Obsolete?

I was rummaging through a box of markers I use occassionally, and found a color of a particular brand that isn't manufactured anymore. Unfortunate, since the brand of markers in question was high quality, and long lasting. Similarly, the comic book Bristol Board I prefer is no longer available for purchase; it seems that it has been discontinued, with stores having sold off their remaining stock. Again, I really liked that particular paper, and will have to try to find a suitable replacement.

It's a shame when things become unpopular or obsolete, and vanish over time without fanfare. Who's to explain why the markers and paper I prefer are no longer available; was it a defective product? Poor marketing? Badly managed producers and/or sellers of the goods in question? It doesn't really matter, in the end.

I was reminded of this feeling when I learned from folk I used to work with that storyboards were going the digital route. When I was actively producing storyboards, I'd sketch and pencil on 11 x 17 inch sheets of paper. The studios would photocopy these pages, and they'd head off to the next steps of animation production, slugging and layouts.

Nowadays, storyboards are drawn directly on computer with Wacom tablet; artwork can be easily reused, with character poses or backgrounds cut-and-paste with a click. Efficient and requiring less time to produce, excellent news for productivity. On the flip side, the software tends to be expensive to adapt to modern storyboarding, which also requires new training. Creativity is less of a factor, since mastering technology takes precedence in determining an artist's skill level.

I decided to pursue illustration and design because I've always loved drawing. I enjoy the thrill of a newly sharpened pencil carving a confident line in a blank sheet of paper; I like the texture of paper against hand, and the energy pencilled lines possess. I'm sure modern artists can easily replicate linework digitally; for me, it just isn't the same.

Circling back to my opening train of thought, I consider myself obsolete in some respects. I'm not interested in following the wave of the digital age, and am quite content to create artwork using methods I'm comfortable with (and enjoy using). In effect, this makes me irresponsible, since folk should adapt their skills to the times.

Be that as it may, I don't regret any choices I've made on my current career path, including a refusal to lock my pencils and paper away in some drawer to gather dust. I figure there'll always be folk who prefer artwork created 'the old fashioned way', and opportunites as well.

My defense against becoming obsolete is continuing to improve my skills, since the quality of any work should transcend its medium.