Introduction: As a cultural symbol, the "mascot" has a special place in people's hearts. However, the mascot design of the latest Spring Festival Gala has caused widespread controversy. Although it was named "Long Chenchen", its image was far from the traditional dragon image, and was accused of being too cute and **, and was even jokingly called "little baby". At the same time, the bigger point of controversy is that the mascot has been accused of having an "AI style", arguing that it lacks the personality and creativity of the designer. This article will discuss the mascot design controversy, people's perceptions, and the impact of AI on the art design industry.
As we all know, mascots often represent an allegorical and symbolic. However, the image design of the mascot of the new Spring Festival Gala has caused widespread controversy. Although it is named "Long Chenchen", its image is considered too cute by many netizens, and there is a big gap with the majestic and atmospheric dragon image in the traditional cognition. On the contrary, it is more like a newborn baby, which has triggered people's banter and complaints. Although CCTV explained that it represents the "important weapon of the country", this explanation did not make people accept this cute mascot image.
In addition, the design of the mascot is inspired by the cultural relics of the Henan Museum, such as the nose, which is inspired by dragon-shaped vessels. The shoulder decoration is borrowed from the moire copper forbidden ornament of the Henan Museum. Although the designers have tried to incorporate traditional elements into the design of the mascot, in the eyes of the general audience, these designs have not achieved the effect of large-scale production.
In addition to the gap between the image and the meaning, the most controversial thing is that the mascot is accused of having an "AI style". Today's AI technology can generate a variety of images and designs in a short period of time, and many of the generated drawings are similar in style to the current Spring Festival Gala mascots. Although these AI-generated designs can also be used, they are nowhere near as sophisticated and verve as pieces created by the designer's own hands. This is also the reason why many netizens questioned the lack of personality and creativity behind the mascot design.
Netizens commented one after another, and some of them joked, "Isn't it 'dumpling smashing (dumpling)'? This ridicule originated from the dumpling-making scenes that have often appeared in the Spring Festival Gala sketches over the years, due to the high repetition, people feel a lack of novelty, which also led to the audience's disappointment with the overall style of the Spring Festival Gala. Although this is just a joke, it reflects the public's expectations for the innovation of the Spring Festival Gala and their doubts about the image design.
The development of AI technology has had a huge impact on many industries, and the art and design industry is no exception. As more and more AI programs can quickly generate images and designs, many companies are turning to AI instead of manual design work, thereby saving labor costs. However, AI-generated designs are far inferior to human creations in terms of originality, personality, and detail compared to humans.
This is undoubtedly a challenge and pressure for art and design graduates. Many graduates find it difficult to find satisfying job opportunities despite their professional knowledge and skills. Some companies prefer to incorporate AI into their workflows rather than investing in labor costs. As a result, the employment situation of art students has cooled and the employment rate is low.
However, AI is not a place for humans to completely replace the object. While AI can help us create in a short period of time, it still can't replace the unique creativity and inspiration of humans. For businesses, if they want to really stand out and capture the attention of their audience, they still need to look for designers with innovative thinking and unique personalities.
The design of the mascot is an important cultural symbol, which not only represents a meaning, but also carries people's expectations and memories for the show. However, the design of the mascot of the Spring Festival Gala has caused controversy recently, and the gap between the image and the meaning and the accusation of having "AI style" have become the focus of controversy. The controversy also reflects the impact of AI on the art and design industry, and many graduates are facing a difficult situation in finding employment. However, while AI can help us speed up our creations, it cannot replace the unique creativity and individuality of humans. Therefore, finding designers with innovative thinking and personality is still the key for businesses to attract the attention of their audiences.
Mentality and recognition: From the above discussion, it can be seen that people's controversy over mascot design is mainly due to the gap between image and meaning and the question of "AI style". There is no clear and unanimous view, and different people have different views and assessments. Some people think that this mascot is too cute and **, far from the traditional dragon image; Others believe that it is in line with the aesthetics of the times and shows a new design style. At the same time, some people have expressed concerns about the development of AI in the art and design industry, believing that the spread of AI may lead to a more severe employment situation for art students. In short, there is no clear consensus on the design controversy of this mascot, and different people have different opinions and attitudes.