In more recent years, you might have noticed an increase in terms like “multimedia,” “digital,” or “new media” being used to describe art that incorporates technology. While technology wasn’t initially welcomed into the art world, it is now widely recognized as a legitimate way not only to transform traditional forms, but to create new art forms altogether.
Digital Drawing, Painting, and Photography
The human species has been drawing since the Stone Age. Back then we drew on rocks, but now we have digital programs that allow us to draw using computers and tablets. These programs have grown so advanced that they are able to mimic traditional techniques such as watercolor, oils, colored pencils, etc. With these programs, you won’t get any of the mess you get with paint—since you can digitally draw using a stylus or your computer mouse, you don’t have to worry about paint splatters.
With modern technology, artists can also edit photographs in various ways. They can add or remove something from a photo, combine multiple pictures, create digital collages, and much more.
3D Printing
3D printing allows artists to create three-dimensional detailed models of anything they can imagine. The only thing they are limited by is their imagination. It’s relatively easy to learn how to create 3D printed artwork as well—highly technical skills aren’t needed. Some artists use 3D printing to create models for larger pieces while others use the model as the art piece itself. With this art form, artists can create intricate sculptures with complex features more easily.
Interactive Art
Interactive exhibits have been around for a while, but new developments in technology have give artists the ability to create more immersive experiences. Viewers can participate in art installations like never before. For example, artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s piece called “Subtitled Public” used infra-red surveillance cameras to track visitors’ movements around a room. As they moved, a verb was projected onto their torso and would follow them around the room. When one visitor touched another, the verbs would switch. The possibilities for interactive art experiences are virtually endless.
Virtual and Augmented Reality
One of the most recent developments in the new media art world is the use of virtual reality. Using multi-sensory headsets, users are placed in a simulated, virtual environment they can interact with. With augmented reality, artists can create installations that have an additional visual layer when viewed through a smartphone camera. An example of AR art is Amir Baradaran’s “Frenchising the Mona Lisa.” After downloading an app Baradaran created, visitors to the Louvre Museum can look at The Mona Lisa through their smartphone camera and see her wrap a French flag around her head. Both virtual and augmented reality have the ability to completely transform how art is created and viewed.
Because we live in a world where advanced technologies are being developed every day, artists can be more creative than ever. The great thing about technological advances in art is that while it gives artists the opportunity to experiment with art in new ways, it doesn’t appear to be overshadowing traditional art forms. Today, we can recognize the value in both modern and traditional art forms.
To see what AmFab’s artists are up to, take a look at our Artists page.