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Contorted Rubber Band Portraits

The Wes Newman Rubber Band Series Includes Interesting Portraits

— June 15, 2013 — Fashion
Famous photographer Wes Newman became known worldwide for his interesting portraits of people's faces covered in tightly wrapped scotch tape and now he's back, this time covering musicians' faces with elastic bands.

Wes Newman is fascinated with distorting faces to the point that the faces become abnormal and eerie caricatures. The Rubber Band Series began with Wes asking his musician subjects to contort their faces however they wanted to with elastic bands. The elastic bands are a weirdly perfect medium to distort the face because, with their tight fit, they sink the skin inwards and outwards in oddly bizarre ways. Some subjects really took the concept to the next level and made their faces completely unrecognizable, like the girl in the red O'Brother shirt that looks like a beehive with four elastic bands running down her face.
Trend Themes
1. Contorted-face Photography - Photographers can explore the trend of distorting faces using unconventional materials like rubber bands to create unique and captivating portraits.
2. Unconventional Mediums - Artists and designers can experiment with using unconventional materials, like elastic bands, to create visually impactful and thought-provoking artworks.
3. Eerie Caricatures - The trend of creating distorted and eerie caricatures can inspire illustrators and animators to push boundaries and create visually striking and unsettling characters.
Industry Implications
1. Photography - Photographers can explore the trend of contorted-face photography to create visually intriguing and unconventional portraits for clients or personal projects.
2. Art and Design - Artists and designers can seize the disruptive innovation opportunity to use unconventional mediums, such as rubber bands, to challenge traditional artistic techniques and create groundbreaking artworks.
3. Illustration and Animation - The trend of creating eerie caricatures can inspire illustrators and animators to incorporate elements of distortion and unsettling imagery into their work, creating unique and attention-grabbing visual narratives.
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