Your creative influences

[GregX]

So, for those of you who are into the arts. Be it writing, art, music, whatever. Who are your influences?

I've always considered myself a writer. I have yet to sell anything, but I write a lot. Needless to say, I read a lot also, and have a lot of influences.

My creative influences include: Martin Scorsese; Francis Ford Coppola; Alfred Hitchcockhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Ford_Coppola; Quentin Tarantino; Stanley Kubrick; J. Michael Straczynski; Joss Whedon; Ridley Scott; the Coen Brothers; oh, and of course, Greg Weisman.

On a literary level: William Faulkner; Alfred Bester; Arthur C. Clarke; H.P. Lovecraft; Charles Dickens; Mark Twain; J.R.R. Tolkien; Fyoder Dostoevsky; Christopher Marlowe; and William Shakespeare.

A bunch more. But they come to mind.

Who are yours?

 

[Old Guy]

As a writer and wannabe filmmaker I have many influences. Yet I've reached the point where I've created my own "voice". However...I've noticed Judd Apatow pop up in my more down to Earth stuff, Richard Donner in my action oriented projects, and Tim Burton/Danny Elfman with a little Sam Raimi in the darker material.

 

[Harlan_Phoenix]

I consider myself an aspiring writer (I write when I can, but I don't consider myself a writer)...I'd say my influences are Greg Weisman, religious texts (mostly for their literary value even if the theology fascinates me; my favorite book is 1 Enoch), and those deconstruction-type comic book stories that break down a particular genre (mostly superhero) and analyze it through various eyes. I've been meaning to attempt a Transformers fan script in the same vein.

But, yeah. That's a good summation of what influences me most.

 

[Darklordavaitor]

As a potential-musician, I look to Steve Harris, Bruce Dickinson, and Dave Mustaine for writing, Jimmy Page, Ritchie Blackmore, and David Gilmour for guitarmanship, and Ronnie James Dio, Bruce Dickinson, and Robert Plant for my vocals.

As a screenwriter of animation, I'd aspire to be as good as Paul Dini, Greg Weisman, Danny Antonucci, and Michael Maltese were able to make their stories to be, and as a director I'm aiming for Steve Loter, Gennedy Tartakovsky, Tex Avery, and Danny Antonucci-status.

 

[Desensitized]

As a writer, everything is my inspiration. Everything I've read has influenced me, but no one in particular. But I'd say if anyone influenced me there, it would be John Steinbeck.

As a drummer and 'wannabe songwriter', my influences are about as wide. Specifically, Green Day, The Clash, Weezer, Fishbone, and many others helped me through tough times. For drumming, probably John Bonham, Keith Moon, and Bill Stevenson were essential in my choosing that particular instrument.

 

[Novapocalypse]

I want to create something. Something big, that will change the world. It will be either a video game, animated TV show, a book, or something. I consider Shigeru Miyamoto as my inspiration.. like many others. He managed to create something that did, and I plan to do the same.

 

[purplehairedwonder]

As an aspiring writer, I'd say that everything is an inspiration for me; everything I read, every academic paper I write, every TV show or movie I watch, every song I listen to, every conversation I have, etc influences me in some form or another when I sit down to write for pleasure. Because there is such a wide range of things that have shaped my ever-growing craft, I can't really pick out anything specific.

 

[Lavenderpaw]

Whatever strikes a cord with me,I want to write about it.

 

[Silverstar]

Aspiring cartoonist/writer here, and I've had lots of creative influences:

Looney Tunes, The Marx Brothers, Monty Python, Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, Savage Steve Holland, Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng, Ben Elton, Douglas Adams, Dan Aykroyd, Dennis Miller, The Beatles, Steve Purcell, Ben Edlund, Mickey Hart, Erte, I could go on.

Basically if it's something which I don't hate or am envious of it, it's influenced me creatively in some way.

 

[lemonhead75]

I'm a writer in training, and my main inspirations come from James Patterson and Christopher Paolini.

As an artist( on the side ), I am sort of influenced by The Grim Adventures of Bilyl and Mandy, Dexters Lab, Johnny Bravo, and, of course, Calvin and Hobbes.

 

[RockmanDash]

I'm a actor in training and my influecenes are probably my mother and grandfather. My mother use to act when she was younger and my grandfather is always full of great advice.

Really acting is one of the most awesome things to me because of the characters and settings and the different times and places. And I always wanted to know how it felt like for the characters like to be in their shoes if I make any sense.

I never had any real actors influecenes me but I always have been a big fan of Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow character and I think pirates are beyond awesome.

 

[Ishtar]

My goal career has been to break into Voice Acting. So, as an inspiring Voice Actor, my influences include:
The late Mel Blanc, Jim Cummings, Rob Paulsen, Bob Bergen, Hank Azaria, Dan Castellenetta, Chris Sabat, Kyle Hebert, Crispin Freeman, Steve Blum, Brian Drummond, Brad Swaile, Scott McNeil, and yes even some of the NY VAs such as Wayne Grayson, Dan Green, Eric Stuart, Ed Paul and Marc Diriason. Some of these people I have even met, which has been awesome and inspires me even more. It would be an honor to join those guys in the Voice Acting business someday.

 

[Bubblegum Girl]

As a cartoonist, most of my influences are from the various cartoons and comics I would enjoy:

Influences from Animated Shows:
Powerpuff Girls
Invader Zim
Fairly Oddparents
My Life As A Teenage Robot
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
Danny Phantom
Atomic Betty
Dexter's Lab
Samurai Jack

Influences from Comics(East & West):
Sgt Frog
X-Men
Supergirl
Gen13
Spider-Man
Rozen Maiden
Naruto
FLCL
Bleach
Legion of Superheroes
Teen Titans
Buffy Season 8

I do have some influences from other artists/writers :

Influences from People:
My Uncle(Who is an artist)
Skottie Young
Keith Haring
Peter David
Christopher Yost
Chris Bachalo
Chuck Jones

 

[Old Guy]

It is true that everything (or atleast many things) are inspiring, but once you find your voice is when you've gone from student to artist. It took me ATLEAST a good decade to find my voice and I wish everyone here the best.

 

[entransify]

I have made some music over the past 4 years or so...

Lyrically my influences are mostly Mike Doughty (in his Soul Coughing days), and a little bit Bono and Jack Johnson.

Musically I've done stuff inspired by Daft Punk and similar artists, and I've also done acoustic stuff, like Mike Doughty's first post-Soul Coughing album was.

Vocally, I take most of my style from Doughty and Bono, with some influence from either Dave Matthews or even Eric Stuart (yes, the 4Kids VA), depending on what I'm aiming for.

 

[Michael24]

As a filmmaker, my influences are Steven Spielberg, John Carpenter, Joe Dante, Alfred Hitchcock, and Stephen Sommers.

As a writer, my biggest influence is Michael Crichton, along with Brian Daley and, more recently, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (specifically his Sherlock Holmes work).

As a part-time wannabe musician, my influences are David Arkenstone, John Carpenter, and Jerry Goldsmith.

 

[Azrael24]

As an artist Bruce Timm was a HUGE influence of mine when i was little, so was Greg Weisman. Now artist like Adam Hughes and Jim Lee also inspire me. the late Michael Turner was also an early influence. frank miller and tim sale also inspire me to create a different, more original style of art

 

[thenewme93]

As an artist: Bruce Timm... Greg Weisman..Eiichiro Oda, Tite Kubo, Akira Toriyama, Jack Kirby, Butch Hartman, and Lou Fine.

 

[GregX]

Greg Weisman is a writer. Not an artist. Just fyi.

 

[AlgeaX]

Greg Weisman is a writer. Not an artist. Just fyi.

Well that rather depends how your defining the word 'artist', doesn't it?