My intro: The Synergy Of Online And Offline Art For Visual Creatives

Hi all. I'm an artist going undercover to explore the underground of digital media and its function, juxtaposed with classic analogue art. It is my intention to blog on Steemit occasionally, about the various findings I encounter during this eclectic experiment. As I believe is custom here, and to preserve my anonymity, I will only post new and unpublished works here. Or I will provide correct attribution in case of other artists' work.

Don't worry, I intend to get verified through steemverify.com very soon.

Retail, marketing, and even sales have different definitions when approaching online and offline processes. But what about art? Can a creative who works in visual art step over the boundary that separates the online world from the off? With the growth of the online world in the past decade or so, it seems likely there is a synergy growing between the two.

In one retail example, Etsy provides a venue for savvy shoppers to find one of a kind or handmade items. Although direct retail sales of your artwork might not be the direction you are leaning in, Etsy and stores of its kind do celebrate the visual artist, particularly in craft-style articles.

As an additional venue for display, the online community is opening the doors to what could be considered mini personal-galleries for painters and illustrators, regardless of the media you use. If you can take a photograph or use a scanner, there's a place for your visual art. A local show offers a valuable feeling of being present to buyers but online viewing has become effortless for most people. It is a viable alternative or supplement.

Tumbler, which promotes itself as a series of blogs, hosts hundreds of artists who upload their creations to followers. Deviant Art is a website devoted specifically to visual artists. Users can search by style, media and subject matter. Behance is another popular place specific to artists, to post art either for shares or to increase media presence through followers.

There is a synergy between the online and offline worlds. It's not just an additional venue for artists but is partly a necessity. The artist’s presence online facilitates social contact which is important for creatives in visual media, particularly in those disciplines that require long “down-time” spent alone while creating. It is also a means of self promotion as important and easily as effective as trade shows or local/international display in art galleries.

The boundary that separates work on paper from work in digital media is fading as well. It is easier than ever to produce art for the web that begins on paper and uses traditional media. The most common example of Adobe's suite of products, while not yet perfect, is close to nearly eliminating noticeable differences in the artist's toolbox versus online tools.

There is still something to be said for the tactile in art, where nothing can replace a smudge done by hand or a manipulation with a favorite brush that can't be matched with digital tools. But the choice of that route is now up to the creative. The use of online galleries and the websites available to host hand crafted artwork is continuing to grow. The boundary between offline and online art is fading and this can only benefit both the artist and our audience.

As a taste of what's to come, an example of recent, unpublished work:

Untitled 1, Xochicotta, 2016, 120Hx70W, pastel on casein