I have quite a few projects coming out soon!  So if you’ve noticed the lack of quality posting lately, I apologize.  You guys came for the art, and I’ve got some great stuff headed your way in the next couple weeks.

Here’s a look at one of the many things I’m currently working on.

I’ve been fascinated with E.J. Bellocq’s work for a long time.  As a tribute to him (I hope), and as a sort of test of my skills, I started on this piece, a recreation of one of the legendary Storyville photographs.

These are the in-progress shots, starting with my flats and moving into rough placements for the furniture (in orange).

This is where things are about to get complicated.  There are so many elements of this photograph that I can’t wait to rebuild: the delicate wallpaper, the lady herself, and all of her own photographs and various belongings.  The problem with using a source material that is so old, is that one doesn’t have the luxury of high-res photography to get a look at all these little details close-up.  From this point forward, I’ll have to sort of use my imagination in creating some of the smaller elements of Bellocq’s photograph.  I was able to lay out the room quickly enough, but the little details are going to take much more time.

I love the honesty that Bellocq captured in his subjects— even though some of his subjects’ faces have been obscured, you still feel like you know them through these photographs.  There is no doubt that he was photographing real people in their element.  You’ll find no models in Storyville.

I just hope he’s not offended or anything.  Bellocq’s ghost could easily find me, considering we live in the same city.

Check out more of the Storyville photographs here.
Full size version of my last screencap is here.