... whining about female warrior and super heroine character designs.
Answer: In short, because they sound like whiny wannabe-feminist with major complexes and no knowledge of how art in a professional level works.
So a bit of background story, as some of you know, I was mostly oriented to fine arts, this has been changing progressively with time, and now, I'm more focused to character design and marketable illustrations. This has led me to a lot of research and self instruction via internet. But with the good, comes the bad. I wanted to write this entry for a while, because thanks to lack of experience I used to agree with criticizing the industry standards when it comes to representation of female characters, huge boobs, skinny frame, bikini armor stereotype.
And then, I stumbled upon the famous eschergirls tumblr account.
[link]First of all I must say these guys have some major balls, to transform this:
Into this:
Ugh, I think I prefer the bimbo heroine with an exaggerated anatomy,
instead of the crappy cosplayer with deformed arms.
And expect us to asspat them for being so brave and attacking the "standard". And I say "standard", because something marvelous about art industry is how many styles, are accepted. You can find erotic female representations (like, say, Boris Vallejo) and bulky female warriors, some of BROM's works come to mind. Not to mention each product, and each franchise, has its own standard depending on the target audience.
There is a big number of artists, who are more focused in the representation of super heroes pin up style, and it's established that way, not because of the boohoo evil patriarchal media or the terrible horny male artists, but because that's the style's "thing".
It's
fantasy, or do any of you see super heroes, elves and demons walking in the street everyday? These type of characters aren't meant to be taken as real life role models, they're exaggerations of human traits, if you thought Catwoman was making you bulimic, you need to look up for the term "personal accountability" and look for help ASAP.
More so, people forget the artist usually adapts to the franchise and deals with an art director, so going for "omg their tumblr philosophy and convictions" will take them nowhere.
But let's see another interesting point. What about I told you, that male characters are treated the same way? Exaggerated muscles and features, unattainable standards for the average Joe. Yet, I see little complaining about it. If these guys are criticizing lack of "realism" in
fantasy art, why don't they complain about that as well? But you know the answer if you're following the idea, they don't do it, because this is faux feminism.
Indeed, males are treated the same way, they go prancing around half naked, or wearing tight clothes that offer no real protection as armor (thanks to my loyal TD for that input), and just serves as eye candy, to show off the borderline deformed muscles. Certainly something we do not see IRL.
OMG ANOTHER VICTIM OF OBJECTIFICATION!!!111!ONE!
See, when you're designing a character, these things are serve as visual cues to tell personality traits, what powers they have, etc. For example, you got characters like Spiderman, who is slim and agile, and then you got Superman with huge muscles and super strength, or Batman with fancy gadgets because he's rich. This same logic applies to female characters, not only in the anatomy but clothing. If you don't add typically feminine cues, and instead cover your female character in a boob-less full heavy armor, good luck at convincing an art director, or possible employer that it's a chick.
But let's go back to that tumblr, you could argue they're trying to criticize the bad poses in some cases, which can be true sometimes, many artist sacrifice realism more than they should.
I'm so sorry for making you see this.
But the general goal of the blog seems to denounce the "objectification of females". Which is bullshit. Besides, some of what they think is "impossible anatomy" is very real - don't you people watch porn?
In the end, I think, all in all this is an interesting phenomena, these raging nerds are a target audience and possible market, for all the people who bought into this bullshit and will be rejected in the industry.
[link] Oh, by the way, is anyone interested in me posting what are my recommendations for beginners? Books, tutorials, etc? Since I KNOW I won't be making the tutorials I promised years ago, and people keep asking, it seems a good idea. Eh?
`ChewedKandi has certainly gone out of her way to keep the vector community on the right path. Always making sure that her talents are infinitely scalable, Sharon has put her bezier curves to excellent use, and firmly anchored herself as an inspirational leader. We're absolutely delighted to bestow the Deviousness Award for June 2013 to `ChewedKandi. Congratulations, Sharon! Read More
Sta.sh
Those same people you speak of would criticize the proportions of a leprechaun. Or maybe that's giving them too much credit =-]
and to hear your comparison with porns just made my day
then another thematic: I always was a bit pissed, when every new game that came on the market every new concept about female wearing armor were so....not thought through? It's ok for me when female characters show what they have in one way or another, but some armor designs are jsut stupid and not needed to make it more sexy
My girlfriend and I were talking the other day about kids toys and cosmetic products that breach that barrier between fantasy and reality. Kids costumes that could suggest "You could actually be that person", and of course girls toys can be a bit bollocks, you can learn how to dress, do your hair, do the dishes, cook and clean. - This is not all girls toys obviously, but definitely the majority of what's advertised. Then there's kids make-up following through to adults make-up, telling the user that fantasy is something is something that can/should/will enter reality. Obviously I'm not saying that people are so dumb that the second they use eye-liner they're going to accuse their partner that his/her fantasies are always what they want in reality, I think it's relevant to how their brought up to deal with defining that line between the two. usually those sheltered the heaviest get it the worst, and by sheltered I mean battered by censorship and punishment. Because it stops them being prepared for when they see these fantasy matters, they lose their shit and cause one hell of a fuss. I don't hate them. My work is incredibly cartoony, illogically huge boobed 3D amazon women get plenty of hate, but I'm sure it's okay to pity them, because they probably pity me.
Going over to the eschergirls thing... ...that site gives me giggles, but not for long. They seem to be hot on the topic of illogical poses in artwork, but really, if it works for the picture, then it works. I've seen plenty of barbarian men contorting in ways that are just not supposed to be, and I have no interest in reenacting their movements and breaking my back. Some of them look cool in their crazeh mooves. Some of them fail. - Like the picture of the the anime girl you highlighted, I think again that's a matter of personal opinion, obviously someone drew it and it probably works for them and their viewers, but not for me or you. lol. Looks weird.
I understand that there is a gap of sex-appealing men in the market, or at least sex-appealing men in the same vein as women, but then again sex-appealing women in the same vein as men is also a gap in the market, due to the fact that it's underground. And as far as erotica goes, men've got their work cut out for them, especially here on D.A, where a man's penis cannot be shown erect, but boobs and vagorno's are absolutely fine. I know their fear, it's the fear of what some might consider tasteless Hentai-style peen's... perhaps strangling people... with testicles. Man, I don't like that, but I certainly don't hate it or it's viewers, they know it's nestled safely in fantasy - I wish other people can get that.
I think it all comes down to taboos in the end. The same way that prohibition made America drunk, created the mafia and other gang crime, when you illegal something, be it legally or socially, you make a legal or social black market for it. For example, there's been a pulse in the sales of smaller boobed women in erotica, and I can't help but notice that Australia made A-Cups in porn illegal a few years ago, hammering home that point that "small boobed women are not good" - thus giving power to smaller boobs as a taboo element. So ironically enough, we watch our fantasies be it sexual or non-sexual for things absurd, unusual, strange, not normal to us, and what is not normal is obviously things that we have felt a social or legal weight against in some way. Thus the culprit, the 'criminal' and the damaging entity that the crusaders of PC entertainment want to catch is none other than the crusaders of PC entertainment themselves. Making things awesome and sexy since the beginning of time.
It's 3:14 in the morning, and I'm typing so much I've forgotten when I am. - Hope my 2 cents made sense and/or was on topic! I would read it again, but too much sugar and too much thinking makes me vision impair! nighty night, awesome blogging person!
- Doc Slam
But yeah, I agree respecting the taboos; if there's something I've learned from christians is that the forbidden, is more attractive.
My take is this faux-feminism (like eschergirls) and certain other typically liberal movements, are taking a more repressive stance, instead of creating other alternatives, they're trying to change the balance, vilifying more and more things, for the sake of the people. Doesn't sound very different from conservative nuts, censoring things "for the sake of the children".
And that's something that really bothers me, censorship in the end, indirectly implies the public must be treated as children, there's no personal accountability, because fantasy might irremediably damage them. Sure, there are things I don't personally dig, but it's fine with me if it exists, because it's an alternative for others, who ought to be responsible of their choice of taking that alternative, or not.