I set this up for whenever I found a willing model... tried my tall and lanky oldest son... he was too tall. Searched for another model... asked around. Nothing.
Then, in walked my middle son on a surprise visit from college (just as tall, but he had come straight from work and had on the perfect outfit (except I added the vest and messed with his shoe color).
I quickly RE-MADE the "Post" canvas in a much larger size, but I know it's not perfect. It should be taller if it's going to be that wide. It was a major pain to get it to stay up there... it's just flimsy posterboards taped together leaning on a large frame that balances on a swiveling guitar stand. It fell every time anyone breathed. I ended up taping it all to each other and then to the wall.
The chair, I glued and taped together (see the tape still there on one of the stringers?) that morning. Ha!
In every other shot but this one, his collar was askew and his yellow tie band showed just like the original. *sigh*
But, for some reason, my lens was not focusing... and I couldn't use a different one because of space, so those weren't in focus and I didn't want to ask my model to re-shoot yet ANOTHER time. The wide angle distorted it. So... I had to manually focus. The camera was totally up against the far wall... I stood on my head almost to see the viewfinder and my eyesight is not really great. I really count on autofocus.
I tried a white background as Mr Rockwell usually used... was not nearly as good as this. I couldn't get it to look right and I think the contrast here is more pleasant. Also, I changed the vest color to blue as in the original... it just said, "Bleh" to me. (As a non-interesting tidbit, I made the red vest for my Hubby when the kids were little. It matched the ones I made for the boys with reindeer with Santa hats on the front portions and the dresses I made for daughter and me with the same pattern. *grin*)
The "paints" on the artist's thingy (palette?) are wadded up colored papers.
I actually drew things on the papers, but it doesn't show. And I should take a close-up shot of my paper watch on the "Due Date" sign upper left. It's a work of art in itself. LOL!
It's funny that now that it's over, my house is a total wreck in several rooms, I still have to haul all of this back to where it goes, and put the furniture back...
The image all seems so simple. It doesn't indicate at all the mess that's everywhere preparing for it.
Anyway, I'm pleased with this. And it only cost me a half of a large pizza for the model. :D
SaturdayEveningPost0242cLr
[Sep. 25th, 2012 12:36:20 PM]
I was, of course, trying to imitate this work of Norman Rockwell's:
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Place: 1 out of 35 Avg (all users): 8.1308 Avg (commenters): 9.1923 Avg (participants): 7.9048 Avg (non-participants): 8.1743 Views since voting: 12387 Views during voting: 490 Votes: 130 Comments: 98 Favorites: 15 (view)
Whoa! A new PB for you--- congratulations! It's easy to recognize the painstaking work that went into this shot. And I'll bet you both had fun creating it as well. So well done!
what a fantastic result .. you went to so much work and it paid off .. the image is a real masterpiece .. congrats on the blue and that amazing pb score .. :)
Luckily just fell back onto this masterpiece, I can now appreciate the work and the skill that went into it. Once again, congratulations for everything! :)
Remarkable! And thank you very much for the detailed description of how you got the shot. I often enjoy the stories behind the shots every bit as much as the shot itself.
I am too late to vote but here is another 10 from me :-)
Absolutely brilliant! I loved how you described the whole process and not knowing the original I sometimes couldn't see what could have been different but yours is just so much better! Truly inspiring!
Popped in after long absence to say CONGRATS, absolutely fantastic and I agree with the commenter who said it's better than the original. 38 10s! I'd have given you one too.
So happy to see this with the blue and great score! Doesn't it give you a good feeling to know that all the hard work paid off. Sometimes I think that the photographic process (getting there) is a big part of what makes or breaks a good image - shoves it to the next level. Great job.
the posing really made this shot, the props were perfect but the slightly over extended joints were something I never thought of as being essentially Rockwell until I saw this shot. Amazing work.
I love your floors! I didn't vote this, but did glance through this afternoon and this one was the one I looked at. Love all the little touches - especially the paint blobs! Congratulations on the ribbon and such a cheap model! :-)
This sums up Norman Rockwell to me, sorry if I'm wrong because I'm English and not familiar with his work. The colours, however, the style evoke some of his paintings for me. I will say that the editing is very well judged to place this image as paint on canvas.
There is always a dilemma when paying a tribute: do we copy the artist or create something in his manner?
I think that your image falls in between.
I salute your passion and extent of work but I wonder if you shouldn't go a little farther in your endavour.
//www.wikipaintings.org/en/norman-rockwell/artist-facing-blank-canvas
one of my top two picks - great colors, and the model's outfit, posture and pose are great. something weird about that red thing on the top left but no biggie. excellent work.
I really love this photo but question whether this truly is advanced editing or expert editing combining multiple images rather than multiple captures. I would love to know the process getting the Saturday Evening Post up there large enough on the canvas without typing in those letters if this is advanced editing. Please let our inquiring minds know. Again...Great image in true Rockwell style!
"Artist Facing Blank Canvas" : A Tribute to Norman Rockwell
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