--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's the age old questions. Many heated arguments have occurred because of two different aspects of art. Some people consider that digital art is not 'real art' and some people consider that traditional art is 'outdated'. Today, we are going to see the pros and cons of both arts. Hopefully we will get something out of it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Traditional Art
Traditional art. |
What is actually a traditional art? The simplest answer lies directly in the name itself: it's art made in the traditional way. The traditional way that I mentioned actually lies in the concept that all traditional arts have all these things in common:
- It's something that you can touch, smell, feel, interact with all your senses, both during the creation process and later, when it's finished.
- It's one of a kind - it can't be copied without going through all the creation process all over again.
Advantages of Traditional Art
- It is an original physical artwork. An original piece of art is often considered more valuable than a print or digital file.
- Imperfections. Contrary to popular beliefs, some flaws actually make arts better. Mistakes made from hands have certain aesthetic values which in turn makes the art so much more meaningful.
- It is cheap. Of course some equiments or materials needed for this kind of art can be pricey, but that is if you want it to be expensive. Most of the time, you can do it with zero costs. For example, if you want to draw, then all the basic requirements needed to start is just a piece of paper and a pencil. Cheap, isn't it?
- It's more healthy for your eyes. Because you can create traditional arts away from screen, it is a healthier practice compared to digital arts. Strains on your eyes might be relieved.
![]() |
Mona Lisa is also a traditional art. |
Disadvantages of Traditional Art
- No Ctrl + Z for you. Mistakes can't be undone, only be embraced or covered up with other things. Expect many frustrating mistakes if you choose to do a traditional art.
- Physical art is one of a kind. You need to be physically present by it to enjoy it fully. Taking a photo of it captures only a fraction of its' beauty, stripping away all the elements that are only visible when it's reflected by light, not emitted by the screen of your smartphones.
- Difficult reproduction process. If you want to make a copy of it, then you need to go through all the process of making it all over again.
- Takes up space. You are going to need a working area instead of a working desk, and the routine cleaning of it.
- Some traditional arts smell bad. Examples: paintings, carpentry, claymaking and many more.
- Equipments/materials needed for the art. If you run out of something, then you need to resupply.
- It's hard to share your works with other people. The physical properties of it mean that you have to either bring the art to people, or let people come to your art.
- Might be damaged.
Digital Art
![]() |
Digital art. |
Digital art is a work made with digital technology, or presented on digital technology. Digital art is not only just graphic images created using softwares (Photoshop, Illustrator etc) but also includes animation, 3D visualization and the list goes on and on. It's actually amazing how fast the digital industries are actually growing in this world of ours.
Advantages of Digital Art
- More efficient. Digital art is easier to get started and work quickly.
- Much more forgiving for learning process. With the Ctrl + Z button, it's easy for beginners to undo their mistakes and redo it correctly.
- Unlimited possibilities on what to do. Your creativity is the limit.
- Equipments/Materials. You are never going to run out of tools to do your art.
- Can be easily copied for distributions.
- You can share your artworks with anyone in this world as long as they are connected to the Internet.
- Easier to recover if the art is damaged or stolen.
- Does not take much space.
Disadvantages of Digital Art
- Unlimited possibilities. This can lead to creative paralysis.
- No original work. Yes, digital art can be printed, but it's not the same as a real painting.
- Can be a little bit expensive. Imagine all the Adobe fees you are paying.
- Arts posted online are easy to be stolen.
![]() |
Done with Adobe Illustrator. |
Traditional Or Digital?
Both forms of art has its' own pros and cons. You can't really say that traditional art is better than digital art, but then, it's also a wrong thing to say that digital art is behind traditional art. It all depends on what kind of artist you are. It's okay to pursue only one form of art, and it's also okay if you decides to combine both of them. As for me, I enjoy both. Some days, I'm more comfortable looking at a piece of paper rathen than looking at my computer's screen. Other days it is more convenient to do things digitally considering that it is easier.
That's it for this time. Thank you for scrolling to the bottom of the post. If you like it (or don't), do let me know on the comment section.
That's it for this time. Thank you for scrolling to the bottom of the post. If you like it (or don't), do let me know on the comment section.
0 comments: