Is Squidward Really a Bad Artist? 

“I do not sound like squidward” ~Squidward 2019

See kids, this is why you should go to art school. You could end up analysing Squidward's art.

“who treats his employees... questionably” He sold spongebob’s soul for less than a dollar

Squidward has an odd type of narcissism. He loves himself, but he loves himself for his skills, which manifests into self-portraits. However, the rest of Bikini Bottom sees that as just plain ol' self-love, when all he really wants is validation that he's a good artist.

Are we gonna ignore the episode where he writes an entire symphony and it’s actually beautiful and would still be good if spongebob hadn’t ruined it

I just want to point out that squidward plays a clarinet with tentacles, not fingers.

Squidward is unironically a good artist, he's just a surrealist and impressionist, and art critics don't like that.

An interesting aspect of Squidward that I’ve found is that he seems to be genuinely passionate about art and music. This is in direct contrast to his rival: Squilliam; who is very good at playing clarinet, but doesn’t care much about it at all and finds more happiness in the rich lifestyle and notoriety it bring him.

Squidward’s bold and brash doesn’t belong in the trash.

Dude, that "realism easier than cartoon" concept is mind blowing yet make sense. This is genius

Too be fair, there have been many famous artists who were viscerally hated during their lifetime only for their legacies to live on after their deaths.

Honestly, I think Squidward would get more recognition if all of his art wasn't just self portraits. The thing is, no one's telling him that's the problem. They just tell him it's bad without saying WHY it's bad.

Squidward is a good artist whose ego and bad attitude gets in his way, give or take cartoon logic included for his bad luck.

Not gonna lie, this was the most surprisingly valid analysis on a cartoon character from a show that has fire underwater

The Mr krabs sculpture symbolises the insatiable hunger for money krabs has with the seemingly endless gaping hole in the middle. It also shows how unapproachable krabs is with the right angles and the spikes. It also towers over you in an extremely oppressive manner, much like how squidward feels about his boss.

Squidward is one of those characters who you'd hate back then for "being mean" but as you grow older you realize how relatable they are/start to feel bad for them

Sqaidward is the classic artist that's appreciated a few deacdes after he's dead.

are we all going to gloss over the fact that this video didnt just prove squidward is a good artist but also he has untapped godlike powers that are possibly stronger then that of spongebob's

I think the important takeaway from the statue episode is that when SpongeBob started adhering to "The Rules of Art," he was unable to produce meaningful art. That's the first time Squidward deviated from the rules, and he was able to produce something fantastic.

Bold And Brash, despite being ridiculed by the art collector, is unironically a more popular piece of art than most renaissance-era paintings.

This is just Squidward trying to defend himself.

"hello, you've reached the house of unrecognised talent"

I actually always thought his art was good even as a kid. I mean his abstract paintings almost remind me of something of Picasso or Dalí. It’s just they are all squidward art. However I think back to that episode of Squidsville and wonder had he showcased his art there, would he have been considered a modern Vango?

I absolutely love this. I know Squidward is a fictional character, but he has to put up with so much shit, it makes me really happy to see people uplifting him for some reason.

When spongebob is crawling away crying, Squidward actually does have sympathy for him. That shows Squidward is capable of empathy, a trait contrary to narcissism. Perhaps Squidwards behaviour is just a self defense mechanism. Perhaps

This video is just Squidward trying to defend himself

Another thing that I feel is worth pointing out, is that mood appears to be a driving factor in the quality of his work. For example in an early episode (The bubble stand one, I don't remember the name) he accidentally blows a really impressive bubble, and the praise he receives lifts his mood enough that he's able to briefly play his clarinet quite well. Then there's the Best Day Ever episode, where he has a full on concert set up (how he got there is questionable, but we'll let it slide), and while we never hear the performance, as soon as Spongebob sits down, the crowd starts cheering, which implies that unless they are all just being super polite, he must have actually done a pretty good job. So, he's definitely CAPABLE of creating good art, even canonically, it just depends on the situation.

I always find it interesting when animators depict artist, because you need a strong understanding to be an animator. From what I've seen Squidward has very strong art skills, but he fails at the most taboo element, making it a product. It goes like this: - If you want to make money or get people to care about your art work you need to make Art for others. - Squidward only makes art for himself & don't care about the interests of others, so he'll most likely never turn a profit from it. Keep in mind, doing art for only yourself is fine for fun & there is no shame in it, you'll just struggle to get people to care.

With his musical skills, I have always thought about the fact that they are underwater. Maybe that's why he's awful because he's just blowing the water out of the clarinet....

A character who is rude, aggressive, and unsuccessful, but has a high level of skill towards art that no one appreciates. Yup, Squidward is the cartoon representation of Van Gogh.

I remember admiring his art. It looked like _art_ in a way that wasn't quite abstract, halfway between a portrait and a blob, but with solid colors mixing and smashing together with the colors around it in a way that pleases the eyes. There's a reason they're so easily recognized and that's because it's _good_

A very neutral yet brutally honest and straightforward video about the true nature of Squiward's art. I like it. I always asked myself why he was always treated in such a harsh and cruel way, when his arts always were really interesting and nice, and even inspired my 6 y.o. me(and even until 8) to try art even if i only had old school notebooks from kinder or elementary school and cheap poor-quality kid markers to make something nice out of it. I always felt like crying when seeing how cruel was the world with him, when he only wanted to be recognized as an artist, frustrated by life and a neighbour who seems to have TDAH+the worst personality ever. I loved sponge bob, but after being punched SO HARD as a kid for being like him("you are annoying", "be more quiet, your pitch voice is killing me", "can you please stop for one sec?? Ugh"), i TOTALLY UNDERSTAND why he would felt so bad about his life and why he's like that with Bob, since i get that most people could find him VERY annoying. He only wanted one thing, but couldn't make it, and i assume that, based on his failure record, this guy narcissism is only a coping mechanism to hide how insecure and sensitive he is about his work... (Bc, let's face it: Squidward felt annoyed at Bob for overcoming him, but if he was TRULLY so confident in himself, he would actually NOT be so easily affected by the fact that Spongebob actually did better without knowing "the fundamentals" of art.)

Other art channels: testing products and giving lessons Solar: _is squidward really a bad artist?_

Nice video essay, Squidward. But you're not fooling anyone

I would argue that doing self portraits in order to master 7 art medias is a genius idea. in order to practice all of those crafts in a more efficient amount of time, you need to have a art model by your side at all times 24/7; and one can achieve this by simply working in front of a mirror.

Squidward's art is not about himself it is about his enemy...

He also made a perfect realistic sculpture of Pearl, but it wasn't appreciated it because it was made out of hamburger meat

Hot Take: Bold and Brash does not belong in the trash

Art is something largely driven by self-fulfillment so if he’s able to go on loving his art despite the critiques everyone gives him then I’d say he makes a fine artist.

I feel sad for squidward seeing spongebob excel in art during S2 Ep 18 "Artist Unknown". Squidward lectures spongebob about art and from the looks of it, he's passionate about being an artist. Whereas spongebob, unintentionally shoved to squidward's face his skills on art and how he's good at something that squidward isn't (based on the episode). There's nothing more depressing than a person showing you they are far better at what you are passionate about than yourself at doing what you love.

Simple: he's a great artist but he doesn't believe in himself which is why his genius only shows accidentally.

Squidward has broken the fourth wall to make a RU-vid video explaining why he is a good artist

7:31 "and Patrick is well... *Patrick"* hilarious couldn't have said it better myself

I feel like the sculpting episode highlights an important aspect of Squiadward that wasn't really explored here. He is cynical and egotistical, but its only when he lets go of this notion and acts purely by passion and to some extent looking out for someone else (Spongebob) he is truly able to achieve his goals.

Film Theory: Squidward animated the entire show. All of it.

Squidward is not an art style..... *Its a lifestyle*

when i'm bored my art: 90% When i'm focusing and working hard so much: My art: 10%

I think the message of the episode was artists don’t need to follow the rules, like SpongeBob

I think you can tell by my profile picture that I am an appreciator of the unappreciated arts

Another young artist ruined by cancel-culture 😢

I really just watched a 12 minute video on squidwards ability as an artist, I've never felt so powerful

3:46 I just want to mention this incredible sync.

the man literally learns varying forms of art, just to make self portraits. what a chad.

Hey, if art academy doesn’t want him, he can still pursue a career as a politician.

Squidwards art is still 10x better than a lot of modern art

i feel that as a creative child, I looked up to squidward when painting/drawing. I liked his color pallet he choses and the abstract style

In Season 2 Episode 26 "Squidville," Squidward moves to Tentacle Acres, a gated community of only other octopuses. Around five and a half minutes into the episode, he joins a clarinet trio (making it a quartet). He begins playing an accurate countermelody on his clarinet with no warm-ups, and then becomes the lead clarinetist the next day. Being that the other residents are just as snobbish and full of themselves as Squidward is, it speaks volumes to Squidward's skills as a musician that an established trio would accept his spontaneous arrival with no qualms, and then almost immediately elect him to the principal position.

Let’s just hope he doesn’t fail art school and develop a hatred for sponges

"Self-portrait of himself" Sounds about right

"I call it: bold and brash!" "More like: belongs in the trash!"

Squidward is the most underrated artist of this century. His art truly captivates and inspires many. He is beyond talent and he is superior. No artist can compare to him.

This is the most intellectual thing I have ever experienced thank you

I reverse searched the image at 8:25 into google, and what I found was a crazy rabbit hole of neurologists researching noninvasive brain stimulation for improving mathematical thinking 🤯

I love how you touched upon my favorite part of that episode: how SpongeBob is doing godlike actions and Squidward is just a mortal trying. But I think the reason why is also in the episode: Squidward is stuck within his own mind and SpongeBob is free of his mind (aka imagination). And that ties into the box episode where SpongeBob and Patrick are literally creating sounds and shockwaves within their box, while Squidward is free outside, yet still trapped in his mind 😂 Omg and then you touch upon the unconscious godly ability of Squidward… Squidward is also a god when his brain brakes down 😂😂 And then you just say the same answer at the end. I subscribed ❤

“The only thing in the way of Squidward’s success is himself” That’s oddly poetic since most of his art are self portraits, and it’s his narcissism that’s holding him back.

I want a bob ross style show with squidward instead and he is talking you through how to paint some of his self portraits while making fun of your painting. No spongebob or patrick should be in this show. Squidward has earned his own show.

It's not what you draw/paint that makes your art good or bad, it's how well you make it look. Bold and Brash may be a little funky to the eyes of some, but it's made very well. I personally like Squidward's work.

He is a good artist because he made self portraits of himself in a lot of different art types like the wax sculpture, the shrub sculpture, and the tile portrait. It takes a lot of skill to master all of those art types.

It’s so sad he’s basically an aspiring artist working at Mc Donalds.

Here's my stupid take on the matter Squidward is seen as a bad artist, not because of his technical skills, but because of how he uses art. Everything he paints, sculpts, cuts, and draws depicts the same exact thing, Himself. To Squidward, art exists only to immortalize himself, like a social media account that is used to show every last thing a person does in a day for upvotes, likes, and re-tweets. To Squidward, art is nothing more than a mirror. Look at this sculpture of me, compliment me. Look at this topiary of me This painting of me Me Me Me Me Me In the talent show, what did he do? Expressive dance. He did something that can't be done well or poorly, the "talent" he put out there was "Me.". View me, view my body, the way it moves, how special it is. Edit: one last thing. Squidward made an "improvement" to SpongeBob's statue. And what was that improvement? His own nose. His improvement is to make it more like himself.

I actually had a mental breakdown and started crying during this. Great video by the way!

In the "Artist unknown" episode Squidward's artistic skills are improved the least effort he puts in them. It is stated that many times too much effort brings the opposite results. This explains why Squidward draws a bad circle when he is trying the most, but is drawing a much better circle when he is trying the least.

Wait, can Squidward only draw a decent circle when he doesn’t realize he’s drawing a circle? The board says “101”, and the 0 is really good.

He certainly lives the life of an artist. A life in misery.

The reason why squidward is how he is is because he's been mistreated himself The only ones who treats him well he doesn't appreciate Which is probably because of trust issues

I love the "And Patrick is..." It's like "And Patrick is...well...we love him."

Bold and Brash is the most ambitious piece of artwork in this generation.

The older I get, the more I realize how relatable Squidward is...

This video is so good, it taught me so much about art, ego, creativity. I come back to this every once in a while because its just so spot on in its analysis haha

"At the end of the day, the only thing that stands in the way of Squidward is himself." Literally words to live by. It doesn't matter if you're the smartest and most skilled person in the world. If you have a terrible personality, no one will appreciate you and what you say or do. I myself learned that the hard way.

If Squidward was rlly a bad artist then why do I have ‘bold and brash’ hanging in my apartment?

Bold and Brash looks like something you’d see in a modern art museum.

I have always loved squidward's art is fun and beautiful. His dancing is cutting edge

Someone once told me "Part of growing up is watching Spongebob and realizing that Squidward was constantly done dirty." And years later I more strongly relate to the tired man who works a job he hates with people he can't stand, while only wanting to peruse his hobbies and be recognized for his own accomplishments in such. Children's media has a tendency of adding things for adult viewers, for the parents or older siblings that have to watch it for one reason or another. Spongebob Squarepants added a whole fucking character.

Ok why did I just realize that at 1:54 Squidward’s head covers the “cl” in “class” so that it reads “Art Ass”. Very clever animators. Very clever.

Listen up When he dies he will be treated like a hero just like a lot of other artists

Facts. Even as a kid, I always wondered why the citizens of Bikini Bottom hated his art, it's some pretty good shit.

Laughed the hardest I can ever remember for 1.5 mins straight, fell out of my chair to the floor, when you went YTP on “belongs in the trash”. My wife had no idea what had happened. Thank you!

Stephen Hillenburg in heaven watching this video: "I just wanted to to make funny show"

His art is way better than a duct taped banana.

Even after all these years and art school, I’m still pretty upset that my drawings don’t spring to life like the frankendoodle episode 😞

He makes art despite not being profitable for him or getting any recognition and even when everyone else critisizes what he does and finds it ugly and useless.That in itself is commendable.

just watched a 12 minute video of Squidward's art instead doing my homework

Next video: “Is Mayonnaise Really an Instrument?”

As far as I can see, this video is Art. Bravo.

i just realized the bubble details when they hit the marble at 2:33, damn the show had such good small details back then

Don't forget that Squidward also did all of this underwater and with tentacles for hands

I re painted bold and brash as a school project and someone legit bought it from me for $20 lmao

The nose on the picture when you said subconsiously made me chuckle, nice touch!

In some cases Squidward plays his clarinet super well, although it's usually when he's been validated as a person or having been shown genuine kindness which made him feel bad about his actions yet he resolves it and feels better, a la Christmas Who? or in the case of the tour bus episode, it was him making a resolve to put on one final show with Spongebob, and while the fish may have been distracted, his playing would've garnered attention if there was no spectacle going on like the meteor shower.