Emojis have become an incredibly popular way for people to express themselves in digital communication. From the classic smiley face π to the plethora of emojis available today, these fun icons allow us to quickly convey emotions, ideas, and concepts. However, some people have noticed a lack of emojis representing certain professions, including artists. This has led many to ask: is there an artist emoji?
The Origins and History of Emojis
To understand if there is an artist emoji, it helps to look at the origins and history of emojis. The first emojis were created in 1999 by Shigetaka Kurita, an employee at the Japanese mobile phone carrier NTT DoCoMo. Kurita was working on developing pictograms that could be used on the companyβs mobile internet platform. At the time, internet access on mobile phones was very limited, so Kurita created a set of 172 12Γ12 pixel images that could convey information visually with minimal data.
These early emojis focused primarily on expressing emotions and weather concepts. Some of the original emojis included happy and sad faces, weather icons like clouds and sun, and representations of food, drink, and activities like music and sports. While creative professions were not represented, the seed was planted for emojis to evolve as a visual language.
Emojis started becoming more popular internationally in the early 2010s as smart phones with emoji keyboards spread around the world. In 2010, Unicode adopted emojis into its standards which enabled emojis to be usable across different platforms. This helped emojis proliferate and become a global phenomenon.
More emojis started being added reflecting cultural trends, current events, and requests from users. By 2015, the Unicode emoji catalogue had grown to over 1,200 emojis. Today, there are over 3,600 emojis supported across platforms. However, even with this huge growth, there still isnβt a definitive artist emoji.
The Path to Getting New Emojis
The Unicode Consortium manages the emoji catalogue and the approval process for new emojis. They aim to be responsive to user demands and changes in technology and culture. However, getting new emojis added is not a quick or easy process.
Here are the general steps to how new emoji ideas become approved:
β New emoji ideas come from requests from users and vendors. Ideas get discussed in online forums and social media.
β Proposals are submitted to the Unicode Technical Committee explaining the need and uses for the new emoji.
β The Unicode Emoji Subcommittee reviews proposals based on factors like expected usage level, image distinctiveness, and potential for confusion. They aim for widespread compatibility and staying power.
β Approvals happen annually. The next slate of emojis is announced each January and released the following September.
β Vendors (Apple, Google, Samsung, etc.) create their own glyphs (images) for the emojis based on Universalβs defined character outlines.
β New emojis finally reach peopleβs devices with vendor software updates.
So even after approval, it takes about a year for new emojis to be available. The entire process can take 1-2+ years from initial requests to the emoji going live. Therefore, getting an artist emoji approved and delivered requires concerted effort and patience.
Arguments For and Against an Artist Emoji
There are reasonable arguments on both sides of whether or not there should be a standard artist emoji:
**Arguments For:**
β Representation matters. Having relevant emojis promotes inclusion, especially for marginalized groups not widely depicted. An artist emoji recognizes the importance of creative professions.
β Occupations like artists are underrepresented in the current emoji catalogue. Out of over 3,600 emojis, only around 60-70 represent jobs.
β There are emojis for some creative professions like singers, dancers, painters, and photographers. So there is precedent for adding an artist emoji for a general visual artist.
β Art and creative pursuits are vitally important to human expression and civilization. An artist emoji pays respect to that significance and the skill of artists.
**Arguments Against:**
β There are limited slots for new emojis each year. With thousands of emoji proposals, priority goes to those with the broadest appeal and usage potential. An artist emoji may be too niche.
β Other neglected professions have stronger cases for needing representation through emoji. Arguments for jobs like teachers, doctors, scientists may take precedence.
β The definition of βartistβ is broad. Visually representing the concept in a small emoji could be difficult and end up being vague or cliche.
β Emojis for named professions risk exclusivity. Not having a specific artist emoji allows anyone to visualize themselves as an artist through other emojis.
There are good-faith reasons on both sides of this debate within the constraints of the emoji system. The Unicode Consortium strives to balance these viewpoints when making additions. So whether an artist emoji makes the cut comes down to how Unicode evaluates its importance.
Existing Art and Design Emojis
While there is currently no singular emoji that specifically depicts an artist or broad artistic profession, there are several that represent aspects of art, design, and creativity. Here are some relevant emojis that already exist:
| Emoji | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| π¨ | Artist Palette | A classic palette used for mixing paint colors along with a paintbrush |
| π | Paintbrush | A single paintbrush, the main tool used by painters |
| π | Performing Arts | The comedy and tragedy theater masks representing performing arts |
| πΌ | Framed Picture | An artistic image in a picture frame, as seen in museums and galleries |
| π¨ | Artist Palette | A classic palette used for mixing paint colors along with a paintbrush |
| π§ | Wrench | A tool that represents hands-on crafts, construction, and applied arts |
| β | Black Nib | The nib of a pen or other writing instrument used for design drafting |
| π | Straight Ruler | A ruler or straightedge for drawing straight lines and geometric shapes |
| π | Triangular Ruler | A set square used in technical drawing and drafting |
These emojis represent some common tools, contexts, and outputs related to artistic and creative work. While none directly signify an artist as profession, they can be used together or with other emojis to indicate various forms of art and design. But there is still room for a more well-defined artist emoji that clearly depicts a person engaged in art creation.
Other Profession Emojis
Looking at the various job emojis that already exist provides examples of how an artist emoji could potentially be designed. Here are some notable profession emojis:
| Emoji | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| π¨βπ€ | Man Singer | A man singing into a microphone representing singers and performers |
| π©βπ¨ | Woman Artist | A woman painting a picture on an easel for visual artists |
| π¨βπ¨ | Man Artist | A man painting on an easel, parallel to the woman artist emoji |
| π©βπ» | Woman Technologist | A woman working on a laptop representing tech professionals |
| π¨βπ§ | Man Mechanic | A man doing technical repairs, signifying auto mechanics and handymen |
| π©βπ« | Woman Teacher | A woman standing at a chalkboard, depicting teachers and educators |
These showcase people actively engaged in their jobs. Notably, there are already distinct emojis for a man artist and woman artist painting at easels. However, they present a traditional fine arts depiction rather than encompassing the full breadth of artistic occupations. There is room for an emoji that captures the concept of artist in a more universal, contemporary way.
Possible Designs for an Artist Emoji
Based on the existing emojis and discussions around representing artists, here are some potential directions an artist emoji could take:
β A person in abstract artistic clothing holding a palette and paintbrush
β A person working on canvas at an easel painting an abstract work
β A beret-wearing person sculpting a miniature clay figure
β A person crouched spraying graffiti on a wall with spray paint
β A person wearing a smock working with pottery on a wheel
β A person sitting on a stool sketching designs in a sketchbook
β A person standing drafting technical illustrations on a large drawing board
There are also some more experimental and metaphorical concepts like:
β A cloning machine churning out a continuous stream of identical artists
β A bust with multiple arms working on different artistic projects at once
β A nondescript person-shaped canvas that changes color
β A palette with arms and legs mixing itself together
These show that there are many potential ways to visually define βartistβ to represent the diverse range of artistic mediums, tools, processes, and concerns. More literal options try to directly show specific arts activities while more abstract concepts aim to capture broader artistic metaphors and identities.
There are also options around gender presentation such as having clearly gendered versions, an intentionally androgynous or third-gender character, or presented as a pair. Hair color and skin tone choices also allow expressing diversity. The possibilities are endless, but also constrained by the small emoji resolution and need for cross-platform legibility.
Recent and Upcoming Additions Related to Art
Looking at some of the recent and planned emojis in development provides insight into how artists and related concepts are incrementally getting more representation.
Emojis added in 2022 include:
β π« Pottery Wheel β Represents pottery and ceramic arts
β πΌοΈ Frame with Picture β Artworks prominently displayed in frames
β π§βπ€ Person with Microphone β Singers and performers
β π§βπ¨ Person with Paintbrush β Artists painting with a brush
Upcoming emojis planned for release in 2023/2024 include:
β πͺ Thread Spool β For sewing and embroidery
β πͺ’ Rope β Has art and design uses like macrame
β πΈ Guitar β A very popular artistic instrument
β πͺ Banjo β Another new instrument emoji
So we are seeing more emojis related to crafts, music, performance, and the visual arts start to become available. While there is still no single emoji that encapsulates βartistβ, Unicode is clearly responding to demand to better represent creative professions and artistic hobbies.
Campaigns for an Artist Emoji
With artists wanting better emoji representation, there have been various initiatives petitioning Unicode for an artist emoji. Some of the most prominent include:
β Liza Nelson and Heather Sakazaki started a campaign in 2016 at The Academy of Art University that proposed potential artist emoji designs. This helped kickstart artist emoji advocacy.
β A youth arts organization called The Art Mix proposed an artist emoji in 2017 with an accompanying petition that got over 1,500 signatures.
β Los Angeles based artist Nikkolas Smith created emoji art of a beret-wearing artist painting at an abstract easel to raise awareness.
β Coded by Kids, an advocacy group focused on technology access in education, created a petition in 2020 for an artist emoji that received over 4,700 signatures.
Individual artists, students, teachers, and arts non-profits have also been vocal about the lack of good visual emoji representation for the millions of people who consider themselves creatives. Unicode itself even uses a hand-drawn artist emoji in some of its presentations about new emojis, showing that they are aware of this popular request.
Momentum continues to build through grassroots campaigns and online petitions for Unicode to approve a distinct artist emoji. With enough sustained interest over time, a dedicated artist emoji seems likely to materialize eventually.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while there is currently no singular emoji that specifically depicts an artist or artistic profession, the desire for proper emoji representation among creative communities is strong. There are reasonable arguments for and against adding an artist emoji, but ongoing advocacy campaigns demonstrate it would see substantial use.
Potential artist emoji designs have explored visualizing various mediums, tools, activities, metaphors, and ambiguities around defining βartistβ. Unicode has been gradually adding more art, design, craft, and performance emojis which shows they aim to be more inclusive of creative occupations. An artist emoji proposal able to encompass the diversity of artistic disciplines in a distinctive image could have a compelling case for approval. So in the future, we may indeed see a new emoji that clearly communicates the expansive idea of being an artist.