The history of art techniques in western art has been a march toward increasing the control, precision and speed of the artist. The arrival of the computer and its associated technology follows this tradition. By thinking of the computer as an agent, the range of detail that is possible is no longer limited by a person?s physical ability and, therefore, new kinds of images are possible. The range of the machine?s capability is illustrated by my own large digital portraits. Although pregnant with opportunity, there also exist drawbacks to the process that currently act as stumbling blocks to its widespread adoption.