The creative process: Shinbo stitches scenes so SHAFT shows style

[iSuckAtWriting]

Often times a work will not reach out to many people because the target audience is quite small. OTOH, sometimes a work tries to reach out to a broader audience but the original focus of the work is lost. Ideally, we'd have it both ways. But truthfully, some kinda compromise needs to be made. So how 'bout it? Should an author/artist/director/whatever try to reach out to a wider audience and potentially dilute what they're saying, or concentrate their work in its purest form with only a small audience to watch?

For trying to reach out to a broader audience, I imagine the motive might be money. But, a drink diluted too much doesn't taste good, and that could go out the window. For just focusing on a small audience, I imagine artistic merit might be in mind. But, at what point does it stop being Avant Garde and more WTH is going on here?

iGenuinely don't know how to feel about this inquiry. I've had success stories and failures with works on both sides of the spectrum. So what do you think? Comment below and let me know.

[Flower]

Could you give some examples of what you are mulling over?

[Jan-Poo]

In my opinion you know when a work is a masterpiece when it manages to appeal a large public while at the same time doesn't compromise anything on the artistic side.

Of course there are very few examples of that, but it is definitely possible. So I don't quite agree that you either go "artsy" or go "commercial", you can do both, or actually you should strive to do both.

When someone says "well I know that I did something trivial but that's what sells" or "my art is sublime it's the people that only like garbage" it sounds like an excuse to me.

Of course those statements are true to a certain degree, but they still aren't good excuses. If you are a really a good artist you can do something that will be acclaimed by both the critics and the masses.

Of course I don't meant to say that you should consider yourself a failure if you can't reach that ideal objective, it's very hard. However that doesn't mean you can be excusable for completely neglecting one or the other.

When that happens on one extreme you have complete garbage that only sells because of popular themes or eye candies (but that will still be judged harshly by those who buy it), and on the other extreme you have something that is absolutely incomprehensible by anyone except the author and that will only be known by hipsters that will pretend to like it while they actually don't like/understand it just like everyone else.

So to answer the question, what compromise should be made? Compromise both, equally, to the minimum extent that you are capable of.