Got an interesting and somewhat saddening bubblemail today. An artist who was being criticized for digital manipulating a photo and daring to call it “art.” They wrote to me because I also work in digital art, and asked my opinion.
First let me describe the Artwork in question. It had started as a photo, then was converted to a line art drawing using software. (And by the way, if that sounds easy to you, you haven’t tried. Sure the software does most of the “work”... once you find good settings for your particular image! ...and that can be a major headache!) But more than this, the Artist had gone over each section, adjusting color and gradient. This was not a lazy piece of work.
I started off addressing the work:
“I actually like both versions; it’s clear that some people just don’t ‘get’ that the intention is a sort of digital impressionism, not photorealism.”
“I note you said ‘Photographers’ were panning it. There are some – not all – in that category who are …. er, “purists” is a nice word. Let’s use that. The purist feels that the skill and effort of capturing the perfect picture is the ultimate achievement – they and their camera vs. the world. For them, digital manipulation is a distasteful “cheat.” Maybe to smooth over a flaw or two in the otherwise perfect picture, but it shouldn’t alter the overall look of the picture (so they say.) Fine for them, but some will insist on enforcing their opinions on everyone else.”
“You have started with a great photo, and then you saw more in it: it became the canvas for another work. And you’ve done a fine job. Even if you’d just “run it through a filter”, that was your decision, you made the input of altering the picture that way. (And sometimes that yields spectacular results… look up a guy by the handle “lightsmith” here. I like his name, too: he doesn’t just capture the light with his camera, he works it over in photoshop as a smith does iron.)”
The artist also asked me if I had ever “gotten flack from other artists because you don’t get your fingers dirty with paint?”...
“Have I gotten flack for not getting my fingers dirty? For not even using a camera? Well, not so much personally but I’ve seen it over and over in other communities. I look at it this way: The photographer does not usually sculpt or give birth to his or her subject, they do not cause the sun to rise or the landscape to teem with flora. They take what they find and use it, manipulate it, frame it and capture that wonderful image that they saw and wanted to share. I have pictures in my head… to get them out I use models created by others and software I did not write, but I carefully place, pose and arrange. I adjust the light, changing it’s intensity, color or direction (an ability some photographers would kill for!) I compose and frame my images the same way as the photographer, I just have a somewhat fantastic camera and infinitely patient subjects. ;) “
But the big question in the email was Is it Art?
“To borrow/paraphrase the definition of a friend of mine (“GoofyFoot” here) ‘Art is anything created by one person capable of eliciting an emotional response in another person.’ “
“And if I were to extend it into the definition of an artist, I’d say “A person capable of creating Art, as defined above, and who does not deny the validity of someone else’s ‘art’” ... because once you cross that line, you’ve become a snob, and the only reactions you can create are unpleasant ones.”
And there you go. If it makes you feel, it’s Art. It doesn’t mean you have to like it. I’ve seen plenty of Art I didn’t like. It doesn’t mean that your way of doing Art is “wrong” and you need to do it that way. But what it does mean is that however it was created is a valid way of creating Art; and you have no right to deny the legitimacy of it because techniques were used that you don’t approve of.
The traditional media artist critisize the photographers for “just snapping pics of what someone else created.” The photographers criticize the digital artists for working in a medium that has “undo.” The digital painters criicize the 3D artists for “playing with digital dollies and letting software make all the art.” The ‘pro’ photographer criticizes the photographers who “manipulate their work artificially.” The ‘pro’ 3D artists criticize the hobbyist for “not making their own models.” The oil painters criticize the watercolor artists for working in a “lightweight medium.”
It’s all ridiculous. I have a friend who likes to turn the tables and ask the painters if they bind their own brushes and gather and mix their own pigments. After all, if you don’t you’re taking credit for work that is partially someone else’s. ;)
Art comes in all flavors. And while it is part of redbubble’s massive organization problem, it is also one of the things that makes redbubble great. They (almost) got it all. I would never go to a photography-only site, but I’ve seen some awesome photos here that I’m glad I didn’t miss.
Excuse me, I should have said “I’ve seen some awesome Art here that I’m glad I didn’t miss.”
Rose Moxon, 8 months ago
This is well written BK. The comments some people dish out over 3D art blows me away. I spend more time on a scene in 3D than most people would setting up a photoshoot or paint a picture but I dont think of their art as any less. And I agree, I’ve seen some awesome art here too. I certainly wouldnt close my mind to any form of artistic expression!
BySilent, 8 months ago
Bravo
Damian, 8 months ago
Well said! Equal rights to all forms of creativity.
alistair mcbride, 8 months ago
Totally agree,well writen blueknot
StacyLee, 8 months ago
Good for you blueknot!!
Gracey, 8 months ago
“Art comes in all flavours”
That says it all, I think. I don’t understand why artists have to pick on each other.
Randy Monteith, 8 months ago
Well written! You have hit many nails on the head with this writing!
Steve Axford, 8 months ago
This strikes a chord. I do some digital impressionism at times and boy, do I cop some flack for it. It’s always the same – the original was better – even if they haven’t seen the original. I also understand just how hard it is to convert a picture into an effective line drawing. It’s not just a filter, but several filters and careful selection of a photo to work with. Then you need to work to some sort of a plan – just like any art. Pity you didn’t include a link to the work.
tambatoys, 8 months ago
I love all different forms of art some 3D digital art leaves me speechless, and I enjoy manipulated scans/photos too and I think anybody who has created something can call it art, really.
As a moderator of Drawn to Cotton group I have asked specifically for a certain type of art ie drawings by hand or vector , and I remove/ask them too remove manipulated photos or filters scanned of objects etc NOT because I don’t like them just because I wanted a group for illustrators to have there work seen. I hope people out in Rb land do not take it personally, I would never suggest their work is not art, like you’re referring too :)
zfollweiler, 8 months ago
It appears you struck a nerve, if not a pulse ;)
S.I. Sheehan a..., 8 months ago
Very well stated. This is a debate that will continue through time, in all genres. Thank you for saying with eloquence what is felt by so many.
Helene Kippert, 8 months ago
Well said BlueKnot!
banditart, 8 months ago
wow thats the best thing ive read on red bubble well done
i wish you was my next door neighbour though i doubt my next door neighbour would agree
but yeah i love doing digital manipulation and set out to take photos simply for what i want to create ive never considered my self a ARTIST just a bloke that likes doing it
and thx for this read it was great and also the thing i read that linked me to this
well done
bit of a bumma i deleted all my stuff id done before ya could of checked it out
RoughDiamond, 8 months ago
This is an incredible piece of work. It evoked a lot of emotion in me and also described what I feel about my Art. As a ‘photographer’ I see shapes and colours and visions in my photos that I feel as an Artist I cannot leave. I must work what is in that photo and get it out of my head or it will haunt me everytime I think of it or look at that photo. I love photography with a passion and being able to capture the perfect photo is near impossible so I do not try. If it happens then I will be happy. For now, due to manipulation programs, I no longer angst when I see something and I cannot express it. My journey in this area is very new but already I feel I belong there. Thank you for putting down in words what I coudn’t get out of my head. I guess you’ve seen something in me and made it art by your words. Thank you.
Ann Garrett, 8 months ago
I generally stay clear of this type of debate – such an emotive subject – for some anyway.
For me the thing that matters is the result – not the journey I take to get there. Sometimes my photographs don’t portray the magic I remember or would like to see – so then I manipulate – and then duck lol
I was looking for a place to sell and that is how I discovered Redbubble – but the thing I really like about RB – and I have only been here a few says – is that all art is welcome. There are very few places on the web where you can find this many flavours of Art being welcomed.
Thank you for such an articulate post – like RoughDiamond and Steve this struck a chord. I’m looking forward to discovering more inspiring artists here.
Great post.
Lea Wells, 8 months ago
They’re just jealous… dang it, “I’m” jealous of your digital skills. I have to use a prehistoric paintbrush and WET paint because I don’t have the computer savvy you have. Art is what you create… my little girl makes art out of her food.
BlueKnot, 8 months ago
Jealous of my digital skils? I’d say I was jealous of your painting skills, because anytime I draw figures or faces by hand they look … um, not sure how to describe it… I imagine it’s similar to what people on LSD see normal people as. Hmm, where was I? Oh, yeah: I’d say I was jealous of your painting skills, but no need: I do digital, you do paint, your daughter works in mac & cheese—and we all manage to express ourselves, and it’s all good. :D (Hey, art is transient in any medium, ask Ozymandius… so why not edible?)
andrewmay, 7 months ago
we all use what we need to.
Jan Piller, 2 months ago
This should be in the public forums for all to read!!!!
GINGER BARRITT, 2 months ago
Now, I understand your generous comment to me. I can not draw, or paint, or sing. I get great enjoyment out of what I do. When I learn more…I’ll be using software manipulations and I’ll be proud of it. This journal entry validates all of us. Those of us just beginning and those of you more advanced in all area’s of art. We can all learn from each other, get inspired by each other. If art is touching someone, this journal entry is Art. Jan is right, this should be read by everyone.
christiane, about 1 month ago
You deserve a standing ovation – so well said and something I deal with on a regular basis. I serve on the board of directors here for the the local art association. I am known mostly for my photography which for 30 years have been “Pure”, so what is the problem with going further and using the tools available to me now that once were only a dream. I do paint along with many other things but my photography is in my soul, so when a painter says that anyone can snap a photo, it is all I can do to understand that not all people have the same eye and we all have our own opinion of what is art – the creative process at work results in ART.
BlueKnot in reply to christiane’s comment, about 1 month ago
Thanks! You hit on something a lot of people who only do one kind of art miss: Too many people who haven’t tried something assume it’s much easier than whatever they do. Bah!
robert murray, 5 days ago
I agree with all thats said and as I say ‘dont paint or photograph what people see only what you feel is right for your eyes’
Lisa Putman, 5 days ago
Beautifully presented! I agree with what you are saying. I feel art’s most important purpose is expression. If other people like it great, if not, they do not have to comment, buy it, or even look at it. That’s why we have a “back “button on our browsers!
However, when someone else falls in love with your art there is a magical connection between artist and audience. There is a common thread that brings the two together in someway. It is beautiful.
I appreciate all forms of art for what it is. I may decide I hate it, it may even offend me. But, I have the choice to look away…even choose to not participate in a website such as this one if I so choose. But, when you begin limiting freedoms of other people based on only your own ideas, you put your self in a tiny little box. If you stay there, you may be warm and cozy for a while, but eventually it will close in on you, isolate you from the rest of the world, and cause you feel very sad and lonely.
I enjoy photography from a photorealism point of view. You might say I have picked an area to concentrate on. I guess at one point sub-conciously I decided if my work is all over the place, it would take longer to perfect my skills in every area. This is a very personal choice. Over the last few years I have been concentrating on specific disciplines such as composition, focus, lighting. As I have continued to improve, I have added other elements and it seems to all come together a little easier. This process works for me, but may not for someone else with the same end in mind. I guess my point is each of us is very different, unique. In a community like this, you have many people who are hear for different reasons. Some are pros at what they do, some are amatuer’s doing what they do for sport, hobby, relaxation, socializing, whatever. Also, there are varying degrees of knowledge and skill, some may be art of photography majors. Many are self-taught. I enjoy all brands. I frame pictures for a living and I swear somedays my favorite works of art are those of a small child. The younger the better because they have not yet been told, they can’t do it that way….or that doesn’t look like right…you can’t color her skin purple, there are no purple people….
I love and am so facinated by works I see by others who excel at photomanipulation. I have only begun experimenting with imaging software over the past couple of years. I barely feel comfortable using it for adjusting lighting, contrast, saturation, sharpening….but I have begun to branch out and try the clone tools, pen tools, and have manipulated only a few. I’m sure they look very sloppy and primitive to those of you with more experience. But, I am proud of myself for trying, for reading about it, trying to gain new insights and understandings. I am so excited to realize how many more things there are to learn. Everyday there are a billion new ways to do things discovered and developed by all of you talented people! I love reading journals of of the artist that is 70 years old and is learning how to use photoshop. This inspires me! Never think you are too old or fuddy duddy to try something new, to step outside the box and see what fabulous new tools are available to you.
I have been feeling a little distressed by the changes in the American economy, and had the thought…what if things got so bad I had to sell all my photography equipment to pay rent or buy food. I thought, maybe I could take up drawing, pen and ink. Maybe I could afford pencil and paper. I’ll find a stick and draw in the dirt if that is the only form of expression I can afford! I love the way being creative makes me feel. It makes me a happier, better person, and teaches me how to get along better with others. :)
I’ll be honest, there was a time when I thought most artist communties were full of snobs who cared nothing about anything but themselves, and it was all about promoting me, me, me, me, ME!!! Being a part of artist communities, even when I haven’t had a whole lot of time to devote has changed my mind. Yes, there are people who are like that, there always will be. But, participating in the art of others by viewing, commenting, sharing ideas, techniques, tips, etc. connects people in a way that is unique.
When you get a chance to give back by sharing and helping others, it really is better than any anti-depressent on the market! I have learned there is value in taking in the artistic works of the artist I may feel is the most arrogant snob around, or the artistic works that make me have strong reactions of disgust. I don’t benefit nearly as much if I only view the art of people who do work just like mine, of the same subjects, etc.
Often after looking at a piece of art for a longer period of time than just a glance, by reading the description, reading the comments, I realized I may have interpreted the work totally differently than what the artist intended. By learning why they did it the way they did, I often can understand where they were coming from. And, sometimes I end up really enjoying the work.
O.K., blueknot, you’ve done a great thing by writing what you did. You made some of us get on our soapboxes about how we feel, analyze why we feel the way we do, at least given everyone who reads this something to think about and maybe form an opinion if they didn’t already have one. And remember, those of you have read this entire comment and are thinking…she is rambling on and on…you don’t have to read it if you don’t want to…LOL.
coppertrees, 5 days ago
Very well put, it is amazing to me that anyone who does art of any type can judge others work. Today in this world there are so many tools accesable to all,use them create all that can be.
webbie, 4 days ago
Ido both,photo art and psp art,,both are not easy.You got to fine the right angle the right light…in photo-ing a object or place or person.PSP you got to fine the right button to the right color..the setting fix at the right number,,the right angle to show it off the best way and looking for the right lighting to grab there souls…and so much more,to just get a hint at psp go here and hit on PSP CLASSROOM at top>http://www.sandyncandy.com/
When you see the lessons you will notice that All art is found by work and learning..:)
Art is a love not a ownership dealer.