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Fallout, fandom and inspiration
May. 11th, 2024 01:03 amSomething about the new Fallout tv-show instantly clicked with me, even inspired me to draw again and got me out of art block. I'm usually not into narratives that present us with doomsday scenario's, nor am I a fan of gore in media. But there is something very special about the series, and the franchise it is based on. It offeres crude real life survival problems and a bleak future, but has humor in it too, doens't take itself too seriously and has a few genuinely intriguing characters. And I'm a sucker for tv-series that can combine humor and fun with heartfelt and real, dramatic if necessary, moments. And Fallout does just that.
Years ago I played Fallout 3 on my Xbox 360. I had just finished Skyrim and Oblivion and was looking for another open world where I could really immerse myself in it. Since Fallout 3 was produced by the same company that brought those two games I really enjoyed, I decided to give Fallout 3 a try, even with the theme not being something that usually attracts me. I got beaten up pretty badly in my first playthrough. I soon realized that my character's stats weren't much to look at, and I created a better character, one that was worthy of conquering the wasteland. Since it's been so long that I played the game, my knowledge of the story is very, very dusty. In fact, I don't remember much of it. What I do remember is falling in love with the atmosphere of the game, the sense of adventure that awaits in the wasteland. This immersion is something I look for in all things, be it video games, books or even board games. I look for a world to get lost in. It is that same sense of wonder that I find in the tv-show too, together with a healthy dose of nostalgia.
Inspiration comes from various things in life that we feel a connection with. In more traditional art education, things such as fanart and geek culture are often looked down upon. There is this feeling that inspiration should only come from genuine real-life things, or from art itself, and not from mere 'forms of escapism’, as it’s sometimes called. This idea of inspiration is limited, and reflects the teacher's own subjective mind more than anything else. It is very precious to find things with which you really connect, things that bring you joy and offer a safe place in which you can navigate or even hide for a while when needed. Whatever that thing may be, whatever you find that intrigues you (and is not something harmful of course) and holds your interest is worth keeping. And if that inspires you to create in whatever form, that too is precious and should be cherished.
Years ago I played Fallout 3 on my Xbox 360. I had just finished Skyrim and Oblivion and was looking for another open world where I could really immerse myself in it. Since Fallout 3 was produced by the same company that brought those two games I really enjoyed, I decided to give Fallout 3 a try, even with the theme not being something that usually attracts me. I got beaten up pretty badly in my first playthrough. I soon realized that my character's stats weren't much to look at, and I created a better character, one that was worthy of conquering the wasteland. Since it's been so long that I played the game, my knowledge of the story is very, very dusty. In fact, I don't remember much of it. What I do remember is falling in love with the atmosphere of the game, the sense of adventure that awaits in the wasteland. This immersion is something I look for in all things, be it video games, books or even board games. I look for a world to get lost in. It is that same sense of wonder that I find in the tv-show too, together with a healthy dose of nostalgia.
Inspiration comes from various things in life that we feel a connection with. In more traditional art education, things such as fanart and geek culture are often looked down upon. There is this feeling that inspiration should only come from genuine real-life things, or from art itself, and not from mere 'forms of escapism’, as it’s sometimes called. This idea of inspiration is limited, and reflects the teacher's own subjective mind more than anything else. It is very precious to find things with which you really connect, things that bring you joy and offer a safe place in which you can navigate or even hide for a while when needed. Whatever that thing may be, whatever you find that intrigues you (and is not something harmful of course) and holds your interest is worth keeping. And if that inspires you to create in whatever form, that too is precious and should be cherished.
