PROCESS

I have included a series of screenshots detailing my work process. Click the images to enlarge them. After transforming the image from it's original sepia tone to black and white, by going Image > Adjustments > Desaturate, I then explored the filter options in Filter. Additionally, I cropped the photograph greatly, ensuring only the mouth, neck and shoulders were visible.

I selected a half-tone pattern (the pattern type I chose was "line"), as I find the texture to be visually appealing. It reminds me of newspaper print, and creates a link between the image and the text. This pattern was also useful in concealing the pixelation of the images, as I had to enlarge them quite a bit to fit within my 4x4 inch box (at a resolution of 300).

I then adjusted the contrast of the piece by clicking Image > Adjustments > Brightness / Contrast.

Using the Freeform Pen Tool, I traced around the mouth of the man.

I then right-clicked and selected the Layer Via Copy option, which placed a copy of what I had cut-out onto another layer. This enables me to put it above the text layer I am going to create, giving the appearance of words coming out of the mouth.

Again using the Freeform Pen Tool, on another layer I traced out a rough attempt at a swirly shape. I selected the text tool, and after chosing Times New Roman as my font, I clicked at a point along the line I had drawn with the Pen Tool. Prior to this, I ensured that the "paths" icon was checked. Once it was clear that the text would follow the path, I typed in various letters as an experiment. In the Character box I altered tracking, the kerning and the leading of the text.

I traced a few more text paths and changed the colours, but found the result too messy.

Taking a different approach, I simply copy-pasted the first section of text into a text box, centred it, and again played with the leading, kerning and tracking. Whilst I liked this effect, I found it too rigid.

I also experimented with using individual letters at different sizes and moving them manually around the image.

Although I liked this effect, I continued to experiment with the Freeform Pen Tool and Paths. Rather than creating shapes for the text to follow, I decided upon roughly drawn lines.

After double-clicking on the text layer, I put a one pixel black stroke around each letter to make it more pronounced. I was thinking of also putting a half-tone line pattern on the text that would match up with the lines on the image, but felt that a flat colour looked better.

I have since put a drop-shadow on the text instead, as I think it relates to the aesthetic of the images and that era.