In a world of technology that can manifest art in various ways, artists have a difficult decision in picking a medium that speaks to the art and it's purpose. I have often been an advocate for both traditional art making rooted in well-established methods as well as new means discovered using advancements in technology.
Black and white photography and photoshopped digital photography can deliver ideas equally impressionable, and the medium is often a reflection of it's purpose and goal as artwork. Practicality and efficiency of technology has allowed new software to enlist artists into new fields of art-making that push the definition of what can be art. New styles and methods are developed in tandem with these new technologies to better deliver an effective impression.
Project 1: Donut Tutorial
Donut and Coffee (BlenderGuru tutorial), 2021. 3D graphic.
Transition
While my chief interest in photography is enlivened by the science and tactile demands of the medium when using chemistry in traditional processes, I have continually combined these traditional methods with new technology to improve quality and practicality. As I have worked in many mediums, I have learned that the way you deliver your art must be flexible according the ideas involved. Sometimes a photograph just doesn't cut it, and so I dive into a different mode of creating such as collaging or painting.
Likewise, when there is an idea that demands construction or design, it is often logical to use computer software or mathematical tools to improve the execution of that idea. I have often struggled with these methods because they often stipulate hours and hours of practice to learn the use of these tools. This is the same with any new hobby, skill or set of knowledge one wants to adopt.
The struggle with technology is compounded by hardware requirements, need of resources, and again...so much practice and trial and error. For years I thought it was beyond my capabilities... I was daunted by the task of creating 3D sculptures and dismissed it as a medium not for me. I told myself it wasn't for me because I thought it would be too difficult and time consuming.
Donut and Coffee (Final Render), 2021. 3D graphic.
Project Driven
Over time I collect ideas and themes, and often have art projects in mind that just don't come to fruition. They are often snuffed out over time by the realization that the mediums I worked in just don't deliver the impact I see in my head. Sometimes one must abandon or put a project on the back burner for time's sake.
There were projects, like the following Cthulhu idea for example, that I tried but rejected due to a lack of vision in seeing a path forward...mostly because I didn't have access to the proper tools or means. Then I discovered a free software, Blender, which is a powerful tool to create 3D artwork that can be molded, illuminated and animated. It is like having a digital work space or studio with many capabilities of creating that allows so much freedom and potential. Discovering this software, I suddenly realized how practical this would be for those projects I just couldn't figure out how to execute.
Project 2: Neon Signage
Cthulhu Neon Sign, 2021. 3D graphic.
Cthulhu Emissions (Neon Sign and Emblem), 2021. 3D graphic.
Blender- 3D Software
After a few tutorials I felt confident that learning this new technology would only lead to improvement in my ideas and allow me to make things that before would have demanded more time if done by hand. I no longer felt stuck in a restricted medium of analog, and could finally branch out into new avenues of creativity that engage in new ways compatible with the digital world we are swiftly diving into as a society. More and more art is created using incredibly powerful machines and it would be foolish to ignore or reject such tools for the sake of old mediums.
There are so many ways to express art, and artists are agents of change that must adapt to whatever means is best. If I find this software to be handy and which makes beautiful imagery, then there shouldn't be any fear of using it when the project demands it. New and old technology is not mutually exclusive, and I think it shows in the way artists find new avenues of expression in creativity these days.
I am so happy to share my discovery of a new art medium and am excited for the new potential in store.
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