My going “digital” was like Dylan going electric.
The journey from analouge to digital also required me to embrace color and trash many rolls of film. My darkroom soon thereafter was disassembled and put in storage. But I missed the process… the stuff… Trading it in for the instant gratification of Digital Photograhy was unenriching. And, I resented any post-production adjustments in Photoshop. I hate the computer, but I don’t miss the chemicals.
I decided that I need to make images but not in a darkroom or with the aid of a comuter. Images that aren’tinstant. Watercolor painting came to mind. I tried it before but hated it. Now I love it. I still need to prepare paper, splash around water, wait for things to dry. I got stuff: brushes, pigments, trays, tape, baords to paint on, jars et cetera.! Now I have an artform that takes time. Thats what its all about to me. The process! So, yes, watercolor can and did replace a darkroom and its environmentally friendly.
About this image
I always liked when my photos were “painterly,” but do not aspire towards photorealsim in my paintings. This image was done quickly (1/2 hour with the aid of a hairdryer) for the purpose of this blog. Its an upshot of Michael Phelps reaching the wall first in the last Olympic games. Breast stroke I think. I enjoyed the process. (Conversly I hated getting the image on to the computer for this blog).
Where’s by brush?
Thomas Martin Photo & Paint 