To Trace Or Not To Trace. Whether Tis More Practical To. . .

[hildee]

Been off sick a few days but back to respond.

Hildee, I've also done it that way but I personally don't class it as art as I've used the tracing feature on AR - just copied a photo by picking up the underlying colours.

June, I like to class my work as art, the time and love that goes into it. It's not "just copying a photo" (painting without trace could be considered copying too). Whether automatic or manual colour picking, we still want those colours although the latter seems to create less guilt for some. Either way, colours don't end up in the painting precisely where they were in the original anyway. IMO, automatic colour trace (which is darn hard & I need a ref up) and manual colour picking (it might make you feel accomplished but it is also laborious) doesn't make the difference between a painting and a non-painting. Plus we need to get away from this old idea of cloning (Painter, Photoshop) and tracing (ArtRage) - two entirely different concepts.

There is nothing wrong with it as long as you make it clear that you have used a photo and traced it - not just the outline but the paint as well.
I saw one you posted on YouTube of a sunset done that way which BTW was very pretty and you made it clear you had traced it. It's fun to do but it's not painting in my opinion.

Ouch ... I used brushes and painted. And I don't feel I have to "make it clear" how I do a painting, although I usually do. Unlike in other forums, many here don't and it's not a rule. Artists use every trick in the book to get the result they want and the result is the main thing, especially if selling. Also, the apps you can get nowadays like Perspective It, and En Plein Air with which you can take a photo out in the field to help with tones etc and paint from that - this taking the guesswork out of painting leaves a lot of these arguments being discussed dead in the water.

That's what makes it such great software for the hobbyist.

Professionals use ArtRage and include the tools mentioned. My art mags are full of pro ArtRage users that sell their art world-wide. My conclusion is we are all painters painting paintings, pros or amateurs, tracers or not.

~ Hillie.
............

Great topic D Akey. Art (here I mean painting) changes all the time. I've been wanting to buy a projector (I paint traditionally as well) but they're expensive, although the price has gone down over the years.

Well this has become rather lively. It seems that we're all of the opinion that
A - Tracing is not a cardinal sin and is ok.
B - Digital is indeed a genuine media
C - Some so called professionals are Baboons with delusions of grandeur who are in fact mentally challenged narcissistic Planarians.

I feel better now.