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Tough love, anyone? Short version at the bottom.
13 years ago
Hi, I'm Alaric, and this is my Journal.
Okay, before you read this, take into consideration that the only submission I have is digital lineart drawn using a mouse.
I don't claim in any way to be good at art. I'm a musician, it's what I do. However, some of the people on this site are severely deluded.
I go to the homepage, and in less than 30 seconds I can find a horrific piece of garbage that looks like it has been drawn by an 11 year old with broken fingers and no awareness of proportion. It's depressing.
If you think this applies to you, here's the important part.
DON'T QUIT. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DON'T QUIT.
Sure, you might suck, but don't be a complacent retard and keep drawing like everything's okay.
Practice. Learn new styles. Improve your sense of perspective and proportion.
Once I get my tablet, you know what I'll be doing? Improving. Learning things that will progress my art.
Not sitting there saying "HURRDURR THIS IS SHIT BUT GIVE ME ATTENTION pl0x" and uploading badly pencilled dragon penises on dirty paper that haven't been scanned, oh no. No scanner... What to do? Use a mobile phone camera.
Sure, a 3.3 megapixel 4mm lens is going to accurately capture your shit artwork.
And if I think something's shit, I WILL NOT upload it. I accept that I leave my artwork at the mercy of the rest of the users on this site, and therefore, being the self-conscious perfectionist that I am, I will only upload work that can't be torn to pieces by the other worst type of people on here; LURKERS.
Yes, more rodent than human, these little fuckers like to think that they are underground critics. They think that because they have seen every episode of Wolf's Rain and Balto, and fapped to every one of Adam Wan's pictures that they have the right to fucking slate the shit out of any artist's work just because they have seen a lot of art.
Let me put it this way: I KNOW how to draw. Physically transferring that knowledge into art is where I struggle.
I will openly admit, that though I am straight, there is a varying degree of pseudo-bisexuality in me, depending on my mood.
I can therefore state that I have seen a lot of Female Solo, Straight and Lesbian art, and quite a lot of Male Solo, Gay, and maybe even a fair amount of herm art.
The thing about me that makes me different is that I don't ever rip someone's art apart because "It sucks" or "Needs moar cockz lolz".
I am constructive. I am kind. I know what it feels like to be criticised, believe me, I have a mother.
I am sensitive to the fact that criticism, even though constructive, has to be delicately worded in order to bypass the "What an asshole, I'll ignore that" approach, and also to step around the "Oh wow, that's all true, I never realised how much I suck" emotional shitstorm.
TL;DR
If you suck, improve.
If you upload, make sure the image quality is at least average. (That includes the camera/scanner you use and the quality of the art itself)
If you don't upload, think about what you're saying before you attack another artist.
If you don't upload because you don't really know much about drawing/painting, Shut the fuck up.
If you feel like you must criticise a piece of art, be kind, be constructive.
This has been an FA public service announcement.
I don't claim in any way to be good at art. I'm a musician, it's what I do. However, some of the people on this site are severely deluded.
I go to the homepage, and in less than 30 seconds I can find a horrific piece of garbage that looks like it has been drawn by an 11 year old with broken fingers and no awareness of proportion. It's depressing.
If you think this applies to you, here's the important part.
DON'T QUIT. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DON'T QUIT.
Sure, you might suck, but don't be a complacent retard and keep drawing like everything's okay.
Practice. Learn new styles. Improve your sense of perspective and proportion.
Once I get my tablet, you know what I'll be doing? Improving. Learning things that will progress my art.
Not sitting there saying "HURRDURR THIS IS SHIT BUT GIVE ME ATTENTION pl0x" and uploading badly pencilled dragon penises on dirty paper that haven't been scanned, oh no. No scanner... What to do? Use a mobile phone camera.
Sure, a 3.3 megapixel 4mm lens is going to accurately capture your shit artwork.
And if I think something's shit, I WILL NOT upload it. I accept that I leave my artwork at the mercy of the rest of the users on this site, and therefore, being the self-conscious perfectionist that I am, I will only upload work that can't be torn to pieces by the other worst type of people on here; LURKERS.
Yes, more rodent than human, these little fuckers like to think that they are underground critics. They think that because they have seen every episode of Wolf's Rain and Balto, and fapped to every one of Adam Wan's pictures that they have the right to fucking slate the shit out of any artist's work just because they have seen a lot of art.
Let me put it this way: I KNOW how to draw. Physically transferring that knowledge into art is where I struggle.
I will openly admit, that though I am straight, there is a varying degree of pseudo-bisexuality in me, depending on my mood.
I can therefore state that I have seen a lot of Female Solo, Straight and Lesbian art, and quite a lot of Male Solo, Gay, and maybe even a fair amount of herm art.
The thing about me that makes me different is that I don't ever rip someone's art apart because "It sucks" or "Needs moar cockz lolz".
I am constructive. I am kind. I know what it feels like to be criticised, believe me, I have a mother.
I am sensitive to the fact that criticism, even though constructive, has to be delicately worded in order to bypass the "What an asshole, I'll ignore that" approach, and also to step around the "Oh wow, that's all true, I never realised how much I suck" emotional shitstorm.
TL;DR
If you suck, improve.
If you upload, make sure the image quality is at least average. (That includes the camera/scanner you use and the quality of the art itself)
If you don't upload, think about what you're saying before you attack another artist.
If you don't upload because you don't really know much about drawing/painting, Shut the fuck up.
If you feel like you must criticise a piece of art, be kind, be constructive.
This has been an FA public service announcement.
Critique is certainly an artists main way of improvement - but that being said, one must have images to be critiqued.
No matter how bad you suck - I'd say post away. As long as your intent is to challenge yourself and try new things - you're going to get better.
And if you have any sort of an audience - perhaps befriending some artists in the field, they'll only exponential help your learning.
All that being said - any input, is input. Regardless of if the audience has ever picked up a pencil or not, ANYONE can spot out a stupid mistake. Of course, you'll get the tard who thinks they know what they're talking about here and there - however even the simplest comments such as "THAT BOOB LOOKS MESSED UP" is helpful. Your audience is your customer and boss at the same time. They're also your peers. Their input is just as valuable as anyone elses, assuming they're giving it.
Just some interesting other points of views. Certainly - everyone sucks, and never let "not sucking" get to your head. This just makes everything difficult when you expect things of yourself. But yup - practice practice practice.
You also forgot a very important one.
Ask questions - all the time =)