Do Graphic Artists Lack Identity?

[Eyesore]

Remember back when you immediately knew something was done by Travis? Or even Mattias Noren? Have you noticed lately that you aren't sure? I still think Travis is the best there is—Mattias a close second followed by Niklas Sundin—but the field of graphic design, especially band artwork, seems to be overflowing with impressionists!

Just look at the member's artwork thread here, so much of it is similar, all by different artists. Do you guys strive to just make art that is cool, or is it serious enough for you that you labor to find your own identity, so that when someone looks upon your work they instantly know you did it?

There are some killer artists out there, no doubt, the forum is proof of that alone, but I find there to be very few that have their own unique identity. Even the three artists I mentioned first, Travis, Mattias and Niklas, have been slightly robbed of their identity because no longer do you know for a fact that they did the artwork. You may be 95% sure, but at one time you would have been 100% sure. So what do you think it is about this band artwork "genre" that makes artists almost faceless?

 

[Crenshaw]

I dont think so. I think some people with similar expression in some fields post stuff that may be inspired by the same stuff on this forum. It's a tad difficult to grasp what you mean, but I guess if you mean in technique? Although I always try to put some meaning and sense into what I make, I've been working with different mediums whole my life, and while drawing and painting is my "main" stuff, I've been doing more and more digital designs over the last couple of years. I suppose I gave you the spark to start this topic, since I'm the last one posting in the members thread. Sounds a bit whiny to say that someones been "robbed" of their identity, if they truly have they own idenity, It can't be robbed from them that easy.

If you can write something more spesific, it would be a lot easier to answer you.

 

[Eyesore]

I dont think so. I think some people with similar expression in some fields post stuff that may be inspired by the same stuff on this forum. It's a tad difficult to grasp what you mean, but I guess if you mean in technique? Although I always try to put some meaning and sense into what I make, I've been working with different mediums whole my life, and while drawing and painting is my "main" stuff, I've been doing more and more digital designs over the last couple of years. I suppose I gave you the spark to start this topic, since I'm the last one posting in the members thread. Sounds a bit whiny to say that someones been "robbed" of their identity, if they truly have they own idenity, It can't be robbed from them that easy.

If you can write something more spesific, it would be a lot easier to answer you.

This is absolutely not a result of what you posted. I thought I explained myself well enough, but I'll try again.

Take the new All That Remains album, for example. I saw it and immediately thought it was Travis's work, but I just wasn't sure. A few years ago there would have been no doubt. I'm saying that this sort of medium is now like metalcore: a million faceless artists in a faceless crowd, all doing something similar, but no one doing enough to differentiate themselves from the rest.

It's not me whining, this is a serious question that I'm interested in hearing opinions on.

 

[the-lull]

there was people who thought the same when thy first saw Travis Smith works. "Look ! I'm pretty sure it is a Dave Mc Kean stuff ! ".
Just leave the time to artists around there to find their own personality. Every artist starts by reproducing notorious pieces. Practice, then master.

 

[Crenshaw]

This is absolutely not a result of what you posted. I thought I explained myself well enough, but I'll try again.

Take the new All That Remains album, for example. I saw it and immediately thought it was Travis's work, but I just wasn't sure. A few years ago there would have been no doubt. I'm saying that this sort of medium is now like metalcore: a million faceless artists in a faceless crowd, all doing something similar, but no one doing enough to differentiate themselves from the rest.

It's not me whining, this is a serious question that I'm interested in hearing opinions on.

Well.. To be honest I think this is a dead discussion. All that stuff is a problem in everything - music, writing, art - all kinds of art. The unique thing about Travis for me has always been the high quality, not the unique motives and style. Everything has been done before.

 

[Man With The Golden Left Hand]

In my opinion, Travis is a poor's man Dave Mckean, while Mattias a poor's man Hugh Syme. I'm not saying they are bad at all, i LOVE their work, but following your theory, Travis & Mattias owe them a LOT. I definitely agree with Crenshaw, it's all about the quality in the end.

 

[Eyesore]

In my opinion, Travis is a poor's man Dave Mckean, while Mattias a poor's man Hugh Syme. I'm not saying they are bad at all, i LOVE their work, but following your theory, Travis & Mattias owe them a LOT. I definitely agree with Crenshaw, it's all about the quality in the end.

True, it is all about quality, but in 2006 there isn't just a few artists similar to each other, there's a million.

 

[--]

i totally get what you're saying about the 'band artwork genre' but i dont see how it's a problem. as mentioned you automatically recognize the quality in the artwork. but to think that there are millions of people out there with PCs and Photoshop, making artwork...and by virtue of the internet, sharing it, i think that's great!

also to say there are a million artists doing the same thing, it creates a great opportunity to do something different and stand out. pen and ink, straight photography, painting, whatever...there's still a lot of really good stuff out there. and to be perfectly honest, i know that i cannot compete with the percentage of the millions doing that style...so i have to approach it differently.

however the one trend that starts to drive me crazy is the sort of elaborate curly q plant-like etching detail that is on every metalcore band, surf brand, and abercrombie t-shirt. what bugs me is how much of this is cut and paste scanned and how much is actually being drawn?? i dont know. i can live with the mixed media cause you can tell the difference, but for the love of dog, when you borrow from the same source...

 

[Tone-Deaf]

An original artwork, which means an original technique, can't be copied. And even when it is copied you can never doubt that e.g picasso did this first. When something is original nothing similar to it existed before. Graphic artists lack of identity because they always try to make the picture look like a scene taken from a movie. If you think of an original piece of art you will see that this couldn't be on tv.