Digital Art

Using Photoshop has inspired me to explore the realm of digital art, wallpapers and digitally rendered graphic design projects.

Photoshop is no easy software to master, however, the vast quantities of tutorials available out there on the internet, and the learning videos released by organizations such as Lynda and Total Training, make the job quite a bit easier for a rookie like me.


Traditional art is still my main area of expertise.


However, digital takes about one-hundredth of the time to complete.

In my time between the last post and the graphical revamp of the blog (done completely by me in Photoshop), I have created some...interesting pieces of digital art.

Some were created by following tutorials to the digit.

In others, I simply let my imagination and experimentation run free.




Here they are:

Wallpaper attempt 1
Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended, Digital Painting 1920 x 1080

A more likable wallpaper attempt (at least to me)
Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended, Digital painting 1920 x1080

A radical photo-manipulation of my friend Marc.
Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended, Photo-manipulation 1440 x 900

A distant planet being visited by a strange starship.
Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended, Photo-manipulation and Digital painting, 1920 x 1080

 

Digital art is possibly...more efficient than traditional media, but I personally think that it is not as valuable as traditional art because of the ease of it.

Going digital is absolutely perfect for the graphic designer.

With digital (especially with a tablet) you can achieve the most impeccably smooth gradient effects and lighting simulations.

Most importantly, with digital, you can step backwards and tweak your designs.

Unfortunately in traditional media, you must either start over or cut out and redo your wrongs.

There is a fine line between what you can achieve in traditional and digital media.
The difference is the ease of accomplishing these tasks.

I suppose that's why traditional sells for so much more than digital.

Playing with Photoshop

Graphic design is an interesting venture in terms of the factors necessary for grabbing the visual interests of the viewers while keeping the transmitter active to broadcast the necessary message to the specific viewer.

By definition, graphic design is the process of applying visual art and communication skills to create a medium in which a specific message can be conveyed to the specific target audience this message was meant for. It's all about presentation and clarity.

I personally have an extreme fondness for working in traditional media such as pencil or pen for undertaking these graphic design challenges, but recently, I have tried and succeeded in using digital media. 

Namely, Adobe Photoshop CS4.

However, don't get fooled, I haven't come anywhere near to doing what the professionals can do with this software suite (using Adobe Illustrator along with Photoshop).

But at least I'm trying some text effects.

I must say however, that the tutorials at PsdTuts are a colossal help to learning how to achieve some of these effects. The rest lies in personal touches and judgement by visual appeal.

A nice little design with a subtle indication of the value my form class will be to Hillview in Form 5.

Experimentation for creating an effect of fluid within glass.

My very own experiment (observation, not tutorial) for making TRON effects text.

A grungy, gritty, urban sticker.

Playing with effects, layer masks, expanding my brush collection, expanding my font database and many other ways of toying around with this magnificent program is the way to achieving true design inspiration.

Of course, first you need to learn HOW to use the software.

I am still going through that journey, and it is indeed a long, winding road.

I STILL cannot do anything magnificent with PICTURES!!!


I use another, simpler program to accomplish that task, but they are indeed small edits. Nothing much to be raving about.

This vacation will be the perfect time for me to isolate myself from my normal interactions and truly develop the skills needed to take myself to the next level.

Both in terms of artistic development and academics.

CXC is next year >.<

The Game Has Changed

Rotten Tomatoes.com says:

"Tron Legacy boasts dazzling visuals, but its human characters and story get lost amidst its state-of-the-art production design."

I BEG TO DIFFER....

On Saturday 7th January, 2011,  I had the pleasure of viewing TRON: Legacy in 3-D at Caribbean Cinemas 8.

As with most action-oriented 3-D movies, the graphics were astounding and the depth of three dimensions was very present. However, there were not many, "RUN!!!,that thing is coming to kill me!!!!!" 3D moments in the film as can be easily seen in 3D animated features.

In my personal opinion, Rotten Tomatoes was a bit harsh on the movie. The plot was not mind-blowing, it was quite 2-dimensional, but it was stable and thrilling as there were few moments of boredom within the film. Suspense was high and there were some 'bad guy wins' parts of the plot to balance the power of the characters.

The riveting film score by Daft Punk fused my gluteus maximus and minimus to the flimsy theatre seats as the booming crescendos enhanced the blazing action coming through the screen at me. I must commend them for a giant leap into the the realm of film score. A highly successful leap might I add.

I will even go the extent of saying that the movie would be nothing without this resounding score.

But the one thing that resonated through my cranium after the show, and still continues to ring, is the MASSIVE jump for the CGI industry with this film. 

Designs in this show will become a lasting phenomenon which I can personally attest to with this watch I am drooling for...

And this iPod dock.....

Language is a more powerful plot tool than fists or tears to captivate an attentive audience.

TRON: Legacy had a quite flimsy plot on the surface of the movie, but the sub-plot was quite a jump for a studio like Disney (pretty much like Avatar and the sub-plot of destroying our world through greed). TRON: Legacy conveys some very powerful messages about creation, the human spirit and our lack of faith in today's society. What if there was somewhere we go after our life ends in this reality? All of our scientific and philosophical beliefs would lead us nowhere.

Our innate faith would be the only thing left.

The one thing we neglect most. 

I leave you now to visit the Cinema and view this digital masterpiece, TRON: Legacy. I guarantee that you will leave the cinema fulfilled.