John K -- Wrinkles Were Actually Studied In Art Schools Once

[BobProbst]

I know that there are several people here into drawing and cartoons in general and I found this to just be fascinating to the point of sharing:

http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2008/05/wrinkles-were-actually-studied-in-art.html

I've been reading John K's blog (creator of Ren & Stimpy) for a few years now and even though I can't draw a curved line without having an eraser handy, I love reading about his process and critique of cartoons and animation. I find that I disagree strongly with him on certain questions of taste but I've started understanding his point of view better than before and see great value in his insights.

 

[Grimhelm]

Ugh. Yes. He is quite the blow hard. Any time someone sets out to tell me what is right and wrong in art, without truly credible arguments or examples to back up his argument, I immediately close my mind to him. He constantly refers to being "more artistic", yet he offers no real definition of what that means. All he offers is his biases then, perhaps due to his successes, mistakently equates this with a valid argument.

 

[BobProbst]

Ugh. Yes. He is quite the blow hard. Any time someone sets out to tell me what is right and wrong in art, without truly credible arguments or examples to back up his argument, I immediately close my mind to him. He constantly refers to being "more artistic", yet he offers no real definition of what that means. All he offers is his biases then, perhaps due to his successes, mistakently equates this with a valid argument.

That's exactly how I reacted to it years ago and often still do. On the other hand, I so enjoy his work that I continually go back to his site to see what he's doing and what he's thinking about. The constant provocation really challenges me to question, defend and often reform my preconceptions about illustration, animation and art in general. If anything, it's made me more broad-minded about artistic expression and I love that it's made me more observant and appreciative of animation technique -- which is why I posted the first thread: I never ever considered the challenges of drawing wrinkles -- who else but an artist would? It's also interesting to see his little history lesson about the evolution of wrinkles in animation.

 

[Grimhelm]

Incidentally, I am really thinking of starting my comic idea again... the cartoon strip, that is. As for John K, it is typical of artists in general, I think, to apply their own biases as if these biases were the only clear definition of art.

I met a girl who argued until she was blue in the face with me about the value of copying master works. (You have probably noticed the Titian copy hanging in my room) She argued vehemently that it was not art or useful to copy someone else's work. It must be expressive of self! It must have your own unique stamp!

This is a very American idea. We are obsessed with self expression to a fault, until all self expression becomes lost and meaningless in a sea of people "expressing" themselves for the sake and duty of expression itself. She could not understand that I learned a great deal about technique through imitation, a technique that I could then go on to use in my own paintings. For her, however, such an idea could not fit with her extremely narrow and self involved definition of art.

Incidentally, after I got her drunk on wine and shagged her, she came around the next morning, but this is an entirely different story!

 

[APewty]

Incidentally, after I got her drunk on wine and shagged her, she came around the next morning, but this is an entirely different story!

Art Bimbo: Who are you?

Grimhelm: Grimhelm. James Grimhelm.

Art Bimbo: How do I mix this paint for you to draw with?

Grimhelm: Shaken, not stirred.