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perspective from above - same theme, different understanding?

Flat Runs - digital art - painting & original prints - Dan Beck 2007

This is my last completed digital painting - finished last week sometime. It was started after the first same themed piece and prior to the last featured piece from more of the true perspective - if there is such a thing.

The work was inspired by a drive-by moment witnessing three field workers racing their strawberry flats to the staging area or truck - I didn’t notice.

It is more about feeling and understanding than actual viewing and therefore a view from above is just as true - but it wasn’t what I wanted and I started another piece before I finished this.

And though I think the other two pieces are more original art for me - I do love the bright color and some of the digital art twists, turns, and copy and paste which are not always utilized in my work.

See Also

• Sea of Backs - perception here is also based on understanding
• O’Reilly — Scott Haefner: View from Above - most interesting results to search term “view from above”

the art of a thankless job

Thankless Job 1 - digital painting - Dan Beck 2007

I am not sure why I left this piece finished where I did - but I think I on some level I wanted the art to be as thankless as the subject itself.

Weeding the mound of dirt between the fields and the road is a thankless job. It is kind of like sweeping the dirt - but it is a job I have witnessed. That it reads like the field worker is spanking his or her own butt - was accidental at first, but left intentionally.

The flying weed - which looks more like a strange anatomical growth - must be my subconscious at work here as well -

I painted the digital painting and thought the style a bit cartoonish - and it wasn’t what I wanted - so I probably won’t ever offer original prints, but it was something I had to do.

There are many thankless jobs in this world - creating original art often fits into that category too.

See Also

• Field of Hoes - similar cartoonish feel - but I think the art works a little better - well it was received better anyway
• Thankless Job - Art Journal: Directors - a different aspect of no thanks in art
• Caught In The Town’s Most Thankless Job - TIME - a bit of history shows how different such a phrase can be interpreted and how “the grass is always greener”

the mark of origin - cultural as well

If I were branding cattle, what would I want my brand to look like? Logos and brands are not exactly the same thing. But in the image at right, which I have taken to using as a brand on my artwork - is that kind of literal ‘burn on the cattle‘ kind of thing.

Since I only starting using it in the last month or two, it will not appear on all my art - though I can go add it for future printings of older digital paintings.

The brand has my initials - includes a musical note and/or 1 depending on how one reads - hints at ‘1danband‘ a musical name I use and also abstractly looks like a worker carrying a hoe - a common image of mine.

I have not yet decided on the name for my brand - not sure if it will be read as dB or d1B or if it even needs a name - but I like the identification in addition to my signature - it seems fun. It is also part of the double side of having work which is original art - but is also able to be produced in large multiples - and remarkably - art prints which will always be original prints.

See Also

• joomla - Your Logo is not your brand - discussion of the difference - pointing out that a brand is more about public perception rather than a stamped image
• Is My Logo a Brand? - another article defining the differences quite clearly
• Logo Pogo - this issue has been discussed by me as well - I don’t always follow the rules - even when they are my own rules

April Fool’s Email - Original Print?

I received this email today and April Fool’s - the return address did not work - and since the response was pertinent and I couldn’t actually give it after I had written it, I thought I would go ahead and print both.

Sent: Saturday, April 01, 2006 12:59 PM
To: info@outhousestudios.net
Subject: Digital Art

Hello Dan

I was most interested in your site and what you have to say about your work and to pass on this brief note to say how much I enjoyed it.

I am often asked by the general public what is an original print? I am sure you get asked a similar question about your original computer generated printed work. I find such questions difficult to reply to even if the work is hand drawn.

I wonder if when you print one of your pieces if you destroy the file so that image is also offered as unique or is each painting printed as an edition of say 50 or so?

With regards

Roger

See Also

• Digital Art Discussion at Outhouse Studios
  Not so much definition as expectations and semantics
• Digital Art - Wikipedia
  A Linking Cornicopia of Digital Art Related Topics
• Article: Life - ‘Original prints’ makes quality art affordable
  Though article is more on lines of giclee - good intro discussion