Comments on: Sketchbook Series: Eric Ellis

By: Harriett

Harriett — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:05:07 +0000

I love both Artist’s work!

By: Jeffrey bowman

Jeffrey bowman — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:28:41 +0000

Thank god for rational human beings

seriously this subject is a total mind field of opinions and views,

Thank you geoff for a concise and splendididly reasonable answer to something so tense and over thought by the Internet

the internet is the single biggest killer to young peoples work as it is to aid them in their career

I onced cared…once

let’s just go do work and carry on…one day I’ll die…the comments and bull shit will not be coming with me

By: Weekend Preview: no wrong do it again « Chicago Art Review

Weekend Preview: no wrong do it again « Chicago Art Review — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:48:39 +0000

[...] and designer Eric Ellis. Don’t be afraid to make fun of him over the whole Geoff Mcfetridge sketchbook issue (see comments). The show opens the same date as this post (so if you’re reading this, get [...]

By: mav

mav — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:39:29 +0000

i find it so sad to see more and more lately how we (artists, crafters, etc) are SO quick to rip each other down instead of build each other up. i like the idea that we all inspire each other, be honest about it and chill out. and i second Will, “go team internet!”

By: Will Bryant

Will Bryant — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:59:09 +0000

awesome.
go team internet!

By: Alex Fuller

Alex Fuller — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:24:02 +0000

My initial comment was seemingly censored before posting. Maybe I was too detailed about the names of projects Eric has worked on with me. Anyways, I know Eric loves Geoff’s work and his sketches show it. Eric’s executed design work is really wonderful and he hasn’t even graduated college yet! He makes me wish I was more proactive at his age. Keep rocking Eric. Oh and I borrow from Josef Albers every day!

By: Chad Kouri

Chad Kouri — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:39:57 +0000

Wow, what a thread. I’m really excited about everyone putting in their thoughts and comments. And another big thanks to Mr. Fetridge. It’s really great when we can get the general one line comments out of the way and really get into some discussion.

By: julia

julia — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:19:14 +0000

Thank you so much Geoff for sharing your thoughts on this. We really appreciate your input. I hope this post in some way has flattered you- to know you have so many enormous fans out there! And like I mentioned to the fake Geoff who commented earlier- we would be more than honored if you were interested in sharing your sketchbooks here on the blog (pushead full or not. ha.)

By: Geoff McFetridge

Geoff McFetridge — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 07:18:38 +0000

… I just wanted to add, and complicate things, that I remembered that I did the same thing when I was in High School.

Pages and pages

Pushead drawings

By: Geoff McFetridge

Geoff McFetridge — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 06:52:31 +0000

Well. I was forwarded this site by the Chad who I do not know, but does this blog. He wanted me to add my take to this conversation. It seems like you have it under control but I do want to say something as I feel that this is a really important subject that needs to be talked about.
1. First off. I appreciate people sticking up for me. It really means a lot to me. It is hard to develop work or a style and see it appear elsewhere in other peoples work uncredited. Often I feel that I am the only person who sees these things as I know how I draw things and therefore know when things are being copied.
2. Unfortunately it is at the expense of this (young?) designer who no doubt has been broadsided.
3. Very often the defense of this type of thing that everyone is influenced and participates in a sliding scale of copying. I think this is a blanket statement that belies the truth of the situation. People often site Saul Bass or Milton Glaser as influences in my work. They are…these are giants of design that helped to define what Graphic Design is. They invented Graphic Design as we know it, their influence is universal… I think what we are talking about is people copying tiny ideas, the way I draw hands, or bend things or create characters. These are not giant innovations, these are tiny miniscule (published) creations that I would hope I could call my own. I believe that very often it is these tiny things that we are talking about when we are talking about plagiarism in design.
4. All he has to do is introduce these pages as experiments, and exercises in developing style. Influenced by other designers. No need to name names, just put it out there. It is a healthy exercise to do, but I believe that it is unhealthy not to know better than to acknowledge it as thus.
5. Calling out douche baggery should probably be reserved for the corporate hacks and dragging a lot of designers through the mud… not kids messing around in sketchbooks.
Thanks
Geoff