Cajsa's Choices: Moody & Stylish Avatar Portraits by Lika Cameo

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Lika Cameo’s “...a little bit yours” is a beautiful black and white picture with striking chiaroscuro contrast. The white is so bright many of the details, such as the quilt fabric, are blown out while the shadows are strong, bold, swathes of black across her body. It has the feel of a sketch, often achieved with filters in PhotoShop, FilterForge, Gimp, or a plethora of online editing tools. The subtle use of depth of field adds to its emotional effect, keeping your eyes on her face that expresses such melancholy. 

For more moody melancholy, click here:

“My Shadow” is another moody piece. It’s in shades of blue and gray, the colors associated with melancholy. Think of their use in our emotional expressions. She’s in a fog. Everything feels gray and colorless. She has the blues. Kandinsky, one of my favorite artists, said, “Almost without exception, blue refers to the domain of abstraction and immateriality.” Abstraction and immateriality seem perfect for this picture created from shadows cast on water. I love how ephemeral it feels. A stone tossed into the water would create ripples that would erase the picture.

"When I close my eyes there is no limit to what I can see" goes in a completely different direction with bold ruby red and emerald green. She comes in close, capturing just her mouth and chin and her hand holding the rose, as vibrantly red as her lips. Shadow plays an important role, making those jewel tones brighter and bolder in contrast. She has a small smile. This is not melancholy, but seems more like reverie, pleasantly lost in thought. 

Lika Cameo’s photostream is a delight. Her pictures are stunning with some amazing avatar portraits and gorgeous “doodles” (That’s her word for her own drawings.) Some pictures are remarkable combinations of SL pics and first-life drawing. She has pictures of some oil paintings and watercolors she has done as well. Her obsession is people and she makes a masterpiece of every person. 

See all of Cajsa's Choices here. Follow Cajsa on Flickr, on Twitter or on her blog.

Comments

[Scylla Rhiadra]

I love Lika's work, and I'm so pleased that you are highlighting it here! I don't know many other SL artists who are better at managing effects through subtle and nuanced uses of light and shade, and I'm endlessly envious of her ability to find just the right angle to make the composition interesting and evocative. I think you've done her justice here, so thank you for that.