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fun, play, balance, texture, overlap, sculptural digital painting and art prints

Nework 2 - digital painting / art prints - Dan Beck 2003

This was the second piece I created after acquiring a new computer and painting program with texture capability. I am pretty sure I have written about this piece from a creative standpoint - because I had no expectations while doing it - just play.

So what comes through is fun, overlapping, rather 3-dimensional, and balanced with different texture. There are no unique textures here - just stock program options - but a very nice balance between areas which have and areas which don’t.

There is no way to share an art print without your viewing and or purchasing it - but be sure, texture and color are both more intense upon printing.  And even though this was new a few years ago, looking at it today, I still find this digital painting fresh.

See Also

• Nework 2
  Options for Art Prints and printing availability for Nework 2
• My Zen Life » Blog Archive » no expectations
  what I find pertinent is that he is right - if there are no expectations at all - why do it - I think it is more what kind of expectations

how play can lead to further exploration and studies

My Series 6 - digital painting / art prints - Dan Beck 2005

All of the “My Series” paintings are a particular size digital painting which I came up with to provide the thickness of line I wanted and also allow me to see the painting as a slide - fitting the monitor exactly.

So when I worked on this piece, I could look at it as it was coming along - filling up my monitor completely with no other distractions.

The series started out as play, but I stumbled upon something I found really interesting. Part of what I liked was the smoothness of the overlapping color gradients on top of texture. The other thing which struck me was the hint of being representational - but not enough to be considered anything more than abstract.

See Also

• My Series 6
  availability of art prints for My Series 6
• Abstract Art
  lengthy but interesting discussion of abstract and representational art
• Jackson Pollock in Action
  a lighter look at abstract, representation, and play

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.

See Also

• Sail Birds
  gallery page includes additional info - click to enlarge - art print options found by clicking “buy this piece”
• How do you play?
  surprised that such a forum could be so right on
• Creativity, Imagination, and Play
  another advocate of play

playing with medium, color, and texture

My Series 7 - digital painting - 2005 - Dan Beck

The series started out as play and as a series may never really gotten off the ground, but the works are still wonderful examples of how play can lead to something interesting and worthwhile.

The first digital painting in the series really felt like I had captured something new. I liked the way it was slightly representational. As with the above image the arrangement of color suggests sky and land.

There is also something about the way the paint sits on top of the texture - it is smooth and luxurious without texture of its own.

I did only a dozen or so of these abstract digital paintings, but I try to have a little of that free spirited play in all my works. I believe it comes through and is felt in the finished art prints.

Though art is often a serious challenge, it should also be fun - but that is what they say about most things.

See Also

• My Series 7
  options for art prints
• What is representational art?
  Detailed explanation of what might be obvious
• Glossary of Printmaking Terms
  Art terms in general - simple and to the point resource

early work, like childhood, demonstrates essential nature of play and being in the moment

Another Play - digital painting - 1998 - Dan Beck

The above piece was either the third or fourth computer painting I ever did. I didn’t even know the canvas extended down as low as it did - the monitor was 13" with a very low resolution. I always liked the plain space in this piece and the title is certainly right for what I wanted to share.

Play is essential. We know it is part of development for children, but I think it continues to be for adults. I know that when I do not have sufficient time with either music or art - life starts feeling wrong.

I suppose part of the thinking comes from blogging each day - and working in other ways and losing my own balance a little bit right now.

Balance of course seems key in many ways - but then I never cared for Aristotle - I am not a find the middle ground kind of guy. When I do something, I tend to pour myself into it.

And when I play - there is nothing more important than the space I am in - and maybe that is part of its essential nature too - because I generally feel rejuvenated from my being in the moment.

See Also

• Another Play (Big Version)
  View closer to original size - print size is larger
• The National Institute for Play
  Much on site to suggest - importance of play for adults as well as children
• Buddhist Meditation | Background | Being “in the moment”
  My belief is that play is quite akin to meditation

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.

Simplicity, Irresistible Play, Improvement, Doubt

Unfinished state - Horizon 2 - third stopping point

The first two unfinished stages to this piece can be found below or by clicking here.

I added a great deal of texture from the last stage, but the point of this writing is more about the different directions one can go.  After making all the changes, I wasn’t so sure I had improved over the original feeling of the piece. There is always beauty in simplicity. On the other had one needs to enjoy the process of creating enough to feel the accomplishment.

Next stage of Unfinished Horizon

Between the top stage and the bottom stopping point, I wasn’t sure the direction I wanted to go. But I started playing with some copying and pasting - a computer tact that is sometimes irresistible. 

The work does now look more collage-like but it is also feels more dynamic - but then where is the simplicity of yesterday?

See Also

• The Beauty of Simplicity
  A Modern Take on the Issue
• Global Collage| empowering artists + audiences
  When looking for collage info - found this interesting site