Self Portrait.

Also, my entry for the Good vs Evil contest! _{plz fave this one if you wanna vote for it :3}

[link] Full res. Judges please go look!!!!!!!

_{I suffer a mood disorder, and while experiencing a particularly bad bout this image came into my mind, and I thought, how perfect.}

Evil can be defined as anything causing people harm and suffering.

In this case, the evil isnt external, it comes from within. A dark part of your soul tormenting you, telling you lies, making you feel worthless.


<sub>If you're lucky, you have enough self control left to be able to create, and wear a mask.
Sometimes however, you have to take off the mask, to get help. Seeing some kind of doctor, it is imperative that you not show them the mask, but the evil tormenting you. Unfortunately, if you've been wearing, and clinging to your mask for a while, it can be difficult to let them see, to get other people to really see, the real face... the real pain.


Once the mask has been removed, it lets the evil loose in your mind, like a coiled spring let go, and it can take a while to get it back into its box, and sit on the lid tightly enough...

the evil: Ones own mind.
the good: The control to cover it. The help offered to defeat it. The understanding of those who dont experience it.


There are people who hardly believe me when I say I have depression problems. Sometimes, I just wish they could see me, without me having to take off the mask.</sub>


The Tools:
Poser 6
Photoshop
My Photos

The Time:
over a week, 20 or so hours.

The Method
I used poser6 to save myself some time. (Dont diss use of poser till you've tried it )
I rendered two images, of a smiling face, and of a sad face. Also an image of clawed hands.
I assembled the three parts into one photoshop image on different layers. Layers were the bread and butter of this image. Using some ref from google of latex being torn up and peeled, i drew out the shape of the torn sections, forming a blank mask of where the 'happy face' would be.
Warp, cut, paste, shade. New layer, texturize, shade the 'wrinkles' in the pulled sections, overlay.
That was the most unusual part- the rest was painting over the figure and personalizing her, retexturizing the skin, painting the eyes lips hands hair (I always render them bald I hate 3d hair ) painting lighting, texture and general tweaking.
Oh i made some texture brushes during the course too o0 from paint splatters, and scrubbles and such. But nothing fancy. Just lots of fiddling till it felt right

Thanks!!