Count on me to dedicate an entire page to art that I hate.
This entry is a repost from my regular Tumblr.
I’ve been noticing some predominant indie trends for a while, most of them really predictable by now. But that doesn’t translate into “all bad.” I don’t mind graphic design like this:
Nor do I mind interior design and decoration like this:
But what I can no longer tolerate are these thematically fuzzy neo-Emo sentiments, handwritten in intentionally naive, childlike configuration, with expensive black felt tip pens from art stores. Tip: Stop borrowing from Marc Johns, scanning your illustrated grocery lists into Flickr Moleskine groups, or recycling every style on Etsy that is enclosed within a shadowbox frame. It is not cute anymore!
The other stylistic tendencies that won’t quit popping up everywhere: Amorphous and/or jagged forms pushed against one another in a wide range of colours that are bright yet melancholy. Alongside them are cute little flakes, undulations, and foliage formed by black ink pens, usually Staedtler fine liners — their texture and lack of colour juxtapose against the other elements, and the result is highly effecting!! Bonus Points awarded for geometric forms, because everyone loves math now. Turbo Mecha Bonus Points for rain drops, enigmatic characters, and dry brush effect (can be digital).
To be fair, I’m sure a quick analysis of 5 random pages of my Tumblr can prove that I’m a stereotypical indie observer of art, (e.g. adorer of washed out Asian photographs that appear to capture fleeting metropolitan moments; self-proclaimed geek of algorithm-generated images that appear to be scientifically engaged, but are really just *pretty* and fetishize science, etc.)
…
…but that doesn’t restrict me from complaining anyhow. So…thusly, the end.
