Sunday, February 13, 2011

Taking Digital Art to the Next Level






Digital Art Revolution, by Scott Ligon (Watson-Guptill) is a very enjoyable and inspiring book of  creative digital art ideas, theory  and instructions. The intro chapter, "Welcome to the Revolution" makes it clear that it is written with an artist's perspective, not that of a technician who has found some neat tricks, and the chapter about "Finding Your Own Voice" has many great ideas to include in discussions of problem solving and creative thinking. It covers both compositing and painting techniques with examples from a wide variety of digital artists, covering many styles, making this real "eye candy".

It's Complicated: The American Teenager



Photojournalist Robin Bowman has a wonderful website with samples from her book, Its Complicated: The American Teenager. Select "Teenagers" from the menu and click on each photo. Look for the small +  symbol to make the text of the interview with each subject appear. She says that her project "underscores the similarity and diversity that make up this country and this generation, and reminds all of us that people are not necessarily who they appear to be." Not only does she give presentations, she also runs workshops to promote tolerance and social awareness for students and teachers. Her website is also a great example of how photographers promote their work and find audiences and venues for exhibits.