ART AND/OR TECHNOLOGY?
QMy daughter is very good in arts and technology, but she is not sure which field to choose for her UG studies. Please advise.
AWhile on the face of it, a combination of art and technology may seem incongruous, delving into it we realise there is considerable synergy between these two subjects. It is surprising just how easily these two are merged in various study streams, creating opportunities for creative technology. In fact the two streams have always worked together – think of Andy Warhol and silk screen painting or the impressionist painting outdoors with plastic paint tubes.
That said, the intertwining of the two has increased considerably over the last couple of decades, resulting in new ways to mix different types of media or simply making the process of creating it easier.
Career streams like web designer, graphic designer, augmented reality designer, multimedia artist, mobile app designer are examples of today’s hi-tech requirements.
Web designers would design websites, develop eye-catching visual content for clients; graphic designers would present ideas pictorially for client presentations and advertisements; an augmented reality designer would develop games, virtual installations; multimedia artists would work on different media platforms and deliver images, videos, etc. and mobile app designer would develop apps which, today, have become a lifeline for most of us.
The fashion industry, too, employs creative technologists for various concept briefs and creative implementations. Be it illustrating a costume design or explaining a couture look to the client; technology makes the process simpler and meaningful. Film editing and animation are other areas requiring synthesis between technology and fine arts.
Creative technologists could either be a technical student with a creative mind or a student with penchant for art and creativity with a bend for technology. Either way the person should have a sound understanding and passion for both fields.
You could study Fine Arts and augment it with knowledge of technology, software and 3D animation, or you could pursue a degree in Art Technology, which involves the study of artistic creativity, technological knowledge and art theory.
Universities worldwide have included this discipline in their curriculum to meet the increasing demand for professionals in this area. Premium universities like FIT ( Fashion Institute of Technology), New York to Limkokwing University of Creative Technology offer creative technology specialisation.