Danielle Catherine Mesa
  • Home
  • Comixafluir
  • Blog
  • Writings
    • Pascal & the Timeless Hotel >
      • Pascal and the Timeless Hotel Concept Art
      • Pascal and the Timeless Hotel Concept Art Character Expression Sheets
      • Pascal and the Timeless Hotel Concept Art Backgrounds
      • Pascal and the Timeless Hotel Character Designs
      • Pascal and the Timeless Hotel Updated Sample Art
    • Clumsy Caleb >
      • Clumsy Caleb Series 1 2017-2018 >
        • Clumsy Caleb 01 Vase
        • Clumsy Caleb 02 Stage
        • Clumsy Caleb 03 Deck of Cards
        • Clumsy Caleb 04 Keyboard Kitty
        • Clumsy Caleb 05 Christmas Tree Star
        • Clumsy Caleb 06 Stack of Cans
        • Clumsy Caleb 07 Toy Vending Machine Ball
      • Clumsy Caleb Experimental Interactive Comic
  • Slice of ( N E O N ) Life
    • Slice of ( N E O N ) Life Series 1
    • Slice of ( N E O N ) Life Series 2
  • About
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Comixafluir
  • Blog
  • Writings
    • Pascal & the Timeless Hotel >
      • Pascal and the Timeless Hotel Concept Art
      • Pascal and the Timeless Hotel Concept Art Character Expression Sheets
      • Pascal and the Timeless Hotel Concept Art Backgrounds
      • Pascal and the Timeless Hotel Character Designs
      • Pascal and the Timeless Hotel Updated Sample Art
    • Clumsy Caleb >
      • Clumsy Caleb Series 1 2017-2018 >
        • Clumsy Caleb 01 Vase
        • Clumsy Caleb 02 Stage
        • Clumsy Caleb 03 Deck of Cards
        • Clumsy Caleb 04 Keyboard Kitty
        • Clumsy Caleb 05 Christmas Tree Star
        • Clumsy Caleb 06 Stack of Cans
        • Clumsy Caleb 07 Toy Vending Machine Ball
      • Clumsy Caleb Experimental Interactive Comic
  • Slice of ( N E O N ) Life
    • Slice of ( N E O N ) Life Series 1
    • Slice of ( N E O N ) Life Series 2
  • About
  • Contact



Blog 

Can Screen Savers be a Work of Art? A 1997 Utility CD-Rom Proves They Can Be

7/23/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Screen shots taken from the CD-ROM files.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Chess animation by Sylvain Guay
Music by Ken Byers
Picture
Picture
Fireworks animation by Sylvain Guay
​Music by Ken Byers
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Minotaur animation by Sylvain Guay
​Music by Alain Larose
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Aperture animation by Sylvain Guay
​Music by Ken Byers 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Pool animation by Sylvain Guay 
​Music by Ken Byers 
Picture
Picture
Gothic animation by Sylvain Guay
​Music by Ken Byers 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Beethoven animation by Sylvain Guay
Life's Symphony Sound Montage:
       Taken from the CD-ROM credits: "The excerpts from Beethoven's 5th and 9th symphonies were used courtesy of PolyGram Special Projects Canada.
Beethoven's piano Sonata No. 6 was performed by Antonio Lacerda and recorded at Mr. Larose's studios, using a DAT recorder".  
Picture
Picture
Fire Dance animation by Sylvain Guay
​Music by Alain Larose 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Art Direction and Creative Concept by David Robert Donatucci 
Producer and Creative Concept: Rui Gomes da Silva
Software and Tech Advisor: Jean Laviolette
         Screen Savers have always been somewhat of a novelty feature on our computers. On one hand, they were designed to protect our screens when we don't use them, but on the downside of it, they use up more electricity than what is needed. I admit, I don't really know too much about how screen savers are being used today, if at all, considering that Windows 10 hides them from hindsight and I haven't used the latest version of Mac to know if they still even have this feature. However, there is a website where you can download some of the old, classic Windows 95 screen savers such as the 3D Maze, the Flying Windows and this little gem called Lattice. The website is Screensavers Planet and it has an expansive library of screen savers to choose from as well as offering safe tips before downloading.
         At first, my thought on the topic was, 'well, yes! These were (and still are) rather fun to look at, but I wonder how can something like this be relevant to art?'. Screen savers, especially the ones from the 1990's and early 2000's are most likely iconic to pop culture, mainly vaporwave culture, but there was a CD-ROM that was licensed by the now defunct, Protologik Computer Systems Inc. and released by software company, Global Star Software (which was acquired by Take-Two Interactive in the September of 1999), simply titled 3D Screen Savers. As basic as this title sounds, 3D Screen Savers is a collection of short animated stories told through the medium, paired with music and non-verbal narrations. Each screen saver was based on or inspired by iconic art pieces, like Edvard Munich's 1893 piece The Scream and Salvador Dahí's 1931, The Persistence of Memory and Mythology such as the flight and fall of Icarus and the battle against the Minotaur. There are even homages dedicated to the works of Philip K. Dick and Beethoven. Some of the animations are also originals like the Chess and the Pool Table, which I'll later describe the craft behind those via descriptions. 
    For its time, the animators and storytellers who made 3D Screen Savers have broken the mold and went above and beyond the norm, making the art of screen savers more than what they could be. Unfortunately, this well crafted, ahead-of-its-time utility software has been lost to the hands of time, never receiving a re-release for later operating systems. If you ever are fortunate enough to get your hands of a copy off of Amazon.com, make sure you still have a well-functioning Windows 3.1, a Windows 95 or even a Windows 98 or at least a virtual PC that runs those operating systems. Anything after Windows 98 simply won't play it. Fortunately, I did save my Windows 95 installer CD-ROM and have a virtual PC console up and running on my laptop computer, so I can shoot some video of some of the screen savers in action. (*Note: Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, I was having some technical difficulties recording the screen savers. For now, I'll simply provide a few screen shots from the CD-ROM with the descriptions of the animations until I can get the record feature to work on Oracle Virtual Box or try it on my desktop PC when I have the chance. When I finally get the footage, I'll be sure to update this post). 
        So for this post, I'll pick a few of my top favorite screen savers or the best crafted ones from the list. I'll break down each one, describing why the animators' approach to the narrative was so effective and how it holds up today. 

         Chess: In this animation, a chess player (whose face is never revealed), has just captured the knight piece and is ready to remove him from the board. However, getting rid of him proves to be a bit of a challenge. The piece comes alive and sinks into the board, moving from one side to the next, making it rather difficult for the chess player to catch him. The knight taunts and laughs at the chess player until he reaches inside the chess board, finally catching the mischievous piece. The animation cleverly ends with the player throwing the knight off of the board and waving goodbye as the piece squeals in disappointment.
       This is a fun animation to watch as the chess piece moves around the board in attempt to outsmart the chess player. The character's mannerisms, mocking voice and facial expressions altogether are very relatable in that the viewer sees how reluctant the knight is to accept that he has been captured and is comedically attempting to over stay his welcome. It's truly amazing how the animators brought this character to life, taking a chess piece and adding character and an identifiable personality to it. What is also impressive is how the chess player himself is represented. Although viewers never see his face, the body language and gestures he makes with only his hand are very telling. As the knight taunts him, the way the player moves his hand to suggest annoyance and slight frustration to retain patience is very effective. Even at the end when he finally grabs the knight and sends him away across the board, him waving goodbye to suggest 'good riddance' is such an effective and satisfying conclusion.
​       It just goes to show that even in such limitations such as solely animating hand gestures, so much story and character can be told and presented. This combination of both the hand as the main actor and an inanimate object like a chess piece as the  mischievous antagonist demonstrates the skill and technique the animators had. Body language with no words and very minimal features can say so much as we see with the chess player's hand gesture being one of only two story tellers without reliance on any other part of his body. It's also fascinating to see a given expression and personality to a knight chess piece, something that doesn't have an identifiable personality. Yet, similar to how Pixar is known for bring life to the inanimate, the 3D screen savers animators have brought such high quality to the knight as with how it's done with inanimate object characters of the Pixar films. 

    Firework: Paired with the tune of America the Beautiful, the animation involves a series of fireworks bursting over the White House. Sometimes, they will be your standard fireworks, but then there is an extra surprise, three of them in fact. One of the fireworks is an image of the American Eagle. The next is one that depicts the American Flag, with all three of its colors, the red, white and blue and the last one is an illustration of the entire country outlined in red. The animation ends strong with a variety of vibrant colors bursting in the sky, ending it strongly and with pure American pride. This animation is a huge delight to watch as it shows in one verse of America the Beautiful symbols that are distinctly Americana. It's simple, yet in all its simplicity, we see three main icons that make the United States unique and why the Fourth of July is such an important holiday. With this animation, we are reminded that America became an independent nation after a series of major events involving the British occurred. The icons and final send off on this one are overwhelmingly strong in how they are presented and utilized. At the beginning, the fireworks show starts softly according to the music. The energy builds up with the American Eagle bursting high in the sky on a rising chord, filling up a good chunk of the sky. As America the Beautiful continues to play, the bursts of light and energy grow even more vibrantly to match the tone of the music along with the symbols of the United States and the American Flag and concluding with the colors of the red, white and blue on the last note. 

     Minotaur: Just a slight warning on this one! As a rendition of the Greek Mythology story, well... the part where the Minotaur gets decapitated is a tad graphic. That said, with this animation, there's no holding back! The introduction starts with an establishing shot of the elaborately structured labyrinth, which was designed and built by Daedalus and his son, Icarus as a means to retain the monster. An eerie wind blows a tapestry with an image of the Minotaur for the viewer to see. In the next scene, Theseus (whose face is never shown anywhere in the animation) is greeted by a man in a folding ball, who (without words), hands him a ball of thread and then rolls away. (Typically, it is told that Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos of Crete, was the one who gave Theseus the ball of thread to help him navigate and retrace his steps). In the next shot, Theseus then finds the sword he needs to use against the beast. When he first finds it, the sword floats in the air and moves as if giving him instructions on how to defeat the Minotaur. Theseus takes the sword in his hands and in the next scene, he is waiting for the Minotaur to arrive inside a spacious circular room with columns. The Minotaur is seen peering from a dark room behind a column. As he slowly approaches Theseus, the hero prepares his weapon. When the Minotaur gets close enough, Theseus scratches him on the head and finally delivers the final blow with the now headless Minotaur falling to his death.
      The pacing is very well executed in this rendition of the story as viewers will feel the suspense and tension build up in each scene transition. The idea that Theseus' story is told in a non-verbal, first-person perspective is fascinating because as viewers, we are put in his position throughout as if we are the ones who are preparing to face this monster ourselves. Between the color palette, the desolate, yet tension inducing soundtrack and the use of imagery and body language to give Theseus instruction is what adds to the unsettling feeling of fearing the unknown. It at first seems like very little  for the protagonist to go on in order to prepare for a battle against a brutal hybrid beast who was known to have killed other heroes before him. While viewers already know there is a Minotaur coming, it still doesn't make it any more comforting as the tension build up starts to rise with each scene along with the increased stress the music provides. Also, as gruesome as the Minotaur death scene is with the blood dripping from the head, down the beast's body and what is left on Theseus' sword, this is how one would picture the battle between the man and the beast to look. It's very straight forward, that it just happens in a single go. With all those components together, the 3D Screen Savers animators knew how to leave their viewer with a sense of anxiety, but preparedness for what was to come in the most effective way possible. By placing them in the perspective of Theseus, they are able to identify with his role as the hero through their own sense of fear, apprehension and courage at the same time. 

      Aperture, (Tribute to Philip K. Dick): This is the first animation viewers will see on the list of screen savers the CD-ROM has to offer. For those familiar with the woks of Philip K. Dick, this will seem like commonplace to them and for those who aren't, the animation is very self-explanatory as to what is a common theme in his works. The story opens with a human head on the left hand side, a portal in the form of a mirror in the center, and a metallic robot head, resembling that of a human's on the right hand side. The human and the machine are both facing each other as if they both know they share something valuable in common, but they can't say what it is. An eye ball leaves the human head and begins to explore. It flies right into the mirror portal, venturing off into another universe. Where it goes, it feels like a futuristic scene with a neon green net with an opening. So, the eye goes through the hole, which turns out to be a tunnel. Once it reaches the end of it, the eye ball flies though an open space towards another mirror portal. Once it flies through it, the eye ball scans its new surroundings, immediately noticing that the robot head is now on the side where the human head used to be and vice versa. Instead of floating back to the human head, it makes its new home in the head of the machine and morphs into a mechanical component.
   There is certainly an uncanny sense of Philip K. Dick's most famous title, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? in this animation, a book that dealt heavily with the relationship humans had with the androids living amongst them and how close the bots were to resembling an actual human being or animal. There are even moments in the novel where Richard Deckard, the main protagonist, questions the sentience and possible humanity the androids might possess as well as his role as a bounty hunter to 'retire' (by killing) them. As in the novel, which was the inspiration behind the 1982 classic feature film, Blade Runner, in which the androids resemble humans far too much like in the source material, the simple concept of a human eye ball no longer being able to tell the difference between the human and the machine is absolutely intriguing. Even so, the viewer can see it in the character's movements that there is a slight sense of confusion as to what is real and what is not. In the end, it makes the decision to accept the mechanical form and becoming one with it. 

      Pool: A bit of an oddball piece, but I found the basic concept of this one amusingly pleasant. In the Pool animation, you the viewer take on the position of a pool ball and, you guessed it! You find yourself getting hit by the stick a few times and rolling into the other balls until the very end when you get rolled into one of the side holes. Paired with some snazzy music and clever use of cinematography, this animation doesn't have a plot to it beyond placing the viewer in the position of a pool table ball, but it still remains fun and enjoyable to watch with its soundtrack and simplicity put together. 

       Gothic: Inside a medieval cathedral, a monk is seen moving from one place to another, chanting a Gregorian chant. After he leaves the room, a gargoyle comes to life and wrecks havoc. The monk hears the sound of glass shattering and returns to inspect it until finally, the gargoyle sneaks up on him. Concept wise, I have to admit, this animation is not something I would normally add as a favorite, but seeing the work that went into it, I can fully appreciate it for what it is. It's a usual cliché in haunted places where the spectator already knows what the main character doesn't know, that the place in question is haunted or something about it doesn't seem right. Something that belongs to that place gets possessed and taunts the main character in some way. The main character suspects something, tries to find out what is wrong and then discovers the ghost or haunted entity the hard way. End of story.
       Again, while this type of narrative is usually not my cup of tea, I will give credit where credit is due. The lighting inside the cathedral is absolutely stunning and beautiful to look at! The artists' use of shading leaves that sense that something unsettling is about to happen. The camera angle throughout puts the spectator in the seating where they feel that the halls of the building are incredibly massive and expansive, that it gives off that vibe of feeling like the main character is actually not alone. It also is fitting for the gargoyle to make use of all the extra space. In that, the entire room is put to the gargoyle's advantage. The sound of the hour glass shattering is so small, yet with so much echo, it's more than enough to disturb the peace. The gestures of the monk from when he is chanting quietly to himself, running to inspect the mess and when he is startled by the gargoyle are so effectively animated. Even for the limitations of 1990's technology, the credibility of the character are all present. The body language is effective and the sounds he makes work well with each of his gestures and reactions. In addition, the music matched with the pacing of the story builds up the sense of intrigue and suspense leading up to the monk's encounter with the gargoyle. With that said, it's totally worth the watch. 

    Beethoven: A unique take on the life of German Classical period composer, Ludwig van Beethoven, the animation tells the story of the famous composer through his pieces and camera transitions. There is a bust of the musician sitting on a grand piano as a symbolic representation of his life, making it and the music the only narrators in the animation. Again, no words. Everything is told via symbolism only. At start, a piano opens up and plays an excerpt from Sonata No. 6. Sheet music floats in the air and gently falls onto the piano as a depiction of Beethoven's early life and career. An excerpt of Symphony No. 5 plays. The bust of Beethoven's head then melts to go along with the first notes of his final symphony, Symphony No. 9 unleashing music notes and ascending them into heaven to the familiar part of the piece and hymn of Ode to Joy. 

     Fire Dance: Amongst all the screen savers, the Fire Dance animation is my favorite in terms of the music, the animation of the dancing fire paired with it, the lighting and atmosphere. The establishing shot takes place around the prehistoric monument Stonehenge, which is located in Wiltshire, England. At the very start, the first chords play and the fire beats to it like a heart beat. The next shot is a close up of the fire, which then takes the shape of a dancer moving to the rhythm of the music. Once the dancing fire hits the rock, the color palette changes with the fire sparks fleeing into the wind of the night. It's the energy and passion that went into animating the fire along with the style of music that always draws me into this short. It's about 50 seconds long at most, but the fine detail that went into the making of this animation is what I found most fascinating and awe-inspiring. 

      There are an abundance of other animations that went into the CD-ROM in which I would like to cover more, but I'll stop right here and leave a few pieces of concept art on the side to give you an idea of what went into the making of these animations. While screen savers aren't generally considered 'high art', given the love and dedication the artists behind 3D Screen Savers gave to their animations, I don't see why screen savers can't meet the same high standards as any other form of animation there is. For something that was solely designed to protect our computer screens when we weren't using them without much creative thought other than making them look aesthetically pleasing on the eye, having remembered the 3D Screen Savers CD-ROM and eventually finding it on Amazon so many years later, I think screen savers do have plenty of potential to be a respected art form. The creators of the 1997 utility program prove that exceedingly well. With so much attention to detail, good storytelling, music, reliance on non-verbal gestures and pushing past the technological limitations of the 90's to the best of their ability, 3D Screen Savers is a perfect collection of short films that demonstrate what crafting a screen saver could be. With the abundance of animation techniques to have flourished over the past three decades, there is plenty of room to find new innovative ways of creating a screen saver. Maybe someday, screen savers will make a huge comeback and be respected as a new art form like comics, animation and video games. With the creativity and given that the minds behind 3D Screen Savers were very much ahead of their time, the possibilities are truly endless. 
0 Comments

The Virginia Beach Special 2018: Finding the Journey of the Individual

7/27/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
Photo credit: Larry Estes 
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=28&v=z963OQTDoDY
     Last July, I wrote a blog post about Cool and Eclectic, a store located inside the Pembroke Mall at Virginia Beach. It's one of those rare and unique stores where you can come across all kinds of neat nostalgic items and find yourself exploring their selections for hours on end. I interviewed Mark and Diana for last year's post about the store and while it's been relocated in a new space at the mall, the variety the store offers continues to flourish and deliver on its slogan, "Where it is Usual to Find the Unusual". 
     This year's trip was an extra special treat. As part of a continuing series of giveaways, Cool and Eclectic was giving away prints of an original comic strip, Artchilles, illustrated and signed by store owner, Larry Estes. The story is about a Virginia Beach native who works at a factory owned by Kempsville Building Materials. As he continues to work there, he desires to keep his artistic dream afloat and goes out of his way to keep it alive, so he takes on the journey of the individual and puts his salvaged drawings together, revealing his story. I spent an afternoon chatting with Larry about the project and the themes he explores via its narrative and its imagery. The character, Artchilles reflects the journey Larry experienced (and continues to experience). We see that Artchilles takes a series of drawings, pieces them together like a puzzle and thus, we see his journey take shape. As stated by Larry himself in his video, Drawings Survive to Tell a Story, he is "piecing together this extraordinary journey, using copies of actual drawings from the journey to authenticate its unfolding". Through mixed media, Larry goes from a standard illustrated page, which is crafted similarly to that of the classic comics of the 1950's and 1960's and then on the next pages, he incorporates the copies of the drawings into some of the panels and arranges them to match the narration. For example, on page 2, we see a copy of each drawing laid out with one flat in the center of the first panel. The perspective of the ones on either side of the drawing are morphed to appear facing inwards. They are apparently going into the direction of the one in the center and all together, they are close to fading into a black hole. The letter boxes in yellow are from the narrator's perspective while the ones in white delve into what Artchilles is thinking. "Initially, Artchilles created sketches of random subjects he was to make into large paintings..." the narrator highlights. "[B]ut, as the prospect of acquiring a studio grew dim, drawing took over. Focus turned to his own life." The use of perspective in a panel painted pitch black accompanies this narration so effectively, especially with Artchilles' own words below the drawing in the center saying, "I yearned to paint..." The sentence is incomplete as if fading into the abyss along with the drawings.  It highlights the sense of being on the brink of obscurity. 
     The next panel is a close up of the drawing on the right hand side, focusing on Artchilles' narration: "But the brush kept eluding my grasp". The drawing depicts the brush falling out of his reach as a foot steps on his hand. An onomatopoeia that reads crunch! is belted, all together demonstrating how limited in his options Artchilles really is. 
     In the third and final panel of the page, the narrator describes the monotony Artchilles is locked into. With six drawings of a man boxed in lined up in a perspective that gives the illusion of ascending forward, towards the reader's right hand side and descending into obscurity looking into the left, we see the repetitive nature of the job. Even so, Artchilles' words above the drawing facing the viewer boldly say "I Was Stuck!" This use of perspective fittingly gives the sense of endlessness. 
     Onto the next page, which as the title implies, "Taking the Leap", Artchilles does precisely that. He is seen surrendering and then dives into the unknown. Afterwards, he sees a vision of a muse, who guides him to his desired destination. When delving into the significance of this page (and the entire story at large), Larry offers a question that prompts readers to ponder for a moment over what might be holding them back from seeking his/her own journey: "Have you ever seen a more poignant expression of that pivotal moment before taking the leap? With arms raised, you have surrendered to the unknown". With that said, the third page not only serves as a rising action, but it also invites the readers to assess a time when he or she was confronted with such a moment. And if they haven't already done so, it encourages them to seek it. As Artchilles raises his hands to the sky before taking the plunge, the text in the yellow boxes is no longer written from the third person perspective. It transitions to Artchilles' point-of-view as if he's finally taking control once again. The next page depicts how Artchilles fares trying to balance out his work at the factory and listening to the muse, which eventually results into a sudden halt. It is then revealed in a typed text in yellow boxes that he conceived this series of drawings thirty years ago while he was still working in the factory, which eventually became a homeless center. With the old drawing board destroyed, Artchilles then resorted to using invoice paper to illustrate on. Below the drawing of the building, we see a real-life sample of the invoice paper.
     The fifth page depicts Artchilles gradually freeing himself from the grip of the factory work. Although its a very small start, it serves as a spark to grow and flourish. All he has at this point is a brush and coffee. From there he lets his inner individual out as much as he can, but realizes he needs more to continue that journey of growth. "Duality continued to manifest. The path was filled with ups and downs. I needed more than a brush..." This gets us to think that while we are maintaining the endless cycle of monotony without taking the time to seek out our individual journey, eventually the desire to seek it starts to break through in some form or another. We may not be aware of it at first, but when we become too accustom to a routine, somewhere in the corners of our minds we are called to seek beyond that repetitive nature and consult every means possible to fulfill our individual journey and find who we truly are to reach our true potential. 
     Taking a moment to step back, the story of Artchilles is indeed the story of Larry's own journey. It's told in ways that simple words could not express. Through its imagery, the way mixed media is utilized and how text accompanies and plays into the narrative in unison showcase the journey. It's true that it's highly difficult to make art a full-time career and it's important to obtain a good paying job, but at the same time, being so caught up in an endless cycle where you function like a factory machine without any time for self-reflection whatsoever is detrimental. It will eventually lead to that craving for self-reflection. The desire to seek the individual journey, whether we are 100% aware of if or not will gradually make its way to our conscious mind and when the timing is right, we will seek our own journey of self-discovery tenfold. Taking such a concept into account, even as you go about your everyday life, I highly encourage you to take the time to reflect on your own journey. When you have some time free of monotony (and distraction), think of something that is inspiring to you or something you've written or pieces you've made that can be put together to tell a story. Experiment with those ideas and see what kind of story unfolds. That there is the road to discovering your journey as an individual. 

Once again, huge thanks to Larry for his time and sharing his work with me. To learn more about Artchilles and Larry's other works, check out his website and his Instagram. 
To learn more about Cool and Eclectic, visit their Facebook page.
0 Comments

Toys 'R' Us May Be a Thing of the Past, but the Toy Industry and Play Will Always Be Relevant, Especially for the Creative Minds of Tomorrow

6/30/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
     After 70 years of being known as the ultimate go to toy store for decades, Toys 'R' Us has finally closed its doors permanently in the United States. Years of fierce competition from Wal*Mart, Target and (not surprisingly), Amazon, leading up to a Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September of 2017 and then Chapter 7 bankruptcy in March early this year, the company hit too many hard times to stay afloat. As of June 29th,  all Toys 'R' Us locations are completely vacant, leaving a behind a few traces of what once was. 
    Aside from the failed business plans that lead to the chain's demise, some people often fault smartphones, iPads and other such gadgets for the downfall. When asking your friends what was the main reason Toys 'R' Us liquidated, the common assumption is that kids don't play with toys anymore. All they want for Christmas and for their birthdays these days are just technological devices. While there is some truth to that assumption, it's not entirely true! Childhood is indeed, very different in the 2010's than it was in decades prior and with the rise of smartphones dominating the market, it's no surprise today's kids are so tech savvy. However, this was not precisely the reason Toy 'R' Us went the route it did. In his video, Welcome to Rotting Acres Mall!| Episode 12: Talking about Toys R Us & Catastrophe! (mild profanity warning), Retail Archaeology briefly discusses what really sank Toys 'R' Us, debunking the 'kids don't play with toys' assumption. Between 24:21 to 26:09, he highlights that the company "was bought with a leverage buyout" where "somebody takes out a huge loan to buy Toys 'R' Us and then uses Toys 'R' Us, the company, as the collateral for the loan". Because of the $5 billion debt, Toys 'R' Us could't afford to payback and recover. Retail Archaeology also pin points that had Toys 'R' Us been in better shape when the minor drop in sales happened, "they would have survived that dip". For more information about Toys 'R' Us' financial issues, I highly recommend checking out Jake Williams' (Bright Sun Films), Abandoned - Toys R Us.
    With the 'kids don't play with toys anymore' myth debunked by Toys 'R' Us' financial history, it's safe to say that there is still a market for toys, especially with the K B Toys revival taking place this Christmas and holiday season and that Party City is planning to open their own toy store, both of which will be pop up stores. Even so, small and/or independent toy stores are still thriving. But even if it's true that there is a growing trend in smartphone and iPad use among children, that also doesn't mean play is not important anymore. If anything, play has always been and always will be a major part of children's growth. 
​     On Fisher-Price's official website, Child Development and Play Specialist, Kathleen Alfano, Ph.D. lists 10 tips about the importance of play. Examples of such consists of how children learn about themselves and the world around them, develop social skills, and practice different roles as they play. In terms of how play impacts creativity, Alfano also pinpoints that "[p]lay, simulates and enhances creativity and imagination" as well as that it encourages children's curiosity and attention to flourish. It also "is the integration of language, social, cognitive, imaginative and physical skills". But above all, play "fosters self-esteem, self-direction and values". When children play, they are able to create a story and scenario with a tangible object. As they interact with the toy, they input a personality and characteristic on it. Children act out a scenario based on everyday life and what is interesting to them. In the process, they are able to problem solve because they are encouraged to think critically. This gives them the desire to learn more outside of their comfort level. It's that type of attitude that inspires artists as artists are always expanding their knowledge and creative skills. In fact, children who play become more immersed in the arts. Even so, just as artists have a set of values and self-awareness that they showcase through their works, when children play, they learn that the most important thing to live by are a good strong set of values. It is important for them to develop self-confidence and with that mindset, they start to understand what defines good solid principles. 
​       European scientist, Jean Piaget (1896-1980) once said how play is significant to a child's growth as highlighted by University of Amsterdam graduate, Alexander Burgemeester in his essay, Jean Piaget's Theory of Play. The selected quote by Piaget goes as follows: 

"Our real problem is ̶  what is the goal of education? Are we forming children that are only capable of learning what is already known? Or should we try developing creative and innovative minds, capable of discovery from the preschool age on, throughout life."

      The four developmental stages of intellectual development named by Piaget were sensory-motor, pre-operational, concrete operations, and formal operations. Throughout the child's early years before adolescence, which is the formal operations stage, the first three are the building blocks, leading up to the stage when the child is a teen, capable of critical thinking. The sensory-motor stage, which is during the infant to toddler years, is when a child is aware of his/her senses. During the years prior and going into the early elementary years (pre-operations), children begin to grasp the concept of symbols. They learn that symbols, words, objects, etc. have a meaning behind them. Due to the limits of their knowledge and imaginations, they start to ask more questions based less in the 'what' and more in the 'why'. In the concrete operations stage, which lasts throughout much of the remainder of elementary school, children build on what they had learned in the previous years, learn how to take items and work with them in a logical manner. Upon reevaluating Piaget's theory, in order for children to develop and exercise their knowledge and imaginations, play needs to be encouraged. As Burgemeester concludes his essay, he indicates that "because assimilation and accommodation take time, the period a child remains in each stage is controlled by their own cognitive development, not that of a teacher or parent". That means that as children age, parents and teachers can benefit from Piaget's theories as an important guideline. Children need to receive the 'most appropriate 'play'...at each stage or sub-stage to help them progress to the next', otherwise they will fall behind in their growth. 
     Finally, another point that Alfano emphasized on Fisher Price is one that relates to a child's use of a physical object and how it helps their coordination skills. What happens as children play, their "perceptual-motor skills (fine and gross, such as eye-hand coordination and balance)" advances and so does their "strength and coordination". When children work with tangible objects, they are learning how to properly interact with them and strengthen the grip of their hands and their abilities to observe how things function. Thus they learn how to effectively work with items they pick up. 
       While the mega toy chain may be gone, the toy industry and the importance of play will always be relevant. With modern business models making an attempt to adapt to today's rapidly evolving market in this retail apocalypse era, there's still a demand for the toy industry. Independent local toy stores are still thriving in today's world and major retailers and business people continue to find new ways to reinvent the business model. In addition, even if kids today are immersed in today's technologies, an iPad or smartphone app is not necessarily a good substitute over something tangible. Psychology demonstrates this point time and time again that children do benefit a great deal from play. As children play a made-up game together that involves team work or a child is building a tower with legos, they are letting their capabilities to think critically flourish and restructure and apply their knowledge to everyday life. When they play, they are developing their social skills, learning about the world around them, extending their curiosity and nurturing their imagination. From playing, they benefit from it physically, grow in self-esteem and develop a sense of values. The theories conducted by Jean Piaget also demonstrate how such interactions with tangible objects are advantageous in the long run and therefore, significant to children's growth and well-being. As today's technologies continue to advance, drawing more attention from its users with the abundance of apps, children shouldn't be limited to their screens only. They should be offered more options to expand their horizons and explore possibilities they might not have thought of before. By encouraging play and reinventing the toy industry to suit those values and knowledge, we are encouraging the creative minds of tomorrow's thinkers to flourish and reach full potential. Although the doors have closed for the iconic retailer, one could peer into an empty Toys 'R' Us building and see either of two things: An empty shell that signifies demise of childhood as we know it or a new door will open with endless options and new opportunities to innovate.
0 Comments

    About

    Ever (re)discovered new facts about any art form or part of pop culture that you thought you knew before and realized there might be more to the story than what meets the eye? The Blog section debunks common expectations and assumptions in the art world.



    Archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017

    Categories

    All
    16th Century
    1920's
    1990's
    19th Century
    20th Century
    21st Century
    2D Animation
    3D Animation
    Andrew Lloyd Webber
    Animation
    Anime
    Antimo Magnotta
    Art Deco
    Art Schools
    Arts Of Japan
    Art Style
    Bach
    Bible
    Bright Sun Films
    Broadway
    Caillebotte
    Cartoons
    Cats Musical
    C.F. Payne
    Charles Baudelaire
    Child Development
    Childhood
    Children's Books
    Chris Oatley
    Classical
    Classical Music
    Classic Art
    Classic Arts Showcase
    Classics
    Comics
    Craftmanshi
    Craftsmanship
    Creativity
    Dada
    Degas
    Disney
    Envy
    Fisher Price
    Fred Rogers
    Gene Luen Yang
    Genesis 4:1-16
    Graphic Novel
    Imagination
    Impressionism
    Indie
    Intellectual Development
    Italy
    Japan
    Jean Piaget
    Jerome Bruner
    Josh Gressel
    Klasky-Csupo
    Kyoto Animation
    Lettering
    Lev Vygotsky
    Litertaure
    Lloyd E. Rigler
    Manga
    Man Ray
    Marc Brown
    Maurice Sendak
    Memorabilia
    Michelangelo
    Mindfulness
    Mixed Media
    Modern
    Modern Art
    Monet
    Mosaic
    Mozart
    Mozart Effect
    MTV
    Museum Of Fine Arts Boston
    Music
    Musical Theater
    NHK World Japan
    Nostalgia
    Oatley Academy
    Old Testament
    Paul Germain
    Philosophy
    Photography
    Pixar
    Pop Art
    Pop Culture
    Psychology
    Recovery
    Renaissance
    Renoir
    Retail Archaeology
    Retro
    Rome
    Screen Savers
    Seven Deadly Sins
    Sistine Chapel
    Socrates
    Spiritual
    Stan Prokopenko
    Steven Spielberg
    Structures
    Stylizing
    Surrealism
    Takashi Murakami
    The Mark Of Beauty
    Tile
    Toy Industry
    Toys
    Toys R Us
    Traditional Art
    T.S. Eliot
    VABeach
    Vintage
    Vinyl
    Windows-95

    RSS Feed

Home

Blog

Writings 

About

Contact

 © 2015-2020 Danielle Catherine Mesa