I feel you, as I try to be a writer sometimes.
What would be a sign of people appreciating your art, in your opinion?

I dunno. I guess I see follower numbers but then see engagement numbers not even matching 10% of my follower numbers so it feels a bit demotivating. I know people are busy especially with the economy being butts.

I enjoy your stuff, however I rarely give a like to anything (and not only art related, also youtube videos) I see something like "250 favourites" or even 50.000 likes, and think "Why fav or like this? my like will be drown into a sea of likes, like throwing a glass of water into the ocean, wouldn't make any difference at all". It's like if my like it's only 0.00001% of the total, feels like it worths nothing.
It's much more likely I give a like to something that has 1 - 10 likes or so than something which was hundreds or thousands.
Perhaps that's what happens in a bigger scale with more people?

Do it for the artist, who revels in engagement. :3

When you try to do your own works, not many people know the character very well or it might not be popular/well known to much of the public.

What has happened is that many of the artists I used to like, I've moved on to find other artists in the process. Over time, I found myself looking at a certain type of artwork and literature I really love the most, but also, Youtube videos and listening to music I've downloaded offline is what I enjoy the most.

Also, not everyone is going to have spare money in order to keep commissions coming, and some people probably lost their way in faith, deportation and tax issues, having to take care of families nowadays compared to years back, economic inflation issues and hoping to stay afloat for one more month...It's quite difficult and people have to do more work than necessary, resulting in many people becoming more tired for less pay (I know I have when even my first job I've done, that I've stuck with for so long, has caused me to feel a bit less motivated over time, to where I just try to do the bare minimum necessary to avoid having trouble with boss at work).

As for why people have stopped caring about your work....That, to be honest, is the same question I would ask myself if that's the case....Who knows...

Yup, this is very good advice. Making a portfolio of known and popular characters such as Spider-Man, Superman, etc. might really help show off your skill.

Yeah....Reference and Bio sheets goes a long way to help people understand the characters as well...That's just how I see it, you can only draw and get commissions from people so much until other things take priority, and well, you end up in this situation where you feel as if you're not good enough; even though that's just the case of "a fork in the road" type of situations.

Hey, I totally get what you're going through. I was in the same place just a couple of weeks ago, and honestly, it wasn’t until I gave myself a proper break that I started to feel better. Feeling this way really sucks — that pressure to make every drawing perfect, to get more likes or attention than the last one… and when it doesn’t happen, it’s easy to feel stuck. You start doubting your style, your skills, and comparing yourself to bigger artists who seem to get all the views.

In my case, I got so stressed — for personal reasons and all that — that I couldn’t even draw a simple circle properly. It started to feel like a heavy chore instead of something I loved, and for a moment, I even thought I might never be able to draw again.

What really helped me was stepping away from drawing completely. Just disconnecting and doing other things for a bit — resting my mind. Even just two days without touching a pencil, doing things I enjoy like gaming, watching shows, or exercising, really helped clear my head and shake off those bad thoughts. Trying out different things, like experimenting with new styles or approaches, can help too.

I don’t know how much you rely on drawing, whether it’s for work or just passion, but even if we love it, it’s still a demanding job — and like any job, we need to take breaks and give ourselves time off.

I really hope sharing my experience helps you even a little. You've got this. <3

Sounds pretty rough. Don't suppose there's the option to step away from art for a bit? Maybe try something a bit outside the norm if you can't?

Yeah, it really sucks. A lot of times it stops being a hobby and instead just becomes work.

You are very far from the only one to make a journal asking "X followers but Z comments." I think the trick remains to just do what you enjoy and not stress yourself out over the details.

A little bit of the reason that is hard is because this is one of my jobs and sources of income. So traffic is nice. While I dont give a damn about popularity, I do kind of like the idea of an active community because that means more potential revenue. I do enjoy drawing and I love the enjoyment I bring others but it just sucks to always be stressing because of these factors.

I can speak as a writer that writes a lot in other platforms and has seen a pattern like this too: it is not just you and it isn't really a sign of decline. People are overall busy depending on the specific month, timezone, or overall personal situations. I have also seen some of my old stuff suddenly get lots of insight months or years later because people remember they had made mental notes to see this stuff and kind of forget.

As a personal fan of yours, I just enjoy watching your stuff on E621 or R34 since I can work around tags better in those places than with FurAffinity. So, while you may not see the entire insight over how many folks watch your things, it doesn't mean that your followers are following you 'just because'. I definitely pay attention to your updates, I just prefer to watch it in other platforms out of convenience than else.

Still, I hope you find a way out of this slump and keep drawing! (Especially Magi. I like Magi~.)

I wish there was something I could do to help :(

First your ste is attractive and amazing

Two, almost everyone keeps growing, I mean I literally only found one person ever that didn't, and if you try new stuff and it looks like crap, then it is cause you are trying something new, and not experienced in it. You watcher won't see it in the same eye you do though, cause you know where every mistake you think you made is, we don't (seriously just watch a acting spend 5 minutes making 1/2 a hear when 90% of those tries looked great)

Trust me it really is mostly just your fear. That is hard to get over. Some can't, I can't even say I can. But I can say I believe that you fear is 100% lying to you

Believe me when i say I'd love to work with you far more. I've been watching your work since the early days of DA and I love everything you put out, but it is very easy to get lost amid the sea of art sometimes. That being said, i kick myself every time i don't have enough to buy from you.
Would you like us to comment more, or is the more to it then just that?

Would love to commission you some more, but I've been in a pretty rough spot financially for a while.
Some day, though!

Oh I am absolutely aware of the current situation financially with many and by no means do I wanna come off like I am begging for money or demanding my community to support me. I suppose this is just the end result of a toxic social media culture that even when you try to avoid it, bleeds into your mentality or something.

Oh, I didn't take it that way at all. I adore your work and wish I could support you more than I can at the moment.

I think your art is amazing, even the ones you try differently. I'm guessing it depends on the kind of people who watch you.

Your art is frankly amazing, and if I had the cash to spare, I would buy another piece from you instantly. The biggest issue is that the usual metrics we use to gauge our engagement is bullshit. The rising numbers feed our sense of self-worth like a game of Balatro, with the number goal being our own preset views on how valued we are. Numbers ebb and flow for very random reasons, and the people who know how to play the game and make the numbers turn the way they want them to look like geniuses, but they're just guessing. I've had stuff that didn't get really popular until months after it was released, surged on by a sudden rediscovery of my work or an anchor piece that pulled attention to the character in general.

I don't think you're hitting your peak and stagnating, you just probably need a break to return to the part of drawing that excites you most. Give it a week or two, come back, and draw sequences and stories that capture your attention the most, and it'll stop feeling like work, it'll feel like something you wanted to do the whole time. ^^

The key to growth is persistence. Just keep making posts. Put stuff out there. Don't worry about how people feel about it. Just keep the engine going. The people who like your work will eventually find it if you keep pumping it out. Doesn't matter what it is, there a 10 billion or so people on this planet. Whatever you post is guaranteed to please at least a few million of them, but only if they can find it.

It is a bit more than that. You can put a lot of posts but nobody sees them. It is a gamble. The thing about it is, when it is your business, you do have to worry a bit about these things. To ignore them would only do me harm.

All I know is that a youtube channel that uploads 5 terrible videos a day will gain traction faster than one that posts a single good video every month. The more of your stuff that is out in the world, the higher the chance is that someone is going to see it and spread it. Even people who hate your content with a burning fiery passion can help spread your influence, but hey, if you are that worried, you can always just make an alternate account. A fun anything goes sort of place where you can divert without forcing things on your established fanbase. Like how Freckles uploads hyper content as Soto. People who don't like hyper can just ignore Soto and follow Freckles. Something like that...anyway whatever you do...just make sure you do something. Preferably something you enjoy doing.

I don't really do anything, but I feel like motivation is something I've always struggled with. Try to force yourself to do something you know you love. Easier said then done, but I don't want anyone else to join me in the cycle of procrastination.

Motivation is really hard, especially when fears and worries consume your mind. That and depression.

For what it is worth, your work is appreciated. I always feel a bit of joy when I see a new post from an artist or writer or creator that I am subscribed to, just because I'm happy to see that they're still making stuff. You're one of my favorite artists, one that I've followed over a decade now, and the fact that you're still around...it may sound strange but it's kind of reassuring in a way. Know that no matter what, your audience will always be here for you.

I know I want to commission you a lot again like before, lots of new ideas been keeping written down as my bucket list when I have a more financially stable situation

But I never believe you'll fade away if you have been around for so long and you still keep yourself both consistent and improving at the same time, I've been there when you were in "ye olde times" in DevArt and follow you through here since then, and I think some artists have those times where it gets to a point where they question themselves and it can be a bit scary, but I believe any sort of validation to tell you that you are great and as long as you still have fun AND keep yourself stable while drawing, then there's nothing to fix if nothing was ever broken. And I'll still be right here to support you like many others.

Most every artist I keep an eye on I want to get something from, but finances need to cooperate more

If it makes you feel any better, Suirano, I know what you’re going through. As a smaller artist, there’s been times where I wonder if people even know that I exist and that really hits you right in the confidence and motivation to continue.

But I like to think that if my images can get even one like or favorite, then that’s enough for me to consider it a successful image regardless how little feedback I receive. That helps me to stay motivated and the fact that I love drawing in general. ✌️🐺

I don’t know if you’ll read this or if it’s helpful, but I wish I was only half as good of an artist as you are. I’ve been following your art for some years now and you have always impressed me. Please, don’t lose hope. ❤️

(PS: Sorry if I’ve repeated myself here. You uploaded two journals, so I’m not sure if you saw this.)

I have the reverse issue - as a writer, i don't have the drive to begin. I wonder how to write my own srory when there's a million ways to begin.

Regardless of how many followers you have, regardless of how little they comment, know that your pieces will be enjoyed by many, and many more will find them in the future, even if they never think of anything to comment with.

You're one of my favourites when it comes to artwork, so I very much hope you continue, because I can definitely say your works enrich my life.

What's a something different that missed the mark?
Have you ever drawn together into one spot what you would like to explore or focus on so it's pointed out that that's a special thing and to give it a better look for why it's unique?