We are close to being two decades into the new millennia and at this point in time, technology has touched almost every aspect of our professional and personal lives. In the creative fields, tech is now being used to not only help artists achieve new heights in their respective lines of work, but also to broaden their reach and increase their earnings. While there is still a lot more to come in the near future, how creative professionals are using the available technology to boost their abilities and income is nothing short of amazing. Going through the following provides us with an idea of exactly how technology is helping creative professionals and how it will continue to improve upon that in the future.
The Impact of Modern Tools
Eric Standley is known for creating complex stained-glass window designs by cutting paper with lasers and then expertly layering one over the other to achieve a 3D effect on his work. While he was always an expert artist, the complexities of his work would not be possible, if it weren’t for the perfection the lasers enabled him to achieve.
Similarly, every tool used to create art in this era of technology has been improved to not only get better results, but also to subsequently help the creations evolve into the next level. Digital cameras are now so advanced and allow for such powerful image capturing that talented photographers are able to take photographs that they never thought were possible even just a few years in the past. The darkroom is still a nostalgic place, but mostly unnecessary these days as photo printers and powerful editing software tools have replaced it. Talented digital artists now have more opportunities, thanks to the constant need for new art in the gaming and film industry, but more importantly, they can deliver better work at a faster rate than before because of the technology they have at hand. A sophisticated digital pen lets artists draw directly on a tablet, while AI-driven software algorithms bring the artwork alive in the digital world.
There are of course, numerous other examples, but the basic point here is that modern tools are like wings to creative professionals, that enable them to reach new heights. They are what gives an artist the power to bridge the gap between what they can imagine and what they can create.
The Ability to Reach Out to Millions
While we have taken the internet for granted and often end up criticizing it for multiple reasons, there is no doubt about the fact that it has improved our lives in every possible way imaginable. There was a time when artists and photographers had to wait for a chance to be featured in a gallery and if the first show didn’t make much of an impact, they had to wait patiently for another chance just to show their work. The same applied for models and actors as well. Nowadays, almost every creative professional has a portfolio site to showcase his/her work, which has essentially made it possible for any talented pro to get the exposure he/she needs via social media sites and reach out to anyone and everyone.
Even just a few years ago, this was only possible if you knew the basics of coding and web designing, or you had to hire a web designer to help you, but that is no longer the situation. By learning how to create a portfolio with Format, any creative professional can design, launch, edit, augment, enhance and expand their digital portfolio site without even having to learn a single line of code. The ease of use, dedicated themes and the constant assistance from Format makes it a place where the artists can spend more time concentrating on displaying their best work to the target audience, rather than wasting it on complex web designing, or an opportunity that may not come soon enough. Speaking of target audience, that brings us to our next point.
The Ability to Reach Out to the Right People
A portfolio website is essential because that’s where you will put your work for the target audience to see, but it is also necessary to make sure that the right kind of traffic, aka the target audience can find you. Just like photo and art galleries are places where artists and photographers meet the right kind of crowd, it is important that the right methods and tools are utilized to direct traffic to your site that’s relevant to what you are putting on display for them to see. Therefore, modern creative pros use analytical data from search engines and social media sites to identify the patterns of their target audience first, and then they employ a combination of SEO strategies and digital marketing tactics to guide that traffic to their respective portfolio sites and social media pages. Technology has not only made it possible to display the creativity of a professional, but it has also enabled that creativity to connect with the opportunities that it needs to flourish.
Explosion of Opportunities
Perhaps the biggest positive impact that modern tech has had on art and creativity in general is the sheer number of opportunities that the technological revolution has given birth to. Hundreds of video games, TV shows, internet shows, movies and other forms of entertainment with huge budgets are being released every year on various platforms and that has created a huge opportunity for models, actors, digital artists, creative writers and just about any other creative professional out there. While it’s true that the competition up top is very stiff as well these days, this explosion of opportunities makes it possible for the creative workers to at least find decent work, until they get that big break.
Additionally, technology has also created multiple platforms for modern creatives to utilize and establish themselves as independent professionals. Vlogging on YouTube, tutoring over the internet, earning with a blogsite, etc. are just some of many other examples that illustrate this point. Then there are also the crowdfunding projects which harness the combined financial power of the target audience in realizing a vision that both the artists and their patrons share. Crowdfunding is now utilized by creatives from all fields, although it had its beginnings exclusively in blockchain and video games.
As should be the motto of every artist, it is not only about creating something that sells, it’s also about creating something that has a message representative of the ideas and beliefs of the artist himself/herself. In the digital age, it is possible to do both with more efficiency and on a greater scale than ever before. It can be argued that there are certain forms of creativity that are getting lost amidst the modern innovations and in some ways, and that is not entirely wrong. Then again, that is how progression and evolution itself works, because the old must make way for the new, so that art and creativity lives on, albeit in new forms. It is important to view technology as something that will improve the opportunities and abilities of creative professionals, rather than considering it a hinderance.