Digital Trash - Pulverizer

These are from a folder on my computer called “Digital Trash”. It kinda started as an exercise to see how unrecognizable I could make an image by pushing different tools. Could I resist my natural tendencies to avoid extremes in the name of polish, functional design, and cognitive harmony? As simple and as pointless as that sounds, the impulse felt almost like it came from a place of need.

Not sure it’s even about a need to express myself (though that could still be part of it). Maybe it’s just about the act of making something for me. Or maybe it’s some underlying sense of rebellion — a need to feel subversive or contrary to what many designers are often asked to make. Maybe it’s regret that I was never in a hardcore band. Whatever the reasons, it felt like art therapy to me. (I don’t know how actual art therapy works) Though, even as much as I pushed to distort, crush, pulverize, and otherwise make trash of digital images, I still couldn’t push it completely beyond all sense of artfulness. I still had to find harmonies and complements in the mix. I still added little design elements and accents to add interest and balance. If you read this and it interests you, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you have a favorite version? Have you ever felt compelled to do something like this?