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painting the feeling of perception

Pinnacles 1 - digital art | digital painting - Dan Beck 2008

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of seeing the Pinnacles up close - I have only gone once, only done the one digital painting - and did it in my normal fashion - based the piece on some of the views I saw which left an impression - combined them a little - but mostly painted from the impression they left upon me.

I painted it that afternoon, the images were fresh in my inner view.

The color of the sky - though not remotely real to the day - somehow helped to convey the feeling that these incredible rock formations had on me. The different depths - the incredible tone of colors and the massiveness probably can’t be conveyed in photo or painting, but my intent has always been to capture something more intangible.

It usually works for me - but I am triggering my own memory and I couldn’t possibly know how it reads to someone never having experienced something similar.

See Also

• Digital Art - discussion of the broad meanings of the term and the process at Outhouse Studios
• Impressionist Art Gallery - other works based on glimpse, visual memory, understanding - plus discussion of impressionist art
• Pinnacles National Monument - U.S. Parks service site with most information on this incredible rock formation

and enjoyment of creating

Furrowed Field - digital painting - Dan Beck 2007

When I started adding the patterned colors in the dirt - the green, red, and blue; the contours of the dirt flattened out a little - but I liked the digital painting more and found the addition a nice addition to the enjoyment of creating the painting.

The furrowed field in question did just start getting irrigated and I did see two workers in yellow slickers with wrenches cranking on the water.

There was no posing and no pretense of a world in scale -but hopefully fun nevertheless. The figures do seem a bit cartoon-like to me and the representation of water - I have certainly done a few times.

Since to me, one of the key aspects of creating original art is communicating one’s unique perspective - this piece works. It is neither completely new or completely redone. The prints are always original and always as intended by the artist.

See Also

• Rainy Halloween Harvest - first digital painting with figures - actually painted through the window - on location as it were - and first painted yellow slickers
• Good Communication Skills - not advocating a course here - but good points about communication also apply to the conscious part of art
• Original Prints - definitions and distinctions - understanding what is being offered at Outhouse Studios

blurring lines of distinction

Fishies - digital painting - poster art prints - Dan Beck 2000

Is there a distinction between fine art and poster art? - between serious representation and caricature?

I can see a difference between my earliest digital paintings and my more recent ones. The first ones were bright playful colors with no pretence of trying to capture the feeling of someplace real - rather they were a place of their own though inspired by something seen.

There is a brilliance which fish have which can’t be captured - the above rendition is not from vision not from reality so much as from imagination and colors of the medium.

I imagine it more of a poster than a work of framed original art - but I never want to lose that sense of play - I want the lines blurred - I want my work to be low brow - high brow - no brow.

We need categories to make sense of our world - but after doing so we need to be able to not categorize in order to see.

See Also

• Original Art-chives - earliest digital paintings at Outhouse Studios and some as recent as 2005
• Under Water Photo Gallery - don’t know this photographer or his work until today - but Gary McCarthy has done a nice job at showcasing some of the incredible colors under water

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.

See Also

• Abstract Art Gallery - some of the other abstract art work at Outhouse Studios
• Moose Turd Pie - my father told this joke a little differently - but it the same story - though Utah Phillips does really personalize it.
• Pure Color - I looked up pure color for the heck of it - there really is no such thing - color is relative - but good information here plus nice images.

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.

See Also

• Sunset Startled - art print options and availability for above digital painting
• Phlegm - found this site as a result of searching for metaphors for painting - this is just too much fun!
• On Painting - same search, but a a little more thoughtful discussion on teaching us how to observe, retain, and actually be more in the moment.

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.

See Also

Field Fitting - art print options and availability for above digital painting

Understand Your Subtle System - completely unrelated and particularly foreign to me - but quite interesting - searching the term: awkward imbalance

watercolor transparency with digital overtones

Two Pick 2 - digital painting / art prints - Dan Beck 2006

Since this image is in the center of the blog banner, I thought I would feature it again. This piece shows off some of the digital nature of its inception.

Many people looking at my finished pieces think that they are watercolor - in many ways they have the characteristics. They are layered and the colors are somewhat translucent and that quality of water comes through.

But then again - there is just about always something which cannot be done using watercolor. And my position, is one of using what I have to express myself.

In the above digital painting, I used patterns as part of my paint on the strawberry mounds. And I think that is a bit of a digital give away.

See Also

• Two Pick 2 - art print options and availability for above digital painting
• Transparent Watercolor Society of America - I loved the title - being a punster - and appreciated the many examples of watercolor work
• handprint : watercolors & watercolor painting - although I didn’t see a single image, I was most impressed with the extensiveness of the resource - if one is looking for info on how to and what to buy

drive by landscape - fields, sky, and texture

Valley Colors - digital painting - Dan Beck 2007

There is a spot which this is loosely based on - I drive by it fairly regularly and it has a good view of the valley extending to the Santa Lucia Mountains and Mount Toro.

Like a lot of my work, it is more of a drive by impression - I saw color, and a few barns or houses, a few trees - but mostly the colors of sky and fields.

This is not a piece which knocked me over when I was finished - I wasn’t really sure about it - but there are many things I like: the short field growth in the front, the way the cloud twists like a ribbon, and the beautiful texture in the green field.

My eyes and mind move around the landscape well - so I guess I did ok.

Like all but a couple of my pieces - I started with a blank page and painted and created the digital painting by the strokes of a mouse.

See Also

• Big Valley 1 - another digital painting taken from an impression of pretty much the same spot

• UC Vegetable Research & Information Center - several good images of Salinas Valley plus some information about agriculture

• From the ground up - an image of the Salinas Valley brought me to this site - good article about small organic growing in the area and the group ALBA

hidden figures and colors for the type of day

Under the Corn - digital painting / art prints - Dan Beck 2006

It is not uncommon to see a single row of corn as a barrier between the road and the berry fields. I don’t know why that is - I can’t imagine it provides that much of a windbreak - perhaps it is tradition - like the rosebush at the end of a grape row (so I thought).

I just happened to notice pickers yesterday with heads barely visible - essentially under and behind the row of corn.

There were many other pickers joining them. The colors kind of just happened - but in some ways I feel they are more representative of the type of day and weather than a photo would have been.

For art prints of this new digital painting, please email: specialorders@outhousestudios.net  - thanks.

See Also

• Blogsite Exclusive Images
  guide to images and articles of newer images - many strawberry picking
• Donaldson Farms Education
  searching for explanation or corn row and strawberries - I found this nice pictorial of farm in NJ - nice enough to link to - that’s for sure, but no explanation or reference could I find anywhere

simplicity, colors, and composition combine

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

I was pretty happy with this digital painting when I finished. Sometimes it takes a while to appreciate the work one has done and other times it is immediate. I find the same to be true with music I’ve written.

I kept the fence simple and the green field very austere as well. But that little squashed setting sun was pretty right on - and the complexity of the horizon itself quite fascinating.

What I think mostly is that it is pleasing in its colors and in its composition - enough to make one feel good. And if I recall correctly, it was a really special evening .

See Also

• Sunset Startled
  gallery page - enlarge/details - availability of art prints for Sunset Startled
• Low Sun
  More pictures and info from site sighted in text
• Earth Science Picture of the Day
  the separation and squashing of the setting sun - but moreso