FLYMPH FORUM

Davie McPhail tears rather than cuts bronze mallard for wings. They seem to hold together better that way.

upstatetrout wrote: ↑Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:10 am
Fly tying in my opinion does not qualify as art. An art form does not justify copying but fly tying is all about that i.e. patterns. It is a fine hobby and at best a craft. Oh well sorry for the rant back to reading the feather thief a fine read but nothing but rubbish.

Tom

I guess I could be convinced that copying a known, existing pattern might not be "art", but I would take issue with that generalization being applied across the board to all fly tying. IMO, if a tier creates something that he has never seen or read about before and does not know exists, he cannot be accused of copying it. And if that creation is aesthetically pleasing to the human eye for its physical properties of proportion, colors, shape, and the like, then I do not see any substantive difference between it and a beautiful painting that nearly everyone would agree is "art".

Bill

The main difference between applied art and fine art is purpose. Applied art is tailored for functionality, or in other words, the design meets a practical purpose; its used for something. While, on the other hand, fine art is solely for aesthetic, visual purposes.

wsbailey wrote: ↑Tue Nov 13, 2018 1:20 pm The main difference between applied art and fine art is purpose. Applied art is tailored for functionality, or in other words, the design meets a practical purpose; its used for something. While, on the other hand, fine art is solely for aesthetic, visual purposes.

Despite my screen name, I do often tie with solely aesthetic purpose in mind. If a fish happens to like it, so much the better.

I would also like to suggest that a considerable amount of "fine art" came about because the artist was paid to create it (e.g. commissioned paintings such as the Sistine chapel). Seems fairly practical to me.

Bill in the fly tying world that is known as free lancing. Indeed in competions they have catagories that are named this. I have known artists of stature i.e.
Artists,illustrators,musicians that tie flies. With that said there could be individuals who are artists dealing in hooks,feathers and furs. A great artist/illustrator who failed was Louis Rhead and his nature flies. His book
Trout Stream Insects had illustrations of insects and flies with names that he made up. No one knew what he was talking about but on the other hand there was John Atherton's book The Fly and the Fish which was a great success. He numbered his flies 1 through 7 much easier to remember.

Any ways thanks for the dissertation. We argue to see who is right but we discuss to see what is right.

Tom

Most modern classic salmon flies are tied as wall hangers. In most cases they aren't practical for fishing because of the silk gut loop. The silk gut used to extend to the bend of the hook but due to cost only a short amount is used these days.

They are wall hangers. In 40 years of pursuing this sport I cannot think of a time when a full dress Jock Scott would have saved the day.

Tom

George Kelson came to the conclusion that salmon had become so accustomed to Jock Scott flies that he designed a new fly using the rarest feathers. The fly, called Inky Boy, was one reason that classic salmon flies lost out to more modern flies. It was really all about the sense of privilege that gave them appeal. Only the wealthiest sports could afford them. Such flies had detractors even from their earliest days. I'm squarely
on the side of the detractors.

O.K.

I too, have passed over the activity of tying matched slip winged wet flies, opting for rolled, bunched, folded or wingless.... My question is simply, don't they all start looking alike after chewed over a few times by a trout (or other fined critter)? The others tend to start all looking much the same in looking at used winged flies!
I do like the looks of the matched wings, but often find it frustrating to cut, match and set opposite matched feathers! After all, whole feathers taken from matched positions (Left /right) of a bird may not match in shade or color.
Just wondering.... what the rest of you experience after your fishing fly is well chewed. Personally