Monday, October 1, 2012

Handmade Art Craft Changed by Using Technology

Handmade Art Craft Changed by Technology as things progress.

Hello, and Welcome to LilacsNDreams everyone! Hope ya'll had a great weekend. Today I would like to cover a topic that is often discussed with many opinions, and ideas to the subject as well. Handmade, and what is handmade? There has been many debates to this with many venues. According to Dictionary.com they give the definition to handmade as made by hand, rather than by machine. Yet, as time goes along, technology advances for us, and some are found using machines with help in some of their handmade items. Many of the popular items that are handmade for today are jewelry, cards, dolls, purses, crafts, gifts, sewing and quilting, and etc.

A question that many ask is at what point in technology should we consider that the item is no longer handmade, but machine made. Like with jewelry a program could be used to design the jewelry, and then a milling machine as it is called is used to produce it. Now, they could use hand graving, casting, and etc as some would see for handmade. Now, if a photo artist were to use one of millions of programs to edit would you still consider their work to be handmade? Sewing, and quilting has advanced from using the needles, and thimbles to machines. Keep in mind some of those machines are available with computer control. Many changes are advancing into the work load of a human to produce products. 

There is also issues, and questions of items that are repurposed, upcycled, recycled, reused, and etc if those should also be considered handmade. It use to be easier to find a line to draw with this, but as we have seen with technology advancing where is that line at now?

I thought that items done by one person, or a small group were handmade. Generally done in small numbers, and done with love and care. With the mass productions of things today it is hard for the handmade artisan to stand out. Some have learned to adapt with modern age with products of our own creations. Craftsman, and artists do use some tools to bring their ideas to life, and some of them tools have come a long way. I also feel that people who sit in a factory location producing items are not handmade, but massively produced for a cheaper market too. I do feel that using some machines, and gadgets is fine as times change. I think that if you can produce a one of a kind item by using technology, and designs it is handmade. Now, if that same design uses technology to make multiple copies of the item then it is machine made. Technology can make some high quality pieces, but it can also be used to mass produce cheaper items also seen as garbage too.

I know it is a matter of perspective with handmade, but where do you feel the line should be drawn at?

Thanks so much for sharing your time with LilacsNDreams everyone! Take care, and see you again soon. 

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