tends to happen to me too

i know that feeling.

people want free things, it tends to happen, kinda sad actually, i try to appreciate both the free stuff and the personal things since -both- are awesome :C

well I dont go to streams cause I get outshined by others which makes my presence there pointless (free or not free sketch)

I go into Streams sometimes too and have this happen. I tend not to stay long because of it. x3

streams are mostly a roulette basically unless you are close to the artist in question lol

Partially this. I can't blame them, individually people I've talked to can be pretty awesome despite that they may be rather popular. Throw them in a chat for freebies and other popular people though and sometimes it just devolves into a circle jerk of them boasting and swooning about theirs and other popular characters.

well mostly the artist in question is focused to talk to his actual friends (if there are allot of people in there)
which leaves fans like me to sit there and watch their convo and art.

Also another thing that motivates me to go to a free sketch besides the sketch is having a fair chance at winning/getting one
if I absolutely know I dont have a chance cause its unfair, like "only my friends" or "first come first serve" sort of deal
then the whole free sketch is a mute point

but like I said before if I dont get outshined by others then I would go regardless of free sketch or not

^This right here

I don't go to streams unless its for something Ive commissioned or something that being sold in stream like stream slots or something...

Your reason is legitimate and I feel the exact same way and I don't bother with free shit half the time because artists find my character creepy or not sexy or appealing enough. Which to that point i just unwatch them. But yeah going to streams typically bores the shit out of me unless its a workshop or one of my close friends streaming. Artists tend to just ignore everyone except their friends.

I did get one free thing though from WD which I really appreciated and it was EXTREMLY unexpected because it wasnt a free stream sketch it was for something else and I jsut happened to be one of the first and only 3 ppl in there and he was like "you guys get a sketch".

Then theres the fact that most streams take place either when i need to sleep or go to work and not during my free time lol.

yes those are the reasons why I would go.

If its for a commission of mine, If im not outshined by others, If I am the artist friend and we know each other well enough and/or if free art is fair to win.

just watched your gallery and I do remember what I did for you, but why didnt you asked for the whole thing!? XD really I love the design and all, its not creepy, well maybe it is, but thats why I find it awesome :) I may do something for you later, really really like those ghostly hands :D

o_o lol Wow thank you WD! I do have a few fans for my gal but not many are artists lol. I appreciate your interest in her in means a lot :) haha but if you did that for me that would totally make my life XD I've been hoping you'd open your commishes up cuz your work is the freakin best!

note me :)

[qoute]I don't go to streams unless its for something Ive commissioned or something that being sold in stream like stream slots or something...[\quote]

That's a shame. When I do streams I'm hoping new people show up to talk to.

*Le sigh* epic fail on quoting...

Your character is amazing. :O i've always liked the concept of "ghost hands"

XD haha thank you

I've seen the idea used in several japanese animes and such before and I'd always thought it was awesome X3

Let me rephrase that before the shit storm

MOST artists tend to ignore people except their friends.

I would've giggled if people actually got angry and took it as a personal attack. :3

Eh you never know dude... I hang out in a lot of mmo forums and people take anything up the butt just so they can have a reason to be mad and flame around there LOL

thats how things work, folks like free things, they watch you to see if they can get free things in the future

Blind followers. Avoid when you can.
Welcome to FA! Where people dont care about quality of what goes into a piece and stay for fapping! (shudders)

Relatively of course >)

it is a friday night so there is a good chance for people to be out enjoying the evening on the town.

This happens to a LOT of artists.


Free stuff? 234589M820 watchers in there hoping for something

Nothing free? 2 people :B

Well, i watch you cause you're awesome and cool. Like most of the artist i watch

I just got home, i'd gladdy watch your streams when i can.

i know that feel

cause people only seem to care when theres free stuff involved.

Welcome to FurAffinity.

People flock over free things...there are literally people on here who have dozens of pieces of their character drawn and haven't paid for a single one of them. I can understand wanting free things but I dunno, at a certain point I felt good commissioning artists I like...it helps them out.

I think that part of the reson is that furaffinity atracks more antro lovers than humans, and because you mostly draw humans you dont get the viewers you like. try to find out whats is popular out there in the furry fandom and I bet you you will get more viewers even if you draw stuff for yourself. You must like some antro characters after all dont you, thats why you signed up for furafinity right?

been a long time here, used to have a nice amount of watchers in my streams regardless if it was free art, furry or not, but I think I was kind of cast aside when I opened my paysite, got alot of critiques from everywhere, kinda sad really. the comment I get alot is something like this (quoting some people) "oh if you dont join my site you are not a fan"
which I really dont understand, its not that I have forgotten about FA at all, since I started here, and not saying that if you dont join my site you are not a fan, that will be just stupid, I still care about my followers and watchers here, but they just seemed to lost interest ever since I started that paysite. really sux. but oh well, what can I do?

Its been a while since you livestream something right? I use to watch your streams and , I have to say.... you ae of great motivation to me, and I-m sure to others as well. Perhaps the fact that you open the site took the time away from you posting here, and it is regular that people dont follow you as much. An artist have to be consistent inposting here to have much followers, but also real life can be a bith and eveyone has a life of their own, so I would not take it personal because you are indeed a great artist and creating a website was for your own benefit. Art is a job for you not just a hobby. I dont think people has abandoned you . Is just that they moved one just like you and eveyone else.

And I think it has nothing to do with the free stuff, I see lots of streams with many watches and they are charging for what they do, but it is mostly furry art.

It really is a shame when that happens, I honestly wish I could of caught the stream.

I try to hop into Streams regardless, but timezones and other stuff keep me most often away

*shrugs* and sadly, free stuff tends to hog attention =/

That happened to me for a while. Now I just get no viewers regardless of free art.

I did pop into your stream, and I would have stayed, but my mother had surgery today. ;-;
I'm so sorry this happened to you. ;-;

or... offer them so that you do, indeed, get the desired number of views?
not everybody wants to spend their time watching without personal stake when they could be, for example, creating something on his or her own

Maybe don't announce free things and just do them amidst the stream. Let those who are loyal get the free stuff.

I have done this :) and its cool to know some peeps will go and stay regardless of the content, its nice to know who really supports you there fore, they deserve a reward

Keep on trucking then. Don't tell people you're giving freebies away.

I see it in those journals all the time, people who don't even follow the artist hoping to get free stuff.

Obviously you should pat those ten on the head. In the same boat shouldn't get to cranky offering free chicken and then crying cause everyone's eating your chicken.

lets put it like this:
free chicken(sketches)something like this http://www.furaffinity.net/view/7706264/--- at least 30 watchers
gourmet dinner (personal but well rendered) something like this http://www.furaffinity.net/view/8405435/---hardly 10

I'm not talking about the numbers. I fully agree it sucks but it's just like I said, it's a bit odd to offer something for free and then get cranky when people flood it.

I don`t think he was getting mad it was flooded I think he was upset because no one comes to the stream when he`s just streaming instead people will only come if they`re being offered something for the effort of coming.

this

Well things to take into consideration. What time did you do the personal one? how long was the time gap between the free one and the one you are complaining about? If they were back to back don't really expect people from the first one to come to a second one as that is a lot of time spent sitting in front of the computer that, unless you are playing a game, most people do not want to do. (Back to back being in the same day). As for the time of day, well if it was in the middle of the day, remember it is still the weekday, thus people are usually at work around such times, or school, also it is Friday, which means movie night or going out to a pub. The best time to do such things if you want large turn outs is first let people know like a week in advance, then put it on the weekend, either mid Saturday or anytime not morning on Sunday as usually people have Sundays off, or try to get it off.

I agree that it sucks people did not turn out for your second one but chances are it is not because the picture you were drawing was not free...it does not cost them anything to watch right? so the only thing really holding them back would be things going on in their lives. And finally I personally never saw a journal saying you were going to have a second one past that mouse you did...was it only sent to some people and not all your watchers? if that is the case then maybe you should ask those viewers as to why they were unable to attend...if you did make one and send it out to everyone that watches you, maybe there is a glitch with FA? because I saw no journal notification that you were doing a second one.

Mind you, I am not trying to say the way you feel is wrong or anything, I just want to give a few more reasons and things to consider before thinking that everyone that does watch, only watches when you do free pictures.

You have to know when the right time is to post. i found FA has a certain cycle to what times you post.
I've posted around 8PM many times, and found at the beginning, a lot of watchers will come to you. Over time, if you keep posting around the same time, you aren't going to get as many watchers, because you're posting at a time where the people who are already watching you see the art--and not the new people.

Try to vary the times you post. Sometimes post in the morning, in the afternoon, and at night. this allows for a wide variety of people to view your art, in case of time zones and such.

I wouldn't suggest posting something you worked really hard on, at a time when you've normally posted artwork (8PM for me). But also, try not to post it when everyone's at work, because then you REALLY won't get anything. At least when you've worked really hard on it, because that would be a bummer. ):

FA circle of life

I would be in your streams but I seem to never be awake or on FA when you post about these streams to catch them in time free or personal stuff.

;; Usually I go to streams 24-7, or used to.
This new internet I have has a download rate, and apparently streams are counted amongst the things that are 'downloaded'.
I'd most def attend all of your streams if I could!

It's hard to get viewers to watch a personal stream. Even when you state you're not doing free work or it's something personal they tend to still ask if you can do something for them for free. I honestly have begun to find it rude and distasteful. The best way I did find to get people to view streams is to establish an honest relationship with them. It makes everything a bit more enjoyable for the artist and their viewers ^^

Ayup happens to me mostly too. Its pretty disheartening.

I can't be there all the time but I try and sit in a stream if I don't have too much going on. I'm not in it to get free stuff, more to learn if anything.

I don't watch streams cause I don't know anyone there. It is like every stream chat I go to has their own secret club and I am not part of it. If it means that much to you I guess I can show up next time.

that's not surprising.
what you expect from people anyway

Welcome to Costco.

Happens to me too, but that's teh internets for you 0w0

I go to streams for neat art. But only when people tell me they're happening, I'm forgetful, life likes to hassle me. ;>>

NOOOOOOO!!! D8

Everyone's a cheapskate sometimes, including myself.

I would come if I could get streams to load on my computer ; u ;
I would love to just sit and watch you draw and see your technique It`s how I learn
Often, I find, people want to be compensated for the effort of going to a stream. They want something out of it which is really dumb.
I go to streams to learn things I don`t know about programs or get tips or just enjoy speaking with artists you get to know them better that way.

I miss most streams because im busy or they are held at times when i am asleep. i work nights and sleep evenings. But I dont go to streams because of free stuff in fact im maybe slightly less inclined to go to a stream offering free sketches since you will have a more crowded stream and less chance to converse with the artist.Free art often comes with strings attached.I usually prefer to pay for art even if its a small ammount

now this is a good input, never thought about it, thanks for the comment :)

I just stopped coming to most of your streams because you used to ban me for my "In Soviet Russia" jokes and then you also went and put most of your art behind that giant firewall of a paysite so that we can't even look at most of it anymore.

Well the road has to end somewhere WD,I just hope one day I can pay you for some lovely nice art cause I rather pay you

I know the feeling. Happens all the time, people just want their free stuff. I did swing into your Betty Boop stream but I had to go out before too long

heh. You still owe me art from last May because you accepted payment for it but then would only draw it during a stream and I find it very difficult to attend streams with my backwards sleep/work schedule to most people. You gotta figure out if you're more interested in the money or more interested in the popularity.

just interested in having a good name, I cant recall your name sry, but if we have a pending commission please note me the details, I knwo we can work out something :)

I think you have a good name already. I'll get in contact though and give you the details on it. Your art is great and I hope you figure out a way to balance pleasure and profit in a way that makes you happy.

Use a bate and hook strategy? Pull people in with free stuff to push your not-free stuff?

dude when ever you stream; I'm there. That is if I'm home.
I also enjoyed the 1 hour commission streams; probable because about 1 hour one 1 thing is about as much as I can do before I ADD out

I know for me it just feels weird because when a piece is a personal one, it feels more like a gathering of the artist and those close to them. When its something more casual like a commission it feels more like an open forum which in turn makes it feel less awkward entering their chat streams.

will when i have time, and yes free stuff and all freeloathers comes flooding.

You were streaming today? Didn't even know.

Sorry to sound cold, and someone may have touched on this, but you have 8000+ watchers. How many do you think watch SOLELY for free? How many have noted you? Asked how your day has been?

There are lurkers, art grabbers, fellow artists, busy bodies who can't find the time, lazy jerks, and friends. If you get 10 people in a stream, that sounds about right. That is above average of what I hear. Myself, I prefer to see the finished project that see it made.

Well if it makes you feel any better I tend to be unable to attend streams either way due to time contraints.

Personally, I don't have time to watch streams and stuff and most of the tiem they're at impossible hours for me.

the only times i'm really going to get something out of it is if there's freebies. I'm not an artist, there's strictly nothing I can learn watching someone stream their art.

I'm usually late to the party when you stream, bro. And besides, "Free T-shirts" has been scientifically proven to bring people out of the woodwork. Free artwork from someone of your abilities makes folk swarm. The interest beyond self interest for many of them is nil, though.

It has been a long while since I have been in a stream of yours, I should try to be there more

Correct me if I'm wrong, I could totally be off-base, but I don't remember you ever doing a advertisement image for your streams. For me the difference is between 15-25 viewers for journal entry alone to people fighting to get into a maxed out room when I do the image thing.

If its any consolation i didnt watch you cuz free stuff... i watched you cuz boobies

seriously you draw tits that arent like... inflated with helium... they sag and its fucking sexy WHITE DEVIL DRAWS WITH SCIENCE

That's just it. People want free.

I like how most artist anymore cant do jack shit unless somebody is watching them via stream.

My internet chugs like a motherfucker when I try to watch streams so I tend not to watch them in general.

x.x

You might not work this way, but if you post in advance of LS sessions you might get more people like myself to drop by? 10 or so people isn't that bad though, really.