Thursday, November 11, 2010

EDIT: Why I Decided To Go Solo

Edit: Due to e-mails, messages I've received (some agreed, some well, not so nice), I will remind that this is neither directed to every studio out there, nor written out of spite. This is just my opinion based on personal (past) experience. I understand that not all organization is the same. Artists, enthusiasts and studio runners please don't get rubbed in the wrong way. I sincerely apologize if you did. I know a few professionals who feel the same, but I just chose to be vocal about it and bear full responsibility for amplifying my thoughts.

While it provides income stability, a studio setting does not help - at least for me - mental stability where artistic growth is concerned. There's a price to pay for that monthly pay cheque: a goal one has to strive for in the interest of collective creative direction.

With modest amount of experience I have working in studios, no matter how many times I've heard a studio promoting to celebrate individual identity/diversity (so far), eventually the measure of how good an artist is would always boil down to either who can paint "that certain way" as realistic as possible, or, whoever renders painstakingly detailed imagery until every excruciating specifics on the subject is visible. The list goes on, but these "qualities" summarize as only technical prowess.

Eventually, it would lead to those who carry that technical skillset will have higher value in comparison to other artists. More often than not you'll see artists getting emotional and disciplinary issues start to emerge. Also, Not forgetting celebrity artists who know they're THAT good and feel that they deserve to have special treatments. Boy I'm done with that.

I don't speak for everyone. I understand those skills are important on entry level but in my very humble opinion, details and realism only bring visual stimulation so far (and I am very much sick of it). I chose not to paint in such ways because they are the very superficial qualities in comparison to seeing a hot car or a beautiful woman. (I'm not helping myself here by grouping cars and women in the same sentence)

It's also the reason why I deliberately avoided digital art magazines today. Because seriously, how many times must I see this repetitive, perpetual portrayal of chicks with big guns, chicks with mecha, chicks with dragons, chicks with chicks.... now that's actually a nice image... WAIT THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT! Moving on...

I posed this question to myself at a crossroad: Dream or ricebowl? I chose the former, and here I am now on my own, working hard to make my choice a hybrid - Dreambowl.
Edit: But who knows if in 2 years I'm living in a cardboard box I'll just have to go for interviews.

In the words of George Frederic Watts,

"I paint ideas, not things. I paint primarily because I have something to say, and since the gift of eloquent language has been since denied me, I use painting; my intention is not so much to paint pictures which shall please the eye, as to suggest great thoughts which shall speak to the imagination and to the heart and arouse all that is best and noblest in humanity."

For me, it has always been form and content. This will lead to another long discussion - it's my favourite topic in visual representation. Maybe next time but for now, I'll end this entry without being off-topic.

14 comments:

Darlansue said...

ayos! well said, Zid. i wonder, what kind of projects are you taking recently?

Zid said...

Hi Darlanne,

I've been working on a few illustration projects and nother one I can't really mention yet :D Will definitely announce it here when the time is right!

Unknown said...

Ayayayaay sim sim ..........
Here are my two cents ... waste of time cuz I know you, you thick headed skinny jeans.

Ok here is a low blow. You are behaving the exact same way as those guys (let`s not put names but we know who they are) who want you to,
let`s call it, render the shit out of stuff. You are wrong, no you are, no it`s you ah ballz lah !!! Boohooooohoo !
In the art industry, these frictions are everywhere for many subjects. Render or loose. Ref or imagination.
Life drawing or copying photos, round brush or custom one. Traditional versus digital, only paint instead of using photos etc etc ...
I don`t know man, I love visuals.... what technic, medium, or result is a pointless matter. The subject is what speaks to me or not.
I firmly believe that open mindness will improve my overall skills. I welcome diversity in technics, tools, mediums, supports whatever.
I improved a lot when I worked with Jenny, you and Chester, because instead of having a constipated mindset,
I was able to look beneath the style and tools,
and apply your comic/line/ink/drawings/storytelling technics/knowledge to my art. Instead of remaining closed because it wasn`t painted the crap out.
How boring it would be, at least for me, to see only one type of art, and only one type of tools and support for it.
Now this is something that came with time for me. Pro work and personal work have to be separated in order for me to not be frustrated.
Pro work is an exchange. The client, needs a service that I can provide in exchange for money.
I will do my best to provide what he needs. Sketchy or rendered, with photos or painterly, line art or shapes etc...
As long as he respects his end of the bargain which is to pay me and not satisfy my personal artistic needs and ambitions. I have a family and financial repsonsabilities that are far more important than
I wanna draw boobs and zombies and get pay a million for them.
Personal work is all ballz out. I am the boss, the AD, the judge, jury and executioner.
Anything goes as long as the only condition is met, which is to make my little self happy. The day I got that,
I started blaming myself when I did not like my job instead of blaming the clients/companies I chose to work with.
What I would do if I were you, would be to chose my clients/companies A LITTLE FACKING BETTER !!! Not cuz one dude is famous or for money. So you get a not perfect but decent honest job.
And then, on your own time, do whatever you want. U want to paint with your schlong and sambal? By all means, call me, i will join you with some panggang sauce and we will go apeshit on the canvas.

Zid said...

Fred, Fred Fred.. you just reiterated a system that I understand and told me what I know about how this industry work, about the work in exchange of pay, work and personal, and that's why I chose to stay out. I'm not as rich but I'm no longer sucking dicks or bend over <:)

Would it be surprising if I say several industry staffs read this and they agreed but they didn't dare to post anything to keep their job?

Unknown said...

I like when people bend over and suckacookie though ... :)

Zid said...

LOL I rest my case. Whoops, you dropped your pen, man!

benqwek (MRB) said...

i love you guys, no this is not spam

Zid said...

Love you too, brawh.

Anonymous said...

high five! i would really really like to see more comics please. but that is just me

Kucha said...

Zid's Dreambowl Studio. Do ur thing + take risks while u can. Because once your priorities (bowls over dreams) shift, it gets even harder to..but i always admire + support people who have the balls to strike out on their own..so here's to u man!

Jt said...

follow the dream;) no one said it's easy anyway;)

Arief said...

belum cuba, belum tahu :D semoga berjaya

Anonymous said...

This situation is familiar to me. Is ready to help.

Sarah said...

If it feels right for you, it feels right for you. You may feel different a month, a year, 10 years from now and change direction again.

But what matters is you made a choice that makes your world a little more awesome now. Keep taking those little awesome steps.

You'll know you're on the right track when it's fun and a little scary, a little risky, a little audacious....and *then* you say aaaaah but what the hell, Ill go for it.

And you think, hey, if I get all the perks of fame and fortune, that'd be nice, but even if I dont ,man,was it worth it for the ride.

And you'll be glad you were born not just to ride the roller-coaster, but play a part in designing your way for maximum thrill (however you define thrill)

Dreambowl is a neat name.

I think of you as a writer/artist/musician.
Dont forget to keep writing.