Limitations of digital art

I recently ran across an advertisement for a collection of old magazines. This peaked my interest as I love reading old news articles and history and I saw an opportunity for possibly using articles and images in my collages.

While I enjoy creating the collages digitally as it makes it possible to work in any space the digital images. Even when printed. Lack the 3 dimensional character I crave. A big part of what I love about this work is the physical placing and overlaying of images, something digital work can not replicate.

The tactile process of arranging images by hand, adjusting them and finally sealing them in place gives me a sense of accomplishment and completeness.

I can equate this to the experience of reading a printed book versus a digital version. THe act of touching a page, feeling it’s texture and resistance as itis turned brings satisfaction swiping left can not. And while the reading of word is similar it lacks a visceral quality. I am very much a “touch” person. Feeling the texture and temperature of an item makes it real for me. The smooth coolness of an apply, the warm granular lines of a piece of wood as I run my hand over the linear surface and trace the grain brings me a pleasure that the slick digital images can not replicate. Even if visually I can “feel “ the texture im my mind the joy is lacking.

So my next step is to seek out ways to bring the textural experience to my work and, if possible, encourage viewers to touch the work as well as view it.