How to use a monitor to display paintings

Caruthers612 · September 28, 2015, 09:52:00 PM

I have been trying for some time to figure out how to use a monitor as a digital frame for displaying paintings. What I want is for there to be no visible border, but to have the photo of a painting line up with the edges of the screen, and since some paintings are vertical and other more landscape, to be able to tilt the monitor on the axis of a stand to suit a given painting.

I don't know if photos of famous paintings have been taken for this purpose, which would make sense in this digital age, or if software exists to help you adjust such photos for this purpose. Do any of you who may be photographers or graphic artists who have dealt with this before have any helpful information?

Juan · September 29, 2015, 04:38:30 AM

It can be done, though I don't know about the no border. Paintings have different aspect ratios. Take a look at gimp.org for open source photo software.

cweb · September 30, 2015, 12:08:14 PM

There are borderless displays, but they can be costly. Typically, these are used with video walls.

Is projection out of the question? That could be another way to eliminate the border.

(Sandman) Logan-5 · October 07, 2015, 06:38:50 AM

What OS are you using ? This can be done on Xubuntu w/ the background changer. Select a folder to put all your pics into and use it for your desktop wallpapers. Set the style to "Stetched", borders will be eliminated. All pics should be as close to the same size as possible - use inkscape / GIMP to resize them. Gimp can also handle RAW formatted images. Uncheck "Apply to all workspaces" and have at least two workspaces on your desktop. (I run 7 myself - on one monitor boxes). It will cut off portions of the pics and stretch others far enough to distort if they are not close to the same size. If your pics will be static - not changed out or switched much - this should work great. You can even run this from a live disk so you don't have to install the OS, but every time you shut the system down, you'll have to redo it, unless you use puppy Linux live disk with persistence. Something you might want to check into.Pop in the disk, set up the wall papers, when you go to shut it down the first time , mark the walls for persistence. It will persist through reboots and removal of the disk to use the installed OS already extant. Just pop the live disk back in and reboot.

If you just want to display a single painting at a time without rotating through them on a set time, definately use the live disk.

This works with dual / triple monitor setups.

cweb · October 07, 2015, 10:39:13 AM

There is also ARTSTOR, which may help you.

Their database includes many classic works, if you'd like to display any of those too.

http://www.artstor.org/

Caruthers612 · October 07, 2015, 04:14:44 PM

Quote from: cweb on October 07, 2015, 10:39:13 AM
There is also ARTSTOR, which may help you.

Their database includes many classic works, if you'd like to display any of those too.

http://www.artstor.org/

That's very cool. Thanks, bro.

Caruthers612 · October 07, 2015, 04:17:00 PM

Quote from: (Sandman) Logan-5 on October 07, 2015, 06:38:50 AM
What OS are you using ? This can be done on Xubuntu w/ the background changer. Select a folder to put all your pics into and use it for your desktop wallpapers. Set the style to "Stetched", borders will be eliminated. All pics should be as close to the same size as possible - use inkscape / GIMP to resize them. Gimp can also handle RAW formatted images. Uncheck "Apply to all workspaces" and have at least two workspaces on your desktop. (I run 7 myself - on one monitor boxes). It will cut off portions of the pics and stretch others far enough to distort if they are not close to the same size. If your pics will be static - not changed out or switched much - this should work great. You can even run this from a live disk so you don't have to install the OS, but every time you shut the system down, you'll have to redo it, unless you use puppy Linux live disk with persistence. Something you might want to check into.Pop in the disk, set up the wall papers, when you go to shut it down the first time , mark the walls for persistence. It will persist through reboots and removal of the disk to use the installed OS already extant. Just pop the live disk back in and reboot.

If you just want to display a single painting at a time without rotating through them on a set time, definately use the live disk. This works with dual / triple monitor setups.

My thanks, Sandman. I'm afraid this is too technical for the likes of me, what with my 'tard nature and all. I think as time passes, efforts like this and Artstor will lead to a complete, freely available library of images of all works of art, which will be accessible in a simple way to everyone.

(Sandman) Logan-5 · October 12, 2015, 05:42:39 PM

Quote from: Caruthers612 on October 07, 2015, 04:17:00 PM
My thanks, Sandman. I'm afraid this is too technical for the likes of me, what with my 'tard nature and all. I think as time passes, efforts like this and Artstor will lead to a complete, freely available library of images of all works of art, which will be accessible in a simple way to everyone.

Go with what works for you Brother.