Electronic Mask Series

Terminal Art: A Retrospective (1985-1995)

The Electronic Mask Series explores the creative process using a computer as the artist's tool.

In 1985, as today, creating images on a computer involved the digitalization and manipulation of masks. These electronic masks define some areas of the image, while hiding other areas, thereby limiting the effects of specific operations to the masked areas. These masks are the electronic equivalent of the airbrush artist's frisket paper.

As humans,
we have used masks
since prehistoric times
to hide or transform
aspects of ourselves
during social rituals.
In the Electronic Mask Series, I identified the eight steps of my creative process:

Initiation, Imagination, Visualization, Motivation,
Vacation, Ventilation, Examination, & Unification,

which in turn leads again to Initiation. This spiralling process leads us to progressively ascending levels of Creation...and Recreation.

When you enter the gallery, you may click each of the original images to see the current vision in the creative process.


Click the pencil to send your message to Maxwell Bliss.
Click the computer to return to Terminal Art: A Retrospective.

[Art on the Net]