The Internet - good or bad for artists?

[Dan Goodwin]

There's been much discussion in another thread about the pros and cons of the proliferation of artists on the internet.

Creativity has exploded online in the last couple of years. Is that a good thing because now anyone can share their art with the waiting world? Or does the sheer volume of art available somehow dilute the work of all artists?

Share your thoughts below...

[Barbara Ann Storrier]

Dan sez:

"It also highlights that different people create for different reasons, and though you say there were "some members who seemed to have a lot more money than creative ability, and their main concern would be where to purchase videos to be shown how to do the most basic things, and where to buy the very best equipment and storage systems, etc", if someone enjoys a creative form for one reason or another that's their right, and who are we to comment?"

True. I never commented about that at the time. I don't feel it's my job to judge. I try to help if others have questions about things I have had personal experience with.

[Nick]

The internet, like dynamite is a very mixed bag!

[Starla]

I think for me the most important thing about the internet is the ability to connect with other creative people. As someone who works in a creative profession from home, I'm on my own a lot of the time - fabulous musical husband notwithstanding of course - and so I find being able to instantly communicate with others is so helpful. Especially because half the time I'm questioning my sanity. I think the isolation that can happen to some artists can be their downfall. Realising that we have things in common or simply being brought back down to earth is very important to me.

But the net does have its downsides and I have had wonderful friendships with creative people via letter. In fact, one summer I felt so bored and isolated in the little independant record shop I was working in, that I picked up the nearest record and started a totally random correspondence with a singer songwriter from New York that lasts, albeit sporadically now, to this day. All that was without the internet. There's something to be said for the humble letter and stationery and stamps is always top of my birthday list.

In terms of the net as a forum for displaying and sharing creative works, I think that it does have a diluting effect. It is difficult to wade through and discover art that sings to you when you're not confronted with it in a more tangible medium. Even writing still feels more real to me when I can smell and feel the paper it's printed on.

love from
starla.

[Dan Goodwin]

Starla your last sentence makes me think of music too. I've recently got into downloading the odd mp3 track here and there from iTunes, but if there's an album I really want, I'll buy the CD.

The packaging and the art work is all part of it, as well the experience of taking the CD out of the jewel case for the first time (you know when they're really tightly held by that circle of teeth?) and opening the booklet and reading the words and credits etc...

Seeing a tiny picture of the album about 1cm square on my iPod Nano just isn't the same, however great the music!

[Nick]

This is how I feel about CDs relative to Lps

[Virginia Gardner]

On my knees in full praise of the computer and internet. I'm not sure I would even be making art today were it not for the internet. Between Ebay and a couple of Yahoo groups, I've learned the craft of mosaics, been put in touch with people doing & supplying, and then, most important for me, I've been able to put my work out there for review. It's often mentioned that artists work in a vacuum, and I really believe it's true. But the internet allows us that exposure that is so critical.

[Lin Neiswender]

Virginia, you art is so incredible, that would have been a terrible shame if your light was still hid under a bushel! Computers and the Net rock!

[Dan Goodwin]

Yep, no need for such isolation these days, the internet is becoming an essential investment for so many...

[Alfredo]

I am back in the land of the living! This last month has been a bit hellish (I did not even get to see 'Mamma Mia!' at the movies like I planned, so I guess I will see it when the DVD is released later this year...) *sigh*

I have a few thoughts about the Internet for artists. I think that there is indeed a lot of art out there. However, what separates such art is the artist behind it. If the artist behind the art is serious about the work, has a plan that includes marketing such art outside the Internet, knows how to set up a well designed site to showcase his/her art, perseveres, etc., such artist rises above the mass.

For the artist that just loves to share their art for the simple pleasure of sharing, the Internet can be a wonderful venue.

As far as getting ripped off, I think there is only so much protection one can have on the Internet. I venture to say that visual art is more at risk than music. In my line of work (music), it is a little easier tanks to performance rights societies like ASCAP and BMI that fight hard to protect their member's music. Also, working with distributors who make sure one's work is extremely protected within the venues the music is offered also helps. After that, once the music is in someone else's hands it is anyone's guess where else it may go. I see it as 'free publicity.' How many times have you ended up with an MP3 from a friend, found out you loved the artist and ended up buying half the artist's catalog?

[Nick]

Mp3s are like flyers from the local music store. If you find something you like and pursue it to to allmusic.com or amazon, they will tell you about the artists other recordings and other music that might appeal to you based on the people that bought the original CD you look for. I've often ended up buying several CDs because I listen to one mp3. Anyone who really enjoys music should play a song from a CD and then the same mp3. The difference in fidelity due to compressing the file amazing.

[Dan Goodwin]

I walk a lot and most times have my iPod on, so I've got used to that level of fidelity, and it's not far from CD quality, if you compress the file to a high quality mp3 or AAC as I use on my Mac.

I do still regularly enjoy an album on my CD player with my treasured Grado headphones, and it's then you can get really lost in the intricate details of a record...

I used to spend a lot of time with Pandora radio on, which is a site where you choose a song or artists and it makes up a radio station playlist of that artist's work and similar other artists. It was fantastic and I discovered loads of new artists through it, and went on to buy their CDs. Frustratingly it's now unavailable anywhere outside the US and the US government are working on closing that down too...

[Nick]

I don't listen so much with ear phones as too much earphones bugs my ears.. I have a nice tube amplifier with some very good speakers and the difference is quite easily noticed. More then if you take the sample rate from 96 down to 44.1. Then again, we all have different ears I guess.