2022 Collab: Week 13 “Snowflake society" - CLOSED

[sezpul]

Ok, so I am not going to have the time to finish this project but it more or less captures what I was going for. Lots of fun sculpting but had to cut a lot of corners. Here is what I was trying to convey regarding the snowflake society and PC culture.

1. Embracing a culture that champions every unique way of life, can end up celebrating lifestyles that are harmful.

2. When every one supports every thing for every reason they lose all of their own individuality. They do not actually STAND for anything so they FALL for everything. You ironically lose all of the things that make you unique and just become an empty vessel.

3. When culture and what is accepted changes so fast the ways of life, traditions and cultural norms that have worked for 1000s can be cast off. Those that adhere to more traditional or previously accepted ways of life and ideology now seem to be extreme when that does not seem to be the case. It creates boogey men out of people that are essentially in alignment with what all people, more or less, believed up until maybe 50 years ago.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

[NP5]

Let’s be careful not to get into political rather than art/Blender critique here in this site please. Use the private message system if need be to talk to one another.

[Kasimir]

If i don´t upload another one, this is my final.

Disclaimer/Question:
Used a photo in the background, which is not mine. Think i found it on unsplash. Is using photos as background ok or is it generally a nono?

[bitpatio]

Personally, I don’t mind as long as you have the right to use the photo (which seems to be the case), and it is well integrated with the rest of the render/illustration. Not sure about the blender collab, but it doesn’t seem you are breaking any rules.

The rules are simple. 1 subject, 1 entry, 1 week.

[Yee]

Sorry, got carried away with the topic at hand.

[FedPete]

We @BlenderCollab have a few days to vote. You can vote fast but also think slowly about design, colors, technique, difficulty, subject, realism, etc. Choose consciously and not on your own entry.
And the new subject week 14 " Myths & legends ” has already started. The winner of this week’s “Idioms” challenge may select a subject for week 15.

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The Snowflake-society votes

• NP5
  

  

• sezpul
  

  

• Kasimir
  

  

[Yee]

I found this week’s topic quite interesting and the results even more. This week the 3 participants went far and beyond, these might not be the most technically impressive entries but from an artistic point of view I can see how each entry shows a little of their respective creator, I can see how there’s a very personal interpretation of the topic and also very personal experiences. Really, really amazing work guys.

I would also like to ask the regular participants why they didn’t take part of this week’s collab, not from a political stand point, just to know if we, as regulars, should avoid these sort of topics for the collab. So the questions at hand would be:

1. Did you not participate because of the topic? Yes / No
2. Should we avoid this sort of topics? Yes / No

[Edit] I just realized I didn’t answer my own questions.

1. No. Busy with something else.
2. No. I think controversial topics can make us think more about other important aspects of modeling, like the story or the message we are trying to convey with what we are creating instead of just focusing on technical ability.

[igorfv]

Did you not participate because of the topic? Yes, I believe the topic itself is portraiting an entire generation as they as too soft or lazy while in the reality the average income is much lower than 30 years ago while the price of housing and food is much higher making it impossible for them to own anything. We see this effect happen even in higher middle-class families where the children are not leaving the house when they are expected to do so.

Should we avoid this sort of topics? No, to be honest, I’m fine with any kind of topic, it’s just something that I’m not willing to waste my time with while I could’ve been doing something more productive.

[ZachDude]

Good questions and here are my answers:

1. No, although I always enjoy participating with an entry, I have been mostly focusing on learning other software for now. I did think it was a difficult subject to depict, actually I’d never heard of the term before (yes I live under a figurative rock )
2. In principle no, but I think it’s better to have less political subjects for the sake of more collaboration. @Yee makes a good point about thinking of the message of one’s art, but this can be applied to any subject with the right mindset

[Yee]

@ZachDude

makes a good point about thinking of the message of one’s art, but this can be applied to any subject with the right mindset

I totally agree with that and @Blest is the prime example of what you said, Blest’s entries have always been very narrative oriented, I love Blest’s work because of that.

[FedPete]

I didn’t know the term, I even don’t understand what people are talking about.
Also, I had a little doubt about allowing this subject for the collab.
But then I thought, we are a very diverse collab community in a cultural sense.
So odd topics should be part of it.
And I had a discussion with myself, about how do people learn Blender with this subject.
Does it scare people off? We also want beginners to take part in this collab.

[Cathy_N]

I know these questions are meant for the regulars but I’d like to share my perspective as I am very new to all this.

1. Yes. I do not feel inspired by this topic even a bit. I would not want to take part in anything that has even a slightly derogatory or negative connotation towards any group of people. Let’s be honest it is not a nice term, and in no situation it can be used in a positive way. It’s not horrible either but I just think political opinions do not contribute anything to 3D art whatsoever, it leads to division and often frustration. Even if I personally agree or disagree with it I still do not want to get into any political discussions or heated arguments or even express my political views on this platform as I consider that a private thing. I already saw a post here that wasn’t pleasant to read and it honestly put me off. To me this is a space for 3D art, not private conversations, views, morals or politics. But I am new and I might as well be wrong.

2. Not going to lie, I was nervous to take part in the first collab as everyone is so experienced and I didn’t want to come up with something silly with my 3 months of Blender experience (although you always emphasise that beginners are welcome). If that was the topic when I joined I do not think I would ever take part in any future collabs. The problem is this topic only represents one side of the coin. It is not inclusive. If it was “Modern society” and someone submitted an entry called “Snowflakes” I wouldn’t mind. But it comes across as intimidating and makes you feel like only people with that particular view are welcome to join. This topic would scare me off for good. I think inclusivity and neutrality should always be taken into consideration. In my opinion deep controversial topics are ok as long as they are not representing one specific view. Keep in mind that such topics will not attract a lot of new people as they are very complex but if it happens occasionally then it is totally fine.

[NP5]

Actually that is what disappointed me, no one could portray the snowflake culture positively. The great opportunity was there with the subject.

I agree there is no need to debate the politics here any more than we debate Mayan pyramids as political support for human sacrifice.

[Kax]

1. Yes, I did not participate because of the topic. I found the topic particularly…well, disappointing. I don’t have a problem with political themes as a meta topic - for example, I would be potentially fine with a theme of “Caricature” as an art practice - which is pretty much one of the umbrellas this one sat under. ‘Peace’ a few weeks ago was more or less a political meta topic, given current domination of the news. I was fine there. What I do not find welcome is a theme that essentially boils down to a specific, pointed caricature. It would be little different in my perception to having a theme of “freedumbs”. I also share the sentiment of Cathy that were this someone’s first collab that they came in on, they may very well feel as though they are coming into a highly partisan space. Were it my first collab, I likely would have simply come to that conclusion, closed the thread, and found some other outlet for third party prompts. That said, this is not the first prompt I have been around for - thus my reaction being one of silent abstinence rather than silent departure.

2. I have no desire whatsoever to be censorious, and I am sorry if Mateusz feels disappointed in the turnout for his topic. I do not think I would say to altogether avoid this type of topic. Art has always been home to expression of many sentiments, personal and political. However, I do think that with this type of subject, drawing such topics toward more generalized and less modern-politics-charged forms may be worth consideration.

With topics such as objects, it’s easy enough to be super specific and let things roll: ‘forks’, ‘spoons’, ‘knives’, we have no need to generalize any of those to ‘kitchen utensils’. Unless someone is a diehard spork user, they are unlikely to be put off by a ‘spoon’ topic, and may well mutate the topic toward their preferred cutlery anyway.

With ideas though, especially politicized ones, it may well be worth steering the topic toward a more general umbrella, if only a little. For example, for this topic, some generalizations may have been “Modern Society” (as Cathy mentioned), or a more tongue in cheek “Kids These Days”. Or such. Again, I don’t care to be censorious, and find it distasteful, but what I find more distasteful in this case is the idea of some new 3D artist with stars in their eyes jumping into the collab, only to perceive evidence that this forum is heavily sided in its welcome thought.

[mimsybean]

1. No, I thought the topic was interesting, but I just wasn’t sure what the term means. So, I didn’t participate because I wasn’t sure enough about how to represent it and I only saw the topic two or three days in, so between that and my ignorance, I wimped out.
2. No, it is interesting to consider whatever topic and I think the group is open-minded enough to understand that the entries are representations of what society thinks the idea is, not necessarily what the artist thinks it is. If I had entered, I probably would have gone ridiculously literal - an actual snowflake, just to enter something, anything. Another reason why I didn’t participate.

[mimsybean]

I don’t understand why anyone would think that suggesting a topic necessarily means agreeing with the notion of the topic. I consider it more to be an opportunity (missed in my case) to depict what society has come to believe such a term or notion means.

I could create a pork chop. I am a vegan and so do not eat pork chops, but they do exist and being able to depict a 3D pork chop could be interesting. I don’t agree with eating them, for me, but I would not demand that everybody else not eat them.

I’m afraid that with your approach, we will be limited to topics representing notions that we think we should all agree on. Personally, I don’t think anyone’s political view is of interest to learning blender, but representations of what is meant or understood to be an expression from people around the world, can be very interesting. Is the meaning of the term ‘snowflake’ the same in the US, as in the UK, in France, in Australia, Germany, South Africa, Hong Kong, India? does it even exist in these places?

I for one did not assume that the person who suggested the topic thinks of people in terms of ‘snowflakes’ or not ‘snowflakes’, just that it is a societal term and how would anyone represent it.

[sezpul]

In general I do not see any topic as taboo and Art is up to the viewer. That being said I was a little surprised the topic was allowed. Probably not a mystery what my views on said topic are. I generally like controversial stuff but to be fair if we are trying to foster people learning and creating then more general and broad things would give them more of a well to draw from. I am vehemently opposed to giving up all ends of the internet for the sake of “inclusivity” as this is exactly why the term snowflake society exists to begin with. However, this sites intention is for creativity and shouldn’t be stifled but that needs to be weighed against people being butthurt and not participating.

That being said, I do agree with some of the views expressed from those that did not participate and wish they had. I like seeing everyone’s art, even if it is made by someone I might personally consider a degenerate. Sadly, many communities are ruined by political disagreements and I appreciate what this site and community are building and do not wish to see it fractured. This comment might seem mean but its not meant to be. I can respect other people’s views and still appreciate your participation and look forward to seeing your guys’ work on the next project.

[sezpul]

Also thank you for the votes, if I win I will pick a fun light-hearted topic <3

[sezpul]

I’m especially in agreement with this rationale from @igorfv . Those are all legitimate criticisms. Also @Kax “Kids these days” would have been a less loaded and more open-ended topic

[Kax]

End of the day, “more open-ended” was the angle of my sentiments, as sezpul put it. And thus, I take issue with the notion that I am advocating topics that we “all agree on”. I am suggesting something broader, sure, but I am not suggesting neutering altogether.

For example, to borrow on your idea of a pork chop subject: My issue wouldn’t be with a topic of “pork chop”. That’s pretty broad, and can invite plenty of diverse perspectives. My issue would be with a topic of “PETA luring pets?”, which is closer to what I felt this topic was akin, right or wrong. (Edit: Reconsidered and removed a factory farming comparison for not quite fitting the point).

Is my point of view on the topic at hand America-centric? Likely, simply because I do not know what the politically charged phrases are for various other parts of the world. I could hazard guesses for some, but most would be only guesses. But I’m sure there are some politically charged topics that if phrased so, may invite a reaction of distaste.

End of the day, I too just want to practice 3D art, and I want to see all manner of bizarre variety in topics. Just perhaps not topics that are so politically “loaded”, as sezpul put it.

There’s a humor in it, I suppose, that those of us who purposefully abstained may be perceived to be emblematic of the topic. Heh. It’s just not the type of topic I feel inspired to be a-singin’ songs and carryin’ signs for, for or against.