[Pixelator]

Filter or no Filter, is that the question?

Art creation is about the beauty and uniqueness of the final artwork and the emotions that are invoked by that artwork and NOT by which tools were used in the creation process.

Many digital artists have complained that Digital Art is not receiving the same �respect� as traditional art. The same artists will point out that whether you are using a computer or not, should not be a reason to look down upon Digital Art as inferior art form. And they are absolutely right!
But - at the same time - the SAME artists are criticizing other Digital Artists for using certain tools. Tools such as Scanners, 2D Filters, 3D filters, and 3D rendering are looked at as �not pure enough�, or that these tools are making the creation process �too easy� .
Here are 2 images that will help me �illustrate� this simple point.


The above images looks identical. Both have a single line composed of 399 pixels each.
One of the images was created with a �pencil� tool, and took about 2 minutes to complete, while the other image was created with the �line� tool and have taken 1 second to complete.
Can you tell which one was done with the �pencil� tool?
Does it make ANY difference?
Does the fact that one image taken 120 times longer to complete makes it any better?

If you wish �Computer Art� to be looked upon as valid as any other traditional art form, then you must not discount the validity of any other �Software Tool�, be it �Filters�, �Scanners�, or �3D rendered images�.
(If you still are do not agree with this point, just realize that you are already using the most powerful tools in any Digital Artist arsenal. i.e. Save/Load/Undo/Redo/Copy/Paste)

There is much more to this subject but the above will suffice at this time .

Thank you for �listening�.

[Ko]

I like your general idea... but I don't think that the die hard digi-painters on this board are going to support it much!

I'm a no filter man myself... but heck! that's all a matter of taste and technique.
I mean if you are trying to make digital paintings, filters often make the image look kinda cheap... like ohhh! that filter again.
Get me?

But as for other kind's of digital art, filter can be a very important tool!
I make a lot of flyers and posters for techno parties, and for those purposes I use packages like KPT5/6 as they can greatly enhance the overall look if used subtly and originally!

But! Filters alone don't make a great image ...never!

Ko

[Affected]

I don't use filters much, but that's because the stuff I do doesn't require it. I paint, and there's little room for filters in my work. Instead of using KPT to make a sphere I paint one. It doesn't take that much longer, either.

I don't think filters are a no-no, though, but please, if you use filters, make sure it doesn't show.

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Affected

Knowledge is belief and belief is knowledge
http://affected.xs.mw

[DuKEZ]

the pencil tool is the one on the right :P

[Pixelator]

Is this your FINAL answer?

[dennison]

get a clue, the use of filters vary on a case-to-case basis. you can never totally discount the use of filters because they were invented out of NECESSITY. i think the only time when filters became disgraceful is with the onslaught of lamers who make images for the web using filters (and make money out of it). is that lame? yes. can you do anything about it? no. so filters or no filters, there is nothing much you can do about it.

[[Shizo]]

Did you really sit for 2 hours drawing pixel by pixel with pencil or you made both with line tool? (what i would do heh)

good luck with your pencil tool

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Russia is power. You dont agree --> we nuke you!

[zapman]

My 2cents:

Well sure, it is a good topic,
Let me say just something small,
I was watching the Airbrush Video few days ago, and the Guy said about tracing an Image off a projector device. Is this Cheating? No its call getting the Work done ON TIME.

Also one other comment,
If you use a Ruler to make a line, its not called CHEATING, its using your head, and you use the ruler for making sure your line not bent.

Something with Filters for Photoshop, they are TRICK to help you with your Image, just like using a Sprung to make texture on your Watercolor image. You use Filters to Help you with the image, not let it DO the image for you.

That is my 2cents,
ZAPmAn
(have a nice day )

[Pixelator]

To Shizo: If I had to spend 2 hours drawing one line, then I would have to make my assignment for this year be drawing a filled circle
(As you can see in the first message, it has taken 2 minutes, not 2 hours )

To Zapman: My sentiments exactly. A great art is great regardless of the method used.

[DuKEZ]

FINAL ANSWER!! give me my money :P

[zapman]

Left is Pencil
Right is Line toll
I can tell because the way you Told them, You said the "while the other image was created with the �line� tool and have taken 1 second to complete."

SO let me know if i am right.
ZAPmAn

[Pixelator]

DuKEZ: Sorry, it is the left one . You should have used the 50/50

zapman: It's a good one! The left image is indeed the 'pencil' one.
You are now 1 question away from the next question

[Guy]

Personaly i think digital artwork is just as hard to do as traditional art work. They both require a good understading of art and design. I hate it when some people think that the computer does the work for you. sure, there may be an undo button, but so what. Now you dont have to waste so much paper each time you screw up. The computer doesnt really do sh!t for you. Its not like the filters draw for you. they just change it. saves time.

[Ragnar Dregoth]

Haha! You didnt draw that with the pencil, they are linked to the same exact place, you were just trying to prove a point!

[Pixelator]

Guy: Good point
Ragnar Dregoth: That is funny
I did draw one image with the pencil and one with the line tool but I have combined them into one file for easier posting. (Without actually using the pencil tool, I would have been hard pressed to evaluate the amount of time that would be required in order to draw this thing pixel by pixel, by pixel, by...)

It seems that at times, many pixels are needed in order to make one simple point

[Frost]

Thank you for showing me the light...

frost.

[Tinusch]

I think the only reason I don't use filters is because there aren't many filters available that aren't overused already. Whatever I use give the pic a terribly "filtered" look. It's blatantly obvious that filters were used, and it kind of makes me look bad, maybe suggesting that I don't know how to do it on my own so I need to computer to do it for me. And I definitely don't want people thinking computers do it all for you, like Guy said. Many people who have seen my digital artwork, after I told them I used Adobe Photoshop, replied, "That's an awesome program!" or "Where can I get that?", thinking that all they need is the program and then making pics will be a snap. That's probably the main reason digital art doesn't get much attention in the modern world - people think computers do it all for you. And in a way, that's what filters do. They create effects for you. And many times, those effects can drastically change the mood or feeling on your pic, so it's kind of like the filter actually created the pic for you. Another reason I don't use filters is because then I can't honestly say I created the pic myself from scratch. Same reason I don't use scanned textures. I want to be able to say that I made the pic myself. I don't feel as proud knowing that some of my pic was pre-made. Kind of cheapens it, I think.

[LITZ]

affected...how in the f*ck did you make that gray rock lizard looking face in your gallery?! damn!

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LITZ www.litzdesigns.com

[This message has been edited by LITZ (edited March 07, 2000).]

[Affected]

You mean the one with the skin with about 8000 dots?
Um... Call me anal, but I decided I could get the best result by - wait for it - drawing and shading each dot indivisually with the airbrush. And the whole thing was done at the resolution the bigger version is at.
I'm not about to do that again for a while... The damn thing probably took a few years off my life expectancy.

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Affected

Knowledge is belief and belief is knowledge
http://affected.xs.mw

[Affected]

I must confess I do sometimes use filters, mainly distort filters like displace to create masks for textures and stuff. Rarely in my paintings, though, since I don't use complex patterns or textures much in them.

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Affected

Knowledge is belief and belief is knowledge
http://affected.xs.mw