Where did the artistic details go?

Look at old architecture photos or historical street lamps, and you might ask yourself that question. Artistry used to be part of the product.

Is it because marketing became easier, work didn’t have to stand out? In the past, by styling different than the competition, people decided where to buy what they wanted. That’s important in an era when their weren’t tons of magazines, catalogs, and definitely no internet, tv, or radio.

Is it because competition has shrunk? Back at that time, there was a lot more small companies competing in the same industries.

Is it because the craftsman are gone? Everything is now optimized for machinery to make, rather than handcrafting. This leaves less room for the artistry and the details.

The artistic details have been missing for sometime, but they are only gone, not forgotten. Find a way to add your artistry into what you do, the easy work is already automated.