5.2.2 media consumption

I found this image through Tumblr. It was originally published in On Our Backs magazine. On Our Backs was the USA's first lesbian erotica magazine that started in 1984. Its final issue was published in 2006. The photographer, Phyllis Christopher, started documenting the lesbian community in San Francisco in the late 1980s.

Christopher used film photography to document her subjects. It should be known that to pose for these portraits at this time could risk those taking part their jobs due to homophobic discrimination and lack of protections against prejudice.

To be able to create work like this, I would have to understand, first and foremost, my role within the Queer community as someone who wishes to document it. The methods of film photography require attention to detail, especially considering the price of film and development at the moment.

The cover art for the 4th studio album of Irish artists Fontaines DC was designed by Taiwanese artist Lulu Lin. A lot of her work comes from an emotional place, trying to visualise how she feels when confused or wanting to vent. Her work captures the dream like state of wrestling with fever dreams and nightmares.

She starts her work on her iPad, drawing a simple outline and letting the layers and colours flow. Using Procreate to her advantage she tries to express her interest in the subconscious. She is developing her work in physical and 3D forms.

If I were to take on her methods, I would focus on digital painting and methods of making digital art in Photoshop as it has similar digital painting tools as Procreate. I would pay close attention to colours and how they work together. Knowing that her work is developing into other forms I would like to study 3D methods of design and putting them into my work.