Need help with a title

marikrismarikris Registered Users Posts: 930 Major grins
edited January 18, 2009 in People
I took this picture for a school project. At the time, I was looking at Alphonse Mucha's sculptures and paintings. I had called my series "Painted Women" because of it and the process of recoloring in Photoshop. Anyway, long story short, the feedback I got from my classmates likened this picture to Hans Bellmer's works with dolls because of the way the female in this picture seems to deflate below her ribs. Strangely enough, that hint of the grotesque appealed to me O_o

Anyway, I was thinking of entering a 13 x 19 print to our juried Art Show, but I'm not sure if "Painted Woman" is a good title. Can you think of a better one? (Crits on the photo are appreciated as well.) Thanks in advance!


381514134_57YYL-L.jpg

Houston Portrait Photographer
Children's Illustrator

Comments

  • heatherfeatherheatherfeather Registered Users Posts: 2,738 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    I REALLY like this- the processing is really fun and the pose/expression are great! I'm no good at titles though. Her body really does look fake, so something about dolls is just right. Swartzy (a.k.a. the "title god") will probably come up with something perfect when he logs in.
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  • SystemSystem Registered Users Posts: 8,186 moderator
    edited January 16, 2009
    How about "Red Shift" because of the b/w+red and a shift is another name for a nightgown?
  • QarikQarik Registered Users Posts: 4,959 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    wait..swartzy is a dude? lol..I assumed swartzy was dudette ne_nau.gif
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  • heatherfeatherheatherfeather Registered Users Posts: 2,738 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    Qarik wrote:
    wait..swartzy is a dude? lol..I assumed swartzy was dudette ne_nau.gif


    No- def a dude. That is too funny!
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  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,990 moderator
    edited January 16, 2009
    Qarik wrote:
    wait..swartzy is a dude? lol..I assumed swartzy was dudette ne_nau.gif

    You know a lot of women named Dave? rolleyes1.gif
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  • SystemSystem Registered Users Posts: 8,186 moderator
    edited January 16, 2009
    the title is the way the jury will interpret the picture

    so what is it?

    a dying woman... an sexual invitation... just an old friend awaking...

    what do you want to say through this picture? (beyond the technical (good) work on photoshop)
    headscratch.gif
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    "A pink butterfly wakens into a dream"
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    Well, if you're still thinking "Mucha" what about "Mucha-cha"?

    Ok, that's pretty lame, but it's all I gotz just now..... :)
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  • heatherfeatherheatherfeather Registered Users Posts: 2,738 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    Ah, now I have an idea:
    how about "Faded Marionette" or "Marionette awakens" or something like that?

    I like the idea of Marionette to go with this photo. (probably just me though)
    Heather
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  • SystemSystem Registered Users Posts: 8,186 moderator
    edited January 16, 2009
    heatherfeather wrote:

    I like the idea of Marionette to go with this photo. (probably just me though)

    no no I agree....
  • DonRicklinDonRicklin Registered Users Posts: 5,551 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    'This is my "Come Hither" look. Want to see my go "Away Look"?


    Don
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  • heatherfeatherheatherfeather Registered Users Posts: 2,738 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    DonRicklin wrote:
    'This is my "Come Hither" look. Want to see my go "Away Look"?


    Don

    Ha ha! I am so going to use that one on my hubbie. I love it. I should write that down!
    Heather
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  • SwartzySwartzy Registered Users Posts: 3,293 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    Oh Man!....I'll never live this one down...Laughing.gif....

    Mr. Dudette rolleyes1.gifroflrolleyes1.gifrofl
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  • SwartzySwartzy Registered Users Posts: 3,293 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    "Contour de Faux"
    Swartzy:
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  • SystemSystem Registered Users Posts: 8,186 moderator
    edited January 16, 2009
    uh
    Swartzy wrote:
    "Contour de Faux"
    doen't mean anything in french eek7.gif

    (yeah great title !!!)
  • SwartzySwartzy Registered Users Posts: 3,293 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    respawn wrote:
    doen't mean anything in french eek7.gif

    (yeah great title !!!)

    It's not supposed to be. Simply a couple words to get the creative juices flowing.

    Contour: synonym for "FORM"
    FAUX: –adjective artificial or imitation; fake:

    Sarcasm: Not necessary
    Swartzy:
    NAPP Member | Canon Shooter
    Weddings/Portraits and anything else that catches my eye.
    www.daveswartz.com
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  • marikrismarikris Registered Users Posts: 930 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    Thanks, guys lol. Coming up with some funny and creative titles ^_^ I really like the "marionette" one. What about Bellmer's Marionette? Or something like that, to quote the doll images of Hans Bellmer, like the ones below. Or is that a stretch? Hrmm...

    http://homepage.mac.com/cpaul/iblog/C1435984902/E518257862/Media/Bellmer_2.jpg

    http://homepage.mac.com/cpaul/iblog/C1435984902/E518257862/Media/Bellmer_5.jpg

    http://br.geocities.com/partesdemim/la_poupee_bellmer2.jpg

    http://msp227.photobucket.com/albums/dd239/monolithzero/bellmer1.jpg

    Mod Edit: Inline images changed to links to avoid copyright issues.

    Houston Portrait Photographer
    Children's Illustrator
  • seaain.grayseaain.gray Registered Users Posts: 18 Big grins
    edited January 18, 2009
    I like the photograph very much. I am not sure what I would call it. In keeping with your liking the theme of her deflation, somehow I immediately thought "Languish." The primary meaning being : to be or become feeble, weak, or enervated. In other words, wasting (away).

    The real reason I wrote is because I just want to level set. A "Painted Woman" is a woman of low moral character - or worse. At least that was the definition with which I grew up. I verified this here:

    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/painted+woman
    http://dictionary.reverso.net/english-definitions/painted%20woman

    I know that is probably not what you mean by "painted," but it is quite strongly pejorative and if the reader/viewer/judge is acquainted with the term, your usage will become secondary and this meaning will remain primary. In effect, your title will become a pun in effect. It is unavoidable I am afraid.

    If it ** is ** what you intended the title might be fine. I am just warning you about something which it feels like you may not know. Kind regards,

    seaain
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    An rud a líonas an tsúil líonann sé an croí. ~ Irish Proverb.
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  • Ed911Ed911 Registered Users Posts: 1,306 Major grins
    edited January 18, 2009
    I like titles that add a bit of mystery like, "Broken Angel," or "The Fallen," or "Colors of the Night," or "The Slipping Away."

    Hope this helps...

    Thanks for sharing.
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    Ed
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited January 18, 2009
    @ Seaain

    "What fills the eye fills the heart."

    Nice!

    And I think the rider is also, intriguingly, true, that what fills the heart fills the eye. I have had the experience of seeing someone I was falling in love with in many places when they were not in fact there. I have also had the experience of seeing a person very differently once I began to fall in love with them.

    What about: "What ails the eye ails the heart"? And, "When the hear ails so does the eye."?

    Good DSS Challenge challenge, don't you think?

    Neil
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • afev0602afev0602 Registered Users Posts: 166 Major grins
    edited January 18, 2009
    Why don't you just combine your two main concepts...Instead of Painted Doll or painted woman, go with Painted Marionette...Painted of course referring to the processing of your photo which really enhances her face and her make up and eyes--and yes it is a bit of a "wonton" feel to the word Painted...which I like. Of course the Marionette or Mannequin referencing her body/ and the slight broken feel of it.

    It's a wonderful photograph.
    Well, I guess you would call me... genus, humanus... Alice.
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  • marikrismarikris Registered Users Posts: 930 Major grins
    edited January 18, 2009
    afev0602 wrote:
    Why don't you just combine your two main concepts...Instead of Painted Doll or painted woman, go with Painted Marionette...Painted of course referring to the processing of your photo which really enhances her face and her make up and eyes--and yes it is a bit of a "wonton" feel to the word Painted...which I like. Of course the Marionette or Mannequin referencing her body/ and the slight broken feel of it.

    It's a wonderful photograph.

    Wow - I really like that, and didn't that seem so simple to combine the two lol. Painted Marionette. I like that! What I really like about marionette is it also shows that the model was subject to the camera in more ways than one...as if the camera was pulling the strings.
    seaain.gray wrote:
    I know that is probably not what you mean by "painted," but it is quite strongly pejorative and if the reader/viewer/judge is acquainted with the term, your usage will become secondary and this meaning will remain primary. In effect, your title will become a pun in effect. It is unavoidable I am afraid.

    You're definitely right. I knew it had a negative connotation, which was why I was on the fence about it. But I definitely didn't want it to go that way, and I'm so happy with the ideas you all have given me since it showed me that Painted Woman was not the best title for it.

    Houston Portrait Photographer
    Children's Illustrator
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