This question has always bugged me when it has popped up here:) My opinion is yes it is "art" by the definition, and though I would never refer to myself as an 'artist' I'd say I'd perform the same functions, just as everyone who uses poser or bryce or another 3d program to create nice images or animations for others. Without the input of my mind, imagination and limited skill those props and textures would never become anything, well at least not to me or my audience. True most of us aint Picasso's but hey in my opinion his work isn't art either. I've seen kids who can color better :)