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Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

INTRODUCTION

Art is made up of combined unit of a wide variation of disciplines including fine

arts, visual arts, decorative art, applied art and performing arts (Antliff, 2011). One of

the many constituents of Art is Visual Arts, these are tangible works of art such as such

as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, photography,

video, filmmaking, and architecture. Any art created through the use of real physical

media is classified as Traditional Art which is one of the basic art forms that is foremost

learned by beginners. One of the first forms of visual arts is Painting which is also

identified as the most popular form of Traditional Art (Agyeman, 2015). It was

introduced and used by many noted artists and craftsmen such as Leonardo da Vinci

(1452 – 1519), Vincent van Gogh (1853 – 1890), Henri Matisse (1869 – 1954), and

Rembrandtvan Rijn (1606 – 1669) just to mention a few. It is greatly appreciated by

many as it demands more time, effort and patience than other art forms. When it comes

to art, the old is thought by some to be of better value than the new (Beckert & Rö ssel,

2013).

Now that the world is experiencing great changes because of technology, a new

medium of art is introduced and is being used by Visual Artists around the world.

Because of this new medium, artists experience a whole new level of thrill and

excitement when creating. This newly introduced medium of visual art called Digital Art

is a technology based art form that quickly became very popular in the market.
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In digital art, artists can paint and draw in their computers and even in their

smartphones. With a software called Photoshop and other applications such as Adobe

Illustrator and MediBang Paint, artists can do things they cannot do when painting

using fundamental materials. Digital Art is also more inexpensive than Traditional Art

because aside from using only a computer to make an illustration, an artist does not

have to buy tubes of paint, paint brushes, canvas and many other tools that an artist will

need when painting. As contemporary criticism and artists' writings show, these new

forms should be understood as extensions of painting (Chang, 2010).

The two medium are being used by many artists around the globe. Both gave

great impact to the society and to the preservation of art. Both Traditional and Digital

Art are used to invigorate thoughts and emotions. The two produce visually appealing

masterpieces. Although both are similar in many aspects, traditional art is mainly a test

of patience, has no time for errors and requires a surface, some kind of pigment, and an

application tool in order to achieve a result (Bolton, 2013; Janson & Janson, 2004) while

digital art is convenient to the artist because of its features such as shortcuts, redoing

mistakes and has different tools that is easy to use (Conner-ziser, 2017). Digital Art is

made and is currently being developed to imitate an art form that is similar to Painting.

Technology is working on updating the tools to make the textures look more realistic

and pleasing to the eye. This similarity of the two type of Visual Art caused the division

among Visual Artists on their preferred medium. Digital media plays a significant role in

our daily lives in the 21st Century to the point that its use is encouraged by all and even

more so in the educational field. It is essential, therefore, when it comes to the use of
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digital media in art and more especially in painting and art education, that we gain a

deeper understanding of why some do not appreciate the use digital media use in art.

(Agyeman, 2015)

THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The following theories demonstrate an understanding and concepts that are

relevant in this study. The theories related to this study is sectioned into four (4) main

parts. The first of these addresses the desire of the artist to continue in creating art,

thus, the creation and discovery leads to innovation. The second part defined

technology and its influence in the lives of the Visual Artists. The third part shows the

importance of the idea or information regardless the medium being used. The last part

of the theoretical framework shows how the digital art is perceived in the artworld.

The Aestheticism Theory started with the idea that “art exists for the sake of

its beauty alone” (Spiegel, 1998). Art attracts the eye first before touching the heart

with its meaning and story. While humans are naturally attracted to what is beautiful

and aesthetically pleasing to the eye which is also why Visual Artists are naturaly

attracted to art. Since artists are creators and lovers of the art, they continue to create

what they love and what pleases them. This theory is relevant in the study as it states

the visual artists’ desire to preserve and continue in creating art, thus, the creation,

discovery and appreciation of different media in creating as a result of innovation.

The Representation Theory gives the arts a distinctive cognitive role. (Cooper,

1999) It talks about how Artists use different representations to portray different
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emotions and messages in their art. The theory is about artists relaying ideas or giving

information to the audience with the use of nature, innovation and symbolisms to open

our eyes to the world’s perceptual qualities and configurations, to its beauties, ugliness

and horrors. This theory shows that whatever available resources and medium an artist

may use, as long the artist can relay a message to the audience, an artwork is acceptable

as an art.

In Pragmatism, Art exists to serve a function and is conceptualized in terms of

its effects in its audience, and in terms of its effects on its audience and in terms of the

purposes it is design to accomplish such as the creation of specific shared experiences.

One of the Pragmatic Theories by Spiegel (1998) is about “Art as a means of enhancing

experience and thought.” which connects the theory to the study. Art is an unending

process of learning and experience which means that Visual Artists can explore

different media to learn about the different sides of art. This theory claims that this

learning, in today’s generation brought art into technology, producing Digital Art that is

currently being used and explored by visual artists.

The Institutional Theory is about how the art is connected to the “artworld”.

This Artworld is composed of the set of art critics, organizers of exhibitions, owners of

galleries and others with relevant experience and authority. Dickie (1989) claimed that

a work of art is to be understood as an artifact made for presentation to an “artworld

public” The artworld becomes that totality of frameworks for the presentation of a

work of art by an artist to these people with higher authority. Hepburn (1999) claimed

that although it is not clear as to why an artist’s work is needed to be criticized by an

institution, it is a reality that this institution has set standards and criteria in art pieces

and media. Since Digital Art is the new medium, it is being criticized not just by the

artworld but also by artists and audiences. This theory shows that not all the audiences

agrees that Digital Art is an art since there are less materials being used and the

advantage of using the Ctrl + Z option or Undo is available. Many people considers this

as “cheating” since it can change and erase mistakes that other Visual Art media

couldn’t do. However, Conner-ziser (2017) argues that these features are not a form of

cheating but a form of convenience that artists can use to their advantage. This theory

shows that the art institution is still adjusting to the innovation and development of the

artworld in terms of art media, tools and illustration influenced by technology.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLES DEPENDENT

Visual Art Medium

Figure 1.1 Schematic Diagram

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The purpose of this study is to provide a data analysis on the preference of

aspiring visual artists on art media with influence to technology.

Specifically, this study sought answers to the following questions:

1. What is the respondents profile in terms of:

1.1 Gender; and

1.2 Length of interest and experience in Visual Arts?

2. What medium does the artists find it more convenient?

3. What medium does the artists find it more aesthetically pleasing?

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

This research is concerned with the analysis on which of Digital Art and

Traditional Art is the most preferred by aspiring Visual Artists among the Senior High

School students of Liceo de Cagayan University in the campus of Paseo del Rio. The

researchers will explain and study as to why artists prefer a certain art media as well as

the factors as to why they most likely prefer the media and will find out which of the

two media is the most commonly used. Therefore, this research will have 40 aspiring

Visual Artists in the vicinity of Liceo de Cagayan University – Paseo del Rio Campus as

respondents to be surveyed using test questionnaires.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be of help to Aspiring Visual Artists. The study’s result in

knowing which of Traditional Art and Digital Art is the most commonly used media will

enable them to be aware on which Visual Art medium is most used and relevant in

today’s generation that will help them understand and know their preferred medium

and the medium they prefer less.

This study will help Visual Art Teachers who are also learning and exploring art

and what it can possibly offer. This study will give them an idea about the perception of

the youth today about visual arts and their preferred medium as well as the factors as
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to why they prefer such. This may help them understand their students and give them

ideas on how to teach them better as they explore and learn in different media of art.

This study will help Future Researchers. That they may be able to use this study

as a guide in making their own research study in the future.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Digital Art is an art created or modified using a computer or other digital media.

(Oxford Dictionary)

Interactivity is designed to respond to the actions, commands, etc., of a user.

(Merriam Webster) Interactivity refers to digital media’s ability to be aware of and

respond to the user, as opposed to analog media where the subject is oblivious to the

viewer. (Binkley 1997)

Medium (Plural – Media) refers to the materials that are used to create a work

of art. (www.study.com) Traditional Art and Digital Art are the media that are studied

in this study.

Software is the program that runs on a computer and performs certain

functions. (Merriam Webster) In this study, software is a tool being used in Digital Art.

Traditional Art refers to fine arts that use the old methods for creating artwork,

such as pens, brushes, clay and other tools. (www.graphicmania.net)

Virtuality is noting a focus of a system forming virtual image.

(www.dictionary.com) Virtuality is computer art’s invisible and intangible nature,

allowing it the ability to change and adapt according to the medium and viewer, while

at the same time be more resilient than analog media. (Binkley 1997)
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List of References
 Traditional Arts VS. Digital Arts by Rafiq Elmansy (November 24, 2018)

http://www.graphicmania.net/traditional-vs-digital-arts/

 Digital Vs. Traditional Art – the debate | Twenty – First Century Art and Design by

Benjamin Clancy “clancyartpages” (November 24, 2018)

https://benjaminclancy.com/multimedia/digital-vs-traditional-art-the-debate/

 Traditional Painting vs. Digital Painting: A Process Comparison by Jane Conner

(November 24, 2018)

https://www.breathingcolor.com/blog/traditional-vs-digital-painting/

 Digital Art versus Traditional Art by Pol Libunao (November 24, 2018)

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140925150350-122792346-digital-art-

versus-traditional-art

 The Chicago School of Media Theory by Lauren Tresp (November 24, 2018)

https://lucian.uchicago.edu/blogs/mediatheory/keywords/digital-art/

 Aesthetics – Plato’s Aesthetics (November 25, 2018)

http://www.rowan.edu/open/philosop/clowney/aesthetics/

philos_artists_onart/plato.htm

 The Chicago School of Media Theory by Lauren Tresp (November 25, 2018)

https://lucian.uchicago.edu/blogs/mediatheory/keywords/digital-art/

 Wittgenstein, Theory and the Arts by Allen and Turvey (November 25, 2018)

https://books.google.com.ph/books?

hl=en&lr=&id=srUCmBP98dEC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=+digital+arts+and+tradition
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al+arts+research+study&ots=H-rCG8_1rA&sig=lZYdF-

laPhLCcW6u7dpNJMiirx0&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

 Art as Representation (November 25, 2018)

http://www.textetc.com/theory/faithful-representation.html

 Handbook of the Arts in Qualitative Research by Knowles and Cole (November 25,

2018)

https://books.google.com.ph/books?

id=3TiMAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA155&lpg=PA155&dq=theories+about+r+arts&source=

bl&ots=ub2KNFtPyi&sig=_U9ds0t_BHgX2ix5NHAF54KmdaE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0

ahUKEwiti_2jlo3WAhUJX5QKHcPgBtkQ6AEIUzAF#v=onepage&q=Art%20is%20a

%20language&f=false