ArtCafe Network Memories Album

Artistic Graphics

From the beginning of the ArtCafe the graphics were intended to look as if they were created with traditional art methods: ink, paints or pencil, rather than computer graphics.

Not only was it easier to sketch and scan than build something on the computer in those days of limited hard drive and cpu processing speeds, but it really suited our philosophy that the ArtCafe was for traditional artists who would feel more comfortable with familiar images.

For the first few years, when the ArtCafe was first called Artists' Resources Community (under Prodigy) we had very few graphics at all since modem speeds were so slow. When I wanted a small graphic I would draw it and then scan it into the computer so many of the early images were in pen and ink.

I did splashes and smears of paint the same way and liked the informal feel of the results. As web and computer capabilities grew, I enjoyed playing with various logos and graphic images. Even as the name and logo changed, we tried to keep the same focus on the familiar.