kpenguin
2010-06-12, 12:10 AM
I was spending a few hours reading through Scott McCloud's Making Comics the other day and I got to the chapter in which McCloud describes what he calls the "tribes" of comic book artist.
That is, different campfires of motivation that comic book artists tend to clump around, loose categories if you will.
McCloud describes them as such:
The first category is The Classicists. Artists defined by values of "excellence, hard work, mastery of craft, the quest for enduring beauty." "First is the devotion to beauty, craftsmanship and a tradition of excellence and mastery. The desire to create art that our descendents could dig up in a thousand years and still think: 'Hey! This is good stuff!' The understanding that perfection may not be attainable in this life--but that that's no reason not to strive for it
The second category is The Animists. Artists defined by values of "putting content first, creating life through art, trusting one's intuition." "Then there's the devotion to the content of a work, putting craft entirely in service of its subject. The belief that if the power of the stories and characters come through then nothing else matters. The willingness to tell stories so seamlessly that the teller of the story all but vanishes in the telling."
The third category is The Formalists. Artists defined by values of "understanding of, experimentation with, and loyalty to the comics form." "The devotion to comics itself, to figuring out what the form of comics is capable of. The eagerness to turn comics inside out and upside down in an effort to understand the form's potential more fully. The willingness to let craft and story take a back seat if necessary, in pursuit of new ideas that could change comics for the better."
The fourth category is The Iconoclasts. Artists defined by values of "honesty, vitality, authenticity, and unpretentiousness. Putting life first." "The desire for honesty, authenticity, and a connection to real life. The determination to hold up a mirror to life's face--warts and all--and to resist pandering or selling out. The conviction of artists to remain true to themselves while never taking themselves too seriously. To fly no one's flag--not even their own.
Now, as McCloud points out, all of these goals are ones that most artists seem to want. Wouldn't everyone want to make comics that are beautiful, tell great stories, challenge the basic form of comics, and have a deep connection to life? However, each comic book artist seems to have a preference of one over the others and one goal that is hardly pursued at all.
Which tribe, or tribes, do you suppose Rich Burlew belongs to, given Order of the Stick as a basis for judgement?
Personally, I think that Rich falls into the category of an Animist over anything else. The story seems to be what matters to Burlew over beauty, reflecting life, or exploring the form of comics and it shows in his Order of the Stick.
That is, different campfires of motivation that comic book artists tend to clump around, loose categories if you will.
McCloud describes them as such:
The first category is The Classicists. Artists defined by values of "excellence, hard work, mastery of craft, the quest for enduring beauty." "First is the devotion to beauty, craftsmanship and a tradition of excellence and mastery. The desire to create art that our descendents could dig up in a thousand years and still think: 'Hey! This is good stuff!' The understanding that perfection may not be attainable in this life--but that that's no reason not to strive for it
The second category is The Animists. Artists defined by values of "putting content first, creating life through art, trusting one's intuition." "Then there's the devotion to the content of a work, putting craft entirely in service of its subject. The belief that if the power of the stories and characters come through then nothing else matters. The willingness to tell stories so seamlessly that the teller of the story all but vanishes in the telling."
The third category is The Formalists. Artists defined by values of "understanding of, experimentation with, and loyalty to the comics form." "The devotion to comics itself, to figuring out what the form of comics is capable of. The eagerness to turn comics inside out and upside down in an effort to understand the form's potential more fully. The willingness to let craft and story take a back seat if necessary, in pursuit of new ideas that could change comics for the better."
The fourth category is The Iconoclasts. Artists defined by values of "honesty, vitality, authenticity, and unpretentiousness. Putting life first." "The desire for honesty, authenticity, and a connection to real life. The determination to hold up a mirror to life's face--warts and all--and to resist pandering or selling out. The conviction of artists to remain true to themselves while never taking themselves too seriously. To fly no one's flag--not even their own.
Now, as McCloud points out, all of these goals are ones that most artists seem to want. Wouldn't everyone want to make comics that are beautiful, tell great stories, challenge the basic form of comics, and have a deep connection to life? However, each comic book artist seems to have a preference of one over the others and one goal that is hardly pursued at all.
Which tribe, or tribes, do you suppose Rich Burlew belongs to, given Order of the Stick as a basis for judgement?
Personally, I think that Rich falls into the category of an Animist over anything else. The story seems to be what matters to Burlew over beauty, reflecting life, or exploring the form of comics and it shows in his Order of the Stick.