Content creators need to come up with new concepts all the time, just to keep their followers interested. But sometimes, the best way to reach them is not by coming up with fresh ideas. No, sometimes what content creators need is to go back in time and find something that viewers and readers will recognize and identify to. That is when popular art becomes interesting for content creators: When they can create interest for them. Here is more on the link between the two worlds.
What are the objectives of adding Popular Art to Posts for Content Creators?
Content creators have more than one goal in mind when they use popular art in their posts. Here are some of the most important reasons that justify their use.
Capturing the Attention
Think of yourself as you go through your Facebook account, looking at posts that your friends added to their own account, as well as the people or companies that you are following. Suddenly, your eyes stop on a famous painting, like the Mona Lisa, as an example. The simple fact that you are seeing something familiar catches your attention and makes you stop scrolling. That is the first power of popular art: It catches your attention. By including a recognizable character or piece of art in their posts, content creators can attract views and clicks that they might not have otherwise.
Even artists do the same. If you want to understand the concept better, you can visit one of the largest online art galleries today: Singulart. Once there, type “Mickey” on the search bar and see how many artists are using this famous popular character to attract attention to their work. You will find pages and pages of paintings and drawings of this mythical mouse, created by a large number of artists.
In fact, Disney’s Mickey is also often used by content creator to capture the attention of social media users, as it is one of the most famous drawings of all times. And he’s got a sympathetic face that brings back memories for millions of people around the world, which is exactly what content creators want, when they use popular art in their post, as we will now explain.
Nostalgia versus Current Pop Culture
When using popular art in their content, content creator may want to use two different emotions. The first is nostalgia. As we mentioned in the previous paragraph, when most viewers see Mickey Mouse on a post, it brings them back in time. For some, it will be to a trip to Disneyland, while for others it will bring up memories from the days when they used to watch the show on TV, every Saturday night. Nostalgia is a powerful tool, since most people like to revel in the good times that they had. Popular paintings, sculptures and other work of arts can have the same effect. Seeing Leonardo da Vinci’s David (sculpture) will remind some of their Italian travels, at the moment when they stopped themselves in the city of Florence. The same is true about “Le Penseur,” by Rodin, which will bring up images of the City of Lights in their mind – Paris.
But that will work best on people of a certain age. For the younger public, content creators will tap into the power of the current pop culture. The whole universe of Marvel and DC Comics will do the trick! To continue on the example of artists, which we touched upon above, if you search for the Joker, the Batman or many other superheroes on the online gallery Singulart, you will also find many artworks that use them as the protagonist of the work. That is because pop culture is a strong tool to create interest.
By using the current favourites, content creators can build a favourable buzz for their posts and inspire many to share them as well. In fact, if people recognize and enjoy a piece of art inside a post, they are more likely to share it with their friends and followers, which will ultimately result in more views and engagement for the creator’s post, which is precisely what they aim for.
How can Content Creators use Popular Art in their Posts?
Using someone else’s material to create more interest in yours is possible if you follow certain rules and principles. Here are some of the best-known ways to do so.
License the Art
If a content creator wants to be linked directly to a precise work of art, he may have to license the art from its copyright holder. This would be suggested only in cases where the art in question would be used regularly, as the fee that would need to be paid could be quite high, if the work is well known. This is particularly true for images referring to current popular cultural. Using an image to advertise, of which you don’t own the right, is not legal, and content creators must make sure that they stay within the laws if they don’t want to pay a hefty fine.
Use Works Under the Creative Commons License
Some artists release their work under a Creative Commons license. When they do so, they may expect their name and the name of their work to be included in the credits, as a pay back. To use works under the creative commons license, content creators need to read the conditions very carefully first, in order to make sure that they respect the regulations attached to it, when they use it in their post.
The Fair Use Doctrine
Content creators that don’t want to pay to license art, may decide to refer themselves to the fair use doctrine, in order to do so. It is a legal principle which enables most anyone to use an image that is copyrighted, if they intend to make a commentary or a review about it. It can also be called upon, if the person uses it as a mean of teaching or for research purposes. Doing it once can be justified, but if someone is to use the same image regularly, it would be better to consult a lawyer first.
Using Stock images
It is a known fact that most content creators use stock images in their post. They can be purchased or used under the creative commons license. Many of them feature popular works of art that will fill the goal of attracting more viewers to the post. Most importantly, these images were created by professionals, which helps the post to look good; a base quality for any respectable content creator in 2023.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that the use of popular art in content creation can be a powerful tool. It is meant to attract attention and to increase engagement. By tapping into emotional connections that viewers may have with such art, they are able to attract their attention to deliver their message with more strength.
However, regardless of how popular art is, when inserted in posts, it is important for creators to be mindful of copyright laws and to obtain permission or use it under fair use or Creative Commons regulations. In fact, it is always best for content creators to be on the safe side and to seek legal advice if there is any uncertainty around the use of copyrighted material.
