Technology's Effect On The Creative Process

Art is the expression of human skill, and while it usually refers to the creative arts, it comprises all things from engineering to dancing. Even the most functional product must be designed with a careful balance of functionality and aesthetics. Making this art requires a tedious creative process that follows ideas from their beginnings to their ends. As the world changes and technologies develop, this creative process must as well, affecting all who utilize it. The use of these new technologies complement the creative process at every step, from inception to completion, but not without unavoidable costs.
Before technology’s effect on the creative process can be discussed, the creative process itself must be defined and described. It is nearly …show more content…
In creating all art, from functional products to paintings for galleries, the creative process is improved at every step. The first step, preparation, is heavily affected by the use of the internet. It allows people of all skill levels to gain experience, find examples that can inspire and spur them to innovation, and get funding from potential customers and supporters. Conception is largely unaffected, because original ideas must come from the artists themselves; however, it allows people to collaborate together with ease and keep track of potential ideas. Analysis is perhaps the most affected by technology. Tools such as visual editing software allow artists to create concepts in very little time at almost no cost, modeling software allows engineers to do stress testing without even having to produce a prototype, and 3-D printing allows for the creation of models without the need to send blueprints off and wait months at a time. Implementation is improved in almost every way. New materials and production methods give artists new ways to express their ideas. Communication through the internet allows creators to get in contact with manufacturers and buyers, providing new storefronts for even the least funded creators. As technology improves, artists and designers gain tools they never had before, …show more content…
Perhaps the greatest benefit of technology is its worst shortcoming: reducing the amount of time the creative process takes. The creative process is, despite the informality, still a process, and by spending less time at each step, creators tend to rush out subpar products and art simply because they are able. This leads to a problem of quantity over quality, where inferior works overwhelm superior ones. Before newer technologies made the process so quick and affordable, each run through the creative process was far more valuable, leading to more effort and dedication each time. By having fewer works, artists of the past were remembered for their excellent quality. Likewise, the patience and devotion that art requires is being devalued with the modern notion of speed and efficiency that technology can offer. By providing new paths of communication and information, many ideas are becoming less distinct, novel, and innovative. No one wants to reinvent the wheel, and by using the internet, people can find what will inevitably succeed; however, innovation can only come from experimenting with the fundamentals. Furthermore, with the numerous benefits that technology brings to the table, it makes sense that many artists are becoming completely dependent upon it. Many designers and creators cannot perform the creative process on their own, because they are too