Not Art
Creating artistic work with a digital brush
My father was an artist, I am not. This has long been my understanding. Though my father lived and died unknown to the wider world of art, he was a capable water colourist, as well as working with other media. He was skilled at painting and drawing.
View Ray's: Catalogue of digital paintings here
I never inherited any of this skill with the paintbrush or the pencil, although I was a keen amateur photographer many years ago and still like to take photographs. These days, however, I only use my ancient iPhone, which has its limitations.
More from the author: A new age of art?
I also use my skills and experience as a former professional journalist to create designs to illustrate my books and online stories. Apart from the iPhone, I use the simplest of software tools to do this. Sometimes I use carefully setup and post-edited 'artificial intelligence' images. The standard of these designs is pretty good in some cases, some not. Either way they serve to illustrate some of my written work in a simple and cost effective way.
So it was with near astonishment that I learnt that one of my digital designs was accepted for an exhibition at the Tate Modern in London.
The above is a photo of the work Culinary Magic, as exhibited at Tate Modern August 8-28 2024. Here is a closer view of the framed and mounted work.
Seeing my work displayed at one of the most popular art museums in the world, alongside some really fabulous art created by Tate staff and volunteers, didn't alter my opinion as to my artistic abilities. It did, however, make me wonder if I could continue the process and create other digital works. On this basis I have collected together a few more of my digital designs with a view to finding a home for them (if only temporary) in an exhibition. Please take a look at the following works and let me know what you think. Would any catch your eye in an exhibition and would you want to buy one for display at home?
Taylor on show
Culinary Magic
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Time of Death
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ART NOT ART
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Makes no scents
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If you liked, or disliked, any of the above images, or if you have an opinion on whether these can be considered art, please feel free to use the comments section below.
Finally, here is a taster of my upcoming book Short and Sweet Too, which is a second volume of my short story collection.
Not a life saver
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Thanks for reading
About the Creator
Raymond G. Taylor
Author living in Kent, England. Writer of short stories and poems in a wide range of genres, forms and styles. A non-fiction writer for 40+ years. Subjects include art, history, science, business, law, and the human condition.
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Comments (10)
Lots of food for thought 🤔… I like your Rose digital artwork 💙.
Wowsers Raymond! I had no idea! You've got some talent kahunas!
This is wonderfully informative and great fun and thank your for sharing the art, digitally or actually painted.
I loved the one with the girls with the pearl earring and a pipe. Art is whatever speaks to you, and that one definitely spoke to me. I also thought that seeing your art on a museum wall must feel like having a print version of your own book in your hands, like holding a baby. Moments to cherish. Congrats, Raymond!
I loved them all but I'm not an art person so I'm not the kinda person that buys art or is even interested in art. My room has nothing on it's walls. No decorations, nothing. Just plain walls. So it's nothing personal, I hope you don't get offended. Let me put it this way. Even if anyone gives me any piece of art for free, I'm not gonna display it anywhere 😅😅
What an amazing and prestigious honor, to be sure! I love that quote on the stirring spoon!
I loved all of these, Ray. You have an excellent eye for format and presentation as well style and color selection. Quite honestly, they are as important as the talent to render an image in order to create the intended emotion, mystery or narrative. Both the flower still-life and your book cover are visually striking and appealing. You clearly understand how to maximize the effectiveness of AI in your illustrations.
Congrats on having your work displayed. Did you enter the image in a contest or just have great connections? Either way, it’s an admirable accomplishment.
🎉 congratulations on your exhibit. It's great work.
Art is in the eye of the beholder your plague on the wall of the museum is sculpture to me and very good and l like the cover of your book. The others are 'art' to some. Congratulations! You are an artist.