Zum Vergleich wurden hier eine Originalzeichnung, das zugehörige Farbfoto und die graue Fläche mit der zufälligen Anordnung der Pixel dieses Fotos nebeneinander gestellt. Als viertes Bild wurde rechts eine graue Fläche hinzugefügt, bei welcher Photoshop den durchschnittlichen Grauwert der Pixel des Originalfotos errechnete.
Above you see the scan of the drawing, the original photo as shot, the randomly placed pixels of the same photo and the average calculated by photoshop from the colour photo. It creates awareness of how we immediately start to see shapes and orders when we look for a moment at the randomly arranged pixels. (I never use the same random image twice.)
The Story Behind
Artistic practice
Drawing, painting, installation art are fields of artistic practice in which I have been active.
I was attracted by photography since I was a teenager. But never sure whether it was the technical side, a camera, lenses, the chemicals or the image making side of the game.
Though I have used a camera for preparing and documenting my art works, I was not sure, whether - for me - photography as such was a means of expression on its own. The idea to follow photography classes at RHoK academy in Brussels came out of the desire to find out what photography meant for me.
And the answer?
NorwaysColourX
What is it?
Each work consists of three parts: a landscape photo, a pixelized grey and a drawing, all of same size.
How are they connected?
The black and white photo is a memory of a summer holiday in Norway. There was no intention to make any photo project. So I had not taken my Nikon and lenses and tripod. Making photos normally is a slow process with me, I want to control. Nothing I would do when traveling with a friend. The iPhone shots were meant to show to those at home the beauty of the Norwegian landscape, in colour, as shot.
But why are they in black and white now?
At one moment, still in Norway, I discovered that the monumentality that so impressed me in this landscape, was much better reflected without the colours.
But…
When asked what I like about Norway I would always mention the grey and green.
Of course, it was in the photos. But it did not show what I perceived.
Per consequence I tried Lightroom and Photoshop to develop the photos, allowed myself filters and blending modes, I usually would not use. But nothing corresponded to my souvenirs.
In the end…
I went back to drawing/painting, as the machine did not produce my personal idea of Norway colours. So I ended up drawing with Pitt artist Brush pigment ink felt tips on the Hahnemühle Baryta FB oder Fineart Baryta paper or Hahnemühle photo rag. The photo papers proved ideal for the markers, probably as the pigment ink of the markers is not so different from the ink jet ink.
But what about the pixelized grey?
It is the essential link between the photo and the drawing. It is the original colour photo, however the pixels of this photo were randomly arranged (with the help of a little script in Processing app). One might say, it is the light the camera captured. Without any distraction by objects or shapes. Shape and light and personal perception are thus combined in each of the works.
The answer of my personal question ?
With this project which I call NorwayColourX I found a convincing solution for my painting practice. (Though I use felt tips, the process using many layers much more corresponds to how I work when painting.)
In this project photography and painting/drawing interact. Neither the photo nor the drawing would be sufficient. It is the 3 parts that make the works complete. I am personally I very satisfied. It is an ongoing process. I continue exploring.
Contact:
Irmin Damm
information@irmindamm.de
Grainstraße 17
67434 Neustadt an der Weinstraße
Germany
Tel. +49 172 255 41 84
