digital prints 11-09-2009

i held off from making digital prints for a long time. 'real' printing, surely, was about pressing ink onto - or into - paper. it was three-dimensional. if you held a 'proper' print up to the light you could see something sculptural - indentations, protrusions, variations in texture... Moreover i dislike the way that digital reproductions of non-digital artwork (drawings, paintings, etchings...) are increasingly sold as 'limited edition prints'. of course, it's great for poorly-paid artists. and it's great for non-rich people who want to buy art. but digital prints are just posh posters and there's something dishonest about pretending they're more than that. plus, i've been in a few galleries where it's hard to tell whether certain prints are screenprints or 'digital prints' and the staff have been unable, or unwilling, to say.

but, but, but... i've finally had to admit that using a mac to create and manipulate images feels as natural as using a paintbrush or a scalpel. i've also been hoarding bits of discarded artwork and taking semi-abstract, not-quite-art-in-themselves photographs over the past few years for reasons i could never quite articulate.

finally, i know how to use them.

if you're interested, the two prints here contain, among other elements, a photo of the bottom of a swimming pool and a photo taken at gweek seal sanctuary.