The State of Digital Art: Should Fine Artists Embrace It or Fear It?

Barney Davey
9 min readOct 2, 2023
Digital image of an artist using a tablet.

Digital art is where the soul of the artist merges with the boundless potential of technology, painting the future with pixels of passion and innovation.

— Barney Davey

In the past few decades, the art world has witnessed a revolution that has expanded the definition of what art can be. Digital art, born from the rapid advancement of technology, has established itself as not just a passing trend but a legitimate and dynamic medium of its own.

I have previously posted How to Use Digital Art Tools for Fine Artists: 7 Reasons to Start Now to help stimulate your thinking and attitude toward digital art.

For traditional fine artists, whose training and passions are in mediums like painting, sculpture, and printmaking, this rise of digital art presents both opportunities and challenges. A prime and motivating example is found in this article: David Hockney — Old Master Using Digital Art.

But should fine artists view this digital takeover with enthusiasm or trepidation? Let’s dive into the current state of digital art and what it means for traditional artists.

Digital Art: The New Frontier

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Barney Davey

I paint with words. I spin ideas and dreams. I help artists market art and live better.