pixelPaint

pixelPaint is a rich meta project. Based around a custom computer program that I've developed, an image is fed into the program, which then pixelates and thus simplifies the image. The individual pixels are then twisted and distorted; free from their rigidity. Each time an image is viewed using this program, the distortion is very much different. No two viewings will ever be the same.

View "pixelPaint"

Part of my interest in this type of simplification, followed by the addition of noise to the image is to see how much information can be lost while still holding the power of recognition. Many of the images I've selected are portraits, as it's absolutely fascinating how little information is needed to understand that what you are in fact looking at is a human face.

I've also created a derived work form the original program that instead prints out a series of coordinates that I then can use to physically paint a similar image that is seen on the screen. These paintings are painfully complex, taking weeks and months of time to complete. Through the entire painting process, I have no idea what the outcome will exactly be. I am essentially painting completely blind.

Having a physical painting from the original image taken from the subject completes a long journey of transformation.

I've also taken the original idea and made another derived work. Instead of an image, what is outputted is sound - a song if you will. Any image can then be used almost as a sheet of music, the various values of each pixel determine the note of the music.