Replaceface is an ongoing series of portraits where modern celebrities are transported back in time into the role of 19th-century Russian generals. As we have seen before, artist Steve Payne is behind the clever compositions that redefine the idea of a classic painting.
Using digital copies of English portrait artist George Dawe‘s work, Payne meticulously matches the brushstrokes, colors, and style to create a realistic composition that blends old and new elements. He maintains the regal postures of the subjects and adds an ornate gold frame to suggest authenticity of the digital manipulations.
The strength and pride of each military figure emanates from the classic pieces and viewers may quickly forget that the works weren’t actually created in the 19th-century. The realistic results are thanks to Payne’s creative eye and his impressive technical skills. The project allows Payne to have fun with Photoshop and he says, “I was always drawn to the fun side of image manipulation, the kind of stuff you can do using photos of your friends.”
