CC Creation Compendium #26

Taking Your Time:

I know the CC is about having fun and showing others the creation you have currently made but there is no challenge in this. I think players need to push themselves harder every time and break the boundaries of what's possible for them. In any medium they choose to enter into be it pixels, paints or in game art. And the CC and most other parts of the forum don't allow for much criticism so its more of a pat yourself on the back for doing anything moment.

I think the aim of any exercise should be to grow/evolve your current set of skills and positive/negative comments are required after all you cant have a one sided coin. I will say that there are some very nice works in here but that being said even though this is not a competition players should strive to always do their hardest and enter their very best works after all a month is a long time to create something of a high quality. The main point I am getting at here is players should take their time with each entry even if its only 2 hours of whatever medium they choose to enter in.

An example of a simple 3 hour build using some basic shapes:
CubiverseOneSpaceStation.png

The more time you put into something the more you will get out of it. Spend a week or more on your next creation and surprise yourself with something truly amazing then share that with the community and wow them too.

I made this build for a friend as a favour for his server.
 
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I agree that people should take their time and listen to constructive feedback. Still, I wonder how one can define what is challenging and mediocre to a person. Every participant has a different skill level, requirements and motivation to create their art. Some may be happy with small improvement in their skills and post their progression nevertheless. In addition, when one is already a very experienced creator (which I am not), it can be extremely difficult to get any "better". I don't think there are many other options than to just create things with a different perspective or style.

Anyway, I'm satisfied with this CC although I can't compare it to previous compendiums. I haven't viewed them that much. In the future, I hope to see at least original ideas even if nothing else will barely change.
 
There is always room for improvement in ones own self if time and effort are spent in doing so.
 
That is true. However, if every person thought that they should make as many improvements as they could, they would never post anything they have created because as you said, there is always room for improvements. When one crashes to this, it is always wise to ask the opinion of others. On the other hand, these opinions may differ and it doesn't help the case when reviewed features are truly subjective.
 
Anyone can post a dot or a box and call it art but does that take ant skill or effort on the part of the maker and does it help their talents grow? This is the attitude that people seem to have these days everyone gets a medal for participating... And no one grows themselves because everything is handed to them and they are told its all good you participated that's what matters... Well its all well and good to participate but to do so and try your best is another matter entirely. To encourage someone is a good thing but to simply pat someone on the back for something very easy is the reason we live in such a mediocre society everyone is told they are good at everything and well newsflash buddy its OK not to be good at everything but that doesn't mean don't try hard because with enough time and effort anything is possible. The CC is a showcase and when say for example a museum has a showcase or an exhibit they put forwards their best pieces to display or at least I would imagine that they do so and that they do so with pride.
 
Well, I can't see inside other participants' heads. Thus, I can't tell how they relate to their artistic improvement. Creation Compendium is open for everyone and this includes participants who have only created simple things. They measure their progress differently than more skilled artists. In addition, if I ever saw a wooden box like construction from otherwise experienced builder, I'd just take it with humor or understand that they may have had a personal reason why they couldn't do much better. I don't think that CC is something that should be taken too seriously.

Anyway, I shall comment no more on this matter.
 
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Criticizing people to improve and cool and all, but who's to say they aren't doing so already? As mentioned previously, we all develop at unique rates. Expecting people to improve as quickly as one's self is outright selfish. A simple 'what works well and what could be enhanced' kind of critique I believe is fine, and I do encourage people to do so more often. But telling people that they should strive their hardest implies that they aren't. Who can truly say that apart from those who personally know all these people and their skill?

Concerning the analogy regarding museums, that's a rather inaccurate point of view. Museums do not showcase the best, after all, 'best' isn't exactly a great descriptor for something so vague. Art museums showcase artworks which relate to their theme, as well as provide aesthetic experiences and what they consider art [according to the different art theories]. A movie poster is undeniably a well-thought and designed artwork. After all, it is created by one or more professional artists. But you're more than likely to see simplistic art in art museums, such as minimalisms or even abstract.

The CC has its own theme too, and whatever it is, I'm sure they seem to accept even that which experienced artists find unappealing. From the looks of it, it's made for anyone and everyone, including those who aren't artists themselves, to post creations. In my perspective, this looks to be more of an "oh neat" showcase rather than a showcase to reveal one's greatness. If that's the case, do respect what they accept or not. Otherwise, I feel it's best to take that sort of criticism regarding the CC in a more personal environment.

With all that being said, I kinda do wish the CC has a written description of its purpose. Without knowing, some of us really don't know what to expect. Like above, we might expect great things, but the CC might only showcase 'anything' stuff to the point where some of us are discontent with the expectation. A description can easily fix this ambiguity.
 
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You seem to have missed the point entirely I am not mentioning what I think is or is not good I am stating that each entrant should spend as much time as possible and put care and consideration in to each entry and have same kind of goal set for themselves if they plan to enter again and again and some people do this. Also I don't expect everyone to move at my pace that would be ridiculous I have had many years of experience and lots of free time to out that into practice. And museums/exhibitions usually are meant to showcase their best pieces, not necessarily the most pleasing to the eye but the ones that wow are sure to be shown not hidden away for no one to see. My other main concern is players are being mollycoddled and it may be politically correct but it isn't that helpful for stimulating personal growth and development in my opinion.
 
How can I put more effort into a poem? A poem is a poem. It is interpreted as the reader takes it. Sure, I can revamp it to a different, fluent style. But this is poetry, where free verse exists. I'm not going to spend hours mulling over the best possible poem. CC is essentially just a moshpit of all the different skillsets in TCF: individually asking everyone to go full out, trying as hard as they can will more than likely drive some people away. CC's formula has been fine for a while, and I think it's still fine.
 
Poetry is an art form is it not?
[DOUBLEPOST=1433944312,1433943869][/DOUBLEPOST]And not to say you have to put more effort in but my motto in life is "if I want to do anything I should strive to do it well and to the best of my abilities" and if I enjoy doing it then I will spend many hours doing said activity in a day as I can. I am not saying any of these entries are bad I am saying that each entrant should aspire to be the best that they can be to the best of their abilities. Clearly they like art so I see no harm in essentially telling them to put more of themselves into said subject. The more you do it the better you get as with anything you do in life practice makes perfect. That being said perfect is a state of mind held in perspective by each individual what's perfect for one person may not be perfect for another. As long as your creation is perfect for you then that's the only result that matters. Having said that its still no reason not to try your hardest every time and put a lot of effort in especially if you enjoy doing it.
 
You seem to have missed the point entirely I am not mentioning what I think is or is not good I am stating that each entrant should spend as much time as possible and put care and consideration in to each entry and have same kind of goal set for themselves if they plan to enter again and again and some people do this.

Reread:
Criticizing people to improve and cool and all, but who's to say they aren't doing so already? As mentioned previously, we all develop at unique rates. Expecting people to improve as quickly as one's self is outright selfish. A simple 'what works well and what could be enhanced' kind of critique I believe is fine, and I do encourage people to do so more often. But telling people that they should strive their hardest implies that they aren't. Who can truly say that apart from those who personally know all these people and their skill?



Also I don't expect everyone to move at my pace that would be ridiculous I have had many years of experience and lots of free time to out that into practice.
However, you do imply that from your statements. Did it not come into mind that some of these people might actually be doing their hardest? How would they feel if someone suddenly looks at their work, and tells them "you should give it your all next time"?

Also with all due respect, your years of experience really have nothing to do with this.


And museums/exhibitions usually are meant to showcase their best pieces
Define 'best'.
But no, nay, inaccurate. As I mentioned before, aesthetic experiences and theme drive the museum. If you go to a Contemporary Art Museum, you'll only see art pieces concerning contemporary art and displays aesthetic experience. If you go to a Historical Museum, you'll only see art pieces concerning history regarding a matter that provide aesthetic experiences. There is no descriptor as to what makes something the best at being contemporary. However, there are descriptors as to what makes art contemporary, and what makes an object provide an aesthetic experience.


not necessarily the most pleasing to the eye but the ones that wow are sure to be shown not hidden away for no one to see.
Aesthetic experience is not at all "the most pleasing to the eye." Aesthetic experience is an experienced that one acquires when one views an object as an art object, rather than as an object from the material world. You're completely misunderstanding me here.

In fact, an object that lacks aesthetic properties and does not provide an aesthetic experience to people is oft seen as 'not art' [I'm sure that's off-topic though, so I guess that's enough talk of aesthetics for me].

My other main concern is players are being mollycoddled and it may be politically correct but it isn't that helpful for stimulating personal growth and development in my opinion.
Not if they do not wish to. Given the lack of definition regarding the purpose of the CC, it's not clear as to whether the entrants are all artists, or anyone. If it's the latter, then pushing them to work harder is unnecessary, similar to how unnecessary it is to push a doctor to play basketball better.

From what I can see, you're seeing all of these people as artists, when I'm sure a handful of these people are hobbyists who don't really have the same resolve as artists on improving. There are many others who improve passively and I believe they shouldn't be pushed from getting out of their comfort zone, unless need be [i.e. they want to be, or they have to].
Yes, I fully agree that there's always room for improvement. Yes, people do nice stuff when they do their hardest. But what is the point of doing your hardest when a few, more experienced people, can barely even tell, then proceed to push you harder when it wasn't what you're meant to do in the first place?

TLDR - If people do it for the sake of enjoyment, comfort, and/or have a "i made a thing guys lel" attitude, leave them be. If they do it for the sake of improvement and/or with an "i want to be awesome" attitude, then by all means go ahead.
 
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Its as usual though no one can take criticism without jumping to red alert...
How are you going to grow an identity if you're told your good at everything?
 
Its as usual though no one can take criticism without jumping to red alert...
How are you going to grow an identity if you're told your good at everything?
I don't think you quite understand the whole point. If I do something for pure enjoyment of me doing it while I would normally not, and someone pops in and tells me "you should try harder", I'm going to be discourged because apparently I don't do hard enough, and will stop even trying altogether because it goes from being "fun" to "stress on trying to improve". I don't wanna improve if I'm simply an hobbyist. I just want to have fun doing it. I don't expect people to pay me for it, so I don't see any purpose of me improving on it. CC is a display of contents made by users, not a museum where people try to take each other's attention. There's no need for improvement, and if I'm told to do so for whatever reason, I'll stop bothering altogether because people apparently don't appreciate my effort.
 
Criticizing people to improve and cool and all, but who's to say they aren't doing so already? As mentioned previously, we all develop at unique rates. Expecting people to improve as quickly as one's self is outright selfish. A simple 'what works well and what could be enhanced' kind of critique I believe is fine, and I do encourage people to do so more often. But telling people that they should strive their hardest implies that they aren't. Who can truly say that apart from those who personally know all these people and their skill?

Concerning the analogy regarding museums, that's a rather inaccurate point of view. Museums do not showcase the best, after all, 'best' isn't exactly a great descriptor for something so vague. Art museums showcase artworks which relate to their theme, as well as provide aesthetic experiences and what they consider art [according to the different art theories]. A movie poster is undeniably a well-thought and designed artwork. After all, it is created by one or more professional artists. But you're more than likely to see simplistic art in art museums, such as minimalisms or even abstract.

The CC has its own theme too, and whatever it is, I'm sure they seem to accept even that which experienced artists find unappealing. From the looks of it, it's made for anyone and everyone, including those who aren't artists themselves, to post creations. In my perspective, this looks to be more of an "oh neat" showcase rather than a showcase to reveal one's greatness. If that's the case, do respect what they accept or not. Otherwise, I feel it's best to take that sort of criticism regarding the CC in a more personal environment.

With all that being said, I kinda do wish the CC has a written description of its purpose. Without knowing, some of us really don't know what to expect. Like above, we might expect great things, but the CC might only showcase 'anything' stuff to the point where some of us are discontent with the expectation. A description can easily fix this ambiguity.

The CC is a compendium of art of any genre. It allows anybody of any ability to showcase something they have made that is to do with Terraria. It is not a place for feedback, or really to show off. It's an exhibition of the community as a whole, to see what they can achieve.

If you want to give friendly helpful advice to someone, @Jewsus, this is not the place. Neither is it the place to gripe about the quality of entries. As someone with no valid entries either, I think you should focus on improving yourself in your own ways, and allowing others to progress as they feel fit. No-one is forcing you to look through the CC either.

If you have any more queries make sure to post them, or PM me and @QuackersDelta for a more lengthy discussion.
 
And I haven't said anything about the quality of a singe entry have I... No... I am stating that if you enjoy this sort of thing then spend as much time as you can on each entry and practice because its fun XD or do you find art boring? Even if you think you're not good at it and are just doing it for a laugh that's still no reason not to practice if you find it fun. And if you're going to do anything why do it half heartedly?
Not saying any entrant didn't put their all/best effort into the works they have made. But who knows if you put hard work and dedication in then you may one day become a pretty well known artist and even make good money off it <-- Every artists dream to live a good life by making fantastic creations.
And as for criticism I like to have it myself rather than just good comments because it shows honesty and I like to hear others perspective on things once I create something. It offers some interesting insights.. The good comments and the bad are just as valuable and meaningful in my opinion for helping the growth of an artist..
And you never change your style of art based on another persons opinion I don't because I'm set in seeing the world in the way I see it and my art will express that and that's the way I think it should be for everyone else too.

I have however said don't pat yourself on the back for mediocrity.
 
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