Kopatropa
Drawing seriously since 2013
No wonder I got a client from DA and FA but not Twitter. I've been handing out requests on Twitter left and right, hoping to garner more attention and potential clients, but nothing yet.
If you were getting no likes/faves on your art, would you still draw?
- Thread starter Kopatropa
- Start date
fralea
Well-Known Member
If you want to be doing requests and commissions at the same time you should put serious limits on the requests. Only certain themes, limited amount, limited timeframe of availability, limited to no input from the requestee, and/or things that you aren't already selling. You should probably do that even if you are doing requests in between taking commissions. Also, if you want to sell commissions via twitter you need to make your prices easily accessible either by pinning the tweet or linking it in your sidebar. I would also suggest separating your personal tweets onto their own account instead of having them mixed in with your other stuff to create a more professional atmosphere. But someone else could probably give you better advice for twitter, as I don't actually use it.
Fiorabeast
Always ill as hell
I actually had to re-read your sentence because I thought you wrote it as 'Bojack Horseman art style' and I was trying to figure out where in the world my art style resembled it... And then I realized what you actually meant was the way I drew (well.. attempted...) my furs, haha. Honestly, I think I was a little more influenced by the Japanese (well, originally from China) concept of those 'beastman' here really. But, thank for the compliment on my art. Even though what I do better at are just rough sketches...
Well... still not feeling better about myself and my art really... I was actually considering just deleting my FA gallery as well as Twitter and Tumblr and and other art sites I set up, and just draw without posting online anymore because it just feels too stressful and depressing for me now...
I don't know... What I was drawing was what I liked (OCs and sexy male kemonomimis) and self-indulgent to the point I DID put a lot of energy into them... Only to post those completed works up online and have my motivation and drive for art crushed when I didn't get much reblogs and likes and such at all... Which was actually the reason I didn't reply here for a long time due to finally getting a really, bad mental breakdown in thinking I had no talents in anything, especially in art, that I almost attempted to end my life from it...
Now... just the thought for drawing anything I like makes me feel guilty, depressed and scared as hell...
In a way... I guess I didn't stop drawing but... I pretty much lost a lot of interest in posting art online really.
Mikazuki Marazhu
I hate you all
Artistic Virginity. :V
I might take the bait.
Dongding
The sheep
It sounds like you could use a clean slate. I did it recently and it's done nothing for me but renew my insterests and enthusiasm.
A lot of people don't understand why/how someone could take all of their hard work down but that's probably because they don't understand how you're feeling. In the end it's your profile page displaying what you want publicly visible. You get the final say on what your page looks like, and if you're headed in a new direction someone doesn't like, that person can get off the bus. There will always be more passengers.
Unfortunately this advice only works if that situation is personally viable to you to put yourself in. It doesn't solve lack of recognition or validation, which is the root of your problem. It will however remove reminders of failures, if failure is a demotivator for you. It is for me.
Last edited:
Kopatropa
Drawing seriously since 2013
I closed my requests. And I have my sheet pinned. Now what?
fralea
Well-Known Member
Whatever you want?
fralea
Well-Known Member
Its not a have your cake and eat it too situation. You either don't take the boost in popularity and draw anything you want, or take it and draw what is trending. You can always go with the middle road and pick and choose which trending things you wish to draw, but then you take less of a boost. I can't draw fast enough to be at the head of the pack in that sort of thing anyway, so I don't spend much time thinking about it.
If you are drawing for yourself it doesn't matter if your work gets popular or not. If you are drawing for others, then your own satisfaction isn't technically relevant. That's a simplification, there tends to be a balance to these things... there isn't just one audience to cater to out there.
If you are drawing for yourself it doesn't matter if your work gets popular or not. If you are drawing for others, then your own satisfaction isn't technically relevant. That's a simplification, there tends to be a balance to these things... there isn't just one audience to cater to out there.
D
Deleted member 111470
Guest
I can't draw but I am a photographer hobbyist and I still take photos and post them online, despite getting very few likes. It is sometimes discouraging to see zero likes, or my follower base on platforms like instagram dropping down significantly, but I won't stop doing it.
Kopatropa
Drawing seriously since 2013
I draw for both. I just can't shake the feeling that the number of likes is proportionate to your worth. Artist who get tons are high on the scale; those who don't are not necessarily bad, but they're ignored and worthless for whatever reason.
I'm not trying to blame anyone, it just feels very unfair sometimes.
fralea
Well-Known Member
I'm not a therapist, sorry.
Dongding
The sheep
@Kopatropa
The world is a funny place. The masses really are just that; masses of people that generally all try to look, talk, and act the same. They might be split into different cliques who enjoy different things, but get enough people together and a herd mentality is inevitable.
You're having trouble finding the balance between creating something for a single person, and also trying to make it appeal to what the mass of people you're targeting are after. They often aren't the same thing and you'll have to accept it.
There's a ton of e extremely talented artists better than you or I who get looked past in exactly the same way. It's just the way things are if you aren't willing to compromise artistically. You just have to commit to something and hope it works out.
Even when you cater to the masses you'll have skilled competition which you will fall short of in the realm of artistic desirability. No matter what you do this will always be an issue, so don't stress. I'd go with your gut and forget about advice from others past this point. It honestly sounds like you have a perfect grasp of the situation but are just indecisive due to being dissapointed by prior experiences. I know it hurts to feel invalidated as an artist by lacking views or comments or favorites etc, but by now you ought to know better than to ask others to tell you what you've already figured out.
It's possible I'm being presumptuous. I really don't mean to if that's the case. I think you'll be fine man. You're a great artist I guarantee a lot of people wish they had the skill of. Just keep doing your thing.
:3
The world is a funny place. The masses really are just that; masses of people that generally all try to look, talk, and act the same. They might be split into different cliques who enjoy different things, but get enough people together and a herd mentality is inevitable.
You're having trouble finding the balance between creating something for a single person, and also trying to make it appeal to what the mass of people you're targeting are after. They often aren't the same thing and you'll have to accept it.
There's a ton of e extremely talented artists better than you or I who get looked past in exactly the same way. It's just the way things are if you aren't willing to compromise artistically. You just have to commit to something and hope it works out.
Even when you cater to the masses you'll have skilled competition which you will fall short of in the realm of artistic desirability. No matter what you do this will always be an issue, so don't stress. I'd go with your gut and forget about advice from others past this point. It honestly sounds like you have a perfect grasp of the situation but are just indecisive due to being dissapointed by prior experiences. I know it hurts to feel invalidated as an artist by lacking views or comments or favorites etc, but by now you ought to know better than to ask others to tell you what you've already figured out.
It's possible I'm being presumptuous. I really don't mean to if that's the case. I think you'll be fine man. You're a great artist I guarantee a lot of people wish they had the skill of. Just keep doing your thing.
:3
Kopatropa
Drawing seriously since 2013
So I can't do both?
My happiness and enjoyment are my top priority, and drawing in general fulfills those needs. At the same time, I wanna leave a good mark in the art community (on Twitter, at least), but not through a career.
Ahnik
Hobbyist Artist
You can certainly do both! What I was getting at is that you can only prioritize one, unless your personal tastes happen to align perfectly with the community average.
When it comes to deciding whether to draw something that will get more faves but you'll enjoy less or something that will get fewer faves but you'll enjoy more, you'll have to decide which you value more.
The same kind of decision applies to deciding whether you want to keep drawing at a level of quality that you're happy with, or trying to improve your skill to gather more attention (or just improving for the sake of improving).
Any one of these choices is valid, but odds are you just can't have it all.
Kopatropa
Drawing seriously since 2013
I've decided that I'll mainly draw what I like for the sake of my enjoyment. As for improvement, I'll certainly improve what I feel needs improvement, but other than that, I'm content with my current level for now.
My need for attention has resulted in being less than happy or even okay, so I needed to change that.
Dongding
The sheep
:3
That's super-good news! One thing I've found is that when people become popular, they usually explode over a single piece.
You have all the time in the world to make creative choices when you choose for yourself. Occasionally freeing yourself from the influence of other people's expectations affords you a little bit of brutally explicit self reflection you just don't get when you're making things for other people.
That's super-good news! One thing I've found is that when people become popular, they usually explode over a single piece.
You have all the time in the world to make creative choices when you choose for yourself. Occasionally freeing yourself from the influence of other people's expectations affords you a little bit of brutally explicit self reflection you just don't get when you're making things for other people.
Sylwings
Active Member
I do not upload drawings to FA DA in the future if there is no reason.
It affects my desire to draw. It's for me to think I'm trying on something I'm only bad at.
I'm still drawing, but it's just my thing. commissioner I buy will not be on my profiles either.
If people want to know my taste in dragon art, they can see in my favorites.
I've also thought of closing my gallery profiles but I use them sometimes
to link to when I write about drawing on a forum or something so they are proactive
having.
I'm irrational Yes.
It affects my desire to draw. It's for me to think I'm trying on something I'm only bad at.
I'm still drawing, but it's just my thing. commissioner I buy will not be on my profiles either.
If people want to know my taste in dragon art, they can see in my favorites.
I've also thought of closing my gallery profiles but I use them sometimes
to link to when I write about drawing on a forum or something so they are proactive
having.
I'm irrational Yes.
Armageddon
New Member
It is discouraging to put hours into a piece and be super proud of yourself and have it get no likes or comments. Even worse when it slips by without any views, or very few. It does kind of feel like you're just throwing your passion into the void.
I'd be lying if I said it hasn't made me stop drawing multiple times, knowing that nobody is going to see what I do anyway. BUT, I have always regretted the times I've stopped. I could have been so much better than I am now skill-wise if I hadn't let it get to me, and then maybe I would have the big audience that made my work feel appreciated. Not to mention the fact that whenever I stop drawing for a while, I lose whatever fanbase I have built up to the inactivity and start from essentially the bottom again. Letting it get to you really doesn't hurt anyone but yourself, even if it sucks.
I guess my advice would be to find some kind of smaller art community/discord/etc where you can make friends who will see and comment on your art, if it helps to get you through it.
I'd be lying if I said it hasn't made me stop drawing multiple times, knowing that nobody is going to see what I do anyway. BUT, I have always regretted the times I've stopped. I could have been so much better than I am now skill-wise if I hadn't let it get to me, and then maybe I would have the big audience that made my work feel appreciated. Not to mention the fact that whenever I stop drawing for a while, I lose whatever fanbase I have built up to the inactivity and start from essentially the bottom again. Letting it get to you really doesn't hurt anyone but yourself, even if it sucks.
I guess my advice would be to find some kind of smaller art community/discord/etc where you can make friends who will see and comment on your art, if it helps to get you through it.
Rorrum
Furry Artist
When I start drawing, I don't stop and think "If no one likes this should I even finish?" because I draw for myself, but that really only applies to personal art. If you're doing commission work, you have to be able to cater to what clients want, to a degree. You dont have to sacrifice everything to be an art slave to whoever will pay you, but you also won't always be drawing your favorite stuff. That is what personal art is for!
Sylwings
Active Member
I'm not sure the post is for me.but if it is.Do you know some groups or something, I do not know where to find it?.
Armageddon
New Member
Oh, wasn't directed at anyone in particular, just the general consensus of people saying it bothers them too. But I'll DM you with some discords I know of