Banning Anime and Cartoons in Art School? No Way!

[IndigoShirtProd]

Don't worry, it's fine.

[Jenny-Toons]

Is it right to discourage artists over that? No. Not at all. If professors are not even willing to listen to reason on the advantages of the style, then there's an argument. Otherwise take the criticism and instruction and apply it to the work you want to do.

I definitely with this.

Had an art professor who noticed that I had a more cartoonish style. But she also noticed that enjoy working with and pulling from Renaissance art. So she was basically like "hey -- you can definitely amplify your art if you practice from Greek/Roman inspired paintings" Even gave me a list of artists she thought I'd like to check out.

Guess what -- it worked. I learned how to draw and blend with charcoal that year and improved my anatomy.

[MK_Wizard]

Heh. I a lot of people mistaken me for a man too because of my icon.

[MK_Wizard]

That is the way a teacher should be. They should guide you on the right path not bully you or pressure you on it. I have heard of teachers taking their students' work and tearing it up. Some even ridiculed them.

[Prometheus]

@MK_Wizard

Yeah, I feel like that kind of behavior is degrading and should get the teacher a warning or something from administration.

[skicoak]

I have heard of teachers taking their students' work and tearing it up. Some even ridiculed them.

Yeah, I feel like that kind of behavior is degrading and should get the teacher a warning or something from administration.

Again, I should point out, from experience, that these things don't exist in a vacuum and are specifically tailored stories designed to create empathy for the storyteller. Educators across the spectrum laugh at the amazing stories that start with "I wasn't doing anything wrong then teacher X suddenly ..."

Paging @Rodimus13, for a cosign.

[vothnthorvaldson]

Well, depend on where/when it is.
Humiliating kids and even encouraging others kids to bully them was still pretty prevalent when I was a kid, enough that there would be zero consequences on teachers.
With 2019 expectations, I could have grounds to sue 10-15 teachers.

[Prometheus]

@skicoak

I’m not blanketing anyone, or at least trying to. I’m sure many of the stories are, like art, from the eye of the beholder. I’m just saying that if that ever were to truly happen, it would be highly inappropriate.

[Prometheus]

I know a number of kids that started those “I didn’t do anything wrong stories.” They bugged the living crap out of me. I’m for teachers as much as I am for students, but it all depends on circumstance. I hope that makes sense.

[unknown_user]

I think that is an unjust idea because it falsely assumes cartoons and anime are not art and don't merit the same respect other art mediums or styles get. Moreover, there is a great double standard behind this attitude considering that abstract, cubism and minimalism arts get heralded as revolutionary and moving. Moreover, some of these pieces have included a picture of a potato behind a black background, a canvas consisting only of white paint all over it and a world famous art piece which is an enormous boulder. In a time where beauty and art are accepted as being in the eye of the beholder, I think it is most definitely a double standard to be able to call pieces I mentioned before as distinguished pieces of art, but not do the same for pieces that are anime or cartoon style.

More than agree with this part.
Actually, the fact itself that some kinds of art can be banned in art schools surprised me a lot. 0_o

[skicoak]

I’m not blanketing anyone, or at least trying to. I’m sure many of the stories are, like art, from the eye of the beholder. I’m just saying that if that ever were to truly happen, it would be highly inappropriate.

I follow you completely... What I'm getting at is even in circumstances that fit the criteria of the discussion... Like taking a sheet of chibis sketches from a student that's supposed to be drawing a fruit still life...it's not a condemnation of chibis and the verbal warning attached to it isn't meant to do long term psychological damage. But you'll hear accounts of it like the teacher had it out for that student. Teachers are too TIRED to have vendettas folks.

[MK_Wizard]

You would be surprised at how mean and vengeful some teachers can get.

[Prometheus]

@skicoak

Ah, now I see. See, I completely agree that you. I think the fact that the person, as the student, is paying for the classes to learn what’s being taught, they should do the work that’s required for the class to learn said skill. I also agree with the verbal warning and need for order in the classroom. I think that is totally okay and needed, and should happen. I’m meaning teachers that actually do degrade verbally, because there are some. But, taking it outside of the perspective of teachers, I just don’t agree with degrading in general, no matter if it’s a teacher or some friend or whoever. I’m against degrading, not the teacher themselves. And the actions you’ve addressed I do not see as degrading, but needed to keep order in a classroom with a specific purpose.
So I guess my view is: anime and cartoons are art. They shouldn’t be banned and the artist shouldn’t be ridiculed for it. But I do believe that it’s important to do the art that is being taught in the class that’s being taken.

[Hodge]

Its a rather vague line to draw really. How else do you draw people from imagination without some level of straying from "realism"? Artists having been doing this for forever. Its just not something I can see art schools banning in any way that makes sense.

However, if you're drawing from a model or something (and not gesture drawings, but a 30 min+ pose), then maybe I can see what they're saying (and even then, where does the work of someone like Egon Schiele stand for example). I think its important to know exactly what choices you're making when you're drawing people, and to know that you need a reference point, especially if you plan on simplifying the form by a lot, since every line counts and needs to be carefully designed.

[skicoak]

But, taking it outside of the perspective of teachers, I just don’t agree with degrading in general, no matter if it’s a teacher or some friend or whoever.

That's the rub though. To some, due to various social anxieties and such, just being verbally warned in front of the class is "harassment/degrading". There's not a lot of great answers here... At least here in the States, student to teacher class ratios, and the risks for leaving students unattended do not allow for a lot of options of private discussion/discipline.

You would be surprised at how mean and vengeful some teachers can get.

Like I've said, from the experiences I've had... It's usually more of a POV issue. Students have tendencies to rationalize their own behavior by "demonizing" teacher behaviors.

[vothnthorvaldson]

Like I've said, from the experiences I've had... It's usually more of a POV issue. Students have tendencies to rationalize their own behavior by "demonizing" teacher behaviors.

And vis-versa.

I would not have a PhD if I had only met bad teachers, actually I had incredibly good ones.
But there are some really messed up teachers out there...

[Prometheus]

@skicoak

Yeah, that makes sense. That is a hard topic with many lines drawn in several directions. So many people have different perspectives on how certain situations play out, some intentionally falsify the situation, and some are actually truthful about what happened. I think it’s hard because everyone deals with certain things differently. Doesn’t necessarily mean that the way some people deal with things is correct. I do think that some people like to play victim, which is a huge problem for teachers. I had some kids in my class who would play victim, when it was their fault that they were having to get called out on their misbehavior. I’ll just say that, when I say degrading, I’m talking about insulting a student’s art or the student themselves via name calling. I had an art teacher that did that. Now, we’re human - and we’re not perfect. I don’t hate the guy for it, but that’s the kind of degrading behavior I’m talking about. And it’s not okay coming from the teacher or the student.

[spadesart]

the main reasoning behind it is that students should learn the fundamentals and proper anatomy first before developing a style, which i do agree with. it doesn't mean you have to be locked into hyper realism until you graduate, just that when you're in a learning environment, you should focus specifically on developing the technical aspects of your art. that becomes difficult when students are adament about drawing in super exaggerated cartoon/anime styles. you can definitely see the improvement in my own art when i was finally able to take a college art class and learned how to develop my technical art skills (i legit used to draw arms down to the knees and have the torso end at the elbows)

teachers can definitely take it too far and i think the ones that actively berate students and say their art isnt real art have no business acting like that.

[spadesart]

Humiliating kids and even encouraging others kids to bully them was still pretty prevalent when I was a kid, enough that there would be zero consequences on teachers.With 2019 expectations, I could have grounds to sue 10-15 teachers.

idk, during my senior year in 2016 i had a math teacher who got away with purposely scaring students by slamming books or suddenly yelling during quiet work time (for his amusement), going off on weird political rants, and at least one instance of directly making fun of a student for having acne in front of everyone.

[vothnthorvaldson]

I have many stories, including an horrible math teacher... but I think it's too off topic ^^
But yes the bad (if not sadistic) ones are there...