In the style of...

[frankster]

After Budda's post about designers and thier signature styles I was curious to see if the rest of you had done anything in the style of another artist, either as an exercise or just because you liked it so much. I'd definately shy away from copying another persons style in a piece for work unless it was a parody or something similar, but recently I've started work on a little project for a close friend with twins who is expecting a third child. I'm making her a little book for her twins about the arrival of thier brother or sister and because they love the Janet and Alan Ahlberg books so much and because I have a soft spot for thier sweet illustrations I've been "copying thier style". This book is a one off, just for the family though, so not something that would ever be printed commercially. It's a time consuming project to squeeze in with everything else going on, but well babies take a while to cook up, so I think I'll manage it. Have you ever used anothers style?

[tZ]

As exercies sueret(pointallism) and dali. I prombably did afew others I can't remember casue basic design and color courses tend to cling to this kind of thing. Other then that not really… unless you count swiss style as one.

[frankster]

As exercies sueret(pointallism)

How long did you have to spend on the pointallism? Not the two years seurat spent on A sunday on La Grande Jatte I hope! I've not got quite that level of patience. I think I'd probably try and adapt a tattoo gun to a lower frequency or something odd.

[tZ]

I still remember… 160 hrs.

It was my final for my color thoery class back in freshman year.

We had to choose an image(mine was off the joker in this batman comic book) and reproduce it in pintallism. The guidelines also had a limitation off I think 4 or so prisimicolor markers. The project was centered around optical mixing of a limited pallete to create a unlimited visual array of color. It was a pain…lol. Prombably one of the most… I wouldn't say difficult but, tedious things I've done in my three years at college/ perhaps in my life. Once, you sit there for that many hours building up dots it makes you truly admire and appreciate the work/expertise that went into seuret's gigantic paintings. The composition size was around 18 x 24 I think… maybe bit larger give or take. I don't think I have ever posted that project on here most likly due to the fact I didn't like how it turned out(even though I recived a high A), but then again I'm my own worst critic,lol.

if I had it with me currently(its back at mu house in savannah) I'd take a photograph and post it here. Allthough… I did do a simular thing but absent of color for a 2d design project that was poster which I have posted here. Its a skull and the values were created using pointallism absent of color.

I can definatly say pointallism is a pain,lol

This is something else I did for drawing class that was meant to be a reproduction in graphite of a painting, drawing etc(if that counts,lol).

http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL90/2128115/5817152/74652347.jpg

[budafist]

In second year of GD school we had a project called "Zeitgeist". We had to choose 1 piece of graphic design (poster, packaging, logo etc) and 3 different design movements to express that piece in. I wished I had picked a product and 3 clear design schools, but unfortunately I wanted to be difficult.

I was feeling pretty political at the time so I chose War posters. Recruiting posters for Wars 1 and 2 and then Anti war poster for Vietnam war. I copied the styles but created my own posters.

I'm not sure where the work is now since I've moved house twice since and I don't remember seeing them. Hopefully packed away since they were pretty cool.

I have clients come to me often wanting for me to copy another design but with their name/product instead. It's not something I'm proud of, but I do try and extract from the client the reasons why they like a particular design and work from there. Often a client wants something because they haven't had their eyes opened to other possibilities.

When learning about different styles, I think it's a great thing to piece together a something in that style. Not just influenced by as exact as possible. What better way to get your head around bauhaus than to redesign something in that style right?

[PrintDriver]

When learning about different styles, it isn't important to be able to copy exactly what exists already, the object is to learn what is most basic to the style itself and be able to create other things that are recognizable as that singular style. To copy is to learn nothing.

[frankster]

When learning about different styles, it isn't important to be able to copy exactly what exists already, the object is to learn what is most basic to the style itself and be able to create other things that are recognizable as that singular style. To copy is to learn nothing.

I think you might be stuck in semantics here. When I say "copy" I meant copy the style, not copy the individual piece of art work. If you copy the style well so that i'ts recognisable then you have learned what is most basic to the style itself. I guess that's why it's a common GD school project theme. Never been to GD school you see, so it's always nice to see what kind of projects people who did worked on.

[Danger_Mouse]

I've tried to replicate styles constantly while attending art college. I did alot of messotinting and pointilism projects, some abstract (forget who I was copying style from), of course Dali, Van Gogh and Rembrant styles as well. Class project once we were to produce a cubist piece. In Art history we had to recreate a piece of art using same techniques used during that chosen time period. I chose a simple clay sculpture of the Venus of Willendorf (early feminism idol) using the same mixture for the clay. Others who took art history more seriously than I did at the time did projects of egyptian paintings using same egg tempra mixes and dyes they used on originals....beautiful pieces but was too much work for me for Art history.
I've mimicked Warhol, Boris, Gustav Klimpt and many others.

As a designer I can't say I like copying styles directly...a little influenced yes but too many designers in my opinion copy styles to the point they are no longer impressive. To each their own though, I just personally don't go for that.

[cornfed]

I design a lot of stuff with a vintage styling to it. I think for doing vintage style stuff it's really hard not to copy a style since you're trying to make people feel a certain era when they see the piece. I agree with what PrintDriver is saying in regards to making it your own. I find that most designs now takes on a slant that says I made it while maintaining certain stylistic elements.

[(gra-ph!c-D'sig-nah)]

One of my favorite styles to use is Art Nouveau. When I was first introduced to the style I just loved it! There is another style simular to pointallism or exactly the same...it is stippling, which is the black and white brother of pointallism. These styles I have never been able to incorporate much with clients, but that is because of my client base, I do like to do such pieces for myself! If I had my scanner near I would show you my latest! Came out great!

Other than just styles, it there a favorite hand art tool you love.....Conte crayons are nice! I love my sharpee too! I am not much of a painter though...I have tried but paint doesn't like me!

[cornfed]

I like to paint.

[Ned]

I like to watch.

[budafist]

For your own work I think it's great to be influenced by other things. But to learn something, copying a style (not a specific piece of design) is great for learning what the boundaries of that style are.

I don't think it is a good idea to totally copy a style for anything unless it is absolutely appropriate. It's always better to bring a part of yourself into these things.

[frankster]

I have actually totally copied a couple of famous paintings in the past. For my mum. I'll do anything for my mum! She says she "likes art", but what she really means is that she likes a few famous paintings of pretty ladies. So when I was about 16 I painted her a copy of one of Alphonse Mucha's pencil and watercolour paintings and then a year or so later made her a copy of Tamara De Lemipika's Jeune Fille vert. She asked for those specifically. I made my husband a copy of one of the pages from a Michael Turner Fathom comic book too (met him when I was 17), but it wasn't long before I gained more confidence in my own compositions and ideas and quit with the copying. Confidence comes slowly for me.

[Drazan]

When working for others I tend not to put to much of my style into it. I work with elite custom furniture manufacturers to farmers. .... tv show hosts to harley riders.... and everywhere in between.

When I do sites for my personal use, I tend to go gothic, oldworld, gamer style. I also have a variety of domains that I can play with, experiment, etc.

Primarily I work in web now, but my roots are in pencil drawing and acrylic painting. I actually strive not to copy. I have very strong style in both my drawing and painting.

I have been drawing, painting, doing graphic work for profit for well on 20 years. I have a lot of confidence in what I do. Though there's been a few times where, what I envisioned doesn't meet what the customer envisioned. oh well, can't win them all.
Art is very much in the eye of the beholder and there is no right or wrong. But there are those that apeal to a much wider audience.