Digital Photo Painting as an Artistic and Cultural Phenomenon

Digital photo painting is a newly emerging phenomenon in both fine art and everyday life. The latest versions of specialist software, such as Corel Painter or Adobe Photoshop, allow anyone to turn their selected photographs into enchanting paintings, produced in any style desired. The first book on this subject 'The Art of Digital Photo Painting' by Marilyn Sholin was published quite recently, in 2009.This paper explores the conceptual, creative and cultural aspects of turning photos into paintings using popular software and plug-ins. It argues that the mass production of original digital paintings and fine art prints may signal a new era in the relationship between photography and painting. The paper discusses why digital photo painting might be the 'next big thing' in digital art and become a new hobby for millions.