Pin Prick Portrait Development 13: Frottage

Pin prick outline taken from a photo; A5 cartridge paper

Textured wallpaper sample

Frottage pattern created on tracing paper using 6B pencil to take rubbing and overlaid onto cartridge paper

Pin pricks pushed through negative space of pattern (ie areas which appear black on tracing paper) and pushed through in opposition to the outline of the face

Reverse, laid flat on table

Front, laid flat on table

Pinned to a window in direct sunlight

Pinned to a window, indirect sunlight

I think the patterned element on this piece works very well.  I like the contrast between the highly detailed patterning of the background and the simplified portrait.  The combination of pin pricks from different sides of the paper also enhances the contrast between patterned and untouched substrate.  Unfortunately the photos do not effectively show the play of light through the holes - the image looks better in real life than in a photo.

Pin prick image taken from same photo; A5 cartridge paper

Frottage / rubbing of same wallpaper sample used to fill figure instead of background; filled areas pushed through in opposition to outline

Reverse

Front

Again, a fairly successful image, although this pattern is perhaps too complex to fully fill the portrait.  I think it works better when just the hair and shoulders are filled; the facial features are overwhelmed by the pattern when the face is filled.  I do, however, like the delicacy of this pattern.  I have a number of other textured wallpaper samples - other floral designs and some more geometric patterns - which I would like to experiment with.

Pin prick outline taken from same photo; A5 tin foil.  Pin pricks pushed through from shiny side

Frottage / rubbing taken on tracing paper and overlaid onto dull side of foil

Partially completed image; high level of reflection from shiny side of foil (laid flat on table)

Reverse (dull side of foil); pinned in sunny window

Front (shiny side of foil); pinned on sunny window

I think this is a very successful image.  The shininess of the tin foil enhances the effect of the light passing through the holes when placed in direct light, creating a deep contrast between the simple, unfilled portrait and the high level of detail in the patterned background.  I would like to move this piece forward by creating bigger versions - probably A4 and then A3.