Modern Classic Pointillism Art: Easy Ideas and Examples

Classic Pointillism Paintings

Classic pointillism dates back to the late 19th century and early 20th century, known as the Victorian era. Georges Seurat and Paul Signac developed the pointillism technique in 1886, strategically placing primary colored dots to depict the subject while leveraging optical mixing to produce secondary colors.

Optical mixing is a phenomenon in which colors blend together optically when viewed from a distance. Placing colors near each other on the canvas can create the illusion of blending. This effect becomes apparent when observing the artwork from a distance, as the individual dots of color merge seamlessly to form new shades and tones. Upon closer inspection, the distinct colors remain visible.

Clusters of red and blue dots may create the impression of purple flowers when viewed collectively, despite the absence of actual purple pigment in the artwork. This optical mixing technique relies on the precise placement of small dots to achieve the desired visual effect.

Victorian Era Art

Portraits, landscapes, still life compositions, and depictions of historical and mythological themes were common in Victorian-era art. Dot art is challenging to execute without a clear reference. So pointillism artists often drew inspiration from real-life subjects and scenes. They painted what they could see.

In the creation of their artworks, artists of the Victorian era often relied on models posing in era-appropriate clothing that would be considered old-fashioned today. While many Victorian-era paintings depicted people, classic pointillism paintings were more inclined to feature landscapes.

Traits of a Classic Pointillism Painting

• Small dots, same size
• Primary colors
• Optical mixing
• Emphasis on capturing light and color
• Bright, colorful scenes
• Landscapes, portraits, and still life
• Victorian Era

Modern Classic Art

Creating new artwork in a vintage style and subject matter can be seen as a form of modern classic art. Even though the piece is newly made, it is reminiscent of art from the late 1800s. Timeless subjects such as landscapes and animals are not dated by fashion trends. So, while creating a new classic landscape painting is relatively straightforward, transforming a selfie into a classic artwork poses greater challenges.

Digital art can closely resemble the look and feel of handmade art and vice versa. The differences between handmade analog art, handmade digital art, and art made by pressing a button may not be immediately obvious or noticeable. People are more likely to assume it is handmade art if you use styles like stippling, classic pointillism, and scribble line art while restricting realism and utilizing a limited color palette.

Use timeless subjects, find historical images, or produce computer-generated images. While AI image generators have the capability to produce complete artworks, they can also serve as valuable tools for generating reference images to inspire your own artistic creations. It allows you to apply your desired art style to transform the computer-generated image.

The photo-to-dot art app I wrote can convert photos into classic pointillism paintings. It simplifies the process by using groups of four primary colored dots to represent secondary colors while still incorporating optical mixing. Despite this streamlined approach, the resulting paintings maintain the essence of vintage pointillism. To the untrained eye, discerning the difference between paintings created using my method and the traditional method may prove challenging.

Pointillism Digital Art

The pointillism art on this page was made with the dot art image generator I wrote. Load a picture, choose an art style, alter the color filters, pick a dot size, and press the Dots button to produce a dot drawing or painting. Another option is to use a tablet or phone with a stylus pen. Paint with small dots using a limited color palette and optical mixing.

The hard part is getting an image that is suitable for pointillism without copying other people. You are encouraged to explore the showcased images and search for additional examples as inspiration before coming up with your own ideas and producing your own original creations.

Dot art cannot be optimized for every screen size or viewing distance. When creating pointillism artwork, factors such as screen size and viewing distance vary—whether it's on a laptop screen or a phone screen, viewed up close or from a distance. Before starting, decide on the intended screen size and viewing distance to optimize your artwork.

When viewing other people's dot art on a large screen, you may need to step back to appreciate the full effect or resize it to a smaller scale. On a small phone screen, zoom in to see the individual dots more clearly.

Easy Ideas

Meticulously placing each dot can be tedious and time-consuming, especially when considering the added difficulty of achieving optical mixing. The easiest way to create pointillism art in the classic style is to use an app that can produce digital art resembling handmade art. When using an app, the challenge is selecting the right picture and choosing the best settings.

For the dot size, I start small and work my way up. If I am making art for a laptop screen but still want it to look good on my phone, I limit the size of the canvas and use the largest dot size that looks good on my laptop. When people view it on their phone at a smaller size, the dots remain large enough to maintain the intended effect. Using slightly larger dots than necessary ensures that the artwork retains its distinctive dot effect when viewed on my laptop or at a reduced size on my phone.

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Start with bright, colorful images and use color filters when necessary. The pointillism effect works best with intense and varied hues rather than dull images or those with large areas of the same color. For example, I often used images with colorful skies as my reference photos, opting for vibrant sunsets instead of light blue skies. This choice ensured that the artworks captured the dynamic and rich color palettes characteristic of pointillism.

Creating multiple versions from the same reference photo enables experimentation with various settings, potentially leading to better results. Experiment with color filters, dot sizes, and color palettes. Additionally, adjusting the canvas size allows for customization tailored to different mediums. Shrinking or enlarging a dot painting can compromise the effect.

When choosing reference images for your artwork, consider scenes with richly saturated colors and dynamic compositions. Look for vibrant landscapes, stunning sunsets, or lively cityscapes. Additionally, portraits featuring expressive faces or animals showcasing intricate textures and patterns can also make compelling subjects for pointillism art.

Exploring examples of pointillism artwork can provide valuable inspiration for your own creations. Take some time to browse through classic paintings and modern interpretations. By studying these examples, you'll gain a better understanding of what types of scenes and reference images result in captivating pointillism creations.

• Select the appropriate medium for your artwork
• Experiment with different dot sizes to find the best one for your artwork.
• Select a bright and colorful picture to use as your reference image.
• Prepare the image by adjusting color filters to enhance the desired effect.
• Press a button to generate the dot art based on your selected settings.
• Create multiple versions of the artwork using different settings to compare results.
• Choose the best result that meets your artistic vision.
• Continue exploring and converting more pictures into dot paintings to expand your collection.

Pointillism Reference Image Keywords

Examples of Modern Classic Pointillism Art

Embracing the classic pointillism style can infuse your artwork with a unique charm and timeless appeal. Simplified pointillism, without optical mixing, can give you some interesting results, but it is more common. Adhering to the classic technique sets your art apart.

Utilizing groups of primary-colored dots to represent secondary colors offers a practical and visually appealing approach to modern classic pointillism. It simplifies the process while still leveraging the principles of optical mixing, adding a unique flair to your artwork. Even when the dots are too small to achieve optical mixing, the traditional style stands out in the realm of modern art.

Loading a picture and pressing a button is an easy way to make modern classic dot art, allowing artists and nonartists to focus on their creative vision. When using an app, your contribution to the artwork is brainstorming the perfect idea and finding suitable reference photos.

If you contribute your unique ideas and creative expression to the artistic process, even if an app or tool produces the painting or drawing, you're embracing the role of an artist. Most people do not practice traditional pointillism or stippling art today. Using apps makes it more attainable and inclusive, opening the door for anyone with a good original idea.

I shared a few examples of my interpretation of traditional pointillism in dot art. After selecting appropriate reference images, producing the dot art paintings was a smooth and effortless process. My results evoke the timeless elegance of art from the Victorian era, as I aimed to capture the essence of classic handmade art from the late 1800s.

The subjects I chose as examples, such as a pirate ship and an owl, embody themes that transcend time. You can further explore the versatility of modern classic pointillism by applying the classic technique to contemporary subjects, such as a video game character, for a unique combination of old-world charm and modern flair.

Use my Dot Art Image Generator to make your own digital pointillism paintings. If you want to make your new classic art to look more handmade or vantage then check out How to Make Digital Art Look Traditional. For additional photos and useful resources, check out the links and artwork below.

Useful Resources

• Stippling and Pointillism Dot Art: How to Draw With ...
  I don't consider myself an artist, but I made some impressive-looking stippling and pointillism art. Learn how to make cool dot images using hundreds or thousands of points. If you don't have the time or patience for it, then you can use a computer p
• How to Make Digital Art From Photos Without Drawing
  Convert photos to digital art at the touch of a button. You don't need to manually draw, paint, or type to create the artwork—a computer program can do the hard work for you.
• Optical Illusion Art: Easy 3D Drawings for Beginners
  I started experimenting to see if I could make optical illusion art and ended up making some amazing 3D drawings. Adding depth can increase the realism. It also allows you to deceive the viewer into thinking your sketch is a real three-dimensional ob
• Cool Drawings and Sketches. Digital Art Ideas for Be...
  To create stunning artwork, you just need a good imagination and some inspiration. Do it by hand or get a computer program to make it for you.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2024 Michael H