Possible Misrepresentation?

[finwailin]

There is a "Self-Representing" artist/seller presently listing some ACEOs as "Original Drawings". I have good reason to believe that they are - at most - altered prints. Anyhow, I want to report these listings but fear possible repercussions from this seller. Does anyone know if filing a report keeps the filer anonymous? I don't mind sellers selling to buyers, even if the buyers are naive enough to be fooled, but a misrepresenting seller hurts all of us. -- -Robert V.

[jmkosm]

c'mon....where can we find them??????

[velo-retro]

I saw those too Robert, clicked on them and have seriously wondered what the process REALLY is. The resulting ACEO wasn't even nice looking to my eye. And as Fae said, there are other recent listings of nudes, and animals I've noticed where I wonder how it's done. Some say an "original watercolor" or one lists as "real painting". I hadn't even thought of the Photoshop "technique" but do know many people use a tracer projector to project photos to somehow paint very realistically. Even that seems too involved a process for the way these pieces are being done, and they look so photographic. Or maybe it's fast and easy at ACEO size. I've thought of asking the seller what the process is since it doesn't look like a painting, but more like a photo. Too bad many think looking photographic/realistic is somehow better than seeing an artist's hand in the piece. :-) ~Sherry

[jmkosm]

thanks.....

[artshtick]

It's incredible to me that someone could think they'd make enough $ to compromise their integrity, selling aceos. But, I have to say to everyone out there, that the folks who post in this group are very credible. I don't think I will ever be tempted to purchase an aceo from someone I haven't "met" in this group...That's just personal preference. I know if I buy some thing from Jmkosm that it will be represented truthfully. DEB

[jmkosm]

everything in my descriptions is true.... and yes, there is a bingeville, utah.... hard to find...yes... but it is for real...

[theuntiedshoesstore]

Let's see 'em fake a photo aceo. LOL! -- Duane aka MrParts Check me out: http://stores.ebay.com/The-Untied-Shoes-Store http://PhotosByDuane.com http://MrParts.deviantART.com

[robertsloan2art]

The whole photo-tracing process is very common for realists -- and why the art contests and art magazines and books harp constantly on "Take your own photos." I bought an opaque projector for doing that -- and silly me, the dang thing is collecting dust on top of the microwave because I tend to find it physically easier to sketch from the photo references. I both make mistakes and change things all the time, often using more than one reference because I bought all those books. It'd be honest if they listed it as Digital Art and took their own photos. Photoshop does have some spectacular effects and sometimes you can take an ordinary photo and turn it into good art. You're right about "Rough Pastel" too. I've never heard of it and don't own Photoshop. The term other than Soft Pastel would be Hard Pastel like using Nupastels or Conte. -- robertsloan2art -- original ACEO, OSWOA and larger artwork. A big part of life is recognizing that creativity is human. It's not limited to a special Talented few gifted and cursed by the gods to become high-paid superstars. Search on Robs Art for all my art listings.

[bird-painter-fiona]

I saw them too, water colors that look incredibly realistic with a soft wash ?? wow either they should be congratulated for thier talent or reminded that being honest about one's methods of producing any art form is essential. Hhhhhmmmmmmm I suspect your right about them being digitally altered photo's, my kids have used a program at school that they can load any photo into and select any painting method to alter it into ...... I hope the truth is revealed to all soon and the buyers can relax in the knowledge that the vast majority of sellers are honest. Hope your all having a great weekend, cheers Fi -- Edited by bird-painter-fiona at 09/27/2008 12:27 AM PDT

[jeanze*art]

Those watercolor...HAH... nudes. NO WAY. First time I saw them, I knew them for what they are. I'm going to Bingeville. Sounds like a lovely place to get away from it all. -- JeanneY

[faeorain]

Yes, digital art is not the problem, so long as it's listed as such, being that it is legitimate medium. It's just that I have a hard time believing some particular aceo's are painted watercolors like they claim, and not just digital prints of photos that were altered in photoshop. Fae

[papermatthew]

Maybe the people who list them don't realize that clicking on "Rough Pastel" or "Watercolor" doesn't actually make a real pastel or watercolor painting... Maybe they're really young and don't realize that before computers people used actual physical things called "pastels" and "watercolors"... Or they just have no scruples... THe "rough pastel" things mentioned in this thread looked like they were definitely just photoshop filtered - and not even cleverly... Just one filter and nothing else to make it look original or artistic... One of the artists people have brought up in the past who sells Nude Watercolor ACEOs that really really seem like asian soft-core pornography altered in photoshop is supposed to have some form of autism (asperger's syndrome) that actually could make him able to produce that kind of realistic work that well............ And his feedback is always good, so maybe his stuff is real...... But for some reason his larger works on his website don't look fake, but the small ones do... Matthew

[robertsloan2art]

Matthew, you have a point about people not realizing that's what's meant by the medium. I try not to underestimate people's ignorance. There is always that when it comes to realism. An artist using soft core stuff as photo references could achieve some highly plausible realism. Heck, I could if I used that for my photo references, if I wanted that look to it. I've also found there is a natural stage of skill in realism where you have to work very close to the reference to get good results, but get good results when you do. This is the point it's a lot better to use your own photos, naturally, for copyright reasons. Odd that his larger works look real and his smaller ones don't. -- robertsloan2art -- original ACEO, OSWOA and larger artwork. A big part of life is recognizing that creativity is human. It's not limited to a special Talented few gifted and cursed by the gods to become high-paid superstars. Search on Robs Art for all my art listings.

[robertsloan2art]

I am also beginning to see why when I was a newbie without feedback, no one trusted me. -- robertsloan2art -- original ACEO, OSWOA and larger artwork. A big part of life is recognizing that creativity is human. It's not limited to a special Talented few gifted and cursed by the gods to become high-paid superstars. Search on Robs Art for all my art listings.

[finwailin]

There are a few sellers in the nude ACEO genre who make very photo-realistic works, but one can tell that the works are still paintings or drawings. One seller shows his techniques though a link on his auctions (using light-boxes, tracings etc.) and that is fine with me. He is still actually drawing and painting the pieces and is not misrepresenting what he's selling. Thanks for all of your input; I'm glad that so many other were interested in the topic. -- -Robert V.