Interesting Illustrative Portraiture

Jon Burgerman- 'Tumblr Girls'

After the 'Bigheads' session with Jon Burgerman, I took a particular interest into his project entitled 'Portraits of Tumblr Girls'. The idea was situated around the simple idea of illustrating pictures of girls on tumblr in an abstract fashion, whether this be a 'selfie' or just an ordinary portrait photograph.

The thing that stands out to me the most in this series of portraits is the use of flamboyant colour and variety of marks made to create a more playful and abstract feel.

The marks look as if they have been made relatively quickly; the short amount of time invested into each portrait could represent the vast quantity of female internet users, investing time into their appearances to gain popularity and attention from other internet users. I also feel as if the bright, clashing colours portray the idea that this group of internet users need to go out of their way to be noticed by others in an attempt to feel striking and beautiful.

In conclusion, I feel that the way in which these portraits have been created is a reflection upon the attitudes of young female internet users in todays society. The heavy involvement with social media has an imminent affect on self confidence levels and strive for attention to feel beautiful, and accepted through something as easily accessible as the internet. Burgerman has focused here on quantity, as opposed to intricate quality of each portrait, which speaks volumes in accordance with the number of young women engaging in this level of activity.

How does this impact on my practice?

When making work, I should take into consideration the mindset and attitude of Amy Johnson; fearless, gutsy, determination and strive for adventure. The time, patience and craft she put into her career resulted in great success and high personal achievement, which is something that I want to portray in my final pieces.