For this style of portraiture I was thinking about how after we die our physical bodies leave but our words remain in the minds of those we interacted with. I was trying to create this idea, that our words replace or perhaps transcend our physical form and allow us to still be seen and experienced after we're gone.
I begin these paintings by gluing old newspaper articles and other paper memorabilia onto a canvas. I then stain the paper background with acrylic paint. To create the face I begin painting directly on top of the collaged background. I paint the lettering working my way from shadows to highlights until the face emerges. Once the painting is dry I cover the entire canvas in epoxy resin to permanently encase the collage and painting under a hard glassy surface.
Below are the five portraits I made in this series.
Tupac Shakur
18 x 24 inches on canvas
Jimi Hendrix
18 x 24 inches on canvas
Bob Marley
16 x 20 inches on canvas
John Lennon
18 x 24 inches on canvas
Pablo Picasso
16 x 20 inches on canvas
Below are two snapshots taken while painting the Tupac portrait on top of the collaged background.
Thanks for viewing!
Check out my site at www.criswicks.com for more artwork, videos, process photos, and other art related randomness.