文/ Marshall Arisman
譯/ 黃立佩
插畫被定義為一種應用美術。這個定義對於解釋這個領域如何運作絕對是不夠的。然而現在許多藝術大學與學院都認同『插畫如同平面設計是門應用美術』這樣的說法。插畫真正的定義是，以講述故事為基礎的具象藝術。儘管如此，有些學校已經把設計與插畫合併成一個科系。這通常會解釋成，意識到科技同時帶給這兩個領域的改變，但整合的真實原因最常與資金有關。很不幸，這種結構性轉變傳遞給學生的訊息是：插畫可以像三維設計那樣被當作一項技術來教，學生所受到的完全是成為商業藝術家的教育。
這麼做會容易的多，卻大錯特錯。插畫教學和設計教學是完全不同的作法。但是插畫的定義在藝術學校詞典中已根深蒂固，要準確闡明插畫幾乎是不可能了。這樣的含糊是各式藝術學校漫無目的地創立插畫系所導致。如果系主任和教師群對於插畫史及日新月異的插畫市場這些插畫家需要了解的事情沒有清楚的認知，他們就還有很長遠的路要走。倘若他們無法幫助學生發掘個人獨到的視野，學生畢業後要在插畫界成功的機會渺茫。
我深信將插畫視為具象藝術的一種形式來教學的重要，要以繪圖能力為基底，著重於個人特有的表達方式和題材。插畫的基礎是具象繪畫（具象是目前用來定義這種形式的藝術術語）。純美術的具象繪畫與插畫的具象繪畫唯一不同處的是用途。（純美術中，繪畫一詞含有分別的定義，例如抽象觀念的型態和幾乎任何其他形式。）
我們應該要注意，在此「純美術」(fine art) 的用詞並不是意味素質的判決，儘管它本意為此。藝廊和美術館展示的圖像，無關乎題材、作品尺寸與重要性，都被人稱作「純美術」。其實「純美術」真正的意涵是藝術家表現個人題材的藝術作品。所以在我看來，不斷成長的多媒體舞台上圖像的廣泛應用，讓使用『插畫』和「純美術」之類的術語來區分具象繪畫變成多此一舉。當一幅畫作（或者說「具象美術作品」）被放在書皮上提示故事內容，它就是插畫，無論其原意為何。當圖像被應用，也就是被雜誌、書本、廣告、動態媒體（電影、電視、錄相或電腦動畫）運用來提昇文本、販賣和製造氛圍等，我們稱之為插畫。因此我認為，大部分的美術系藉由表明且有時堅持畫廊和美術館是展現作品的唯一合適場所，而錯失了替學生們的創作開拓舞台的契機。
在我們瞬息萬變的生活中，對創作過程重要性的了解，對現在的藝術家而言不是理論空談而已。創作過程必須是個人化和實驗性的，我不是想誇大其詞，但是創作不單是藝術家的事業，更重要的是它對我們情感與精神有關鍵性的影響。創作經驗位於人生意義的核心部分。完成的作品對藝術家而言通常只是墊腳石。所以我強烈反對風格取向的插畫教育。身為老師，我們須帶給學生足夠的技巧去抓住想法與靈感發生的瞬間。要求學生發展風格會限制住他們職業上的機會。此種狹隘的見解會奪走最有才華的學生得以專注於他們非說不可的事以及如何表達那件事的藝術本能之動力。
多年來我觀察了非常多插畫系所。無可避免地，只回應「市場」或最新的「風格」來設計課程的系所將教出廉價美工。那些學生可以得到工作嗎？當然。他們可以過活嗎？可以。他們有機會作為藝術家繼續長進、為他們的才華應用創造新方向、並配合自身的進步、知識與經驗成功改變作品嗎？不可能。
原文出處：
Marshall Arisman (2006), Introduction, Teaching Illustration, Allworth Press
作者介紹：
Marshall Arisman為著名的畫家、插畫家及教育工作者。現任紐約視覺藝術學院(School of
Visual Arts)視覺論述插畫研究所所長，也是第一位受邀至中國展出的美國藝術家。『插畫教學』（Teaching
Illustration）一書為Marshall Arisman與名設計師與紐約時報前任藝術總監Steven Heller合編，作品定期刊載於紐約時報、時代雜誌等。
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插畫其實就像電影配樂一樣，有時是拿最適合的現成曲來搭配，例如電影「2001太空漫遊」開場的「查拉圖斯拉特如是說序曲」；有時是為情節量身打造原創新曲, 如久石讓為宮崎駿電影所作的諸多曲目。這些配樂與純樂曲的差別是「用途」而非「素質」，儘管獨立賞析也同樣引人入勝。當然，也有作品性質是「必須」和情節或文本同時欣賞才算完整，如果忽視這類型創作的本意而硬要將整個作品分解為獨立物件來評判，可能有失公正。插畫作為視覺論述的意義難以言表，暫且以例為證：著名心理學家榮格（C. Jung）自認最重要的著作，是他親手繪製佔據整書極大篇幅之插圖的紅書（The Red Book）。
台灣大眾對插畫一詞，多半會與「小品」、「可愛」、「雕蟲小技」畫上等號。原因之一是台灣插畫發展不成熟，缺乏多元風格的刺激，讓不少有心從事插畫創作者不自覺被樣板式的討喜風格簽著鼻子走，減損了個人獨特性。一般人接觸過的作品風格有限，無怪乎多數人以偏概全。相對地，插畫在美國、日本等國家發展蓬勃，無論是相關的學術專書、雜誌、藝術年鑑、比賽、論壇等都行之有年。所累積的資訊也豐富許多。所以我想開這個部落格分享插畫新知，希望能讓有興趣卻苦無其門而入的大家能各取所需。第一篇節錄翻譯了我的老師所著的文章，他對插畫教育的一些觀點似乎也能套用在台灣的藝術與設計教育上。
The
paintings and drawings of Marshall Arisman have been widely exhibited, both
internationally and nationally. His work may be seen in the permanent
collections of the Brooklyn Museum, at the National Museum of American Art and
the Smithsonian Institution, as well as in many private and corporate
collections.
Mr. Arisman's original graphic essay, "Heaven Departed," in which
paintings and drawings describe the emotional and spiritual impact of nuclear
war on society, was published in book form by Vision Publishers (Tokyo, 1988).
Chairman of the M.F.A. degree program at the School of Visual Arts in New York
City, Marshall Arisman was the first American invited to exhibit his artwork in
mainland China. His series, "Sacred Monkeys," appeared at the Guang
Dong Museum of Art in April 1999.
Mr. Arisman is the subject of a full-length documentary film directed by Tony
Silver titled "Facing the Audience: The Arts of Marshall Arisman."
The film will have its premier showing at the 2002 Santa Barbara Film Festival.
Iconic artist
Marshall Arisman was born and raised in Jamestown, New York. He is a master
painter, illustrator, sculptor, printmaker, filmmaker and educator.
His work may be seen in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of
Art, Brooklyn Museum, the New York Historical Society and the National Museum
of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, the Guang Dong Museum of Art, Telfair
Museum of Art, as
well as many private and corporate collections.
His illustrations have appeared on the covers of Time, U.S. News and World
Report, The Nation, The Progressive, The New York Time Book Review. His
editorial work has appeared in every national publication including Esquire,
Rolling Stone, Playboy, The New York Times Op-Ed page, The Village Voice and
Business Week.
His original graphic essay Heaven Departed, explores the emotional and
spiritual impact of nuclear war on society. The essay was published in book
form by Vision Publishers (Tokyo, 1988).
Among his other books are The Cat Who Invented Bebop (winner of the bronze
medal by ForeWard magazine books of the Year Award) published by Creative
Editions. He has co-authored four books with Steven Heller: The Education of an
Illustrator, Inside the Business of Illustration, Teaching Illustration and
Marketing Illustration (all published by Allworth Press).
Arisman was the first American invited to exhibit in mainland China in 1999.
The exhibition Sacred Monkeys, appeared at the Guang Dong Museum of Art.
He is the subject of a full-length documentary film directed by Tony Silver
titled “Facing the Audience, The Arts of Marshall Arisman.” The film received
the Creative Achievement Award from the 2002 Santa Barbara Film Festival.
He is the Chairman of the M.F.A. degree program, Illustration as Visual Essay,
at the School of Visual Arts in New York.
Museum of
Art, as well as many private and corporate collections.
His illustrations have appeared on the covers
of Time, U.S. News and World Report, The Nation, The Progressive, The New York
Time Book Review. His editorial work has appeared in every national publication
including Esquire, Rolling Stone, Playboy, The New York Times Op-Ed page, The
Village Voice and Business Week.
His original graphic essay Heaven Departed,
explores the emotional and spiritual impact of nuclear war on society. The
essay was published in book form by Vision Publishers (Tokyo, 1988).
Among his other books are The Cat Who Invented
Bebop (winner of the bronze medal by ForeWard magazine books of the Year Award)
published by Creative Editions. He has co-authored four books with Steven
Heller: The Education of an Illustrator, Inside the Business of Illustration,
Teaching Illustration and Marketing Illustration (all published by Allworth
Press).
Arisman
was the first American invited to exhibit in mainland China in 1999. The
exhibition Sacred Monkeys, appeared at the Guang Dong Museum of Art.
He is the subject of a full-length documentary
film directed by Tony Silver titled “Facing the Audience, The Arts of Marshall
Arisman.” The film received the Creative Achievement Award from the 2002 Santa
Barbara Film Festival.
He is the Chairman of the M.F.A. degree
program, Illustration as Visual Essay, at the School of Visual Arts in New
York.
