Roy Lichtenstein – Kiss V (Uncertainty)

Lichtenstein has a very dominant comic book style due to the heavy illustrating with the weighted strokes plus the printing dots, which can be seen within the skin tones and the background of this image. Because of this method of approach to his work it conveys quite a lot of uncertainty in the meaning of each image. It can be left to interpretation. In this image we can see there is a woman crying on a mans shoulder however gripping him tightly and emotionally. I think the story behind this image is that there was a relationship going on between these two people however due to unseen circumstances they are breaking up. Although I think another possibility due to the facial expressions is that the two people have not seen each other for a long time and have just reunited creating tears of emotion in the woman? Either way I think the style of Lichtenstein is very contemporary and looks like pop art. I have not found any proof to the method of how he has created this but I think the best way to recreate something like this would be to use photography to compose your image and then work onto it as a guide in illustrator to create this comic style art. I think the printing dots add dramatically to the uncertainty portrayed in this image. To me, it makes me wonder whether this scenario is true or has it just been taken from a comic magazine.

My Response

I don’t feel that I have achieved the style of Lichtenstien fully in this image. There is a certain element, which I think it missing. Maybe the printing dots, I found these very hard to recreate in my image.

However I did use a photograph, which I had taken of my friends where a girl had her head in her hands while being comforted by a boy. I thought this was an appropriate image to symbolize uncertainty because the fact that she is covering her face you cannot see her facial expressions, although it would be common to think she was upset and being comforted. However the reason for being upset is not known, giving a sense of uncertainty within the image. It makes us want to find out the story behind these two people.

Although, I do like the effect the bright primary colours create. Suddenly the picture has this sense of uncertainty or lack of reality however the characters still look quite realistic due to their figures and facial expressions. It reminds me a lot of pop art from which I think a lot of uncertainty is symbolized and created just because of the bright, bold colours plus random meanings and images which are used within it.