A Gift Word
The first paragraph from an article that animator Chuck Jones wrote in 1974, recently posted at the ASIFA - Hollywood Animation Archive:
A young man was once sent fresh from Columbia University with a mutual friend's introduction to Robert Frost. Frost scanned the young man's writings, then looking quizzically up through his craggy white brows he asked, "What do you do, son?" The young man drew himself up proudly; he was, after all, one with the great Frost. "I am a poet," he said. Frost gently answered, "The term 'poet' is a gift word, son; you cannot give it to yourself."
Jones extends this definition to include "artist" and "animator." I think he's right, I try to avoid calling myself an artist, although that usually ends up leading to a much longer explanation of what it is that I do. "Art" is something to aspire to, but what I do is draw. Whether or not it ends up reaching that level is for other people to say.
c.
hmmm, interesting thought and I think I agree.I have always felt uncomfortable describing myself as an artist. Artist and poet are special word; I am unsure about animator. So - what DO you say to describe what you do?
I think that "animator" is Chuck Jones' attempt to give cartoonists a term to aspire to. I don't know what else you'd call them, though. Animators make cartoons, cartoonists generally make stationary comics.
That pretty much matches my approach although I must admit there are times when I would like to be an "unapproachable weirdo" - I don't often have that opportunity, I have found that explaining printmaking usually takes up enough conversational time for people to pause.
I don't know what else you'd call them, though.