Technology

Photoshop has long since evolved from being a professional tool used only by the most dedicated of digital artists to a user-friendly software that can easily be accessed and utilized by most anyone with a computer. With the advancements of modern technology and the rate of computer literacy growing larger and larger as children who learn how to use the computer get younger and younger, more and more people are using Photoshop to make adjustments on digital images, tweak their personal photos, and create  their own  digital art.

I myself was hesitant about crossing over to the realm of digital art. The idea of entering a new field of art when I already have a good grasp of the more traditional art fields did not quite sit well with me. But with the aid of this  course, Ive come to realize that theres nothing to fear about delving into a the digital art world. For one, even with limited knowledge of the software, one can produce beautiful works of art and as your knowledge of the program grows, so does the number of ideas you can put to paper   or in this case, the screen. Even as you master Photoshop, youre sure to never run out of things to create, with the program now relying on your creativity.

Art trends have also begun to resurface due to the effects Photoshop has had over visual arts. Recreating classical looks for example,  has been made easier and convenient due to the software. Lomography, for example, has grown in popularity recently  with hipsters and fashionistas pimping out their social network webpages andor image blogs with digitally manipulated images that seek to resemble classic lomo photos. Tons of humorous renditions of classical masterpieces have been circulating the web, showing that it is possible to create artwork similar to those created by the masters with Photoshop. Purists may tend to criticize the recreation of classic styles and themes through digital means, but the end result is the same.

Perhaps one of the things I may have to watch out for with the acquisition of these skills is that people tend to overdo things when they learn something new. And with the possibilities made available by Photoshop, its always so easy to overdo something. Breaking away from ones work to allow for a fresh look at it still helps. And if you do screw things up, theres always the undo command.