I would like to share my views on here about art in general.
Here we are:
I feel art output today is vastly different than the masters of the 100 yrs ago. The times were different and the temperment was different. My visit to a museum confirmed this. Anyone who is a serious realistic artist should go to a museum be it fine or commercial to study the control back then. You don't know till you go see it. The reproductions in books never quite tell the story.
let me address them by points,
1) dimension.... I saw some paintings that didn't look like paintings! Not photoreal of the 70's reality real. Real like you can touch it and reach through the picture plane real! It transended a painted picture.
2) execution..... this one is always measured to the skill level in some factor.
execution can be tight or loose... there is no one superior way. It is how and where it is used. Doing a picture too tight everywhere is not visually correct nor too loose everywhere. I am talking about quality paintings with much understanding not commercial or concept paintings.
The master knew it and based everything on their own observation against nature. Objects are clearer, sharper and has more contrasts in the foreground from the artist's POV. Of course objects inthe backgroud are opposite to this rule. I saw examples of this in the museum. The results are really amazing.
3) value ratio..... How light or dark to make something can cause a visual lie.
The degree or assigned value to each area based on spatial distance to each object becomes critical for becoming reality REAL. In reality, everything has an order from contrast to details. The master often got this right. Yes they based everything on observation from life BUT it is their keen observation that served them well in their paintings. That is why art school always have life drawing classes.
4) color control.... This I will never forget! I attended a HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL SHOW IN NORTHERN CA A FEWS YEARS AGO, and saw a set of paintings that
knocked my socks way off! the color degrees assignment was very well thought out. I could see their control was second to none. Once in awhile, I see these matte paintings done but today fine digital artists and I can see they haven't quite gotten the control as say Ralph Marquirre , Peter Ellenshaw or chris evans to name a few. It is NOT THE TOOLS OF PHOTOSHOP BUT THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ARTIST THAT MAKES AN IMAGE CONVINCING. Bad mattes are the one that stick out like they don't belong with the rest of the scene! why????
Because, of the 3 point above is not quite fitting in. To find the correct ratio is like cracking a safe. NOT EASY... YOU GOT TO BE SKILLED IN EXECUTION AND UNDERSTANDING.
Next time, i will talk about emotional content of art... stay tuned.
PLEASE CHIME IN if you have something to add.
