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technique was innovative at time - only the feeling has lasted

Light Thru Rain Cloud - digital painting / art prints - Dan Beck

When I completed this in 2005, I was really ecstatic about the way I created depth in the cloud. The technique was innovative for me and I felt I had almost expressed the incredible size and power of the cloud.

One can’t duplicate nature; but one can pay tribute and perhaps create something worthy in its own right.

There is something almost black and white about this piece. The smaller round mountain was glowing despite the overcast day - a phenomena I love here - but still the world looks grey - and it was.

I have an art print of this framed 28 x 36 inches with an image size of 23.5 inches by 31 inches - there was a minor imperfection at the printer’s so I have an extra. I am generally a color person - so it is not my all time favorite - but it still has the quality of that grey day and the hope of a glowing mountain despite it.

See Also

• Light Thru Rain Cloud
  availability of art prints
• A Horse of a Different Color
  A Color person - I am - and somewhat in this way - being a digital artist - but not what I meant - some basics on printing accurately
• Design & Color: A Bibliography of Resources
  A Color person in this way - but not so studied - quite the resource here

flag qualities and color over texture

My Series 7 - digital painting / art prints - Dan Beck 2005

What works in this digital painting are the colors - there is a creaminess to the blue of imagined sky or water because of the different tones and overlaps.  The green is pleasing and underlined by a light shade of red - making what might be interpreted as a flag of colors.

It is a little square, but then again the bit of background texture which shows through the left side of the piece in particular - gives the work an interesting depth.

All of the pieces in this series juxtapose the smoothness of the color gradients over the coarseness of texture. They all created this unique world and hint at something represented while not actually representing anything but the digital painting itself.

See Also

• My Series 7
  availability of art prints for My Series 7
• Colors as Symbols in Flags: EnchantedLearning.com
  Since I made the analogy - good info to know
• Try This: Our Flag’s True Colors?
  Explanation for optical illusion sheds light on perception - again with the flag

Perspective, Depth, Warmth, Texture

Foothill Views - Digital Painting -2005

There are a number of things I like about this painting. First off - there is a great sense of depth and perspective. This section of the Santa Lucia foothills looks out into the Salinas Valley for an incredible distance. This is just a part of the typical view one might see.

I also love the big swirl of the grape rows - and the two people on a tractor was really stolen from seeing them on the road that day. And even though they are fairly non-descript in color - they have a 3 dimensional quality which is kind of fun and rather captured they way those two guys looked and made me feel that day.

Other things I really enjoy are the warm quality in the green section of fields - looks like wool - not so much what was there but what came out in the process of painting. If you look at the largest view and details you can see what I mean pretty clearly - plus the texture in the tractor tires is pretty cool too.

Anyway - I am sharing this piece today - because it is one of those pieces that has grown on me - the overall color scheme not so exciting - but the piece I think works.

See Also

• Santa Lucia Mountains: Information From Answers.com
  Information about Santa Lucia Mountains and area
• Santa Lucia Preserve
  Some info about the other side of the mountains - and photos of area
• Foothill Views
  availability of art prints for digital painting: Foothill Views