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Perhaps we've all been superseded
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Message
Posted
In an idle moment I often investigate Pinterest and I came across this:
http://www.lizmarieblog.com/2014/02/how-to-make-a-photo-into-a-watercolor/
Do have a look and give me some feedback.
Perhaps we're all wasting our time.
John
Posted
Most of those, even on-screen, are plainly computer-generated. If printed, they'd be even more obvious. What does the dimbo say, "a really cool app"? Anyone who talks like that - and I know that John, a man of wide human sympathy, will recoil from these words, but I'm not in any sense religious - hardly deserves to be permitted to continue drawing breath (and couldn't draw anything else).
And of course, those who care about painting don't just want to produce twee, pretty-pretty pictures: indeed, most of us try rather hard not to - it's not only, or perhaps even principally, the result that matters, but the sheer physical act of applying paint to canvas, paper, or board, or drawing with a piece of graphite or charcoal, or painting with strokes of pastel, using pen and ink, seeing a design appear under our hands and grow (we hope) as we add layers, or lines, or washes. I'm not at all unsympathetic to digital art if that's what people want to do - we see some interesting examples here on the Gallery; but while I wouldn't mind playing about with it, I don't want to do it as a substitute for painting; it doesn't represent what interests me; it isn't, to use a word much in vogue, "relevant" to me, because it's not tactile enough - and I spend more than enough time on computers and screens as it is.
I don't see any need to disparage what other people do, generally: those who come here and offer their digital work are trying to work seriously, to create something worth looking at, and I would add to that - they nearly always succeed. But this "really cool app" isn't about genuine creative work, it's about avoiding the need for it - it's about instant gratification, the easy, the effortless - the flaming lazy.
But remember, this is just about converting photos to a water-colour effect - there have been apps that did that before, just not very well; this one does it a bit better, and I daresay in due course they'll get the fakery to look better still. This isn't digital art, because nothing new is being created - they still can't draw, or paint, so no - we're not superseded yet.
I feel I may have slightly gone off on one here...... I think it was the "really cool" bit that did it: I'd give her really cool - I'd ship her out to the Antarctic in a cotton dress and a pair of sling-backs, and leave her there....
http://www.isleofwightlandscapes.net
http://www.wightpaint.blogspot.co.uk
Posted
I suppose it could be useful in giving you an idea of what a photograph could look like when a painting is done for it.
Have to say, it looks remarkably effective.
As a keen photographer with good cameras and Adobe software, I find it frustrating how effective my daughter's smartphone with Instagram can be!
Tom
Edited
by tomc
Posted
I think these last replies have said what I was trying to say, but much more succinctly - David in particular has it right, I think - and I hadn't actually thought of this: they do indeed all look the same, and they are indeed - boring.
Quite a relief, in a way, I suppose. If they could produce work of genuine originality, we might wonder why we bother; but there still wouldn't be that essential contact between hand, brush, pencil, pen and drawing or painting surface.
http://www.isleofwightlandscapes.net
http://www.wightpaint.blogspot.co.uk
Posted
No amount of apps will supersede us and no WE ARE NOT WASTING OUR TIME. There is nothing I like better than the feel of of a paintbrush running across the paper or canvass. "Can't get the same colour again." Before you use the colour up that you have mixed, just paint a bit of the colour into a sketchbook and write down the colours used besides it. Apps are fine for storing photos and information, but not producing pieces of work.
Posted
Just for information: in Photoshop there is a facility for analysing and picture and producing the palette for it (about 50 colours). If you are doing digital painting you can dip into this palette and use a brush full or a pencil full.
However if you just print it out and take it away to the easel it can be a useful reference tool. but personally I can't be bothered.
Posted
The result of these apps is a computer generated photographic image merely altered to give the appearance of painting. In my view most landscape painters try to capture the atmosphere of a location rather than a straight warts-and-all image. What is left out is often as important as what is included and I suspect this process is at best limited in that respect. It also fails the test of 'Seagoland' i.e. the facility for painters to move parts of the landscape about or add elements in in the interest of composition alla Edward Seago.
Posted
Interesting app! It is interesting that the writer of the review has difficulty in finding the time to paint but has time to play with the app. Looking at the results of the photo - paintings is interesting but look flat.Where is the personal touch and feeling and the drama. When the power fails painting with brush and paint will still be available. Cave paintings are beautiful.