September 1st, 2006 by admin
digital source yields originals - accurate printing yields intentional work
I am not the only one who does digital painting, digital art, or computer art. A search of any of the above yields millions of results and no doubt thousands of artists.
Much of what I am excited about is the fact that the art print from a digital source is an original. There are no reproductions - just prints.
True - the image was created by looking at a monitor version of the piece - and in a sense that would be the original - but no more than the lithographic stone is the original.
Because the print is the place one truly views the work first - the printing aspect is critical. At Outhouse Studios, there has been systematic experimentation to get it right, and systematic experimentation with the professional printing company used for the larger pieces as well.
Without that aspect - the work would still be original - but not particularly intentional.
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Relevant Tags:about art prints, accurate printing, art print, Art Prints, computer art, digital art, digital painting, digital source, original, printing aspect
July 11th, 2006 by admin
finding lesson in an early digital painting exploration
Sailbirds - digital painting / art prints - Dan Beck circa 1999
One of the early playing around on the computer pieces; the motion of my hand on the mouse produced these shapes caught somewhere between sails, birds, and nothing whatsoever.
Today I am noticing that I used a technique then which I apparently forgot about and I believe didn’t utilize again until 2003 - the line pattern with the gradient color filled between.
I advocate play as a method for propelling one’s technique as well as creativity - but it is interesting to note that one can stumble upon something really worthwhile and not recognize it until later.
I guess that is just another reason why I keep reiterating how being an observer is so important.
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Relevant Tags:advocate play, Art Prints, computer art, computer pieces, digital painting, digital painting exploration, observer, play
July 5th, 2006 by admin
zoomed in view needed to work sections of digital art
Section of current digital painting - view 1 pixel hole in center
I started working on a new digital painting this morning. A dreary kind of overcast summer day here - perfect for that sort of thing.
While I was working on it and enlarging the piece close to 400% - I thought it might be interesting to share what that looks like - and therefore a sense of how peculiar it can be to work with this digital medium.
Creating art on a computer can be very quick in some ways. There are tools which can create gradients, complex textures, lines, curves, fills, etc. However, certain things can be quite tedious.
For the look I want in this particular piece - I must work with the piece enlarged and must go back and forth with the size of the view. Often times even working at the largest level adjusting a single pixel.
It is fun to be able to see from different angles - stepping back, stepping in - but it is also tiring - as I am taking a break to write this.
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Relevant Tags:computer art, creating art, current digital painting, digital art, digital medium, digital painting, single pixel
June 23rd, 2006 by admin
humanness of trees through digital art setting
Monterey Miway 1 - digital painting / art prints - Dan Beck 2004
I thought I would feature this digital painting today. It is inspired by Highway 68 between Salinas and Monterey - looking back over my shoulder up at the hills and spying what are most likely live oak trees on the hillside.
Unlike the majority of my computer art work, this piece clearly looks digital - it isn’t the kind of look you can imagine one doing without a computer kind of palette.
The world looks a little other planet - but then again maybe just hot - not a common occurrence here - but it does happen.
More than anything else in this piece, I like the character of the trees. They all appear to be kneeling or reclining - and have a strong human quality in the midst of an almost science fiction background.
This particular piece was intended to be large and sold no smaller than 24×30" - which is the way I have it on my site. I would consider selling it at the smaller 13×19" size - because I recall that it was one that worked that size.
Please email specialorders@outhousestudios.net for special sized art prints.
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Relevant Tags:Art Prints, computer art, digital art, digital art setting, digital painting, humanness of trees, live oak trees
June 22nd, 2006 by admin
sunsets, climate, better art, faithfully produced as original art prints
Sunset Impression - digital painting / art prints - 2005
There are a lot of wonderful sunsets here. A lot of the reason is that I have an unobstructed view across the fields up to the hills and mountains this side of the ocean.
The sunsets are nice here also because they are - it is an amazing climate - guess that is why the vegetables like it so much too.
Earlier today, I was thinking about how with each piece I hope to create something which outdoes the last piece. I think that is the hope of any artist to create the better artwork or write the better song or dance the best dance etc.
We all know that each piece can’t be as good as the next - but it is not sustainable to think that one’s best work is behind one.
I am not sure that the above piece I ever felt was my best - but I do know it has been viewed favorably by a number of people. What I also know, is that I can print this digital painting - as numerous different sized art prints - and have every one be as original as the next.
To say this isn’t magic would not be accurate - because it is magical to be able to paint using a computer and create digital paintings which can be produced (not reproduced) faithfully every time.
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June 14th, 2006 by admin
texture, color, and quality of ink are unique to these art form
Two Pick - digital painting / art prints - Dan Beck 2006
This like many of my more recent works fills the 13×19″ watercolor page. It looks complete at that size, but should also enlarge nicely beyond that.
Apart from the two figures and the story behind them is this incredible texture found though out the digital painting. Computer art has such a wide range and can be painterly to futuristic.
I am almost always thrilled after printing one of my digital art images. There is this quality to the color and texture which is fluid like a watercolor, but rich more like acrylic or oil paint.
This is really a unique arena. It is a shame that the only way to see these in person, is to see them in a show or buy one. I suppose that is no different than a painting vs online, but until you see how these look printed - there is no real frame of reference.
For art prints of the above digital painting, please email specialorders@outhousestudios.net.
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June 12th, 2006 by admin
approaching digital painting figures first
Window View - digital painting / art prints - Dan Beck 2006
I was very happy with this digital painting - I knew it from the start. I approached this computer art in a different way and was successful.
It always feels good to try something a new a way and have it succeed. I think there are many ways to get somewhere good.
I start pieces in different ways - gradients vs patterns vs simple sketch. But for the most part when figures have been involved, they are brought in after the background.
This time, I created the figures first. I had just looked out the window and I didn’t want to lose what I had seen. Fortunately, they way the workers appeared to be wading in the field probably made this work that much better.
The rows aren’t all that deep, but with everyone bent over, the strawberry harvesters all look ensconced.
For art prints of the above digital painting, please email specialorders@outhousestudios.net.
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April 1st, 2006 by admin
Like lithograph, serigraph and etchings but no degradation
Below is the "Returned Response" to the email question below or found at Digital Art Question.
Hi Roger,
Thank you for the note.
There is original as in the case of a monoprint and then there is original as in the case of a lithograph, serigraph, etching or I suppose even an artist guided giclée (even though it wasn’t necessarily designed with that intent).
Digital art prints fall into the latter category. I do know one person who does digital work and prints without saving - but to me that is a waste of the medium.
Part of the beauty for me is that it is a way of potentially mass producing original works.
Having said that, I do limit my larger sizes to just 10 pieces - following the fine art photography guidelines which I got from a gallery in San Francisco - but somehow I think this is new territory and there are no real rules yet.
There are definitely difficulties in the language in a lot of areas; for instance I don’t view my work as being generated by a computer in any fashion - powered perhaps.
But I think a lot of this is semantics - finding the right way to explain what one is doing takes practice and experimentation.
I hope what I have said is of some help. Thanks again for your interest.
All the best,
Dan Beck
danbeck@outhousestudios.net
http://www.outhousestudios.net
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Relevant Tags:Art Prints, computer art, digital art, digital art prints, giclee, monoprint
March 18th, 2006 by admin
Computer Art, Classifying Medium, Categorizing Creativity
Enlarge DeSkies - Digital Painting - 2006
This is my most recent digital painting to date. I find this medium difficult to classify. Digital is how the information is stored - just as music is stored. Digital is synonymous with computer and is about the numeric nature of data.
For me - the use of the term is a bit touchy. Digital painting is the best I have - but it could also refer to altering digital photos or painting them even after printing. Or with the numerical reference, perhaps it even implies some kind of paint by numbers. Computer generated art certainly has that kind of done for you implication.
I suppose how things are arrived at isn’t the biggest issue. Good results are good results and truly as someone desirous of more creativity in the world, I am fine with any and all of it.
However, I still feel the need for the
right term to both lead people to my work and to describe what it is I am doing. Since the majority of digital art examples are coming from a different place, someone searching is more likely looking for that place - anyway that is what I suspect.
The above work is certainly abstract, perhaps ironically even a bit typically digital - but it is my take on an isolated section of sky on one specific night - with a lot of artistic license, a great deal of fluid movement, a lot of overlap - and a strong desire to just keep going until I felt it was done.
And the truth is I really like it and I am not all that sure why.
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February 7th, 2006 by admin
Part 2 of Digital Confusion and Song Celebration
Bottles In the Kitchen - 1 more manipulation to photo
This is part 2 of a series which starts below or at this link. There are two subjects - first the different kinds of meaning around the digital medium and second, since I am focused on a particular image - the song which it relates to.
The above photo has 2 manipulations done to it to create the look of a painting. In this case it was simple and took very little time and voila - painting or is it? The second filter is a crosshatch. I actually think the image is kind of interesting - despite what I know to be done mostly by the computer.
I try to have the attitude of being open to anything which allows people to be more creative - the auto bass line of a keyboard - or the instant painting effects of photoshop.
But as an artist I don’t want people to think that my work - not what you see above - is generated by the computer. The computer provides gradients and textures for me to work with and some tools - such as cutting and pasting, resizing, moving, tinting etc, when I choose to use them.
But in the digital paintings I do - I start from a clean canvas - and the color and form is my adding - the computer program and the archival inks provide the new medium.
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Relevant Tags:Bottles in the Kitchen, computer art, computer generated art, creativity, Crosshatch Filter, digital art, Digital Manipulation, digital painting
