Thursday, September 18, 2008

The Influence of Anime on Art Development and Appreciation in the United States

I recently discovered the FutureModern blog (www.futuremodern.blogspot.com). While reading an entry my attention was captured by the following sentence: “What we thought of as art is about to be reconfigured by a new generation born after 1985, raised in a world of electronic exotica, instant access to information, and avatars.” I thought about the statement-- about how that specific generation and the art collectors of tomorrow will mostly likely be attracted to interactive art involving high technology. I then remembered another influence that said generation has been born into and how it may shape the future of artistic development and appreciation in the United States. That influence is… anime.

While pondering the influence that anime has had on art I thought about my experience as a student observer during my college years. I had planned to become an art teacher and was assigned to observe elementary art sessions, a junior high art class, and a high school art class. However, within just a few days of the program I noticed the impact of anime in the classrooms. I observed drawing after drawing of wide eyed characters in similar poses and with similar dress drawn by students from all grade levels. In other words, the young kids were drawing in the same manner as the high school students. That fact concerned me.

True, there were variations as to the skill of the individuals, but the visual consensus was obvious. The majority of the students were simply not moving beyond those specific works from one grade to another… they were just getting better at it, so to speak. When asked to draw a realistic person or animal most of the students would end up drawing in the same anime inspired way. It was as if they had been conditioned to do so even though the art teachers had never taught a lesson about anime-- I don’t think they knew much about anime in the first place. Once again the recollection of that experience has caused me to reflect on my own youth and early adulthood and my observations of the influence anime has had on the creation and appreciation of art in the United States.

I can remember the start of the anime boom in the United States. I recall that it happened between 1989 and 1991 and that it was spearheaded by Katsuhiro Otomo’s film adaptation of his manga titled Akira. I can remember a commercial-- with a warning message at the start-- involving scenes from Akira and a few other films stating that anime was the ‘new and exciting art’ and that viewers were observing the ‘Japanese animation invasion of the United States” or something along those lines. The commercial ended with the nuclear explosion scene from Akira. I can also remember noticing that my peers started to add wide eyes to their drawings about the same time frame that said commercial was originally aired. I’ll admit that some of my art as a young teen shared some of the same features-- hey! It was easier to draw big eyes than realistic eyes at that time, right? The influence of anime had taken root early on.

By the time I was in high school practically all of the students in my art classes created at least a few works that could easily be connected to the influence of anime. I remember thinking about the anime commercial I had seen several years before that featured Akira as a figurehead of anime when viewing the work of my peers and my own work. However, I recall that I was not ‘excited’. In fact, I started to notice that a lot of the work seemed to look the same. Needless to say, the corporate minds behind the ‘Japanese animation invasion of the United States’ succeed in their advance into popular media. They had also succeeded in invading the developing imaginations and artistic ability of the youth whether that was their intention or not.

My observations continued during my years in college. It seemed that each new class brought with it at least a dozen students who were overly influenced by anime in some respect and that they meshed said influence into their art as well as their lives. Not only did they sketch or draw cookie-cutter characters based off of anime, but they also shared some of the physical features of the anime characters in the films and in their own work-- such as dyed pink hair wearing ‘school girl’ uniforms. The alarming increase in the number of people drawing in an anime inspired manner as well as the direct influence anime had on their lives was both amusing and troubling to observe from a cultural standpoint-- especially for someone who witnessed the aftereffects of the ‘boom‘ and the years following the ‘invasion‘ first hand. It was at that time that I made the decision to never adhere to that influence in my own art again.-- not even as a doodle.

I’m not suggesting that anime is bad or that it should be restricted or anything of that nature. I enjoy the films and a few series. However, I do think that it is sad that it took the ‘Japanese animation invasion of the United States’ to spark widespread interest in creating visual art, specifically drawing, amongst our youth. I think it is a perfect example of how art education and appreciation is lacking in our school system. Art teachers, most likely due to minimal resources and supplies, are unable to inspire students to find an authentic voice within the context of their personal art. Instead, inspiration has been found elsewhere and the end result is largely an onslaught of cookie-cut images that rarely allow a young artist to develop his or her drawing skills beyond those extremely stylized efforts.

Based on my ongoing observations I must say that I think it is apparent that anime has had a negative cultural impact in the United States as far as visual art education is concerned as well as in how young American’s view Japanese culture. For example, along with the anime influence in their art many of them display a ridiculous perception of what it means to be Japanese. I‘m sorry, but even historically based anime films tend to convey an extremely conflicted version of that respected history. Due to the ‘Japanese animation invasion of the United States’ in the late 80’s and early 90’s we have kids, teens, and young adults who may never advance beyond the shell of their anime comfort zone in drawing and who appear to think there is more to learn about Japanese culture and traditions from episodes of InuYasha than can be found in a text book or documentary about the subject. In that sense, the ‘invasion’ has fostered generalizations and stereotypes about what art should be and about an entire country.

The influence is everywhere! For example, debates about the validity of art influenced by anime can cause a blaze of comments in online art forums. There is always a few participants in those discussions who offer an emotive response for or against the question at hand. One of the frequent complaints you will find about art sites is the fact that anime inspired works tend to overwhelm certain online art communities and their respected forums. More than a few art sites are dominated by works influenced by anime in that you can‘t do a search of site members without finding dozens, if not hundreds, of anime influenced artists for every non-anime influenced artist you discover. Thus, it is not hard to find artists who decide to leave those sites for another site that is less overrun, so to speak.

As non-anime influenced artists flee to what they consider better art sites the influence of anime on young artists continues to expand and is easily observed on art sites throughout the net. Several art sites allow you to view images that have recently been uploaded by their members. Do it sometime... I bet you will see that more anime influenced art is uploaded than anything else. I assume that some art sites prey on the influence that anime has on young artists due to their interest in site traffic rather than art itself. However, artists are pointing out their concern and many have lashed out at those very art sites over what they see as site favoritism for a specific direction of art. If you don’t believe me visit a few forums involving art and see some of the reactions people have against ‘Do You Like Anime?’, ‘Who Draws Anime?’, or ’Is Anime Art?’ type entries. It is also interesting if you do a Yahoo or Google search with the name of an art site placed before 'don't like anime'.

The expanding growth of influence that anime has enjoyed in the creative direction of students in the United States is due, in my opinion, to the failed approach of art education in our classrooms. The system of education in the United States has done little to offer other directions for early visual art development and appreciation in my estimation. The enrichment of art development and appreciation in this country is on the backs of art teachers who desperately need better funding in order to improve art programs. Sadly, I don’t think we will see that anytime soon. Thus, anime will continue to rule the day in art classrooms across the United States as it has done for nearly two decades now.

Again, I think that it is sad that it took the ‘Japanese animation invasion of the United States’ to spark widespread interest in creating visual art, specifically drawing, amongst our youth. So to answer the anime commercial I viewed in my youth as I recall it. No, the influence that anime has had on art education and appreciation in the United States is not the ‘new art’ nor is it ‘exciting‘. In fact, I view the influence as being rather limiting as far as artistic growth is concerned. I also think that it has become an obstacle in the developing imaginations of our youth.

With all of this in mind-- and to close before I end up writing a book-- I am curious to see how the the development and appreciation of art will change in the United States based off the influence anime has had since the boom in the late 80’s and early 90’s. It is obvious that the influence has dominated the creative aspirations of the youth in this country for years now. While the increased interest in drawing is positive the fact that the influence tends to restrict the artistic development of those same students is not. The majority of public school art teachers that I’ve spoken with would agree. So how will the influence of anime be reflected in the art world of the future? What happens when the kids of today who have been raised watching anime, playing anime inspired video games, and drawing anime influenced characters become the art collectors of tomorrow?

You can already find 20-something artists utilizing the ‘wide eyed’ anime features within the context of their art. You can see the anime influence slowly advance in the art shown in art magazines, mainstream galleries, and influential art fairs. If the anime influence is widely present in the in the art world of tomorrow should it be considered a natural development in art or an unnatural corporate driven mutation of the direction of art in the United States? If the progression is negative what can we do to halt it? If you view it as positive what should we do to foster it? Is the influence of anime a blessing or a curse concerning the advancement of art in the United States? What are your thoughts on this issue?

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin
Senior Editor
www.myartspace.com

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sometimes I do wonder what I would be drawing if anime had never reached the US or if I would be drawing at all. The influence is a double-edged sword.

idrawgirls said...

Stimulating Article

For me, there are only 'Good art' and 'Bad art.' I am open to all type as long as it's well executed with real skill. I am only waiting every single second of my existence to be INSPIRED, to be MOVED by some STUNNING piece of art. They stimulate my senses in the way that make me more productive and make me breath life.
*Even bad art CAN sometimes inspire you or someone.

I can see why people were saying that and that's partially WHY I decided to make this blog. I often emphasis everyone who watch the video to go LIFE DRAWING. That's the most classical form of study figure. I believe every artist SHOULD know and study the real form and have solid basic foundation before they choose their path. But the world is strange, some can do without and do great.

There are lots of great Manga and Anime(different styles), you just have to seek them out (Akira, Ghost in the Shell?)

If someone really care enough to draw and product art, they should also care to improve their skill as an artist by acquire solid classical foundation.

my two cents.
peace!

Anonymous said...

I think the influence of anime can be found in the underground art scene. Look at the success of Sas Christian, Colin Christian, and Mark Ryden and tell me that the influence of anime is not present in their art. If the collectors of tomorrow are conditioned to like anime like you are suggesting those artists might be a good investment today.

Balhatain said...

Xia, good observations. Anime influenced art is just that, art. It can be ‘good’ or ‘bad’ just as much as an abstract painting can be ‘good’ or ‘bad’ depending on the skill of the artist. For example, I really enjoy the art coming out of the Superflat movement. Takashi Murakami and his peers have made some brilliant works of art.

That said, the problem with the anime influence as far as children, teens, and aspiring young artists in general is the fact that the majority of them do not have the life drawing background that some of those artists have. In a sense, the drawing of anime influenced works has become a replacement for that tradition amongst the youth. They often fail to realize that the anime artists they enjoy tend to have a wide range of experiences and knowledge in art.

Instead of drawing from life and the forms around us students are drawing from still images of the films they enjoy or one of the hundreds of ‘you can draw anime’ type guide books. Which can restrict the development of a young artist… including his or her ability to create anime inspired works of art with an authentic flare of originality, so to speak.

It all comes back to the lack of a strong foundation in early education as far as the study of art in general is concerned. At least in the United States from what I've observed. We need to find a way to excite the youth about other aspects of artistic creation and exploration at an early age.

The interest in drawing is there now. Anime helped to inspire and enforce that interest. Art teachers need to build from that interest in order to introduce other styles and manners of creating works of art. Again, that is my opinion.

Balhatain said...

Anon, you might be correct about the art of Sas, Colin, and Mark. The youth of today and there interest in anime may indeed push those artists into the mainstream art world of tomorrow.

As someone interested in the development of art education I think it would be fascinating to observe how art in K-12 classrooms has changed in the last few decades. It would be amazing to view the twists and turns, so to speak.

If there is an art teacher reading this who has saved samples of work from student spanning the last 30 years I would be very interested in reading your opinion about how the influence of anime has shaped the aesthetics of art created in the classroom by students during your career.

Balhatain said...

And forgive my typos. :P

Anonymous said...

Don't see much anime, I aint no kid. But what I see is of it is illustration, and taken as such, fine. It is loud and annoying and brash, gee, its a cartoon, so what else is new. Taking it as an art form in the way of creative arts, or even fine arts for the rich, is a stretch that even gumby couldnt do.

I went to see this Murakami fool, at the Geffen here in LA. My wifes fellow designer went to the opening as her husband is a architect that helped with the inside store design, it was all about selling Gucci purses, not art. Thats all anyone over the age of 30 went for. I stuck my head in to see, a huge wall with Mis Kitty. You gotta be trippin if you think I was gonna hand over a buncha cash to see adolescent design, the lines were packed with lil asian girls and goofy looking art students. Uh, no thanks. Went to LA Artcore right in front of it where I am showing in March. And then walked around the dead, but trying to pump up, downtown "art" scene.

Now, as far as the state of drawing , especially as taught by academic hacks in the US. NO money for them. Do it the old fashioned way, go to museums, sit there, and copy. Or actually GO OUTSIDE, and draw, as I often do, just did at the Getty Malibu, grounds and sculpture. It dosnt cost a penny. Study draughtsmen of the past, and draw anything and everything that intersts you, and even more so those that dont for thats where you will learn. Sticking to your own desires never leads to growth.

Now, after never drawing except for painting in the past, and not doing any art for over 12 years while raising my kids, I started a year ago at a life drawing session in Santa Monica. Oh My God, no one has a clue as to what drawing is. Almost every single one does the same thing. They can even draw a full figure in the three minute poses, while I am working on a hand, or head, or leg, working up to the longer poses. They may as well be drawing from those little wooden figure dolls they have at art schools, they make the series of ovals for the body parts and connect them, and then think they are doing something with a buncha shading. absolutely NO character. After years, you couldnt tell one drawing from another, could never tell who it was of.

Got one bozo, call him mini Balzac, stands there at an easel he brings in, sticking his belly out, thinking it is a chest, big old beard, tiny little height, and claims to be an art teacher. He squiggles with paint, messes in various colored backgrounds, and is done in five minutes every time, goes out in the lobby on the final longer poses. Had the nerve to tell my wife one time that lines dont exist. Well, we are not made of lines, but two dimensional art sure as hell is. Even when abstract, if you use a color and place it in two of more different spots, it becomes a line. Only way to avoid it would be to evenly space dots all over the canvas, not excactly art, sorta mornay pattern without form.

No, no money for art, except in getting supplies and showing kids different works of artists, and getting field trips for drawing. dont even have to be museums, but most museums are free to students. Enough has been wasted as is to create this vast mediocrity of self absorbed bliss, you know, the igorance is bliss thing. My kids dont like most art, but my youngest, who has the greatest talents, but deep emotional issues, absolutely loved the Cezanne watercolors he saw at the Getty. Expose kids to art, and let them make up their own minds, DON'T brainwash them with this Contemporary crap, turns them off to art altogether.

Kids need more exposure to art, less teaching of it, which turns them off. Only a certain type goes into art now, the vast majority having absolutely no interest in it, but would if taken to places like the Norton Simon here in Pasadena. Or the Getty, they have lots of money to help kids, contact local museums for help and ideas. They like to. But for gods sake, keep them away from art school showings, thats the kiss of death in finding new talent.

Turns them to Anime. Speaking of which, by coincidence i just printed a poster of Japanese illustration for Sony, which is right up the street. No idea who or what it was, certainly bright, looking like lego robots stuff. Fine, for illustrating entertainment. But has nothing to do with creative art.

Art colegia delenda est

Balhatain said...

Donald, I'm not suggesting that the K-12 art teachers should be given more funding for more of the same, so to speak. I'm not talking about their wages either. I’m suggesting that with better funding and more resources young students may actually learn about art in the classroom instead of having to rely on outside sources like anime that can often result in limiting their creative ability.

Just to be clear, I’m talking mostly about students from grade school to high school. No, I don’t expect young students to draw from a nude model in order to learn form, but I do think they could benefit from drawing from a clothed model. That does not happen much in the schools I’ve visited. I agree that visits to museums and certain galleries is a good route to take for art education as well. K-12 students need to be exposed to a wide range of art. However, most schools need better funding for trips like that because they don’t have that advantage within a realistic driving distance.

Rural schools suffer the most because they may live two or more hours away from a decent museum of art. I know people did not have the experience of visiting an art gallery until they were in their 20’s because nothing like that was provided in their communities during their early education. Same goes for museums. Thus, if I had my way every town/city of 5,000 or more people would have a state provided center for art and the major museums would have to traffic specific works from their collection to those small centers so many times per year-- with security. Galleries involved with the program would see reduced burden come tax time. It could work. It would also be a way for local artists in those communities to gain support. True, it would be expensive to start a program like that, but it would also create jobs, recreational opportunities, and most importantly open minds.

The government has wasted money on far less. A goal like that is within reach if the right politician is behind it. The economy may not be able to support something like that now, but it may in the future.

Anonymous said...

Having worked with many male teenagers, I find it best to simply expose them to a wide variety of arts and human endeavors, let them decide what to pursue according to interests and enthusiasms. My eldest, adopted him just as HS started and now a Naval Academy grad, had never been to a museum, had traipsed around the country as a military brat, and then lived in inner city poverty, from Guam to Oakland to Compton then here in the LBC. He was actually scared to go many places as gangbangers were a constant issue, as i have had with my youngest who nearly got killed twice. But got him to a wide variety of experiences, art beng a part of everything, along with my others. More kids when between basketball games at tournaments, went to an aviation, science, and art museums that way, all geared up for ball.

Art is everywhere, from trees to housing to others faces. They love bright lights and lines, which is why they are attracted to Anime. Let them draw cars and fire engines, trees and skateboards. get the feel of a pencil on paper, creating depth and pattern. You dont need a museum for that.

As far as creative art, just show them a huge variety, from European to African top Asia to preColumbian, and then have them copy works from books they like, and find anything else to draw once they start. Farm equiptment, birds, basketball courts, whatever they know well and relate to. All artists must know their motifs intimately, so they can eventually find the commonality that can touch others as their emotions are filled, developed, and able to relate it to how they draw, color, build. K-12 should be about seeing, drawing is best to help develop that, as kids should do it out in the field, so they are encouraged to do it on their own.

Many kids just dont respond to art, and a thats fine. Its a huge world. But drawing helps to gather in things, see how they fit together, as one, when out of the schoolroom or studio. I had photography first to learn to see. Others can use whatever means works for how they think. But drawing should not be derived from ones own contemporaries, that can lead astay. It should be both from our heritage as humans, and real world experience. They can go contemporary in college or at home.

Art museums are great to draw figures and learn how to build two dimensionally. But simply opening the window on the world is the first necessity, art is not separate, but has become so and lost its power because of it. If artists REALLY want to help the world, instead of wearing different colored ribbons and driving Prius', they should get together and help kids. When we get old, they are the ones that will be taking care of us, or not. So it is a selfish thing too. Bring art books to schools for them to see, dont show your own work unless they ask, after months of learning.

We have lost our past, because of all the new fangled bangles produced to be consumed, by corporations. People need to stop, breathe, observe, find peace. Art is about belonging, being more, of an infinite nature. Anime goes with the cell phones, computer games, movies, commercials they are bombarded with, and you would find many of them lost. Its too much for them. Teenage years are tough, Hormones, girls, insecurities, the need to be accepted in this fast moving world going nowhere is numbing them to life.

And Anime most certainly Is numbing. All dreams and delusions, no reality. No death. No life. An alternate universe to get lost in, and corrupted by. Peace. Quiet. Acceptance, Drawing can help in this way, not just in the therapuetic self expression and longings that is so common now. Thats not art, but as art is the one word in our language we are not allowed to define, it has been reduced to nothing. NOT everything.

ACDE

Anonymous said...

Dissapointing. As usual, artistes cant take the truth. I wrote on Georges site, and he deleted it, as I refutted most of his points. I will try here, but will fill it out and rewrite as an article for Dion to post at artnewsblog.com but you can have a taste of the rough draft first. Sorta an update to my post Imperial Clothing, about what has happened in the nine months since I wrote that. Art is in worse shape than I thought, as the world burns, it fiddles. Didnt know about YBAs and decadence beyond my wildest nightmares. Enjoy, or not.

Art collegia delenda est




This is completely America-centric. And as a history major, as well as athlete and artist, mostly wrong. This may very well be a nodal point, but not for the reasons given, except one. A major one that has not been digested yet by humanity, especially the art world.

There are over 6 billion humans on this planet. Most don't know or give a damn about 9-11. This was an American event, one that led to other large events, but not on the scale of others that already concluded the 20th century in about 1989. It was with the fall of the Berlin Wall, the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and Communisim as we knew it, that changed most of the people on this planets lives.

The century had begun in the rubble of Europe after WWI, the new forces of nationalism and poltical/economic theories directed the entire century. With the end of Communism, and the countries all around the world who were client states of the Cold war, the rules changed completely. A new era of America as the sole superpower, and the rise of international companies with NAFTA, the Euro and other economic realignments. Nationalism has grown even stronger, and religion refound its power after a century in ebb.

Poppa Bushes changing the rules of banking that led to the collapse of S&Ls under his reign, to baby Bushes laissez faire attitude where capital became a shell game, no one being able to track and account for it through international dealings, that lead to massive speculation, and the collapse we are just now beginning to experience. Clinton also participated with NAFTA and a focus on growth, though with still the barest minimum of rules to keep the voracious appetites of capitalism at bay, only having hiccups with the dot.com bust and a recession that was postponed with baby Bush's Presidency. To come roaring back now, as structural issues were covered up at that time, and grew to immense proportions that cannot be tamed easily now, inflation soon to raise its head as the National Bank's print money as we speak.

Bin Laden is really just a footnote, a brigand, not a national leader who leads hordes of hatred against us. He is no true threat to us, the fight over our life blood, oil, does not include him. A rising Russia is far more of a threat, the cost of the Iraq war, and not getting bin Laden, is what has done the damage, as Osama laughs in his cave. Our national debt will keep us from growing for years to come. And leaves us in a weakened state as the true nodal point of our lifes rises.

In culture, Obama may very well lose, as the Bradley affect has not been taken into account. The percentage that will not vote for him in the voting booth because of his race, as happened to Tom Bradley in California, no matter what they told the pollsters. it will be a smaller percentage than the 10% who turned 20 years ago, but in a close race, may very well decide the contest.

And the 6os were important as a culmination, not the actual battle which had been going on for hundreds of years since the first man was put into slavery in our country. It is when white people finally got it, after tens of thousands had died and millions been kept in abject servitude. Jazz was the music of the movement, the equivalent of Modern Art. Miles and Matisse have exactly the same concerns, in different forms, with the freedom of people at stake in America. Charlie Parker produced the analytical cubism of music, bebop. John Coltrane spanned from synthetic cubism, the first and only true musical art form of the worlds people, to the Abstract Expressionsim of free jazz at his death. These were the sounds of change, of the cry for freedom to be human, and taken to its pinnacle.

Archetecture hit its height decades ago, the decadence of the current forms, Dubai to burn as the new Babylon, when the religious masses of Islam finally see the incredible excess of a Vegas on steroids. When the money starts to fade, and the gulf rises i disgust adn religious fervor, it will fall. China will not be an equal in the near future, but a player, its economy already fallen as gas prices rose and the worlds economies crack. However, it now owns America as much as the English, who also are at a peak of decadence unknown to man, the current art scene there crawling with their court jesters, amusing them as they watch Rome burn.

No, the true nodal point is the twin threats of a global warming, and the end of the era of cheap oil, and commodoties. Food prices have risen dramatically, and though oil has come back down halfway as the worlds economies screech to a halt, it will rise even more as the deep recession eventually recedes. We have used now over half the worlds fossil fueld reserves, though most countries are more than likely grossly overstating how much they truly have, there is no international group to investigate. And much will be extremely difficult to use, oil sands, shale, coal, old oil fields that produce less and less. We have reached the point of maximum production, yet the worlds population and desires grow. Finding new sources of power, foods that can be raised cheaper, and transported at costs that have risen so much as to show they will never lower to a state of availabilty for everyone again. Most shortages having been because of war and gross government mismangagment or greed.

And the effects of the rising temperature are yet to be seen, with huge movements of populations to come, as weather patterns change, crops die in some areas, and become bountiful in others that were not useful before. We must invest in our future, no more wasting our precious resources, no more taking life for granted, the partying, selfishness, greed of all, and reflected in art.

Art will change, it has not been needed, as for forty years little of true signficance has ocured. Not, fundamental shifts are in progress, and its function must once more be reasserted, not hidden under the needs and desires of the rich. For art has Purpose, long ago claimed to have been overriden. It defines who a people is, it searches for meaning, who are we, what are we to do, why are we here, how do I life my life purposefully. On other words, God. Which art and the left has been scared to face, and the right has distorted for its own desires.

Now art must rise up, occupy its place in the woven fabric of human existence, for all. Not the sheltered rich and their offspring. It is about WE, US. Not I, and the Meism of the last forty years, where the individual has been glorified, to avoid the questions that truly matter. Now is the time.

What will occur, I have no idea. The center will most likely be somewhere else, where true human longing and striving take place, for the benefit of Humanity over the desires of the individual. Not through a religious, governmental, or corporat entity or dogma. But reflect who we are, and help us see what must be done, through life affirming Purpose.

This you do feel, but have not voiced it properly. We can all feel the change, not of Obama or Mcpalin or any other group, but true ned to save our people, our human culture, and all that has been built. We must change quickly, and things will accelerate. Will we do it quick enough, wil we commit and sacrifice, a word far too seldom used, let alone actually done in our post modern world.

Now is the time.

Balhatain said...

Donald,

I only delete comments if they have pointless vulgarity or if they are obvious spam.

Balhatain said...

By the way, does Dion have his email listed on artnewsblog? I want to contact him about a few ideas.

Anonymous said...

And my vulgarity is always pointed.

Anonymous said...

Anime, to me, is hardly art. It is animation, like a form of art, such as dancing, film-making, but not such art as painting. In my opinion still-art in an "anime" style is a slight progress to manga. The question is: do you want to make comics, or have extravengent galleries show-casing brilliant works of art in your name? Or perhaps you would rather animate, or design characters for animation?

Anime is animation(literally; Spongebob Squarepants is considered anime in Japan!). Manga is comics. Art is art. They are seperate ideas. Please don't mix them up.

Give a clear defition to the kids you're teaching(if you still are!)of what is art and what is animation, or comic-making. Encourage them to plan on what career of art they want to take, and inform them of how insanely difficult and unlikely it would be to have a foreigner create authentic Japanese anime/manga. They can make a good career in ripping off the style in the US, though.

Anonymous said...

I just want to make this clear: anime ISN'T all just big-eyed, cookie-cutter type characters. You are speaking of the ones you have come across, and the ones that are tarnishing US perception of art and Japanese culture.

Shounen Bat, Spice and Wolf, Paprika(movie), and other animes that may have some stance in Japan but not so much in the US are better examples of "artistic" animations. Not art, but at least highly-detailed and done with obvious affection and devotion(sort of like old Disney movies, but bolder)

Death Note is the only anime with well-done visuals that can be uterred in a public place in the US and be recognized. Haruhi Suzumiya is another, despite being wide-eyed and mildly generic(although greatly parodying its own genericness), the background art is beautiful.

5 cm/sec. The cherry blossom one. Absolutely stunning while utilizing anime. You'll have to watch it to see what I mean. Very boring and bland, but spectacular to behold!

Anime Art said...

anime art gives me pleasure lol i dont care if anybody looks at it or not i love anime art im even runing an online anime art site

Anonymous said...

Man, i grew up watchin Candy candy,saint seiya and drawing el chupa cabra, and stuff that i liked, copying spider-man and superman, later on i got into graffiti,did forover 2 years i still do, after all that i started drawing anime manga style, i loved the style but i sucked at it, because it is how u said, i lacked the fundamentals, so i went back and started learning life drawing from books tutorials or whatever i could find information about it, i did that because i wanted to improve my anime manga style, because i knew i needed that to improve it, now i can draw a realistic face and human body, i learned the proportions gesture and yes it did helped me.

well to make this short if a kid influenced by anime wants to improve what he likes to do, he got to go tru that road of learning and experimenting, and along the way he is going to learn that there is more to it that just anime manga style, then he got more options to chose from and do sometin with them, if he doesnt he'll just stay there as what i call a fan boy with out improving, it all depends on the person and what the person wants, and how strong the person is...and about my style, hell i dont even know, but one thing is for sure it has anime influence in it...is it bad>?...i dont think so,...I WANT TO LEARN MORE STYLES!!!...=D