Posts Tagged ‘composition’
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010
of my own choosing
Its Own Landscape – painting Dan Beck 2010
Seemed like a good time to add a recent image. Like the last painting and article below – this painting is not so much based on anything in particular but more about color and clouds.
The title speaks for itself – the painting is its own place – not a completely implausible place but not particularly based on anything recently seen or any recent scene, as it were. Interesting how similar a meaning of those two words seen and scene … such as “seen in passing” or “passing scene”.
I guess my hope for such a painting – and as is the case for me – it is familiar enough looking yet different enough to be fun to look at. My visual experience is never going to be exactly like anyone else’s experience – even if it is a shared experience. We come to the world differently – and it is beautiful that there is such variation.
The colors, composition, and clouds speak to me – perhaps they will to you as well.
Tags: beck, clouds, colors, composition, landscape painting, shared experience, time and place
Posted in Current See | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
feeling the space
Open Fields – digital art painting – Dan Beck 2009
This was painted approximately two months ago – the colors of everything have changed a bit since then – more brown in the fields – more blue in the sky – the change of seasons is subtle here in the Salinas Valley, but still noticeable.
This was a remarkably loose painting – my recollection was to capture that quick glance of field workers – in the distance – in multiple groups upon the backdrop of very open fields. Looking at the painting today, I feel I captured these undulating and exposed fields.
The workers are more colors than people – probably hinting of the way the workers blend into the scene and are not seen or even thought of by most people. There is a tremendous amount of back bending work that goes into our being able to eat produce – and there is meant to be a kind of vulnerability from the open vastness of these picking fields.
Is the power in those floating electrical towers or in the people, clouds or hills?
See Also
- Composition of the Bend – a somewhat similar piece from a different time and curiously mentions three paintings I just hung up in a rather impromptu exhibition at a local coffee shop
- Digital Painting – never hurts to check out a little explanation and process
Tags: art painting, clouds, colors, composition, Digital Art, digital painting, glance, paintings, Salinas Valley, vastness
Posted in Current See | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
different digital challenges
Hillside Fun – digital art – Dan Beck 2008
One of the things I have improved on over the years is paying attention to the composition – so that a piece works both large and small. With digital art – there is not necessarily an optimum size and certainly not a one and only size.
As I have taken on this medium, I keep trying to do work which utilizes the attributes which are unique to creating art on the computer. Stepping back is done by minimizing the size – and getting up close is done by magnifying.
Once a work is printed, I find they are generally stronger as they get large enough to see the detail found when creating the piece. Texture and overlap of color come into their own in a way that is really only hinted at by a monitor screen – but yet again – seeing on a monitor may actually be closer than with a photo of a more traditional form of art.
See Also
Original Art – discussion of what it means particulary in the context of digital painting and prints on demand
Changing Landscape of Traditional Art – an internet search yielded an interesting thought but not sure if the internet has changed our access to this degree
Tags: Art, color, composition, Digital Art, digital_art, hills, Original Art, original_art, painting, prints, texture
Posted in Digital Art | No Comments »
Saturday, July 28th, 2007
carrying out original vision
Checkerboard Day – unfinished digital painting
If I work this direction – meaning create a landscape and then add figures, I generally save the painting before moving on.
I like the piece where it is above – the checkerboard of light and dark and the clouds are strong enough to carry the painting. Plus the hills have the warmth and at least my eye is pulled in enough to want to move around in the composition.
But frequently, the case with art is about solving a problem or carrying out something one has conceived. I always think there should be some give and take with the painting itself as it is created. But I also think it is important to at least try to say what one intends (a take on Original Art – I had not thought of before).
The checkerboard mountains and the two irrigation workers hoisting their pipes in unison were witnessed on the same day – and the connection made sense to me when I saw them and created the finished original digital painting.
See Also
- Original Prints – catalog of prints starting at $95 – some of my favorites – many current paintings are on hold as far as prints being set up for easy purchase – email if determined – changes are coming
- The Art of Problem Solving – good tips here – concise and clear – even if my take is more about art honing such skills
- The Art of Complex Problem Solving – I think this may actually be about “the Art” – as it is the changing views as one rolls over with the mouse that makes me appreciate this – the puzzle about puzzle solving is more complex than I have patience for at the moment – but a nice complex diagram nevertheless
Tags: Art, composition, hills, mountains, Original Art, original_art, painting, prints
Posted in Original Art | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 17th, 2007
fresh ideas – part of original art concept – time tells
Morning Light – digital painting – original prints – Dan Beck 2005
Did my quick image roulette thing and found this work of original representation and original art.
The slabs of concrete looking things are to represent the unsightly mall in between my view and the mountains. I frequently, like a many artist, have selective vision … and here again I did as well – choosing this representation.
At the time, I liked it conceptually – thought it kind of fun – but never did more – an indicator in itself.
Love the clouds and sky – the mountains are cool – but it never made it into my real favorites – nevertheless, it is original on many levels and documents the creative process and my own progression as an artist.
Original Prints have been made available for this digital painting and all others in the Figures Art Gallery.
See Also
Tags: Art, composition, creative process, mountains, Original Art, original_art, painting, prints
Posted in Original Art | No Comments »
Monday, July 9th, 2007
changing views
Nestling Grape Rows – digital painting / original prints – Dan Beck – 2005
As with many paintings, my feeling about this piece originally is not the same as it has come to be. Often one is either more ecstatic about the results or even more humdrum about the results.
It is a very clear to me the importance of audience and artistic climate. When one of my original prints is well received by other artists, other viewers – it is not difficult to change my view on the work.
When a piece is not well received; what was successful may remain – but it is more difficult to hang on to. In the digital painting above, I liked the 3 dimensionality in particular, the texture, and the way the composition itself tends to push the grapes and mountains together.
The subject matter has been tackled by me and will be again – but the strength in this particular interpretation has the uniqueness we tend to look for in original art.
See Also
- Impressionist Art Gallery – gallery the above digital painting is found in and a good glimpse of works from a glimpse
- Andorra & France – someone’s trip to France – had a really nice photo of grapes (as much in the mountains or more) than my rendition – and the rest is just a recording – I assume for friends and family – which I am neither – but what a wonderful trip they seemed to have had
- Photos – same kind of thing – snapshots of a trip from someone I don’t know – but the photo of grapes in the mountains near Exeter, CA and the two countryside photos of Lindsay are worth looking at – and maybe more just to get a sense of the area
Tags: Art, composition, mountains, Original Art, original_art, painting, prints, texture
Posted in Original Art | No Comments »
Saturday, April 21st, 2007
transcending the confines of canvas stereotypes
Sky Over Mountains – digital painting – Dan Beck 2007
I wrote a page for my website in which I go into detail about what digital painting is and how it differs and is in many ways the same as other types of painting.
Much of my focus was in pointing out the painterly similarities. Composition, color, and form as well as a clean canvas to start with are all the same. The above is a good example, because it too is much the same as traditional painting in its gradations and intensity of color – but it differs as well in the way lines and texture are created.
To me the computer connections and origins are rather apparent. I am not out to hide the nature of these works, but I am more concerned with what they are trying to communicate than the language of digital or even the language of art.
Feeling and beauty are meant to transcend technique and for that matter transcend the art – their success is not something which can luckily or easily be measured.
See Also
- Digital Painting – discussion of how it is same and different – insight into how it is viewed at Outhouse Studios and part of why it is such an exciting new medium
- What is Art? And why does it Matter? – open house questions – Yale University Art Gallery – thought these quotes rather enlightening as far as some across the board thinking
Tags: Art, color, composition, digital painting, mountains, painting, texture
Posted in Digital Paintings | No Comments »
Friday, April 13th, 2007
recent experience affects creativity
Typical Mountain Color – digital painting – Dan Beck 2007
Well yes – this really isn’t typical mountain color – but is more a case of saving a piece with a title before knowing exactly where it is going.
The mountains are beautiful here and they have this look and feeling which I try to communicate frequently. They change a lot, but there is always this wonderful patchwork of color.
When I started painting this piece – I was drinking out of a pseudo Van Gogh mug. I approached the painting with more abandon and colors than I might normally – it felt like the right thing to do.
The figures came in to play because 1) I wasn’t done painting, 2) I felt it would make the piece more interesting (colorful), and 3) because I caught two men resting on their hoes recently (even though these are shovels) – something I don’t normally see.
The third figure seemed necessary with the rest of the composition. His posture will be discussed at another time.
See Also
- Field of Hoes – how could I not think of this piece – a number of people have said it looks like a band of musicians out in that field – plus original art prints are set up for purchase
- Van Gogh – an interesting take on his use of color – with imbued meanings throughout – perhaps even more credit than the spontaneous style we can all see – but such a lovely image to make the discussion come together
Tags: Art, color, composition, creativity, mountains, music, painting, prints
Posted in Digital Paintings | No Comments »
Thursday, April 5th, 2007
comfort, color, and mistakes, so what
Composite Evening – digital painting / art prints – Dan Beck 2004
Not one of my all time successes, I guess I am featuring this today because…well I am not sure.
The barn is the barn in the distance across the road; the sky has certainly had this color. By its title, I know this piece came from a number of impressions put together. I like the composite idea – something over time and distance – seeing without pretending there is understanding involved.
But compositionally, this piece has always been suspect – the centered cloud – the even bands of color – probably better left to straight abstraction – but even then.
It isn’t a piece that I like well enough to want to live with – but in looking at it today, I find it pleasing despite its obvious shortcomings.
I think growth comes from not hiding our mistakes but rather in finding where the comfort lay.
See Also
- NGA | Mark Rothko – something about the colors and the bands of colors made me think of Rothko as I looked at this piece today. This site is full of his work – definitely worth viewing – though no substitute for in person.
- Mistakes Quotes – The Quotations Page – make no mistake about it, this is a popular subject for many… and a fun read
- Composite Evening – in case you are enthralled despite my critique, there are art prints of this work available – don’t let me convince you otherwise
Tags: Art, color, composition, painting, prints
Posted in Digital Paintings | No Comments »
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.
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
Tags: Art, color, composition, digital medium, fields, painting, prints
Posted in Digital Paintings | No Comments »
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