The (Real) Problem With Modern Cartoon Art Styles

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The Ben 10 reboot is releasing 3 brand new specials that celebrates the franchise, and Generator Rex, as a whole...but the art style REALLY holds it back. And, I think it's time to address how "simplistic" art styles have gotten in western animation across the board, including adult animation. Many studios and networks have all indulged in this style, but it's time to address how it may have a negative impact on drawing in new viewers of all ages.

0:00 - Intro
2:53 - The Stagnation of Art Styles
7:46 - ADBREAK
9:24 - Continued

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Roundtable Hosts and Crew:

@AwestruckVox
@ItsRetroNemo
@TomEpQm
@joshuacriger

CREDITS

Hosted by: Kevin Williams
Edited by: Kevin Williams & Joshua Criger

Graphics by CabooseJr

Artwork by Kaitrin Snodgrass, Nikki Thompson & Kitsune Zakuro!

This video, including all pictures and clips used is a critique and is covered under "fair use" under section 107 of the US Copyright Act 1976. If you would like to see the shows and episodes in full. Purchase them online or the DVD sets by their respective owners.

[hirotrum]

All i know is that modern cartoons have an incessant fear of triangles and concave curves

[shellbox]

This makes meme "Please don't turn me to oversimplified logo!" apply for modern cartoons

[izzymcgee]

I like how the Ducktales Reboot went in the opposite direction and took on a more angular style with Pac-Man eyes.

[HassanKhan]

For me this artstyle is an extension of the "corporate artstyle" problem. Executives are no longer want to take risks on new shows so they encourage copying of successful shows similar to the situation where corporate branding leans heavily towards the same non offensive overly simplistic designs so that brands can remain neutral when showing off their brands and not having any sort of ideas attached to it

[TrensGemini]

“It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If we take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. ” - Iroh

[tre]

Tbh indie cartoons have more diverse art styles than network cartoons

[DragoonSeeker]

*That moment he starts putting pictures of different shows and you are actually confused if they are from the same or not*

[CelestialBeauty]

My biggest problem with the new art style is how cheap it looks. Just hear me out. Maybe I am the only one who feels this way, but I feel like the old art style in western cartoons was so much more detailed. Now everything looks so simple and easy to draw. I guess it’s because it takes them less time to make new episodes, but still….more details makes the story come more to life, you can see more emotion in character and it just makes the entire cartoon more expensive to look at and interesting watch

[RobertFJr]

Something I'm noticing with the art style is a lack of color scheme diversity too. The color scheme in shows like Chowder, Teen Titans, and Avatar the Last Air Bender all had color schemes that set the mood and atmosphere of the show. The color schemes in more recent shows are all very bright and it's reminiscent of being in a candy store that only sells one type of candy. I feel like the color scheme is just as important as the geometry of the characters as well as textures instead of simple filled colors.

[ligtningdog]

14:14 "Kids continue to like this because television has given them LIMITED VARITY"
That's sums up everything wrong with animation nowadays

[akeem]

America to Japan 20 years ago: lol, all of your cartoons looks same
Japan to America now: lol, all of your cartoons looks same

[Trunkalunx]

There’s an old saying that I learned from my older sister who works as a chef. “You eat with your eyes first.” After all, the phrase, “Feast your eyes, ” doesn’t exist for no reason. She said that when it comes to preparing meals. I feel the same can be said when it comes to animation.

[bantupower]

Crazy how Ben 10 made Cartoon Network billions of dollars and they can’t afford to give it a suiting complex anime artsyle

[radiocinema]

"I fear no child, but that thing..."
*Edges and triangles*
"It scares me."

[gregoryspringfield]

Honestly ghostfreak terrified me as a kid, and I think changing the art style makes him go from terrifying villain to comedic villain and something is lost there

[TheOrangeHelium]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one annoyed at western animations' artstyle. I miss Phineas and Ferb. I mean, where else can you see a main character whose head is a literal triangle? Now that is different.

[Kill_Binho]

I have this theory that western studios decided to focus on little kids 'cause they realized teens abandon western animations for japanese animations.

[disco_depression]

Powerpuff girls used to have a simple yet unique artstyle with sharp black contouring lines. I don't even know how they could ruin it in the reboot. It looks... eh

[robtherobbed]

Can we just call the artstyle, "Sans mouth" and be done with it? The moment anyone smiles in these shows, all I can think is, "hehehehehehe, wow papyrus, I'm in (insert show here)!"

[kitkatavie]

I really love the style of Amazing World of Gumball, because while the Wattersons art style may seem a bit generic, the rest of the characters are insanely creative! Like you got stop motion, puppetry, ocasional anime, flat, 3D, everything you can think of! Even live action! It’s great!