In the 1950′s acrylic paint was invented- prior to that the most game changing invention was oil paint in the 15th century. This coincided nicely with the discovery that our bodies were not just pretty sacks filled with viscus fluid but an intricate network of pumps filters and pipes of organic matter ( but I digress). The point is the artists of bygone eras had few innovations to deal with and could be left to their own devices to create content. With the invention of the computer, and the proliferation of the web we artists have been forced to toss our brushes and exchange them for an ever changing array of tools. I am talking about the computer, mouse, graphic tablet, scanner and digital camera of course- but more specifically the applications which drive these devices and allow us to create.
Photoshop was released in 1990 and there have been 12 major revisions to the software- rendering the previous version virtually useless. This means that over the last twenty years Photoshop has changed 100 times more often than the fine art of painting, and therefore as artists we have had to integrate this new technology into our work flow 100 times more efficiently that say Leonardo da Vinci. (What’d he come up with, Foreshortening? Pshaw!)
This only takes into account the Photoshop innovations however and we all know that is only the tip of the iceberg. Adobe Master Collection ships with a over 16 similarly innovative programs and there are at least 5 programming languages a graphic artist hoping to work should know- and every year these change as well . My point is that to make a living as a professional artist there is a daunting amount of knowledge that must be accumulated- and most of it has a shelf life of around two years.
This is a dramatic picture, I know- and knowledge builds upon knowledge so we’ve got that going for us- but it is a daunting task to become a well equipped artist these days. The plus side is that there doesn’t seem to be a shortage of work for talented artists and designers. This constant change creates a need for website optimization and new design standards and even if you forgot to get on the Tech boat twenty years ago, you can get on now and you might only be 5 years behind.
