As I thougt about

[Howie]

After looking and a great photograph of my father, I was asked if I could paint it. I often am asked to paint portraits. The closer to real life the better. So I thought about this. And I thought. Could I paint this? The answer was yes, I can. The question is why? So I asked: If a painting can not offer you more than a photograph, why paint a picture? I know somewhere my thoughts are obscure. They are abstract and cannot connect the dots. I can only assume that a portrait is an extension of a persona. Maybe the same way a letter can seem to convey more love than some one saying it? A letter is more thought out than most conversations. A painting is also more thought out than most photographs. I cannot understand realism under the context of art. Maybe it is an attempt to correspondence to actuality. Maybe we need some concrete evidence of some extension of ourselves. I just do not know. Do you? What is the reason?

[Siиdяed]

A conversation, a photograph, is often far more spontaneous than a letter or painting, which by their practicality usually require more thought and time. Not that spontanaety is a bad thing at all, often snapshots of life can be found in a photograph that you wouldn't be able to capture with a painting, often humour or great insight comes from just talking off the top of your head to a friend that would be difficult to find sat thinking for so long. ...I don't know what my point is any more. So go figure.

[Carôusoul]

After looking and a great photograph of my father, I was asked if I could paint it. I often am asked to paint portraits. The closer to real life the better. So I thought about this. And I thought. Could I paint this? The answer was yes, I can. The question is why? So I asked: If a painting can not offer you more than a photograph, why paint a picture? I know somewhere my thoughts are obscure. They are abstract and cannot connect the dots. I can only assume that a portrait is an extension of a persona. Maybe the same way a letter can seem to convey more love than some one saying it? A letter is more thought out than most conversations. A painting is also more thought out than most photographs. I cannot understand realism under the context of art. Maybe it is an attempt to correspondence to actuality. Maybe we need some concrete evidence of some extension of ourselves. I just do not know. Do you? What is the reason? A more personal touch. Cameras are cold hard and inflexible. Good paintings are personal and have as much of you in them as of the subject; that's why painted art is so prevalent even in the age of photography.

[Howie]

A conversation, a photograph, is often far more spontaneous than a letter or painting, which by their practicality usually require more thought and time. Not that spontanaety is a bad thing at all, often snapshots of life can be found in a photograph that you wouldn't be able to capture with a painting, often humour or great insight comes from just talking off the top of your head to a friend that would be difficult to find sat thinking for so long. ...I don't know what my point is any more. So go figure That makes sense to me Siиdяed. I see your point. So painters go on to expressionism to try and capture the "now"?? Why the obsession with actualality when we are seemingly surrounded by it. Or so we think. A more personal touch. Cameras are cold hard and inflexible. Good paintings are personal and have as much of you in them as of the subject; that's why painted art is so prevalent even in the age of photography. cold hard and inflexible. Much like our minds. ^---^ not directed at you. ~ So art will never die?

[Carôusoul]

That makes sense to me Siиdяed. I see your point. So painters go on to expressionism to try and capture the "now"?? Why the obsession with actualality when we are seemingly surrounded by it. Or so we think. cold hard and inflexible. Much like our minds. ^---^ not directed at you. ~ So art will never die? Our minds are possibly the least cold hard and unflexible things there are. How do you figure otherwise?

[Siиdяed]

While we maintain our humanity, we maintain our art. So long as there's an observer, there will always be art, of whatever medium or form.

[Carôusoul]

speaking of art, 57/60 for my a-level module.

[Howie]

Our minds are possibly the least cold hard and unflexible things there are. How do you figure otherwise? They can be. But they are not often utilized that way. Although most people would like to think otherwise. While we maintain our humanity, we maintain our art. So long as there's an observer, there will always be art, of whatever medium or form. Definitely! So what is the next form? We have passed up surrealism to pure abstract forms. Will history repeat it self or is there something waiting around the corner? I think many people feel that art and science do not intermingle. But I don't think so. Do you? We are approaching so many new things in science. Maybe uncovering some questionable concepts in quantum mechanics may unfold something new for the art world. maybe.

[Xaqaria]

I completely agree with you howie. When I paint, I always try to capture an image that cannot be (easily) witnessed in the real world. With portraits, I tend to take a more impressionist perspective, and otherwise I mainly work with surreal realism. Usually my goal is to take the absurd or fantastical and display it in the most realistic and believable way that my ability allows. I also do the occasional cartoon surrealism.

[Adam]

A conversation, a photograph, is often far more spontaneous than a letter or painting, which by their practicality usually require more thought and time. Not that spontanaety is a bad thing at all, often snapshots of life can be found in a photograph that you wouldn't be able to capture with a painting, often humour or great insight comes from just talking off the top of your head to a friend that would be difficult to find sat thinking for so long. ...I don't know what my point is any more. So go figure. Completely agree - although I cannot paint, I prefer pencil, charcoal, anything that gives me more control - And I quite like to draw but it takes time, dedication, and the results are more personal to you than a picture ever can be.

[Howie]

Thanks guys for your insight. This has inspired me to begin again. Why I took a break, A lot of reasons I guess. Boring stuff. But anyway Thanks again!! I picked up the pencil today for the first time in -tooo long. It felt good. Good things have been festering in my head for some time now. It is now time to put them on paper.

[M-Cat]

A photograph is what life looks like. A painting is what we want life to look like.