saw this on twitter, Stephen Worth made some extremely good points about what originality is animation production design these days and how nostalgia sometimes passes this point of no return in terms of relatability...
...and what it means to be a consumer vs a creative as an animation artist
...and what it means to be a consumer vs a creative as an animation artist
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But I do think that the transition from fan into professional can be tricky- and I do think we can learn from what came before, but we gotta be pushing things forward not cycling the past.
It's really hard not to want to try and recapture something you love rather than create something new
I think the problem is that people aren't directing their anger towards the production companies and their heads, instead this is directing more anger at the artists.
I get it, practice outside what you normally do, mesh w a production
but it always felt so weird there was so much focus on "do what they do" my own work was frowned on
I couldn't stand being in house animation clean up, design and sfx where every idea I was proud of (being YOUNG) and immediately being told "nah not as good as xyz artist style we're trying to achieve"
my friend @shnikkles.bsky.social is a genius at this, she nails the style of whatever she's involved with like wearing a coat
they just want to make exactly what they experienced growing up. They want TinyToons forever.
Not realizing how freakin niche "exactly replicating TinyToons" is as an audience.
You'll be forever behind the curve and grow saltier than Salton Lake as your youth evaporates.
Even if this is how you were in college, you can grow beyond it. And exposing yourself to more STUFF out there helps that.
I think often art students are told to innovate and look to other examples as gold standards but there isn't really an education in how you break from the mold to produce work that feels fresh if that makes sense
This is probably why I've never been able to get very far as a character designer. I've tried but my art style doesn't scream 'fresh' lol
if you work in/around animation production, let me know what you think about it, I want to hear from you specifically- not just consumers
I don't really know how else to draw. I'm not a 'style chameleon' like real animation artists are, and have to be. lol
I wanted to like... direct my own show or movie. I wanted to create, and lead. Or at least have a voice in production. I'm too old for it now but, at least I can draw my little blorbos
Not trying to juice your head up but you're among the few artists out there with a style that I don't SEE out there.
Its partly why I loved your spooky Sleep Demon film so much.
It's hard to be known for an original style when the general public is constantly pushed and incentivized to go for nostalgia hits. It's frustrating.
I see the main issue to be what story to tell and how. Artstyle seems almost inconsequential to that discussion.
The looks are just a gateway, an invitation imo.
Certainly one of the weirder gags where its punchline is lost to time.