7 Things You Should Know About Traditional Art .vs. Modern Day Art Technology.
- Katie
- Feb 18, 2015
- 6 min read
"The incorporation and integration of traditional and digital application is referred to as Hybrid of traditional and digital media."
Although, creating art with the use of digital applications and computer software has been around now for a while, when it comes to acceptance of fine-art there are yet many artists and art advocates that disapprove of its usage as it comes down to true creative talent. I felt the same nearly 10 to 12 years ago.
Dancer's Feetz 2. @Reserved by #katievFlowers. @Funky S.a.K. Original Art-print.
Computer art was clearly making its way on the scene during my undergraduate days at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). Many of us students just did not catch on to the reason this computer art stuff was trying to live. After all, real and true artists use traditional tools to create authentic art, such as paint brushes, Chisels, hammers, paints, charcoals, pencils and items such as these.
Real artists worked with, you know, the real stuff you had to hold in your hand, mouth, or toes which ever bodily part one used to create with.
The Visual arts and creating art has been a great part of my life since the age of three. Let's just say I've been through several presidents and I am now mature enough to accept the idea of change and the necessity to be flexible. Today's serious professional practicing artist should be open minded towards the modern day painterly tools. And, so should the art advocate.
How does creativity live in a box? How does one mind grow without experience, exploration, and experimentation? How does one push their creative spear beyond limits and boundaries and simultaneously stifle opportunities to learn, improve, grow with time and age gracefully? Ah, once we decide to shut out the present we are no longer of value for the future. This doesn't mean that we have no need for knowledge of our past. However, if we do not want to be "left behind," and appear as dinosaurs we all must keep up and stay informed with today's modern world.
Before going into the 8 things you should understand about traditional art and modern day art technology, above, and below are a few pieces I've created recent time which are being used as examples to back up the topic of this lens. Artwork below. Titled, "Dancer's Feetz 1" was created using the traditional method using Oils paints on duck canvas. Approx. 16inches x 18inches. The art work above is referred to as an Original Art-print, because it was created with the integration and the incorporation of computer & digital software from the use of the original painting. Along with a borrowed image of the dancer in center, created by one of my former art students. Sherry Martin-Pate.
Artwork: Dancer's Feetz 1. @Reserved by, #katievFlowers. @Funky S.a.K. Original Artworks
The two artworks are offered as samples/examples to help understand at least a couple of the reasons why some artist may use modern day art technology from the artist prospective. The art advocate observation remains in your ball park.
My artistic style overall is very abstract and loose, perhaps even whimsical. Creating light from darkness can be challenging, especially creating light from an already dark surface. Dancer's Feetz 1. The original Oils painting, has a rather dim characteristic to it.
Because the original artwork, Dancer's Feetz 2 consist of low illumination some light and more life was added using digital applications from the original art-print. The integrated artwork of the Original Art print feels complete for me as the artist.
The point here is that digital applications and computer software are just tools like the paint brush, chisel, pencil, etc. The original traditional artwork can remain one of a kind, copyright with no reproduction. Or, and, the original art print can be limited or unlimited editions. Providing the option will allow more people the access to own a piece of the artist's work.
Here are a couple of other Original Art prints derived from the original artwork.
Artwork: Dancer's Feetz 3. @Reserved by #katievFlowers. Original Art prints.
Artwork: Dancer's Feetz 4. @Reserved by, #katievFlowers. @Funky S.a.K. Original Art prints.
With the use of today's modern art tech tools the artist can create even more spectacular, dynamic one of a kind visuals than ever before as their creative spirit broadens. In many ways this concept will become very appealing and compelling economically for the consumer.
Today's Art technology (painterly and creative) software is i.e., a tool and the user has to have knowledge and some pretty advanced skills to make it all come together to be considered fine art visual content.
Advantages and Dis-advantages of Traditional Art vs. Modern Day Tech Art
The most common ways to reproduce massive quantities of work are considered to be lithographs and casts, but the process usually takes away from the original artwork. For the most part, let's say 9 times out of 10 what you see is what you will get. Digital copies of artwork are referred to as clones therefore the copy from the original are the same.
1. We have unlimited creative possibilities when using Digital applications because there exist a bit over 2.5 Trillion colors, or (48 bits) that most hardware make available to us. Do you think the artist will ever use all of those colors within a lifetime? Even if the artist didn't it's nice for the artist to know of the vast variance that we have accessible.
2. Having access to a variety of creative tools is simply awesome! Keep in mind that skill and technique are different and special for every artist just as the tools we use. Paint brushes, Chisels, hammers are imperative in helping the artist construct and create the final by-product of his/her artwork and therefore so should digital software be observed and respected as well.
3. Digital art will not damage as traditional artwork will over time and will always look like it did upon it's completed creation for many, years. Whereas, physical art as it ages can become distorted, bleeds, breaks and deteriorate, digital art will last for thousands of years. Regardless, it is best to add a protective varnish of some kind to any artwork to protect it from dust, UV and other destructive air-born elements.
4. Deciding what has value. Some may argue with what I'm about to say here and that's fine. Although a digital artwork has a better chance at staying around longer some would say that the creation of it is not an achievement. However, something that is physically created manages to stay around for well over hundreds of years if it isn't, it should be considered an achievement.
5. Whereas, the other thing to consider is that it does not matter be it physical paintings, or sculpture the created object can come to its demise. With digital and computer artwork just by the artist pressing the delete key and totally getting rid of all the artwork on file doesn't mean the work is gone because the work has been created, stored, distributed and, or published the artwork itself will yet live on forever.
6. Precision and Reproduction. It is very difficult and highly inconceivable for original paintings and sculptures to be reproduced with precise precision. No matter how hard the artist may try to reproduce an original physical piece of artwork it is still going to be just a well reproduced rendering because there is always something distinct about the original and this specific quality always makes the artwork special and unique. Whereas, with digital artwork no matter how many copies you create they all are going to be the same because no one copy can really be better then the next copy.
7. Some serious creativity is the source of the imagination when we use limited resources to create physical artwork. Limited resources calls for skill and talent, but this is not to say that one does not have to develop some knowledgeable skill and build upon their talent when using digital software.
8. Celebrating the imperfections. Sometimes specific information can get lost in the translation that may help us appreciate the work of the artist, a mere slip of the hand and brush. A drip or splatter of paint. This detection for some viewers and art lovers may be the beauty they discover of the artwork.
It is important to keep in mind at least, that traditional and digital art confront good composition and utilizes the elements and principles of design. If you are unsure what Elements and Principles of Design is, please see www.johnlovett.com/test.htm.
Both traditional and digital confer with color theory. Both draws strength from creativity and the user must have good hand-eye coordination.
To be able to use, or, and combine traditional methods and digital tools and art forms the artist must be open to learning, experimenting and exploring their own creative Self. One can not be closed minded when trying to learn of the advantages of such unlimited resources that we are so fortunate to have within our modern days and see a sustainable profit of any kind. The art advocate must infer the same or similar belief and believe me as time goes on the majority of us will.
Did this article help enlighten you any in regards to the value of traditional created artwork vs. the use of digital application and creative computer software? Do you see as one having more value over the other? If you do, please share your thoughts, thank you.
Katie V. Flowers
Freelance Visual Artist/Founder & Co-Founder
Funky S.a.K.com
Original Fine Art & Fine Art-Prints
