Why do all the Irish newspapers have such horrible comic art?

Downlinz · 01-01-2012 3:57pm #1

Stuff in the style of this
http://images.ireland.com/focus/elections2009/homepage/turner.gif

That's Martyn Turner, an artist from the Irish times but it seems that every other newspaper has either the exact same artist or people who draw in the exact same style.

It's horrible and incredibly dated, likes something from the 1950's. The giant heads, wrinkled faces. It's unattractive to look at and I don't understand why every newspaper persists with these horrible standards when every bog-standard web comic winds up looking better than it.

Why not use a normal cartoon style? An anime style? Even something more simple and colourful that doesn't make me want to wretch in disgust.

Superbus · 01-01-2012 3:59pm

It's supposed to make them look ugly. Satire and all that.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 01-01-2012 3:59pm

So because you don;t like it, it's "horrible comic art"?

And you'd prefer Anime?

(Not sayign Anime is horrible, but it is comic)

Downlinz · 01-01-2012 4:02pm

Every other country's media (bar maybe the UK who never really advance anything) moved on from this style decades ago, it's hardly just me.

44leto · 01-01-2012 4:04pm

I think that art is brilliant, its definitely very expressive and perfect for satire.

cocoshovel · 01-01-2012 4:10pm

Its supposed to look like that.

Downlinz · 01-01-2012 4:11pm

I know it is, that doesn't make it attractive or something I'd like to look at.

It's the style I consider old-fashioned and unattractive. I acknowledge its mostly well drawn within that style, its not a complain of adherence.

Also you see it a lot on shop windows painted for christmas. Don't know if its just the older generation but you'd never see it in other countries.

megaten · 01-01-2012 4:14pm

That looks like a pretty bog standard satirical cartoonist style to me. What would you classify as a normal cartoon style anyways?

Owen · 01-01-2012 4:15pm

People still read newspapers?

Benny_Cake · 01-01-2012 4:17pm

It's all personal taste really,but I think a lot of Martyn Turner's work is excellent. If you look at top political cartoonists in other countries, such as Steve Bell or Jonathan Shapiro (Zapiro) they are hardly working in an Anime style either.

Eve_Dublin · 01-01-2012 4:18pm

The reason why they haven't moved on is because you're the only person who seems to give a shiit.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 01-01-2012 4:19pm

Downlinz wrote: »

Every other country's media (bar maybe the UK who never really advance anything) moved on from this style decades ago, it's hardly just me.

Another sweeping statement...? I think I'm beginning to understand your mindset...

Downlinz · 01-01-2012 4:20pm

Something like that is a normal cartoon style, the bog-standard garfield look.

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/4541/garfielddq9.jpg

Thats cel-shading, giving a hand drawn touch to computer drawn art.

http://www.tonyrogers.com/humor/images/obama/obama_cartoon.jpg

and anime

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3148/3034326686_c424a34f71.jpg

Son Of A Vidic · 01-01-2012 4:22pm

I don't see a problem with it OP, it's actually perfect for political satire imo. Indeed some of the political caricatures are quite brilliant.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 01-01-2012 4:25pm

Downlinz wrote: »

Something like that is a normal cartoon style, the bog-standard garfield look.

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/4541/garfielddq9.jpg

Thats cel-shading, giving a hand drawn touch to computer drawn art.

http://www.tonyrogers.com/humor/images/obama/obama_cartoon.jpg

and anime

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3148/3034326686_c424a34f71.jpg

1 - You want something "bog-standard"? The whole point of art is to express yourself in a personal style, not do soemthing "normal".

2 - That second one, to me, is very flat and unappealing. Certainly lacks the humour of the one your complaining about. Computer art would be a bit soulless and would potentially exclude some vey good cartoonists who don't work in that media.

3 - I assume you mean manga, as anime is animation. It's not really suitable for newspaper political satire. Graphic novels, yes, but not really newspapers. For one thing, it would need more space.

megaten · 01-01-2012 4:26pm

Downlinz wrote: »

Something like that is a normal cartoon style, the bog-standard garfield look.

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/4541/garfielddq9.jpg

Thats cel-shading, giving a hand drawn touch to computer drawn art.

http://www.tonyrogers.com/humor/images/obama/obama_cartoon.jpg

and anime

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3148/3034326686_c424a34f71.jpg

The second example there isn't cell shading on account of not having any shading.

Anime is just animation. I think you might be thinking of manga but that's just the Japanese word for comics and doesn't have a set style.

stovelid · 01-01-2012 4:37pm

A single cartoon wouldn't really be what I base my choice of a broadsheet paper on. Maybe that's just me.

CdeP · 01-01-2012 4:43pm

Art doesn't have to be pretty, OP.

Superbus · 01-01-2012 4:43pm

My biggest issue with newspaper comics is that Doonesbury exists.

Nolanger · 01-01-2012 4:54pm

This is Ireland. We are a nations of imitators who cannot do anything different. All innovators can feck off and emigrate.

imitation · 01-01-2012 5:03pm

Its grand to me, I'd take it over the ****e the sunday times has started doing. They basically photoshop some TD over a donkey for the latest scandal. Disturbing thing is they get more and more realistic as if they are trying to ween us onto fake photoshop news or something.

Downlinz · 01-01-2012 5:03pm

I don't mind an artist expressing their style but this isn't one artist or one paper. This is EVERY artist in every paper, in every shop window. It's a narrow track mind that in this country if you're drawing a real life person you MUST use that one particular style.

Now I acknowledge some people may like that and I may even like it myself if Irish media wasn't so saturated with it. But it's a problem with variety and creation when every media outlet feels that their comic strips must look like this, or every comic artist who wants to be successful in Ireland thinks they have to use that style. Thats the problem.

44leto · 01-01-2012 5:07pm

Downlinz wrote: »

I don't mind an artist expressing their style but this isn't one artist or one paper. This is EVERY artist in every paper, in every shop window. It's a narrow track mind that in this country if you're drawing a real life person you MUST use that one particular style.

Now I acknowledge some people may like that and I may even like it myself if Irish media wasn't so saturated with it. But it's a problem with variety and creation when every media outlet feels that their comic strips must look like this, or every comic artist who wants to be successful in Ireland thinks they have to use that style. Thats the problem.

Philistine:(:D

I personally thing the artist in the example you gave is the best I have seen. The images come right at you, they really are good.

Paparazzo · 01-01-2012 5:08pm

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

So because you don;t like it, it's "horrible comic art"?

And you'd prefer Anime?

(Not sayign Anime is horrible, but it is comic)

Anime would be terrible for Irish political satire. Just think, every picture of Mary Harney would be from a low angle so you could get a glimpse of her pants

hooradiation · 01-01-2012 5:44pm

Political cartoons are worse than cancer, so anime would be the perfect style for them.

Ben Hadad · 01-01-2012 5:48pm

I think you are way off the mark OP.

Fair enough if you are attacking Martyn turner for his style, that is a personal thing, however don't think for one second that many people out there share your point of view. Martyn Turner is one of the most respected satire cartoonist out there internationally, not just for the ingenuity in his ideas but also due to the satirists absurdities inherent in his drawings.

I personally don't think you know what you are talking about.

Below, one of my many favorites from Martyn Turner.

http://www.irishtimes.com/shop/martynturner/images/2010/turner.march13.jpg

WindSock · 01-01-2012 5:57pm

Is it that you don't like the exaggerated charicature style? You'd prefer if the pics were more aesthetic like in a comic book?
I see your point, they are ugly to look at and personally I prefer something more pleasing to the eye and cleverly drawn but they serve their satirical purpose, and I guess it is their message and content that is important. Some are quite clever but some are also a bit childish.

Downlinz · 01-01-2012 6:30pm

WindSock wrote: »

Is it that you don't like the exaggerated charicature style? You'd prefer if the pics were more aesthetic like in a comic book?

Yep

im invisible · 01-01-2012 6:40pm

I quite like Dilbert...

WindSock · 01-01-2012 8:25pm

Downlinz wrote: »

Yep

I guess they are done like that so you know who the artist is portraying without them having to put name tags on the characters.

Napper Hawkins · 01-01-2012 9:12pm

Superbus wrote: »

My biggest issue with newspaper comics is that Doonesbury exists.

Yes.

It's not funny and I hate their rectangular eyes that make all the characters look like they're seconds away from dozing off.

Downlinz · 02-01-2012 1:36am

WindSock wrote: »

I guess they are done like that so you know who the artist is portraying without them having to put name tags on the characters.

I presume its not just one guy, everyone in all the major newspapers seem to operate out of the same style. There wouldn't be a problem if it was just that one artist in the Irish times doing that. Its all of them! :pac:

WindSock · 02-01-2012 2:21am

Yeah I wasn't implying it was a single artist. Rather the artist of that particular style of comical satire.

The Scientician · 02-01-2012 2:41am

Your man linked in the OP has a decent artistic style but his cartoons lack humour and subtlety. There are always little talking creatures to overexplain and Captain Obviousify his point. An artist with more confidence in his own abilities wouldn't have that Green Party badge nor the wee talking yokeys at the bottom. Steve Bell is also a very good caricaturist but his actual cartoons are never, ever, funny. And Doonesbury can go and shíte and all. Bring back Bloom County.

Anyway OP what's your opinion on Count Curly Wee?

Turpentine · 02-01-2012 3:33am

Downlinz wrote: »

Something like that is a normal cartoon style, the bog-standard garfield look.

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/4541/garfielddq9.jpg

Thats cel-shading, giving a hand drawn touch to computer drawn art.

http://www.tonyrogers.com/humor/images/obama/obama_cartoon.jpg

and anime

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3148/3034326686_c424a34f71.jpg

Well, the first one is Garfield, and the second two seem pretty bland and lacking in character to me. Are they really the best examples of the style of illustration you would like to see?

Furthermore the style you seem to have issues with is not just limited to Irish publications:

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/cartoons/08_11_08_inktank/

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/cartoons/20111010_ink_tank/

I take it you're not a fan of Ralph Steadman or Spitting Image (which while puppetry was basically a 3D version of newspaper caroonist satire)

Is it that you prefer art without wrinkles, textures or imperfections? Those are usually the most interesting parts.

Why do all the Irish newspapers have such horrible comic art?

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