video of face morphing of portraits of women

[jrtom]

http://www.juxtapoz.com/jux/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1121&Itemid=50

This is truly fascinating, in the original sense of the word: it's hard to take your eyes off it. (And has a nicely complementary solo cello soundtrack.)

If I had more familiarity with art in general, I'd get all geeky about that aspect of it, but as it is I can't even guarantee that the creator of the video used paintings in chronological order (although I do recognize many of them, and I did notice a couple of obvious stylistic shifts, e.g., impressionism and modernism). Technically, though, the morphing was very nicely done.

One random observation: the morphing, which gives the impression of the face turning back and forth, reminds me of how uncomfortable some of those poses must have been for the model. :P

Comments

[kightp.livejournal.com]

Wow.

I've had just enough art history to say that yes, I think it's roughly chronological, and just enough feminist theory to be stunned at how little difference there's been in the concept of feminine beauty, at least in European culture, over five centuries.

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

There would be a lot more variance if you could see the bodies.

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

They often are. I remember particularly one we were copying for a sculpture from a Parish painting. The guy I was working with was cool, so I commented how unnatural the arm position was. he peered at it and agreed it looked as awkward as it felt. he asked how I would do it, and I shifted a little. he liked the more natural line.

Model's rule of thumb is, standing requires twice as many breaks as sitting and lying down and whatever you do, avoid extreme neck angles and try to distribute weight over as much surface area as you can get away with.