Web Report Outline

How Technology has Influenced the Arts

Introduction

The Arts have always had close ties with advances in technology, and this paper will seek to examine how technology has influenced the arts in the past and how this relationship will progress in the future with the advent of newer, more advanced technology.

Background

We will discuss the three distinct stages at which technology would influence the arts:

1)     Conceptualization

2)     Production

3)     Dissemination

As the ‘arts’ is a very broad term, we would narrow our discussion down to three aspects: Visual Art, Music, and Film.

This section would also address a brief historical perspective of where the visual arts, music and film have come (ie. Previous methods of how these arts have been conceptualized, developed and disseminated. For instance, the lack of mass media in the past and the methods in which these arts have been able to spread across the globe)

Current Situation

This section will address how modern technology has affected the three previously mentioned art forms in terms of the three stages.

Conceptualization of art usually means drawing from different sources of inspiration, sometimes across various mediums. This area would focus mainly on how the individual is increasingly able to access more media with greater ease.

·         Examples of Current Technologies:

Visual Arts: Online art communities (deviantART), subscription-enabled personal pages (Tumblr, Twitter)

Music: Music recommendation services (Last.fm, Pandora Radio)

Film: Subscription-based streaming services (Netflix)

Production would deal with the translation of an idea into a tangible art form. Advances in technology give artists the capability to express themselves in ways previously impossible.

·         Examples of Current Technologies:

Visual Arts: Image editing/creation software (Adobe Photoshop)

Music: Virtual Instruments and MIDI technology, digital pitch correction (Autotune)

Film: Stereoscopic 3D Cameras (used in Avatar)

Dissemination would be the final stage where the finished product is then distributed. This ties in closely with the first stage of Conceptualization, as these newly produced works are then made available to other artists. However, this section would focus on distribution techniques that are most effective in relation to the medium, achieving the widest reach and profitability while still being in line with the artistic vision of its creator.

·         Examples of Current Technologies:

Visual Arts: Online portfolios (Carbonmade)

Music: Host streaming websites (Myspace, Soundcloud, Bandcamp)

Film: Youtube Partner services for amateur directors

Future Considerations

In this section, we would be exploring emerging technologies that could potentially improve the Conceptualization, Production and Dissemination stages for each form of media mentioned above.

Conceptualization could be aided in terms of providing the masses with a strong, global base of art. With greater web technologies and global infrastructures developed, people can get inspiration from any kind of art form, at any time in any part of the world without the constraints of visiting a museum or conventions. Although inspiration comes from within oneself, the conceptualization of the arts can definitely be inspired by the multi-platform infrastructures in the future (ie. Holographic posters where people can experience art on different levels, high-speed live visual arts expos on-the-go anywhere in the world, boundless access to these art forms wherever and whenever)

Production with greater technology beyond our current standard would entail more realistic and even 3D and 4D movies and visual arts. Ideas like visual art forms that people can see, feel, smell and even taste. More advanced production capabilities will allow producers and artists to be able to create worlds and environments that bring their audience into an alternate reality. The level of immersion of art comes with being able to produce such art with future technologies. Going beyond the brush and canvas, artists can project their imaginations onto more life-like systems that immerse the viewer and engage them on greater levels.

Dissemination would improve greatly with the access of mass media modes to everyone across the globe. With better film technology, sound and effects, movies can even be disseminated through holographic technology, going beyond the current 3D norms. With greater technology, dissemination would encompass things like ethnic and cultural art, and make it available to the masses to raise awareness and garner interest, keeping these art forms alive and maintaining cultural arts in the future.

Conclusion

Provide a summary of the points in the report and possibly assess whether futuristic technology could dilute the genuineness and rich cultural history of conventional art forms. For instance, will technology overtake the aesthetic appeal of the arts and transform it into something that becomes mechanical and lifeless, or will it be a tool of advancement and improvement in the artistic domain in the future?