What is digital art? Learn the definition and see digital art examples. Learn about digital art history and see how it compares to other forms of art.
Updated: 11/21/2023
Digital Art | Definition, History & Examples
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is digital art made?
Digital art can be made on a machine, such as a computer or a digital camera. Computers run programs and they are designed especially for making art, such as Final Cut Pro for video editing, Adobe Illustrator for drawing, or Sketchup for 3D modeling.
What is the purpose of digital art?
Artists have many purposes for creating digital art. The earliest controversy arose in the 1960s, where it was seen as an automatic process. Since then, artists have striven to make art that questions the boundaries, thus separating the automatic, the random, and the original.
What is considered digital art?
Digital art is art created in a computer or other automatic machine like a digital camera.
It is generally understood to stand apart from fine" or "plastic" arts.
Where is digital art used?
Digital art comes in many forms like installation art, motion pictures, still photographs, and computer art. Depending on what form it takes, digital art can be found in galleries, movie theaters, or on the Internet.
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ShowHumans have employed a variety of art forms throughout history to express their creativity and ideas. These include organic materials from prehistoric times to the advanced digital technology in the modern-day. Nowadays, artists have a vast array of methods to choose from. Some may go the traditional route using paintbrushes, while others prefer digital art, which uses video technology and computers.
Digital art, as the word itself illustrates, is characterized by electronic, especially computerized technology.
Images can be drawn by hand and then scanned into a computer. They can also be created using hardware such as drawing tablets and a free open-source software program, such as Blender, or a paid software program like Adobe Photoshop. Digital art has evolved to create realistic animations, seen in famous Pixar movies.
Other modern digital art forms include 3D sculptural renderings, manipulation of video images, as well as a combination of various technologies.
In a nutshell, digital art is a method of merging art and technology that is perfect for multimedia presentations because it can potentially be viewed in many ways, including TV, internet, and social media.
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As technology continues to evolve, so does digital art. Here are some different kinds of digital art styles.
Fractal/Algorithmic Art
Fractal art uses computers to solve non-linear and polynomial equations of fractal structures, and the results produce images and visuals.
Data-Moshing
This process manipulates media files to produce the desired visual effects or images when the file is being decoded. It creates an amalgamation of frames and repetition of images.
Dynamic Painting
It is one of the most modern and advanced forms of digital art. The artwork is painted by a computer, thus requiring minimal physical labor by the mastermind a.k.a. the artist.
2D Computer Graphics
It transforms 2D dimensional models like texts and digital images into 2D computer graphics. It's used in the entertainment industry and generally on traditional graphics like typography, cartography, technical drawing, and advertising.
3D Computer Graphics
It's a modified version of 2D computer graphics as it renders 2D graphics by representing the three-dimensional aspect of geometric data found in models or structures.
Pixel art
This style of digital art uses software to create art at the pixel level. The pixels are sometimes enlarged for a retro appearance. This kind of graphics is derived from 8-bit and 16-bit computers and video game consoles.
Digital Photography
A variety of technologies produce electronic or computer-based photography to capture, create, edit and share digital images and photographs.
This digital art style creates, publishes, or uses digital photographs on computers and the internet.
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Digital Art | Definition, History & Examples
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