Digital art is an artwork or creation which utilizes digital technology as a significant part of both the presentation or creative process as well as the creation itself. In the past, digital art was labelled by various names, including visual arts, computer-assisted art, and even mime. However, digital art itself is situated under the larger umbrella category of new media art. This type of art utilizes a variety of media, such as video, sound, and even computer-generated images to create art. These types of works are often more stylized than traditional artworks and are becoming more popular each day.
Art historians have noted the evolution of digital art as being far different from traditional forms of art. This form of art utilizes a variety of different mediums in order to communicate its message. For example, paintings can be printed on paper while still photographs can be digitized and displayed on a digital photo album. As new technologies arise, new media is commonly used in order to communicate art to the general public. Examples of these include motion graphics, generative art, and image-based art.
Generative digital art, as its name suggests, utilizes digital sound and images in order to generate new works of art. Artists who specialize in this style of art use a synthesizer program to generate their music or other audio tracks. Audio files are usually captured using traditional means and then “mono-synthesized” using a computer. Monochromatic images (i.e., black & white images) are often created by adjusting brightness and contrast through the use of a graphics program. After the image has been generated, it is then shown to the artist.
Another way that new media is utilized in the creation of digital artworks is through the use of new media such as video. Many artists have utilized technology such as the camcorder in order to take their artistic ideas and creations into the next level. By capturing their video creations onto a digital video camera, artists have the ability to show off their work to the world in an impressive manner. Of course, not all artists utilize the camcorder in this manner, but the technology exists and is easily utilized by anyone. In fact, it is often the method of photography chosen over film.
New digital tools have also found their way to the world of traditional art making. Traditional artists have begun to use computers to create and edit their images, as well. This allows them to edit, re-size, and combine digital tools in unique and interesting ways. Artists are able to combine elements of traditional art, such as paintbrushes, to create unique images that have not been seen before in traditional artworks. Using digital tools has truly opened doors for creativity in the world of traditional art, and it only seems to grow more creative as the years pass.
