Not only does Eschbach proclaim these pieces to be artwork, but he also designs some of them with functionality in mind, turning circuit boards and other computer bits into end tables and lamps. (Roberts, p 1).
As well as creating new art from scratch, digital modifications to existing work provide a way for an artist to incorporate their traditional and digital artistry skills. For example, John Day, an artist from Portland, Oregon, combines painting and digital images. He scans original paintings, photos and other objects, then modifies them with his computer. (Meltzer, p4) Although trained at Pratt University, Jaimie Walker, from Brooklyn, NY, earns her living as a graphic designer. Walker says, "Sometimes I"ll take a piece that I've created by hand, scan it in and use my computer to change it, distort it, or add to it and create something else. For me it's a combination of my own art work and my computer." (Walker, p 2).
Some artists love being able to modify their work via their computer. It is a convenience that provides ways for them to improve their existing work or to merge several of their pieces together, creating something brand new. However, this opens up the door to a whole new level of copy right infringement, especially with the availability of millions of images via the Internet. There are communal web sites across the globe where artists are able to post their work for others to see. One example is http://www.dumbodirect.com . A community of artists in Brooklyn, New York uses this site not only to post their work, but also as a community directory of artists and related services offered. Although typically used as a place for people to see a representation of the artists work, it is possible for anyone to save images from the site and represent them as their own, either by modifying it or using only a portion. Unless someone chooses to steal a well known image, the odds of the general public realizing the work is not original are slim to none.