Abstract

Once upon a time, art happened when its creator combined the physical and mental skill into a form that inevitably spoke of its source to the recipient. It seems that in this time of technological development, a return to obviously handmade techniques is thriving in the digital world. The details of handmade elements and the process of their execution that live comfortably in and with the digital world draw attention to the originator of the message. The public is becoming less concerned with what is said and more with why it is said, seeing themselves as witnesses to the idiosyncratic thoughts of this individual in the mass-produced, digital world where it is less expected. This style invites conversation, and it seems the goal is to remove the aesthetic distance or simple message delivery and instead create an intimate experience of the content. In this way, even everyday design interaction becomes a professed gift. This is a step beyond the sterile message delivery of modern design’s universal truth and the overloaded, often sarcastic postmodern. Moving into the mainstream commercial world, handmade elements play perfectly into brand loyalty as consumers construct their identity via its brand choices.