So you’ve decided to venture into arts which is great. Have you decided which type of art you are planning to pursue? If not, we’re here to guide you. It is understandable to get confused and overwhelmed when choosing your path. It’s quite a herculean task for beginners to choose which type of art is the best for them. So in this article, we will give you a comprehensive look on the two major types of art: digital vs. traditional art. We will look at the pros and cons of the two art styles and see which one is better for you. Ready to figure out your next artistic move? Keep on reading to know, then!
In this article, we will answer the top question for aspiring artists: which is easier and better for beginners - digital vs. traditional art? Such a question has been all over the mouths of the people trying to venture into art since the advent of technology. Of course, a lot of people think that traditional art is better because nothing beats the original and that it gives you the whole artistic experience. Traditional art has been a part of human nature as far as we know, dating back thousands of years ago. We are accustomed to the original way of craftsmanship using our own hands. But traditionalism gained an opponent when technological advancements were made. Is the original method really better or did the modernized version conform to the needs of aspiring artists? If you prefer a more accessible and less frustrating type of art, you should consider pursuing digital art over traditional art. You can bring your smartphone, tablet, and laptop wherever you go. Thus, you can undo your mistakes with just a click. It’s also less challenging and convenient.
Digital vs. Traditional Art: A Quick Tour for Beginners
The Pros of Digital Art
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Increased accessibility: If you’re planning to start your artistic journey with no down time, then digital art is the way to go. Unlike with traditional art, creating digital art is more accessible than ever now that everyone seems to have their own different gadgets. You don’t need to own every gadget to start digitally-producing your artworks. You can either select from a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop, or a computer that you already own. If you decide to use your phone or tablet, you can buy a cheap yet durable stylus-- this device can make you feel like you’re sketching with a pencil. On the other hand, you can also invest in a drawing pad if you prefer to work on your laptop or computer--great for animation!
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Portability: Can you imagine yourself carrying your easel, canvas, brushes, drawing tools, painting medium, and other art supplies whenever it’s necessary for you? Of course, you can’t. That’s why digital art solved such conflict among artists who want to bring and create their art with them wherever they go.
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Allows you to be more productive: Since digital art is less susceptible to mistakes and makes them easier to correct with just a few clicks, you are able to create more artworks compared to the traditional way of doing art. In the digital world, you don’t have to prepare your materials, you can bring your gadget wherever you go and no longer need time for after cleaning, color mixing, and so forth.
The Cons of Digital Art
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Technical difficulties may arise: This can be a massive obstacle if you’re not a tech-savvy person. Unfortunately, gadgets are not invincible objects so expect lagging, program crashing, app incompatibility, and hardware issues. Of course, your effort can be saved if the app that you’re using has an auto-save feature so such a feature can diminish the problem a little bit.
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Reproduction without permission is possible: Art theft is nothing new to the art industry. Although it is understandable that nothing is really original and that most arts are appropriated from another art, stealing artworks has never been easier due to technology. In the online space, your artworks can be easily reposted and profited on by other people without your permission and credit.
The Pros of Traditional Art
To fully answer the question, “which is easier and better: digital vs. traditional art?” We will also explore the advantages and disadvantages of the original way of creating artworks. Let’s get started.
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Nothing beats the original: You’ll get the full artistic experience when you start to work on traditional art. It’s hands-on and there are more skills that you can learn. Thus, learning basic artistic skills the traditional way can help you adjust easily with the technological advancements in art if you also want to try digital art.
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Unique artworks: Digital artworks are quite unique, too. However, physical artworks that are traditionally made have that extra wow factor considering that your artwork will not be duplicated and mass reproduced, it is also harder to physically steal your own artwork. If people really like your art, they will most likely buy it from you.
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Versatility: With traditional art, you’ll be able to use different art mediums, apply textures, use conventional and non-conventional art materials in order to create a dramatic effect for your artwork. This is harder to do with digital art because the effects are quite subtle.
The Cons of Traditional Art
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Quite pricey: One major disadvantage of traditional art is that the prices of the materials are quite expensive, especially if you’re aiming for high quality materials.
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Hard to cover up mistakes: There is no undo button in real life, unfortunately. Unlike digital art, traditional art aims for perfection and precision so it often puts a lot of pressure on the artist.
The Important Takeaway
We hope that we helped you in figuring out which is better and easier for beginners: digital vs. traditional art? The key to knowing which is better for you is to know your strong preferences, influence, and learning style. If you think that digital art will work for you, then go for it. If not, opt for the original, traditional way of creating artworks instead.
