The next article I've been reading in Varoom: The Illustration Report is 'The Anarchy of Style' by Paul Davis. Here are some key quotes that may help me in the development of my essays and visual journal.
The Anarchy of Style
Paul Davis
"I have a dream..." That wasn't an attempt at style. No, he meant it. But again, therein lies style because of King's sincerity. And we all know he was right - his delivery, his integrity and intention."
"I have a dream..." That wasn't an attempt at style. No, he meant it. But again, therein lies style because of King's sincerity. And we all know he was right - his delivery, his integrity and intention."
"That's where style lives: in your soul. Style can be so perfect, it transcends nitpicking or criticism. Style is a glorious thing when it's done right and it should look completely effortless. Style in work - in image making - shouldn't look tentative, forced or like it was made with worry and stress, lacking in confidence or obviously based on the dictation of another illustrator's work."
"Style can't help itself. It's whether you like it or not."
" It is inherent, style. It's silently learned; tacit in its nature and nurture, unless you're a human with lazy pretensions and find yourself riding on the coat tails of someone else's trial and error and hard work because you can't think for yourself. Therein lies the difference between style and fashion... "
Maira Kalman (Illustrated The Elements of Style (2005) by Strunk, White and Kalman - "Style is not about style. It is about questions and reading and listening to music and going to museums. It is about life."
The Encounter with Style
Geoff Grandfield
"Style is a fascinating subject in relation to illustration, sometimes so shiny and slippery as to make it difficult to get a clear view of. For many years style has been a word that is used with caution by lecturers on the subject..."
"Style can be a cheap copy or it can offer a voice, an identity, an attitude, to communication; in fact a lot of the characteristics so valued in illustration that one could be forgiven in thinking the two are inseparable."
"The surface of things can imply without meaning, and perhaps worse in the context of an art form, without truth. Illustration can just mean representation divorced from content. As all the visual content of illustration is constructed and inherently subjective it is impossible to produce without a style."
"Absolutes such as left or right for politics are attractive for definitions, but the experience of reality is more about shades of tone. There can be an honest subjective originality or there might be an informed and knowing referencing of obscure sources, both have validity but equally dependent on context. What is the content and how well it is articulated, does the surface belie the meaning or perfectly express it?"
For me, this quote perfectly encapsulates the instance of Zeegen disregarding Shrigley's satirical political poster. Does he understand the obscure source it is referencing - giving it a much deeper context than just surface qualities? Is it the fault of Shrigley for not communicating more effectively the original poster he took influence from? How could it have been made clearer in his parody? Does his naive 'style' and subtle humour not depict this enough?
"Style, as a personal code, can be sometimes derived from personal experience."
"Originality has to be accepted by an audience, with its inherent contradictions of mass approval."
Plains Indian Drawing
Roderick Mills
"Illustration can at times mistakenly become about style - confusing personal visual language with developing an effected 'look' to court fashion, to commodify a product to make an illustration career. However, with the consumption of imagery speeding up in the age of 'It's Nice That' the appetite for the next 'trend' is potentially altering how we value images, and illustration."
"Divorced from its personal subject matter"
The Culture of Style
Lawrence Zeegen
Interestingly enough, Lawrence Zeegen wrote a contributing article to this issue of Varoom! Fancying seeing you here! No particular quotes popped out to me as such to use in support of my writing; but reading this 6 page spread really opened my eyes to Zeegen's breadth of knowledge and understanding of contemporary illustration from the 1989's all the way up to the present day. He has seen it all - emerging trends, the movers and shakers, key figures, hot topics, illustration falling into obscuring again in the 90s... All through The Face. Purchasing The Face magazine from its first issue in 1980, all the way up to the final issue in 2004, Zeegen recalls his journey of growing up as a school boy in his final year of high school when he bought the first issue - to going to art school and then going on to become a professional - still following the magazine to see what was new and interesting in illustration and graphic design. Giving nods to particular writers, photographers, illustrators, designers, musicians, actors and celebrities helped me to appreciate Zeegen's background, introduction to illustration through his magazine, his interests growing up and how those informed him, and his awareness and insight into trends, fashions, peaks and the need for transformation in the field.
Ephemera of Style
"Our world seems to be sanitised, touch-sensitive simulacrum in comparison, purged of much of that which makes life pleasurable: texture, smell, physicality, the sheer joy of discovery, of assemblage, ownership."
Is this what print fairs strive to tackle? Giving people physical codes of their work to display, touch, smell, stick in a notebook - instead of see through social media? An interesting quote to consider.
The Politics of Style
" It is inherent, style. It's silently learned; tacit in its nature and nurture, unless you're a human with lazy pretensions and find yourself riding on the coat tails of someone else's trial and error and hard work because you can't think for yourself. Therein lies the difference between style and fashion... "
Maira Kalman (Illustrated The Elements of Style (2005) by Strunk, White and Kalman - "Style is not about style. It is about questions and reading and listening to music and going to museums. It is about life."
The Encounter with Style
Geoff Grandfield
"Style is a fascinating subject in relation to illustration, sometimes so shiny and slippery as to make it difficult to get a clear view of. For many years style has been a word that is used with caution by lecturers on the subject..."
"Style can be a cheap copy or it can offer a voice, an identity, an attitude, to communication; in fact a lot of the characteristics so valued in illustration that one could be forgiven in thinking the two are inseparable."
"The surface of things can imply without meaning, and perhaps worse in the context of an art form, without truth. Illustration can just mean representation divorced from content. As all the visual content of illustration is constructed and inherently subjective it is impossible to produce without a style."
"Absolutes such as left or right for politics are attractive for definitions, but the experience of reality is more about shades of tone. There can be an honest subjective originality or there might be an informed and knowing referencing of obscure sources, both have validity but equally dependent on context. What is the content and how well it is articulated, does the surface belie the meaning or perfectly express it?"
For me, this quote perfectly encapsulates the instance of Zeegen disregarding Shrigley's satirical political poster. Does he understand the obscure source it is referencing - giving it a much deeper context than just surface qualities? Is it the fault of Shrigley for not communicating more effectively the original poster he took influence from? How could it have been made clearer in his parody? Does his naive 'style' and subtle humour not depict this enough?
"Style, as a personal code, can be sometimes derived from personal experience."
"Originality has to be accepted by an audience, with its inherent contradictions of mass approval."
Plains Indian Drawing
Roderick Mills
"Illustration can at times mistakenly become about style - confusing personal visual language with developing an effected 'look' to court fashion, to commodify a product to make an illustration career. However, with the consumption of imagery speeding up in the age of 'It's Nice That' the appetite for the next 'trend' is potentially altering how we value images, and illustration."
"Divorced from its personal subject matter"
The Culture of Style
Lawrence Zeegen
Interestingly enough, Lawrence Zeegen wrote a contributing article to this issue of Varoom! Fancying seeing you here! No particular quotes popped out to me as such to use in support of my writing; but reading this 6 page spread really opened my eyes to Zeegen's breadth of knowledge and understanding of contemporary illustration from the 1989's all the way up to the present day. He has seen it all - emerging trends, the movers and shakers, key figures, hot topics, illustration falling into obscuring again in the 90s... All through The Face. Purchasing The Face magazine from its first issue in 1980, all the way up to the final issue in 2004, Zeegen recalls his journey of growing up as a school boy in his final year of high school when he bought the first issue - to going to art school and then going on to become a professional - still following the magazine to see what was new and interesting in illustration and graphic design. Giving nods to particular writers, photographers, illustrators, designers, musicians, actors and celebrities helped me to appreciate Zeegen's background, introduction to illustration through his magazine, his interests growing up and how those informed him, and his awareness and insight into trends, fashions, peaks and the need for transformation in the field.
Ephemera of Style
"Our world seems to be sanitised, touch-sensitive simulacrum in comparison, purged of much of that which makes life pleasurable: texture, smell, physicality, the sheer joy of discovery, of assemblage, ownership."
Is this what print fairs strive to tackle? Giving people physical codes of their work to display, touch, smell, stick in a notebook - instead of see through social media? An interesting quote to consider.
The Politics of Style
Zoe Taylor
The article illustrates how political illustrations were looked down upon and not wanted for mainstream publications such as French Elle, The new York Times and American Vogue. In the '60s, Antonio Lopez strived to tackle themes such as police brutality and women of colour taking not of their underrepresentation. Illustration can influence culture and be an extremely powerful vehicle to convey messages - but will the average consumer be interested of prints of these themes? Clients did not request this sort of work at the time. Can illustrators today make a living from producing work with a political and social agenda?
Tom of Finland, too, was a gay artist working in commercial contexts. HE focused on gay subculture particularly aesthetic and identity, whereas Antonio wanted to change the mainstream perception on a wider scale.
Tom of Finland, too, was a gay artist working in commercial contexts. HE focused on gay subculture particularly aesthetic and identity, whereas Antonio wanted to change the mainstream perception on a wider scale.
No comments:
Post a Comment