Nicolas Cop-pola & The Knave Nic Brig

I finished The Viceroy with a few weeks left before The Nicolas Cage Party Los Angeles.  A friend suggested I should create a few more pieces  and I figured "why not?" So the next step was to think about what new Nic Cage ideas and personas to create.  I decided to simplify the technique for the new pieces, so The Viceroy was the main focus and the new pieces would be complimentary.  I ended up deciding to make a cop and a pirate version Nicolas Cage.  It's almost like I was creating a variation of the Village People. 

First, the cop.  I wanted to use the mug shot image from Raising Arizona and I thought it was humorous to turn that image into a cop, a bobby, a police officer.  An added bonus is the ability to play with Nicolas Cage's given name of Nicolas Coppola.

Nicolas Cop-pola

8"w x 11"h x .5"d

Mixed Media - charcoal, pastels, fabric, acrylic paint, metals, resin, on wood.

Next was the pirate.  After The Viceroy and the cop, I wasn't sure about the next persona, though I did want a long haired version.  I was doing a google search of Nicolas Cage images and movie posters and saw the poster for Zandalee (a movie I'm not familiar with).  I immediately thought a pirate would be the next piece I'd create.

The name "The Knave Nic Brig"  was a mixture of various searches, while talking with my roommate.  I tried going to pirate name generator websites for inspiration.  Many of the names had descriptions pegged on like " so-n-so the terrible," or "one-eyed so-n-so."  I liked the sound of "The Knave" and Brig is another word for "a place (as on a ship) for temporary confinement...."  Thank you Mariam-Webster.  So Brig was a good sea-worthy alternative name for Cage, thus The Knave Nic Brig was created.

The Knave Nic Brig

8"w x 10.75"h x .5"d

Mixed Media - charcoal, pastels, fabric, acrylic paint, metals, resin, on wood.

The art show is on Saturday and my excitement is growing.  The tickets have sold out and it's sounding like it'll be quite an entertaining evening.

http://www.nicolascageisgod.com/

https://www.facebook.com/events/1440194232892177/

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-nicolas-cage-party-los-angeles-tickets-11259530559

http://www.timeout.com/los-angeles/art/the-nicolas-cage-party

http://mashable.com/2014/04/09/nicolas-cage-art-show-party/

Nicolas Cage on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

They begin to talk about the Art Show around 3:30

The Viceroy

When I heard there was a Nicolas Cage themed art show in San Francisco and it was coming to LA, I knew I wanted to attend.  When the option to be IN the show was brought to my attention, I knew I had to create something!  It took a while for me to come up with an idea that really resonated.  I started out by creating a charcoal portrait of him on a piece of wood and then the idea unfolded.  I knew I had to add a hat AND a monocle - Steampunk Nic Cage was born - later known as The Viceroy.

The Viceroy
Mixed Media on Wood - charcoal, pastels, fabric, acrylic paint, metals, feathers, leather, resin
June 2014

12"w x 18.5"h x 4"d

The Viceroy Facebook Art Album
Melissa Fontanini Artist on Facebook

http://www.nicolascageisgod.com/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1440194232892177/
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-nicolas-cage-party-los-angeles-tickets-11259530559

http://laist.com/2014/06/19/photos_what_you_can_expect_from_the.php#photo-1
http://time.com/45297/nicolas-cage-art-show/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/17/nicolas-cage-art-show_n_4964643.html

More compositing, matchmove and integration projects

My Turn - Matchmove & Integration Project
The piece is a little out of context because the storyline isn't complete, but it's about an unfinished piece of art that has been waiting around to be finished.  When it gets fed up, it breaks free from the wood board and goes after the artist.

I shot all the footage using a Sony PMW EX1 camera, used PFTrack to do the 3D tracking of the footage, modeled, textured, rigged the 3D unfinished piece of art character, and animated in maya (animation refinement necessary, but class is in a half hour!)



Transformation - Compositing Project
This was the final assignment of my compositing class.  We were given the topic of 'transformation' and I chose to interpret the story of Daphne from Greek Mythology - female who turns into a Laurel Tree.
I shot myself in front of green screen, modeled a 3D figure in Maya to roughly match my form - used many masks in after effects to show the transition of the tree bark growing up my figure.


Red Riding Hood - Compositing Project
This was a homework assignment where we were given a still background plate, greenscreen footage of Red Riding Hood, and a movie of a 'sparkly ball'.  The task was to integrate everything together using After Effects - rotoscope Red Riding Hood's left hand so the sparkly ball passes behind it, a lot of color corrections, some fog, lighting changes, etc.