Originally Posted By ChurroMonster As a student of one of the finest art schools in the world I had the opportunity to take both Illustration classes and Fine Art classes. In both types of classes projects were due every week and we were subjected to in-class critiques of our work. In my Illustration classes we were expected to produce work that was pretty self-explanatory. With every assignment we were to create an image that would communicate to people without lengthy explanations. The more you had to explain your work the weaker it was. In my Fine Art classes we created works that we had to be able to explain and defend at length in our in-class crtitiques. Each piece had to explained and detailed to get the audience (our classmates) to fully understand. Recent efforts from WDI have required so much back-story to be explained that any whimsy to the attraction is completely defeated and the entire process becomes a mental exercise before anyone is allowed to have any fun. Simple (self-explanatory) premises like haunted houses, flights through outer space or cruises through pirate-era Caribbean seas have given way to laborious heavy backstories that have little-to-no relevance when experiencing the work of art (the attraction) itself. Simple is more entertaining. Simple is more fun. Simple works.
Originally Posted By ChurroMonster As a student of one of the finest art schools in the world I had the opportunity to take both Illustration classes and Fine Art classes. In both types of classes projects were due every week and we were subjected to in-class critiques of our work. In my Illustration classes we were expected to produce work that was pretty self-explanatory. With every assignment we were to create an image that would communicate to people without lengthy explanations. The more you had to explain your work the weaker it was. In my Fine Art classes we created works that we had to be able to explain and defend at length in our in-class crtitiques. Each piece had to explained and detailed to get the audience (our classmates) to fully understand. Recent efforts from WDI have required so much back-story to be explained that any whimsy to the attraction is completely defeated and the entire process becomes a mental exercise before anyone is allowed to have any fun. Simple (self-explanatory) premises like haunted houses, flights through outer space or cruises through pirate-era Caribbean seas have given way to laborious heavy backstories that have little-to-no relevance when experiencing the work of art (the attraction) itself. Simple is more entertaining. Simple is more fun. Simple works.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I would never call Guernica simple, or even the Last Supper. They both have significant back stories. They are both very entertaining, fun (or in this case depressing), and they work. Therefore I would actually counter your point indicating that some of your prejudices may be showing.
Originally Posted By jonvn "I would never call Guernica simple, or even the Last Supper. They both have significant back stories." You don't need to know the back story of the Last Supper to appreciate the image. Aside from that, the back story is "The last supper." Everyone knows what that is already. Same with Guernica. One sentence with few words describes what it is. I mean, this is it for Guernica: It depicts the Nazi bombing of Guernica in Spain. That's it. Sure, you can have more information about it. But that describes the entirety of the what the painting is about. And you don't need to know this in order to appreciate the artistry that went into creating it. The back story stuff that seems to have taken over is really an albatross around the neck of these rides. ChurroMonster is really very right about this, and I've said the same thing myself. The most iconic and best loved things at Disney are those that are describably in as few words as possible. I didn't actually realize this was a tenet of art, and that it is a principle that is taught in art school. That just amazes me, because I have been saying that as something I noticed and not due to any book learned edumacationing. But it's very true.
Originally Posted By johnno52 Art simple? Here is a statement from my son's web site who will get his Master of Fine Art degree next month. I don't know what the hell it means? But then again I'm not an artist! >My videos explore the subject of self through the manipulation of the medium and its characteristics and properties. I use these manipulations as a device to create narrative structures that the viewer progressively works through. The frames of the videos are presented unconventionally creating a series of sequential narratives where time becomes spatial, distributed across the surface of the work. A narrative is formed in both the images shown, and is inferred within the arrangement of the images. Through constructive repetition I create a reality and continuity that continually progress until it creates its own resolution. By scripting all the actions within each work, I take control of the Narrator position. This creates a sense of play between how I see myself and how I choose to represent myself. The recurring use of all these narrative devices allows me to create my own narrative language that increasingly depicts more aspects of myself.<
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct Graphic Arts / Design are in place to communicate a message. If the viewer has to struggle to figure out what the message, then it fails. As for Fine Art ... damn ... that's all about the communication of the mood, feelings, or soul of the artist. The fun of fine art is to then see what that piece means to YOU. It's all about discussion. For me, visiting a Disney Theme Park is part interactive theater / part art installation. When I walk into an attraction I need to be engaged and discover the environment. That way, my emotions and sense of "play" are triggered. The setting and backstory makes me feel that the space I am in is "real". Think the Haunted Mansion. This is different than looking at the attraction poster of the Haunted Mansion. When I see the poster, at first glance I can quickly understand the story. One is fine art and one is more commercial art.
Originally Posted By johnno52 Very good Dennis as I could relate to this analogy. >The setting and backstory makes me feel that the space I am in is "real"< My wife when riding the Peter Pan ride was scared and felt she was flying high above the town at the beginning of the ride.
Originally Posted By jonvn "Think the Haunted Mansion." The only backstory anyone needs for the Haunted Mansion is that it's a Haunted Mansion. The entire backstory is conveyed with the three word title of the ride. You can, if you want, learn more about it. But to enjoy the ride, or "understand" it, you simply need the title of the thing, and that's enough.
Originally Posted By jonvn Main Entry: 2art Pronunciation: \ˈärt\ Function: noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin art-, ars — more at arm Date: 13th century 1: skill acquired by experience, study, or observation <the art of making friends> 2 a: a branch of learning: (1): one of the humanities (2)plural : liberal arts barchaic : learning, scholarship 3: an occupation requiring knowledge or skill <the art of organ building> 4 a: the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects; also : works so produced b (1): fine arts (2): one of the fine arts (3): a graphic art 5 aarchaic : a skillful plan b: the quality or state of being artful 6: decorative or illustrative elements in printed matter synonyms art, skill, cunning, artifice, craft mean the faculty of executing well what one has devised. art implies a personal, unanalyzable creative power <the art of choosing the right word>. skill stresses technical knowledge and proficiency <the skill of a glassblower>. cunning suggests ingenuity and subtlety in devising, inventing, or executing <a mystery plotted with great cunning>. artifice suggests technical skill especially in imitating things in nature <believed realism in film could be achieved only by artifice>. craft may imply expertness in workmanship <the craft of a master goldsmith>.
Originally Posted By Schmitty Good Vibes Jhonno52, Your son's wasting his time in fine art. He'd make millions in politics.
Originally Posted By dshyates If I was at WDI and I could convince my boss that to build a convincing themed roller coaster I needed to spend six weeks exploring Nepal, I'd come up with a pretty convincing backstory too. I would be hoping to be assigned to the Poly Refurb. I think 3 weeks in Bora Bora would help get me chose the right wallpaper..
Originally Posted By jonvn "That doesn't define it for me." But it is a definition, so you CAN define art. So there.
Originally Posted By jonvn The thing is these backstories may be great to help someone think of a ride or something, but beyond that, they kind of are lost on the public anyway. Just ask an average person what the back story of any ride is. They probably won't be able to tell you much more than a couple words or even a shrug. So if you've invested more than that in a backstory on a ride, it's kind of wasted effort.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I think that Big Thunder is the perfect balance of backstory. There's this whole idea behind it of the haunted mine and the Native American spirits and stuff, but none of it is spelled out that clearly in the ride. Instead, it was used to create the mood and general feeling of the area, and set some standards used to theme the ride. Most people have no idea that it's there, but it definately makes the overall theming much stronger becuase everything there relates back to that idea. The Andy's Room concept for TSMM is terrible, because there's nothing to say you're in Andy's room. First you're on the midway, then you're next to a giant toy box. Somewhere between there is Andy's room, but it doesn't look like it and there aren't any references to it. If they had really tried to come up with a good theme for it, there wouldn't be the juxtaposition of the carnival and the toy boxes, and there certainly wouldn't be the idea that your in Andy's room floating around. A well-crafted backstory helps create a more detailed and complete experience, even if it isn't clearly spelled out anywhere in the ride.
Originally Posted By dshyates I think one of the worst concieved and thus executed backstories is for Soarin' Over California. What a mess.
