On to the bloggery of bloggy-ness. I was reading and researching this morning...nothing new, it's usually how I start my day...that and with a massive amount of coffee. I stumbled upon (again) the debate of high art vs. low art. I really loathe the labeling of things...except when it's foodstuffs, and things that need to have labels on them...side effects may include: dizziness, euphoria, anal seepage, low mortgage rates....but on art...really? Do we NEED a pretentious high vs low label?!
I said pretentious...yes...and I mean it. People that buy into the high vs low thing can be a little snooty, prissy pants. The "high" artist says well I work with the top quality paints (insert whatever paints here) and my brushes are made from the tail of unicorn....my canvas is the skin of an ogre...what I produce is tangible and expensive and I will speak down to you low non-artling creatures because you don't know the first thing about art. Digital art!? Comic book art?! Cartoonists?! Prissy pants doesn't even consider that art. Sadly, the high artist usually can't re-create the low artists lines...they just don't know when to stop. **DISCLAIMER** I am talking in general about articles I read...in no way am I coming down on anyone for using top quality unicorn brushes, etc. I am giving my humble opinion about labels in art and why they must die!!! DIE!!!!
Digital art is NOT cheap, nor is high end inks, etc, for graphic novels, cartoons, etc. I use both. I know these things. I also doodle with a cheap ball point pen...and some of the sketches that pop out are pretty good. I do understand the quality does affect that end result...I get that...but it doesn't mean you have to have the best of the best to produce some amazing stuff. I am working digitally at a mid to low range...I need yet another PC upgrade and my Wacom is about to go on a permanent strike from the abuses...sorry Bubbles! (Yes my Wacom's name is Bubbles, what's it to you?! huh?!) I can't use all the features that my program (Painter 16) has to offer, my PC's brain is just not that smart...it's like the kid in the corner you grew up with eating the paste and the glitter. This year my PC is going to undergo a lobotomy...hopefully it'll be enough. That being said, in the grand scheme of high vs low...I'm probably somewhere in the gutter of low art. I'm happy there. In the gutter, full of creative "filth" that I love.
I say end the labels...creating and arting is special whether or not it's "high" or "low" Every piece of art created is it's own persona reflection of the artist. Like a snowflake...why have the need to put some artists' down because they aren't fancy schmancy "high" art. I know and have seen a lot of artists' that would be clumped into the low art that do amazingly fantastical work...I've seen artists' considered to be "high" art with all of their fancy unicorn brushes put out work that is "meh" at best...I'm being kind. The critics will praise these and put them up on a pedestal, light candles around them, with a dollar bill and a glass of wine for just mediocre work...granted...art is very subjective in this way of what is good and what is not. Hence my earlier blog about having very thick skin to be an artist. I blame the critics for the high/low label. They tend to breed bad behaviour that they deem to be high artists. While us lowly gutter artists' are thinking...yeah, right...suuurrre.
Am I jaded? Perhaps. Maybe a little part of me is, but I am quite content with my art because I don't lump myself in any category...I just create, for the passion, love and NEED to create. I hope to one day see the low/high label go away forever. A saying comes to mind, "wish in one hand and S@#* in the other and see which one fills up faster. I can dream though...Until we as artists, stop judging each other based on what critics are saying, nothing will change. Until we all support each other, in any medium without judgment nothing will change...ever. I think as humans we are incapable of not judging. It's what we do as a species. For now I will remain a "low" artist and I have no aspiration to become a "high" artist. I'm happy with what I do, and I push myself to grow and evolve...so where ever the winds will take me, art-wise, I shall go. I will continue to ignore the low/high label and do what makes me happy.
As for the plague...it has struck the hubby far worse than I. I am still feeling beaten down...and a bit worse than yesterday...but not by a lot. The weather cannot be helping at all in this. I refuse to succumb to the plague, I am telling myself over and over I will not be beaten!! If I can remain at this level of craptastic-ness I'll be okay.
On a lighter note, before signing off...I finally purchased my sketchbook. I really love the cover, the paper seems to be a good weight (it didn't say how many lbs. it was) I will be mainly doing my Copic SP inks...I may try the marker, but it may be too much for the paper to hold. Pencil and maybe some charcoal if the desire strikes me. It is very intimidating to see a beautiful, large book full of blank pages...intimidating, indeed. I plan on sketching today.
For now my minions, I shall bid you an a adieu. I want to get started with my arting...and that pesky lunch thing...Until next time...