Amano artwork doesn't change facial expressions

[ReloadPsi]

This may have been posted here numerous times, but I don't see it anywhere just now. Anyway.

I'm not gonna post any examples because I'd rather look at myself in a mirror than look at any of Amano's artwork. Their clothes are crude and sketchy making it near impossible to tell what the characters are meant to be wearing half the time, and every single one has the same, apparently female, face. Even the male characters. When I saw the concept art of Sephiroth I began to see why they made him look so much more feminine in Advent Children, and I had trouble telling the FF5 cast apart in their sketches.

Tetsuya Nomura is the true character designer of the series: He actually makes people look different. I'm 100% convinced that Amano was only kept for "novelty" and "authenticity". There's a few exceptions like the inhuman characters, and Steiner on the FF9 PAL disc, but that's about all I can think of.

What does everyone else think?

[Flying Mullet]

I like his art. It's a different style, like a dream or a thought of things to come. I enjoy that fact that his drawings are ethereal, rather than concrete, fixed images.

[Hazzard]

Who ever done the 'lightning' design. I like it, so I'm with that designer.

[arcanedude34]

Amano's art is good, about the same as the arts from the later games. Crude, but good.

Maybe you just don't appreciate fine art.

EDIT; I deleted the "stock and totally meaningless" statement. >_<

[ljkkjlcm9]

this statement/pictures should so be put into a YTMND

THE JACKEL

[ReloadPsi]

Probably better than you can draw.
Much more so. Doesn't mean I'm not allowed to say anything. Hell, the guys who did the Zelda: Wand Of Gamelon cutscenes are probably better than me (I wouldn't know as I've never tried to animate a cutscene) but I'm still critical of it. Hey, there are game developers who make better games than the people who review them, but they still get to talk.

"They're (probably) better at it than you" is the worst argument in existence. The rest of your post was fine on its own, man, I just wanted to rip this statement apart because it's way too stock and totally meaningless.


rather than concrete, fixed images.
I realise that's the point of concept art but it annoys me when they're compelled to make it into official, mainstay artwork for something...

[Sidderz]

Probably better than you can draw.

LOL. Sorry but that is a really pathetic statement.

[arcanedude34]

Yeah I know, but I was making a point. You can't criticize if you can't do better without criticizing yourself too, which he did not until his second post.

[Slothy]

When I saw the concept art of Sephiroth I began to see why they made him look so much more feminine in Advent Children

I'm not going to argue with you about Amano's style because although I love it, it's art, and therefore comes down to personal taste. Either you like it or you don't. I do feel your painting him with too broad a brush though (no pun intended). I haven't seen the concept art for FFV, but I found it easy to tell the characters apart in other games art (as well as tell their gender for that matter).

As for the quoted comment above though; Nomura was the character designer for FF7, not Amano. He was also the director for Advent Children I believe (or at least a producer), so if you think Sephiroth looked too feminine you can blame him.

[Sidderz]

Yeah I know, but I was making a point. You can't criticize if you can't do better without criticizing yourself too, which he did not until his second post.

Yes you can criticize. I give many opinions on music but I can't sing, drum, guitar and compose better - does that mean I can't critisize?

Not at all. He was comparing the two artists. Nothing wrong with that. Not at one point was it said: "Amano is so bollocks. I could do so much better!" or the likes. It's no different than critisizing the games themselves in some senses and I'm sure you couldn't then say: "I bet you couldn't create a better game."

[arcanedude34]

Why couldn't you say that? If someone is really bagging on a game for no (or very weak) reasoning, then somebody has the right to say that its better than what the person is capable of.

If it's ok to compare two artists, does it make any sense to say that someone can't compare Amano and Psi? It's being a hypocrite if you say that.

[Sidderz]

Why couldn't you say that? If someone is really bagging on a game for no (or very weak) reasoning, then somebody has the right to say that its better than what the person is capable of.

If it's ok to compare two artists, does it make any sense to say that someone can't compare Amano and Psi? It's being a hypocrite if you say that.

Anyone can critisize anything they want to. It doesn't make them correct - it's merely voicing an opinion.

The world is made up of them you know - opinions.

Look, if it sounds like I'm being harsh or trying to start a heated debate I'm sorry but I'm not. I just found it incrediblly strange that you seemed to back up your opinion with and ending of: "I bet you couldn't do better anyway.".

[arcanedude34]

Whatever it's cool. I didn't mean for it to sound like I was just angry, but it really was just the only thing that came to mind. And I still stand by it, even though it deleted it.

[Mirage]

Probably better than you can draw.
I guess that means you think every game, TV series, movie and comic in existence is great then, because they're better than what you can do. Flawed logic for the lose.

No one needs to be good at what they're criticizing. You don't need to criticize yourself if you never claimed to be good at the topic at hand.

I know it's been said, I'm just sick of hearing that "argument" over and over again.

[No.78]

I think if you don't like it then you shouldn't post a thread about it because it's accomplishing nothing :P

PS, Amano's artwork is awesome.

[rubah]

Amano's works are works, not designs.

I prefer nomura's, myself. I love the style of his portraits, particularly the ones he did for ff8:]


Yeah I know, but I was making a point. You can't criticize if you can't do better without criticizing yourself too, which he did not until his second post.

Heaven forbid anyone have such a thing as an opinion.

[Rocket Edge]

I personally love his artwork & i find it to be very original. Amano is one of my favourite artists.

[Zeromus_X]

I like his art. It's a different style, like a dream or a thought of things to come. I enjoy that fact that his drawings are ethereal, rather than concrete, fixed images.

Yes, same here.

Not that I don't like Nomura or Yoshida's designs at all, I think Nomura is pretty much unrivaled when it comes to pretty menu portraits.

[silentenigma]

I like his art. It's a different style, like a dream or a thought of things to come. I enjoy that fact that his drawings are ethereal, rather than concrete, fixed images.

[Mirage]

I like his art. It's a different style, like a dream or a thought of things to come. I enjoy that fact that his drawings are ethereal, rather than concrete, fixed images.

Yes, same here.

Not that I don't like Nomura or Yoshida's designs at all, I think Nomura is pretty much unrivaled when it comes to pretty menu portraits.
I very strongly think that Nomura's later works lack inspiration and creativity.

[farplaner]

I think if you don't like it then you shouldn't post a thread about it because it's accomplishing nothing :P

PS, Amano's artwork is awesome.

I hate to "rouse more rabble" but, disliking something is as valid a reason for starting a thread as liking something. Praise and criticism in a forum both accomplish the same result: differences of opinion.

Speaking of which, I don't really have one about concept art...

PS, I'm awesome! :tongue:

[UltimaMasamune]

pasty gray/white-skinned heroin addicts wearing goofy gypsy clothes, that was sooo "elegant"

this pretty much summarizes his work for me, sure it's good art(and I give a rats ass about art) but very bad concept art,all of his characters are pretty much the same

and Nomura while his character look similar at times and is quite generic , well it's supposed to be like that, FF is a mainstream series it tries to get all people to enjoy it(unlike a game like Shin Megami Tenisi which targets a specific audience) , and IMO as a Director he is up there with people like Kojima and Kitase

[Momiji]

I like his art. It's a different style, like a dream or a thought of things to come. I enjoy that fact that his drawings are ethereal, rather than concrete, fixed images.

I agree. I think Amano is a excellent artist.

[Fatal Impurity]

When I saw the concept art of Sephiroth I began to see why they made him look so much more feminine in Advent Children

I'm not going to argue with you about Amano's style because although I love it, it's art, and therefore comes down to personal taste. Either you like it or you don't. I do feel your painting him with too broad a brush though (no pun intended). I haven't seen the concept art for FFV, but I found it easy to tell the characters apart in other games art (as well as tell their gender for that matter).

As for the quoted comment above though; Nomura was the character designer for FF7, not Amano. He was also the director for Advent Children I believe (or at least a producer), so if you think Sephiroth looked too feminine you can blame him.

Your wrong they worked on it together as it says here: http://www.cavesofnarshe.com/ff7/art/

Anyway my personal opininion on the matter is that the original poster is completely right Nomora's art and skill completely s**ts all over Amano's "fairytale" whispy style...as for character designs i'd say they are as good as each other...after all at times Nomora's Sephiroth design is comparable to Amano's Kefka design and vice versa!!

[Auragaea]

I prefer Amano over the other guy. His works are actually pretty unique and imaginative. The other guy's (I forgot his name) works all pretty much look stale, still, and unimaginative.

[Zeromus_X]

When I saw the concept art of Sephiroth I began to see why they made him look so much more feminine in Advent Children

I'm not going to argue with you about Amano's style because although I love it, it's art, and therefore comes down to personal taste. Either you like it or you don't. I do feel your painting him with too broad a brush though (no pun intended). I haven't seen the concept art for FFV, but I found it easy to tell the characters apart in other games art (as well as tell their gender for that matter).

As for the quoted comment above though; Nomura was the character designer for FF7, not Amano. He was also the director for Advent Children I believe (or at least a producer), so if you think Sephiroth looked too feminine you can blame him.

Your wrong they worked on it together as it says here: http://www.cavesofnarshe.com/ff7/art/

[/QUOTE]

Amano did concept artwork for FFVII (as he did most of the other main-numbered games where he wasn't the character designer), and Nomura did the character designs, but the two didn't work together on eachother's artworks.

[black orb]

>>> Amano is a great artist, and the best of his work isnt FF related..