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Completed some art: And a gripe:
13 years ago
General
One more day in my life.
Completed projects:
As we have now passed MFM, and the quilt made for it seemed to have been a huge success, bringing in close to $500 for Tiger Haven. I learned a lot about better techniques. The fliers were a help. But next year I'll have a display for whatever I make as well as setting aside two to three hours to actively seek out sales.
As I type this, I just finished the Ask Wielder Project, in the sense that I will have answered at least one post per person. Some posted more than once. I will keep it open just in case anyone wants to ask more of me in the future.
I also was rather inspired from MFM. My muses were so noisy after the con that I threw together two images, both of which were done on the theme for next year's t-shirt contest. The down side is I cannot post them until next year. But I am quite impressed with the pieces. Not everyday I get done with two particularly complex pieces and actually feel satisfied my wrists are sore.
Future Projects:
Only one left for future consideration. And the catch is I can't draw it. I will eventually make a series of images based on many of my rather silly and out-there dreams. But I'll be asking other artists to interpret those images. If anyone knows artists willing to do trades, or has some affordable rates for commissions, please let me know.
And Gripe:
There just seems to be way too many people online these days, or just in general, who seem to be of the opinion that HAVING an opinion is a valid excuses to express it. Their sense of timing, or decency is lacking at best, or absent at worst. And the majority of these people seem to not understand the basic principles behind a critque. They offer their opinion as a criticism and cry out, should anyone complain about their opinion, that they were just offering 'helpful criticism' and should the target attack back with as much venom as they originally mustered these overly critical individuals or masses scream the battlecry of 'troll' or 'butthurt' and denounce the validity of the target's objections.
But here is the problem. Having an opinion is not a valid reason to EXPRESS that opinion. It MUST serve a valid purpose or the words will have no true validity. The PURPOSE of criticism is to help one grow. Therefore in order for it to be VALID criticism, one must follow a simple system. You must first evaluate the work. Then you must determine both the positive AND the negative elements. IT is at this point that you would then Express those points. But this is where so many get it wrong. They focus only on the negative elements or worse focus only on PERSONAL feelings caused by the work, which are not valid in such a criticism. Because how you FEEL is not going to be the same as the next person. But what is worse is most people STOP here, but the process is not finished. The most important step is the last one. It is at this point you are supposed to offer possible solutions to correct the flaws in whatever it was that was being evaluated.
This process is the same no matter what is being evaluated. But those who seem to understand this process are the most targeted when they counter this flagrant cynical behavior with genuine criticsim of their own.
There is a clear difference between offering criticism and being critical. And one other important thing about criticism. It's just plain RUDE to offer criticism without first securing permission from the one you will be criticising.
I guess I'm just tired of seeing creative minds giving away hard work, often for free, only to have some over-opinionated jack-up tear them down and not only expect them to KEEP making stuff for free, but be GRATEFUL for the venom and spite.
It's sickening and saddening how little they understand about the process and how much more useful they would be if they did....
As we have now passed MFM, and the quilt made for it seemed to have been a huge success, bringing in close to $500 for Tiger Haven. I learned a lot about better techniques. The fliers were a help. But next year I'll have a display for whatever I make as well as setting aside two to three hours to actively seek out sales.
As I type this, I just finished the Ask Wielder Project, in the sense that I will have answered at least one post per person. Some posted more than once. I will keep it open just in case anyone wants to ask more of me in the future.
I also was rather inspired from MFM. My muses were so noisy after the con that I threw together two images, both of which were done on the theme for next year's t-shirt contest. The down side is I cannot post them until next year. But I am quite impressed with the pieces. Not everyday I get done with two particularly complex pieces and actually feel satisfied my wrists are sore.
Future Projects:
Only one left for future consideration. And the catch is I can't draw it. I will eventually make a series of images based on many of my rather silly and out-there dreams. But I'll be asking other artists to interpret those images. If anyone knows artists willing to do trades, or has some affordable rates for commissions, please let me know.
And Gripe:
There just seems to be way too many people online these days, or just in general, who seem to be of the opinion that HAVING an opinion is a valid excuses to express it. Their sense of timing, or decency is lacking at best, or absent at worst. And the majority of these people seem to not understand the basic principles behind a critque. They offer their opinion as a criticism and cry out, should anyone complain about their opinion, that they were just offering 'helpful criticism' and should the target attack back with as much venom as they originally mustered these overly critical individuals or masses scream the battlecry of 'troll' or 'butthurt' and denounce the validity of the target's objections.
But here is the problem. Having an opinion is not a valid reason to EXPRESS that opinion. It MUST serve a valid purpose or the words will have no true validity. The PURPOSE of criticism is to help one grow. Therefore in order for it to be VALID criticism, one must follow a simple system. You must first evaluate the work. Then you must determine both the positive AND the negative elements. IT is at this point that you would then Express those points. But this is where so many get it wrong. They focus only on the negative elements or worse focus only on PERSONAL feelings caused by the work, which are not valid in such a criticism. Because how you FEEL is not going to be the same as the next person. But what is worse is most people STOP here, but the process is not finished. The most important step is the last one. It is at this point you are supposed to offer possible solutions to correct the flaws in whatever it was that was being evaluated.
This process is the same no matter what is being evaluated. But those who seem to understand this process are the most targeted when they counter this flagrant cynical behavior with genuine criticsim of their own.
There is a clear difference between offering criticism and being critical. And one other important thing about criticism. It's just plain RUDE to offer criticism without first securing permission from the one you will be criticising.
I guess I'm just tired of seeing creative minds giving away hard work, often for free, only to have some over-opinionated jack-up tear them down and not only expect them to KEEP making stuff for free, but be GRATEFUL for the venom and spite.
It's sickening and saddening how little they understand about the process and how much more useful they would be if they did....
Anything else is just sheer snarkiness.
Jealousy, perhaps, from those who *wish* they could do it as well as those they're trying to tear apart for daring to try.
And obviously, if they cannot come up with solutions then they should keep such critical opinions to themselves as they have o value otherwise.
I don't usually mine someone pointing out what they see wrong in my work, but the only ones who actually take the time to look at the work and see the weakest points are always friends. Every single time someone I don't know well has tried the whole "critic" routine, they've barely even bothered to restrain their sarcasm as they outright insulted me and my art. Do people just not understand what "criticism" actually is in relation to artwork?
A critique is useful. Artists can improve from a proper critique. But what so many do is far from that.
Sorry... I just... I see this stuff everywhere these days. On FA, Tumblr, Flickr, Youtube... people being rude and critical without actually having anything of value to say, but convinced they are saying things of extream value... and all the acting hurt when they are not praised for their negative opinions. I've just seen this so much that it is making me ill at times... yeah, actually ill. And I needed to vent a bit for opinions and considerations.
I've gotten such things too... hell I still have some of the letter saved. My favorite demanded to know if my mother would have been proud to know I drew fur porn. What's funny is my mom thought my fur porn was awesome. And I have the embarassing story to prove it. I always wondered what that person would have said if I told them that...
Sorry if I'm coming on strong. Insomnia kicked in and I'm wired right now. But I understand what it's like to feel like you cannot win either.
And no, this is one thing I don't think could be emphasized enough. I've been in a slump for months after dealing with people saying things like that to me. I'm still making art, when I have time, but I feel pretty much no desire at all to post any of it anymore... Which is kinda sad when I'm still improving my work all the time.
There are two audio files that always come to mind over this... 2 Gryphon did a rant on "art" and "art fans" that I usually listen to when someone makes frustrating (and infuriating) comments about my art. Unfortunately, I'm not seeing them on his site now though :(
This is one of the main reasons that I don't give critique unless specifically asked.
I use the same rule... I only ever offer critiques only if requested...
"Never Apologize For Your Art" as well as one that says "Never Stop Growing In Your Art" (I need this one myself)
I think these two sayings go perfectly together because while an artist should never cow down to a critic (especially a rude one) neither should they disregard all advice and stagnate.
In short... being mean.
Fortunately, we are also free to ignore idiots.