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You should be careful what you say as an artist
12 years ago
This is sort of a "rant" and I don't think I do this very often.
Based on a recent experience and things that I have heard from others I feel like somethings should be said.
A couple of days ago I was excitedly asking a fellow artist a couple of questions regarding a project that I was working on. I considered them to be quite skilled in what I was attempting to do and wanted some advice.
Upon asking the question the response I got back was if I didn't want to take the time to do the research on my own then it probably wasn't for me.
Now of course I was hurt, but already being a somewhat established artist with confidence in what I do I was able to roll it off and just continue with my plans, albeit without any help from the other person.
However, you cannot deny that artists in this fandom, especially higher level ones carry a certain pull or respect from their peers, at the very least people are looking to their paintings and drawings for inspiration. With this comes a certain weight in what we say, especially to sensitive fledgling artists who don't have the kind of stored confidence in their abilities that the more practiced individuals have.
I personally know a few people who have stopped drawing altogether based on off-handed, rough, or dismissing comments from people whom they respect and admire. I don't think at all that they dont have the passion to continue, but when someone whom you look up to waves you off, or just flatly decimates you in some way, that can destroy some people's motivation.
I do understand that as an artist gets better and better, more and more people look up to their work, take what they have to say about art more seriously, etc, etc, and at times you just don't feel like answering everything.
But you should always keep in mind the people and communities within which you work, and how you felt/feel when you draw and create, how someone can be so alight with passion and eagerness only to have it completely crushed and withered based on the fact that you may have just been feeling grumpy that day.
Do we have a responsibility to help each and every person who comes to us with a question or concern? Of course not, even though I have found that helping others along also helps me learn, but I think that in a way we do have a responsibility to at least be mindful in how we respond to those who seek our help, at the very least, if we are feeling snarky or angry, to hold off on responding until we are in a better mood.
Based on a recent experience and things that I have heard from others I feel like somethings should be said.
A couple of days ago I was excitedly asking a fellow artist a couple of questions regarding a project that I was working on. I considered them to be quite skilled in what I was attempting to do and wanted some advice.
Upon asking the question the response I got back was if I didn't want to take the time to do the research on my own then it probably wasn't for me.
Now of course I was hurt, but already being a somewhat established artist with confidence in what I do I was able to roll it off and just continue with my plans, albeit without any help from the other person.
However, you cannot deny that artists in this fandom, especially higher level ones carry a certain pull or respect from their peers, at the very least people are looking to their paintings and drawings for inspiration. With this comes a certain weight in what we say, especially to sensitive fledgling artists who don't have the kind of stored confidence in their abilities that the more practiced individuals have.
I personally know a few people who have stopped drawing altogether based on off-handed, rough, or dismissing comments from people whom they respect and admire. I don't think at all that they dont have the passion to continue, but when someone whom you look up to waves you off, or just flatly decimates you in some way, that can destroy some people's motivation.
I do understand that as an artist gets better and better, more and more people look up to their work, take what they have to say about art more seriously, etc, etc, and at times you just don't feel like answering everything.
But you should always keep in mind the people and communities within which you work, and how you felt/feel when you draw and create, how someone can be so alight with passion and eagerness only to have it completely crushed and withered based on the fact that you may have just been feeling grumpy that day.
Do we have a responsibility to help each and every person who comes to us with a question or concern? Of course not, even though I have found that helping others along also helps me learn, but I think that in a way we do have a responsibility to at least be mindful in how we respond to those who seek our help, at the very least, if we are feeling snarky or angry, to hold off on responding until we are in a better mood.
I fully agree and under stand your statement here.
I taken LOTS of hits and eaten lot of crap from other artists and many artists i love, most of the times i got hurt because they thought "i wasn't skilled enough", maybe they were right, maybe they are still right, i don't care, but as the quote above says, all those bad comments, critiques, and whatever, didn't make me stop at all, maybe at first my morale was below the feet soles but they also say "no matter how many times you fall as long as you stand up", and that's what i did, i stood up, i took those bad comments and words and instead of crying upon myself in a corner i still cryed, but working hard to make sure those words won't be sayd anymore to me too.
Maybe those artists are just full of themselves but if you feel offended don't mind what they told you, they say "is not stuff for you" ? Proove them wrong ! Get your anger or whatever it is and for how hard work it could take proove them wrong because i'm sure you can do it !
Besides i don't think those are the only artists good on the kind of stuff you need to work on, maybe you just asked to the wrong persons try with somebody else, they aren't the latest artist on the Earth for sure.
Arf, sorry if maybe i sounded stupid or rude, is that those things make me boil since i had to take lots too ^^;
Just seems to me that with furry artists there is less of a professionalism and more of an immaturity. If you go asking them for advice they probably think you are going to steal business from them lol. Lord knows that many of them still could use more work on their craft, but since they have perfected the ability to draw a dick people call them 'masters'
Anywho, sorry for the little rant. Just my experience so far with furry artists and the non artists who enjoy drawing furry art.
I don't think people understand that there are better artists out there who actually are professional and super awesome nice about everything. I swear I could compile a list of nice artists with a great deal of talent that aren't even well known on FA yet but stars on DA or other places.
Artists not getting paid enough? ugh that is a debate that has been going on since the dawn of time. Considering I've seen some of these high dollar artists only work for 45 minutes and get paid 100+. As for fair, that can be debated too seeing as its usually the same 'people with huge pockets' who win every auction or they snipe at the last minute like douche bags. It's not professional and its by no means fair to the average customer wanting the product you have.
Easy way to make lots of money, while telling your average customer to go fuck themselves. Seems like an easy money scheme to me, even better when its a YCH and the customer has no control over what the scene is at all.
Again, a debate that could go on for hours on end. No one can deny that all the pro's go to the artist.
Still sucks for your average consumer though, but hey, that's the artists call eh?
Artists may not have the responsibilities to answer any questions or help each other through critique, but to be disrespectful and treat a fledgling artist as a worthless peon is just plain mean and no good.
Seems to be a 50/50 thing I think. Half of the artists who "make it" are elitist overbearing jerks, and the other half remain humble and sensible about things.
Now he has no suit and no motivation to try. Just makes me want to go back to these people and rip their heads off for being such pricks. I can't motivate him to try again thansk to them.
Still, good luck with your new project and good luck with correspondence with other fine artists. ^_^
I recently asked an artist about some tips and he was very helpful to me and nice about it, but I have been shunned in the past also. The better artists get tainted and usually get a case of ip there isn ass, from becoming popular and forget that they started somewhere too. I'd feel terrible if I ever said sonthing that stopped someone from drawing again.
seems they don't think about their effect on others, or how it makes them look.