tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post2375971936969624758..comments2024-03-19T06:12:18.701-04:00Comments on Today's Inspiration: Fred Ludekens on Illustration: "a business of being right to the right people at the right time"leifpenghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07232334860061949895noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-2273620976742598322009-07-02T19:45:04.321-04:002009-07-02T19:45:04.321-04:00db; *whew!* Loud and clear, sir - a man after my...db; *whew!* Loud and clear, sir - a man after my own heart! :^)leifpenghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07232334860061949895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-61877072529637666042009-07-02T18:22:24.448-04:002009-07-02T18:22:24.448-04:00Sorry, Leif. My point of view here stems from Lude...Sorry, Leif. My point of view here stems from Ludeken's comment that most artists seem to have little desire to see their work as a business product. This is still true, among artists of all sorts. <br /><br />It's as though it's distasteful to think about selling something they've created. They've created something from their soul and don't want it tarnished by thoughts of having to sell it. Bunk! Money is a good thing. Ask my landlord. <br /><br />Simply put, if they sell their work, they've made a business transaction. The sooner they start preparing for it the better, unless they only plan to give their work away. I'm not saying selling should be the motivation for what they make, but it shouldn't be dismissed either. If they like what they do and do it well, the value will be the result.<br /><br />Not all businesses are successful, that's nothing new. Even smart business people fail, often more than once. Nobody said it would be easy.<br /><br />It's also not just a money thing, it's a matter of treating the work professionally. As Ludeken says, "...make the picture work. This is what they are being paid to do."<br /><br />Hopefully I've stated this more clearly.David Blaine Clemonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12237175583547473530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-14814743915952843592009-07-02T11:57:49.317-04:002009-07-02T11:57:49.317-04:00Very well put, tonci - thanks! :^)Very well put, tonci - thanks! :^)leifpenghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07232334860061949895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-50676125490881570532009-07-02T11:55:44.857-04:002009-07-02T11:55:44.857-04:00leif: it has always seemed to me that the originat...leif: it has always seemed to me that the originators of styles rarely think about it as much as the imitators do- they'll do it for a reason and know its function. and the function is usually more than 'just being different'<br /><br />it's an interesting subject, anyhow.toncihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11775530618664005235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-42663665880796123322009-07-02T10:02:30.217-04:002009-07-02T10:02:30.217-04:00db; My apologies... I'm having trouble unders...db; My apologies... I'm having trouble understanding what you mean exactly. If you feel so inclined, please elaborate :^)leifpenghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07232334860061949895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-89038363127915126612009-07-02T09:48:11.838-04:002009-07-02T09:48:11.838-04:00Observations cost nothing so there's nothing t...Observations cost nothing so there's nothing to lose, except time. Just look at all the blogs. :)<br /><br />I know many business people who fail, whether they sell trinkets at the mall or paintings in a gallery. I also know many artists who don't consider what they do as a business, and their work collects dust in their closet or waiting for the landfill. Many of the musicians and actors I know make very good waiters.<br /><br />I'm not good enough to get paid for it, but I still like to play tennis. If I were trying to be a professional, I'd approach it differently. The play would still be the same, but there's more risk if I lose.David Blaine Clemonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12237175583547473530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-58325113617551292922009-07-02T09:09:32.398-04:002009-07-02T09:09:32.398-04:00It's true, tonci - interesting thing, however ...It's true, tonci - interesting thing, however - there are also plenty of examples of those who have succeeded tremendously on the strength of their unique style. I suspect Ludekens' quote applies more to those who <i>imitate</i> a style than to those who originate one. For the imitator, the style becomes more important that the problem solution... they already have "one hand tied behind their back" going into the job. ;^)leifpenghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07232334860061949895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-15388236936246092772009-07-02T08:01:31.806-04:002009-07-02T08:01:31.806-04:00"If the style becomes more important than the..."If the style becomes more important than the problem solution, the illustrator obviously has failed."<br /><br />there's a LOT of people who failed =)<br /><br />great interview! thanks for posting this, leiftoncihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11775530618664005235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-79354698003913169832009-07-01T17:57:09.276-04:002009-07-01T17:57:09.276-04:00db; I have known a lot of artists and know only o...db; I have known a lot of artists and know only one who was a business person primarily. He taught me a lot with his remarkable chutzpah.<br /><br />Artists, as a group and individually, would be enjoying a much higher standard of living if we were all business people primarily - unfortunately we are all too willing to let others profit more than us from our creativity. We seem to be a breed that will endure just about any kind of poverty if people will just let us draw, praise us a little and shove some stale bread and a little water under the door once in a while. ;^) <br /><br />The ever-diminishing fees being paid for illustration these days threaten to create a new normal: the starving <i>commercial</i> artist!leifpenghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07232334860061949895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-48513088775489600312009-07-01T15:33:05.751-04:002009-07-01T15:33:05.751-04:00dbclemons - you're providing us with all those...dbclemons - you're providing us with all those interesting observations of yours<br /><br />free of charge.<br /><br />Where's the business prospect?Richnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18907156.post-28688316948704991652009-07-01T12:04:42.295-04:002009-07-01T12:04:42.295-04:00It's reasonable that advertising art should be...It's reasonable that advertising art should be preoccupied with whatever imagery is considered "in" or the latest style, since products need to be sold as current. Not all gallery artists are that concerned about it, however. I would think that in the 60s artists were more involved with trying to merge old and new, and now it's all over the place. Rudderless, if you will. As a matter of fact, all contemporary art seems that way also. So in that sense they still echo each other.<br /><br />I also agree that an artist should think of themselves as a business-person. In some cases, they're a business-person primarily.David Blaine Clemonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12237175583547473530noreply@blogger.com