Them: “Did you paint this yourself or on a computer?”
Me: “Yes.”
I’m sure most of you heard something like this somewhere before. Wether be it relatives, friends or complete strangers in the comment section of your favorite art site. There are still people out there who think that digital art is not real art because “it’s just digital” and “the computer is doing all the work.”
Usually I just ignore it, when its online, or when in real life I dismiss it with comments like “and builders are not real builders unless they don’t use power tools”. However sometimes it urges me to defend digital art because it is of course important to me and I can’t stand when people devaluing what I like, ruining it for everyone else too.
I try to discuss it with them but usually with no avail, they have their opinion already and it’s set in stone. Usually I don’t care much as they are people who couldn’t do a figure drawing even if their life depends on it. So they don’t have an idea how hard digital works are, and since you can simply pick up a calculator and easily multiply big numbers they assume you can just as easy pic up a tablet and create great art.
A few years ago I took part in an art show on a convention. Both digital and traditional artists showed their work there. While I was decorating my panel I overheard the artists (or I assume it was the artist since the show was not yet open for the public) on the other side saying the exact same stupid things. I have to admit it hurt me a bit. I thought at least other artist would know better by now.
How do you deal with these people. Do you just ignore them? What are your feelings when something like this happens to you?
I don’t care about being art or not. I only care what I want to do. I’ll use whatever medium I want to if I want to. Also Digital saves a lot of times, if you’re working in industry you want to be make sure every seconds quicker to get to the goal. Long story short, I don’t give a damn.
It’s not like they’re giving me money.
It is hard to prove the “material” aspect of your art to such people unless it is printed. We are carnal creatures and we perceive the world as a set of material things. If something exists only in the virtual space- it is viewed as non-material for some folks. Better have some of your work printed. I literally saw changed expressions on the faces once I showed the prints.
Wow, that’s bad… Generally, I think people don’t understand that the same basics and hard work apply, which I guess would lead me to consider the above as “well, they’re just a bunch of hacks then, that they know so little about art that they don’t consider the same basics and even in the case of photography, the fact you ought to know good design basics and how to apply them as art. And they calls themselves artist? Buncha hobbyists…”
I think what really bugged me on this day was that I assumed they should know better.
The funny thing is that most digital artists are equally good or even exceptional traditional artists, I rarely see it the other way arround.
Several things they probably don’t realize about working digitally because they never experience it or looking at someone working with it firsthand:
You still need to come up with your own effort to produce something.
Your input is key.
You don’t just stand in front of a computer and tell it, “Hey, do something” with the hopes it pops out something along the lines of Mona Lisa or a Picasso-like artwork.
(pardon me for the caps and harsh language) YOU STILL HAVE TO MOVE YOUR DAMNED HAND AND USE YOUR DAMNED BRAIN TO THINK OF SOMETHING.
The difference between traditional pen-and-paper works and digital works is just the medium plus or minus the perks/cons that come with it. You still have to deliver your own output for there to be something to look at. It’s not like you use a computer and suddenly you’re good, nor does ditching it and going traditional degrades you by a ton nor does it mark your actual performance. It’s about how you use your tools.
I feel these kinds of people are too stuck with several mindsets such as “old is gold”, “computers are for cheating”, and some others that also includes them thinking working with pencil and paper is a novelty that must not be tarnished therefore no one should attempt to improvise methods learned from it into digital forms et cetra. They decided not to move on from that mindset which also, unfortunately, in some places turns into a big burden on themselves and people around them.
I say just keep on producing whatever you have done in digital so far and improve upon it, and hope that they realize the difficulties of working digitally is not that much different than working on traditional media - except that you’ll be saving a lot more on precious sheets of paper. If they don’t then let it be. You do you.
Sorry if I sounded harsh, I was indeed physically and mentally drained when I came up with this post. But figures some stuff are better let out than letting it build up to a potential destruction wrought upon oneself.
I do not know what to say. I meet with this phenomenon. But another phenomenon is related to this: worthlessness. As made by a computer - it has no value. I even met a person who wanted the font design I designed. She said, give me, I need only for my needs. I was stunned, I lost my voice. Font worth XX$.
Maybe I will say this: my mother says that when I sit in front of the computer I am having fun - I do not work.
I never really encountered a person who said this. Often older artists refuse to switch. Or they need the material. I understand that completely and can relate.
But often people are uneducated in that field and or immune to what others think or say.
If another artist says this, I would tell them that it’s also not them doing the artwork it’s the pencil or brush in their hand that does it. And a pianist is also not a musician, it’s the piano doing the music… Oh and electronic music. pffff
The convenient solution is the smack them in the face with a laptop*, then tell them this wasn’t real assault, since you used a computer.
The tedious solution is to lead them to realize the folly of their own thinking. First of all, you need them to say out why are they thinking that way. This allows you then to use logic and explain how things truly work.
- Is this real painting or digital?
- What makes you think digital isn’t “real”?
- Did you paint this or you did with a computer?
- Both. I painted it, using a digital brush [saying “digital brush” is silly but to tech-illiterate people it may be easier to understand] attached to a computer.
- But on a computer it’s easier. / The computer does the work.
- What makes you think that?
When I do this they usually get confused and start asking questions, like “But how do you do it then?” or “But the computer makes the image right?” and so on.
Generally I explain it like this: “I’m still making brush strokes one by one, except I’m using the digital stylus instead of a brush. I still need to paint, except on a digital tablet instead of a canvas. I still need to know how to paint and do all the work. It really is just a different medium.”
If you have a mobile drawing device with you, you can even say “Look, I show you” and demonstrate that you are indeed making brushstrokes just like with a real brush.
Most people are simply ignorant of how it works and just jump to assumptions until someone explains it in a way they can understand.
I also love how they almost choke on their own tongue when I mention how much I’m getting paid for doing digital art.
