Food for thought: The spy who sold out
Forgiving a pretty face
Facebook to agencies: how will people share your story?
Is “The Pitch” an accurate reflection of our industry?
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Just ask Jorge Colomobo. He’s the 45-year-old finger-painter that’s taking child’s play to a whole new level.
Taking photos with his iPod’s camera, Colomobo then uses the Brushes app to transform them into illustrations. While there’s nothing remarkable about using pedestrian-grade design tools to create images – think Etch-A-Sketch – in this case the results have made the cover of the New Yorker.
And so continues the fine art world’s long and difficult relationship with technological innovation.
Is it art? Is it design. Could I do that? Does it unravel the very fabric on the art-design split?
The minor controversy surrounding the illustration was addressed in the Toronto Star by David Moos. He’s the curator of contemporary art at the Art Gallery of Ontario:
“While there is an anxiety among purists that traditional ways of making art will be eclipsed, the rapport between technology and art dates back to Leonardo da Vinci . . .”
“The brush itself is a kind of technology.”
I agree. Art and design should be judged by their result, not by their method of production. In this case, I was attracted to the New Yorker cover even before I knew how it was made. Mission accomplished.
Art or imitation? Who cares. Is it good? That’s my question.
Jason Pearl
September 29, 2009 @ 2:01 pm
And for the inspired, a new iPod touch/ iPhone app from the creators of 3Ds Max, Maya and AutoCAD, comes Autodesk’s SketchBook Mobile.
The Autodesk SketchBook Mobile painting and drawing application extends your digital sketchpad to your Apple iPhone or Apple iPod touch. With the same paint engine as Autodesk SketchBook Pro software, SketchBook Mobile offers professional-grade painting and drawing tools in a streamlined and intuitive user interface. Use it to digitally capture your ideas as napkin sketches or produce artwork on-the-go.
Steve
September 30, 2009 @ 3:09 pm
An ex-pat Canadian living in Bari, Italy has just hosted an artshow of his iPhone work. And, a company produced a carpet using one of his designs. Pretty cool stuff.
http://fingerpainted.it/2009/09/19/matthew-watkins-is-numero-uno-in-europe-to-exhibit-his-iphone-paintings/
Alois Grassani
November 7, 2009 @ 6:08 am
Through this comment, I hope to reach Steve (Bari – Canadian painter).
Dear Friend,
I think I’ve seen You in a TV program, reg. finger painters, just few minutes ago. Really brilliant ! I am a musician (voice, guitar, french horn, composition), I’ve practiced and taught natural therapies for many many years, in Italy and abroad. Now I’m beginning (right in these days, end of November) a musical/cultural project in Naples (artistic secretariat, recording studio, lectures, seminars, workshops) and the next step is publishing books and a magazine (one of my preceeding activities). I’ll be really happy of being in touch with You. Thanks for Your Presence !
In Brotherhood
Alois.