Minimalism

Discuss the future, present and past of sequential art.

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Tailsteak
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Post by Tailsteak »

I recently came across a book about Leonardo DaVinci, filled with his art tips. Throughout it all he is quoted, telling us what we should and should not do in order to make a good painting.

Now, he's Leonardo DaVinci, so he can do that.

The thing is, it got me thinking. What would Leo say if I showed him my somewhat more minimalist style? He probably would hesitate to even call it art.

I suppose, in the end, I'd have to explain that I was the opposite of a painter. While DaVinci tried to break past what we think we see to what we actually see, I try to distill what we visually expect into a few bare lines. I work more with suggestion than with reality.

One of my favourite doodles is of two circles and two lines. If I position them just right, I can make it look like a man and woman embracing.

I don't know... I don't really have a point. It's just that I see this kind of Spartan simplicity very often in comics, and I'm forced to wonder if this is because we feel strongly about the impact of our art, or because the average webcartoonist is a lazy bum.

I suppose anyone can feel humbled after looking at DaVinci's stuff for too long...
gazorenzoku
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Post by gazorenzoku »

On 2001-12-10 22:39, Tailsteak wrote:
It's just that I see this kind of Spartan simplicity very often in comics, and I'm forced to wonder if this is because we feel strongly about the impact of our art, or because the average webcartoonist is a lazy bum.
maybe that depends on the artist? it isn't too dificult to tell when you're dealing with a genius or a fraud (or a lazy artist). At least, that's what I think.

As for yourself, I suppose you have to make the decision whether you think your work is valid or not. You don't think or create like others, you are you. So, if what you are doing is valid to you, then you might as well feel satisfied with that, right?

You may or may not already feel this way...

At least, that is how I feel about it... but then, I'm no da Vinci...

vince
Vince Coleman
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gazorenzoku
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Post by gazorenzoku »

by the way, I personally really like your site. It is a real riot with all the boys locked up in the forbidden subconscious battlefield they call my brain... I look forward to reading more.


Vince Coleman
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Jack Masters
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Post by Jack Masters »

I think it's important that your motivations and goals do not hinge upon things with subjective definitions, as in "I want to create ART". Rather, you should express yourself, create whatever pleases you, and not worry about what picky annoying people are going to call it.
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gazorenzoku
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Post by gazorenzoku »

yeah, that is exactly what I wanted to say. Thanks for saying it well.

Also, I wanted to say that it seems that if someone does want to learn how to create art similar to Da Vinci, then they can learn how to do so. It is a learned skill, and takes time and effort. If you prefer to use minimalism, then you can learn how to do that instead. I think that they are just different methods of expression, both equally valid.

However, the time and effort it takes to produce what a large portion of the Western world considers "great art" can <b> interfere</b> with the process of perfecting a minimalist comics style, not only by taking time away from what you want to do, but also by altering your methods of expression. You would change in the process, and even if it is a change for what you consider the better, you could never really go back to the way it was entirely. There would always be that "new you" that you took tiime to cultivate hanging around to mess things up.

I also wanted to say that if someone does minimilist stuff, but feels that art needs time and effort to learn, and thus doesn't know where to spend that time and effort, then that person should research minimilism and its surrounding philisophical implicaations to the fullest.

Right now I am having an ongoing debate at school with this oil painter who is of the opinion that before someone starts to paint their own inner fantasy, using styles like surrealism, abstract, abstract expressionism, etc., they should take the time to learn how to paint so called "real stuff" first, as this will help them in their usage of color and form when they begin to persue a less "real" form of expression.

I personally feel that the problem with the scholastic art world is that things like minimilism or abstract expressionism are seen as things that require little study, and are thus easily mastered.

But there is a lot that can be studied. An abstract expressionist has the whole world of psychoanalysis & dream interpretation, mythology, philosophy, and other introspective sciences to assist them in a better understanding of their craft. As for minimilism, I am not sure what kind of study could support it, but I am sure that there is something.

Of course, that is only important if you feel that study is a good or required thing. If not, then there is no reason to worry about it. It's just that for people who feel art should be studied "hard core", there is a lot of serious, hard studying to be done for any field of art.

Does that make sense?

vince
Vince Coleman
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