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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

new look at old line

Break Line Hoe - digital painting / art prints - Dan Beck 2006

I am pretty sure that I took this digital painting for granted shortly after I had completed it. Perhaps it was because I had done so many worker in the field paintings at the time. Perhaps I found it too overwhelmingly one color - but today I really like it.

One thing I had overlooked or forgotten are the two high tension wire towers in the fog - they have always reminded me of robots or animated characters. Interesting - in that the people with hoes look very comic strip today - blank faces - undefined figures - but I am sure that was their distance more than my interpretation - but I am not immune to overlooking humanity sometimes either.

What is interesting is that the distant wire towers are what is giving this piece so much depth - the broccoli field in the background could just as easily be the ocean - except for those high tension wires.

I keep imagining these people whistling while they work - I think the line they made was like an animation even though it was real - and that was why I painted it. I remember it was a drive by moment - but their line as though hustling for a break was what struck me.

See Also

• Blogsite Exclusive Images - thumbnails of artwork found on blog with links to articles and enlargements - get a sense of the many worker in field paintings
• The Evolution of High Tension Power Distribution - thought this was very cool - the insulators are quite beautiful as well - the site either a study or a quick flip through is pretty informative
• treppenwitz: Photo Friday (vol. LXXXI) [touches of color edition] - photos of enhanced high tension wire towers - also pretty fun

The look and thinking behind matting and framing large printed works

Matted/Framed - Irrigate 1 - digital painting -2004 - Dan Beck

I have chosen a different way of matting and framing the larger art prints. One reason is the size of the paper is less defined, so there is a larger margin around the image.

Matting with a paper revealed border still shows off the print nature and allows for a visible signature and number in the edition. It is simple and showcases the paintings by simply supporting the piece as one would want in a cherished piece of art.

So despite the fact, I am recommending that one matt and frame the large pieces in your own location - the method I use has been given a lot of thought - and therefore deserves sharing.

The above framed piece has remained one of my favorites - and warrants looking at full size.

See Also

• Irrigate 1
  Options for art prints from above digital painting
• Advice on Framing, Matting and Mounting Fine Art Prints, Drawings and Art Works on Paper
  What reads to be generally sound advice on framing
• Transcendental Frames
  An interesting exhibit where the frame is part of the art

experimenting with new program leads to new work and positive results

Nework 2 - Digital Painting 2003 - Dan Beck

In 2003 my old computer died. It wasn’t very impressive - barely could get online - I was fortunate to be able to use email at my (at the time) workplace.

When I replaced my computer, I was fortunate that I did not have to lose any of the paintings I had created - they were safe on another hard drive.

But I bought another Mac and the program which it had for painting was more sophisticated and had textures - which I have since found out I could customize as needed.

The above piece was one of the first pieces I did using texture. It still utilizes the overlapping translucent gradients, but added textured color. It was relatively simple, but more importantly it was created with little expectation or cares.

It flowed, it was fun, it was play, and it came out quite nice.

See Also

• Nework 2
  Art print options for digital painting -Nework 2
• Appleworks Paint
  Basic look at the Appleworks Paint program I create with.