What I have learned about most artists is that their philosophy tells them to do "just enough" in the image that it gives
the "Impression" of what the piece is about. I understand where those working
on art for film are coming from, because most of their artwork will be viewed for just a few seconds or less. It's not
necessary to spend weeks working on a single image that will be flashed in front of the audience's eyes and then pulled
back again just as fast.
For me, however, this simply will not do.
I expect that the art I create will be stared at and analyzed for hours on end by thousands of people all over the world.
If anything is out of place, or blurry, pixelated, unfinished, or obviously computer generated, it will kill the credibility
of the whole image. And on top of that, I'm a big fan of Wall Posters, so I make all my art to be poster-size. This means I
need to make sure there is a LOT of detail, if I'm to make fantastic art that is sharp as a photo when printed at the size
of a wall poster.
But I've taken it beyond even this. Here is the philosophy with which I create artwork:
"I want to create science fiction artwork of excellent, inspirational quality, with so much detail that you find something
new to look at no matter how many times you look at it, that will be published and distributed in reasonably-priced poster
form so that people anywhere in the world can have a chance to see it, and be inspired and motivated by it."
You as an artist don't necessarily need to hold such a driven or zealous philosophy, but it would be good for your work
if you did develop a philosophy that was focused on creating depth and purpose in imagery, not simply being easily
mesmerized by pictures your software automatically creates for you. You need to have a vision within yourself that
yearns to be expressed. Your art should be about that vision, about what's in your thoughts, feelings, and imagination.
Don't work for your software, make your software work for you - for your vision.
