Ranger’s Inspiration
Do you remember when I talked about a super hero I made up that was inspired from the Power Rangers? For some reason this morning I felt like drawing some super heroes, which of late, is a good thing. I haven’t been all that inspired to do art so when I actually felt like it, I jumped on the chance. I took this opportunity to draw that Power Ranger-inspired hero, Goldenrod.
As I started remembering what he looked like, I laughed at how similar he looked to the White Ranger. Its kind of sad how little original content came from Goldenrod. His helmet originated from the Alien Rangers, his vest from the White Ranger, his story line from the Masked Rider, and his best friend from Iron Man’s War Machine. I may loved to draw but I definitely wasn’t original with my stories. If anything, I was only good at splicing different parts of other stories.
In a way, that’s all we do though, right? If you read a blog entry from Jessica Hische, you’ll read about how so much of what designers do is take all of the things around us and then throw them together into a new design. What she believes is that when you have absorbed enough inspiration from the rest of the world, the creations you’ll make will be so mutated that they’ll be totally original.
It makes sense. Doesn’t it? It would then make sense that Goldenrod was so much of a copy. I had only experienced Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, and the Masked Rider. I hadn’t learned about Spider-man, Thor, the Blue Beetle, Green Lantern, Dr. Manhattan, and more. So in theory, if I made a new super hero, he’ll be such a blend of all of these characters, that he really wouldn’t be any of them. He would be his own character.
When I told a possible employer about Jessica Hische’s theory, she thought that was a bunch of bull. She proposed the point that nothing truly original could ever arise from a bunch of other things. Let’s take, I don’t know, Picasso. Nothing had been done like his Cubist work before. He was inspired by African art but I could easily understand if someone said that Cubist work is not mutated from anything.
I totally understand both points of view. I don’t propose that either are more correct. Maybe both are possible. Maybe one can create something totally original from combining a lot of other things and someone can create something from scratch. Let’s hope for both.
Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy Goldenrod, if for no other reason, because he has such a sick name.
P.S. Happy New Year’s Eve and happy first birthday to my blog, Design of the Day!
Happy New Year Shelby and happy birthday to your blog
It’s great to see a new posting. Hope all is well and to see you in the New Year!
Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!