The State of Minecraft 'Graphics'

[duckluv321]

Howdy.

*The poll is a bit messed up. My bad**

If you've ever so much as taken a glance at the MCSG art section, you probably know what I'm about to talk about.

Everyone and their mother seems to have a graphics shop nowadays, and almost every single one of these shops are carbon copies of one another.

Take a look at the last couple pages. There are tons of threads selling graphics- the same graphics.

Now, before I really get into this, I want to say yes-- I do these 'typical' graphics as well, but as tired as I am of seeing it, I am of doing it.

You may still be confused as to what I'm talking about- what I'm talking about is the typical banner, name avatar. Color corrections up the bum, more starburst effects than you can shake a stick at, and plenty of completely random triangles and squares.

Now, let's take a look at where this all comes from. This, my friends, is something called the "AdamK Graphics Pack" or some form of pack that basically gives you everything you need to make banners and avatars.

I have it, and like I said before, I know I've used it, and I know this sounds hypocritical, but I'm getting tired of using it, and seeing it used, so it'll most likely come to a stop.
This is like the drawn avatars we see ever so often, basically imitating the 'finsgraphics' style, but honestly, I think this is worse.

You have to actually make the avatar that you're basing off of someone else's style. For these, you open a Photoshop file, and drag in whatever you need. Literally.

I realize a lot of you are probably thinking "who are you to say this" and honestly, I am too, but this has been bugging me for a while.

Originality is so hard to come by nowadays, it honestly is. People are just looking for the easiest way to make a few bucks, not finding their own styles, and learning things themselves.

Inside this graphics pack, you'll find those blocks you often see behind players. See those on a banner? It was most likely a matter of click and place for the 'artist', not going into a program, placing, arranging, and rendering the blocks.

Not sure what I'm talking about? Here's what I mean- (also, typical things that let you know it was definitely done with a graphics pack) (pictures blacked out and cropped so the banners can't be directly identified. My purpose isn't calling people out) (Sorry for weird spelling errors as well. Added the captions on my iPad )

"What? No way! They must have made these themselves!"

Welcome to the AdamK Graphics Pack.

If this is how you make 'your' 'designs' you cannot honestly call yourself an artist. The only artist is the person who made these things for you.

Once again, I know I've used these. I'm not going to lie and say I haven't, but I'm getting tired of taking the easy way out. At this point, I really only do work for friends. I haven't sold anything big in a while, and I'm happy with that. Selling 'graphics' made with a graphics pack is allowed, but I don't feel good when I do it.

The attitude in using a graphics pack is not "I want to develop my own, unique style", and that is not how I feel it should be.

While we're here, 'watermarking' (putting your logo or name on someone's banner) that you made with a graphics pack is so ridiculous. You might as well put the creator of the graphics pack's logo on there, because that's who made most of it.

"Clicked and dragged into place by:"
"Minimal effort put in by:"
"Major effects and styling done by: creator of graphics pack"
Well, that's my rant. The point in this wasn't to offend people who use these, but to hopefully open your eyes.

How amazing would it be to have your own, original style? Someone who is truly an 'artist' should strive for that, not the easy way out. Don't bother calling yourself an 'artist' or 'designer' until then.

There is also a huge difference between using a graphics pack to learn, and using it as your only means of creating things. There is another huge difference in selling 'art' made with agraphics pack, and calling it your own, and creating art for free.

Lastly, take note of this in art shops, but please don't call people out. That's not my intention in making this thread.

(Finally, I want to reiterate that the point of this wasn't to call people out, or offend them, but to open their eyes. I've realized this, and unless requested, I'm going to work without a graphics pack. I'm just tired of seeing the same thing over and over again.)

(Most people probably don't even care, but I just wanted to get this off my chest )

 

[Turtle]

Wat.
Edit: For the poll, is there a I was too lazy to read it, but it looks cool?
Edit: Edit: Oh, this makes sense, you ma'am, are very wise

 

[Mamiamato24]

I definitely see too much of the pre-rendered shops in the Art Section. Some of the people make them very well, but most are just copies of the people that make them well :/ There hasn't been an original art thread in a while..

 

[Fox]

I've gone through this before.
I make skins, and sometimes originality is an issue. I do admit. To begin with, I feel finding your own style is the hardest and, for the most part it will take some time. I've learned to not rush, and take my time —Which is how I am starting to get successful in Planet Minecraft. Now a days, theres so many of each it can get hard to not make it similar to one and another.
Other than I can say is that, take your time, find your style and for respect do not "copy" others.
Thus, depending sometimes copying isn't a bad thing... Using someone else's work as a reference is a way of learning. How do we learn without someone else? However, I think the correct thing is to keep that work private, or if published give credit to what you used as reference, but also ask for feedback to see if you're doing good.

 

[Bamber]

Woah, I didn't know this.

(not trying to be sarcastic, I can see how my message can be read like that)

 

[illumina1337]

I read all of it and had no idea that this tool existed. I really don't care too much about banners because most banners look generic and lousy, but I can see this being a problem. Most people aren't talented so they pay people to do stuff for them. Is that a problem? No. But the fact that people get PAID just to do this crap in two seconds really annoys me. Thanks for sharing this, and now I know not to buy any banners on the forums. (Not that I was going to anyway, because I make my own stuff)

 

[duckluv321]

I've gone through this before.
I make skins, and sometimes originality is an issue. I do admit. To begin with, I feel finding your own style is the hardest and, for the most part it will take some time. I've learned to not rush, and take my time —Which is how I am starting to get successful in Planet Minecraft. Now a days, theres so many of each it can get hard to not make it similar to one and another.
Other than I can say is that, take your time, find your style and for respect do not "copy" others.
Thus, depending sometimes copying isn't a bad thing... Using someone else's work as a reference is a way of learning. How do we learn without someone else? However, I think the correct thing is to keep that work private, or if published give credit to what you used as reference, but also ask for feedback to see if you're doing good.

Agreed. Everyone has to start somewhere, but there's a difference between using it to learn, and using it for everything. I will definitely say I have learned from simply looking inside of the packs to see how they were made, and I'm sure it's the same for others, and if totally understand that.

I read all of it and had no idea that this tool existed. I really don't care too much about banners because most banners look generic and lousy, but I can see this being a problem. Most people aren't talented so they pay people to do stuff for them. Is that a problem? No. But the fact that people get PAID just to do this crap in two seconds really annoys me. Thanks for sharing this, and now I know not to buy any banners on the forums. (Not that I was going to anyway, because I make my own stuff)

Exactly.

 

[cscoop]

I've gone through this before.
I make skins, and sometimes originality is an issue. I do admit. To begin with, I feel finding your own style is the hardest and, for the most part it will take some time. I've learned to not rush, and take my time —Which is how I am starting to get successful in Planet Minecraft. Now a days, theres so many of each it can get hard to not make it similar to one and another.
Other than I can say is that, take your time, find your style and for respect do not "copy" others.
Thus, depending sometimes copying isn't a bad thing... Using someone else's work as a reference is a way of learning. How do we learn without someone else? However, I think the correct thing is to keep that work private, or if published give credit to what you used as reference, but also ask for feedback to see if you're doing good.

oh no, no no no. You legit COPIED someones skin and redid the shading. 90% of the skin is they way you design it. Then the other 10% is the actual shading.

 

[Mamiamato24]

This also used to be an issue when everyone's drawn avatars had those stupid slanted rectangles in the backgrounds, because oooh FinsGraphics did it which means we should all copy him because we want to be exactly like him right!!!!!?!?!!?!!!

 

[duckluv321]

This also used to be an issue when everyone's drawn avatars had those stupid slanted rectangles in the backgrounds, because oooh FinsGraphics did it which means we should all copy him because we want to be exactly like him right!!!!!?!?!!?!!!

Success can be measured by the amount of people who have copied you

 

[Mamiamato24]

Success can be measured by the amount of people who have copied you

That's why Fin's extremely successful xD

 

[RC_4777]

If I ever stop being lazy and get more time and use my tablet (hopefully I will this summer), I'll definitely keep this in mind. Not like I was planning on making stuff other than drawn avatars for myself and maybe people I like anyway, but I can't see myself doing stuff that is just someone else's. while I may be kinda lazy in doing stuff like learning how to use my stuff, I'm definitely not lazy when it comes to doing work and doing it well.