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Thread: Does anyone else find concept art to be... cliche?

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    imnotanoob's Avatar
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    Does anyone else find concept art to be... cliche?

    Landscapes are mostly verdant, with intensely jagged cliffs, and small sillouhettes of people holding spears...

    Sci Fi means human soldier in a super armor that is mostly dark colored...

    The imaginary monsters have so many muscles and jagged teeth. And they are really really fat...

    Just saying :/

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    Then come up with something new.

    Make a sci-fi story about pirates in a world that's been affected by an apocalypse of sorts, but instead of every place being murky and destroyed, it's vibrant and colorful because the plants have overgrown everything including the cities.

    AND ALL THAT'S LEFT IS PIRATES

    Black pirates

    and instead of using sea ships or air ships, they use underground ships! because it isn't cliche! the ships have multiple drills on either side to maneuver and are actually ancient machines from before the destruction of most of the world that the pirates looted.

    I just made the most ingenius setting for a story in 10 seconds and thus concept art can be made for it.
    Last edited by Deadlyhazard; January 8th, 2011 at 09:58 AM.
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    Look harder IMO

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    Quote Originally Posted by Deadlyhazard View Post
    Then come up with something new.
    Ditto.

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    Quote Originally Posted by imnotanoob View Post
    Landscapes are mostly verdant, with intensely jagged cliffs, and small sillouhettes of people holding spears...

    Sci Fi means human soldier in a super armor that is mostly dark colored...

    The imaginary monsters have so many muscles and jagged teeth. And they are really really fat...

    Just saying :/
    I think if you're talking about concept art for moviies or games you have a valid argument. Many games and movies are knockoffs of blockbuster movies or successful games or popular books or comics. THe producers go into these type of projects pitching them that way. Its like Avatar with cowboys or it like call of duty in outer space. There will always be these kinds of products and the kind of people who just want to make money and cash in.

    Having said that I think games and movies at their best are about big ideas and archetypal situations. Much like the greek plays they take their ideas from,they are meant as metaphor and so everything is supersized and exagerated. In the worst they just make the breasts bigger or the swords or guns or monsters bigger and the ideas are nowhere to be found.

    As a concept artist it is your own love of your craft that helps you to make the best work within the framework your employer has set. Make it as cool as you can where you can and let the other stuff go. If you really can't stand the market go into science fiction or fantasy book illustration, where even though books have their share of ripoffs and crap, the top end is mostly still idea driven and very satisfying creatively with intersting characters and gritty environments.
    Last edited by dpaint; January 8th, 2011 at 12:16 PM.

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    Does anyone else find cliche to be .. cliche?

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    You have just discovered the essential problem of art. Some creative person comes up with a new idea. Everybody copies it. Pretty soon it seems so...cliche.

    I imagine an artist during the Rennaissance. Madonna and child, another Annunciation, angels and cherubs; it all seems so...cliche.

    Your assignment, imnotanoob, should you decide to accept it, is to come up with a new idea.
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    Let's face it, most companies don't want to go out on a limb trying to sell something new and untried, hence they fall back on stuff that's sold well before... The majority of my clients ask for products that resemble some other successful product, in the belief that that's what the market wants. Very few want to take risks with something unusual.

    The best you can do is to present some more original alternate ideas alongside the requested cliches, where possible... The client usually ends up picking the most cliched idea, but hey, you never know.

    Or of course, start your own original projects. Nobody's stopping you.

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    There is a difference between Concept art, and art.

    Concept art is geared towards a purpose of clarity for those involved in various media as to communicate a specific idea or product for a client or co-worker.

    Art, is subjective, and its purpose is left to the individual creating it.

    So stating something that serves as only a vehicle for product ideas, etc., and not for purpose of expression are cliched, is like saying automobile tires are cliched.
    "Everything must serve the idea. The means used to convey the idea should be the simplest and clear. Just what is required. No extra images. To me this is a universal principle of art. Saying as much as possible with a minimum of means."
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    ...for a change, I think we should do something dramatically different...

    ...like nubile babes with helium-filled chests carrying swords and wearing armor the size of a tea strainer...




    ,,,just thinkin' out loud...
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ilaekae View Post
    ...for a change, I think we should do something dramatically different...

    ...like nubile babes with helium-filled chests carrying swords and wearing armor the size of a tea strainer...




    ,,,just thinkin' out loud...
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    Quote Originally Posted by dpaint View Post
    If you really can't stand the market go into science fiction or fantasy book illustration, where even though books have their share of ripoffs and crap, the top end is mostly still idea driven and very satisfying creatively with intersting characters and gritty environments.
    Yeah. Not so long time ago I landed a job in game company. Even though I knew that making games based on existing idea is very common I never really experienced it for real. After longer while illustration as a whole become to me much more the way you describe it. More idea driven.
    It probably comes from characteristic of this medium. For example while for movie or game the producer spends thousands of dollars to show beautiful convincing dragon or beautiful sword, the writer can achieve that with just one or two sentences and moves on. Exaggerating would make the whole story silly. He doesn't have to make the make character half naked to show how muscular he is. He can just describe him as strong person while the visual side will follow that. That's where making image supporting the text has a bit more creative freedom.
    The only limit I think is saying too much. When I look at books from reader's perspective (and many opinions on fantasy/sci-fi book forums I visited confirm that) super cinematic matte painting quality images on book covers don't work well. That's completely different topic though... .

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    Consider yourself one of the lucky few who finds the cliches tired and boring. You COULD be saying to yourself "MAN, It's ALL so cool I'm going to draw the same bad guy a MILLION TIMES."

    TL;DR: Variations, there are OVER 9000!!
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ilaekae View Post
    ...for a change, I think we should do something dramatically different...

    ...like nubile babes with helium-filled chests carrying swords and wearing armor the size of a tea strainer...
    I'm not sure I know what you mean,
    can you post a (lot) of examples please.

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    Yeah, I think that sometimes. But then I remember all the weird games I own that came from Japan. For every space marine coming out of EA there's five concept artists in Tokyo drawing eggplants with umbrellas on their heads.
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    it better than da

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    It's kind of true, but... That doesn't bother me as much as when people draw women almost the same way, every time. Seeing a beautifully rendered woman, with make-up on (repeatedly), same boobs, same weight (even if said drawing is not suffering from lack-of-ribcage-syndrome), and usually, just standing there, doesn't really impress me anymore, (even if she's holding a gun and having that stare that screams, 'Look, I'm carrying a gun, see? Haha! I MUST be a feminist from that alone...' -_-). Try drawing her pregnant, in action, fighting an alien for a start... Maybe it's just me though.

    I mean, if you're going to base on your anatomy on porn stars, which tends to become obvious after a while, try to at least vary up your porn a bit. Demand non-airbrushed porn. Thank you. You're welcome.
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    Quote Originally Posted by imnotanoob View Post
    Landscapes are mostly verdant, with intensely jagged cliffs, and small sillouhettes of people holding spears...

    Sci Fi means human soldier in a super armor that is mostly dark colored...

    The imaginary monsters have so many muscles and jagged teeth. And they are really really fat...

    Just saying :/
    Verdant soldier with teeth armor on a muscle mountain.

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    Must get this out of the way first: Concept art is not the same as making tires.

    Farvus: the mediums you refer to are different in that a book is primarily about representing actions while concept art is primarily about representing things. A super realistic book cover can work it'll jst take someone with extreme talent to do it because there is not much successful precedence for it.
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    Quote Originally Posted by velderia View Post
    Maybe it's just me though.
    It's not just you, I'm thoroughly sick of seeing the same damn generic-swimsuit-models over and over and over and over... With the same "grr, look, I'm tough but alluring!" expression and the same boring shampoo commercial hairdo and the same.... goddamn... makeup... every... time...

    If you want to to make them all super-hawt, fine, okay, sure. But at least give them some different faces? Different expressions?? A personality???

    If I ever get a chance to do fantasy babes, I'm so gonna try to sneak in some variety...

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    zx52hg is offline Task Force Moron Level 4 Gladiator: Meridiani
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    Quote Originally Posted by QueenGwenevere View Post
    It's not just you, I'm thoroughly sick of seeing the same damn generic-swimsuit-models over and over and over and over... With the same "grr, look, I'm tough but alluring!" expression and the same boring shampoo commercial hairdo and the same.... goddamn... makeup... every... time...

    If you want to to make them all super-hawt, fine, okay, sure. But at least give them some different faces? Different expressions?? A personality???

    If I ever get a chance to do fantasy babes, I'm so gonna try to sneak in some variety...
    Women in chainmail bikinis. Never mind the fact that without something under the mail, you will be turned into the meat equivalent of grated cheese if hit.

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    Quote Originally Posted by imnotanoob View Post
    Landscapes are mostly verdant, with intensely jagged cliffs, and small sillouhettes of people holding spears...

    Sci Fi means human soldier in a super armor that is mostly dark colored...

    The imaginary monsters have so many muscles and jagged teeth. And they are really really fat...

    Just saying :/
    I totally agree. Whenever I read or hear of the word "concept art", images of muscular guys in super-complex-looking armour carrying giant broadswords and curvy girls comes to mind. Or maybe some brooding monster with tons of armor on it, and as if that's not enough, there's always additional layers of weapons / armor on the back; something along that line. Environments very often tend to feature cliffs + sea combo with super-ultra-dramatic sunsets ("mood", they say).

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    Quote Originally Posted by zx52hg View Post
    Women in chainmail bikinis. Never mind the fact that without something under the mail, you will be turned into the meat equivalent of grated cheese if hit.
    ...that, and the most vulnerable areas have the least armor. (This season's armor essentials: GIANT SPIKY SHOULDER PADS... worn with nearly naked torso! A battleground look to die for!)

    Dang, I think I want to make a fashion spread of that now...

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    Its similar to other mediums. Think of comic art, you think muscular men in tights, however theres so many other comics out there doing completely different things. Look at movies, the same movies has been being released for the last 10 years.

    Cliche is what is known to sell and be a safe investment.





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    Quote Originally Posted by Deepinonespersona View Post
    it better than da
    What?
    CRITIQUE AS YOU WOULD BE CRITIQUED
    http://conceptart.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=59
    THE ABOVE LINK IS ALL YOU NEED

    http://www.conceptart.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=200044 <- Sketchbook - filled with unhappy things.

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    Quote Originally Posted by armando View Post
    Must get this out of the way first: Concept art is not the same as making tires.
    Didn't get what I was saying, did you?

    Concept art is like automobile tires in the way that they both are created to serve an ends.

    Who the devil said anything about making tires?
    "Everything must serve the idea. The means used to convey the idea should be the simplest and clear. Just what is required. No extra images. To me this is a universal principle of art. Saying as much as possible with a minimum of means."
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    Your entire post was just one big ball of wackyness and selfcontradiction. You don't even know what you said. You denied the existence of "cliche". First you say "art" cannot be cliche because it is subjective and can't be defined. Then you say concept art is not art, thus defining "art" in a limited degree, and then you denied that it can be cliche. mark.
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