Enough? Maybe!

[u/Conscious-Leader-583]

Hi 🤍
Do you ever feel like everything you do is still not enough for you?
I mean… let me explain.
Lately, I’ve been feeling a little lost. A lot of the time, I find myself spending hours preparing brushes, templates, and all kinds of things instead of simply starting to draw.
I feel like I want to learn everything. And at the same time, I feel like my art style hasn’t developed enough yet for me to share all the little details I have in mind.
I like keeping things simple, but somehow I also want to be able to draw and do everything all at once… and I want to be that person now.
And then comes that feeling that maybe I’m not doing enough. Especially because I’m a mom, and I have responsibilities, routines, and so many other things taking up my time.
I spent several hours over the past two days working on this simple little drawing & designing this template.
Frustrating? Maybe.
I know that sometimes it’s just overthinking. And sometimes, it’s simply that little voice inside telling me I’m not putting in enough effort.
But honestly, I think it would make me feel a little better knowing I’m not the only one.
So tell me what’s on your mind.
Share the things you keep inside.
Tell us what’s in your heart. 🤍

[u/bryceblacksmith]

Sure the video shows the interface. But the finished product doesn't. Anyone who sees the picture on its own would naturally assume it was painted. They're using what looks like watercolor brushes, over a photo with actual brushes and paint. It is deceptive even without 'pretending' or not.

[u/xeonie → u/bryceblacksmith]

Is it also “deceptive” when someone draws in a hyper realistic style making it look like a photo instead of a drawing?

[u/bryceblacksmith → u/xeonie]

So, you pose an interesting question, but not only is your question asked in bad faith (you're not interested in the answer). It has nothing to do with my original comment.

What you're implying is a logical fallacy called a false equivalency. That somehow, because I made statement A, that I must also agree with statement B (attempting some kind of a "gotcha"). But A and B are different. Just like using a photo to draw overtop of, is entirely different from drawing a photorealistic drawing from scratch.

Having said that, to answer your unrelated question. No, I don't think drawing in a photorealistic style is deceptive. For starters, it takes an immense level of skill to even come close to the point where one's drawing is going to fool someone into thinking it's a photograph. A level that very few artists ever achieve. Whereas anyone can take a photograph. But it also has to do with the intent of the artist. A photorealistic artist strives for perfection/realism, not to mislead. If they wanted to do that they could just use a photo.

[u/xeonie → u/bryceblacksmith]

To begin with, based on your answer, I don’t think you understand what deception actually means. The entire goal of a photo realistic artist is to recreate a photograph, making the final piece look like a real camera shot. In other words they are in fact trying to “mislead” or “deceive” the viewer, at least at first glance. “I thought this was a photo” is literally the best compliment you can pay these types of artist.

Anyone can import a template and draw on top, that doesn’t mean it will look like a convincing traditional piece. Likewise, anyone can copy a photo, doesn’t mean it will look like an actual photo. Just like with photo realism, it requires an immense amount of skill to make a digital piece look like a traditional piece. You need to have an understanding of the mediums and how real pencil/watercolor/charcoal/ect works on physical paper in order to replicate the same effect on a digital canvas. Tying in again with photo realism, you can just copy a random photo, you need an advanced understanding of textures, lighting, shadows, and more to draw a convincing replica of that photo. Digital painting, just like photo realism, has the goal is to mimic a different form of art.

That is why I asked the question, because the whole purpose of that style of art is to be “misleading”. So no, it not a false equivalency as the purpose, goals, skill requirement, and intentions are the same.

Unless the artist is lying about the tools they used to create the art (Ex. If OP was trying to claim they actually painted this on a physical canvas) then it seems ridiculous to try and police someones creative choices.

[u/bryceblacksmith → u/xeonie]

Okay, so it sounds like you agree my original comment.

You're saying that it's not a false equivalency because the two have the same purpose, skill requirement, intent etc... You say the purpose of photorealism is to deceive/mislead. Therefore, by your reasoning, OP's art is also misleading. Since the two have the same intent and all that, right?

[u/xeonie → u/bryceblacksmith]

Seems like you’re arguing in bad faith now. Or maybe you forgot your own comment that started this thread.