Wednesday 8 January 2014

Traditional vs Digital Media

When I painted the 20 Zone image of the Tyne Bridge I was primarily focused on achieving detail through painting, creating photorealistic effects.

Working with photography to create the images that I would paint, I visited a number of cities in different countries with my wide angle lens. The photographs were great images and in painting from them I found I actually wanted to get the best from each medium: detail from photographs, abstract elements from paint.

That's when I remembered a process I'd started to try years ago. Combining the painting and the photograph in layers using both traditional and digital media. I'm enjoying making the images, they are a great way to get the effect I've been after. The question is, if you paint a picture, then scan it, use Photoshop to add some extra detail, then print to a canvas and paint further, what do you actually have? It IS a painting: it's got paint on it. Most of what people see is paint. But the word painting is not really enough. I suppose mixed media might cover it. Maybe 'Mixed media with acrylic/oil on canvas'. It's a bit of mouthful though, not very snappy!

Either way, for now I'll continue experimenting with it. Here are a couple of the latest mixed media artworks I've created.

 
 
 Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle.

 
Central Station, Newcastle.


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