Technology for Digital Art: A Blast from the Past
A Retro Revival
Technology for digital art has come a long way since the 1980s. But in these days of AI-driven software, a surprisingly retro tool is making a bit of a comeback. Launched in 1981, the Quantel Paintbox was an all-in-one machine comprising a tablet, pressure-sensitive pen, a display and its own proprietary software. Priced at $250,000 (over $800,000 today), it was a lot more expensive than a Creative Cloud subscription with the epic Adobe Black Friday sale. But this groundbreaking tech revolutionized television graphics in the 1980s.
The Impact of the Quantel Paintbox
The Quantel Paintbox was mainly used by big TV networks – including to create the iconic MTV logo. But it was also used to make the first CGI music video, "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits, iconic album covers like Nirvana’s "Nevermind" and movie posters for "The Silence of the Lambs", "Pulp Fiction", and "JFK". Keith Haring experimented with the Paintbox in 1985. And in 1987, the BBC commissioned artists like David Hockney, Howard Hodgkin, and Richard Hamilton to create digital artworks using the Paintbox for the "Painting with Light" documentary series.
The Paintboxed – Tezos World Tour
ArtMeta, an art fair for digital art and NFTs, has now announced the Paintboxed – Tezos World Tour, a series of interactive events that will kick off with PepeFest Presents: Fake Basel 2024 at Modern Art Theory during Art Basel Miami Beach from 5 to 7 December. Selected artists will be invited to create new digital artworks using one of the few remaining Paintbox devices in existence. These will subsequently be minted as NFTs on objkt.com, powered by the Tezos blockchain. Following Miami, the tour will make stops in Paris, London, and New York. It will culminate in Basel, Switzerland in June 2025, where ArtMeta will host a retrospective as part of the Digital Art Mile art fair.
Conclusion
The Quantel Paintbox was a groundbreaking innovation in the 1980s, and its influence can still be seen in the digital art world today. The Paintboxed – Tezos World Tour is a celebration of this technology’s impact on the art world, and a chance to experience its capabilities firsthand. Whether you’re an artist, a collector, or simply a fan of digital art, this event is not to be missed.
FAQs
Q: What is the Quantel Paintbox?
A: The Quantel Paintbox was an all-in-one machine comprising a tablet, pressure-sensitive pen, a display, and its own proprietary software.
Q: What was the Paintbox used for?
A: The Paintbox was used by big TV networks for creating television graphics, and by artists for creating digital artworks.
Q: Who used the Paintbox?
A: The Paintbox was used by artists like Keith Haring, David Hockney, Howard Hodgkin, and Richard Hamilton, among others.
Q: What is the Paintboxed – Tezos World Tour?
A: The Paintboxed – Tezos World Tour is a series of interactive events that will showcase the capabilities of the Quantel Paintbox and its impact on the art world.
Q: How can I experience the Paintboxed – Tezos World Tour?
A: The tour will kick off in Miami, followed by stops in Paris, London, and New York, and culminate in Basel, Switzerland in June 2025.
