As technology advances, so does art. Today, there are many forms of digital art that didn’t exist a hundred years ago, or even just a decade ago.
Digital art is an entirely different skill set than physical art. A regular sculptor might not be equally as good at digital sculpting and vice versa. The two forms require different knowledge and mindsets, meaning that they can’t be compared as much as it might seem, given that they are both forms of sculpture.
Difference Between Digital Sculpting and Regular Sculpting
Sculptors such as David Kracov spend time molding their sculptures in real life, whereas a digital sculptor will never touch their finished product. Everything is done through computer screens, so while they are still creating a sculpture, they are not sculpting in the traditional sense.
A digital sculpture might be used in a different way than regular sculpting. A regular sculpture would be displayed somewhere such as in a museum or public space. Digital sculptures are more useful for modeling characters or for blueprints for 3D printers.
While you could display a digital sculpture on a screen in a museum, it isn’t what digital sculptures are usually made for, whereas regular sculptures are made to be displayed in that way.
Viewing these two kinds of sculptures is such a different experience, so the two fields don’t overlap as much as you might think that they would.
How to Make a Digital Sculpture
To make a digital sculpture, you won’t need any physical art tools. All you need is a computer to work with, along with a software that you can use for designing digital sculptures.
Each software has different controls, but they are all able to make digital sculptures in similar ways. You can use tools and click and drag forms to change the shape and build your sculpture.
If you are used to using computers, the beginning controls might seem almost intuitive. As you progress in the skill, you will be able to do more complex things with your sculptures.
Merits of Regular Sculpting
Regular sculpting is more traditional and might be easier for people to learn. There are many more people who are able to teach you how to do regular sculpting, and you will have significantly more resources than those who use digital sculpting.
Many people find working on art with your hands to be easier than on a computer. For almost everyone, it is easier to use your hands to form shapes with the sculpture medium than it is to learn a whole computer software.
Merits of Digital Sculpting
Digital sculpting doesn’t require as many materials as regular sculpting does. Since you are using a computer software, you can undo any mistake you make, which gives you the freedom to try out different things and see what you like before moving on.
However, digital art isn’t always taken seriously in the art world. It is so new and technology often uses algorithms that can possibly make it easier for you to use the software or give you shortcuts, if you choose to use them, so other artists might not see your work as being at the same level as theirs.
Digital Sculpting in the Art Community
There isn’t as much representation of digital sculptors in the art scene yet. As digital sculpting rises in popularity, there will be more opportunities to view or display digital sculptures. The increase in visibility will also go far to influence others to get into the art, which will build a reputation for the form and a community around those who do digital sculptures.
