Evolution of digital art software

[MrParker]

I'm curious, have we reached a limit with digital art in terms of software capabilities, now? I mean, people can create some pretty spectacular images with the current software.

Traditional media emulation could be improved, in my eyes, but there doesn't seem to be the will\interest\ability to do that. A lot of it seems fixated on the whole oil paint thing.

Everything seems to be user interface adjustments these days. Where do you think things will go, if anywhere?

[Elwell]

People can create some pretty spectacular images with burnt sticks.

[Whirly]

People can create some pretty spectacular images with burnt sticks.

Sheldon Borenstein once did a pretty cool drawing with an Oreo Cookie. :D

[Baron Impossible]

I'm curious, have we reached a limit with digital art in terms of software capabilities, now?

We're no nearer a "limit" than we were 20 years ago because no "software capability" limit exists with which to compare. If you mean are we almost at the stage where digital s/w can exactly simulate natural media then the answer is no, nowhere near. And, would we want to go that far?

Traditional media emulation could be improved, in my eyes, but there doesn't seem to be the will\interest\ability to do that.

A lot of people are working away behind the scenes that you may not be aware of. Also, development of emulation s/w has to be balanced with digital advantages. If simulated painting replicated traditional painting exactly then clearly there would be no point in doing it, as why invent something that already exists? Therefore digital tools need to be included to complement the digital experience.

The problem occurs when those tools fall outside of that vision and turn into gimmicks and quick fixes. The needs of the serious digital artist should not be confused with those of the Texan granny who wants to overpaint photos of her cats. Unfortunately, until companies adopt a modular approach to s/w delivery, commercial needs will always blur that distinction.

[MrParker]

I suppose by limit, I mean what new features can be programmed in a reasonable time frame with the current processing power generally available.

From the responses, I believe I have worded my original post badly. To perhaps clarify, I'm interested in what further ways digital painting and image editing software can evolve.

I'm not trying to suggest that it should, or needs to, I'm just curious as to what new features developers can bring to the tools. Companies will need to keep up development of their products, to ensure that their revenue continues, right?

I only got a version of Photoshop recently, and I'm continually amazed by all the features and capabilities in it. If I think of this all as an ore vein or something, it seems to me like a lot of the easy stuff has been tapped.

New features I hear about these days seem to fall into the gimmicky section, or as Baron Impossible put it, stuff for the granny who wants to overpaint photos of her cats.

[Koji Bryant]

Everything seems to be user interface adjustments these days. Where do you think things will go, if anywhere?


5D sketching: http://vimeo.com/10715723


augmented reality (think books/comics AR enhanced)

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[Choob]

Check any of these out if you think there's a limit to media. (last one is by our very own Randis)

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There's no limit to what people can do with media, even digital media. Some people can create amazing stuff with terrible programs, like MS Paint or whatever.

[Ted E.]

I know that I personally cannot wait until we have Cintiqs that are 42" or bigger (the whole wall!:)). This way a digital artist can work on a hi-resolution file and not have to zoom in. It would allow the digital artist to get a better idea of what the entire compositions looks like at native resolution.

I can also see the Wacom pen (stylus) have more options than are available today. Like a stylus that has brush hairs with pressure sensitivity so the interaction is more natural with the screen. An airbrush that you can lift away from the screen to increase spray area. I want a brush that I can throw paint at the screen with. While I am at I would love to just use my hand on the screen from time to time.

I would also like to the see the color palette right on the Wacom. Maybe a dial style physical interface to dial in those brushes. Kind of like a audio studio set-up, but not as many knobs.

Just a short list of where I could see digital art heading. :)

[JeffX99]

I know that I personally cannot wait until we have Cintiqs that are 42" or bigger (the whole wall!:)). This way a digital artist can work on a hi-resolution file and not have to zoom in. It would allow the digital artist to get a better idea of what the entire compositions looks like at native resolution.

I can also see the Wacom pen (stylus) have more options than are available today. Like a stylus that has brush hairs with pressure sensitivity so the interaction is more natural with the screen. An airbrush that you can lift away from the screen to increase spray area. I want a brush that I can throw paint at the screen with. While I am at I would love to just use my hand on the screen from time to time.

I would also like to the see the color palette right on the Wacom. Maybe a dial style physical interface to dial in those brushes. Kind of like a audio studio set-up, but not as many knobs.

Just a short list of where I could see digital art heading. :)

Pretty much that stuff...plus:

I could definitely see it being set up like a small audio mixing board with sliders for size, brush type, etc. Plug in some foot pedals and Android can really start jamming (not that he needs to be any cooler).

Also a separate Cintique palette for mixing would be pretty cool.

I actually have some inside info on what Adobe is up to for CS5...but I can't tell - I will say it is far more than user interface adjustments...and could be potentially incredible. You heard it hear first!

[QueenGwenevere]

Pfff, we're nowhere near any plausible "limit", and if we were, who cares? Doesn't make the tools any less useful. Have we reached the "limit" of pencils and ink and paint yet? I don't think so, people still wring amazing new stuff out of 'em.

Anyway, I'm still waiting for monitors with print-quality resolution (wasn't there talk once about abandoning 72/96 dpi standards and going higher res? Whatever happened to that?)

And something like a Cintiq mated with an iPad: something light and easy to carry, without cables, pressure-sensitive and equipped with a stylus, with Photoshop or Painter or something even better built in, that you can paint on with no other computer or equipment at all and bring anywhere, that would be soooo sweeeeet...

And more better vector painting. And all painting programs could be a lot zippier and more responsive than they are. And everything everyone else said, too.

[Derek the Usurper]

The current software limit is called Zbrush, and it keeps getting pushed every time Pixologic releases an update.

[sodAp]

Well, I think it would be great to paint with vectors and still get a photoshop or painter quality digital painting. Then resolution is not a concern, better transformations, etc.

[dose]

I actually have some inside info on what Adobe is up to for CS5...but I can't tell - I will say it is far more than user interface adjustments

Good gravy. They don't need more interface adjustments- they need to completely rebuild the interface for most of the Creative Suite applications. Photoshop is the worst offender. It's awful.

[JeffX99]

Yeah, to be honest, the entire paradigm for software art tools is not what it could be IMHO...maybe on a parallel earth they got it right.

[Porg]

Guy I know created this cross between MSPaint and graffiti.

YrWall (http://www.yrwall.com/)