As an annual grand program in China, the design of its mascot has also attracted much attention. This year's mascot is named "Long Chenchen", which is taken from the reverence and blessing of dragons in traditional Chinese culture. Based on the classical style, the design team combined the image of the dragon with a modern aesthetic to create a cute and cute dragon mascot. Its nose is inspired by dragon-shaped vessels from a site in Henan, and the shoulder decoration is borrowed from the moire bronze forbidden ornament of the Henan Museum. The overall color of the mascot uses traditional Chinese colors, and strives to show a high-end and atmospheric image.
However, the design of the mascot this time has caused some controversy. Some people think that its image is too cute, and it is far from the majestic image of the dragon in Chinese culture. In addition, some viewers even compared the mascot to AI image generation, believing that its style mimics AI-generated drawings and lacks the delicacy and verve of a designer's own painting. This "AI-style" design disappointed some viewers, who joked that the mascot was more like a "baby" than a "national weapon".
For the design of the mascot of the Spring Festival Gala, the public's reaction was not consistent. Some viewers said they couldn't understand the mascot design team's intentions, believing that the mascot did not meet the level of "large-scale production" they expected. They even joked that the mascot should be "Dumpling" instead of "Long Chenchen". This kind of ridicule actually reflects some of the audience's fatigue about the content and style of the Spring Festival Gala, and they want to see more innovative and fresh elements, rather than repetitive bridges and clichéd jokes.
In addition, the design style of the mascot also made the audience start to think about some questions. In recent years, many companies have begun to use AI technology to generate images and animations, which has had a certain impact on the employment situation of art students. While AI can generate a large number of works in a short period of time, they lack originality, personality, and detail to rival human creation. However, due to cost and benefit considerations, many enterprises prefer to use AI technology to save labor costs. This makes it more difficult for art students to find employment, and many graduates have to face competition and pressure in the job market.
Why is innovation so difficult in some areas?This is not just a problem, but involves many aspects such as people's values, social environment, and economic interests. Take the design of the Spring Festival Gala mascot as an example, although the design team has been screened and has a certain level and experience, their design cannot satisfy all audiences. This may be due to differences in the aesthetics of the public, or it may be that innovation is constrained by the constraints of real conditions.
Innovation comes with risk, and realities often make it difficult. For art students, creativity and individuality may not be a problem, but the problem lies in the recognition and support of the society for professional standards. In order to pursue immediate benefits, many enterprises choose to use AI technology to replace manpower, because this can greatly save employment costs. One of the reasons for this situation is that there is a certain conflict between the need for professionalism and the need for innovation, which makes it difficult to innovate.
Both mascot design and the employment situation of art students reflect some of the problems in our current society. Innovation is difficult, in addition to the constraints of real conditions, but also related to people's values and expectations. Innovation requires courage and vision, freedom from the constraints of rules and regulations, and the pursuit of short-term profits. For art students, choosing a development path that suits them also requires careful consideration of their own professional level and personality. And for each of us, more attention and support should be given to innovation and artistic development.