DonaldmBoyer

Let's just say, then, that Mainland Yanks should NOT name their aquascapes; to do so would risk others across the Pond to feel embarrassed for us. If you are from Europe or Asia then a creative title is mandatory from now on.

So, Jessie: NO TITLES for your 125g!! (PS--my pics of 100gallon coming a few days before Thanksgiving)

I will stick to my mundane and pathetic generic titles like "40 gallon cube".

Mellonman--sorry.....I am a bit snobby when it comes to what I like in art. HR Giger is phenomenal, IMO. No doubt Picasso is one of the Greats; I just don't LIKE his work.....but I give him his due, and completely understand that I am in the Minority Opinion. My "scale", if you will, as to what I like in Art is very narrow.

Jessie

I'm kind of shocked that this discussion has struck such a nerve for some of the members here. While I realize that this hobby is taken extremely seriously by some (I take it seriously, because I love it!), I think it's a little unnecessary to get so upset just because someone stated that they don't name their tank. There's been an recurring theme of being "bothered" because some tanks have names be it silly or straightforward. No one has expressed any anger or disdain for tanks that have an artistic title. Also, no one has stated that that wish to "stop others who understand" from naming their tanks. They have been stating their opinions, which I understand can be scary if they 'stomp the sensitive' and don't agree with others. But no one here has been nasty or derogatory, and the vast majority has been all in good fun. What's the harm in a discussion? That's what this place is for....?

Just because something is of huge impact or influence in the arts world, it doesn't mean everyone is going to find it pleasing to their personal taste. Picasso was a fantastic artist who created works that have influenced, changed and shaped much of the art that followed him. He's great and he's a legend and always will be. But guess what? I don't like his style. I realize his talent and respect him. But his style is not my personal taste. Just like Mozart, a lot of Beethoven, Pink Floyd, Metallica, Elton John, and many other MAJOR figures in past and present music. I don't like them! They're not my taste. They're good at what they do, but I don't have the patience for their particular styles. I'll give credit where credit is due, but I have my own taste of what I like. Same with Iwagumi tanks. Not my thing, I get it - they're awesome, but not my thing.

Anyways... back on the art tangent. IMO, the naming of the tank has nothing to do how I'm going to react to the actual skill of the aquascape. I appreciate the skill, layout and health of the plants whether the tank is named or not. In fact, some of my absolute favorite tanks are named extravagantly, and I think that rather than making it appear like some epic that's out of reach, it makes it more endearing because I can assume that the person who owns that tank is passionate about it and will mostly likely love to talk about it, and I LOVE asking questions about the tanks I admire.

Ps. I'm naming my tank Don The Ogre.

houseofcards

Nicely said Jessie!

What's next, a discussion of members who don't like people using fictious names for their member IDs? (easy Donald) or maybe members who use professional camera equipment to get a pic? I've seen some really good big tanks here that get overlooked because the photography is really bad and on the other hand I've seen little nano tanks that are all hairgrass with one rock sitting in it and because the photography is over the top the scaper is a genius.

It can only be just a discussion as Jessie said, you can't have agreement on this. There is such a wide spectrum of members approaching the hobby (art) from a different perspective. It's interesting to hear the different opinions. Almost anything can be taken to an art form.

Questin

Naming something helps to identify it, and that can be important when you are talking with others about it. Saying "Hey, you know that tank with the wild wood and some tall plants on the left?" can be hard for identifying a tank, but saying "Hey, you know that Don The Ogre tank" you will know what one it is if you ever came across it.

If you do not name a tank, you become one of the many in a forest of many. So it doesn’t hurt to give it a name, meaningful or not.

I personally think a name can be a very important thing for a tank if you were inspired by something, but relying that inspiration is a step that should be taken as well because it gives depth to the meaning of a tank. The tank then becomes a story that many people would like to follow.

Names can be whatever you want them to be, but you all should know that the name does not make the item, it’s the item that makes the name. Today Google is a name that we all know and understand is a huge company, but what did you think the first time you heard it?

Let the tank speak for itself, but help people remember it with a name.

messy_da_legend

Don't ADA award points for fitting titles?

Mellonman

Don't be sorry...
...but we weren't talking about what you like in art but about what could be described as art... that's different : you can find a painting ugly and still admit it's art...

Roger Miller

I will also step carefully around the art/hobby discussion.

I agree with Questin.

As far as I know, Takashi Amano was the first person to name aquascapes -- it was one of his innovations. WIthout a name a beautiful aquascape is mostly just a beautiful aquascape and nothing more. Naming an aquascape lets you associate the aquascape with a feeling and create an impression that wouldn't otherwise be possible. It adds a different dimension.

There are good names and bad names. "Hills of Despair" for example doesn't do anything for me, and neither does "Don the Ogre", but just because the name doesn't have the effect the aquascaper might want doesn't mean that naming aquascapes is a generally bad thing. When the name works, its good. When the name doesn't work it's usually a little silly. You take the good with the bad.

Incidentally, my 150 is titled "Fallen Monuments" and it has had the name for years. I like it. It's the only aquascape I ever named.


Roger Miller

Roger Miller

And for the record...

I actually *like* Picasso and Beethoven. Mozart not so much.


Roger MIller

Jessie

For what it's worth, I don't remember tank names. I don't hear a tank name being recalled and instantly remember "Oh, so & so's tank with the HC and awesome red stems, that one!" I remember the tank based on the owner and what the tank looked like. I think of Oliver Knott and I think of Buddha's and tree trunks. I think of the Senske brothers and recall huge discus tanks and very cleanly cut stems and amazing cabinetry.

Paul Munro

I agree that Aquascaping CAN be an art form, for all it's creative and visionary merits, though I wouldn't describe my tanks as art lol! BUT, I think that if you copy somehing (for example I am trying to produce a sort of reproduction of a particular Amano tank that I love), then it's not art - though still a creative subject!

I think the whole silly name thing is not all negative, and my personal views are that only originals deserve a name, and that it is still not a necessity.

Descriptive names do inform, but some, just make me say "oh god..."! People get all soppy and poet-like which just stinks, like a love compilation album; I suppose it just depends on your taste.