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My kid said my art looks like a video game menu... and it kinda does.
I was showing my 12-year-old a new piece, a cityscape with glowing lines, and he just said 'cool, looks like the settings screen from that robot game'. It hit different because I was trying for 'atmospheric' but he just saw a functional UI. Made me rethink if my stuff is getting too clean and samey. Do you think aiming for a super polished look can accidentally make art feel less like art and more like a product?
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johnkelly2mo ago
That "super polished look" you're worried about is just your style coming through, and a strong style is a good thing. Your kid made a connection to something he loves, which is a compliment, not a sign your work is just a product.
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the_amy2mo ago
Man, that hits home. I spent months on a painting only for my nephew to ask if I printed it off the internet. It stung, but he just meant it looked "real." Kids make those direct links to what they know. If it reminds him of a game he loves, you've already won.
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finley7842mo ago
Totally read a thing about that, "overdesigned" art.
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The_amy's nephew comment reminded me of when my cousin's kid asked if her drawing was "from a sticker book." She was so mad at first (she'd spent like 3 days on it), but I told her the same thing - kids just connect the dots to what they know. @johnkelly's point about style is spot on too, I've got a friend who draws these super clean, crisp cityscapes and people always assume she traced them off photos. She doesn't, she just really loves that sharp, polished look. Kids see games, adults see "overdesigned," but really it's just someone putting their whole brain into making something look exactly how they want it.
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