Digital drawing and the creative process : in response to Dr. Paul Hamilton, drawing with printmaking technology in a digital age

Abstract

Hamilton (2009) in Drawing with printmaking technology in a digital age discusses the role of drawing in relation to printmaking in the light of current digital technology. He argues that digital technology could pose a threat to the development of traditional drawing skills. Digital software makes it possible to produce visual images without requiring any drawing skills. The danger of this is that the work lacks originality and becomes slick. The question is raised as to whether digital technology poses a threat to the “nature and value “of drawing in a printmaking context. Hamilton goes on to discuss what he considers the value of drawing and looks at ways in which digital technology can be used to enhance the creative process. This paper was written in direct response to Hamilton as the issues that he raises resonate strongly with my own creative project. In my own paper Drawing in a digital world 2009 there are a number of interesting parallels. Coming from a printmaking background as I do, I value drawing as an essential part of my creative process. My experimentation with digital drawing and digital animation has made me aware of what Hamilton refers to as the potential for ‘cross fertilisation between traditional and digital platforms’ (Hamilton, 2009, p.14).