Technology has its little fingers wrapped around society. Everywhere we look, there’s technology impacting our every move and action. We’re so dependent on technology that it was the single reason we’re still sane after almost a year in isolation. We’re so reliant on technology that we’re still able to work and learn because of it. Is it surprising to know that even in the way we appreciate art, technology still takes the front seat?
It has changed the way we create and appreciate art. More and more artists are using technology to create art. They’re using Photoshop and digital cameras, as well as computers and social media platforms, to gain knowledge about others’ creations. They also draw inspiration from other artists through the works posted on social media and other digital platforms.
Technology has always been present in the arts. It’s just not the technology that you know now. Impressionist painters used portable paint tubes that enabled them to work outdoors. Andy Warhol used silkscreen printing for his works. Technology is providing artists with new ways to express themselves today and in the past. But perhaps there is no better evidence of technology’s impact on art than the way it has made it easier for artists to create and for audiences to appreciate.
Precise Cuts and Reproduction
A commercial die cutting machine has a combination of rollers and cutting plates to precisely cut different shapes, cards, or paper. The cuts have neat and precise outlines. When they come out, the shapes are called a die-cut. The most common use of a die-cut machine is in creating greeting cards. If you notice the preciseness of the designs of these cards, that’s thanks to die-cutting machines.
Commercial printers can also recreate paintings, portraits, sketches, and many other things. Miniature drawings can be expanded to fit a bigger frame. At the same time, museums often reproduce the works of Leonardo da Vinci and Jean Marie Renault so that people can take these home, frame them, and hang them in their living rooms. They also print these on calendars and planners such as the ones sold by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Restoring Photographs
Artworks of long-dead painters can be restored using technology, too. Experts use technology to determine the dates of these paintings. Do you know that museums are using nuclear bomb tests to date paintings and identify forgeries?
Take a look at your phone. You have photo editing software to remove small imperfections such as dust and particles from a picture. You can also restore old photos and make digital copies of old photos. If there are scratches and spots on the photo, you can remove them using the editing software.
Endless Storage
Gone are the days when photographers needed to be prudent in using the available film in their cameras. They have to make their subjects pose perfectly before the camera to have the best shots possible. Today, not only are digital cameras equipped with extendable storage spaces, but you also have access to a cloud account.
The cloud, of course, is a misnomer because the cables that hold all this information together are not actually in the cloud. They’re under the ground. Cables run through the seabed to carry the information you save in your cloud account. You can have an endless supply of storage space for your artworks and selfies, the good and the bad.
Expansive Accessibility
The term artist is being thrown around a lot today. That’s because people have access to software, tools, and platforms that enable them to create artworks they can share or draw inspiration from. There are paint-by-number kits and YouTube tutorials that teach even the most artistically challenged person to draw, sketch, paint, and sculpt.
People have a better appreciation of art today because of this access to information. Because of the lockdown, several museums are doing virtual tours of their facilities. That enables anyone interested to see the works of famous paintings and sculptors to tour these museums without leaving their couches. Experts predict that there will be more interest in museums once the pandemic is over and people are allowed to travel again.
Technology is not an enemy of art as some people may believe it is. It is an ally to art. Anyone can use technology to their hearts’ content, whether in the production of your own art or in rediscovering your love for various creations. Technology has gone a long way in bridging the gap between art and ordinary people.
