Discover Digital Art | History of New Media Art and Top Contemporary Digital Artists

Digital art is a relatively new phenomenon in the creative industries. However, despite its shorter history, digital art has been developing at a rapid rate thanks to exponential improvements in technology in the last few decades. 

In this post, we will discuss the history of digital art and go over a few artists that use their creative digital art skills in harmony with technology to produce unique pieces that may not have been possible before this new technology era. 

Definition of Digital Art

Digital art is any artwork produced on digital media, this includes digital photography, illustration using digital software, 3D animations and digital drawings. You may occasionally hear digital art being referenced as computer art or new media art. 

The digital art may be created by an individual artist, or it can be computer generated using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) software. 

History of Digital Artwork

Digital art is a new era, and in years to come, it may be recognised as a pivotal period in art history. The earliest art we have in record is prehistoric art from around 40,000 to 4,000bc, followed by ancient art, medieval, and renaissance, all the way up to the various art styles in the 1900s, including pop art, cubism, and surrealism. 

The contemporary art era began in the 1970s, which includes other styles, including feminist art and street art, and encompasses digital art history. However, some people argue that the digital art era could have started as early as the 1800s when the first cameras were invented or when artists began experimenting with computers to aid their art in the 1960s. As technology and programs have developed over time, digital art has rapidly evolved parallel to our new technologies. Therefore, we are probably only just scratching the surface of the capabilities of digital art. 

Digital Artists

• Romero Britto

Romero Britto is an expert at working with colour to create striking pieces that add a pop of interest to any corner of your home. Although Britto is not solely a digital artist by trade, he has worked on projects to bring his artwork to life through digital display. He is open to exploring new mediums of art and is happy to be at the forefront of change as artists experiment with video art and digital displays. 

Discover more about Romero Britto and his art on the Imitate Modern blog.

• Nana Del Riego

Nana Del Riego is one of our top emerging artists who uses her unique experience growing up in Cuba to portray herself and others in a new light. She started her career while studying fine art at University. However, she has now transitioned to a digital photographer and uses her skills to capture femininity, social networks and complex human behaviours in her work. 

Learn more about Nana Del Riego’s background and inspiration in our articles ‘Cuban artists everyone should know about’ and ‘female photographers to watch in 2022’.

• Tyler Shields

Tyler Shields is a world-renowned American photographer who captures images few other photographs would even dream of conceptualising. His use of sensual pleasure, danger and wild animals captures the attention of an audience around the globe. 

Although Tyler likes to experiment with 30-year-old film cameras to achieve a vintage illusion in his work, he also uses modern cameras to capture a moment in time which evokes a strong emotional feeling within the viewers. However, just because he is on this list as a digital photographer doesn’t mean he fabricates the danger within his work. He really has placed his models just feet away from a lion’s claw and alligator’s jaw. 

Read more about Tyler’s background and see examples of his exceptional work in this article about Tyler Shields. 

FAQ

What Is a Digital Art NFT?

You may have heard the term ‘NFT’ floating about the internet in the last year or two. An NFT is a new way of owning digital assets. You purchase a Non-Fungible Token which can represent rights of ownership to digital art, music, videos, graphics, virtual reality, and more. They are predominately sold and purchased with cryptocurrencies. 

At Imitate Modern, we sell some artwork that has been created solely or partially using a computer. This is not the same as an NFT. An NFT is a certificate of ownership of a digital item. You can, of course, print the NFT to enjoy it on your walls in real life. Essentially, you own the digital rights to the artwork when you own an NFT. The artists can also benefit as they can receive a small percentage of the sales when their NFTs are traded.

How To Buy Digital Art Online 

To see the contemporary artwork for sale on the Imitate Modern store, visit our website or contact us to discuss furnishing your home or office with a piece of art from an established or emerging digital artist. Occasionally we also host exhibitions where you can get up close and personal with a range of contemporary artwork from various acclaimed artists, including digital photographers and other artists. 

The Future of Digital Arts

When it comes to the arts digital art is a relatively new era compared to other forms of artistic expressionism, which could date back countless centuries. Although the history of digital art isn’t as expansive as Ancient Art, Renaissance, Neoclassicism, and more, digital art has a place in the current art market as one of the most rapidly changing ways of expression. 

With the age of Google, it is now not hard to learn how to create digital art at home on something as commonly found as an iPad. In fact, even worldly photographer, David Hockney, is considered one of the most impressive iPad artists!