Kevin Kelly talks about this concept more in a blog post if you are interested in reading more about it. What struck me in thinking about this is the potential for the conversations and interactions going on here at the Studio Artist user forum to create this kind of productive scenius.
Part of the initial focus for developing this user forum was to provide a discussion forum for Studio Artist associated questions. So in some sense the initial expectations for the forum was kind of a glorified technical support forum. And online gallery for users to share their Studio Artist generated artwork and animations.
But over time i've seen the potential of the user forum expand far beyond any initial assumptions we might have had for it. In addition to being an information resource it's also a great example of using the power of the social web in the context of building a dynamic creative community. I know that i've been very influenced in my own work by various people's posts, feature suggestions, creative frustrations, shared presets, artwork, and videos. And as i watch various Studio Artist users post their own 2D artwork and videos i can also see the influence and power of the shared community of ideas we're trying to develop here influencing their collective artwork over time.
Kelly mentions 4 principals that nurture the development of a scenius.
Mutual Appreciation
Rapid Exchange of Tools and Techniques
Network Effects of Success
Local Tolerance for Novelty
Much of Kelly's discussion refers to historical physical groups or scenes of people. But the principals certainly also apply to virtual scenes like the one we've created here at the Studio Artist user forum. The great thing about the internet is that it allows for modern group interaction to transcend physical boundaries and locations.
So i hope that we can continue to foster the sense of creative community and exchange of ideas that develop here in the future. Sharing artwork, techniques, and associated presets is one big part of fostering that creative development.
Tolerance for others ideas (which may be very different or even antithetical to your own) is another big part of this. Because it's essential for the fostering of new ideas that we can be free to discuss and explore various aspects of the technical processes, creative tricks, preset settings, etc that we discover while exploring Studio Artist. As the primary developer of Studio Artist, feedback from other users and artists is essential to me. I'm very interested in how different people use Studio Artist as well as any insights into techniques they may use or have used when working with more traditional art forms and art processes. Like traditional sketching, painting, printmaking, etc. These practical 'how to' nuts and bolts discussions often lead to new features, new presets, etc.
We also have a wide variety of different users from many different backgrounds congregating here. Traditional fine artists making a transition to digital painting, professional film makers and animators, graphic artists working in commercial settings, video game designers, digital photographers, visual experimentalists exploring new approaches to animation, visual live performers, long-time pioneer digital artists, weekend hobbyists interesting in further personal expression by exploring digital art. There's room for everyone, and all of these different people with different personal goals and world views bring unique perspectives we can all learn from.
I'm continually amazed how Studio Artist users work with the program in ways i had never initially intended. And that feedback helps shape the development and refinement of the program into the future. The whole nature of art in general is in a state of extreme flux and transition. We live in interesting times where tradition is being overturned and reinvented at a frantic pace. Certainly i see traditional boundaries of what was considered artwork being transcended on a daily basis. I think what i see happening and developing here on the forum is some small part of that overall process we are all living through.
So my hope is that over time we can continue to develop the creative 'scenius' that i see flowering here at the Studio Artist user forum. And i thank everyone who does take the time to become involved in posting their work and sharing their Studio Artist experiences, artwork, and presets.
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