For my digital media art elective unit, the first assignment was to produce 4 fake (composite) images about a theme of choice, for a fake social media account.
My theme was dystopia! Each composition you see here makes use of 5 or more images which were put together and edited using image manipulation techniques on Photoshop.
Overall, I loved the process of building entirely new environments, and figuring out how so many random elements can fit together to tell a story and convey meaning.
My theme was dystopia! Each composition you see here makes use of 5 or more images which were put together and edited using image manipulation techniques on Photoshop.
Overall, I loved the process of building entirely new environments, and figuring out how so many random elements can fit together to tell a story and convey meaning.
Scroll below to view the individuals images used for each concept!
Software used: Photoshop
The main technique used was layer masks; everything was edited non-destructively. This really helped integrate subjects into a scene as it allowed me to soften edges or add/subtract from original image as I wanted. In choosing my source images, I tried to find images that similarly matched in lighting however it wasn’t a big priority as I know I could later edit the image to match the lighting. I used adjustment layers like hue/saturation, colour balance and black and white to adjust colours accordingly. I also frequently applied adjustment layers to specific layers so that only certain things are affected.
I used the perspective tool in concept 2 to create the yellow lit walls on either side of the scene.
In concept 3, I used motion blur for the soldiers to create movement and a sense of urgency in the way they are situated – this is particularly noticeable with the soldier on the left of the composition.
After setting up the composition in a way I was satisfied with, I used the colour look up adjustment layer to add a predefined filter enhancing the scene.
Images for Concept 1
AR. (2020). Quiet street lit in red [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/SdIt2nh8wzk on 27 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
Barquín, G. (2018). Sea under full moon [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/Qd688l1yDOI on 27 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
Coleman, J. (2019). Helicopter taking off on a tropical island [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/BbDYg-deN2w on 27 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
Fitzgerald, J. (2020). Old man walking dog [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/Imj06NlOt4s on 27 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
Sirr, M. (2018). Hooded man from back carrying camera [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/qkqqZWm2kWc on 27 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
Images for Concept 2
Anton Escobar, T. (2019). Fondazione Prada (Milan) [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/TUn9qWAuSnw on 1 September 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
Bartoccini, A. (2020). Cloaked man walking on road [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/vl4Tb0v-pFU on 1 September 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
de Mazenod, B. (2020). The art of repetition [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/jaMOOhbvcZc on 29 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
GuerrillaBuzz Crypto PR. (2021). 3d illustration of a tunnel [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/orl3NGDKOnI on 1 September 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
The Blowup. (2021). Futuristic Portal [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/PgmWiBwZUNc on 1 September 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
Images for Concept 3
Arms, S. (2018). Soldier aiming with rifle, camouflaged in woods [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/6oMphinwZo4 on 25 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
Balaure, D. (2019). Three soldiers in forest [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/KI0jT4PQiFM on 25 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
Bishop, J. (2020). Motorcycle in front of small mountains [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/-P-YV9aTyHE on 25 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
Haiwei, X. (2021). Humanoid Android [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/LJuZ-FKd8Co on 25 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
maxzzerzz. (2020). Soldier standing on rock wit rifle in hand [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/Gw9AADEL9OU on 25 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
NASA. (2015). Galaxy [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/CzigtQ8gPi4 on 24 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
Owens, J. (2020). Army men, one is crouching and aiming while other is standing with arms spread [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/Sa04XETPPx0 on 25 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
Planet Volumes. (2021). Jupiter [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/awYEQyYdHVE on 24 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
Images for Concept 4
Feeney. (2019). Empty landscape with thin path [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/mohZuRSGaZM on 28 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
Hamersmit, A. (2019). Burned out Car [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/pwhKQrvLZAQ on 28 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
Roller, K. (2016). Shooting Star Rye [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/zepnJQycr4U on 28 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
Salja, V. (2019). Monumental sculpture [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/vh7RmF-NjMc on 30 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
van Leur, T. (2021). Buzludzha Monument in Bulgaria [Image]. In Unsplash. Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/XVR4tJjPtIA on 28 August 2022, free to use under Unsplash License
