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What do people like/dislike in my art?
8 years ago
Over time, I've just seen a massive decline in interest in what it is I make. I'm personally happy with my improvements. On a technical level, my art looks miles better than it did years ago when people were strongly interested in what it is I was making. But somehow it seems less people see it or are interested in it. It's honestly part of the reason I tend to keep my drawings to myself despite my therapist thinking its a terrible idea. In my mind, why upload something when "no one" is going to see it?
But I don't know the reasons why. I'd like to though. Is it something with my art? Is it too dull? Not interesting enough? Is it because I don't upload frequently enough? The times of day I upload? Or is it me in general? And if it is, just say what it is I do wrong because I'd like to fix it. If I'm doing something wrong, I won't know what it is if people don't tell me.
I'm not lying when I say I'd like to be a freelance artist. I'd like to make art work for me, but I can't figure out why I don't get much interest even for cheaper options like sketches or quick headshots/digital badges. If anyone knows what I can fix or whatever, I'd like any advice I can get.
But I don't know the reasons why. I'd like to though. Is it something with my art? Is it too dull? Not interesting enough? Is it because I don't upload frequently enough? The times of day I upload? Or is it me in general? And if it is, just say what it is I do wrong because I'd like to fix it. If I'm doing something wrong, I won't know what it is if people don't tell me.
I'm not lying when I say I'd like to be a freelance artist. I'd like to make art work for me, but I can't figure out why I don't get much interest even for cheaper options like sketches or quick headshots/digital badges. If anyone knows what I can fix or whatever, I'd like any advice I can get.
I've always been a fan, and have noticed dramatic improvements!
However, I've also been having the same problems as you. I feel like I've improved however, the participation just isn't there.
Honestly, it's because so much of the fandom is moving away from FA. Even established artists are feeling like they have to start over here again from square one...you can have a lot of watchers that you've accumulated over a long time, but half of those people aren't their anymore, and the result is a lot of dead accounts.
It's like I've been forgotten about or they moved on to better artists.
That's why I do my best to leave some because I know how discouraging it can get.
I do try to leave some myself. A lot of the times I got so many submissions to go through that I can't think of a good comment.
If it's a matter of "starting over" that would suck. On here activity is bad and I barely know how to use other sites.
In general I have the same issue no matter what site I'm on. Which is why I feel it has to to more with me than the site.
I'm a lot like you...I don't really know how to use other sites, and other art-based sites are even less active than FA.
Most of the community is on Twitter, Tumblr, Discord, with a good portion over on FB as well.
People have dispersed a lot, and that makes things increasingly complicated :C
Some good tactics to try:
- Use Twitter more regularly, and keep it strictly for art. People RT stuff they like, and that automatically opens you up to a broader audience. I'd be happy to help pimp you out as well (:
- Try doing more art trades/commissioning art more. Trades preferably. There's no money in it which is hard, but it actually helps out a lot.
- Consider doing some character design sales, or a YCH?
I've thought of doing design sales too. I haven't designed characters in a while. I might take a stab at it.
However, something I've figured out is if you just..post regularly with decent content (aka, you have) you'll gain interest, but you have to commit to posting often. Often and regular.
Also, reaching out to other sources to show off your work helps. Discord servers, facebook furry groups, and the like. You basically have to spam your work.
Posting frequently I gotta get better at. I'm slow as heck with art plus I reflexively avoid posting things. Need to not do that. ^^;
what i dislike is there needs to be more cats hehe ^^
that or bunnies.
I like both cats and bunnies
By definition everyone gets better if they keep pushing, so theoretically all of us should be getting more comments and faves as our stuff gets better, but there's something else going on, something which isn't a technique/skill thing -- either simply that people are much more flooded with stuff they might like, or one of those weird perception things or some sort of shift in internet culture where people comment or scan new stuff less. I have exactly no clue what that might be.
I really don't have a handle on the whole marketing side of being an artist. Got the drawing thing down. Marketing and advertising and networking and all that jazz...I don't get it at all.
That's what I think it is. No matter what platform it is, some people are just innately good at branding themselves or marketing their work or networking or some combination of all of them. I just haven't figured out how to do any of those things.
And people haven't moved to "another site", they've moved to twitter and tumblr and facebook and youtube and zillions of other sites.
There's not just two places to look for art camaraderie anymore, there's like twelve, but it's full of all kinds of other stuff to filter out.
I think we're all on information overload, by comparison.
There's so many places to post stuff now. It gets overwhelming.
Fan art's always been my favorite thing to do. Specifically turning random anime characters into animals. That's the best. :3