 Let's address something I think many artists who do what I do with their photos, textures, digital painting, etc are guilty of - using terms to describe the artwork and the work of others, which, in my opinion, devalue the artist's creativity, vision, and hard work.
This is a list of my most hated words I see in comments about my art: Edit Editing Manipulation Manip Treatment When I see those words tossed out in comments, I immediately get sinking feelings in my stomach. I feel as if my art has just been tremendously devalued. I feel as if the time and effort, creativity and skill with what I do has just been put on the ground and stomped on. Seriously - those words really, really bother me. I'd just as soon NOT see a comment, than see those words in any way connected with my ART. My art is ART. No matter how I create it, what tools I use, or how long it takes me - it is all ART. I do not publish my "straight photos" anymore {except some on my stock photo site from time to time}. Everything I post is ART I have created using a combination of various mediums, applications, tools, techniques, etc. The words EDIT and EDITING gives me the impression the viewer thinks I just hit a button and spit out the creation that took me 4 hours, 8 hours, even days, to create. "Editing" is what I do to brighten, sharpen, or crop a photo. PERIOD. While "editing" is often involved in the beginning, or very end, of my process, it certainly doesn't describe what I do in the least, and I actually feel insulted when I see the term. Another word I absolutely loathe is "manipulation", or even worse, the shortened version some use, "manip". While the first definition of the word means to use or handle in a skillful way, the other definitions associated with the word are negative. Whenever I heard the word "manipulation", it leaves a negative feeling behind for me. I think the absolute worst for me is when someone says "great treatment!" when referring to my ART. A "treatment" is something you receive from a doctor for a medical condition. I'm really familiar with the word treatment after the last year and half with my health issues. I do not like it at all used in concert with my art. Recently, I published the above piece I worked on for many, many hours. It was a piece which involved mixed media of a photo {for the outline reference of the subject only}, digital painting, and the integration of layers and layers of hand painted textures which I painted in my studio. It was a seriously intense and involved piece of work, and to have someone refer to it as a "treatment" is just insulting, in my opinion. Almost like the word "edit", as if I just hit a button and made that final image instantaneously appear. It doesn't work that way. Not with me, anyway. My art is ART. Period. I make a point when I am commenting on my customer's creative work to refer to it as ART, or as a creative WORK, because that's what it is. My customers create ART. They spend many, many hours, days, some even weeks, and use many mediums {because my textures and backgrounds are composed of MANY mediums in their creation}, and they use a variety of tools and skills to create their masterpieces. I will not devalue their work by using words that imply they just hit a button and made it appear, or that they did something negative to make the work what it is, or that their work somehow went through some medical process. When you refer to your work and that of others as what it is - ART - you are giving the work the true value it deserves.
10 Comments
9/27/2020 08:38:54 am
Truer words could not be spoken, Jai! The only thing I dislike more is when someone says “you must have a really good camera.” A camera without skill and an eye for a photograph is, well, not much. And art is art - no matter how it is created. You go, girl!
Denise
9/27/2020 08:53:20 am
Very well said. I agree, people need to understand it takes hours to create such beautiful pieces. Starting with things you physically paint and adding layers upon layers as you continue on with your digital work. It is far beyond editing or manipulating! You are truly an artist who deserves the title and respect for the pieces you create. 9/27/2020 10:31:17 am
Thank you! We are artists! It takes skill, imagination, passion, and patience (lots of patience) to create artwork that we hope resonates with others. I find comments like "Nice treatment" or "Great processing," belittling and trivializing.
Kirsten
9/30/2020 08:42:57 pm
Thank you for this AWESOME blog post. I had a Photography Instructor inform me that I wasn’t a real photographer because I used Photoshop to alter my photograph. To him only “straight photography” with no edits was real. Then I had traditional artist tell me that digital artwork wasn’t real art because it was digital. Even though I painted every paint stroke by hand. I am tired of being put in other people’s artistic boxes based on their opinion! Thank you for reminding me that what I create is Art. :) So well said Jay. Some 'artists' say that digital art isn't real art, as if, like you say you just push a button to create it. They just don't understand how much work and time it takes to create the art. So thanks for your words! I am sure they mean a lot to a lot of people!
Kathy
10/13/2020 05:04:27 pm
i'm one of the guilty ones who have used one or more of the above words to apply to someone's work. I sincerely apologize to you Jai, and others i may have offended.But it was not done to belittle or devalue your work, quite the contrary!!! I have enormous respect for the outstanding art you create which helps all of us improve our work! 2/12/2022 12:52:37 pm
100% - and you have put it very well. It's made even worse by the fact that many groups on Facebook and Instagram, especially those that run contests constantly use all these terms... and the artists willingly (unknowingly?) adopt them and even use them in tags. Adding to the devaluing in the minds of would-be and those less aware about digital art. I think most don't do it deliberately but it does indicate what they really deep down think and feel about digital art. Like you it can take me hours, days, weeks and even months to create a piece. 4 - 5 hours is not unusual, and then for someone to then comment "great edit!" or "great treatment!" is one of the most irritating things, whether it's meant or not. So I personally never respond to comments like that and I also never use the terms you've listed to describe my own art or the art of others. My art is my art. And I think it is up to each one of us as artists to own our art and how it is described where we can... yes, even correcting people if necessary.
Jordan
4/9/2022 12:37:50 pm
Jai, you know I've been a fan of your work forever! As we look through the ages we see artists have always been belittled for their out-of-the-box thinking and continually changing thought process. How people can think that your artwork or those of our fellow artists can be created with a push of a button is beyond me. I see not only the process you go through but the passion and a bit of yourself in every piece you create. Your ART is amazing and I for one am a fan!! Thank you for brightening my life with the magic you create. Leave a Reply. |
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