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Call Your Art What It Is -- ART!

9/27/2020

8 Comments

 
Picture
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I do not publish my "straight photos" anymore {except some on my stock photo site from time to time}.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.  
8 Comments
Carol Erikson link
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!

Reply
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.

Reply
Kathy Kelly link
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.

Creative people like to experiment and grow, and I have learned so much from you and my fellow Daily Texture artists. Keep those videos and beautiful textures coming!

Reply
Debby link
9/28/2020 07:07:28 am

Well said. I do both portrait photography as well as art. Most of my clients appreciate my artwork thank goodness. It is sometimes on art sites that people don’t understand, which I find ironic. 😊

Reply
Ann J Sagel link
9/28/2020 08:10:45 am

I totally agree.

Reply
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. :)

Reply
Marina link
10/12/2020 01:45:31 am

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!

Reply
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!
I too spend hours working on my art. Over the years, I have had many question my desire to "embellish" a photograph, lost what would have been my biggest sale back in the day because my painting was "digital" rather than done the "traditional way with oils." I have also endured those "smart" folks who "know" about Photoshop, and literally winked at me because they refrained from telling anyone in the vicinity about "secret" filters i must certainly have used. Telling them about the hours i spent probably fell on deaf ears. Coming from the world of video i did a lot of editing, and it took a lot of work to create a cohesive story out of a jumble of words and images. I have also heard traditional artists use the word "treatment" in place of "studies" when discussing their work. But I apologize for using the words lightly, they were not meant to be offensive. It took a long time, to get over being "ashamed" of the digital work i did after losing that one sale...but that's history. I'm a photographer and an artist and i appreciate and am proud of the work we all do!!!

Reply



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