Looking back at about 10-15 years ago, designers and illustrators didn’t have the luxuries we have now. Technology has revolutionised us, the biggest being the computer, internet and design programmes. Whilst having plenty of pros, there are also a wide range of cons.
Thanks to programmes such as Photoshop and Illustrator, we can create whatever image we want to. The wide assortment of brushes that are able to be downloaded for your personal use are unlimited. What’s even more amazing is that these brushes can now be used to create a image that you would have a hard time guessing whether it was painted by hand or created on a computer. These types of drawings are made easier thanks to the technology created known as a Wacom Graphic Tablet. These allow us to ‘trace’ images on a tablet as thought you are actually drawing with a pen, yet its connected to the computer. The end product? A drawing/painting that you would have a tough time trying to work out if it was photograph or not.
Looking at the creative suites, hand fed to us at a large price, a lot of people are scared off by the many different options and buttons. I myself would take a trusty pen or paintbrush over a computer any day, this is however due to my own insecurities and lack of Adobe knowledge. For the majority of designers, illustrators and artists, the ability to draw come from having a raw talent. Yes, this talent can be fine tuned but what it cannot do is be taught from scratch. The adobe creative suite is a little bit of heaven sent from above if you’re not the greatest artist. The internet provides us with millions of cheats, tips and ideas. Take www.youtube.com for example. Someone who has never heard of Photoshop, Illustrator or Flash, could search “YouTube” and become a pro at creating images, type, illustrations and animations. This fact alone is something that captures people’s eyes
“There is also belief that one does not have to be a talented artist in order to utilize programs like Photoshop to create good work.” Daisy Duru-Helium.
The likes of Adobe and Corel Painter have revolutionised the ways in which we create art. Today more and more people are choosing to use computer based programmes and graphics tablets to create artworks. However in my eyes, through the use of computer technology, you lose out on the personal touches and the unknown. For example, say you were creating a design using Adobe Illustrator, and you did something that you didn’t like, simple, you hit the ‘undo’ button and you’re back to where you wanted to be. Whereas if you were creating the same image by hand and that happened, you’re then presented with two choices. Choice one, throw away the design and start from scratch, or choice two, amend the design and turn it into something you love.
The Internet has played a huge part in how digital technologies are affecting graphic design and illustration. More and more artists are now able to show off their work and talents at the drop of a hat. Connected to over a billion people, it’s the faster and most convenient way to show work. Blog spaces are a way of sharing ideas and thoughts with other people and getting feedback from those you could someday be working for.
Photoshop has affected the way in which we use a camera now. Before it was easy to change a photograph, one could spend hours attempting to find the correct lighting, imagery and so on. Now it has become so easy to remove something from a photo if we don’t like it. For example, the new Creative Suite 5, in photoshop, if there was a tree in the distance you wanted removed click on a few buttons, circle the tree and your problem is fixed. Is this making us lazy though and not allowing us to find the perfect image we need for our designs?
Scanners have been quite possibly one of the biggest time savers for illustrators. You draw you illustrations, scan them onto illustrator, and in seconds you can have reproduced about 50 of those drawings, in varied colours, shapes and sizes. Scanners also help us to incorporate images or backgrounds into our designs.
Typography has been heavily influenced by technology. Through the use of illustrator, a simple type can be distorted into something completely different. Such as LettError.
‘LettError harnessed digital technology to create letterforms by art-directing the multiple possibilities programmed into their bespoke software engines.”
Overall I think that technology has affected graphic design and illustration, both in good ways and bad. The illustrators and designers out there are presented with the chance to do their own drawings and designs but, have them coloured in, manipulated and reproduced faster than ever
before.
“Every illustrator and designer has the very same technology available to them, and if everyone uses the tools in the same way, nothing would ever stand out.” Emily Alston-Digital Illustration-Computer Arts.
“It is really all about trying to produce work that is distinctive and original, whatever that is, and work shouldn’t be judged on the levels of technology involved in making it.” Paul Burgess-Digital Illustration-Computer Arts.
I agree with both of these quotes and feel that technology is good so long as it is used to allow your work to stand out and fade away.
Bibliography.
-Magic Box: craft and the computer Eye no.70 vol.18
-Schism and reunification Eye no.72 vol.18
-Graphic Design Theory: Readings from the field
-www.computerarts.co.uk
-www.helium.com
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