Visual Artist- Lydia R. Watson                     

Digital art is art created on a computer in digital form. Digital art can be purely computer-generated, such as fractals, or taken from another source, such as a scanned photograph, or an image drawn using vector graphics software using a mouse or graphics tablet. Though technically the term may be applied to art done using other media or processes and merely scanned in, it is usually reserved for art that has been non-trivially modified by a computing process (such as a computer program, microcontroller or any electronic system capable of interpreting an input to create an output); digitized text data and raw audio and video recordings are not usually considered digital art in themselves, but can be part of a larger project. The availability and popularity of photograph manipulation software has spawned a vast and creative library of highly modified images, many bearing little or no hint of the original image. Using electronic versions of brushes, filters and enlargers, these "Neographers" produce images unattainable through conventional photographic tools. In addition, digital artists may manipulate scanned drawings, paintings, collages or lithographs, as well as using any of the above-mentioned techniques in combination. Artists also use many other sources of information and programs to create their work.

3D graphics are created via the process of designing complex imagery from geometric shapes, polygons or NURBS curves to create realistic 3 dimensional shapes, objects and scenes for use in various media such as film, television, print, rapid prototyping and the special visual effects. There are many software programs for doing this.

The technology can enable collaboration, lending itself to sharing and augumenting by a creative effort similar to the open source movement, and the creative commons in which users can collaborate in a project to create unique pieces of art.

The mainstream media uses a lot of digital art in advertisements, and computers are used extensively in film to produce special effects. Desktop publishing has had a huge impact on the publishing world, although that is more related to graphic design.

Nonetheless, digital art is yet to gain the acceptance and regard reserved for "serious" artforms such as sculpture, painting and drawing, perhaps due to the erroneous impression of many that "the computer does it for you" and the suggestion that the image created could be infinitely repeatable.

Computers are also commonly used to make music, especially electronic music, since they present a powerful way to arrange and create sound samples. It is possible that general acceptance of the value of digital art will progress in much the same way as the increased acceptance of electronically produced music over the last three decades.

Some say we are now in a postdigital era, where digital technologies are no longer a novelty in the art world, and "the medium is no longer the message".[1] Digital tools have now become an integral part of the process of making art. As silicon-dry digital media converges with wet biological systems, Roy Ascott has pointed to the emergence of a "moistmedia" substrate for 21st century art.[2]

Digital Photography and digital printing is now an acceptable medium of creation and presentation by major museums and galleries, and the work of digital artists is gaining ground, through robotic installation, net art and software art. But the work of digital painters and printmakers is beginning to find acceptance as the output capabilities advance and quality increases. Internationally many museums are now beginning to collect digital art such as the San Jose Museum of Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum print department also has a reasonable but small collection of digital art.

One reason why the established art community finds it difficult to accept digital art is the erroneous perception of digital prints being endlessly reproducible. Many artists though are erasing the relevant imagefile after the first print, thus making it a unique artwork. Another reason is longevity; with today's digital printing technology though, fading of colours will not occur for 60 to 100 years(www.wilhelm-research.com).

Painting Abstractly© ARTTalk.com www.arttalk.com

Abstraction is all about self-expression. It is the essence of what some artists look upon as the creative process. Leonard Brooks, author of Painting and Understanding Abstract Art says, "Abstract art has come into being as a necessary expression of the feelings and thoughts of our age; it has added new dimensions to creative painting; it is part of the constant change and vital searching that energizes every true art."

While many misunderstand it, an artist with an experimental nature will discover that this style can present interesting contrasts. Abstraction can stimulate the inner artist to go far past his/her present creative expressions while, at the same time, that very result can be calming and relaxing. There is a freedom of expression that is possible in abstraction, regardless of the media.

Realism is a "what you see is what you get" style that is greatly appreciated, easily recognized and understood. Abstraction is quite simply a distillation of the same practices and methods refined into a more personal result.

Some simple exercises can transport any artist, any expression and any materials into an abstract painting style that could transform even the most avid proponent. Follow these easy steps and learn to see a new dimension in your work. Even if abstraction proves not to be your cup of tea, its study will help you in your chosen discipline.

Begin with a subject matter of your choice. For the sake of this example, a landscape will be used. Examine the landscape for elements that are visually stimulating. It might be the opposing lines of horizontal land and vertical trees. Or perhaps it is the repetition of trees in a densely packed woodland area. How these shapes interact with one another, how light and dark work to produce depth and dimension and the tones with which one might render them would be the groundwork for realism. In abstraction, these same elements are used to stimulate the inner eye to formulate a completely new design, which may or may not resemble the landscape that made it all possible.

Using your landscape as a basis, there are four initial steps to creating an abstract work. Once one is accustomed to working in the abstract style, some trimming of prep time is possible. Eventually the experienced abstractionist can view a scene and go past the first two steps (perhaps all three initial steps) directly into the actual artwork.

Step 1 is a detailed sketch of the view. This drawing could be done in pencil or other media. What Step 1 helps you recognize is the detail, shapes, shadows and light areas that make the view interesting. While you are doing this first step, you are recognizing the elements of this "set-up" and how they interact with one another.

Step 2 creates a "softened reality" of the drawing in Step 1. Fine details are eliminated and unnecessary shapes begin to meld with others nearby. The goal is a stylized work with a result that is still recognizable and has many similarities to the original detailed drawing.

Step 3 is where the true nature of abstraction begins to take shape. Steps 1 and 2 have helped you see the subject. Step 2 helped you begin to refine (distill) the image into less formal areas of color and texture. In Step 3, further simplification takes place, and all semblance of recognition is eliminated. The predominant shapes take command and the lesser shapes and elements dissolve. In some situations, this could be the last step in the process, but it could still yield a more individual and expressive design.

Step 4 is a full-blown personal interpretation of the elements of your design/scene/subject. The three steps previous to this final artwork help you learn ways to trim unnecessary details and clutter, to begin to express personal emotions based on the drawn designs. The freedom that is afforded the abstract artist can be very liberating and rewarding. Eventually, you will be able to bypass Steps 1 through 3, perhaps doing only one quick study to lay out the design and visualize the end result. Think: examine, distill, express!

Abstraction can also be a playful and relaxing way to energize your brain. Using the first two steps in this exercise can break a painter's block. Skipping the detailed drawing and going right into step 2 after a slow visual study of the scene gets you going in a fast-track revitalization. This clears the mind and rejuvenates your thinking.

Everyone has heard someone say, "Oh, my three-year-old could do that painting. It is just lines of paint and splashes of color!" To the contrary, abstraction is not a mishap; it is not the paint flinging of an unskilled person. It is a careful study and application of all the "rules" of painting that are simply applied in different ways.

For a truly expressive and personal way of painting, explore the possibilities of abstraction. It has changed many artists' styles and influenced their lives forever. It is fun, relaxing and encourages further exploration of materials, methods, and applications.

TIP: Keep the studies that you do for each of the steps prior to formal artwork execution. They will help you keep a record of the changes in style and the growth in expression. When matted, they also make great art sale items, greeting cards or gifts

The Versatility of Paper© ARTTalk.com www.arttalk.com

All it takes is a trip to any arts and crafts supply center to find that there are dozens of choices in the decorative paper lines. Their colors are breathtaking and the variety of surface textures is boggling. Designer sheets include images for a variety of specific uses as well as abstract shapes and figures. Everything from domestic and imported handmade papers with actual plant inclusions to those created with artistic methods like batik and random block printing can be found.

In the area of naturalists' papers, the variety of sheets that have plant material included and visible in their textural makeup include bamboo leaves, rose and other flower petals, exotic grasses and even spices and tea leaves. These papers usually have a more robust surface texture and lend themselves ideally to collage work, inclusion in dimensional works such as augmentation of works on canvas, or use as folded-paper sculpture. They often come in an array of colors that makes them very versatile in card-making and collage artwork. Their body is most often heavier than other papers, and for this reason they can even be used to create lampshades and gift boxes.

As a textural element, papers have a lot to offer. The surface of some papers is embossed with realistic textures that mimic lizard and alligator skins, fallen leaves, woven basket surfaces and many more. These more bold textured sheets are ideal for creating gift and household accessories such as album covers, lampshades, portfolio and report covers and even picture frames and desk sets. (See the project notes below.)

In contrast to the heavy-bodied, thicker sheets is a variety of lightweight, more "romantic" papers. These include vellums in solids and prints (often including metallic inks), feathery sheets made in Japan of special plant fibers, and thin vividly toned sheets that include visible fibers yet remain thin and delicate. These sheets are great as gift-wrapping, are wonderful additions to collage works and give the card-maker the option of a translucent layer for her work. When vellum is used over a vivid color of art paper, e.g., as the cover of a greeting card, the tone of the original paper softens, but the interior of the card will remain vivid and expressive. Even office reports made up of items including color-coordinated papers and vellums get noticed, as they deliver a real punch. Thin fibrous papers can be used as overlays on jewel tones or pastels, giving a light, airy look and feel to the project.

In the areas of metallic inks and shiny surfaces, there are many printed sheets that use these inks as accents as well as full metallic sheets in a wide range of colors. Printed designs that use metallic in their makeup seem to have a "living" surface. They reflect light from the metallic designs while holding our attention with the other colors and shapes used in the printed patterns. Japanese papermakers create very intricate patterns and designs, full of line work in many colors. They often employ as many as 20 colors on a single sheet. These printed sheets make gorgeous gift-wrapping, delicate lampshades and candle house covers, great origami material, perfect greeting card inclusions, picture frame covers and lots more. Solid metallic sheets have a near-mirror sheen and add real pizzazz to any item in which they are included. One useful application for solid metallic paper is in gift-wrapping and another is in origami. Although there are pre-cut, packaged sheets for origami, you can create original looks by choosing papers outside the limited selection created specifically for that purpose.

Solid colors of paper, in everything from jewel tones and pastels to natural colors, abound. They create a great basis from which to work: Create greeting cards from scratch, using any of the dynamic tones of solid paper (in a variety of textures) and lay over some wispy Japanese paper or vellum. Use solid tones for report covers, book covers, stationery sets, office and home accessories and more.

Frequently Asked Questions

If it does not have a copyright notice, it is ok to use.
USUALLY NOT. Almost all works are protected by copyright, even if they do not have a copyright notice. Therefore, you should assume that you need to obtain permission to use any material that you did not create.

It's on the internet, so it is ok to use it.
FALSE. Simply because an image is found on the internet does not mean that it is in the public domain. Unless the author of the work has explicitly stated that his work is "public domain" or that the copyright has expired because the work is very old, then you must assume it is not. Further, a person who posts an image on the internet and claims that you are free to use it may not have had the right to post the image in the first place. Thus, your use of the image may violate the rights of the actual copyright owner.

It is Fair Use.
USUALLY NOT. Fair use of a work for the purposes of merchandise sale is treated very differently than for informative purposes or for commentary. In general, a claim of fair use of a work when it is used on merchandise may not hold up in court, especially if the merchandise is sold for profit.

I took the photo, so I can use it however I want.
FALSE. Simply taking a photo of a person, company, brand, logo or the like does not afford you the right to sell merchandise featuring that photograph. There are two distinct intellectual property rights in a photograph: (1) the rights in the photograph itself and (2) the rights in the subject of the picture, such as the product or person shown in it. For example, if you take a photo of a celebrity, you only own the rights to the photo, but not the right to use the photo of a celebrity for merchandise sale. In order to sell merchandise with the image, you will need to obtain explicit permission from the celebrity.

I based my artwork on the artwork of a third party, so that is ok.
FALSE. Works that are derived from a previous work of another violate the rights of the owner of the previous work. Therefore, if you are creating an image that is based on the work of someone else, you need to obtain permission from the original creator prior to your use of your work. For example, Weird Al obtains permission from Michael Jackson prior to recording a song based on one of Michael Jackson's songs.

I am using Clip Art, so it is ok.
USUALLY NOT. Most clip art, photo collections, or graphic programs contain a license agreement. The license agreement sets forth the specific uses for the clip art. In most instances the license does not grant you the right to use the clip art for the sale of merchandise. You should consult the license agreement and your attorney to determine whether you can use the clip art images.

The First Amendment protects my freedom of speech, so I can use whatever images I want.
FALSE. Freedom of speech is a constitutional protection that guarantees that the government will not oppress your right to self-expression. It does not give you the right to use intellectual property of another to sell or distribute merchandise.

Can I use images of a celebrity ?
NO. There is an exception to the Right of Publicity for political figures, which does not extend to celebrities.

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Copyright © 1990-2008 All artwork and images displayed on this website are protected under the U.S. Copyright Laws and international conventions. No portion of the artists works or statements may be used, downloaded, reproduced using any means, copied, linked to or transferred automatically without prior written permission from the individual artist.

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 To buy originals contact: Lydia R. Watson -Visual Artist

P.O. Box 94, Scotch Plains, New Jersey 07076-0094 USA

 watsart1@yahoo.com

or

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