Technical versus artistic proficiency
Jun 4, 2018 11:39:24 #
A few years ago I was an art director in advertising for a large corporation. Over the course of 18 years I hired about a dozen young graphic artists, in their late 20s, early 30s who had to have both creative and computer skills. Long story short, it became evident as the graphic artists grew that picking up computer skills was far easier for the artistically skilled than learning artistic skills was for the computer proficient. Since then, I've seen this repeated over and over in photography as it applies to creativity. The quote you mentioned in the article from Erich Fromm, “Creativity requires the courage to let go of certanties” echoes one by Christopher Columbus which I think is related to art. "To be a great explorer you have to be comfortable with being lost". Artists are explorers of the unconscious.
srt101fan wrote:
This article, relevant to this discussion, might be of interest. If you don't read anything else, take a look at the quote at the end of the article, interesting thought...
https://actinginlondon.co.uk/can-creativity-talent-be-taught/#
https://actinginlondon.co.uk/can-creativity-talent-be-taught/#
Jun 4, 2018 11:49:01 #
Fotoartist wrote:
The quote you mentioned in the article from Erich Fromm, “Creativity requires the courage to let go of certanties” echoes one by Christopher Columbus which I think is related to art. "To be a great explorer you have to be comfortable with being lost". Artists are explorers of the unconscious.
And of the conscious.
Reminded me of something I heard a long time ago. "A great leader is one who is willing to follow whichever his hand waves."
Jun 4, 2018 11:53:28 #
Fotoartist wrote:
A few years ago I was an art director in advertisi... (show quote)
Had friend who worked for Bell Atlantic years ago. He made final hiring decisions on a fairly high level. He told me he would look for arts training in their background on the theory that it was easier to teach the business of Bell to an artist than to get business grads how to be creative.
Jun 4, 2018 11:54:22 #
Ask any artist if he consciously planned the entire effect of his work.
Stephan G wrote:
And of the conscious.
Reminded me of something I heard a long time ago. "A great leader is one who is willing to follow whichever his hand waves."
Reminded me of something I heard a long time ago. "A great leader is one who is willing to follow whichever his hand waves."
Jun 4, 2018 11:55:10 #
Steve Perry wrote:
I think both can be learned and combined. To say that artistic talent in basically something you're born with and imply that it can't be developed seems like an excuse from someone who doesn't want to spend time developing their artistic side. They have schools for art that literally teach people to be better artists.
Sure, some people have a knack for art - although there are also those who have a knack for technology as well.
Sure, some people have a knack for art - although there are also those who have a knack for technology as well.
My sister is very talented. As a kid she could draw anything....but she never bothered to develop it (she already 'knew everything'). Oh, but she lives in a group home now, the doctors were finally able to get her medication right - she's schitzophrenic.....
So, yes, you are absolutely right. Talent only goes so far.
Jun 4, 2018 11:55:30 #
Tomcat5133
Loc: Gladwyne PA
I believe that everyone has talent. But that recognition and passion for ideas and creative approaches is brought out by the person.
I am a big follower of "emotional intelligence" as a human trait. And of the interest and fascination of images and experiences that can be
translated into communication to others. And makes their lives more interesting. Art has been in my life since I was a child.
I am a big follower of "emotional intelligence" as a human trait. And of the interest and fascination of images and experiences that can be
translated into communication to others. And makes their lives more interesting. Art has been in my life since I was a child.
Jun 4, 2018 11:57:42 #
Gene51 wrote:
Totally agree. But, while it's a long and sometimes difficult process, you can develop artistic sense. It will be forced, not coming naturally, and you may never be totally comfortable with it, but it can be done. Truly artistic people have creativity down to their very core, and nearly everything they do is creative. Including sometimes their bookkeeping 
Uh oh.....says the former cpa who tries to develop my creative side.
Jun 4, 2018 12:01:17 #
Yes technical versus artistic are two separate things --it's relatively easy to produce a technically excellent photo, much harder to produce one with definite artistic merit --photography's great strides in the technical area actually seem to make it harder to be really artistic ---you see lots of striking images, but how may photographers have a really unique vision and can personalize this vision in the photographic medium? ---very few in my opinion --i think there was more of this in the earlier eras of the Weston, Eugene Smith, Cartier Bresson, etc. --and especially in the area of human subjects in photos--very few photographers seem to even deal with this area --photography is dominated by scenics, etc. --the pictures of people are few and far between, and not very expressive when they appear --well, that's one person's opinion and observations!!!
Jun 4, 2018 12:03:32 #
Fotoartist wrote:
Ask any artist if he consciously planned the entire effect of his work.
Wrong query.
Most artists are very conscious of their work. The effect is up to the viewer.
Jun 4, 2018 12:11:35 #
Tomcat5133
Loc: Gladwyne PA
Fotoartist wrote:
A few years ago I was an art director in advertisi... (show quote)
The 2 quotes in your post are amazing. “Creativity requires the courage to let go of certanties” "To be a great explorer you have to be comfortable with being lost"
This was my gift from you today. I too was a Sr. Art Director, Creative Director and Producer. We always had intuition of who were are our creatives. Advertising and marketing are in way very simple minded. But thinkers and creators are the people we want to be with. In my own work and a class on creative marketing I taught at the Art Institute I encouraged creatives to go with their instincts. And in many cases the first one that came to mind is a keeper. Your 2 quotes are far better
then "Just do it."
Jun 4, 2018 12:13:16 #
Georgeski wrote:
Yes technical versus artistic are two separate thi... (show quote)
Depends on whose work you are looking at. The tendency on this site is to talk mostly about landscape, nature and street photographers. There is so much more out there.
I posted several examples of photographers that I am influenced by on another thread at one point. Several of these have what I would consider unique viewpoints, methods of working and aesthetics.
Here is a ink to that thread: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-514286-1.html
And here is another thread where I posted another group of artists whose work I admire: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-496960-3.html
Jun 4, 2018 12:36:57 #
I used to think that if I mastered the technical elements of photography first, then I would have a solid technical background with which to express my artistry. As time passed, I have come to believe that merely understanding the technical aspects is an ugly duckling compared to the swan of artistry. I am now engaged in photographic exercises designed to teach me to see creatively. I'm making progress but it's difficult and ever so slow. I have proved to myself that Artistry and creativity can be learned, even late in life. It's not all inborne.
Jun 4, 2018 12:40:42 #
Absolutely. I’ve had the technical side down since my Minolta Hi-Matic 9 in my teen years. Still working on the other half.
Jun 4, 2018 12:58:35 #
gvarner wrote:
The former can be learned, the latter is inherent. Combined, the two can produce award winning and valuable pieces of art. However, artistic vision by itself can produce a piece of art while technical proficiency cannot. These are my thoughts this morning. I'm sure there are differing opinions out there. Your thoughts?
I agree that technical proficiency can be learned, but your statement seems to imply that artistry cannot. I agree that some people are blessed with artistic tendencies that come out naturally, and that some people will never have them. But there are many people who can, and do, learn artistry.
Jun 4, 2018 12:59:28 #
Re: Technique vs. art. The way I look at it: If you want to take better pictures, stand in front of more interesting people or places. The thought is not original with me but it does make sense.
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