Internet art is artistic expression that utilizes code and software to create an experience on the web. Not to be confused with photographs of art uploaded to the web (art on the internet), internet art uses the browser window as a stage for interactivity. Innovation and experimentation are hallmarks of making internet art, which is constantly evolving. As new web tools are developed, artists incorporate them into their creative process. Naturally, these artistic creations can take many forms.
- A branching story utilizing links and pages
- Microsites with mediated interactions
- An interconnected series of videos
- An information database designed to make a statement
- A real-life art installation that incorporates the connectivity of the internet
Leading this art movement are communities of new media artists, sprawling all corners of the web. In fact, some of these communities have been creating in this medium since the earliest days of the internet.
The net.art movement
net.art, as an early form of internet art, blossomed online nearly three decades ago. While the movement began as a critique of the modern art world, it grew to be much more than reactionary. Artists within the movement created works of art that couldn’t be authentically experienced outside of the internet. These new media works challenged art conventions just as event-based and performance art challenged the concept of the gallery decades before.
Net.artists embraced art-making as collaborative process and formed a tight-knit community that built a strong online presence over time. Collaboration was key to producing high quality art collections, hosted on well-known net.art sites. This community-based approach led to a rich exploration of expressive possibilities through the medium.
While the peak of the movement is decades behind us, net.art laid the groundwork for much of today’s internet art. As new online communities pop up, artists using specific software or tools draw inspiration from each other. Conversely, as new tools and software develop, artists build communities around those. The community amplifies artists and gives them room to grow on dedicated sites.
There are as many ways to conceive internet art as there are types of online software. Closely tied to a foundational way people explore the internet, art made with and on webpages (web art) is a popular form of creative expression online.
A webpage as a medium for creative expression
Early on, creating Internet art was reserved for artists familiar with the technical systems, languages, and interfaces necessary to make it work. However, artists these days have a wide array of no-code tools and platforms at their disposal. Creating web art is easier than ever, and the barrier to entry has all but faded away.
When the obstacle of knowing code is removed, artists and creators can use a web page as medium, just as they would use paint or ink. And blending interactivity with expression is completely unique in this digital medium. Unfortunately, the majority of no-code platforms restrict artistic freedom within rigid grids and templates that reproduce the same stale experience over and over. But in Hatch, you’re free to experiment outside of grids and you don’t need to know any code.
Making internet art with Hatch
Everything on your Hatch webpage is entirely customizable from top to bottom. From animated stickers to one-of-kind buttons, personalized embeds to customized filters, you can create interactive collages, branching stories, mini games and more. You can move anything around, tilt it, animate it, and make it draggable. Here’s more on cool interactive effects to inspire you and a step-by-step guide to enhancing a Hatch webpage with effects.
Play and experiment with making your own internet art! When you’re ready to share, publish your project (here’s how) and you can select your project to appear in the Hatch gallery. Much like the community-based approach that made net.art so special, our creators are the core of Hatch.
Head to the gallery to get inspired by Hatch community projects, from stunning portfolios to interactive narratives and everything in between. Discover the remarkable talents of Hatch creators who have pushed the boundaries of creativity and brought their visions to life.
If you like what you see, here’s a tip: some project pages have a “remix this” button at the top right of the screen. Click that remix button and Hatch will produce a copy of the project in the Editor, so you can find out how it works and modify it as you like. We can’t wait to see what you make!