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Thoughts on furry fandom, art, writers and professionalism
8 years ago
Depending on which bus I take, I go by a cluster of art galleries. It was suggested by someone a few months ago– and I think it's an interesting idea– that a group of furry artists could put on an art show in one of these gallery spaces. There are plenty of very talented artists who consistently do fantastic work, and it's not necessary porn.
Yet, because they work in furry, their work isn't seen much outside of the fandom. Sure, there's been a few artists that have gone on to jobs in animation, comic or other professional art jobs. But often their furry work is marginalized.
One of the things mentioned by professional writers in regards to furry writers is that while writers can get published in fandom press, writers can only improve if they can get published in more mainstream places. This, in turn, will raise the level of furry writers. The same principle applies to the already very talented artists.
But I do see a curious resistance to this idea to leave the high walls of the fandom. Sometimes, it's from the creators themselves, but often it's from the rank and file. There is this notion that artists should make money from their skills, but just for the sake of the art. Or that somehow becoming a professional makes one no longer part of the fandom.
The way I see it, furry fandom has a wide range of very creative people, and it's worth promoting that creativity to the wider world. That is a positive in itself, but it also raises the level of the work being created to even higher levels. I have never understood this attitude that just because something is popular it is no longer good or the creator somehow "sold out." Selling out only occurs when the work is deliberately cheapened to appeal to the mass appeal. That'll happen some of the time, but not all of the time. Just because it might happen shouldn't prevent people to striving to get better.
Yet, because they work in furry, their work isn't seen much outside of the fandom. Sure, there's been a few artists that have gone on to jobs in animation, comic or other professional art jobs. But often their furry work is marginalized.
One of the things mentioned by professional writers in regards to furry writers is that while writers can get published in fandom press, writers can only improve if they can get published in more mainstream places. This, in turn, will raise the level of furry writers. The same principle applies to the already very talented artists.
But I do see a curious resistance to this idea to leave the high walls of the fandom. Sometimes, it's from the creators themselves, but often it's from the rank and file. There is this notion that artists should make money from their skills, but just for the sake of the art. Or that somehow becoming a professional makes one no longer part of the fandom.
The way I see it, furry fandom has a wide range of very creative people, and it's worth promoting that creativity to the wider world. That is a positive in itself, but it also raises the level of the work being created to even higher levels. I have never understood this attitude that just because something is popular it is no longer good or the creator somehow "sold out." Selling out only occurs when the work is deliberately cheapened to appeal to the mass appeal. That'll happen some of the time, but not all of the time. Just because it might happen shouldn't prevent people to striving to get better.
