Community Week
Traditional art is what is normally thought of as "art", but it is only one form of art. Drawing, painting, old fashioned darkroom photography, printmaking, lithography, sculpture and pretty much anything else you do with your own two hands are all considered traditional art. Digital art is artwork made on a computer. It can be photography with a digital camera, photoediting using a program like Photoshop or GIMP or an animation in a program like Flash or Blender.
It is interesting to note that there are definite stereotypes associated with each: A traditional artist is supposedly sad, angsty or scatter brained. They are often portrayed as bleeding hearts, radical left-wingers and angry at the world. Digital artists are often assumed to be nerdy, obsessed with technology and excessively sheltered from the world outside their computer monitor. There are some things that lend themselves to these ideas. It takes a lot of emotional connectedness and creativity (read 'angsty' and 'scatter brained') to continuously come up with interesting material. For digital artists, it is very necessary to immerse yourself in a whole new set of vocabulary and techniques that sometimes make people feel like outsiders during normal conversation.
As for actually making artwork, it is surprising how similar digital and traditional art really are. Both deal with good composition and the elements and principles of design. If you aren't familiar with those, I have a great link ( www.johnlovett.com/test.htm ) that will tell you all you ever wanted to know. Both types deal with color theory, both types are strengthened by creative concepts and both types rely heavily on good hand-eye co-ordination. More often than not, artists are blending the two mediums to create a hybrid of traditional and digital media. For example, an artist will often use a pencil or pen to hand draw an image (traditional art) and then scan it and color it in the computer (digital art). Therefore artists can be completely traditional or digital or any combination of the two. Digital has the advantage of an "undo" button, while traditional has the advantage of being immersive and messy. Sometimes, there is nothing more satisfying than taking a piece of chalk or crayon and putting a mark RIGHT THERE with your hand. It is infinitely more difficult to place your mark correctly in programs such as Lightwave or Blender. Both forms of art can be highly frustrating and highly rewarding by turns. It all depends on your mood and the end result you have in mind!
Interview with kyoht
1) Could you tell our community a little about yourself, and how you became interested in traditional art?
I'm a freelance artist, female, in my mid-thirties, and I'm obsessed with fantasy and horror. I'm geeky; I love table top RPGs, board/card games and video games. I'm a huge day dreamer.
I've always been interested in traditional art - I just prefer getting my hands dirty and I'm typically covered in either graphite smudges or paint. While in school, I was taught using real media, and I just stuck with it.
2) What is your inspiration for your pieces?
I've always been interested in traditional art - I just prefer getting my hands dirty and I'm typically covered in either graphite smudges or paint. While in school, I was taught using real media, and I just stuck with it.
2) What is your inspiration for your pieces?
Folklore and typical fantasy stories. I'm a monster movie nut, and I enjoy a good werewolf film. I am also inspired just by the world around me - nature, animals, even conversations with friends.
3) Do you use natural animals, places, plants, people for references?
Yes, and I constantly tell people to use photo reference - even for fantasy creatures. Learning about anatomy and how things are put together is an interest of mine, and I try to apply that to everything I draw.
4) When you feel you're having a bad day - where the piece you're working on just isn't coming out right - what do you do to overcome it?
4) When you feel you're having a bad day - where the piece you're working on just isn't coming out right - what do you do to overcome it?
I typically walk away from it and do something else for a while. Usually that something else involves drawing something I really enjoy drawing. That sometimes restarts my engine for going back and working on the hard jobs.
However, I won't lie. Some pieces are a struggle no matter what you do.
5) Who are some of your influences, artwise?
However, I won't lie. Some pieces are a struggle no matter what you do.
5) Who are some of your influences, artwise?
First and foremost, my private art teacher during high school. She made a huge difference in my life and really helped shape me into who I am today.
I'm also a fan of Hieronymous Bosch, Brian Froud, Gregory S. Paul and Ron Spencer.
6) What do you feel is your biggest challenge in creating your works of art?
I'm also a fan of Hieronymous Bosch, Brian Froud, Gregory S. Paul and Ron Spencer.
6) What do you feel is your biggest challenge in creating your works of art?
Painting it. I've always loved sketching and drawing, but actually finishing something takes a lot of effort. I can have a really short attention span sometimes.
7) Do you ever experiment in other types of art, like digital art, etc?
7) Do you ever experiment in other types of art, like digital art, etc?
I've dabbled with digital but can never seem to get it to do what I want. I'm really not very technologically savvy, and working with digital programs often result with me being very frustrated.
I do sculpture now and then and just recently started getting into casting from molds.
8) When do you feel most creative artistically? When do you feel most productive (finishing pieces)? (time of day/month/season, etc.)
I do sculpture now and then and just recently started getting into casting from molds.
8) When do you feel most creative artistically? When do you feel most productive (finishing pieces)? (time of day/month/season, etc.)
I haven't really thought about it. I would probably say afternoons are typically when I get in the swing of things. I have stayed up very late, plowing through a painting without stopping to sleep on a few occasions.
9) Were you ever professionally trained (such as an art college or university) for art?
9) Were you ever professionally trained (such as an art college or university) for art?
I was put through private art lessons my entire childhood, and then I went to art college after high school. I graduated from Pratt Institute (Brooklyn, NY) in 2000.
10) What's your biggest insecurity about your artwork?
10) What's your biggest insecurity about your artwork?
I never like my own artwork! So I would have to say, everything. I like it fine while I'm working on it, but then when it's finished I can see all the things I could have done better. I usually can't even look at a piece I did if it's over a year old. I guess my biggest insecurity is other people not liking it either!
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Interview with MasterAaran
1) Could you tell our community a little about yourself, and how you became interested in digital art?
Well, I’m 22 years old, live in the central USA and live on a farm with my family. As well as an amature artist, I am also a graphics designer and web developer. I’ve always, as far back as I can remember anyway, had a love of video games and computer related subjects. I guess you might say that my interest in digital art started somewhere back when I first began to play games on my own. Only within the last few years have I really become interested in creating my own pieces of art, especially using 3D software such as Daz Studio.
2) What is your inspiration for your pieces?
Inspiration for my pieces of work generally come from characters which I am currently working with in one of my many Role-Playing worlds. Sometimes I will also come up with an idea that sort of blossoms and flourishes on it’s own, and I realized “I’ve just got to try and capture that”.
3) Do you use natural animals, places, plants, people for references?
Not generally, no. I suppose it depends on what kind of digital art we are talking. My main form of art is focused on the 3D art that I create. I suppose that the creation of graphical work for web design and other outlets might also be considered art, and when I am working with that sort of subject, usually in photoshop, I may use photographs of people and stock images.
4) When you feel you're having a bad day - where the piece you're working on just isn't coming out right - what do you do to overcome it?
Walk away. Honestly sometimes the best thing I can do is turn off the program, play a game, read a book, eat lunch, or just turn my mind to something else. I find that If I stare at something too long, trying to get it just right, it doesn’t turn out just right. Once I step away and come back, I usually have a fresh outlook on the work.
5) Who are some of your influences, artwise?
I can’t point a finger at any one person or group of people and say “They are my influences, my inspiration”. Half of the art influences that I see, I don’t even know the names of, and don’t usually bother to look up. If I admire a piece of art, I might save it away for later inspiration or ideas.
6) What do you feel is your biggest challenge in creating your works of art?
Not really sure what to say is my BIGGEST challenge... I am colorblind, so sometimes that can really get to me when it comes to trying to get the composition of the pieces right. Lighting is also sometimes difficult, getting the perfect... ‘look’ is always a challenge.
7) Do you ever experiment in other types of art, like traditional art, literary art etc?
All the time, literally.... actually, I have to say that most of the time I am writing posts for a Role Play instead of doing anything with art. Literature can also be considered art, and I know that my experience writing with others through the creation of stories has broadened my vocabulary and my ability to write clearly and descriptively. Together with two of my favorite RP partners, I have created worlds that could not possibly exist, characters that have depth beyond anything I could have created before, and had more fun than I could ever have had alone.
As for ‘Traditional’ Art...I do not paint, but I have always loved to sketch and draw, even if I’m not that good. I do want to become better, and I have often been told I have the talent, but for some reason I just can’t... ‘get’ it.
8) When do you feel most creative artistically? When do you feel most productive (finishing pieces)? (time of day/month/season, etc.)
When do I feel most creative? That’s hard to say...Probably in the morning, which is unfortunate since I rarely have the time in the mornings to be able to dedicate to art. I find that I have much more time in the evenings. Not that I can’t be creative late in the day...I just feel more... ‘alive’ in the morning. Most productive...probably also in the morning or early afternoon. I admit that once It gets later in the day, I feel like I begin to slow and just want to drop anything remotely connected with ‘work’ and go do something else, like play a game.
9) Were you ever professionally trained (such as an art college or university) for art?
Nope, Never...Though maybe I should see about getting some courses sometime...I’ve been self-taught.
10) What's your biggest insecurity about your artwork?
I’m a massive perfectionist. And therein lies my insecurity. I harp and fuss over tiny details sometimes, ignoring the big picture. It’s one reason I haven’t gotten further on traditional art. I can’t get it right the first time, get disgusted and toss the whole idea. It’s one reason I step away sometimes, because when I come back I can look at the whole piece and say... “You know, that’s better than you thought”.
Well, I’m 22 years old, live in the central USA and live on a farm with my family. As well as an amature artist, I am also a graphics designer and web developer. I’ve always, as far back as I can remember anyway, had a love of video games and computer related subjects. I guess you might say that my interest in digital art started somewhere back when I first began to play games on my own. Only within the last few years have I really become interested in creating my own pieces of art, especially using 3D software such as Daz Studio.
2) What is your inspiration for your pieces?
Inspiration for my pieces of work generally come from characters which I am currently working with in one of my many Role-Playing worlds. Sometimes I will also come up with an idea that sort of blossoms and flourishes on it’s own, and I realized “I’ve just got to try and capture that”.
3) Do you use natural animals, places, plants, people for references?
Not generally, no. I suppose it depends on what kind of digital art we are talking. My main form of art is focused on the 3D art that I create. I suppose that the creation of graphical work for web design and other outlets might also be considered art, and when I am working with that sort of subject, usually in photoshop, I may use photographs of people and stock images.
4) When you feel you're having a bad day - where the piece you're working on just isn't coming out right - what do you do to overcome it?
Walk away. Honestly sometimes the best thing I can do is turn off the program, play a game, read a book, eat lunch, or just turn my mind to something else. I find that If I stare at something too long, trying to get it just right, it doesn’t turn out just right. Once I step away and come back, I usually have a fresh outlook on the work.
5) Who are some of your influences, artwise?
I can’t point a finger at any one person or group of people and say “They are my influences, my inspiration”. Half of the art influences that I see, I don’t even know the names of, and don’t usually bother to look up. If I admire a piece of art, I might save it away for later inspiration or ideas.
6) What do you feel is your biggest challenge in creating your works of art?
Not really sure what to say is my BIGGEST challenge... I am colorblind, so sometimes that can really get to me when it comes to trying to get the composition of the pieces right. Lighting is also sometimes difficult, getting the perfect... ‘look’ is always a challenge.
7) Do you ever experiment in other types of art, like traditional art, literary art etc?
All the time, literally.... actually, I have to say that most of the time I am writing posts for a Role Play instead of doing anything with art. Literature can also be considered art, and I know that my experience writing with others through the creation of stories has broadened my vocabulary and my ability to write clearly and descriptively. Together with two of my favorite RP partners, I have created worlds that could not possibly exist, characters that have depth beyond anything I could have created before, and had more fun than I could ever have had alone.
As for ‘Traditional’ Art...I do not paint, but I have always loved to sketch and draw, even if I’m not that good. I do want to become better, and I have often been told I have the talent, but for some reason I just can’t... ‘get’ it.
8) When do you feel most creative artistically? When do you feel most productive (finishing pieces)? (time of day/month/season, etc.)
When do I feel most creative? That’s hard to say...Probably in the morning, which is unfortunate since I rarely have the time in the mornings to be able to dedicate to art. I find that I have much more time in the evenings. Not that I can’t be creative late in the day...I just feel more... ‘alive’ in the morning. Most productive...probably also in the morning or early afternoon. I admit that once It gets later in the day, I feel like I begin to slow and just want to drop anything remotely connected with ‘work’ and go do something else, like play a game.
9) Were you ever professionally trained (such as an art college or university) for art?
Nope, Never...Though maybe I should see about getting some courses sometime...I’ve been self-taught.
10) What's your biggest insecurity about your artwork?
I’m a massive perfectionist. And therein lies my insecurity. I harp and fuss over tiny details sometimes, ignoring the big picture. It’s one reason I haven’t gotten further on traditional art. I can’t get it right the first time, get disgusted and toss the whole idea. It’s one reason I step away sometimes, because when I come back I can look at the whole piece and say... “You know, that’s better than you thought”.
