The Manustuprare School of Art

erikadprice: On Plot-Driven versus Character-Driven Works

Fri, 17 May 2013 07:01:42 -0400

erikadprice: On Plot-Driven versus Character-Driven Works:

When it comes to writing tips, plot seems to be of the utmost concern. Mooderino, Nanowrimo, and Yeah!Write are great sources for such guides, and while they also write about characterization and many other topics in depth, plot is usually portrayed as the foundation of a…

Dear Erika,

You know, I like this Erika, but I have to both agree with you and disagree.

See, plot can drive things just as beautifully from an entirely different perspective. See, Asimov in his Foundation introduces characters acceptably, but leaves them mostly flat, abandoning them quickly in order to address the next big event in the history of his universe. The result is much like a puppet show, you’re right in that, but the idea that the resulting puppet show is anything short of art is a fallacy. The world building alone, not to mention the masterful blend of action and philosophy into the plot lend that particular book an aura of greatness to be aspired to. If you haven’t read it and you care at all about science fiction, history, or philosophy, add it to your summer reading list. That goes for anyone. You can punch me if you hate it.

I have a bigger issue with this argument of “Plot-Driven versus Character-Driven”, and that stems from the fact that it is presented as a binary sort of thing. See, Melville’s Moby Dick (I love it, but I won’t make you read it) steps on both of those definitions, and is still widely considered the first modern novel. Sure, Melville presents some greatly memorable characters, and sure it has some truly harrowing scenes that drive the action forward, but anyone who’s listened to Ismael’s ponderings out there on the waves knows the drive of the book isn’t the characters or the plot; at times Melville takes an extreme left turn against both of those and just lets his words wash over you in beautiful but confusing prose. The master over-writer, it’s the things behind the plot and characters that Melville wants to say; it’s the philosophy, drive, and voice of the writer that makes memorable writing.

It’s an audience that makes great writing, or even Literature.

You can’t choose your audience, but if you feel like you’ve found your voice, there’s always exceptions to any and every rule in art, and often the people we remember most are the ones who make their mark by forgetting everything traditional and making their own mistakes, even if it turns out they’re older than anyone remembers. It’s not plot versus character, it’s not good writing versus bad, it’s effective communication of your purpose versus failing that. And remember, we writers, artists in general, aren’t above lying about the meaning of our work after the fact.

I say all this because, Erika, you and many others are beautiful writers, and you need to do more writing to write and less time thinking about what makes “good” writing. If these are the rules you live by, by all means go out and make your words sing with the intent of them, but don’t believe for a second that they’re the only viable rules out there.

-Stephen T. Kennedy

He doesn’t care if any of you think it’s crap, you can read his online novella right here on Tumblr: At the Foot of Diablo

It's summer, why not read a little poetry?

Thu, 16 May 2013 05:09:00 -0400

You don’t even have to leave Tumblr to do it. My personal favorites so far this season:

Trixclibrarian

I think I’ve this one up on the top blogs, so if you don’t believe me, believe that.

Sending Icebergs

Matter of fact, often crude, sexual, writings about everything and anything. I’m pretty sure I’m in love.

Writings for Winter

Another one I picked up from the tops of the lists, and despite the name makes for a wonderful set of summer reading. My favorite work at the moment is “the serial dater of poets” - it’s on the bottom.

Bright Lights, Loud Noises

A loving mixture of poems with a short-lined almost breathless voice, type-written or otherwise. Plus, there’s a print collection available if you want to sit in direct sunlight this summer, or if you just want to support this kind of thing.

I apologize, I’ve taken away your excuse to not read anything, but we’ll all have to live with it now, it’s done. You can add to the problem though, go ahead and give me a reply with any good Tumblr poets I missed.

-Stephen T. Kennedy

You can read Mr. Kennedy’s online novella free right here on Tumblr: At the Foot of Diablo

likeafieldmouse: Nicholas Alan Cope & Dustin Edward...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:47:35 -0400

likeafieldmouse:

Nicholas Alan Cope & Dustin Edward Arnold - Stamen (2011)

With flowers immersed in various chemical solutions, Stamen (Latin: thread of the warp) is a series of photographs exploring the dual nature of the spirit and self through a hermetic alchemical lens.

I love these, it reminds me of some sort of hazy memory, incomplete and missing detail, but all the while still haunts you. It’s almost like seeing the souls of these flowers.

Cheers,

Scranton

arpeggia: Karen Knorr - Musée Carnavalet, 2004 - 2007 The usual...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:46:00 -0400

The Corridor

Demarteau's Salon

The Blue Salon Louis XVI 2

The Green Bedroom Louis XVl

Salon Lilas

The Blue Salon Louis XVI 3

arpeggia:

Karen Knorr - Musée Carnavalet, 2004 - 2007

The usual aim of the fable is to teach a lesson by drawing attention to animal behaviour and its relationship to human actions and shortcomings. Animals in fables speak metaphorically of human folly, criticizing human nature. Yet it seems that the nature of Karen Knorr’s work has another aim. In Knorr’s “Fables” the animals are not dressed up to resemble humans nor do they illustrate any explicit moral. Liberated, they roam freely in human territory drawing attenton to the unbridged gap between nature and culture. They encroach into the domain of the museum and other cultural sanctuaries which resolutely forbids their entry.

See more of Karen Knorr posts here.

I really love this, it’s like a fairy tale almost manifested in life. I also love the contrast between the animals and the richness of the very un-natural environment.

Cheers,

Scranton

f-l-e-u-r-d-e-l-y-s: ‘Tokujin Yoshioka s‘tornado’ installation...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:45:02 -0400

f-l-e-u-r-d-e-l-y-s:

‘Tokujin Yoshioka s‘tornado’ installation was the main event at design miami 2007.

Super Fiber Revolution, 2006

tokujin yoshioka’s designer of the year, yoshioka has sent us some images from the installation that consisted of 550,000 plastic drinking straws piled into maze-like arrangements to suggest clouds. the use of weightless materials expresses
the idea of ‘formless’ and ‘fluid air’

snowflake rug, design is made from weaving various transparent fibers together, the design suggests a crystalized snowscape.

More of photo set Friday! I love this set and going to this gallery would be something incredible to experience in person. It’s just breath taking and something I personally haven’t really seen before. It’s an interesting spin on something formed by nature.

Cheers,

Scranton

Lana Sutra Project by Erik Ravelo I have to say, the whimsy of...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:43:23 -0400

Lana Sutra Project by Erik Ravelo

I have to say, the whimsy of the figures contrasted with the intimate content of their actions creates something both funny and intriguing.

Cheers,

Scranton

Artist Turns Abandoned Cars into Public Art Installations Any...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:42:14 -0400

Artist Turns Abandoned Cars into Public Art Installations

Any we continue on with photo set Friday! Personally, I love trying to find the beauty in something that might not be considered beautiful by most people, so I love to see the potential that the artist sees in these cars. It also goes to show that anyone can make the world around them nicer.

Cheers,

Scranton

likeafieldmouse: Leo Caillard - Art Games (2011) “Artists have...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:13:22 -0400

likeafieldmouse:

Leo Caillard - Art Games (2011)

“Artists have used Apple products to create gorgeous works of art and have featured the devices themselves as pieces of sculpture. There’s even an Apple store at the Louvre museum in Paris.

But what happens when you create a museum layout taking cues from the minimalistic user interface familiar to millions of Apple customers? Caillard has done exactly that with his series of digitally enhanced photographs that re-imagine the Louvre museum.

Caillard’s images show museum patrons interacting with priceless paintings the way someone might browse through slides in a personal iTunes library on a device like an iPhone or MacBook.”

Photo set Friday! This set is so fun, I love the idea and the notion of having people as a critical part of the artistic process is really interesting.

Cheers,

Scranton

likeafieldmouse: Zweifellos Mondbetont Moving on with photo...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:12:20 -0400

likeafieldmouse:

Zweifellos Mondbetont

Moving on with photo set Friday! I love this collection, it reminds me of a foggy memory,or maybe even a dream. It’s really beautiful.

Cheers,

Scranton

likeafieldmouse: My Wife’s Fight with Breast Cancer More on...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:10:56 -0400

likeafieldmouse:

My Wife’s Fight with Breast Cancer

More on photo set Friday! This set is so powerful, it’s really something else. Just the emotion and story captured without the use of words is quite stunning.

Cheers,

Scranton

nevver: Benoit Paillé Moving on with photo set Friday! I love...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:09:30 -0400

nevver:

Benoit Paillé

Moving on with photo set Friday! I love this collection with the contrast between the desolate winter landscape and the glow of the light, almost like a window to summer.

Cheers!

-Scranton

gaksdesigns: Forced perspective flower skirts by...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:08:05 -0400

gaksdesigns:

Forced perspective flower skirts by Photographer Char-la-la and Tatiana Mikhina

Hey everyone, it’s photo set Friday! This is a cute group and I love the idea.

-Scranton

funkystarfishy: David Bowers So, sometimes I’m not...

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 21:55:25 -0400

funkystarfishy:

David Bowers

So, sometimes I’m not always a real fan of classical work, but I love the idea behind this one. It’s hauntingly beautiful and the effort put into this piece does take my breath away.

-Scranton

leivos: by Teagan White Illustrations I love these...

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 21:53:56 -0400

leivos:

by Teagan White Illustrations

I love these illustrations. Their elaborate detail, coloration, and composition just blow me away.

-Scranton

likeafieldmouse: Stefano Bonazzi - Smoke (2012) These are...

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 21:51:48 -0400

likeafieldmouse:

Stefano Bonazzi - Smoke (2012)

These are gorgeous photographs. Everything about them is lovely!

-Scranton

containercorps: Recordings is a series of books that are the...

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 21:51:06 -0400

containercorps:

Recordings is a series of books that are the result of a physical interaction between the printer and the offset press. Colors are added to the press during printing following a predetermined “score.” The act of printing becomes an act of performance, and the book is the evidence of its occurrence. Recordings conflate books and sculpture. They use the machinery of mechanical reproduction to create visual records of specific, unrepeatable conditions of color and change.

What a cool idea.

-Scranton