When photography first emerged it wasn't taken very seriously in the art world. To have something that you could reproduce thousands of times... something that takes seemingly little effort to create... something that requires a machine to do more than working with your hands... These were all the opinions of the skeptics on photography. However it has evolved so much in the past hundred or so years into such a huge staple in art and communication. It has completely revolutionized the way we take in the world around us.As a graphic designer and a complete nerd I often hear arguments that the work that I do doesn't really count as art and a lot of it is the same arguments that were once made about photography. There isn't a hand made quality to it and the work that I make can be reproduced countless times.
While I understand the concerns of the fine art world I think that like photography, computer based illustrations and art are going to revolutionize the art world. The attached piece (I wish I could make something like this. I hope to some day) is a somewhat famous digital work that combines the ever growing internet/app world with a modern city. It holds such great commentary about the direction of American society and even better, the medium that was chosen reflects that way more than paint or pencil could do.
I just got a gig as an illustrator for a card game series called "Killer Bunnies." The game is really weird and complex but the illustrations are hilarious. When I was interviewing for the job one of the things the interviewer insisted on was a sturdy foundation in Adobe Illustrator because all of the illustrations are done in vector art for a cleaner crisper feel. I see vector based illustrations popping up more and more. It seems that the illustration world is being eaten by computers. This isn't to say that we should give up the handmade element that gives a lot of work its charm. But I do like seeing the way the industry is evolving and opening up so many more options and aesthetics for illustration.
This piece reminds me of the first time I was in Time Square New York and I was overwhelmed by all the neons. It was like a color brain tumor. While I did not enjoy this in real life I do like the way this piece is colored and the hectic movement of the entire piece. It promotes interest.
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