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How do YOU describe this stuff to friends / coworkers?

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  • ebergerlyebergerly Posts: 3,255

    There's a concept in the business world called "added value". It kinda describes what value someone adds to the overall process of manufacturing or designing something. 

    In our context, if you download something from the store, double click to add to a scene, and hit Render, you provide no added value. The rendered image is whatever the PA and DAZ designed and produced. 

    Now, if you say to yourself, "hmmm...I want this character to be expressing fear and make whoever sees this feel fear", and you dial some facial morphs, you've added value. Maybe a little value, maybe a lot, depending on whether you and/or the person you show the image to feels what you're trying to portray. 

    Now, if the included morphs don't, in your view, allow you to really portray the particular emotion you're trying to portray, and you make your own morphs, then you are providing more added value, again depending on what you produce, and whether your vision was a good one, and whether your morph portrayed that good vision. 

    I think a lot of outside observers expect a talented artist to provide a lot of added value, however they do it. But it's not only about going thru the process of making your own tweaks, but it's mostly about what you produce. 

    I've seen animations where people have used some of those stock animation bits/blocks/whatever they're called, and they look dumb because they don't quite fit what' s going on, and you can tell someone just dragged and dropped and tweaked a bit, but didn't really make it good. That's why people criticize. And I think we can try to convince them we're artists until we're blue in the face with all of these analogies, but unless we produce something that is jaw-dropping nobody cares. 

  • Griffin AvidGriffin Avid Posts: 3,819

    YES! 

    Exactly it.

    Where were you when I was struggling to get this out?

    That's what those people that are curious about your process- expect.

    Some story behind your work that explains how YOU did it.

  • GatorGator Posts: 1,320
    Slosh said:
    Serene Night said:

    I’ve only had a couple people ask. One described it as sims art. The other seems to feel unless I physically make the models it somehow isn’t art. Mostly I don’t care at all.

    This attitude, that what we do is not art if we didn't create the models ourselves, has always bugged me.  Genesis is like an artist's brush, Daz Studio is like a canvas, clothing and hair and environments are like a pallette knife, kneaded eraser, or chisel.  Art is expression of thoughts, ideas, or emotions through a medium that involves one of our senses, whether it be visual, auditory, or even taste (such as chefs, who are artists IMO).  Just because I use a premade figure in a premade environment, doesn't mean what I created is not art.  I have my tools, Bob Ross had his.  

    And for anyone who thinks it is easy to make a great render, they need to give it a try.  It takes skill, patience, a good eye, lighting, composition, etc.  It is not easy.  Just look at images in the Galleries... some of them are just amazing, and I guarantee they were not "easy" to do.

    Anyway, it's probably ironic that I post this, since I do make my own outfits, hair, and environments.  But it irritates me that people don't think we are producing art and just playing with digital barbies.

    Yeah, this.  I don't really see myself as an artist, but these threads remind me that I suppose I am.  

    In Studio, or whatever other program, there isn't a "make art" button.  And there's a big difference in results, those really good at it can create amazing renders while a newbie is typically not so good.

  • ebergerlyebergerly Posts: 3,255
    edited December 2017
    Slosh said:

    Art is expression of thoughts, ideas, or emotions through a medium that involves one of our senses, whether it be visual, auditory, or even taste (such as chefs, who are artists IMO). 

    While that may be the definintion of "art", that doesn't mean it's "good" art. Expression is one thing, but making something that's good is another. I think the reason for this thread was people feeling bad about criticism about their "art". We all like to think of ourselves as awesome, but personally I realize that I'm not even close to being an artist. Because an artist in my mind is someone who is talented and skilled and makes great stuff. If I make something that looks good from D|S, I fully realize that 99% of the the "good" part is because DAZ made some really nice G3 models and textures and morphs, and a lot of other PA's made a lot of other great stuff. All I did is arrange it a bit and tweak it. 

    So if the sense of this thread is wanting to feel good about our art, first we need to recognize that probably 95% of our renders' goodness is due to DAZ and the PA's. And if we care about credit, that's probably where it lies. In my case, 99% of the credit lies with DAZ and the PA's. But personally I don't care about getting credit and feeling good about how awesome I am. I enjoy it, that's enough. Just because you cook stuff doesn't mean you're a "chef".  

    Post edited by ebergerly on
  • Griffin AvidGriffin Avid Posts: 3,819

    Yeah, that's a good quote, but some of it is off.

    Genesis is like an artist's brush, Daz Studio is like a canvas, clothing and hair and environments are like a pallette knife, kneaded eraser, or chisel.

    Clothing and hair are props, not tools.

     

     

     

  • LeatherGryphonLeatherGryphon Posts: 12,103
    edited December 2017

    It's always amazing to me how often this "What is art?" dead horse arises as a zombie for a week or so until it has been thoroughly re-killed with the same slings & arrows that appeared last time. surprise

    Post edited by LeatherGryphon on
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