Theory Jump Page

Bad artists always admire each other’s work. They call it being large-minded and free from prejudice. But a truly great artist cannot conceive of life being shown, or beauty fashioned, under any conditions other than those that he has selected. –Oscar Wilde

Sometimes there are no right or wrong answers- only ideas. One of the things I have always enjoyed most about working with great artists is the opportunity to discuss creative issues without being afraid of offending or saying the wrong thing. Intellectual freedom allows that as long as an argument is well supported, it is a valid opinion. If the criteria for judging are well defined and the arguments sound, diametrically opposed opinions can be equally valid. This sort of open dialogue illuminates a subject from more than one angle and is rare in these polarized times, but strangely, among cartoonists it is still alive and well.

Over the past several years, I’ve occasionally been moved to present articles which express a personal opinion. If I’ve done a good job of it, perhaps my arguments are persuasive, but feel free to disagree. Even if you disagree with me, hopefully you’ll gain some sort of insight on the subject that you might not have otherwise.

FEATURED EXHIBIT

Adventures In Music

Music shares an indescribable magic with animation. It’s hard to describe in words exactly why certain walk cycles or pantomime gags are so wonderful. Music is a source of non-verbal delight as well. The rhythms and pacing of cartoons often mirror the construction of popular music with a statement of theme followed by variations, culminating in a restatement of the theme and a big finish. If you think about it, the best cartoons are inseparable from music. Adventures in Music explores the wide world of music with an eye to revealing the relationships between music and creativity.

THEORY

AESTHETICS