I AM an artist. There is no MAKE ART BUTTON!
I was very upset when I started formulating this blog post in my head. However, after some time to reflect and cool down I finally figured out that it doesn’t matter what people think and I just let it go. Why? Because I have realized that I am an artist and just because you say I am not does not take away my abilities. It doesn’t magically give you, Mr. Naysayer, art abilities. I don’t have to PROVE to you that I have a minor in art or that I have been an artist since I was five. I don’t have to justify how I do what I do to make you happy. I don’t have to hand you the résumé that shows I have worked for comic book companies, been a cover artist, been a photographer, or have been a web designer/master. Nope. The only thing I HAVE to do is be polite to all that inquire. That is pretty much it. In fact, in retrospect, I bet you were just jealous.
Of course, in the formulation of this post, when I was really ticked off, I began looking for my old art. I snapped picture after picture of the original drawings I had in my tub of stuff. They are now available for viewing on my Pinterest Boards. I still have a lot of art that I have not posted, but you get the gist of it all. I somehow figured that not having a portfolio of hand drawn works available for viewing may continue to cause these fallacies of thought. Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows.
I’m sure by now some of you are wondering what the heck is going on with this rant. Well, somebody kind of insinuated that the fantasy art/character renders I make are not REAL art b/c I used a computer program. What the hell? Hold up. How do you reckon that? Why do you think you have the right to tell me that I am not an artist and that I do not bring any artistic license into my Poser art because I didn’t make the props? Because a computer “renders” the algorithm for the light?
So, do you think that photography is an art? Or just a bunch of people randomly snapping shots and getting 1 or 2 good ones that are nice. The photographer didn’t make the camera, the model, the props, and the backdrop. They were just there snapping away with their cameras. Oh, what is that you say? They used their artistic eye to frame the shot, drew out what they wanted in their mind before the shoot, fixed the lighting with their art knowledge, used camera specific knowledge to set the camera up, and also told the model what to do. Really? So, the photographer makes “art”, but I do not? Do you even know what I do to make the pictures you see me posting? It isn’t click, click, boom, art. There is no MAKE ART button on my program.
Do you think a painter is an artist? They merely copy what they see and use supplies purchased to make their paintings. Pre-stretched canvas, fancy paints, and nifty pencils. Why some of them even use light boards or tracing paper to transfer their sketches onto whatever they are painting.
What’s in common with all of these artists; the 3D artist, the painter, and the photographer? They all have knowledge of the artistic world. They have to know how to set up the scene for the best picture possible. They all spend hours thinking about what they are going to do and how they are going to achieve it. They then take their ideas and execute it in their chosen medium. That’s the only true difference.
When I started this adventure with digital art I had two reasons. The first was because I no longer had time to paint in oils. Oil paint was expensive and messy. I was also getting hand fatigue the more I worked on something. The second was to get my name out there by having “affordable art”. With the ability to upload photos and have a company that would print and ship them for me, I could send prints anywhere in the world without having to worry about finding out how to make “prints”. I could reach a larger audience with a few clicks. I didn’t have to worry about trying to sell one BIG picture, but rather I could sell many little pictures at a more cost-effective price. Plus, I didn’t have to let the original work go. It was digital. It would always be available to me. Then came the fantasy art and its whole new offshoot in my world of art.
Poser is not an easy program to conquer. I am still learning, but each picture I make is better and better because I am learning how to use the program and integrate my art knowledge in with the program knowledge. You can tell the progress I made from 2010 to 2014. Look at this picture…it was one of my first renders…and yes it is very tiny.
Now look at the last one I made just a few weekends ago.
So, if it was as simple as click, click, boom, ART…why wasn’t the first thing I ever made just super great? What about the second or the third picture? Why wasn’t my very computer literate co-worker able to make even simple art in the program? Oh, because it takes practice and art knowledge? Yeah, you know it.
You’re an artist and there should be no doubt about that. I couldn’t create what you do and art is all about creation in one form or another. Listen to no detractors, it’s art.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
Thank you David
Art is created on many a different canvas and art is very personal. You ARE an artist and you ARE very talented. Your renderings are beautiful – so as you say forget the Naysayer(s) and do what you do. There are plenty who recognize and appreciate your artistic abilities.
Thank you 🙂