Amano or Nomura?

[eisprinz]

You could also factor in the Amano pieces that were done for the later games - I really like the work Amano did for IV as well as the few ones he did for VII (for some reason I really like the one of Cloud and Red).

For Nomura, I guess it would be VII, since it's before he started going overboard with accessories. To think people thought Squall having two belts was strange costume design... and now it's strange not to see something like that.

 

[Dionysos]

*Clears cobwebs, blows away dust and says hello to an old topic*.

Hmmm... Well I prefer the beauty of Amano's artwork. Nomura was a lot more standardised, what you would come to accept as a canonical image of a character. Whereas Amano had life, was exciting, colourful and grand.

What does everybody else think?

 

[Claudia]

Amano's work is more unique, as most of Nomura's look the same. Don't get me wrong, he does some good ones too, but I like Amano better. Some of my favorites of his include Faris, Quina (you heard me), Gau (you heard me again), Zidane, and Terra.

His is just more interesting to look at in my opinion.

 

[Pokeslob]

I'm going to say Nomura for this reason mainly, i like his style more, his drawings are clear cut plus hes created some of the greatest characters in exsistence.
I love Amano's art to don't get me wrong!
but amano was always to sketchy and all of his people seem depressed. (except Cid from FFIV XD)

Nomura was the guy responisible for most of the stuff we saw in the games...
I think it was from FFIV and on Nmura did all of the monster and character sprites, then starting at FFVII he did the character desfings...
you may like Amano better but I'm just used to Nomura's design and have grow accustomed to it...
but I tell you Amano has some sweet characters! Ex-death's design is GODLY

(Dissidia comes around, and Nomura has taken Amano's design and improved it!
that game is going to be awesome)
on my last note my favourite amano drawing is this:

favourite Nomura drawings are in my sig

 

[looneymoon]

Amano for the win. His style is just so flowy and beautiful. When you see an Amano work, you know it could not have been done by anyone but Amano. His style fit so well with the mythical feel of the FF games.

Nomura is more of a standardized "anime" style. I preferred his earlier desgins, as it seems many others do. From FFX on, he seems to have gone overboard with the gruitous belts and zippers and wahtnot. Not to mention he's notorious for making ridiculously similar. Honestly, putting Tifa in a new outfit while giving her a couple of hair highlights does not make a whole new character. It just gives you Tifa, with blondeish highlights and a new outfit.

However, I do feel that Nomura's designs work far better for the sci-fi/steampunk worlds than Amano could have. Amano's works would not have worked so well for the technologically advanced environments in FF7, FF8 and so forth. Now, I must say, I don't dislike Nomura's style. In fact, I actually quite like the concept art he does.

Amano and Nomura are pretty much much polar opposites. Amano's style is wispy and ethereal, while Nomura uses harsh lines and has a more comic book feel. Nomura's designs are easier to translate into in-game characters, while the in-game sprites of Amano tend to look somewhat different from his illustrations. I like both styles equally, but I feel that Amano's style breaks the mold a bit more while Nomura isn't too different from most anime/manga artists.

Now, to add a new spin on things, what does everyone think about Akihiko Yoshida? He did the designs for the Ivalice Alliance games (FFXII, FFT) aswell as the FF3 DS remake. Personally, I wasn't too impressed with the original FFT designs, but then FFXII came out and his concept art totally blew me away. I think this guy is very talented, and he stands as a sort of middle ground between Amano and Nomura. He mixes the stylish comic style of Nomura with the beautiful flowing fantasy feel of Amano. FFXII I thought was especially pleasing in terms of its look, even if Vaan did look a bit like a gay stripper.

 

[Dionysos]

Nomura was the guy responisible for most of the stuff we saw in the games...
I think it was from FFIV and on Nmura did all of the monster and character sprites, then starting at FFVII he did the character desfings...

I'm pretty sure Nomura had his first FF related job during FFV, but it was only minor, and some battle graphics designing was all he did. He only really came into prominence with FF7. Until then Amano did the artwork, and most of the battle artwork as well..

but amano was always to sketchy and all of his people seem depressed. (except Cid from FFIV XD)

Depressed? I've always found Amano's look really pretty. Lots of colours. Not really that dark and gloomy.
For example...

Ultros! Bad picture scan, but the full artwork is clearer and has Chupon (his pink cloud monster friend) to the right (or left, depending on what way the picture is flipped). You can't say Ultros is depressed. Plus he designed the battle sprite for Ultros as well I think.

But other than that, and to agree with Claudia.. There are some BRILLIANT Gau pictures...

So much colour, and he looks rather happy there too.


But Amano also did some FF7 artwork which is much less known, but I feel it is still beautiful. Imagine how the world of FF7 would have looked if the Motorbike scene looked like this?

The game would have been very different! I'm not saying FF7 SHOULD have looked like this.. I'm just saying it would make a very interesting alternate look.

 

[Somnus Noctis]

I prefere Nomura's art look, sure amano's is nice to look at with the colors but i like art that is more simple to look at and some of amanos pictures posted on this thread is not spectacular imo, but he is still very good at what he does.

 

[Pokeslob]

honestly I'm talking aobut if you look at the characters faces they are typcially emotionless

now Nomura had a huge roll in V, he was the Monster designer, and battle sprite designer
the majority of what we saw was his work

and I think Amano would have a weird twist on 7, but since 7 was suposed to be more high tech and in the future it was much better suited for Nomura (considering it was his game XD)

now all of his characters seem kind depressed look:

except for Cid of course

 

[Dionysos]

To be honest I don't see it. You say they look depressed, but I can't look past the colours and crazy monsters behind them, and know that they aren't really depressed at all. Some serious faces, but a serious face isn't so much a depressed face as it is a noble, brave face.

 

[looneymoon]

To be fair, Nomura has drawn some very pretty, uncartoony stuff.

http://www.ffcompendium.com/art/10-yuna-a3.jpg
http://www.ffcompendium.com/art/10-tidus-a3.jpg
http://www.ffcompendium.com/art/8-alexander-a.jpg

and Nomura does design some pretty awsome looking monsters.

http://www.ffcompendium.com/misc/7-nibelheimmutant-a.jpg/
http://www.ffcompendium.com/art/8-elvoret-a.jpg
http://www.ffcompendium.com/art/8-ifrit-a.jpg
http://www.ffcompendium.com/art/10-anima-a.jpg

In fact, when looking at it, I enjoy Nomura's monster art much more than I enjoy his character art.

I just wanted to post some stuff from Akihiko Yoshida. I have to agree with what was said earlier in the thread, he definitely uses the best of Nomura and Amano.

http://www.ffcompendium.com/art/12-balthier-a.jpg
http://www.ffcompendium.com/art/12-vaanpenelo-a.jpg
http://www.ffcompendium.com/art/12-asheandbasch-a.jpg
http://www.ffcompendium.com/art/12-moogle-a.jpg (my favourite rendition of the moogle character)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ashley_and_callo_by_akihiko_yoshida.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Tactics_ogre_cover.jpg

and I'm too lazy to look for any more. But I honestly love this guy, he deserves as much credit as Nomura/Amano get in terms of contribution to the FF series.

 

[Dionysos]

Now Nomura isn't bad. He is very good at what he does. It's just that if I wanted a piece of art framed on my wall, something to marvel at, I'd much rather have something of Amano's than Nomura's. Amano intruiges me more than Nomura.

In short - Nomura makes good illustrations, but Amano makes good art.

 

[Pokeslob]

Now Nomura isn't bad. He is very good at what he does. It's just that if I wanted a piece of art framed on my wall, something to marvel at, I'd much rather have something of Amano's than Nomura's. Amano intruiges me more than Nomura.

In short - Nomura makes good illustrations, but Amano makes good art.

Amano = Paitnings
Nomura = Sketches

but actually there is a Nomura drawing I'd love to get framed, but amano would seem more natural for framed art

 

[Misty]

Amano for the win, if I haven't already stated it.

I just think his art is a bit more special then Nomura's, it seems a lot..."prettier" to me. Nomura is still pretty good though.

 

[Pokeslob]

kind of off topic but you know whos art really sucks?
the guy who made revanent wings!

anyway, I can imagine putting up an Amano painting on teh wall but I can imaging having a book of Nomura's sketches n things...

 

[Raguna]

I think noumora is better because he took characters from the games that amano drew and made it better in final fantasy dissadia. Example: Bartz looks way better.

 

[Stella]

There is definately something to be said for Amano's art. The detail he puts into every single one of them shows, and they all turn out beautifully. I don't think I've seen one thing drawn by him that I didn't like.

That said, Nomura is good as well. I really love the character designs he did for the three upcoming XIII games, especially the ones for Versus. His drawings do lack the captivating beauty that Amano's has, but he's still good nonetheless.

I'm going to have to say that I like both of them equally. They have both done exceptional work, so it's a draw. (xD)

 

[Big Casino]

I cant say i have an issue with any of the artists on FF although i would say i prefer nomura, the upcoming FFs look absoltuely amazing, the designs are just something else. The way hes drew the weapons is just 'wow' thinking up such intricate designs, its amazing.

 

[One-winged Demon]

I think that Nomura is better.His art is more colourful.

 

[Bambi]

I think that Nomura is better.His art is more colourful.

A tad more effort in your post please, Im sure there are other reasons bar the colour why you like Nomuras designs better

 

[Kellox]

Like most people Amano is an artist you want to have his pictures on your wall Nomura is someone you like to see the artwork of the characters for a game guide/menu book

I pay money to get an Amano artbook (and in fact i even order'd a special artbook of his )
But personally if i could pay for a commission i pay for Nomura to draw my oringal characters i also prefer for Nomura to if like ever he would draw a manga for dissidia/ect

Amano however he is the type of artist that should draw for novels ( which have a drawing in each 6/10 pages? )

in the end you cannot compare these two artist together their styles are way to different