Art is all around us. Whether we stare at it on the walls of coffee shops, waiting rooms and stores, or purposefully seek it out at museums, online or at art festivals, we humans have been seeking to fill our walls with meaningful shapes since, well, we’ve had walls. But art isn’t solely visual. Musicians are considered artists, as are writers, filmmakers, talented chefs and a whole slew of other categories someone will probably yell about in the comments. Basically anyone can call themselves an artist as long as they make some creative work.
Since we’ve started “surfing the web,” as the youngsters say, it’s become easier than ever to access all types of art. Soundcloud is making celebrities out of DJs in their bedrooms, revealing documentaries premiere on Netflix and Instagram pics of restaurant meals turn local chefs into stars. Even mainstream artists and celebrities are using these tools, meaning Pitbull is releasing singles on the same feed as your favorite local band. (Yes, I consider Pitbull an artist. Dale.)
We’re exposed to more creative works every day, but there’s one type of art that has basically never found its place in our Facebook-Twitter-Instagram-Repeat lifestyle: You know, art art. I’m talking about our standard definition of “art.” Painting, drawing, photography and all of the other types of two-dimensional visual works. It seems our phones and tablets would be prime for these works, since they were already meant to be seen on flat media. High quality cameras and screens would actually allow us to meditate over a piece of art more so than if we went to the museum to see it without losing much detail, but still, I don’t think many people can name any living artists other than George W. Bush and Bansky.
Via: usmagazine.com
Sculptures, paintings, drawings and photographs seem to still live exclusively in museums (Maybe they can’t get out of their lease. I don’t know their life.), but a new form of drawing/photography is taking flight, and that is Snapart.
Snapchat is no longer just for ugly selfies and unwanted dick pics. That little white ghost is now making artists out of all of us. Finally we can apply our pre-school finger painting skills to something worthwhile. You’ve seen these amateur Snapsterpieces before. They come in forms as basic as a selfie in class with a drawn-in mustache to elaborate stick-figure parties in empty living rooms, or even the classic drawing a penis on things because that will always be funny.
No matter how creative you think your current story is, you have some serious competition, my friends. I know, I thought I was pretty cool too. I’ve included some of my personal best in this article, but those are NOTHING compared to what’s out on the internet. Do a quick search of #snapart on Instagram and prepare to be amazed. With a little imagination and a lot of time on your hands (you might have to skip class for these), you can impress your friends with Snapsterpieces like this guy.
Via: pinterest.com
The popularity of Snapart goes to show that we all have a creative side. Taking a seemingly mundane photo and jazzing it up with some digital finger paint to create an image that will delete itself in 24 hours allows us to offer honest commentaries on the world around us, no matter how meaningless they may seem. While we (or maybe just girls) love to post Instagrams with four filters, a frame, overlaying text and a caption of a string of emojis, our Snapart is for a more private audience and comes from a place of creativity, not trying to induce FOMO.
Start viewing the world by asking yourself what you can draw on it. The world is your canvas, so have fun with it. Just don’t start drawing cute cartoons on your dick pics.
Featured photo courtesy of: The Snapchat Artist
