[B2] The Smoke (Surgery Make-up: Week of Oct 17)

"The Smoke" by ~lucaszoltowski on DeviantArt.

When I saw this piece, I was taken hold by the strong message it sends. This minimalistic photomanipulation uses many different elements to emphasize its depiction of the desperation and helplessness caused by addiction. In order to bring the viewer's eyes to it's focal point, the artist uses heavy contrast of the black ashes against the light background. The background also serves to stress the focal point by using a gradation of medium gray and white. The shadows beneath the cigarette create a very three-dimensional effect, which accentuates the realism of a faked photomanipulation. The contrast of the orange filter against the monochromatic remainder of the piece punctuates the cigarette as the main cause of the painful tone of the artwork.