Sweetheart

[tripperfunster]

I just ... meh.

I just read a fic that was pretty okay. Manly men doing manly things with each other *wink wink* but just after coitus, one man called the other one 'sweetheart'.

Now, men are capable of a full range of emotions, and can certainly have silly pet names for each other, but it really comes off as 'abrupt needle scraping over record' when one burly (superhero/potions master/grisled doctor) calls his male lover 'sweetie/honey/lover/baby.'

Actually, I guess my actual problem with it is that BIG BURLY MEN can do that, but I KNOW THESE CHARACTERS! These specific characters wouldn't call each other that. (at least not in my head canon.)

I'm certainly not saying that people can't write what they like, I'm just saying that they shouldn't post it publically where I have to read it that it takes me out of the fic when I see it.

While I'm at it: Photomanipulation is not art!

Is it fun to make? Yes!
Does it take something original and change it to something new and different? Yes!
Is it difficult? Yes!
Does it take a long time to do it properly? Yes!

Is it art? NO!

Why is the cut-tag for it art? I am always sorely disappointed when I click on something titled 'art' and it's a photomanip. I just wish it would be called exactly that, and then I could choose to click or not. Maybe I should have a full-on hissy and post that photomanips are triggery for me? ;)

Tell me flist, what pisses you off? What do you get excited about that just ends in disappointment? SHARE MY BITCHINESS AND VALIDATE ME!

Comments

Arguing the other side

[k8bnimble.livejournal.com]

What defines art? The method by which it's made or the imagination and skill that went into it? Or by the viewer's response? In order to be art, does it have to be done by hand? How is a computer a different tool than a paintbrush if used by someone skilled?

Is abstract art not art? Because many people don't believe that because it doesn't look like something specific. Or they think it looks like a five year old did it. Many people hate Van Gogh's work but he is considered one of the world's greatest artists. Is a stick figure art? It's a very simple line drawing that anyone can do but because it's pencil, does that make it art? Should a stick figure be tagged art just because it was done by hand? How about Graffiti? To many and for many years it wasn't art but great graffiti art actually takes skill and those style influences have become part or more main stream visual sensibilities.

Art is subjective - it's what moves you. I like abstracts very much - but not all of them. I also don't appreciate all hand drawn art. I'd rather have a great digital manip than a bad stick figure although I appreciate line drawings that evoke an image simply. Just because it's simple, doesn't mean it's not art. It depends on the context.

I admit my bias as I do some digital manips on occasion as quite frankly I don't have the eye-hand dexterity required for drawing so is what I do easier than what you do? I assume so although for some naturally gifted artists, what I do may be harder since it requires technical training (which I'm still learning) as well as imagination and some artists seem to have been naturally gifted (my sister is one and I wish I had her skill although she appreciates mine just the same). I've done some I'm quite proud of and others that I can see could use a higher level of skill that I had at the time I did them. It's still art - just maybe bad art. Or maybe not bad, but just not great.

That said - not all artists are great artists (or even good) and neither am I. I freely admit that but I've been asked to do them professionally at work on occasion for fun or gifts. Does that not make that art? Heck, the CEO framed one and hung it in the office. To the recipient that appreciates it, it is.

I was an art consultant once in my career and we had a philosophy of "no yuks or boos" meaning that what you might hate in art, someone else might love and therein lies the art. It's far too easy to step on others' artistic toes so to speak and I'm not trying to here. This has been a long debate I've had many times with people claiming certain things aren't art. It's my own pet peeve.

You have every right to dislike manips but to outright claim they are not art is wrong in my view. Art is in the eye of the beholder. Are there bad manips? Absolutely. Some of mine are probably included in that. Are there ones I would call art? Yes. I've seen many that were inventive, imaginative and well-executed and I call that art. I would say the same thing about fan vids - ones that are well done have used imagination and technical ability to express something that means something to the creator and often to the viewers. How is that not art? Art is a general concept that any visual medium expresses.

The real issue is not that manips aren't art, but that #art is not enough of a tag. That's like saying #music should only be used for symphonies and opera but not for other styles of music like #rap or #bluegrass that many people don't like. They are music even if a person doesn't care for the style.

Perhaps tags should also include the type of medium - ie #art, #pencil or #art, #manip like it should be #music, #symphony or #music, #rap so it's clearer to the viewers. Certainly I will consider that for my future endeavors. I never realized it was a hot spot for some people.

I'll stop waxing poetically on this now. As I mentioned, this actually happens to be one the debates that can get me started.

I've always loved your work. When I was more involved in the Snarry fandom, I always looked forward to seeing what you created for various fests and I still enjoy your work in other areas now. Like with my sister, I wish I had your skill with a pencil and appreciate your talents.

Re: Arguing the other side

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

:D Well, some people think that stringing up dead/mutilated rabbits in baby clothes is art. (seriously, we had someone here get a GOVERNMENT GRANT for that art ..??)

I wasn't really trying to make an argument about what is and isn't art in the broad scheme of things. Many people wouldn't consider fanart to be art, and I suppose I would have to agree with them.

I just meant in the context of clicking on an lj cut. I"m not pissed enough to mount an uprising about tags, but I must admit I am always disappointed when I click on that cut and it is a manip instead of something hand drawn.

Nice rant, btw, you were certainly spot on with most of it!