the way they draw, what they draw... and sometimes if they draw a weird, unusual kink I like.

the skill and style is what get me to watch and artist and when the funds allow it and the artist is open comission them

If the artist has a good quality art style and draws things I'm interested in. That's pretty much the only two things for me. Though if the artist appears to be a douchebag towards others, I tend not to bother with them even if their art was good.

So reputation and attitude play a factor for you. Thank you for sharing.

Not really reputation per se. Though of course people who draw quality art tend to be popular. And the content doesn't matter that much, at least in clean/adult wise. I really love those artists who can draw scenery and has, uh, spirit in the pics. Showing how much the artist loves to draw.

I understand. I didn't necessarily mean reputation as in popular, but as in doesn't have all this dirt on them because they caused a stink at some point or had a bad attitude. I kind of look at reputation as PR it can be good or bad. Its important I agree.

The emotions that an artist can display in a character's eyes, they can tell a story completely different than the entire image depicted. Eyes are doorways into the soul, if you can capture them an how they speak properly, you can bring to life dreams we will only see in our wildest imaginations.

Another good answer. I agree.

Style, skill, expressions, color, sketches, no extreme fetishes or at least not many in the gallery. I honestly do no care for porn really. I mean, I mean I watch a lot of people with variety types of skills and talents, even some that are starting out and the artist has to have a good personalty. If they just rant, journal spam to an extent, and get mad all the time then I would unwatch whether they are good at what they can do or not.

Especially if they are downright rude and dramatic.

That's my two cents c:

For me, part style, part quality, part content.

A lot of the styles I like have at least some level of realism to them, there are exceptions, but that's the trend, art that looks like the person has a lot skill and cares about the quality of work also matters (especially when commissioning), and obviously, I'm more likely to watch or like someones art if the content is something I like, but there are some artists that despite content I will watch cause they are really skilled, there were/are a few artists here on FA, that drew gay art, I'm straight, but the quality and style was so impressive I still watched and looked and said, "that's really friggin' good!" despite not caring or maybe not even liking the content.

It's very much a "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" thing to me.

Oh, god, it's so vague, but "character," above all. Variance in expression and pose, making a common species look like an individual instead of Red Fox #5, etc.

I also prefer artists who tend toward more realistic proportions, even if the details are stylized. The toony look is adorable and has its place, but it isn't really my cup of tea, most of the time.

Also overly caustic or dramatic artists are a no go.

Super-toony, I should say, with the shortened limbs and "plush" look.

Sort of like the chibi look?

Yeah, that's one type. Also, the "living fursuit" look.

Oh I think I understand. Sort of the mascot type design. I'm kinda picky about that too.

Yeah, that's probably the best way to describe it, haha. I've seen a lot of pics that are cute in that style, but I generally don't relate to it, at least enough to enjoy it in my inbox all the time.

Clean lines and decent prices, and not a stuck up holier than thou attitude (like a fair few :C )

I think people in general should be polite and fair and treat eachother as equal beings.
Thank you for commenting.

Color. Proportion. Shading. Ass. Beyond that, the ability to draw a background is a definite plus.

--JuV<3

Awesome artwork and driving down with friends to spend a day at the beach with other friends!
A good attitude also works as well - I've unwatched a few artists cause they've just been unsavory or whiny.

In short: Be decent and be good at what you do.

Yes knowing someone a little more personally can help :D

What attracts me to artists, is their style. Things I want to try in my own art, techniques I appreciate and of course, a good personality.

Within reason, I will watch an artist who draws well no matter what is is they draw. Their artwork will be the first thing most folks see when they are introduced to an artist(shockingly.) but a good attitude goes a long way towards me deciding they are worth working with in the future. Theres a few artists I love work from but will never commission then, not necessarily because they are dicks but just because they tend to be inpersonal or act as if them getting paid to draw something is something of an inconvenience to them.

I myself can be a bit distant and not very personal. But I try not to do it to be a jerk. I'm just short winded and more often than not don't know what to say.
Thank you for your personal insight. :]

Ah valid point, I should summarize a little better- I meant those that simply seem too aloof and detached from the work to get back to you in a timely fashion, like Taking a week or more for a half sentence response about the state of your piece.

Style and Content (by content, I mean stuff that pertains to my interests/preferences/life/orientation)

Looking at, say, your work, I can say that I am attracted to the following:

>Consistent and 'good' style - 'good' being very relative, this one's kinda hard to pin down. I think your style is awesome, but I also think the MLP:FiM style has its merits

>Good expressions. Some artists make great pinups, but don't do much in actually 'using' their art to convey emotions and expressions. I think yours do this well

>Using their skills. You draw a lot of different things, kittens, aliens, dragons. Some artists stick to the same old things, always drawing the same basic thing over and over, never trying anything new...

Any number of things:
- The style they use.
- The characters they have.

The ability for the subjects drawn to have real character to them. All the textures and technical proficiency in the world mean nothing unless the end result has a heartbeat to it. I've been incredibly "good" pieces that just seemed lifeless, and fairly "bad" drawings that were incredible to me. I've little interest in porn, although if all the other elements are in place I certainly won't be turned away by it.

That's what attracts me to them as a WATCHER. When it comes to COMMISSIONING, it's largely about the artist themselves. If there's an awesome artist, but it takes five months to get a piece after I paid for it... I won't be going to them twice. Turnaround time is HUGE to me. I'm not saying it should be done the same day, but artists who have multi-month queues bug the SHIT out of me. Then there's the process. If I feel like the artist is mad when I ask for things to be changed on a piece I'm PAYING for, again I likely won't go to them again.

Just my two cents.

I'm interested in specific art styles, with bold lines and leaning towards the realistic side. Professionalism is playing a larger part in who I choose to commission now after a few experiences with a distinct lack of it. Pricing is another thing, I tend to look within a certain range after finding a style I like.

Originality skills and personality, I always unwatch people who just whine and starts crying all the time to get attention, also I seek people who aren't cookie cutter style, and are always doing new stuff

I'm attracted to a lot of things;
I really like design, so I pay a lot of attention to shape. A lot of the artists I watch have a great sense of silhouette and shape design. If it's charming I like it.
I'm actually less attracted to anything over-rendered. I think if something gets too worked it starts to get ugly. So the people I watch with less design influence and more render-monkey skills, I feel, have good balanced pieces that use shadow blocking to describe the forms. Which of course goes right back to design :3

Second, is content. I think pinups are vacuous and vapid. One of my biggest issues integrating into this community has been dealing with the lack of content to the images. They're narcissistic and aren't trying to tell my anything. They have no concept or story. And I hate them. :I
So, when an image is more than just a pretty picture, I am immediately drawn in. At risk of sounding pretentious, composition and thought are super lacking in this community and online galleries in general and THAT MAKES ME SAD. So when I see really lovely images that are truly thought out it almost makes them that much better :3

If I had to say... for me it could be absolutely any principle/ property out there in the art world that I see and like that will make me want to explore someone's gallery. Some artists seem to impress me through their overall linework/line quality while other artists may leave me in awe for the incredible amount of detail they put into their work. I suppose that since I am moving along through art school myself, I am more receptive to individual elements of a work's design as I learn about them which allows me to appreciate a great variety of art that much more. I guess that can explain why there's so many things that an artist can capture that I find appealing.

Usually subject matter I like. They don't have to be fantastic drawer, but they should have a basic grasp on how their mediums work :) A lot of times to its how friendly or outgoing some people are as well that makes me watch them

A number of things.

An interesting and well-told story works for me every time. For clever and witty writing I can even overlook awkward and primitive art (the User Friendly webcomic would be a prime example, since I'm a computer geek). A multidimensional story which can make me laugh, cry and think at the same time is always a winner (Pratchett, Glen Cook, Stanislaw Lem, Douglas Adams...)

For visual arts I enjoy simple, refined, dynamic lineart which shows the skill of the artist and gives an impression of an "ease" with which it is drawn; clean and tight. Think old Japanese drawings.

I'm also a sucker for warm, positive, funny art since I believe that there is enough pain in real world. In this respect TaniDaReal is my favorite anthro artist.

I'm attracted to a few things.

Use of color and light. I love dynamic lighting, and interesting color schemes.
Subject matter. I like fantasy and sci-fi paintings and scenery best, as well as cultural stuff.
Sometimes I'll watch someone simply because I can learn something from them. And since I try to keep my watch list manageable, I'll eventually unwatch people who I think can't teach me anymore.

And if a certain pic hits all three elements, then I will fave it :3

Makes sense to me! I thought about cutting down on my watch list recently. Not that I don't respect the artists but for the same reasons as you. Keeping things manageable. It sucks however that FA tells you when a watcher vanishes. FA you jerk :p

Only if the person is keeping track of their watcher count.
If you see a notification that someone has unwatched you, it's only because they had just watched you and unwatched you before you could clear your new watches. I'm sure I'd see a lot more of them if it showed me every time :P

Ah I see. Now I know.

Definitely emotion in pieces.

I will almost immediately watch an artist whose art style I really like and doesn't do incredibly excessive porn. Then, if they turn out to have an awful attitude, I will usually unwatch them.

I always have my eye open for something unique, so when I see a cool style, I dig it.

I like realism, vibrancy, sincerity, and whimsy in art. The best art has all 4!

Well there is the art style, the way to shadow, to color, everything that makes the diferences between an artist and another.
Plus, the way they manage the subjects or themes in their work shows a little of what they do.
I.e:
An artist that has realistic works can do a good job doing a more serious comic as well as an artist that does more cartoonish stuff can do a good job making something fun or hilarious

Really solid linework. Nice strong, confident lines. That grabs my eye. Really nice character poses and expressions are a plus...I lean more towards cartoony than realistic because of this. I'd take a strong emotive face over photorealistic wildlife art any day. Inventive use of color is another. Quirky and distinctive character designs is another thing that attracts me.

I actually look at their featured work and the content therein. I tend to watch people whose personal work I enjoy. :)

That's an interesting way to look at it. Reminds me I need to do more personal work. I rarely get the chance as of late.

Same here- some days I just want to shake my fist at commissions! >:C

Their girth. The alignment of their bottom row of teeth. What type of lamp they have in their guest bedroom.

Serious answer: coloring. I like a painterly, illustrative type of coloring. Also, texture; I don't really like art that seems too "smooth," "shiny" or "flat." The content of the artwork is also important, but it's much harder for me to really pin down what type of content I like -- it just has to click for me, and then I know.

I currently don't have a guest bedroom but if I did I'd put my Exit/Enter lamp in it. http://img2.etsystatic.com/000/0/61......205414906.jpg Do I pass your judgment?

I generally frown upon primary light sources that double as signage.

:( :( :(

Just look at those frowns I've thrown on you, feel bad.

but...but the ceiling already has a primary light :C

I still feel guilty non the less, forgive me! D:

I couldn't possibly stay mad at that icon. ;)

For me it varies from artist to artist. Often it is the quality of art. There are some who I watch because they are so amazing at what they do that I want to see it all, content doesn't matter. Blotch is a great example of this. Clean, adult, realistic, fantasy, if he creates it, I love it.

There are some artists, though, where character matters for me. I just stumbled across this pic (http://www.furaffinity.net/view/10564121/) on the home page a few days ago. The emotion his character had was so cute that I had to look deeper. After checking out his art, I had to watch him. Not only are his art stills amazing, he draws such cute things that I can't look away from. Astolpho is another artist that I watch for a cuteness factor.

Finally, there are some artist I watch because what they draw is erotic. I watch a number of clean artists, but what first drew me to the fandom was the adult material. It was the fandom that helped me come out to myself, so I certainly don't shy away from it here. There are been a few times when I see some art that... catches my attention. I was at a con recently and this happened. I got a commission from the artist, one because her art was good, and two, because her porn was hot. I really don't like boiling it down to something that base, but it is the truth.

There are probably a few other artist I follow for other reasons, but those are the three big ones I can think of right now. How's that for an answer.

I like it when an artist actually tries their best, the colors, the characters...the emotions they carry and if they draw things i'm a sucker for, like
bald females, cuntboys, reptilian or ocra like anthros to demons etc, beefy silly men, cute uke males...
and of course if they like my characters back and actually talk to me or rp or want to draw one of my oc's as much as I want to draw theirs is a plus :)

bald ladies eh? Very cool.

xD yup..its a fetish ...i cannot deny it lol

What attracts me to a artist for commissioning is the quality of their work, the price involved for the art intended to be done, and their reliability in delivering completed work (Defined as between a realistic timeframe and 6 months, the longest i waited for a piece of artwork)