The Artistic "Hook"
polycounter
I have kind of a broad question to ask. I've heard the term "Hook" used here and there in my day: "It's missing a Hook" "It needs a Hook"
I've always understood it as the element or combination of elements that made a subject interesting. But, I honestly couldn't say what people mean for certain when they use this term. What is the Hook?
I'd love to hear your understanding of what an Artistic Hook was.
thx,
kp
I've always understood it as the element or combination of elements that made a subject interesting. But, I honestly couldn't say what people mean for certain when they use this term. What is the Hook?
I'd love to hear your understanding of what an Artistic Hook was.
thx,
kp
Replies
It's generally been my experience that when people talk about what makes art good or bad using words that aren't technical terms (composition, color harmony, mood, contrast, lighting, etc), they're usually full of shit and just trying to sound smart... Unless they can immediately follow it up with an informed example like "It needs a hook... try popping the contrast around this character and darkening the lighting behind him to draw the eye". That said... your interpretation of it sounds pretty close to the intended usage. GG kp.
My two cents anyway.
love,
ferg
This can be applied more to selling traditional art pieces because more pleasing things have more opportunity to sell.
As for portfolios, something memorable. If it's a bunch of generic scenes and/or characters you'll be lost in the mix.
There's also something to be said about aesthetically pleasing scenes versus a dirty alleyway or bathroom.
Hook is a marketing term. It's the unique part if the subject matter that catches your attention. It's not a technique or style term.
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/hook.html
Let me know if you need another
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=nRfroCeDk2E#t=13s
Axe Cop Episode 1 (story by Age 5 kid, 29 yr old artist)
http://youtu.be/4ZquaoUMfIc
Look at Meats Meier or AndyH, they style they use is their hook.
Marketing, or salesmanship-wise, its going to be the thing or idea that makes people want to invest their resources in whatever you're selling, since they've already invested some time/money in hearing you try to pitch your idea/product/service/whatever.
design with hooks in:
http://www.turnerduckworth.com/large_screen.html
vs style
http://www.thedesignersrepublic.com/
Style gets dated fast but a design with an idea will always be interesting.
I don't think it's directly translatable to concept art, in concept art the hook could be an unusual helmet, or a giant hammer, or lots of belts :>. Or style can be the hook, or an iconic silhouette.
But i think in the best and truest designs those elements are there for a reason, because there is an idea, and the clearer the idea, the less you will need to prevaricate with generic elements/ lots of belts/ giant hammers etc.
this is a good book about ideas in graphic design
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/A-Smile-Mind-Beryl-McAlhone/dp/0714838128"]Amazon.com: A Smile in the Mind (9780714838120): Beryl McAlhone: Books[/ame]
no, it's not the chorus... it's almost always a phrase from the chorus, but it's not the chorus itself. a hook doesn't even have to be lyrical.
if you wanted a fairly extreme example, take "enter sandman" by metallica... sure the chorus is pretty robust, and memorable. but the hook is actually the guitar riff, you could humm that riff and almost everyone in the civilised world would recognise the track, without knowing or remembering the lyrics.
I thin the key is recognizing something with very little information (guitar riff, skydome, etc).
Initial Team Fortress 2 screenshots at the start of the project, then after the reboot.
http://pc.ign.com/articles/718/718838p1.html
Journey is also another game all about the visual appeal and "hook" that draws the player into the world.
I don't mind the use of the term, as long as there is a precise explanation of it, followed by exploratory concepts and styleboards and r&d to back up the goal of it.
Often heard alongside:
"Make is square, but not square, make it red, but not red, make it a girl wearing a pirate bikini on a bike, but don't make it a girl wearing a pirate bikini on a bike, make her fall in love with shark, but not a shark, and a dog, but not a dog, make her get married, but not married...basically, it's your work, but now, but it is, but not, so do your thing, but not your thing....just your thing which is not your thing."
-Marketing and Co.
"4. something that attracts attention or serves as an enticement: The product is good but we need a sales hook to get people to buy it."
It might actually be a useful exercise to see if you can think of one element in your design that draws interest, now that I think of it. Personally, I've always maintained that any good design needs one silly element to make it memorable.