OK, I'm really not trying to be mean or insulting here, but am I the only one that was a little disturbed by the new banner on the flute portal advertising the Medicine Park Flute Festival? It kinda looks like a zombie playing a flute to me, like maybe the guy is as old as the flute is!?

It kinda does. I agree.

Art tends to be liked by some and hated by others. Doesn't matter much what kind of art, or who the artist is.......that pretty much holds true.

Personally, I am not a bit bothered by it, at all.

Hmmm ... I actually thought it was a pretty cool banner, one of the catchiest I've seen.

Yummmm......flute players taste good! Follow the sound of the flute, little ones....

A Proud Member of the Fluting Dead

Did the banner get taken down? Jeez, it really wasn't my intent to cause problems, but in hindsite I can now see how my "joke" may have been inappropriate and insulting to the person who made the banner. I am sorry. Administrators please feel free to delete this thread. Please accept my public apology.

I made the banner.
In fact, it's just a part of the existing poster:



I made the banner in one session, just using the elements already present on the poster,
and I didn't really check the overall look of the banner.
...You know what I mean, when you work on something during some time,
you become unable to "see" the result immediatly.
I didn't think at all it could look as a zombie playing.
...And I am ready to change things to improve it,
cause the goal is to help and promote the medicine park flute festival,
the best way, not to scare people !
is this the skin color of the guy ?... The night background color ?
is the poster looking scary too ?
Thank you for your input.

Wow, Dale, I am really sorry, totally my bad. Even if that is how I interpreted the banner, I should have known better than to make a comment like that on a public forum. Again, I am sorry. I will say, because you asked, that it was indeed the skin tone of the person, and the somewhat mottled appearance of the picture (did you perhaps use a "painting" program to make the picture look like a painting?) that made me personally think of the comparison. Again, please accept my apologies.

I think the poster is terrific. Haven't seen the banner yet.

OK, I just saw the banner. I like it! Wouldn't have thought of the zombie without the help of this thread (sorry Kevin). I think it's the mottling that gives it that impression. But I like the mottling - for me it makes a connection with that ancient energy that wells up with the flute music.

Ancient, non-zombie flute blessings. Cool!

Coatlique

I'm sorry, aren't we all grown ups here? When one creates something and put it out in public, I hope he is ready for all kinds of reactions, positive and negative.(To your credit, Dale, I don't hear you complaining.) When medit8b1 made the comment about the zombie, I ran with it. I didn't do it to insult anyone, just thought it was funny (and true.) If you are asking for my opinion, I think the poster is way over-Indianized -- it makes me uncomfortable. And the texture, which I imagine was made to look like stone or something ancient, just looks like peeling skin from a mummy or zombie.

The intent is to promote the festival, not my own art, so in this very case,
I should listen to the comments, good and bad, and maybe improve the thing.
There is people working hard for this festival (especially Reed Alder),
and I don't want to mess my part

I didn't see anything that remotely resembled any mess.

In fact, I can't even figure out what they are complaining about.

Dale, I think it is great poster and catches the essence of a true flute player...eyes closed, flowing with the sound, at peace with the earth!
I love the fact that he has more than one flute, including a really cool Branch Flute!..... I can relate!

Ironically, the reason I personaly probably made the comparison to start with is because I love zombies! Books, movies, video games, if it's got zombies in it, I like it! I wonder what a zombie flute player would sound like? Maybe just one long, tone/moan. I'll have to write a tune and call it zombie flute!

Kevin I think you can still edit the title if you like, it is your opinion and I don't think you were trying to be devious, nobody's perfect everyday, but print doesn't fade fast like memories.
I hope we can all look at this closely, forgive and make something positive out of this, we are born who we are and see through our own eyes.
Sometime things like this can teach us to be a little more patient, a little more tolerant, look at things closely before we comment.
Peace to All! Learn from each other!

I am not sure what patience, tolerance and forgiveness have to do with this thread. As one who has made a living putting things out in public and receiving both positive and negative criticism, I can only see how constructive criticism will help Dale make a better banner/poster. He is coming from exactly the right place, one in which he wants to make his art better, not react defensively to the joke. Sure it started as a joke, but look how people have responded to Dale's request for constructive criticism. If we are always walking on egg shells, hoping not to offend anyone and always giving positive strokes (even if those strokes are not warranted by even our own aesthetics), then we are not being true to ourselves and not helping anyone, really. We are not promoting truth, we are promoting the status quo. I respect everyone on the Portal and always try to support them. Coming from that place is what matters. The rest is just dust in the wind; don't let it blind you.

I personally like the poster a lot! I think the Indian looks like he was carved out of wood - I like the effect. Really cool! He looks like he's so relaxed and at peace playing his flutes! I envy him!

Patience, tolerance and forgiveness have all to do with good friendships and relationships!
I know Kevin didn't mean to offend any one and said so himself from the very first post, and Dale did a good job and put a lot of expression into his poster and I sure many of us like it and enjoy it just as it is now.
Everybody surely has the right to their opinion, no egg shells, just be kind to one another! All is good, all is civil.
Sorry for the misunderstanding Chris, nothing more to say from me, just one mans opinion.

For what its worth, I agree with Rick, art is in the eye of the beholder. We all have different tastes. Each of our opinions, about a given piece of art, is valid. No piece of art is going to be attractive to everybody.

Also, when it comes to advertising, noteriety is good. Kevin's thread has drawn attention to the Medicine Park Banner and thus to the Medicine Park event. It is likely that this attention will have a beneficial impact on attendance which is Dale's goal to begin with. So, while Kevin may not like the artwork, his comments certainly did not harm the event in any way.

Art

Dale, I would encourage you to stay true to your vision. I still think it's one of the best NAF-related posters (and banners) I've seen--everything from the brilliant colors to the ancient-looking mottled appearance.

Dale I would be happy to have that poster hanging in my music space...I think it is Perfect!

You know, Hawk ... I was thinking the same thing. Dale, you have any for sale?

Hawk and Paul, Reed Alder takes care of the poster prints, t-shirts and so on.
... So feel free to ask him how you can get one. I know he already printed a few, to test.
His email is: reed.alder@gmail.com

By the way, I reworked the poster and banner a bit,
just to clean the zombie effect. Not a lot of changes though.
As soon as Reed is agree with the result,
you'll see them.

You all must certainly know: I am thrilled by the poster and banner ad and the Festival Logo, Dale has created and provided for my advertising campaign, I like the ad banner so much so, I've funded the running of this banner for the next 6 months; so enjoy you all, and I do hope to see you at the Festival Come October, 7,8, & 9, 2011.

I hope I still have flute music in me when I am an aged icon. ;-) Thank You Dale for all your support, in everything you are creating for the good of the 2011 (3rd Annual) Medicine Park Flute Festival!!!!

Peace & Blessings,

Reed

I absolutely LOVE this poster. I remember seeing it on facebook first and thinking WOW and clicking on it to get a closer look. LOVE the mottled look too. T-shirts would be really cool.

The poster and banner are updated... Slightly.
The flute player is now more sun tanned (zombies doesn'tt like sunlight),
and i smoothed a bit his skin texture.
You can see the banner above, in the ad section.
As for the poster, here is:

I really admire Dale's artwork! I thought the rough/crinkly skin aspect made it look sorta kinda parchment old and very cool!

The NA's skin looks sorta kind like mine does after I've been sanding a lot of bamboo since that stinky stuff really breaks out my face!
But then again, maybe it was the heavy duty (particulate filter) rubber mask that might have been doing it's dirty deed on my skin.

Like I've mentioned before, I think it's an excellent poster and banner for the Medicine Park Flute Festival!