Will The Hobbit do damage to the books?

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

True enough. I remember when we saw the students copying the masterpieces at the Louvre--my kids were very small but they insisted they had to draw too. So my guidebook to the Louvre has their pencil sketches in it too, as I had no other paper.

But what really sparked my reply, and the mention of Viggo, was a picture I saw passed around on FB. It had exquisite technique but it was of a movie shot and it broke my heart that such talent was spent on a movie image rather than an original interpretation. It is true that we take our inspiration wherever we find it, and that everyone has the right of interpretation. Yet that does not mean we cannot also comment upon things. One does not cancel out the other.

If someone has done their drawing practise by copying something they may be justly proud of the results - my Art teacher used to tell me off for copying pictures when I was drawing but I argued it was good practise, especially as life models aren't something you get in schools.

I often worry though, whether these exquisite drawings are genuine or done on one of these computer packages that turn your photos into sketches...and I'm not that impressed by pure skill if there's no originality behind it. It's nice, but is it Art?