In preparing to work on my Chinese final project, I decided I wanted to try my hand at animation for the video project. Since I have yet to learn how to use Adobe Flash, I figured I could easily accomplish the same effects by doing them by hand. Accomplishing this however, would be most effective with the aid of a tablet. I have always wanted to buy a tablet, but the expensive price and lack of exposure to Adobe Illustrator prevented me from obtaining one. I have since learned how to use Illustrator and, considering my major is Web Design, I rationalized the purchase. I started my search on Amazon, typing in "tablet" into the search bar for Electronics. Before, this search had returned relevant and extensive results. Now? I was given an unending list of Kindles, Nooks, Galaxy Tabs, iPads, and everything other than the tablet I was looking for.
Frustrated, I decided to search by brand, typing in "Wacom" to the search bar. Finally, the search returned the tablets I was looking for. Curious to see what the products had been categorized under, I checked the tags Amazon had listed it under: "Pen Tablets". It was then that I realized the extent and scope of technological advancements. Just a few years ago, the word "tablet" in the electronics industry would have meant an electronic tablet used by illustrators and graphic designers to transfer their artwork onto the computer. Now, with the release of the iPad, a "tablet" refers to a handheld personal computer. As mildly frustrated as I was, I reminded myself that certainly when the electronic tablet first entered the market, historians and traditionalists would have scowled at the distortion of the definition of "tablet", a flat slab of stone, clay, or wood used for inscription.
This thought led me to consider how technological advancements had affected art. I was reminded of a photo I had seen while browsing the internet, that of a wooden sketching pencil inscribed with the words "F*ck Photoshop". Being hand-drawing challenged, I never considered Photoshop and its resulting Adobe Master Suite of editing software to be a nuisance to the artistic world. In my opinion, Photoshop and the resulting technologic advancements in art have enabled artists with limited technical skills but endless creativity to recreate their ideas and imaginations. However, such conveniences and luxuries also come with a price: doubt.
After some thirteen editions, Photoshop has become prevalent in the photography and design world. While its abilities in editing and design are mind-blowing and endless, they come with a price. Because so many "kodak" moments and illusions can be recreated from scratch in Photoshop, it leads many people in the industry to question designs and photos. When people see a picture-perfect model, it leads many to ask, "has she been Photoshop'ed?" When people see a beautiful, breathtaking photo, it leads many people in the industry to ask, "was the lighting Photoshop'ed?" When people see an intricate drawing or design, it leads many people in the industry to ask, "was it Photoshop'ed?" No longer are artists commended for their luck or amazing talent, but rather questioned about their artistic integrity. It's also interesting to consider how technological advancements have turned the word "Photoshop" from a proper noun to a verb, just as people now "Google" and "Wiki" topics of interest instead of "searching" for them.
1 comment:
I think that not technology has not only affected existing art, it has also created new forms of art altogether. Digital art can be observed in high quality 3D games (many of which have beautifully rendered landscapes and avatars), graphic design, and the likes. Not just art either, technology has impacted almost every aspect of our daily lives.
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