Do the tools the artist uses to advance his craft matter, and if so to what extent? I recently faced this question in an endeavor I didn’t expect the answer to matter, namely in my writing.

To facilitate writing on the go, anywhere writing, as it were, sometime I ago I procured a tablet with Bluetooth keyboard combination (no, the on-screen keyboard is not conducive to efficient writing). That tool achieved the portability and ease of use I’d intended, but soon left me wanting. The Android-based word processing application, though compatible with Microsoft Word, left many wanting for all the features I could get in the real thing, and the Bluetooth keyboard, when I went into a rapid fire typing spree, would lag and often switch enter letters in the wrong order. Add to that the inefficiency of transferring files back and forth to my main computer (where I conduct final edits and formatting, along with doing major writing), and soon I had to admit I needed a better tool.

I still wanted the portability, and finally this week, after much searching for an affordable option (light and thin laptops have tended to run on the expensive side), I landed on this little thing pictured here. I am happy to report the keyboard works quite well.

But if you’ve been following my blog you know that I tend to turn simple, straight-forward matters into deep searches for truth and meaning. This incident brings to mind past times when I’ve encountered this quandary: does the tool that the artist use impact his creativity and the quality of his work?

Back during my photographer days a rather oft-pronounced and cliched maxim stated: “it’s not the tool, it’s the photographer that counts.” Examples of photographers doing amazing work with “inferior” cameras abound. The tag-along running joke went something like: “If you like a photo don’t ask its photographer what camera he used any more than you would ask Michelangelo what brush he used to paint the Sistine Chapel.” To which I would often respond that I’m sure he didn’t use a Home Depot three inch brush.

You see, while the sentiment that the artist’s inspiration and skill matter most, it is silly to ignore the interaction between craft and its tools. An artist’s use of an inferior tool may detract and distract from his ability to produce good work, while a better tool will allow him the freedom to worry about more important things than the limitations and constraints he has to work around.

And so it is that I’m happy to report I wrote this entire post using my new writing machine. Oh, and the last few days have been particularly productive as I crank out another episode in the Tracking Jane series. Is it the better keyboard, the nicer word processor? I can’t say for sure. Whatever lets my imagination fly unhindered works fine for me.

What about you? What tools or materials have given fullest freedom to your creativity?