Week 1 Questions and Discussion -- Fall 2018

[michaelmusick]

Questions about Creative Technology

Please respond to this issue, discussing at least three of these questions. As your classmates respond, you should come back, at least one more time, and respond directly to them!

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1. What is "creative technology" or "creative coding"?

2. Is Creative Technology or Creative Coding an 'art form'?

3. What is a Media Artist? And, what is the difference, if any, between a media artist and creative technologist?

4. How do you see Creative Technology fitting into the larger trends and flows of art?

5. What is the relationship today between science and art?

6. What is the historical relationship between science and art?

[brittdalton]

What is the current and historical relationship between art and science?

Art and science are two ways humans explore the world around us. Specific areas of study may not always overlap but art and science are both used to examine/explain the human condition. They often rely on each other for clarity, science using art to communicate ideas visually and art using science to provide tools to create. Science in its many disciplines can create colors (Egyptians using chemistry to create blue pigment), develop synthetic materials to make paint brushes more widely accessible, and offer the modern artist access to a wide variety of medium. Art is used to create models of the universe, textbook illustrations in biology and medical visuals from the first sketches of medical dissections to Holoxica’s 3D holographic anatomical atlas, art provides a way of learning and communicating ideas in science that can be both complimentary and superior to written descriptions.

An interesting video of Eric Berridge discussing why humanities should be supported as strongly as science for students and the importance of both to the success of tech companies :

Why Tech Needs The Humanities -Eric Berridge TED@IBM

[FriedmanM]

The Current and Historical Relationship Between Art and Science

When I was a child, my family used to take me to a science museum that had a large structure with balls that would roll around. These balls would move around the entire structure in a Rube Goldberg-esk way, with the end result being a clock with the current time. I found it fascinating that art and technology had merged to produce a working device. This was only the start of science and art merging and forming a beautifully functional system. With the invention of the personal computer, we have created ways to further artistic and creative ability; the WACOM touchpad, MacOS with Garage Band, Adobe Photoshop, even MS Paint gave us new direction to focus the human creative side.

Nowadays, having new ways to view information is key in discovering the unseen. One such way is through the 3D mapping of the brain. Giving surgeons the possibility of seeing every side of the brain before removing a tumor can greatly improve the outcome for the patient. In the way this regards to art - having new mediums to share your works, allowing machines to learn from your work and assist with future works, or even creating their own - is the way of the future. The Netflix original documentary series Liquid Science had an episode that displayed such a feat: A machine with the ability to convert brainwaves into sound. Another episode of this series also showed a robot that utilized AI to join in a jam session with it's own instrument, and even improvised on the song!

In my opinion, as technology grows, so will the artistic nature of the human race.

[scottyG86]

Is Creative Technology or Creative Coding an 'art form'? Yes, I believe that anything that can inspire someone or incite a "wow" from the participant is art. Creative Technology/Coding has that power, therefore, it is art.

What is the relationship today between science and art? Science and Art have always had to do with putting yourself out there and taking risks to change the world for the better. Today art and science go hand in hand with the creative expressions of those willing to blend the two worlds of experimentation and imagination.

[LexiFramness]

Creative coding, from what I understand, is using coding to make something that has a focus on design instead of just the basic formula function. This gives you the ability to incorporate sound, image, and animations to the base formula that you have coded in.

With this being said, creative coding is an art form. It gives you the ability to express yourself and your ideas with visuals and sounds. It is like graphic design meets an art class.

Today, art and science have a relationship that is stronger than ever before. In our everyday life we see different pieces of art being displayed that couldnt work the same without science. We see everything from art pieces on the side of the road or at the park that couldnt move or work the same without science.

[LexiFramness]

FriedmanM I like the story you included in your response! I was thinking the same thing, that science and art have a relationship, just like what you saw at the science museum.

[brittdalton]

@FriedmanM Your ideas on the integration of art and science are perfect! Contemplating the relationship of art and science, I could only see the two as seperate but similar and the many ways they compliment each other and support each other. It is important to recognize that art and science can be combined in a single piece.

[hdishman]

Creative coding can be used in many different way's to show self expression. It is not an accumulation of basic codes, but codes that allow you to go more in depth and expand your vision through vision and sound. It also allows you to provide your audience with a more personal experience whether it's computer generated movies, images, music, and sculptures.
With this being said I do believe that creative coding is a form of art. Without it you would not be able to add some artistic elements to whatever you may be providing. It seems like it gives you many options to add in certain elements that could be necessary for your vision, which will potentially make for a better artistic experience. When I think of creative coding fitting into larger trends and flows of art the first thing that pops into my mind is VR, which has been on the uprising more recently. I think appreciation to detail is very important to give someone a satisfying VR experience, and I'm sure creative coding has played a huge part in making this type of experience seem so realistic.

[scottyG86]

@hdishman I definitely agree with your point on VR, I have always been fascinated by the capabilities of VR to inspire and entertain.

[scottyG86]

@brittdalton I like your association of science and art through their physical relationship.

[hdishman]

@LexiFramness I also agree that creative coding is a form of art. Without it some artist might not be able to fully express their vision or provide their audience with the right experience.

[hdishman]

@FriedmanM I really like how you used a personal experience to explain the connection you feel between science and art.

[lilyj521]

What is "creative technology" or "creative coding"? Creative technology is using technology to make art instead of solve problems. Technology is often seen as something to be used to solve logical problems, but it can also be used to create things that don't necessarily solve anything, but instead allow a person to express themselves. Many forms of art consist of using things that weren't necessarily created for the purpose of art to create art. For example: metal is usually used for more practical things like supporting heavy things, but it is also often used in sculpture art. Creative coding is like this in the way that coding is usually thought of as something more logical and practical, but in the right mind, it can be used for art.

Is Creative Technology or Creative Coding an 'art form'? Creative technology is absolutely an art form. Anything that one uses to express themselves can be considered art. Creative coding definitely requires an artistic mind to be able to excel, and it's art because the goal is simply to create, not to fix something.

[lilyj521]

@hdishman Your point about VR was really interesting, I hadn't thought about how creative coding goes into that before.

[lilyj521]

@LexiFramness I totally agree that creative coding is art because of its focus on design rather than function, it's super cool that tools that aren't always thought of as artistic can be used for art.

[jballas]

A Media Artist sounds more focused on the art, and a Creative Technologist focused more on the technology. The artist declares what she makes art out of, digital media, while the technologist begins using a computer, or programming, and then creates art. I think there’s a subtle distinction between them, and perhaps more important to the person who declares themselves one or the other. 

Computers and smartphones have taken over so much of society it’s impossible not to use technology as an art form. It feels like a natural progression within art history. We're no longer just limited to pen and paper, but exploring what technology can do, and seeing how art changes with technology. Before cameras, no one could be a photographer, before computers, no one created digital graphics, or video games. 

Walter Isaacson, author of the book The Innovators said: “It’s when you combine the imagination of humans with the processing power of machines–that’s when the real innovation comes.” He was talking more about technological advances, and inventions, but I believe it applies to artistic expression too.

[FriedmanM]

@brittdalton I couldn't agree more with your perspective. We can see the universe in completely new light thanks to holographic maps of the cosmos. With improvements in science, I believe improvements to art will follow.

[jballas]

@scottyG68 Great point about art and science both relying on experimentation and imagination. I tend to think of them as opposites. I'm much more drawn to the art side of the equation, but I can appreciate the other.

[jballas]

@lilyj521 your example about metal makes a perfect point. It is very practical and industrial, yet is not limited to that. Even within in building design it can be supportive and beautiful. I like this way of thinking about it. I'm not sure how I feel about the computer as a "palette" and the code as 'paint'.

[wattse13]

To expand on how others have defined creative coding or creative technologies, I would add that finding original solutions to coding problems is another form of creative coding. Even if the end product is neither design focused nor meant for self-expression, I think it is still possible to code creatively. Thinking outside of standard operating procedures when writing code requires creativity and the ability to find creative new solutions to coding problems is helpful to all coders regardless of what kind of project they are coding.

I think creative technologies has the potential to make creative self-expression more accessible. Movie making for example is much more accessible because creative digital technologies, like Adobe Premier, are much more affordable than the old school film editing machines. It can also change perceptions about fields of work that have been traditionally seen as non-creative. Coders have often been stereotyped as non-creative, but thanks to coding languages like Processing, creativity is now more accessible to those who have been historically been seen as excluded from the creative process.

[erinflint]

Is creative coding an art form? I strongly believe that yes, it is indeed an art form. Just like an oil painting is art, Ada Lovecraft's "Smoke" (from the video we watched with Shiffman) is as well--just a different medium. Instead of a paintbrush and oil paints her artistic vision was compromised of a code of a computer and a numerical code. I personally am of the belief that anything can be art and putting any sort of confines around its definition is against the entire concept of art itself. Art involves freedom of expression, creativity, and beauty as does creative coding.

What is the relationship today between science and art? Science and art have always been closely related in my eyes. For example: music making. Without science we wouldn't have the ability to record/make/produce the music we hear and love. Although I am not a big electronic music person, it is the main genre of music that comes to mind when thinking of the intersection with science. Some of the sounds in electronic songs would not exist without the use of a computer and devices that distort and combine various sounds. Another art form that relies heavily on science is photography. The process of developing a photo in a traditional dark room requires in depth knowledge of chemicals and light sensitive materials. One of my personal favorite artists, Andy Goldsworthy, makes natural sculptures with found materials. One of his pieces is a series of triangular ice slabs strategically melted together into a swooping shape (it's called "ice, each piece frozen to the next around a hole" if you want to look it up). Goldsworthy had to know how the ice would react to the climate in order to fuse it together and have the ability to capture it successfully in his photos. Also consider soldering when it comes to creating jewelry. I am a jewelry artist and, let me tell you, soldering has some serious scientific aspects. Artists have to know how various chemicals react in relation to metals, stones, and intense heat. For example, soldering creates oxidation and only the knowledge of how to remove oxidation with an acidic liquid (oftentimes called "pickle").

How do you see creative technology fitting into larger art trends in the future? I think that creative technology will be a huge player in the future of art. We are in the digital age so it is to be expected that art will be influenced even more heavily by technology than it already has been. I strongly believe that this influence will be beneficial to the art world and will assist in broadening the list of mediums available to artists.

[erinflint]

@wattse13 I really appreciate your addition to the definition of creative coding. Thinking about alternative solutions to coding issues as "creative" opens a whole new door for me as a beginner in this field. I know for a fact that I will have to use this alternative form of creativity in my future in this field.

[kyleeckoch01]

What is creative coding? From my understanding, creative coding is not just your average coding- it is used to create visual works of art, giving one the chance to help express themselves, through the use of technology. The amount of things you can achieve through creative coding is incredible, and it is a way to explore different kinds of mediums to create art rather than just your average ones.

Leading me to my next topic, creative coding is absolutely a form of art. I believe anything that gives you the ability to express yourself can be considered 'art'. If it is something that can engage an audience and make them feel something or think about it, I would consider it to be art.

Lastly, I see creative coding/technology becoming a very important thing in the future. With how much technology is growing, I think that art made through the use of technology is going to become so much more prominent and important in times to come.

[MorganLong26]

1. What is creative technology or creative coding? Creative coding is when a person uses code to create a piece of art. Whether it be through images, animations, sounds, etc. Traditional coding is more along the lines of programming software, creating websites, and apps. Normal coding is not as creative and is more utilitarian.
2. How do you see Creative Technology fitting into the larger trends and flows of art? I see creative technology becoming more utilized in the media art world. People use social media everyday, which makes it easier to see media art. Such as art that was created using creative Coding. Right now we see famous artists, such as Mariko Mori (famous Japanese artist famous for melding traditional Japanese art with modern digital art) , broaden their art by combining traditional art with modern technology. Currently these artist mostly use photoshop or illustrator, but I believe that creative coding will increase even more than it already has in the art world.
3. Is creative coding an art form? Yes, creative coding is an art form. Creative coding artist may not be using a paint brush, hammer and chisel, photoshop, etc, but they are manipulating code in a way to make works of art. Creative coding artist can make the same type of art that a traditional artist can. Creative coding artist just create the art in a different way. Both ways of art get the same result it's just one is more modern and uses technology.

[MorganLong26]

@erinflint I completely agree with you in the sense that creative coding is an art form. Art has no bounds and every person has a different interpretation of the definition of art.

[MorganLong26]

@brittdalton You brought up many valid historical points and I couldn't agree with you more. Art and history go hand in hand with one another. It is amazing to see how art and science grow simultaneously throughout history.

[DVSnell]

How do you see Creative Technology fitting into the larger trends and flows of art?

I think creative technologies are going to become more and more prevalent in art. Experiencing a sculpture in AR, interacting with an audio installation that reacts to motion, and swarming drone clouds are already relatively new forms of artistic expression. Supplementing traditional art with informational or transitional overlays also meen creative tech will have a place with physical art as well. As technology keeps moving forward, we can only expect creative minds to look at these breakthroughs and think how they can be used for new experiences.

What is the relationship today between science and art?

The primary difference between today's scientists and artists and those of the past is collaboration. This is most clearly seen in the rise of the infographic in still imagery and documentary in film. These specialized artistic models require skilled graphic designers and film crews. This allows each group, scientists and artists, to focus on their respective fields and ensures both contribute to the public's understanding of the progress of research. This collaboration also allows for plenty of shared techniques and tools. Items like the Microsoft Kinect are used in both research and art. Drones are used both to map out areas and make wonderfully inexpensive fly-over footage. Augmented (and Virtual) Reality allows for engineering collaboration while also permitting new artistic expression. While each of these was created with a specific goals in mind, either scientific or artistic, they are commonly shared between the two.

What is the historical relationship between science and art?

Historically, art and science went hand in hand partly because most pioneering scientists were artists. Doctors and naturalists had to be able to realistically render their observations, engineers and architects had to be competent at drafting and previsualization, and any researcher looking for funding had to be eloquent authors and speakers to convince those holding the purse strings to loosen them. There is considerable overlap when people speak of great artists and great scientific minds of history. In more recent history, it appears that both scientists and artists have become more specialized in their fields.

[DVSnell]

@wattse13 Related to your first point, I'd say that happy code accidents can contribute to artistic endeavors as well. Pulling from parallel experience in 3D modelling, occasionally an animation rig setting or "questionable" animation script can cause a model to deform strangely, move in an interesting fashion, or even almost literally explode on the screen. If the accident is repeatable and applicable outside of that particular scene, you might have drifted out of accident territory and into a new technique for artistic expression.

[Dani-Briggs]

1. What is "creative technology" or "creative coding"? Creative coding is the practice of using coding software, like JavaScript or Python, to create works of art. There are an endless amount of pieces that can be made from creative coding from drawings, animation, to games and other interactive media.

2. Is Creative Technology or Creative Coding an 'art form'? Creative coding is an art from. If I'm being honest, anything can be considered an art form. Artist have been using non-traditional means to create art since art has been a thing. Creative Coding is just another non-traditional way of creating art, just like how people create giant sculptures out of Lego, or use trash to create portraits of famous people.

3. What is a Media Artist? And, what is the difference, if any, between a media artist and creative technologist? A Media Artist is someone who uses one or more forms of Media, such as film, animation, or coding, to create works of art. Media artists and creative technologist have similar goal, which is to create art through up-to-date technology, whether that be new software or new machines. The only difference I can see between the two is that a Media artist tend to sick with software and/or hardware created by big companies, where as a creative technologist might creative their own means (software/hardware) to create their work.

[Dani-Briggs]

@kyleeckoch01 I like how you said that creative coding isn't your traditional coding. It's someone taking something, that might be mundane to others, and breathing new life into it. I also like your point that anything you use to express yourself.

[Kyle-G-Wall]

Creative coding is a way to use code to bring a piece of artwork or design to life. When you add coding to a piece of art, it's possibilities for creativity becomes endless. You can make games, images, and many other things move and interact with the environment that you create. Yes, I believe that creative coding is definitely an art form. You're creating something that entertains people. I believe that if you can create anything and that you like it, it is art, even if other people don't like it, it's yours. I think as we get farther into the future, the relationship between art and science will be almost one of the same. I mean, look at the VR headsets that are being created. They're opening up a whole new world for the entertainment industry. AR (augmented reality) is also starting to become popular. The fact that you can make something appear through your phone camera, or any other device, is incredible. In today's age, almost everything has some sort of art and coding intertwined together. These two things, when mixed together, can create breathtaking pieces of art

[Kyle-G-Wall]

@hdishman I like how you say that creative coding can be a form of self-expression. I also agree that making an idea and expanding on it to create a piece of entertainment for others is a great comment.

[mprimeau1]

What is "creative technology" or "creative coding"? Creative coding to me is when an artist creates a code that expresses themselves through art and digital media. This could be anything from fancy scroll work to the latest VR technology.

How do you see Creative Technology fitting into the larger trends and flows of art? I see creative technology getting bigger and bigger, especially with VR and video games. As technology expanses it only makes sense that artists will push technology to new horizons to problem solve creatively. With smart phones getting better every year and VR technology getting better I can't wait to see what creative coders have to offer.

What is the relationship today between science and art? The relationship between science and art is merging constantly especially with VR, apps and 3D printing. Artists are discovering new applications for creative coding all the time, it's amazing what lines of coding can create through a 3D printer.

[mprimeau1]

@lilyj521 I agree with your view about creative coding, I liked how you said it was such a logical art form.

[mprimeau1]

@Dani-Briggs Yes anything can be considered art, especially creative coding. This is just a another different way for artists to express themselves through new and inventive code.

[AOkes]

1. Is Creative Technology or Creative Coding an 'art form'? I think Creative Technology or Creative Coding is an art form because it incorporates creativity and style, and is essentially a different medium to use to create art, like paper. Instead of actually drawing your art or writing it, you use coding to create the pieces needed to make it whole. 2. How do you see Creative Technology fitting into the larger trends and flows of art? I see Creative Technology fitting into the larger trends and flows of art by giving artists more "tools" to work with when creating their different pieces of art. It will allow them to add to whatever they wish to convey in a different way, and with technology as popular as it is, it will make it easier for artists to show their art to many others online.

[AOkes]

@Kyle-G-Wall I completely agree with you that with Creative coding, the potential for how creative someone can get with it is dramatically higher than normal art. There even may be still some things left in terms of art that we have not yet seen.

[AOkes]

@Dani-Briggs It is true that almost anything can be considered an art form, like macaroni pictures kids make, or cutting seemingly random chunks of paper out to create a snowflake. Art doesn't have a true limit as long as the people creating it have enough creativity to make something meaningful out of the tools they have chosen to use.

[erinflint]

@DVSnell I like your Bob Ross-esque take on "happy coding accidents". Making a mistake in coding can create a result you may have not known you wanted, just like messing up a painting when trying to follow Bob Ross' videos. No mistakes, just happy accidents.

[mafordah]

Is Creative Technology or Creative Coding an 'art form'? Creative Coding, like anything else, is very much an art form. I would say that anything someone can execute passionately can be considered an art. If you can tell an impassioned story about a page long calculus equation or the dietary functions of a grey squirrel then I would call you an artist of your craft. Creative coding certainly falls under that category. After watching the example videos and seeing what places coding can go, it can just as well fall under a more traditional definition of an art form too. People are taking a medium, as new as it may be, and transforming it into something beautiful. Of course it could be argued that it's the installation that turns the code into art rather than the code itself, but you could just as well argue that of a pen and paper. It seems to me that denying creative coding as an art form is ignorant to what these coders are capable of.

What is a Media Artist? And, what is the difference, if any, between a media artist and creative technologist? A Media Artist is largely described in the name: an artist using digital media (computer programs or otherwise) as a medium. Creative technologists do the same thing using computer code in even the same programs as media artists. Despite this, each name seems to have a different connotation. The media artist, by being given the artist title, sounds like they design and create exclusively. The creative technologist or coder, however, ends up sounding like a step of from an IT guy which is pretty unfair. I think it has a lot to do with how society often perceives those in technological fields and those in artistic fields as completely dissimilar even though they tend to cross paths more and more today.

[mafordah]

@brittdalton It's interesting to think about the interchanging relationships between art and science. Art began aiding science through the necessity of accurate drawings and diagrams, while today we see art forms aided by science and technology. The demands of art, especially media art, requires science to be driven forward. Programs and processing power have increased exponentially since computer science originated. Without the new technology, 3D animation, game design, and the video editing we know today wouldn't exist, and perhaps without these art forms, less effort would have be put into the technology to begin with. It's thought provoking.

[mafordah]

@Dani-Briggs I agree with your perspective on the differences between media artist and creative technologists. I think they are broadly similar, but I didn't even think to mention the difference in mediums. Coders have a unique opportunity to create their works completely from scratch rather than in a potentially expensive program. I imagine it gives creative coders more freedom to design exactly what they want with far less limitations often presented in the tools media artists use. This is probably why there is such a push for media artist and people in general to learn code. It has proven to be remarkably useful in the modern world.

[daylinscott]

What is "creative technology" or "creative coding"? Creative technology (or creative coding) is a method of computer programming that is used to create something artistic and creative, rather than just functional. It can be used to make a variety of different things, such as interactive art, installation art, prototypes, sound art, and more.

Is Creative Technology or Creative Coding an 'art form'? I feel as though arguments often arise out of questions like this. There are some people that may wish to create art exclusively with technology, while others feel that anything created by using technology does not technically fall under the category of "art". Despite the conflict, I would definitely categorize creative coding as an "art form". To be able to express yourself creatively through computer programming allows you to create art that the majority of the world would not know how to make.

How do you see Creative Technology fitting into the larger trends and flows of art? As we progress in society, whether we like it or not, technology is progressing with us. In the future, I could definitely see creative technology becoming a large part of the art world, just as technology is becoming a large part in almost everything we do.

[daylinscott]

@lilyj521 I like what you said about how creative coding is used to make art instead of solve problems. That's a very simplified way of summing up a large part of the relationship between art and science.

[daylinscott]

@mafordah I definitely agree with you as far as what a Media Artist is. I feel like they/we get a lot of credit for being proficient in technology, but not a lot for their creativity, which is often the most important part.

[hayliesunshine]

@FriedmanM , my family also used to take me to the science museum in Minneapolis, MN when I was a kid. I clearly remember huge dinosaur skeletons hanging from the ceiling, a giant wave pool that used magnetics, a nasal cavity that you could walk through, and a big mouth that would sneeze on you.

My point being, the displays in the museum that made enough of a lasting impact on me that I can remember them ten years later were not solely pieces of science, they were also pieces of art. In this way, often times science depends on art to make lasting impacts on people. In my case, I have an intense interest in anatomy and physiology, and my sister, who saw the same displays, has developed a love for learning science that has to do with the ocean.

It goes the other way, too. For example, movies, which are definitely a form of art, are completely dependent upon technology in order to exist. Many works of art depend on mechanics, technology, scientific concepts, chemistry, etc. to function.

[vruebusch]

Is Creative Technology or Creative Coding an 'art form’?

Art can be created through many different mediums as long as the outcome is a creative one. Defining what “art” is, is difficult enough already, so why wouldn't creative coding be considered an art form? It is exciting how in the world we live today, technology, specifically computers, are used to make our lives easier and they can also be used for experimental purposes like art and programs. People can use computers and coding just as they would use a paintbrush or sculpting tool to create artwork. The level of development we have today makes for new ways to create art and that is exciting to me. We are surrounded by technology in our daily lives, so creative coding really is the future, or present.

How do you see Creative Technology fitting into the larger trends and flows of art?

Anyone can own a computer nowadays (as long as they have the funds, of course). Many people do not understand the full potential a computer has and only use them at a surface level. But because they are so accessible, a new medium such as creative coding could integrate into our lives just as easily as drawing in a notebook or learning to play guitar. Technology is the future, so an art form that is predominately created by computers will be seen a lot more. As long as people have the tools and curiosity to learn code, anything is possible.

What is the relationship today between science and art?

When you have a valuable idea in your head but don’t know how to transfer it into the real world, this is where creativity comes in. Just as Leonardo da Vinci drew up all of his inventions, science and art come hand-in-hand. Art is what makes scientific theories and innovations come to life. It is the visual aspect which you see while science is the underlying background. Some people believe science and art are polar opposites, but sometimes they are both needed in order to create a physical thing.

[vruebusch]

@Dani-Briggs I also agree that anything can be considered an art form. It's not like an artist can always use paint to create something magnificent. Those known for going out of the box or trying something new are the ones who receive the most praise and attention.

[kobydotweb]

Is Creative Technology or Creative Coding an 'art form'?

Of course it is! Just as throwing handfuls of different types of dirt against a sticky patch of melting asphalt, as long as you're able to express an intentional idea from within yourself, it is art! Creative coding, however, contains far more expressive possibility than throwing dirt on the ground! Algorithms, colors, calculations, movement! There are so many possible applications of code that it can certainly be used in a purely artistic fashion. In my mind, the only case against coding (at large) as art is its mainly utilitarian uses throughout the modern world. This utility is utilized where it is needed, but there remains much space for useless experimentation and even ART!

How do you see Creative Technology fitting into the larger trends and flows of art?

Since the dawn of art, people have been finding new ways of expressing their ideas. Be it physical medium, concept, or size, artists always strive to set themselves apart from the pack by innovating. With the recent rise of widespread access to digital technology, artists have already begun to use the newest technology to fulfill their visions. Digital technology works by a strict set of rules (ones and zeroes, only doing what you tell it to do), giving it its own feel and experience. After the beginnings of digital art (in the form of early video games, digital painting, music, etc.), other medium can follow the same feel and experience. For example, artists can use paint to represent pixel art. Further, artists continue to explore the truly innovative (non-feedback) opportunities that modern technology can provide, blending mediums as was never possible before, such as movement, video and audio combining for a singular artistic expression.

[RyanMiskiv]

Is Creative Technology or Creative Coding an 'art form'? Yes, I definitely think that Creative Coding is an artform. No matter the tools or the method, the end result is art, something that was created by a person, that has emotional meaning to them, and gives emotional meaning to those that view the art. Creative coding is just another way of getting to the goal, which is art. Just because it's new or doesn't use 'traditional' doesn't mean it's not art.

What is a Media Artist? And, what is the difference, if any, between a media artist and creative technologist? To me, a Media Artist is anyone who uses technology and media to influence or create their art. They use technology in order to create something meaningful to them. I don't see any discernible difference between a media artist and a creative technologist. They refer to the same type of person.

How do you see Creative Technology fitting into the larger trends and flows of art? Technology's advancement and presence with our society is a given, and art will always be created. It makes sense that with the growth of technology the world will overlap more and more. I'm sure there will always be those artists that prefer the 'old ways' or more traditional methods, but with the current trend the two become more integrated every day.

[ElijahDGarcia]

What is the relationship today between science and art?

As I see it, art and science are interconnected in ways that cannot be overstated. In many cases, art is science, and science is art, in that science has given us the tools to create ever more immersive art, and art has given us the reason to make those advancements in science in the first place. There are other reasons for scientific advancement, such as war, money, and research, but art is a very important member of that club of scientific endeavor. Modern technology has advanced much thanks to our desire to consume art, entire industries rising up and programs built just to make art and art-making more accessible and desireable. While many people use technology simply for socialization, or for business, many more use it for art consumption. In fact, some of the largest industries on the internet are based entirely around art. Youtube is based on sharing videos, which is an artform in itself. Websites are dedicated to drawn art, 3D art, and these websites are some of the largest out there.

What is the historical relationship between science and art?

Historically, art and science both have been tied to one another by their realm of education and affluence. In older days religious leaders were purveyors and creators of the arts and sciences, using science to understand the world around them and art to display that world to the common people. Reading became popular soon after science invented the Printing Press, allowing an artform (writing) to finally enter the mainstream. Science has always made artistry more accessible than before. No longer did you need expensive oils to paint, you could buy synthetic stuff from a store for ten bucks. No longer did you need inkwells and quills, you could buy a pencil made out of wood. No longer was paper a scarce resource, advancements in technology made papermaking more and more efficient so even our children can use it to scribble upon. Science has always enabled art, and art has always given a reason for science.