Painting the Digital River takes a view of art by comparing digital art and classic art. Author James Faure Walker makes many points as he gives value to both art forms, discarding neither as less legitimate than the other. Himself an artist, Walker knows that many artists are confused as to what it means to be an artist and expert at what they do. He says that artists must know about painting, its past and its present, and possess some knowledge of the digital form.
Walker discusses the classical way of learning to draw and paint, and then looks at the tools available for artists today. Just as canvas, brush and pigment all come in many qualities; the digital world offers a variety of hardware and software to enhance the finished product of the artist’s vision.
He describes a variety of activities illustrating different forms of digital art and tries to answer many of the questions faced by artists of today, lovers of art, and the museums and galleries that display the new art forms. The author covers some of the work — both classical and modern that he has viewed — finding some of it a waste of time and others breathtaking.
Where the author finally reconciles the different forms of art is in the mind of the painter, the inspiration, the idea from which his work flows. Whether with brush on canvas or printmaking using computer graphics, the painter’s talent most affects the quality of the art. Still, he adds, “that for all its faults, digital art has a life of its own.”
This book starts and ends with the metaphor of the river (Walker works overlooking the Thames); the river changes, it flows this way and that. Painting, like the river, follows a winding course and has quirky ways.
This book is timely as many people are confused by all of the digital art and are trying to put it in perspective — is it art? Is it the only art (from now on)? The author tries to sort out and help understand what painting is and that there is good and bad art in the new digital world just as there always has been with ink and paint. He does a good job reviewing art history and providing technical insight. Painters, art historians, those who appreciate what they see, as well as those interested in the technology that produces digital paintings should find the book worth exploring.
Title: Painting the Digital River
Author: James Faure Walker
Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR
ISBN: 0131739026
Date: January 2006
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 352
Cover Price: USD: $24.99 Amazon: $16.49
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I dont have the opportuniy to buy this book, but i will buyit now!, thanks for the review it was very usefull.