Project (Thesis) [What does smartphone offer to artistic expression?]


Responsiblity in this project: N/A

Abstract

In recent years Smartphones have become more popular, and some studies indicate that these device will take a significant role in creating a ubiquitous computing society. This paper seeks to address the question: 'What does the Smartphone offer the creative process?’ to discover significant factors which could support media designers in understanding the Smartphone's interaction with creative users and their community.

A painting application 'Brushes' on iPhone, was selected for the study. Brushes aims to reproduce the experience of physical painting on a digital device, and this study challenges to analyse this application from a critical painter's perspective. Firstly the relationships of artists to physical painting as well as digital painting applications on were investigated. Then the concept of Brushes was compared to the findings of this investigation.

The study reveals that issues does not result only from the lack of materiality in digital tools, but also from a fundamental incompatibility of digital media which offers one-click solution, with the meaningful process of physical painting, which demands painters trial and error to discover their personal method and style. However, Brushes appears to challenge these issues by attempting to keep the 'painting' process as physical and natural as possible, while applying the advantages of digital media to the process of experimentation, learning, and communication.

In conclusion, the Brushes application and Smartphones in general can offer border-less activities and communication, which are accessible and compatible with daily life. In this way creative process is not constrained by time, location, skill or culture. In order to provide this advantage in mobile digital media, however, designers need to clearly understand its interaction with the user, and one border to distinguish between the process which could be refashioned by the novelty of digital media, and the other process which should be kept as it is.

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