EXPERIMENT REFLECTION FROM LAYERING AND RIPPING INTO IMAGES

I began to experiment with overlaying images after researching into nightmares and sleep paralysis as I wanted to create a visual representation of the viewer acknowledging what people see in their unconsciousness. I decided to do this by taking a full headshot of myself to start the experiment and from there I would allow my imagination to take it further, I began to focus on my forehead to maybe draw a scenario of what might entail in a dream ontop with a black fine liner, but then I thought about ripping into the whole face and adding another photograph underneath.

I decided to not explore the composition with the colour or to edit the images on photoshop as I wanted to experiment with the texture and layering instead, hence why i did not enhance the colour by working with oil pastels or acrylic paints on top. Ripping into the layered image would give the effect of  being out of control and a relation to the representation of an individual feeling angry, sad or scared by the dreams that they can feel whilst suffering sleep paralysis, moreover, the image I used was taken from a few years back when I did the DofE Award and I used this image specifically because it was an experience that made me feel drained. After doing the DofE award and when I went to sleep I kept having nightmares about falling from high hills. So to me, this image was a powerful way to secretly portray nightmares but I want the viewer to interpret it in their own way, similar to how artists such as Nicholas Bruno and Kyle Thomson do when creating their own inspiring pieces!

For this image I wanted to reverse landscape with human form by layering a headshot of myself as the background. The foreground which has been ripped into by hand was taken at Centre Parcs a month ago, I have used this image in particular as I was afraid of going across the bridge. The image has been unedited but because of the trees it gave quite a shadowed, spooky look whilst taking the image. I layered my face BEHIND as the viewer would then be able to grab the feeling of entrapment, almost as if the figure is unable to escape from the image. I used my finger to create 3 symmetrical lines down the image so the viewer is able to see the layered image in the background. The use of ripping also gives a sense of looking into history and into the past but in a visual way, this is what I was aiming towards when doing this experiment. I believe the use of colour within the image also gives contrast of realism as they will able to tell what the landscape is by the tones of non abstract colour, However, but I was hoping to include surrealism to enhance the view of nightmares not being real.To improve i would like to begin to create more experiments like this but would work onto of the photographs to create texture and an exaggeration of colour to examplify surrealism in a more obvious way.
To improve I would like to begin to create more experiments like this but would work onto of the photographs to create texture by creating another layer on top and again, ripping into it.

For this experiment I was just exploring with ways to make an image to look more scary and less realistic, This portrait nature-like image was taken with my iPhone 6 camera without flash (hence the reason why there is a lot of shadow).
This was one of the first experiments I did right the beginning of my research so I was not too focused on the image that was chosen but instead I wanted to idols the term 'scared' in art, i began to rip into this image in particular because  I wanted to take away the light tonal colours due to the viewer relating dark shaded colours to the emotion of feeling anxious, terrified, sad ect.
I did intact add a piece of black cartridge aper to layer behind the image as i wanted the ripping to show through no colour.
I have only done small minor rips to the image because I wanted to portray the use of little white and warm colours involved, Overall I really like this experiment and after this point I had the intention of linking it to people and faces, creating the effect of surrealism in photography form.