Four Ways Technology Has Changed the Arts

Technology has irrevocably impacted our way of life and culture, and there is no greater evidence of that than its impact on art. For every art form, the use of tablets, computers, and the internet has changed the way we distribute, create, and experience our arts. Whether this is for better or for worse is the source of eternal debate, but for the sake of informing either side of the argument, here are four ways technology has changed the arts.

Digital Art

Visual art has always thrived off of finding new mediums to capture our world’s beauty and emotion. Because of that, it should be no surprise that visual arts have blossomed with the advent of drawing tablets, photoshop, and similar digital art platforms. Thanks to digital art, artists can experiment with a whole range of new styles and tools without the barriers of physical paint and pencil. It makes storing pieces of art significantly easier than storing canvases; however, it also makes losing art pieces easier.

Electric Instruments

Although modern six-string guitars have been popular since the late 1700s, before the advent of electric guitars, it was difficult for them to be heard when used in an ensemble. The addition of electricity to a guitar influenced its popularity today by making it a more viable concert option. Nowadays, this technology has been applied to many stringed instruments, from violins to banjos, and was a precursor to electric and digital pianos. Without this technology, multi-track recording and orchestrating songs in home studios wouldn’t be possible.

Endless Possibilities in Film

Even in the days of early film, there were ways of doing some visual effects using tricks in perspective and color filters (along with some stunts that still make modern stunt actors doubletake). But modern technology has given filmmakers almost endless possibilities for what they can make happen on-screen, whether they’re creating an entire fantasy world or transforming one character into another. Of course, many argue that film loses some of its magic when done completely digitally, so the arguments about its benefits and downfalls will likely continue to rage on.

Bringing Art to the Audience

Whatever the medium, one of the most significant ways technology has changed the arts is by making it more accessible. Digital art uploaded online to social media and art-sharing websites make viewing art and getting exposure both easier and more difficult. It becomes easier because it can be done with the click of a mouse and often at no cost, but it also becomes more difficult because the sheer volume of art makes getting your art noticed challenging. Accessibility is also significant for less accessible arts like theatre, which historically have had to be viewed in-person. With advanced film technology and streaming services, a show on Broadway can potentially be viewed anywhere in the country at any time.