal whom I have known for years. Since Julia already knew each other so well, we found it easier to be more open and truthful about our answers when we discussed the Proust questionnaire. For our project we decided to use the fact that we knew each other so well to our advantage and create a serie of composite portraits that would represent us on a deeper level, highlighting the difference between what we saw in each other versus what strangers would see. We also wanted to emphasize opposites in our project including lights and shadows and the difference between what we see in each other versus what others see. I focused on the “different sides” of Julia both in my studio portrait as well as in my seminar essay . In fact, this quote from my seminar piece was the inspiration the composite portraits, “Its odd, I’ve known her for years, consider her a friend, yet, as I watch her slouch in the seat across from myself, know there’s more to learn.” This quote evokes the idea that even though I know Julia well, better than many others, there is still more I can learn about her regarding her thought process and personality.
We decided to create our composite portraits using makeup, photography, illustrator, and photoshop. Each of us created two portraits of each other: One that would represent how others view us based of our personalities, and the other portrait would represent how we viewed each other as friends and the insight we have on one another’s personality through the questionnaire. We rented out photography equipment and set it up in my dorm room to take professional grade photos of one another. We designed each others makeup based off of what we thought portrayed our styles and personalities. A recurring theme found in my project is an emphasis on Julia’s confident personality and her bold artistic style, so I translated that though her dark bold makeup. After the photoshoot, we took the photos into photoshop and began to edit them to make them more professional. Once we finished editing the pictures, we used both photoshop and illustrator to overlay drawings over the pictures that represented our style, personality, and thoughts.
The first photograph represents how Julia is viewed from an outside perspective, a surface level examination. She is perceived as dark, confident, and reserved. I took inspiration from her sketches and drew them around her to display her trademark chaotic artistic style that is unique to her. I had to step out of my comfort zone to create this art since it is so different than my own style, yet I think that by trying to understand Julia’s style I can also understand her better as well. Her pose suggests power and confidence with her arm reaching upwards, yet the shadows cast from it almost create a “mask” over her face, representing that these surface level observations are covering up her true emotions.
In the next photograph I focused on a softer side of Julia’s personality, one that only those closest to her get to see. This photo represents Julia’s more vulnerable, fragile, and overall more emotional side. the picture itself is much lighter and airy than the previous photo, allowing it to look softer and have less shadows and harsh contrast. Her pose is elegant and regal as her hand is slowly reaching up to cover her mouth, emphasizing her shy personality. The structure around her is also wrapping around her body and head, creating a sort of cage that holds in her emotions. The inspiration for the structure was the geometric forms of 3D printed sculptures that are very different that the free flowing natural flow of the first picture. The structure is also chaotic, but in a different way than Julia’s sketches, it’s an organized chaos that can describe her thought process.
Overall, the juxtaposition between how others view us and how we view each other is extremely contrasted and powerful. It also shows the level of deeper understanding we have of each other’s personalities to be able to pick up on both the obvious and subtle differences in our personalities and how we are perceived.
