Feeling limp?

I have a growing excitement with the rise of the amateur artists. With the introduction of Photoshop, Mac tech, hi-end cameras, blogs, and other resources, young artists are resourced more than ever. With that said, I also have a growing concern with the dependence on these tools- actually less like tools and more like crutches. More and more, I see 1^st rate equipment with 2^nd rate artists. Not because of their hearts or intentions but because of the tendency to take short cuts rather than developing real skill or discipline. Now that so much can be done in post production, a shift is occurring from quality to quantity. When photography was just film, you had to compose a scene, wait for the right lighting, use the right exposure, and the right shutter speed. Now, you point and click about a 1000 pics hoping one is good enough to Photoshop to death. I think that’s why I appreciate art in its raw forms like painting, dance, live vocals, etc… no cheating raw art because there are no crutches. I’m excited that such tools are no longer reserved for the wealthy elite, but I feel there is too much focus on the tools and not enough on the craft. Artists are starting to walk with a limp.

It actually surprises me when I see someone with expensive, fancy brushes and a nice studio create amazing paintings. It doesn’t surprise me when I see someone with old, cheap, and inferior tools create a masterpiece on a napkin. The former creates within the limit of their crutch. The latter creates despite their tools.

I applaud anyone who wants to begin their art or improve their expression. But before you buy/download/install ANYTHING, first learn composition, storytelling, chorography, pitch, color, balance, and the other building blocks for developing your craft. The less you rely on crutches and more on raw skills, the more creative your expression will be. It’s never too late to learn the basics.

The irony is that if you learn how to walk with a crutch, you’ll end up running with a limp.
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Published 21 March 2009 12:26 PM by Tony Kim

Filed under: Truth and Soul, Everyday Life, Thoughts, Tony Kim

Comments

# Dennis Salvatier said on 21 March, 2009 01:23 PM

Man, that's right on. It's the reason I started the Lead Rocket Chronicles. It's a simple exercise in graphite, ink, marker and occasionally my watercolors. I've seen examples of this many times recently and it does concern me. Art is the one topic that everyone has an opinion about and feel that they can weigh in on despite the fact that they've never picked up a piece of chalk or a brush. What they don't understand is the process of how someone completes any given piece. I always get "Well, that should only take you an hour, right?" It can be very insulting. They see art as easy because we have so much technology at our disposal these days. Well, if it was so easy why aren't they doing it? The difference between a true artist (despite his or her level of expertise) is that often they start with sketches or mock-ups. They process the idea before starting the idea. The basics are the cornerstone to any artistic endeavor. and as artists, we must always go back to drink from that well. There's this story I tell to some potential clients I run into who think my creative services are "mighty steep". The story goes...One afternoon Pablo Picasso was sitting at a cafe in NYC. A woman recognizes him and asks him for a sketch...she mentions what an honor it would be. Picasso agrees and takes a napkin and draws upon it. He signs it and hands it to the woman who is elated. She says, "Thank you so much, Mr. Picasso". Picasso says, "That will be $10,000". The woman is shocked and says, "But that took you a minute!". He answers, "No, it took me 60 years".