Artifact 6- Technology

Unit 8 examined the advancements that we have made over the years in the computer graphics department and how it is used as an art form. Computer graphics is only becoming more advanced. It has become a key aspect to the art world. Filmmakers often use it computer graphics to add special affects to their films. Computer graphics is also used by artists to recreate, add to, or edit photos in Photoshop. In the reading for unit 8, “Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins” by Beverley Jones, the author discusses how we have come so far with technology in regards to computer graphics. Jones states that all the advancements we have made with technology have come from our previous technology. We use the old stuff in order to help create new technology. Throughout history we have only started to become more and more advanced in regards to technology. We have people creating new things all the time. In regards to computer graphics, what I have seen lately is that creators work to make everything the best it can be. The want to work to produce the most clear and perfect image possible.

I believe that creating art with the use of a computer is just as valid as creating art without a computer. It takes a significant amount of skill in order to produce art on a computer. I feel a close connection to computer graphics because my mom is a graphic designer. She has taught me everything that I know about Photoshop and creating art on a computer. Learning about what she does really taught me how hard it is to produce art on a computer. You not only have to be creative and good with a mouse, but you have to learn about all the aspects of the programs that are used in computer graphics. From my experience I have learned that programs like Photoshop require a lot of skill and patience, not only to create art but to become familiar with all the tools. An aspect of computer graphics that I find very interesting is that once you create one image that you are satisfied with, you are able to produce an infinite amount of this image and you are able to print it on almost anything. This idea of mass production made me think about unit 4, food as art, because in this unit I talked a lot about how I think that the mass production of food makes it so that type of food is not seen as an art form. However, I felt different about the mass production of computer-generated art. The reason I feel different is because I know how much work can go into the original creation of a computer generated art piece. At the time when I was doing the assignments for unit 4, I felt that the mass production of food should not be seen as an art form, I have just now come to the realization that it has the potential to be. For example, the original hamburger that was produced by a fast food restaurant did have a significant amount of thought put into it. They wanted to create the perfect burger that customers would fall in love with, and they did which is why they have to mass-produce it. Unit 8 helped me not only further my knowledge of computer-generated art and the technology behind it, but also helped me to find a new understand for one of the previous units in this course.