The Internet and the Artist

Ive had some thoughts niggling at the back of my mind with regards to social network and art. I appreciate the irony of posting this on a blog site but bear with me.

Recently I got caught up with the sudden explosion of drawcrowd and duly set up an account like every other artist on the planet it seemed. At once It felt like one too many ‘platforms’ for me. I felt almost ashamed to be another cog in the "look at me" art community. People seem to want to do great work in order show it off and get ‘props’ and ‘kudos’ rather than to develop their skills. Im certainly not immune to this criticism, I wish I could claim the moral high ground. I understand exposure is all part of the package especially when you are freelancing, but more is not necessarily better. If I was freelancing the last place I’d want to put my stuff is where there are countless other artist that are either better, cheaper, or more unique a mere click away.

Look at the sudden emergence of 'spitpainting'. People seem to want to crank out quantity over quality. Ive seen good competent artists clog up their folios with tonnes of this stuff. Sure it’s great to spark an idea you wouldn't have thought of otherwise to work up at a later date. But take time and enjoy the process. Worthwhile art takes time.

Then there is another angle. There is just so much great art it can almost be discouraging and certainly, to me at least, upsets my focus on what I do and what I want to achieve. Don't get me wrong I enjoy looking at a great artists site or blog and deconstructing and learning their processes. It’s the breadth of work that overwhelms me. All different all great and all contradicting one another, like I say. It clouds my mind. I’m in the process trying to reign it all in. of course you need some presence and its useful for professional networking but there has to be a limit. It's hard as every artist wants some validation or encouragement but I just find all the other baggage that comes with can make it counterproductive for me.

I guess the only thing I can do is be honest with myself as to why I'm producing this piece of art. Is it conveying an idea? Is it developing me in some way? Or is it for vanity, which is fine from time to time. We all need a little pick me up now and again.