Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2002 6:46 am
On the subject of 'David the art god'...
I've been browsing furry archives and the like for ten years now (help me I am in hell) and through all the garbage I've shifted through, have come to define certain basic norms of 'goodness'.
First one has to face the fact that most furry stuff online these days, is just utter garbage. Some of the long-running web-comics aren't drawn half as good as the early Dilberts, and those were pretty bad. Most of the art in the archives is just a waste of disk space, and would have a better home stuck to the door of a fridge somewhere.
With this background, it isn't difficult to deduce that it doesn't take much to be 'good' when drawing furries. The bar has been lowered to a level where you can step over it. Compared to this background, yes, David is an art god.
Unfortunately, my disk space is limited, as is my patience, so I've been as cruel as to dismiss with this relativistic standpoint, and now compare furry artwork to any other artwork that is floating around the web.
Based on all of this, I deem David's artwork to be good. Not bad, not great, but good.
One of the most important points is that his characters actually look the same from one picture to the other. Sounds simple enough maybe, but is actually not all that easy to achieve. Look at 60% of all webcomics for affirmation.
Another important thing, is that David has learned how to express a wide variety of emotions through his characters. The only time you see an ambivalent expression, is when he was trying to give you one. With many of the other artists you are left guessing: is she happy, or is it gas?
Personal style is also important, and David has mastered that as well. He has a consistant style of his own, and doesn't just struggle to get something on the paper. The end result is not 'something', it is David's style, which anyone who has seen it can recognise with ease.
The anatomy of the characters can still be a bit hazy at times, but luckily, many of his creations aren't all that natural, so conventional anatomy ceases being a valid point. Also, the toony style gives vast liberties in any case.
Just to clarify on the last point, I do not expect ANY kind of realism from David's drawings, but I do expect consistancy, for him to keep with the artistic rules that he has set for himself. It is staying within those that matters.
So all in all, what makes David good, in my eyes, is that he has achieved consistancy on many levels. He is still a 'work in progress' in the sense that you can see his basic skills (as opposed to style) still developing, but that is a good thing in itself. He IS developing, he IS becoming more skilled, and he is Not stuck on his current level. In two to five years from now, I believe he will be ready to start looking for someone to publish his stuff for real.
So why this analysis on 'why David is better than a can of Spam?' Well boys and girls, I'd just like to ask you to keep your hats on. Calling David's art 'the best' or 'perfection' is one of the worst disservices you can do to him.
It is that kind of unrealistic hero worship, that Has stunted the artistic growth of so many a furry artist, and left them as the crap-merchants that they are today. They Believe that they are the best, and so, crank out the same shit year after year, without Any signs of improvement. Also, if you try to offer them even the slightest hint of criticism, they'll throw a big fit at you, and send all their fanboys after you. You are just insulting them because they Are perfect, after all...and the fact that most seven year olds draw better is not important.
So, considering the way that many of David's stories concentrate on tearing down all the superficial bullshit that is choking this world, and exposing the red, wet core of things...lets not add to the bullshit, shall we?
The saving grace here is that David has a fairly realistic view of his capabilities, and is not too ready to see himself as perfection incarnate. Yes, you can see that ghost of low self-esteem dragging him down sometimes, but he has Karma to chase that away...and believe you me, what she can't handle, your praise won't change either.
Now I am not saying that you shouldn't praise the man; he's human, he likes praise like the rest of us...but don't go overboard, use some common sense. If you want to call something great, call his Stories that. It's the writing behind the images that I personally find to be Great. That, is what rocks my world.
A book of blood - JD
-----
"Give me time I will be clear.
Given time you'll understand
What possesses me to right what you have suffered.
I'm in this mood because of scorn.
I'm in a mood for total war.
To the darkened skies once more and ever onward."
-Darkangel; VNV Nation-
I've been browsing furry archives and the like for ten years now (help me I am in hell) and through all the garbage I've shifted through, have come to define certain basic norms of 'goodness'.
First one has to face the fact that most furry stuff online these days, is just utter garbage. Some of the long-running web-comics aren't drawn half as good as the early Dilberts, and those were pretty bad. Most of the art in the archives is just a waste of disk space, and would have a better home stuck to the door of a fridge somewhere.
With this background, it isn't difficult to deduce that it doesn't take much to be 'good' when drawing furries. The bar has been lowered to a level where you can step over it. Compared to this background, yes, David is an art god.
Unfortunately, my disk space is limited, as is my patience, so I've been as cruel as to dismiss with this relativistic standpoint, and now compare furry artwork to any other artwork that is floating around the web.
Based on all of this, I deem David's artwork to be good. Not bad, not great, but good.
One of the most important points is that his characters actually look the same from one picture to the other. Sounds simple enough maybe, but is actually not all that easy to achieve. Look at 60% of all webcomics for affirmation.
Another important thing, is that David has learned how to express a wide variety of emotions through his characters. The only time you see an ambivalent expression, is when he was trying to give you one. With many of the other artists you are left guessing: is she happy, or is it gas?
Personal style is also important, and David has mastered that as well. He has a consistant style of his own, and doesn't just struggle to get something on the paper. The end result is not 'something', it is David's style, which anyone who has seen it can recognise with ease.
The anatomy of the characters can still be a bit hazy at times, but luckily, many of his creations aren't all that natural, so conventional anatomy ceases being a valid point. Also, the toony style gives vast liberties in any case.
Just to clarify on the last point, I do not expect ANY kind of realism from David's drawings, but I do expect consistancy, for him to keep with the artistic rules that he has set for himself. It is staying within those that matters.
So all in all, what makes David good, in my eyes, is that he has achieved consistancy on many levels. He is still a 'work in progress' in the sense that you can see his basic skills (as opposed to style) still developing, but that is a good thing in itself. He IS developing, he IS becoming more skilled, and he is Not stuck on his current level. In two to five years from now, I believe he will be ready to start looking for someone to publish his stuff for real.
So why this analysis on 'why David is better than a can of Spam?' Well boys and girls, I'd just like to ask you to keep your hats on. Calling David's art 'the best' or 'perfection' is one of the worst disservices you can do to him.
It is that kind of unrealistic hero worship, that Has stunted the artistic growth of so many a furry artist, and left them as the crap-merchants that they are today. They Believe that they are the best, and so, crank out the same shit year after year, without Any signs of improvement. Also, if you try to offer them even the slightest hint of criticism, they'll throw a big fit at you, and send all their fanboys after you. You are just insulting them because they Are perfect, after all...and the fact that most seven year olds draw better is not important.
So, considering the way that many of David's stories concentrate on tearing down all the superficial bullshit that is choking this world, and exposing the red, wet core of things...lets not add to the bullshit, shall we?
The saving grace here is that David has a fairly realistic view of his capabilities, and is not too ready to see himself as perfection incarnate. Yes, you can see that ghost of low self-esteem dragging him down sometimes, but he has Karma to chase that away...and believe you me, what she can't handle, your praise won't change either.
Now I am not saying that you shouldn't praise the man; he's human, he likes praise like the rest of us...but don't go overboard, use some common sense. If you want to call something great, call his Stories that. It's the writing behind the images that I personally find to be Great. That, is what rocks my world.
A book of blood - JD
-----
"Give me time I will be clear.
Given time you'll understand
What possesses me to right what you have suffered.
I'm in this mood because of scorn.
I'm in a mood for total war.
To the darkened skies once more and ever onward."
-Darkangel; VNV Nation-
<-----Evil Smirk