Interesting visuals

Father and children, Oaxaca, Mexico

Hari Polansky, 2008

I need certain elements in the picture to portray my theme, and they have to be depicted accurately. If proportions are off or the perspective isn't consistent, it will affect the believability factor of the atmosphere I want to create. So I need reference images.

I've taken photos in Oaxaca, Mexico during their October Dios de La Muertes Festival. Amazing to be amongst the parades, decorations, and festivities meant to celebrate and honor deceased loved ones. The local cemeteries are crowded with friends and families who picnic, play music, or quietly reminisce, surrounded by flowers and bits of color. I want this feeling of joyous rememberance. I'll have to put in groups of people, and color; lots of color.

Mexican flags

Susan Polansky, 2008

Back to the idea of keeping things and memories, I've got ideas for this: keys and bank safes. Keys fit in so nicely with the theme. So important to us, and yet meaningless by themselves. And the bank safes - a personal image, but fitting with the theme also, if I can figure in a way to make them work. My dear brother, who passed away three years ago, had over a hundred safes (locked, without combinations)  in his horde of machinery and tools.  But more on that another day.

The cemetary

Hari Polansky, 2008

I do a lot of searching for pictures that interest me,  using Google Images and my own photos. And I start drawing...