Erotic Fantasy Art Digital Art at the Extremes of Imagination
Is your fantasy art too violent?
For over twenty years the Spectrum annual has been a showcase for the best and brightest creators of fantasy fine art. But Charles Vess no longer submits his work to Spectrum. The American fantasy artist and comic book illustrator says he feels "totally out of identify" in the illustration annual dedicated to contemporary fantastic art.
Afterward receiving Spectrum 20, he posted on his Facebook page that the "dark and gothic" imagery in the book troubles him. "I just don't feel comfortable anymore," he writes. "Seeing my art set amongst all those violent images. So I won't be submitting any more than work to the venue in the future."
Anyone can send work to Spectrum. A jury of top artists chooses which entries are published. Charles is a long-time contributor and juror. But he's now calling for a more lyrical approach, and the need for a "lovely volume filled with lovely fine art." He concluded: "I'm tired of existence surrounded by darkness."
After five years in a groundwork role, John Fleskes is Spectrum'south new art director, editor and publisher – taking over from previous owners Cathy and Arnie Fenner. He believes that fantasy and sci-fi fine art with tearing themes is in the minority, and that in that location's a wealth of non-fierce imagery to be found in Spectrum's pages and across. He notes that our fascination with stories and images that are "scary and wicked equally well equally fun and playful" is zippo new.
Violent past
From religious texts to ancient tapestries, Goya to Andy Warhol: for equally long equally marks have been made and stories told, there'south been vehement imagery. Some of the earliest known paintings are found in the Chauvet Cave in southern French republic. They're over 30,000 years former and describe predatory animals. They illustrate the chase. They evidence woolly rhinos butting horns. They're scenes of the every-twenty-four hour period violence of ice-age life.
The moral panic surrounding such images is a more recent development. In the 1950s, psychiatrist Fredric Wertham wrote a book called Seduction of the Innocent. It claimed that comic books were exposing children to violence and causing them to go runaway. The media may change, but the idea prevails.
The Campaign Against Censorship is a trunk that believes: "What is acceptable for adults to read, run into or hear should be decided by personal judgement and taste." It besides fights for the "Liberty for artistic artists to present their perceptions, interpretations and ideas."
I'g tired of being surrounded by darkness
These are sentiments John Fleskes agrees with, which is why Spectrum doesn't "pre-screen or filter" its submissions. Judges run across every single entry. Information technology'southward never received anything deemed as well inappropriate to publish. And, in its 21-year history, the publication has received just a handful of complaints – none of which had anything to do with violent imagery. Information technology'southward for these reasons he sees no need to conscience the publication in any style.
"I wouldn't want to come across a parental advisory characterization on the Spectrum art book annual," he says. "Nor practise I think it's needed, or an appropriate characterization.
"My goal is for Spectrum to continue to serve as a full-range representation of the year, and to be something that tin be enjoyed past as wide an age grouping as possible. As a parent of a young child, I find ratings for TV, films and games very helpful. Age classifications for books and magazines are not then much the question or concern as much equally who would be setting those classifications on us and what would their guidelines be. But in the long run, I don't recollect an historic period classification on Spectrum would hinder our sales, since we're not trying to hide anything or pretend to be something that we're not."
Into the light
In his Facebook mail service, Charles Vess pointed to a handful of Spectrum 20 contributors whom he was happy to have his work sit alongside – those who too eschew the darker elements he dislikes. One of which was Ruth Sanderson. The illustrator says Spectrum should come up with an age rating.
Her concern is that we are "injuring our children's spirits" with violent imagery. She promotes an culling. "Let's get back to story," she says. "We practise need dramatic stories – I'm in understanding with that, and disharmonize is the core of a skilful story – but it doesn't have to exist as visually graphic and offensive every bit it has get today."
Ruth works mainly equally a book illustrator. "Fairy tales have some very nighttime images," she says, "but I remember considering they're in books, they feel more safe to the child."
Fairy tales accept some very nighttime images only considering they're in books, they feel more safe to the child
It's an interesting distinction, and one that Laura Kipnis, professor of media studies at Northwestern University, expanded upon in a recent article for the New York Times:
"The lower the cultural form, or the ticket price, or – let'south just say it – the presumed education level of the typical viewer, the more depictions of violence are suspected of inducing mindless emulation in their audiences, who will presently re-enact the commotion like morally challenged monkeys, different the viewers of, say, Titus Andronicus, about whose moral intelligence order is confident."
Ruth says she has never been able to sit through horror films, and sees illustrations depicting graphic violence in a similar light. Merely, ultimately, she says it's all down to personal preference. "I don't have to buy, read, look at or watch the stuff," she says, "and freedom of expression is of import, even if it is not to everyone's gustation."
Winona Nelson contributed 2 images to Spectrum 20. The first depicts a blood-soaked, dagger-wielding vampire. The second, a man and women separated in a sea of riot police force. Like much of Winona's work, they're beautifully rendered, almost photo-real.
Hyper real
Some other betoken Charles raised was how he feels some of the work in Spectrum is "over-rendered." Winona says this tendency towards a more realistic style of fantasy and sci-fi art comes down to the facts that it's easier than ever to learn these techniques and find high-quality references, also pointing to the games industry every bit an influence.
"Another," she says, "is that realism is an avenue of art where something can be more than patently impressive on a technical level, while stylising is more subjective and personal, and therefore can be more than intimidating for a young artist to pursue once they outset focusing on landing professional person piece of work."
At that place'south room for all kinds of imaginary worlds, so it'due south up to both artist and viewer to decide what they're comfortable with.
The debate between Charles and John Fleskes has been an amicable, intelligent one. John plans to explore the field of study further in his Spectrum 21 year in review. Winona says it's a shame Charles feels he has to quit Spectrum, because, in doing and then, "he contributes to the narrowing of styles represented in the drove." But her overriding message is unproblematic.
"There'south room for all kinds of imaginary worlds, so it's upwards to both artist and viewer to make up one's mind what they're comfortable with.
"It's upward to personal taste and the requests of the customer. As artists, part of our chore is to choose clients and jobs that nosotros feel comfy with. For case, I savor painting gothic horror images, simply not modern horror, because that does tend to become over the line for me. Only I'one thousand not going to be offended by others producing work in that field. It'southward all about finding where you fit in, which is exactly what Charles is doing by leaving Spectrum."
Words: Gary Evans
This article originally appeared in ImagineFX mag issue 106.
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Source: https://www.creativebloq.com/digital-art/your-fantasy-art-too-violent-71515916
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