Digital Paintings « Outhouse Studios Weblog

Archive for the ‘Digital Paintings’ Category

When Success Isn’t Measured

Wednesday, March 21st, 2007

limits, language, and symbolism

Symbolic Language 7 – digital painting – Dan Beck 2007

I thought this was pretty cool when I just finished – interesting, layer upon layer. I tried coloring only by tinting sections – the most subtle way of coloring I have at my disposal.

At the end, I couldn’t take it any more and changed my own rules adding some touches of pure color. But with all that I find the digital painting a bit too subtle and drab – but like the old joke – good though.

It was intended as an exercise, intended to be fun, intended to be unpressured learning – and it was.

I could probably do things to make it brighter – improve upon what is – but successes come in different forms – and the limits and language are intended to be symbolic of that as well.

Pulling the Eye Through

Tuesday, March 20th, 2007

framed colors of world within the world

Sunset Startled – digital painting / art prints – Dan Beck 2005

As I look at this today, I think how fun that there is a frame within the frame. Though it is true that this is what attracted me to the scene in part – it still pulls my eye under the tree to get there.

It remains simple, colorful, direct, and pleasing. And even the spaces between the fence pull one through.

It doesn’t pass for being literal but it hits the bulls-eye as far as one’s viewing the world within the world …

the metaphor for painting itself.

Sharing the Flame

Monday, March 19th, 2007

older work attempts virtual warmth

Fireplace – digital painting / art prints – Dan Beck 2000

Here in California – there is a fireplace in my house. When I lived on the East Coast there were many I times I remember driving hours just to have one for a few days.

When I created this digital painting, I thought it would be fun to share my fireplace – I don’t think I actually possessed the technology to do that at the time – but I thought it a good idea nevertheless.

My development as a digital artist was not a strong as now – naturally, but it still shows a vibrancy, an enthusiasm, and a fun take on flame and brick.

In light of blizzards and other cold weather, I offer it up again …

as a virtual fireplace.

Digital Painting Revisited

Sunday, March 18th, 2007

more or less of reality can still capture feeling

Foothill Views – Digital Painting / Art Prints -2005

Well once I again, I am writing about a piece I have thoroughly discussed.

I write because I stumbled upon it today. I write because there is always something more to be said about a painting I like – and particularly one I like and created.

The rows are less perfect than the rows of reality. The patchwork is more blanket-like than the quilted hills themselves. The characters are more animated than the guys riding the tractor that day. My eye rolls up and down the hills even more than with the actual panorama.

But in two dimensions and a much smaller window – I have captured enough of the feeling of the area to enjoy being inside the painting.

I hope you are able to as well.

Art Before the Cart

Friday, March 16th, 2007

CD art before recording – digital art before purchasable prints

Red Eye Recordings – cover art – Dan Beck 2007

I like the phrase art before the cart – just like I enjoyed art cart rather than shopping cart.

I am hoping to record some of my music from the last year or so. I came up with the concept above for a CD because my eyes got infected and I felt well enough to play guitar and sing – and even felt quite inside the music.

I was also concerned about using my eyes too much – though obviously not so concerned that I didn’t do the art work first. So naturally – I have a cover without the recorded content. Well I have recorded one piece – to be shared another day.

The other aspect to this phrase “Art Before the Cart” is that there will always be new pieces of digital art on this site – visible but not set up for purchase – it is the way it is – despite my best intentions.

Expectations of impulsive got to have an art print of that digital painting having seen it once on the internet are not really mine – but please don’t hesitate to write if something strikes your fancy – just email or comment below.

Just thought it should be said…

Reading New Meaning

Thursday, March 15th, 2007

Pretending the Ides of March

Shape of Something New – digital painting / art prints – 2005

I took a quick scan through my images and looked for something representative of the betrayal of the Ides of March. The digital painting above has nothing to do with that – but it does look like that could be Caesar there on the ground -

So why not – meaning can always be added!

I suppose there might be a betrayal part as well – because though I looked at this as a possible new direction – I didn’t really pursue it. But then again as I think I wrote – though it seemed new to me personally – I didn’t think the piece was a particularly new genre.

In fact, as much as I like the piece and even find it original – it reminds me of many, many other works of art I have seen over the years.

Et tu, Brute?

Digital Medium and Vision Combine

Tuesday, March 13th, 2007

focus to harness an awkward imbalance

Field Fitting – digital painting / art prints – Dan Beck 2006

I don’t know if one can tell by looking, but this was a challenge for the eyes to make. A lot of the piece was done by filling in lines – not like conventional painting but with the unique tools of the computer – yet really focusing on getting in between.

I am particularly partial to this digital painting – I think the composition is compelling – one feels like one is at the end of the precipice. The fields undulate – the colors are more real than real – and there is this wonderful awkward imbalance of the man positioning the irrigation pipes and trying to harness nature.

Perhaps I read too much – but then again – I think it speaks strongly about my own vision and style.

When Art Can’t Fail

Saturday, March 10th, 2007

Mediums Which Always Have Good Results

Symbolic Language 6 – digital painting & art prints – Dan Beck 2007

Not particularly related to the above digital painting, but noteworthy to me – today is the day my family always celebrated my parents’ birthdays – actually a three day celebration with birthdays on the 9th and 11th of March.

Neither of my parents is still alive, but I for one am very glad to have known them – in addition to the most obvious reason.

The painting above came from the concept of art where you can’t fail. In many mediums, this feels true. I did some silk painting over the last year and found that to be so as with batik in other years. I also used to mask areas of a painting and then unveil at the end and that also seemed that way.

An art teacher or motivator looks for that kind of exercise where everyone feels success. The piece above was created without any freehand drawing – just the shape fill tools, box sections and manipulations – never done that before – don’t know if I will again.

But it felt like a no lose proposition.

Solving the Wrong Problem

Friday, March 9th, 2007

technology’s quirks yield frustration’s art

Palette Crap – digital painting – art prints – Dan Beck 2007

As a result of upgrading my Mac’s operating system to something more fashionably late, my painting program has new and improved quirks. This seems to be the norm for technology – as I think about all the various pieces of equipment (not restricted to computers) that have such little quirks – even the locks on my car – rather mechanical – but still.

So the above digital painting was born somewhat out of frustration – it was about being able to build new texture/colors and save the palettes. In my attempts to not have the program crash, I tried removing all sorts or things – getting it to work and systematically putting them back until it failed again.

But as the way with logic sometimes – my successes did not have to do with my interventions but something different I cannot see.

But I was able to have fun scribbling and did save some new palettes finding out if I saved the piece first I had a much better chance of success – and at least a couple of fun new digital paintings and accompanying art prints.

The Line between Feeling and Vision

Thursday, March 8th, 2007

Between Abstract and Representational

Feeling of Rain – digital painting – Dan Beck 2005

There was no impending rain today – I decided upon this piece as a result of the random gallery button (gallery chance) and random gallery page button – and I thought why not – it’s the time of year there could be.

This piece is a nice bridge between representational and abstract – the two are not opposites – but I think this straddles the line nicely nevertheless.

Titled as such – because it is more about evoking the feeling than the actual sight – but it is easier if one uses some visual clues – and the overcast and hues of this piece do bring about the feeling of rain in my mind.

Outhouse Studios Weblog

Archive for the ‘Digital Paintings’ Category

When Success Isn’t Measured

limits, language, and symbolism

See Also

Pulling the Eye Through

framed colors of world within the world

See Also

Sharing the Flame

older work attempts virtual warmth

See Also

Digital Painting Revisited

more or less of reality can still capture feeling

See Also

Art Before the Cart

CD art before recording – digital art before purchasable prints

See Also

Reading New Meaning

Pretending the Ides of March

See Also

Digital Medium and Vision Combine

focus to harness an awkward imbalance

See Also

When Art Can’t Fail

Mediums Which Always Have Good Results

See Also

Solving the Wrong Problem

technology’s quirks yield frustration’s art

See Also

The Line between Feeling and Vision

Between Abstract and Representational

See Also

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