What's New

inspiration, easily done, or disciplined

Hill Mountains - digital art -> original prints - Dan Beck - 2003

I was surprised to find out I had only written once about this piece. For a long time, it was my favorite.

Like most people, I want and expect things to happen faster than they really do. It is rare for things to happen quickly; yet as an artist we frequently value the quicker produced pieces because of the inspiration. When something happens easily we feel like it must have been the right thing - perhaps even divine.

And usually when something happens easily and feels right, it is right. On the other hand, when we see the evidence of the time, discipline, developed technique all thrown into a work of art - we can not help but appreciate the dedication and the pursuit of a long term goal.

Digital art is confusing in this regard, because one can’t often tell the degree of time commitment, just the finished result.

See Also

• Hill Mountains - availability of original art prints for above digital painting
• Opening Your Intuition - Personal Power Through Awareness: A … - Google Book Search - I must say part of this links inclusion is that this pertinent section of a “book” came available as a result of a search - never seen this before.

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

• Figures Art Gallery - view other works of similar time period and similar themes available for purchase
• Selective Vision: The Brain’s Spin Machine Starts Early: Sciam Observations - liked this article because it is so much about the link between perception and understanding
• Photography Composition Articles: The Magic Of Selective Vision - Photo Composition - liked this article as well for its more conventional look at selective vision - but I of course take exception to photography being more difficult than art - better not to go there if one can help it

understanding lives even in abstract

Enlarge - Cloud Cover - Digital Painting 2006- Dan Beck

This seemed like a natural piece to feature directly after the below black and white digital painting. It was undoubtedly created around the same dark and dreary time - which coincidentally or not is a lot like today.

There are certain things, I love about this piece. I love the billowed nature of the clouds. I love the ridges in the mountains - I love the way there is depth even in the midst of nonsensical clues. The line of trees seems to hover in air, yet the hills still look solid.

The digital painting works without confusion even though it probably should be confusing - but our eye reads a lot like we read language - able to switch around words and letters and still get the correct meaning.

This aspect of perception is quite compelling - for it is here that we find the freedom to say things in new ways and still be understood.

See Also

• Cloud Cover - purchasing info and art print options for above digital painting
  
• Perception - nicely laid out explanation of some of nuances of perception including: Perceptual Systems, Historical Background, Innate And Learned - Classical perceptual phenomena, Broad theoretical approaches, Current research/future developments

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

painting a scene one’s own

Sky Over Mountains - digital painting - Dan Beck 2007

No it doesn’t look like this and yes it does look like this. A couple of days ago when the sun was setting I glimpsed the most magnificent sky over the mountains - I couldn’t really position myself correctly to see it fully, but I know…

The sky was streaked with pink. Portions of the clouds were incredibly bright white; and a blue sky was still apparent in places. I didn’t make this up, I just made it my own.

Like when a musician takes another person’s song and takes it to his own place; it is my goal as an artist to take a scene or portion of a scene and give a feeling and twist that only I would give it.

I am very pleased with this latest digital painting - hope it works for you too.

Happy Birthday

See Also

• Valley Sketch - similar sky - not quite as intense but a good example of a somewhat similar piece

• All Along the Watchtower - video form the Isle of Wight - Jimi Hendrix plays Dylan like it’s his own song - even if you are not a Hendrix fan, it is worth checking out the colorful outfit

• Butterflydancing: Photo’s - site with the “magnificent sky” photo also has some other shots worth taking a gander at - pretty fun really

influenced by late afternoon glow on the mountains

Afternoon Glow - digital painting / art prints - Dan Beck 2006

I think "influenced by" - is a good way to describe the forces behind this painting.

Starting without a composition in mind - not necessarily my favorite way - I could not escape the incredible vision from the prior afternoon - somewhat overcast yet also shining right on the mountains.

There is an incredible light here in the late afternoon - quite often this time of year. I don’t think there is any way to do it justice - but my hope was to somehow hint at the feeling of glowing and the warm bath of light.

I didn’t have a particular spot in mind - more like a plausible scene - and mostly hoping to catch the feeling of the late afternoon light shining on the Gabilan mountains or Santa Lucia for that matter - as it happens on both mountain ranges, but only in the afternoon.

For art prints of above digital painting - please email: specialorders@outhousestudios.net.

See Also

• Impressionist Art Gallery
  most similar on site images
• Gabilan Range and Pinnacles - Fullscreen VR Panoramas
  Get a feeling for how it looks from the mountains - full circle - pretty cool really

image stays fresh from the Santa Lucia’s

Santa Lucia Impression - digital painting / art prints - 2005

I just finished creating a  guide to blog articles by image - link is also on left panel.  In the process I discovered I had never done an article specifically about this digital painting.

I am shocked because it continues to be one of my favorites. I must confess when I first completed it I was unsure. But it is amazing how well received this piece has been during its exhibitions and my appreciation had already grown prior.

It has been displayed both in a 16 x 20 inch frame and also a 24 x 30 inch frame. It is dramatic in both.

From the perspective of this piece - on the road just below - these mountains are incredibly lush and dramatic - not a specific place as much as the impression they made upon me.

See Also

• CaliforniaPrehistory.com — Post-Contact Esselen Occupation of the Santa Lucia Mountains
  Some history of the mountains plus one aerial image capturing the intensity of these mountains
• Big Sur Xtreme - Guided Hiking Tours of the Santa Lucia Mountains
  These are taken from the opposite (west) side of the mountains - but again convey some of the drama
• Santa Lucia Impression
  availabiltiy of art prints for digital painting: Santa Lucia Impression

creating what can’t be recreated … but with feeling

Foothills Terrain - digital painting - Dan Beck 2006

The thing about this art print which strikes me the most - is how it pulls me in. I find the hills and mountains to have both the depth and warmth that they have in person.

I can’t say that the image or its prints is impeccable - that is not for me to say - but I know if makes me feel like I want to reach out and hug those hills and mountains - and that is what I feel when I am in the Santa Lucia Foothills.

This is a place which always blows my mind - I am always stunned by its beauty - I cannot copy or recreate such beauty - and I don’t believe any artist can - what I can do in a digital painting or at least try to do - is paint what it feels like for me to be in the scene.

I feel successful in this venture, but this is not a particularly trafficked area - and I suspect does not look like it even exists.

For art prints from the above digital painting, please email specialorders@outhousestudios.net.

See Also

• River Run 1
  digital painting from same area - different time - different direction
• Big Sur Xtreme - Guided Hiking Tours of the Santa Lucia Mountains
  Photo gallery of same mountains - from the West side instead of the East

how it strikes me now - the lightness of mountains and fields

Field 2 Mountains - digital painting / art prints - 2004

It is interesting for me to be writing about this piece today - not because it has any great significance, but more because it doesn’t.

As I look at this digital painting now and recall the art print (which I don’t feel like looking for at this moment), I am struck by the light and the lightness of this piece.

The subject matter is the mountains, but they are light and airy - a bit translucent though flavored with a bit of texture here and there.

The stream of light seems to illuminate part of the fields and almost shine right through the mountains.

Although I don’t really remember creating this digital painting, I am pretty positive I didn’t think much about any of these things - but it looks to me like I knew when to stop.

See Also

• Field 2 Mountains
  Availability of Art Prints for above digital painting
• buckskin pass light 2 photo — Declan McCullagh photograph
  similar photo to “light” link within text - light through the mountains
• Army - The Soldiers’ Newspaper
  I had forgotten or didn’t know all of the significance of “light and remembrance” - Hannukah, 9/11, any other tragedy - but take a look at the light show