# The Market for Digital vs. Traditional



## Iudicium_86 (Aug 5, 2011)

This is not meant to be a discussion about any artistic 'merit' or inherent value of the two mediums, I'm sure that's been done before. What I'd like to ask about are the _markets_ for the two and how they compare. 

I've seen plenty of people that are looking to buy from and commission others very specifically state they're looking for *digital* art in their posts. Only a few will state that they're looking for either/or, and the rest who don't specify usually seem to favor digital artists in the end. 

I don't know about others since I don't personally know too many other artists (let alone ones that sell/commission) but it's a little bit discouraging to see quite a number of 'Digital only' buyers. I'll find a thread of a buyer seeking something sounding neat and then see in the posting they're seeking a digital piece and then feel rather pre-rejected solely by the fact my work is tangible and not on the basis of skill, performance, or style. I'll sometimes still post my offers with a notice that I only do traditional work, just in case they find my art interesting enough and decide to go with it. 

So what sort of factors contribute to the market for digital being stronger? What are the buyers looking for that digital offers than traditional can't?


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## Fay V (Aug 5, 2011)

The first thing that comes to mind is "privacy" I'm not sure how much it really factors, but I think people do feel more comfortable when they can keep their anonymity and not have to send addresses online. 

I don't think people think about availability as much, but it probably helped make digital popular in the past. If a traditional artist messes up, it's harder to fix than digital. With digital I can give near instant updates for each step. That kind of reassurance that it will be right makes me personally more willing to fork over the money for a digital piece.

It's easier to share. I can say "look what I got" and show a link and the image is perfect in terms of color and such. With traditional, if I have a small, shitty scanner then people won't get what I see.


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## Sax (Aug 6, 2011)

I'm interested in that thread too. I do not have anymore a tablet but this is the first thing I'll buy when I take commissions, since I've notice this favor of folks for digital art.


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## Rinz (Aug 6, 2011)

The primary factor is how they're going to see the image.

If you're dealing with people online, they're going to want digital more often because it displays easier; traditional is difficult to scan/photograph, and frankly, most people do it wrong.

If you're at a con in person, however, a well done traditional piece is going to look better than a digital print of an image with the same artistic merit, because traditional views better in person; you can see all the nuances and textures and in some cases, the brush strokes.


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## Eske (Aug 6, 2011)

It's a trade off; on the internet, I can sell enough digital commissions to make a decent living, but in the real world no one is interested.  This is a digital environment, and lends itself toward digital artwork as well -- offline, people are generally more interested in traditional media.

Along with Fay V's point about privacy, also realize that a lot of furries who commission artwork (not all, but a good chunk; especially those into adult work) want to keep it a secret, and aren't that old (i.e., still living with parents).  Having furry art shipped directly into your home can be risky for some, while receiving digital art is easier to keep hidden and private.  I have no idea how typical this kind of situation/reasoning is, but I've had a few commissioners tell me similar stories.


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## Iudicium_86 (Aug 6, 2011)

Alright, now I see some things I didn't realize before.

But there are still workarounds for various issues. An image could also just not be shipped if client wishes to be secretive, and for digital replication and distribution images are scanned very well and turn out having great quality. My own gallery is traditional, but have very properly replicated/scanned pieces that are digital-distribution-ready. I do that work myself. I could understand the difficulty for very large formats such as 2x3 foot paintings, but many traditional artists, including me, work in scanner-manageable sizes like 11x14in or so.


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## Arshes Nei (Aug 6, 2011)

Well merit does come into play but not our personal viewpoint but the commissioner.

Commissioners may also get the idea to put cheaper tag due to "digital being cheaper" So there is that mindset where a person can get a cheaper price because you did it digitally whereas traditional has supplies into play.

This is not an argument about whether or not it's true as per your request. It's just a customer/technology perception. It comes to mind something similar to downloads of music for 99 cents vs CDs that used to cost around 20 dollars (where the excuse was the packaging).

Digital also may have the advantage of certain look. Where the digital has a wider gamut of colors versus traditional. You can still get a great range traditionally but, people may prefer a higher saturated image, where traditional materials have a harder time replicating. 

Ease of re-edting the image. Often times people may request digital because it's easier to edit the image for other things, without tampering the look and being the Photoshop Master. This argument is for people who bought your commission, and not so much "easier for you to edit". If that person wants to "photoshop out the penis" later and silently thank you for the image. They will do so. I've seen it happen before.


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## Ilayas (Aug 6, 2011)

Well the digital cheaper thing does have some merit to it.  I mean it's a lot easier to do a flat quick color job digitally then it is with traditional art just due to the nature of the medium.  Pictures of that quality seem to be rather popular because of their relatively low price point. 

I agree with Arshes Nei stylistically there are some looks that are just easier to recreate in digital then they are with traditional work. Like all artistic mediums each has their own strengths and weaknesses. With this fandom in particular I've seen a lot of preference for styles that lend themselves to the digital medium better then traditional art.  I think this has more to do with the fact that a lot of the interaction in this fandom takes place online.  If the opposite was true then I think there would be a preference for more traditional art. I think evidence for this can be found outside this fandom.  It has been my experience that in the larger art world digital work is not regarded as highly as traditional mediums.  However that community interacts with each other offline in the real world considerably more so then the furry community does.


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## Iudicium_86 (Aug 6, 2011)

I hadn't thought of the editing trait with digital, which is pretty valid point. I forgotten that I've seen penis and penis-less pictures of the same character, or even in various stages of dress/undress.

And I guess it's true that the method of interaction also affects appeal. This whole online thing.

So with so much going for digital artist, what can a traditional artist do to keep in business and even draw appeal to the form?


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## Fay V (Aug 6, 2011)

Iudicium_86 said:


> I hadn't thought of the editing trait with digital, which is pretty valid point. I forgotten that I've seen penis and penis-less pictures of the same character, or even in various stages of dress/undress.
> 
> And I guess it's true that the method of interaction also affects appeal. This whole online thing.
> 
> So with so much going for digital artist, what can a traditional artist do to keep in business and even draw appeal to the form?



Badges. Badges, despite being digital are 95% physically made for the customer in my experience. I give the option of letting people have the file and they can make the badge themselves. they rarely take me up on it. 
So make really bitchin badges. 

My other advice would be cons i guess.


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## Iudicium_86 (Aug 6, 2011)

Fay V said:


> Badges. Badges, despite being digital are 95% physically made for the customer in my experience. I give the option of letting people have the file and they can make the badge themselves. they rarely take me up on it.
> So make really bitchin badges.
> 
> My other advice would be cons i guess.



Yeah, I guess I'll give the badges a try. I've made one so far as a commission, but I guess I'll soon offer a couple as requests just to get some examples for show. 
And I've never been to a con yet, so I don't know how an artist would go about doing their thing there. Not only that, but I don't feel sufficient enough to have a whole 'booth' or table for myself until I've grown even better with my skill and abilities.


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## Ilayas (Aug 6, 2011)

Iudicium_86 said:


> So with so much going for digital artist, what can a traditional artist do to keep in business and even draw appeal to the form?



Quality artwork gets noticed in this community regardless of what medium it is. Blotch, Kacey, arphalia, XianJaguar and many others all focus on traditional artwork. Even if you are not particularly fond of their work you have to admit they are popular and do rather well for themselves commission wise.


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## Stormslegacy (Aug 9, 2011)

I'm primarily a traditional artist myself.  

One benefit that working traditionally has that digital has no equivalent--an original.  I LOVE the tactile nature of art, I like the bumpiness of oil paintings, the thick feeling of a watercolor...yes there are canvas prints but they don't reflect the process. For instance, my marker pieces look not unlike their digital print counterparts, until you turn them around--then you can see where parts bled through, where more ink was used for blending, etc.  In the web-comics world, the originals can be worth something when you're done, allowing you to get paid multiple times for the same piece.

Getting the art online can be a challenge, but really, many of the hardships are no different than those experienced by digital artist (for example, I always find my monitor is not calibrated right, probably because the lighting conditions in the room are subject to a lot of change.)

There are plenty of well-loved artists on either side of the spectrum. When an artist isn't getting views, it's more likely that their style or subjects aren't appealing.


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## Arshes Nei (Aug 9, 2011)

It does however, depend on the quality and subject matter of the original. So in a sense it's a benefit and disadvantage.


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## Stormslegacy (Aug 11, 2011)

How is an original ever a disadvantage?  I'm just not seeing it.  It may not be an advantage, but if the art is that undesirable then I don't think medium makes a difference.


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## Arshes Nei (Aug 11, 2011)

Not everyone wants an original of "Shitting dicknipples" if you the artist works traditionally, you may have drawn it just for the cash. Now you're stuck with an undesirable original.

Another example, is you're selling the original of a furry character that is stupid to the rest of the population but the owner who doesn't want it. Congrats you're stuck with rainbow raver furry.

So again, depending on the quality of the original (it being quality enough where the subject matter can be ignored for technical skill) and subject matter, it's not always an advantage. Just to also rub this in, doing traditional doesn't automatically equate you to being a good artist. Being a good artist equates you to being a good artist.


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## Stormslegacy (Aug 11, 2011)

I do hear what you're saying but I guess I just don't see how that translates to *disadvantage* cos there's always the recycle bin ^_^  When I think of disadvantages I think "difficult to scan" or "colors never print the same"

Hehe, I said that in my own post, regardless of medium if someone has an issue it's usually that the art itself is undesirable through both skill and subject matter.  A sucktastic picture doesn't get better simply for being an original XD


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## Arshes Nei (Aug 11, 2011)

I'm sorry, but the English language of "not an advantage" is called "Disadvantage" It's a disadvantage of having an original you don't actually want. It's extra crap you keep around and/or throw away. Unless you like being a hoarder of shitty art.

I don't understand the weasel words of this. So what if it's a disadvantage? I work traditionally too but I'm not gonna be overprotective of the medium and not think rationally about the good and bad.

"It scans bad", depends on how the user scanned it, not it being a bad point of traditional. 
You keeping an original that you were intending to sell and doesn't come through, which was listed as your point as an advantage doesn't becomes a disadvantage if you are stuck with the original and don't want it.


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