Genuine question: Why put elaborate alt text on visual art? I just put "ink drawing" or "digital painting" in there because I think that's descriptive enough. Even if I describe the image in detail, you're not going to get the image out of it. I'm just writing microscopic fiction at that point. - ThreadSky

entzuendung.bsky.social • 6 days ago

Genuine question: Why put elaborate alt text on visual art? I just put "ink drawing" or "digital painting" in there because I think that's descriptive enough. Even if I describe the image in detail, you're not going to get the image out of it. I'm just writing microscopic fiction at that point.

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entzuendung.bsky.social•6 days ago

I want to keep it vague. If I describe it, that will affect the way it is seen. I understand the benefit when the image contains information that needs to be conveyed, but here the image is all there is. There is no information beyond the image. I can't give anyone access to that through words.

garybirdshirt.bsky.social•6 days ago

I think alt text has less utility the more abstract a piece of art is. There's a lot of abstraction in your work, so alt text would have to do a lot of heavy lifting, like you say.

For my stuff, I put a very brief description of the painting/drawing, just enough so someone knows roughly what it is.

entzuendung.bsky.social•6 days ago

What I feel conflicted about is that I see any description as something that imposes my view of the image on the viewer, which sounds a bit extreme when I say it. I guess it wouldn't hurt to add a vague description. Whether it is of any use shouldn't really be my concern.

garybirdshirt.bsky.social•6 days ago

I don't think it sounds extreme. It's hard to come up with the right words for something, especially if so much of its value comes from the visual experience of it. I see your alt text and that just lets me know that there's too much going on in the idea of the thing to be able to properly describe

garybirdshirt.bsky.social•6 days ago

This is not a flaw or a dig. Watch any interview with David Lynch and he'll say the same exact thing about his movies and paintings

atropius.bsky.social•6 days ago

I generally do alt text in a very clinical way like I'm describing something in a textbook

ferretly.bsky.social•6 days ago

alt text is primarily intended for people who utilize screen readers. if someone literally cannot see or can barely see an image, alt text allows them to enjoy your artwork in a different way; this isn't really about using text to influence the perspective of sighted people at all.

entzuendung.bsky.social•6 days ago

Yes, I'm aware, but I wouldn't say it allows them to enjoy my art in a different way, but rather that it allows them to enjoy a short piece of fiction I wrote, which makes me think that simply stating what kind of drawing it is is descriptive enough.

ferretly.bsky.social•6 days ago

alt text shouldn't really read like fiction? it should just describe what is visible in the image

entzuendung.bsky.social•6 days ago

Yes, but that description will also be read by people who can see the image, and that will influence their perception of it, and that's what I feel conflicted about.

lux-inferior.bsky.social•6 days ago

i get this. it's hard to be vague enough to not influence sighted people as they process the image, but descriptive enough to be accurate while staying analytically objective. especially as the artist who will have your own idea to keep.

bigoldeels.bsky.social•6 days ago

idk, I try to at least describe the scene I've drawn and set the mood I was going for. I dunno if that's enough for someone who can't see the image to get something out of it but I figure it can't hurt

illneverbloom.bsky.social•6 days ago

some people that use alt text have partially impaired vision or other things like that. so i think it can be beneficial to help in those situations. also even if someone can't, as you say, get the image out of it. its still better than nothing imo. honesty its just a nice thing to do in general

illneverbloom.bsky.social•6 days ago

saying that i totally understand the desire to be vague as you say. i think that's a pretty important thing in art myself, so perhaps it's not the best for every type of art. its tough to say

entzuendung.bsky.social•6 days ago

You make a good point about partially impaired vision. I hadn't fully considered that. I guess I should at least add a vague description.

yuagiin.diurnalstudios.co.nz•6 days ago

This. I'm struggling to word it in a concise way but it's also context if the image fails to load, if the viewer is colourblind, who is who if there are multiple people in an image

It doesn't have to be a gallery wall plaque but "image.png" would load whether you put the alt text or not

moltarben.bsky.social•6 days ago

I like writing the fiction honestly, and adding little jokes and such

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