This is an image from my Artecture application; It is a portrait of an owl that I am working on by using the wide array of media available. (Photo by Emily Bruckner, August 2018)

For my technological artifact I chose my tablet, or more specifically a particular application on my tablet, Artecture. Artecture, and other applications like it, allow for artists and architects to create works of art that can easily be saved and uploaded. This application provides a near endless amount of colors to choose from and many types of simulated media to use, such as spray paint, pencils, and a variety of paintbrushes. Each of these modes of artistic expressions are easily customizable in size, opacity, and affects, all of which can be adjusted individually. I feel as though this truly represents my generation of artists and animators who can utilize such easy to use and free applications to create. Artists can now use beautifully rendered and well-built software to paint, draw, and upload their content to share with others. Before my time, if one wanted to paint one had to go and purchase often expensive paint, brushes, and canvases, whereas now, digital painting works well if not better in its stead. With applications such as these, I do not have to worry as much, if I make a mistake in my painting because I can just press a button to undo it. I also don’t have to worry about my original artwork being damaged by weather or time, it being housed in a digital space exempt from the elements. One downside to using digital art primarily, is the loss of knowledge of how use the real-life media. Using only drawing and animation software can make an artist lazy, for when a mistake is made in an oil painting it cannot be merely deleted, but it must be fixed or completely redone. Both digital and nondigital media should be used in tandem for an artist to truly be skilled in the field.

This is a picture of my tablet; I have used this often for the art applications provided.   
(Photo by Emily Bruckner, August 2018)

The information from the Media Archology Lab helped me to more fully understand how far we’ve come in the world of art and animation. It reminds me of how incredibly skilled artists used to be without any easy help from computers and technology. These artists had to be masters of their craft, perfecting and shaping their style over time to train themselves to never make a mistake on their final pieces. Back then, every painting and sculpture had to be perfectly and meticulously fashioned by hand in every aspect of the work, from matching the colors of the subject to the form. As artists, it is wise to look back and practice the ways of those who come before us, so as to more fully appreciate the new technological art-forms of the future.