Was There Life Before Photoshop?
Original Art and Text by Simone Calbi


Calling all artists and graphic designers out there: I want to know, was there life before photoshop? My answer is, of course there was. I realized this recently when my seven-year old Mac reached the end of its life and I was stuck wanting to do a graphic design project. I didn’t have the right tools to do it. In an excited way I decided to return to the old techniques of actually cutting with scissors and pasting with glue in order to alter an antique magazine. As much as I enjoy the power of photoshop, I find holding the materials in my hands to be very satisfying. With that said, I find great joy from putting something antique into the computer. It’s like a way of preserving something and giving it a longer life. The process I am about to explain is a celebration of the value of technology that lets you scan, copy, and make sure artifacts like these last forever. But it’s also a homage to cutting and pasting in real life.

The process begins with an old Spanish magazine I found from 1919. I discovered it in an old used bookshop near where I live in Buenos Aires. It’s cover called out to me. It’s old soap advertisement for the soap, Heno de Pravia which is still used today. A woman wearing a flapper style beaded bra has a man’s head in one hand and is reaching for soap in the other hand. I looked at it and thought it would be awesome if she had the man’s heart in her hands instead. I didn’t have photoshop, so instead I took these classic steps in order to get the effect I wanted.



I want to invite you to check out my new blog Piola. Here you can see exactly how the process was done!

Rememeber that Socialphy can be a good place to showcase your blog so don't be shy to test it out!