After painting for a bit you will start to realize that in order to save time and energy, you keep it simple to get started then add more simple stuff like light and shadows and add more simple things like desturating some colors here and there. And in the long run you simple idea becomes complex.
And when you start things too complex, you tend to forget about the little details. And you will get headaches trying to do too much.
Complexity is in the eye of the beholder. Okay, it is beauty, not complexity. But if you think complexity is what make it beautiful, then don’t wory about it. That is my kind of thinking. As long as you can balance between the time you are allocated, you can make it as complex as you want. Don’t do this if it will get you fired:D
In most cases, time is the important factor. People with great experience will pull off more in less time. Keeping it simple is one factor of their success, but that is just a minor portion of their talent. I believe most has to do with their eye for details. When I see a movie I might miss certain faults that an exceptional artist will recognize. This is something people develop being spending time to give all the details they think would make the work fit into their perception. This is not a talent or a natural ability, it is something people learn with hardwork.
The place I work we create software for many purpose. I can’t tell you enough how much of “re-invention” is done in company where millions (actually more than few millions) could have saved if it was well thought 2 years ago. That is the result of keeping things simple. They kept it simple, within the project’s scope, and now they just do the same for every project. We have over 300 projects each is simple and for each client. We have to make another one for another client, because noone wants to put in the extra work to unify the system. Some times extra details, placed well and brought in time can help in the furture. Whether it is heart’s content, achieving fame or saving money.
The most contradicting portion of this is the time. Unfortunately that is where the trade off comes and people who can’t find a nice proportion are the people who suffers most in a real production environment.
But at home, I spent all the time I can untill I am satified with the details even if it doesn’t make sense to others. I think there is nothing wrong with spending your time to make things complicated if you think that complexity is needed.
I just finished John Lanchester’s most recent novel, Fragrant Harbour
somewhere says
“why making things too difficult… pushing a bit more we can make them just impossible!”
This pretty much sums up my rigs, my character rigs havent change for around 2 years. There getting cleaner, ive add things like animatable pivots etc - ive tried to add new things but they just either doesnt work or are a copy of what ive had.
eek
Very true. For many people, it is only in their old age (or having been through a lot of hardship) that they acquire the ability to simplify life’s many complexities. It’s widely known that the simple things are usually the hardest things. To simply preach “Keep It Simple Stupid!” is a bit naive–it’s like preacing “Be A Genius!”
There is also an interesting relationship between what is recognized as “beautiful” and “simple”
Take the interface design as an example. The iPod, MacOS, Nokia navigation menu, CGTalk 
, Mercedes Benz, Nikon, Victoria Secret laces…these are incredibly complex operating devices yet have incredibly intuitive interfaces. That does not make them “simple” at all. They are easier to operate yes, but that’s because the designer has put an extraordinary effort to extrapolate the complexities, and produce a pattern withwhich it can be synchronized with human intuition.
The KISS notion needs nails for its coffin 
Bring it on…
Art is like music. Though the melody of a musical piece might be simple, there is still a whole lot of stuff going on in the background, like the bass, which isn’t really as noticeable if you aren’t a musician-- unless it’s not there when it needs to be, in which case everyone notices it.
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