The Cephalopod Method

From time to time other artists ask: Hey, Eric should I have a unique style? How can I find my style? Is it important to have a style?

I have my answers, not all the answers. But this is a big topic for me because there is so much misleading advice around this online. I’ve run into other artists - even locally - who are critical of artists who do not have a distinct, “noticeable” style they’re known for.

DISCLAIMER: I know that for many, art and illustration are two different things. Art is personal some say and illustration is commercial. I understand the differences, but just know I sometime use the two words interchangeably. In the end, one cannot be an illustrator without being an artist.

Okay, time for me to get spicy!

Keep Things Flexible

There are lots of art “personalities” online who yap about artists needing to have a single, recognizable style. This is bogus thinking and outdated advice. Artists do not need to have a single style to work in. Some may choose to work in a particular style for a number of months or years, or may have a favorite style. But exploring variety is what stimulates growth. Change challenges us to build on what we know.

When I was finishing college I heard a lot of advice about developing a “distinct style to become known for,” and that this would lead to more commissions and work. At that time, 2000’s, the art / illustration scene was much different. Having a noticeable style was easier to do because the internet wasn’t what it is now, which is a giant ocean of ripped off work mixed with real work.

For me, adapting my style and learning new techniques has helped me grow. Its also helped me get work as a freelancer in recent years.

Time has shown that illustrators who develop their skills and techniques have a competitive advantage. We all know it – what the public likes from year to year changes. Some art styles are hot and then not for a while. And some artists just enjoy mixing things up. It’s been my experience that cultivating flexibility leads to more opportunities.

Cephalopods Know Change

Ok, I don’t have the secret to “great success” locked down. But I have a way I tend to think about creativity and it’s never let me down so far. Study cephalopods. Octopi. Squid. Those kinda creatures. Intelligent beings of the deep which not only change the color but even the texture of their skin depending on the situation called for.

If an octopus could be an artist, I imagine it would use mixed media when the need arose. It would favor digital art when scalability and efficiency were needed. And it would revert to analog tools when a project brief called for hand-crafts and a sense of speciality to be present. Flexible thinking = flexible creativity. I want to be more like a cephalopod.

It’s Ok to Be an Anomaly

When scrolling through apps and browsing online, it’s too easy to compare ourselves to the seemingly perfect Insta-profiles and YouTube content we see. We can find ourselves looking down on our own creations and believing less in our ideas. Stop! Stop doing those things! It’s ok to be someone who deviates from what is expected.

Here are some ways to embrace variety and shed the idea of only developing a single style.

1. Experiment – Use different tools without fear. What’s the worst that will happen? You’ll learn you don’t like to use watercolor, but you love acrylic. Then apply your own sense of mark making using that media.

2. Commit to Yourself – You don’t owe anyone a reason for the art you make. Trust in your instincts. Grow by challenging yourself. Be yourself. (And be cautious about seeking out too much inspiration on social media. There are a lot of people with no experience who want you to believe they know what they’re talking about.)

3. Smile, You’re an Artist – Many are comfortable working in a single style and do not find it limiting. Fine, great, good! However, if you’re someone who wants to work in other art styles – that’s awesome too. Enjoy it. Be proud of your creative voice. You just might encourage someone in the process and gain more confidence too.

My doodle style looks nothing like my World of Rynaga art. I kinda like that. You know?

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Art isn’t about rigid rules. So stop listening to people who invent rules or take principles to extremes. Single style or multiple, you’re an artist. Be happy about that. In our day and age, real art from real people is special.

And realness will be even more special in the years to come.

–E

EI vs AI

Artificial. Intelligence. Take a moment. Just think about those two words.

Running Eric Imagines as a business owner and doer, I’ve been watching and learning about AI. And I’ve been asked lots of questions lately about it too.

Examples: “What do you think of AI? Do you use AI? Have you added AI to your workflows? Oh you’re an artist / designer, that means you use AI right? Why aren’t you using AI for X, Y, or Z tasks yet?” I don’t have all the answers, but I have my answers.

Dueling truths

In the broad context of “art” AI is positioned as “enabling more people to express themselves creatively.” (Words from the Adobe MAX 2023 conference keynotes.) Further, AI is useful for “removing mundane tasks from creative workflows.” For instance with photo-editing in Photoshop. Why would any of these things be bad? Right?

But there’s another side. AI welcomes new levels of mediocrity and laziness into product development. It enables more piracy of others work. And for some, it’s just a way to make a quick buck. And yes, I hear the “those things have always existed argument.” But never before has something held the potential to permanently damage our view of creativity as the human gift it is. The implications are deep.

So far, my instincts tell me to walk carefully next to AI. Doing enough research to understand its capabilities, but using enough caution to remain balanced in my views. To me, the champions of AI often come across as icy opportunists. Some use grandiose rhetoric about AI elevating us to god-tier levels of productivity. It’s not surprising. After all, there’s big money to be made and stakeholders to please.

But where does this new reality leave the gentle artist? Or the eager creative, who’s perhaps just starting to ponder a body of work? Or the designer who still believes their work is the gift?

Drawing lines

Each of us in the creative professions must decide how deeply we will allow AI to influence our creativity. It’s a personal decision. Here’s where I’m at overall:

1. I’ll use AI to edit, not author – One example is writing. I do all the writing for the fictions I create. Whatever measure of good I achieve as a writer, it’s my work. AI comes in at the copy editing stage to help me scrub for errors and refine grammar. Additionally, I work with copy editors when it comes to getting perspectives on style and overall writing spirit.

2. I do not use AI to generate final art assets – Not for my clients. Not for the products I create. If a company or individual uses AI to generate a final product for sale, they promote goodwill by disclosing their use of AI and passing on any savings to supporters. As an example, if a tabletop game company uses AI-generated art to save money, being transparent and reducing retail prices shows respect for customers.

3. I put in the work – I create things from scratch. Whether it’s illustration, design, writing, or other, I’m the author. The work is me. AI comes in when I want to color-correct a piece, explore color variations and edit photos. However, I don’t type searches into online AI tools to help me generate ideas, create derivative images or help me draw vectors.

All work performed by owner

I saw that phrase on a painter’s truck once and it stuck with me. What a sincere and honest way of saying to the world: “Hey, when you hire me, you’re hiring me.” It bears repeating – as an artist and creative for hire, I do the work! I don’t see AI as a stand-in for my process or thinking ability.

The main concern I have with AI is organizations and individuals who see it as a replacement for art, for thought, for imaginative effort. This mindset represents a new enemy of creativity. Those who would replace human creativity with AI, demonstrate a belief that art is merely an expense to them. They see the process of creating compelling art as a waste of resources, rather than an investment in our collective creative culture. While it can be a useful tool, AI does not promote our humanity.

To sum things up, beauty has always been about more than the colors, forms or compositions present in a creative work. It’s about the perseverance, thought and imagination of someone. The commitments and sacrifices we make to bring good things into the world.

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UPDATE as of 12/20/23

• Regarding #1 above – language translations are another area where using AI would be very beneficial! Especially as I develop new products to share. I’m researching options with the help of experts in the field.

–E

Tabletop Alchemy

Games – transforming goof-off time into lasting memories since forever.

If you’re anything like me you grew up with tabletop games. Losing games. Winning sometimes. And thinking about playing again. You wondered how you could get better, be more clever and/or compete at a higher level. It was fun. Then we stopped playing. (Well, some of us did!)

Born into it

Picasso famously said “All children are born artists…”. It’s true. And I think we’re all born gamers too. Games are pretty much our first experiences with resource management and cooperation. They show children how to be gracious losers and decent winners too. Children invent games. Some littles downright ignore game rules just to have more fun. Adults who welcome this have more fun too.

But if gaming comes natural to us, why do we do so little of it sometimes? Sure, time can be tough to find. But I think we mostly just forget about the benefits. There’s nothing better than waking up on the weekend, easing into the morning, and then catching a board/card game with friends or family in a relaxed setting. It’s how we escape the nonsense of reality and how we make memories with those we love. It’s healing. (At least as long as no one turns into a rage goblin if they lose!)

For social well-being

Champion tabletop games as a source of well-being.

Win or lose – have fun! Both outcomes can be fun when we keep a sense of humor and cheer each other on. Keeping things light-hearted lowers blood pressure and promotes positivity. Competition is good as long as it doesn’t make others uncomfortable.

Bonding with friends over games is natural. Ditch the mobile devices, but embrace the side convos. Linger in a conversation for a bit, then get back to taking a turn. That’s how connections are made and talking only serves to humanize others. And that never hurts.

Team up sometimes. Cooperative games have never been more popular. If you’re new to gaming or returning to it, they’re a good place to start. There are so many types of co-op games – strategy, puzzle, escapes, etc. Games that keep the focus on player interaction and collaboration are some of my favorites.

A couple notes for gaming with children.

Bend the rules. When the children in your life want to break game rules or explore random ways of playing the game, let em’. If it means more fun in the moment, your time will mean more to them. There will be time to play “for real” as they grow. But for now, encourage having fun.

Follow the rules. On the other hand, game rules exist for a reason. Do acknowledge them as you play, especially with those who lack attention or seem distracted. If the rules don’t make sense to a child, try inventing some house rules everyone can agree to. Consider it an experiment! Still, showing a child the reason why the rules exist can help them grow.

Make gaming an event. When possible liven things up with background music, or special snacks, or wearing funky hats. Anything to help kids embrace the time together. It may seem goofy in the moment, but someday those memories will be everything.

Long live the tabletop

Kitchen tables, patio tables, folding tables – they’ve always brought people together. And most people have access to one. Tabletop games provide all sorts of possibilities for shared experiences that are positive. And we need that right now. More than ever.

–E