Quote - Exactly.  Some people love recreating real people and objects, others prefer to create what ifs.

Personally, I prefer creating what ifs.  I don't recreate a specific person, but create one that is representative of the people around me or in paintings/photos/film/tv or what I imagine a fantasy/otherworldly figure to look like.

This is really beautifully put, and is my take on it also. :)

It's possible enough to create 'clones' of really real people in this medium. It's also possible to make depictions of things that aren't, or could not be. Personally, I find the ability to depict the latter pretty dang valuable artistically! If we as human beings weren't interested in idealized forms or 'impossible' beauty from time to time, we probably wouldn't have half the use for photoshop that we do in realms far beyond this medium. ;) (Though I'm also in agreement that the 'buy my product and you, too, can be impossible in real life!' grinds my nerves camp.)

-D
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It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye texture.