I once wondered if the abstracted nudes that the modernists created such as Georges Braque, Juan Gris or Henri Matisse have painted became factually realized. This idea originating out of a self-portrait attempt done medically with my own body, where as my radiologist worried about my health advised me to work form other source materials in hopes I would not harm myself. I began employing abstracted figures "reclining nudes" repurposed thus bending and shearing of the figure, wondering if they existed in real life how might she appear. Some attempts started to reveal new impressions, which perhaps reflect more on the issues about life itself, then merely a figure then humanity began to creep through, especially within social constraints. Thus in full circle this is what they were probably after from the start while abstracting these models.

Photoshop in itself is like fine paint and sable brushes, a tool to be exercised with careful restraint as one would with a camera or canvas. Sure you can go hog wild with it, yet to gently manipulate and find the subtleties gets deep at a vibe such as Dylan might with a lyrical melody which always seems more interesting then louder empty heavy metal. Simply altering images without working out ideas, could get a work lost beyond its special effects ultimately sort of serving to denigrate the medium. All said it is a fun fantastic tool to play around with and for all to help break through the ethos with.

Paul