Arts covers human practices throughout history that usually express creativity, a product of that creativity, or storytelling. As such, it has always been a part of human civilization. Its form and media have changed, as have our modes of doing, thinking, and being. As a result, we continuously redefine art by improvising, experimenting, self-reflection, criticism, and available tools and mediums. Technology also made it easier or cheaper to produce and preserve art, and more widespread and culturally accepted and appreciated. With that said, let’s analyze how technology is integrated in arts.
Different Areas of Arts and Technology Involvement
Technology has become an integral part of the arts in various ways, such as digital art creation using software like Photoshop, 3D modeling tools, or even AI-based art generators. It also extends to virtual reality and augmented reality, which offer immersive experiences for art appreciation and interaction.
In addition to all this, technology plays a key role in online platforms that make art more accessible worldwide. It also has hands-on preservation techniques that help maintain art for future generations. Let’s see different areas of art technology involved in –
1. Visual arts
Let’s examine the impact of technology on visual arts first:
1.1 – Drawing and painting
Drawing and painting both show the obvious presence of technology integration in the arts:
Production and transformation
Gone are the days when artists spent days in art studios in solitude. While they can still do that, nowadays they can take pictures of the art, or create it entirely digitally anywhere they go with computers, smartphones, and tablets. Better yet, they can manipulate or completely transform said art through photo editing software and apps, with very little experience.
Such apps, besides a whole host of useful tools, also include tips and tips and tutorials from leading artists worldwide. So, as far as these two are concerned, technology made a positive effect on labor, time consumption, price, and ecology.
Self-assessment and tracking
Artists benefit from self-reflection, and instead of having canvases pile up, they can create digital portfolios of finished work, and make them private, invitation-only, or public. Even better, artists can now have hundreds, if not thousands of WIP (work in progress) pieces, switch between them, or combine them effortlessly. This also helps with the organization – their creative process is sometimes all over the place.
Peer-to-peer assessment and collaboration
Another benefit of digital portfolios is that they serve as promotions. This can lead to commissions, something that requires expensive gallery space, special events, and connections. It can also bring reviews, suggestions, and even collaborations with fellow artists. The last option used to be impossible or very hard in the past without technology. To collaborate, artists had to be physically present and then either bump into each other or take turns.
Nowadays, technology and the Internet made it possible for hundreds of artists from across the globe to contribute to the same art piece, simultaneously or in increments. Do we need to mention art-based social media or forums that significantly raised the potential of cooperation?
Staying in touch with teachers or professionals
Besides the ability to enroll in online art courses, the pros and cons of which we covered, communicating with teachers used to be time-consuming, limited, and frankly, very formal. Nowadays students can contact their teachers via chat, e-mail, or phone. They can also share their digital portfolios with teachers, giving them an insight into what they’re working on at any point.
This invites instructions, true, but also conversation and constructive criticism, often in real-time. It also gives the student a chance to document and upload their thought process in text, audio, or video form.
1.2 – Photography and film-making
Do we even need to say mobile phones have cameras that can record in 4K resolution, the same resolution professionals release billion-dollar blockbusters in? While professional cameras are in no way cheap, they’re more affordable than in the past.
This resulted in the rise of indie and feature films. We’ll also remind you that software for video editing can make an outstanding difference even with poor material or low resolution, at a very low cost and experience requirement. The same goes for photo editing software, which is becoming exceedingly advanced.
For example, it implements AI-assisted technologies such as image upscaling, automatic background removal (think green screen without one), face changing, or Neural Processing Unit (NPU).
Sculpting
Technology has revolutionized every part of sculpting. Artists can easily translate their ideas into 3D computer models. Furthermore, they can specify dimensions, run virtual creation tests, and often get suggestions in the software. After they render the model, they can send it to a 3D printer, plasma cutter, CNC machine, and other machines for manufacturing with extreme precision. If direct production isn’t possible, artists can also create meticulous virtual 3D molds.
2. Performing arts
Here are 2 ways technology is integrated in arts, dramatic and musical:
2.1 – Music
It’s hard to deny that underground or indie music is booming. Musicians can now cheaply build home studios using professional-grade audio equipment. Additionally, they can simulate different musical instruments, noises, and sounds, and combine them. And let’s not forget multi-track recording – only a few decades ago, artists had to record everything in one take.
Additionally, musical artists can insert samples from tracks dating back hundreds of years, change their pitch (think: autotune), and apply sound effects. In fact, many of the world’s best DJs make the majority of their music from their bedrooms or hotel rooms. Also, AI-assisted audio technology is slowly implemented into audio editing software for PC and Mac, and even apps for Android and iOS apps.
Finally, the Internet has provided a way to distribute recordings on a massive scale. Artists can also upload tracks to streaming platforms, and earn revenue from every listen.
2.2 – Theater
The most obvious sign of technological advancements in theater is lighting. By this, we mean the introduction of LED. It’s incredibly energy-efficient, more powerful, and adjustable in color, size, and brightness.
Also, instead of hot glue, foam, and X-acto blades, sets can now be 3D-printed ahead of time and replicated with precision. Theater productions now incorporate cranes and rigs more often, which makes for stunning visual effects. Costume designers can now use computers, clay, or 3D printers, and mass-produce necessary clothing and props. Audio is another key part – boom microphones are now lighter while lapel mics are invisible, high-quality, and wireless, as are Bluetooth earpieces for feeding lines.
Speaking of audio, sound design is easier to set up and more effective for both the audience and the actors. Theaters have slowly introduced dramaturgy too – the use of dry vapor smell, making the viewers’ experience more enjoyable and immersive.
Impact of Different Technologies on Art
Here is a table that depicts the impact of different technologies on the Arts:
Technology | Description | Impact |
---|---|---|
Generative AI | AI is capable of learning and generating art. | It can create significant art pieces autonomously. |
Blockchain | A decentralized network | Used to facilitate secure art sales |
Digital Art Platforms | Online marketplaces for digital art | Empowers the artists, and creates an online artist community. |
Virtual Reality | A virtually created world that is interactive | Can be used for interactive art exhibits and in movies for an immersive experience |
Augmented Reality | Overlaying of virtual or digital content on the real world | Promotes interactive art installations and AR-powered museum tours |
Is Technology and Art Interchangeable?
Today, technology plays a significant role in the promotion and even production of art. Take movies, for example. Current movies heavily favor the use of technologies like high-resolution cameras, audio studios, mixing software, VFX, animation, and 3D rendering. But even other art forms are not shy about depending on technology. Books are being digitally published, and paintings are sold virtually on different online platforms.
However, technologies have also been inspired by art, as we will see in the examples listed below. Modern technology and art, both have a hand in shaping our current society. Even innovations such as NFTs have started making a name for themselves in the art industry, a recent example is the sale of Andy Warhol’s 4 Electric Chairs, whose 30% ownership was sold for a staggering $1.7 million through NFTs.
But that’s not all; today, digital software has replaced conventional canvas, as many artists solely use software to produce digital art. Take a look at the following video, which highlights the effects of technology on art.
Technologies that are inspired by Art
Here are a few examples of technologies that are seemingly inspired by different art works.
1. Intelligent Voice Assistants
A film by Stanley Kubrick was released back in 1968, namely 2001: A Space Odyssey, which depicted a spacecraft with an onboard computer. The computer was intelligent and able to respond, just like the intelligent voice assistants of today. It even showcased the people on the spacecraft making and answering video calls, just like we do today.
2. Mobile Phones
Star Trek, a series from the early 1970s, was the first to showcase pocket-sized communicators, which inspired the flip phones of yesteryear.
3. Augmented Reality
We can trace the original idea of augmented reality back to the 1989 film, Back to the Future 2, made by Robert Zemeckis. The Back to the Future series is much-appreciated sci-fi on the topic of time travel. Although we have yet to crack going back and forth in time, of the other technological marvels presented in the film, we have realized augmented reality.
4. Holograms
Jules Verne is often regarded by many as the one who solidified the sci-fi genre, continuing in the footsteps of Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, and Edgar Allan Poe. Verne’s 1892 novel, The Carpathian Castle, features an opera singer who relied on hologram technology to continue performing even after her death.
Although thrilling, and somewhat horrific, the tale laid the foundation for the technology, which was later realized by a Hungarian engineer by the name of Dennis Gabor, in 1948. The technology was later perfected after the invention of lasers in 1961 and was first presented by the University of Michigan in 1964.