Whether you like it or not, technology has impacted every single aspect of our modern lives. The art world is no exception. Technology is a double edged sword, it has helped us in the evolution of all art forms but has also created new issues that modern artists must come up with solutions to. 

Digitization of Art

The digitization of the art world has helped it in more ways than one. It helps art reach corners of the world that were untouchable before. Pieces are no longer bound by borders or expenses and because of this great pieces get the recognition they deserve. You can see so many different types of art without having to buy a ticket to a museum and then drive or fly to wherever that museum is. And even if you do want the experience of visiting a museum but don’t have the funds to actually travel there, in some cases you can buy an online ticket and take a virtual tour.

Positive Effect of Social Media

Social media has also helped the art world and artists in particular. Smaller artists can form a loyal following on platforms like Tik Tok, Youtube and Instagram. This can help them to make money off of their art through making videos or having a website where their fans can support them by buying pieces or prints. This is an extremely helpful tool because it can jumpstart an artist’s career and is a more consistent flow of income than just hoping you get booked for a commission or a piece of yours is sold by a gallery. 

Negative Effect of Social Media

On the other hand, social media has also negatively impacted the art world. It has caused a decline of creativity in the newer generations of artists. ‘Why would I create an original piece when I could just copy someone else’s and have it be just as successful?’ The internet has made it so easy to steal other people’s art and claim it as their own. This is a huge problem because if someone had their art stolen and it sold for more with that other person it might discourage them to continue working on their career. 

Digital Art 

Another issue caused by the digitization of art is digital art itself. This includes art that is created by using a computer, laptop, phone, ipad or any other electronic devices. There are many programs available to create digital art but the most well known is Adobe Photoshop. Programs like these eliminate the factor of human touch when creating art. Instead of having 6 different paint brushes and paints to mix in front of you, you have a toolbar and a color palette. The brush selection cannot possibly come close to accurately portraying real brush strokes. You’ll never recreate the 3D stroke of paint on the canvas with digital art and have it create the same effect. A miniscule tremor in your hand can change the entire direction of a line in a painting or drawing and you can’t just hit control z to undo it. 

What We Can Learn from the Digitization

Taking into account all of this information the future generations have a lot on their plate. Because of the older generations of artists paving the way and creating new techniques that utilize this incredible technology newer artists can let their creativity flow. But, they must also be aware of the consequences that posting your art online may have. Being careful online is of the utmost importance. 

It’s inevitable that new artists will explore this medium and create new, innovative techniques using digital art that will create their own set of problems. However, this is not a bad thing. The art world will forever be growing and changing with the modern times. So the incorporation of technology was unavoidable and I think it has furthered this world more than it has hindered it.