We’ve all heard it many times: Don’t judge a book by its cover. However, a new technology indicates that we may have to start taking this approach when we look at historic artworks, too. So in this case it would be: Don’t judge a painting by its image.

A team of Italian scientists has initiated a new way of revealing layers of paints in paintings that are invisible to the naked eye. They have applied their technique to a couple of legendary works of art. The technology uncovered previously undetectable details in some paintings, such as pigments in the subjects’ armor that had been painted over during previous restorations of The Chapel of Theodelinda.

The beauty and yet mystery of what’s been found in all these old paintings is what makes it so special. The reason why most of these artists decided to create works of art on top of works of art is yet to be discovered, and we will probably never know. However, what we know about all these artists is that they were the type of artists that took art and designs to the next level.

Software development is taking art and designs to a level that was unimaginable when all these paintings were created and its creation is quite an artsy experience. It’s how we characterize our approach to software development that defines us as artists. The design and implementation phases of software can be a process of creating art, which makes the whole process interesting.

Developing the right engineering software demands vision. We not only spend a significant amount of time focusing on meeting the software goals, but also we work towards finding the beauty of a good design. While aesthetics are very important, we also develop software that is reliable and works efficiently.

The art experts have been scanning these paintings with multi-spectral imaging technology and x-ray fluorescence intensity mapping to try to identify and map the colors of the hidden painting. They want to recreate a digital image approximating the colors all these artists originally used. This will allow the audiences to understand and appreciate art more and allows them to be part of a piecing together a puzzle. Likewise we apply the latest technology and drilling engineering models into our software to meet the needs and requirements of our clients. Our software not only enriches the experience and amplifies the skill of our clients but also allows them to be part of the whole drilling process and access what was impossible before. It gives them a clearer view of what lies thousands of feet beneath the surface.

New technology has always helped to remind us that there’s a lot more to a masterpiece than meets the eye. At PVI we thrive to offer our clients more than what they expect. Not just merely what they see on a computer, but what they’ll be able to get at a higher level. Think of it as our software being “the painting” and the achievements you’ll get from using it as “the work of art beneath it”.