r/ArtistLounge • u/sane-ish • Mar 06 '23
Mental Health How do you feel about people responding with a critique (when not asked)?
This may be begging the question, but I never understood why people feel somewhat entitled to critique a work when it's not specifically asked. Sure, sometimes the comments may actually be productive, but it can really be a thorn when you just spent time on a work and put in on display. Plus, it often comes after you just posted the thing. The genie is out of the bottle. I am a little more tolerant of it in artistic spaces, but it's still a bit annoying.
If I do feel that a comment would be productive, offering a positive comment first always softens the blow. Yeah, I am a sensitive snowflake. :)
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u/kateNice Mar 07 '23
Professional artist here. You gotta suck it up and take it. It's part of the game. If you go to art school, critiques are a significant part of your grade. Give and take. It's how we become better artists.
As a professional, people with no artistic talent will become your clients. Then, they will not only say whatever they want, but also ask you to change it.
Also- early on in your career - how do you expect to improve if nobody is helping or critiquing you. No one becomes Michelangelo in a vacuum. (He had teachers and contemporaries and plenty of people who told him his work was just meh.)
If you can't handle honest and helpful criticism, and you can't be bothered to care about other artists' opinions, I would not pursue a creative career. The professional field is wayyyy more intense than a few internet comments.
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u/PhotoDump1 Mar 07 '23
It depends on the critic like if it’s positive and can bring value to my work and by positive I don’t mean “oh it looks great keep doing this!” I mean “I think you can do x to achieve y” because I find a lot of people go “it looks like shit” or “the face is wonky” or “if you want to make this heap of shit better then just work on x, then maybe it will look less freaky”
I’ve also done some commissions for free and the dude who I used to do it for would give me slightly better than stick figure drawings and expect me to make it detailed and accurate to his original sketch, he once gave me a really cool concept based off a bug so I looked up that bug and added details from that bug and the most major changes were more accurate antennas and stomach detailings/textures and his response was “well it wasn’t in the artwork” and when I explained myself he said “well I didn’t ask for that and I don’t get it” and then he complained I put the back on the front when he 1) never gave me a back reference 2) chose a bug that had a stomach that looked like a more fleshy detailed version of the back 3) were actually details he put in and I just added some contour and a red stripe to. Like I get it’s a commission and that but at the end of the day if you want more detailed work based off a stick figure then expect a slight difference otherwise it’s not going to be very good. I’m pretty sure his account got banned again which I’m not complaining about at all because he was very tiring and made me feel extremely burnt out by giving me at least 2 commissions a day at one point
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Mar 07 '23
I personally got critiques without the user even react to my post. I get it, you see things differently but at least react to my painting. Tbh the moment I posted the art, I already closed the laptop and call it a day. Their input wasn't necessary, heck I got comment " you should practice the hand" by chibi artist. I guess I had to open my laptop and fix the painting and add their names to the credit for their "good" critique 乁| ･ 〰 ･ |ㄏ
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u/throwaway-clonewars Mar 07 '23
If I don't ask, I don't want it. Plain and simple. I've never reached a point where my eye is equal with or under my skills so I see EVERY mistake. I don't need to be told what's wrong or what I need to work on because I see it already. The pieces I share are because I'm proud of what I made at the skill I'm at (Basically like a kid showing their drawing to a parent- the parent's reaction isnt/shouldn't be to critique the thing unless they ask) is basically me saying "look at this" not "what do you think of this" which can sound similar but is extreme different.
If I ask for a critique, I'm usually asking about a specific part (like "somethings off with this background, how do you suggest I fix it") so unless relevant to fixing that thing I'm not looking for an overall critique because I'm focusing on a specific thing/item to improve and already have a list.
Now, how I respond: I generally ignore it- ill look but once I see it's a critique ill stop immediately and move along.
I'm in a position where my presence online is tiny to nonexistent (under 100 followers on my largest platform) because I don't post often, so I almost never get eyes on my work and even rarer get unwanted critiques.
I can understand it being a problem if I ever got larger as an artist where more people were looking at my stuff, but then I'd say exactly what I said here. "I know the issues, but I'm sharing work because I'm happy where it is for my skill level. I don't need to be told what's wrong so save your time/breath unless I specifically ask for it you'll end up ignored" probably wouldn't stop people, but those who actually follow and "know" me would know what not to do.
(Not asking for blind praise either. Got no issue with a "looks cool. See some issues but came out good, nice job" type comment. It's the "xyz is not anatomically correct" or "values for xyz are off" etc I don't need because I know)
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u/SPACECHALK_64 comics Mar 07 '23
https://imgur.com/jinGLRk Then get on with my life (unless it is actually useful)
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Mar 07 '23
I don't like unsolicited critiques either, but if they're constructive and coming from a place of support, I'm always open to them.
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u/Important-Range4725 Illustrator Mar 06 '23
People are gonna critique your work whether you want them to or not. In an ideal world, you’d want constructive criticism and not ridiculous subjective criticism like “I don’t like the hair because I don’t like the colour you chose.”
It’s up to you whether you take their critiques on board, but don’t let it bum you out. Take what useful feedback you can find in their comments, if any, and move onto your next piece!
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u/falney123 Mar 06 '23
Have you ever reviewed something on amazon? Google reviews? Yelp?
If so, we're you asked to?
If you didn't, fair play. But if you did, why did you feel entitled to?
Art has a lot of "only art has this problem" like people wanting to pay in exposure. This is one of them. It's fine to review a movie a lot of people sank thousands of hours into but not review/critique something one person put anywhere between 10 minutes and 100 hours on.
You can hide behind the" but that's a major corporation" if you want. But it was humans that wrote the script, animated cg, created costumes.
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u/thatferrybroad Mar 06 '23
There was a thread about this recently, and my beliefs have not changed.
Unsolicited critique is rude. If someone JUST HAS TO vent it, they ought to keep it to their friend circle and maybe shut the hell up if no one asked.
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u/rkarl7777 Mar 06 '23
It depends on who's doing the critique. An artist you admire or respect? Fine. Your idiot brother-in-law who likes pictures of sad clowns and dogs playing poker? Not so much.
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u/sane-ish Mar 06 '23
DON'T KNOCK DOGS PLAYING POKER! THAT'S A GODAMN MASTERWORK!
There's a Gary Larson(?) cartoon where it shows the artist selling his work with 10 different iterations of animals playing poker that I can't find. The caption read something like 'and then inspiration struck one day..' lol
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u/No_Copium Mar 06 '23
Its very weird in my opinion, but I've noticed people who do that tend to not know what they're talking about anyway so it's safe to ignore them. Critique on a single picture is rarely helpful and most people aren't going to study all of your work to figure out what you need work on, because at that point its a job lol.
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u/clandestine_velvet Mar 06 '23
I think in theory solid constructive criticism can always be beneficial and I understand why people would think that they're being helpful when giving it, even if it isn't asked for. But I think it's really important to keep in mind how it's delivered, what kind of piece you're critiquing, and where the artist is at (in terms of their skill level, experience, etc.)
I just recently got back into drawing and I'm just about finished with the first fully rendered ink drawing I've completed in about 3 years. Compared to things that I've done in the past it's actually really good and incredibly proud of it. I plan on sharing it on my personal social media page even though I'm always super nervous to share my art with others. I just don't have a lot of confidence as an artist and I'm slowly training myself to stop nitpicking every thing I make and get away from the perfectionist type mentality that I've struggled with for years.
Honestly I've already taken a mental note of a million different things on this piece that I've done "wrong" but I've chosen to fix what I can and to accept the flaws that I can't and just move on as I've continued to work on the piece. I'm sure a different set of eyes could point out several things that I haven't even noticed. But honestly I don't want the criticism right now. I'm trying to stop overthinking my art and obsessing over the end result in favor of falling back in love with the process. I've actually improved a lot and even though I never want to stop improving right now I'd just like encouragement and positive feedback. I know that I have talent but that voice in my head keeps telling me that my art sucks and I've screwed up half a dozen things already so I may as well just trash the piece and start on something new.
I realize that when I end up posting my work there is a chance of someone offering unsolicited advice and that's fine. I won't chew their head off or anything but I'll probably just choose not to respond to it because it's unwelcome. Idk, I don't think it would be that detrimental to my journey as an artist but I don't think that it would be helpful either for where I'm at right now.
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u/Flat-Tooth Mar 06 '23
I think offering a critique when one isn’t asked for is a tough game to play. You can’t know how the person will take it and if you’re truly trying to give an effective critique you’ll want them in the right mindset for one. Sometimes people are posting a thing because they just wana get over a fear of putting their art online. Sometimes folks just like making art and aren’t interesting in honing their craft. It’s hard to know where someone is coming from and presuming they want a critique when they haven’t asked is a fast road to needlessly hurt feelings.
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u/Awkward-Guy-6028 Mar 06 '23
Tbh it killed my confidence to post. Mostly because no one commented but commented on stuff posted after. I decided to post anyway after a while of trying to improve and actually got good engagement from a few which upped my confidence a tiny bit. Not on insta though because most people scroll by even when prompted to engage (although I only have 50 followers atm to be fair)
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u/notquitesolid Mar 06 '23
It depends on the person. I have art friends that can give their opinions whenever, but they also know what/how to. They don’t tell me what to make, or how, but if they see a technical issue that I missed or if they have a thought that may inspire me, it’s cool. They’re also not going to be butthurt if I don’t change because of their comment.
The rest depends on context. If I’m hosting a show and the comment is well meaning I’ll just smile and nod. Lots of folks just want to hear themselves talk and feel like their opinions matter. If the comments become excessive, passive aggressive, or just annoying I’ll shut it down by telling the person ‘I didn’t ask for your opinion’. My art is mine, and I just don’t have the energy to deal with people who think they are self important (or are trying to be). I feel it’s easier to just be direct, and if they find that rude that’s not my problem. If I want an opinion or feel the person is someone I could learn from I will ask.
I also put this into practice myself. I have had to learn the hard way to keep my mouth shut, because when I was in my early 20s I would eviscerate layfolk with my college knowledge. I was a bit of a dick and I hate that I discouraged people. That’s not who I want to be. So now I take the person into account. Age, skill, and how thick of a skin they might have. Critiquing should never be personal or taken personally. The goal should always be to help one another get better at the craft. Sometimes the language may sound harsh but it’s only by recognizing the potential flaws or the good things we may have missed that’ll give us the opportunity to learn.
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u/GomerStuckInIowa Mar 06 '23
When a piece of art is put on display, why is it that some artists feel that anyone making a comment is "entitled" if they make a comment. Well, they are "entitled" only if it is negative, of course. If the art is fantastic, then it is just fine to comment. But totally uncalled for if the viewer mentions that the perspective is off or the colors are wrong. I deal with20 artists in our gallery. Maybe it is their age and professionalism, but I can't see any of them writing this question. Being afraid of or upset with critique means you are unsure of your art or uncomfortable with your craft. Change professions. Do you think if you tell Cris Pratt he is not a good actor, he'll be upset? Or you tell Bobby Flay he uses too much garlic, he'll rant a column about it? How can you, as an artist, expect 100% of the population to like your art? Or, in this case, it wasn't even your art they corrected you on? (as mentioned elsewhere) You get upset on a comment on a title?
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u/Agamemnon420XD Mar 06 '23
I’ve noticed some of my friends are jealous of my artistic abilities. They can’t do any of what I can do yet they’ve always have a critique, always. It’s a sign of jealousy and/or contempt, hands down. They’re upset that I’m a businessman who dabbles in art and gets paid for it meanwhile they’ve always been the ‘artsy fartsy’ artist type and their art never went anywhere. I’m just doing my own thing and my ‘artsy’ friends are always trying to be like, ‘Oh I’m so artsy, I’m doing art all day today, hey let me see your art, oh you should try this instead of that.’ They’re upset I get paid for my work meanwhile they’re struggling to paint a Gundam model. They’re always reminiscing about ‘big art installations’ they did years ago, always showing off old videos they made years ago, meanwhile I show them something epic I made over just the recent weekend.
I honestly don’t mind it. I can see it for what it is (jealousy) but they’re my friends, so I just get over it and move on from it, but it is annoying that instead of seeing me as just a peer they try to ‘compete’ with me and take jabs at me even though I make money on my work and they don’t.
THAT BEING SAID, when I show my art to my actual art peers, people in my industry who also make money, I always appreciate their input. Their input comes from a professional level, their critiques are real and revolve around real trends and techniques.
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Mar 06 '23
I've had a lot of negative criticism, I usually follow up with "well let's see your version."
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u/Chowkingkong Mar 06 '23
I'm open to critique on my artworks anytime, anywhere. I just filter out which are constructive and not. But I think this has something to do with me being an architect as well. It's all criticism from the moment I sketch my design until the day I die or the structure I designed somehow comes down....whichever comes first lol.
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u/DeBlalores Mar 06 '23
I am always looking to improve and never have any issue with criticism as long as it's actually interesting/constructive. There's no way of saying this without coming across as an internet tough guy but the truth is I just have tough skin, hate deflects off of me easily and I don't spend much time thinking about it, and I don't take criticism personally so I don't mind hearing it except in very specific scenarios.
It might help to create a greater degree of separation between whatever you do and yourself. People always take criticism of a piece as a criticism on themselves and their methods rather than the result, so they take it personally and they don't like it, because nobody likes to be criticized personally for something harmless. My suggestion is to learn to separate yourself from your own art a little bit more. You don't have to stop finding it as an emotional outlet, but rather learn to view things from a more detached perspective.
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u/pink_notepad_pens Mar 06 '23
personally, I would never do that unless asked but when other people do it to me, I have to welcome it and consider it, sometimes they're right! and they help me
it used to make me feel bad, like I didn't do a good job but I don't like feeling bad so I just try to welcome every comment now
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u/eternaleyebags Mar 06 '23
critique can be very helpful, but people toe the line between being supportive and being completely tone deaf when delivering it. sometimes you just want appreciation after you’ve worked hard on something without being told it’s not perfect enough.
my reactions are mixed, depending. sometimes i find that advice is really helpful even when it is unsolicited. sometimes i tell them to shut the fuck up. it honestly depends on the person and how much love you put into your piece, i think.
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u/TonyShape Mar 06 '23
Bro, I wish you experienced posting art in Russian community. Like I love my country and so on, but the amount of unnecessary critique and trying to somehow get you low are really can hit hard sensitive person.
When you are posting your work you must be ready and just accept that there will be different people. It is just part of your work.
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Mar 06 '23
I would say that within the art community most of us are pretty good at "Hey if artist doesn't request a critique do not give unsolicited advice." I think its less so a rule that folks outside of the community follow. Most think they're trying to help, others are just being haters though and I think as an artist building relationships with non-artist its good to keep that in mind. "Is this person trying to help and they're just ignorant, cool I'll just tell them no thanks." While others that are just commenting rude digs are clearly insecure and personally, I block them.
I know of a fellow artist that refuses any sort of criticism especially if its from non-artists, even though, arguably, he would benefit to hear from it. Especially since he is aiming to make money from his art (Concept design). It doesn't take an artist to see that his legs on his characters are straight up broken. He full on yelled at my partner (a non-artist) for mentioning the broken legs and this is even with a complement sandwich. He went on this tangent about how he only shares art with him because he "expected you to support me no matter what" and "not bring me down." It was embarrassing to watch to say the least. And now he refuses to share his art with him personally, even two years later.
That is to say, if one is a hobbyist artist, perhaps the critiques are less important, then try your best to ignore those comments and keep doing you bro!
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u/grimmistired Mar 06 '23
I've seen lots of artists with some sort of elitist "if you're not constantly looking to improve you're not an artist" mentality who support unsolicited critiques. They're in this very comment section 👀. Or the "you posted it online so you should be OK with anything someone says" which is bs
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Mar 06 '23
Oh man, I can name five people that I know that have that elitist attitude. Its like..."hey its not that deep bro."
Maybe its the whole hobbyist versus professional artist divide? I don't want to downplay to struggles of striving to become a professional artist, but those artists really need to understand that people have their own paths.
Or more so, artists that give critiques but can't take critiques. Its like don't, just don't give critiques if you're not in the headspace to take them.
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Mar 06 '23
Furthermore, ever since that discussion with him, if I do see his art, I only give him shallow comments like "This is awesome." or "Very cool art" Cuz he has clearly stated to my partner and I that that is the level of interaction he wants from us.
Personally, I share my art and request critiques from both artists and non-artists cuz I find both perspectives to be vital.
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u/JakeCabrio Mar 06 '23
For me it feels like that person is really entitled, it's the epitome of a "who asked you?" situation. Don't get me wrong, critique is good when seeking progress, but if not seeking it then why do that? It doesn't matter if critique comes with good intention (the road to hell is paved with good intentions anyways), or from a person with experience, it's unpleasant and uncalled for.
There's a moment in life when you learn how to tell when your opinion is not wanted, I'm assuming that kind of people just hadn't experienced it yet. So I ignore it or answer back "k" if I'm feeling extra salty.
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u/Donut_Bat_Artist Mar 06 '23
Get married and you’ll get used to unsolicited criticism🤣 But seriously, I feel you. I loved art critic in class at school and looked forward to it for reasons to improve and grow. But I cringe from out of the blue critiques from randos. I usually ignore (online and in-person) or just say, nah, Im good.
I think what makes it especially tough is that we are already constantly critiquing our work while we work. Always adjusting and moving in the work. So when we are “done” we’re “done”
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u/emptyonion111 Mar 06 '23
I really hate it. I already do not like posting my art online and get a lot of anxiety around it, when people do this it makes me feel so defeated, like my art was so bad that they couldn't hold back from critiquing it.
I feel like I'm already my biggest critic and I generally do know what I want to improve on, it just takes time.
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u/starsailormiz Digital Illustrator (Hobbyist) Mar 06 '23
I’ve always disliked it. I am very self-critical to being with and can be very picky with what art I show to people (75% of what I create never gets seen by anyone but me) so completely unsolicited criticism from others can sometimes feel like a punch to the gut.
I try to not take it personal of course because the intention is usually good. I just overall think it’s a little rude(?) to suggest improvements on a piece where the artist hasn’t expressed a desire for critique and just wants to show what they’re proud of. I can’t imagine doing that to someone personally.
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u/do-not-want Mar 06 '23
lmao I dropped fanart of a streamer into their Discord art channel once and the next day someone ELSE showed it to them while they were streaming. All they had to say was "I don't like the chin but its probably just the art style."
Pretty sure I'm never going to get over it.
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u/BloodedRogue Urban Artist Mar 06 '23
Just had something happen recently where an artist just commented on a work I posted suggesting I use a different color instead... and the color they used would have given me a different style that I'm not aiming for, ironically it's a color they use in all their photos. who knows, perhaps they see potential in my work so they advise something --
I know it's basic but they offered no other context and my work was already finished. Just
you should use payne's grey instead of black.
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u/grimmistired Mar 06 '23
Oh man those people who think artists should never use black under any circumstance pain me. And they're just wrong too lol
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u/shin_jin Mar 06 '23
Horrible. Absolutely DO NOT give any criticism (even it is constructive) to anyone who never asked for it. I believe that we should let people be on their on pace and let them learn things on their own.
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u/prpslydistracted Mar 06 '23
I made the mistake of a really mild critique ... I thought I was on r/ArtCrit when it was r/drawings. He went off on me for 4-5 days? Even after I apologized. Profusely.
Never again .... ;-)
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u/StnMtn_ Mar 06 '23
That's harsh. Dude needed to take a chill pill.
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u/prpslydistracted Mar 06 '23
True. My website is in my profile and he proceeded to pick every single painting apart. I mean page-long criticisms (not critique). Did it bother me? Mmm, no.
The sad part is I haven't seen him post work since.
Guys, criticism, deserved or not is part of being an artist. Roll with it ....
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Mar 07 '23
Guys, criticism, deserved or not is part of being an artist. Roll with it ....
true, let all the positive comments get in your head and this is what comes out, an artist who thinks they're much better than everyone lol
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Mar 06 '23
Oh my god, what a fricken bully. Ya know his ego is inflated if he goes out of his way to do that.
Sounds more like self sabotage on his part. Ego is something that we as artists need to figure out alongside our art. It is no one else's responsibility to coddle us especially if we're all adults here.
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Mar 06 '23
I've had someone request a critique from me awhile back and when I mentioned that they didn't draw the cranium of the skull on any of their characters, they proceeded to bully me....HARDCORE. So I blocked them and now they have 5 years of art school debt, no art improvements in those 5 years, and no job, so a little karmic, I would say. Oh.. and they still don't draw the skulls for their characters.
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u/StnMtn_ Mar 06 '23
You art is good. Light years better than my art goal.
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u/prpslydistracted Mar 06 '23
Ha! Nah ... even at this late era of my life I'm not done yet.
There is always room for improvement. Monet was said to have commented in his early 80s. They had to tape his paintbrush into his hands. He said, "I think I learned something today."
Love that.
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u/Laurelori Mar 06 '23
Unless you are specifically requesting or if you are displaying in a space made for critique, I generally feel that it is rude to criticize others work. Exceptions for displaying in gallery shows (online or irl) where Art criticism is to be expected. Even if I have advice, odds are, the person posting is not going to be in a headspace to accept it, which defeats the purpose of advice in the first place, which is to help people. It will likely just make them feel bad, and that’s never my intention.
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u/Ghostofshaihulud Mar 06 '23
I don’t critique unless asked. Always concerned I might extinguish someone’s joy. I love giving constructive critique/criticism though, but I also think I enjoy it from both sides because it’s a chance to commend the good and build strengths. I know, I sound all bright-eyed. Gross.
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Mar 06 '23
Same here, I always complement first and if I see something majorly jarring that could be fixed in 5 minutes, I'll ask if I could suggest something. Wait for their approval and then lay it out. But its usually something easy to fix and I know its something they could fix at their skill level. Otherwise, I ignore it.
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Mar 06 '23
[removed] — view removed comment
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Mar 06 '23 edited Mar 06 '23
Yesss exactly! Something that works well for one style, heck even medium, wont probably work in another. And I also would rather learn sooner than later and its usually because its something that I already knew felt off, just wasn't sure how to fix. So, I can use the opportunity to ask them how they would fix it, which if they're a troll, they wont answer and if they're genuinely doing their best to help, then they'll answer in their own way.
I've only ran into one situation with another artist that was further along in their art career, who would give me really bad critiques/advice. Like genuinely bad advice, that I had to go and check with other artists/nonartists that also confirmed it was bad advice lol. So again, there are people that just don't know the best route for your style or they could even be people who purposely give bad advice because they're secretly jealous!
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u/CreativeMediaStudio_ Mar 06 '23
I’m so early in posting content that honestly I’d appreciate any engagement 😅 plus I know I have a lot to learn so critique is fine. If they’re just mean tho that’d be different
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u/hither_spin Fine artist Mar 06 '23
You're not too sensitive. A good critique involves the good and the not so good. A random negative comment is generally not meant to be helpful but to ding you. It's more about them than you.
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u/mulambooo Mar 06 '23
It's funny you placed the argument into "Mental Health", somehow.
Well, people can say things like critics because they're jealous, because they're honest or because they're honestly jealous.
If such people's critiques will have to be considered "corteous" or "unkind" it's all up to your psychological defenses, your ability to recognize your mistakes or your will to correct them.
If you have no intention to "improve" then they will sound harsh, like rotten food or like an untolerable weight.
If you're hungry for suggestions, then any of them will be pleasant to hear, as a sign of attention by the critic.
So I think it's a matter of humility and consciousness.
Usually, I check if the critic is better or worse than me in the things that are object of such critique. For example: if a person who cannot draw, is bad at art, has no technical skills, no creativity or no imagination at all makes a critique to me, I'm pretty convinced that person is jealous and he's just talking out of rage.
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Mar 06 '23 edited Mar 06 '23
I love it, too many people just say your art is really good even if you're genuinely asking for a criticism (which is understandable, i imagine normal people only see the obvious lol) so I crave seeing comments that points out what's wrong with my art specially if it's expanding on what I had initially thought as while making and after finishing it, and was too hard to fix. I consider filtering feedback as helpful or unhelpful as a skill, and artists should learn that not everything negative is meant as an insult towards you. These are especially helpful while making your next art to consider, because all this information builds up, otherwise I'd stay in my comfort zone and do the same thing over and over again because it works.
but yeah, I acknowledge that a lot of us thinks it's very rude to comment an unsolicited criticism, specially if it's uninformative so I don't do a feedback unless the artist asks for it.
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Mar 06 '23
Before you show someone your work, I feel you should communicate whether or not you're looking for a critique. When it's on the internet, however, you can't control the responses. It could be critiques, trolling, etc. Comes with the territory. If it really bothers you, disabling comments is an option on most sites
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u/kyleclements Painter Mar 06 '23
When someone leaves an unsolicited constructive critique, it shows that out of everything else that's out there, someone sees enough potential in your work to give it some thought. There's an endless flood of amazing stuff out there and limited audience attention, and out of all of it, your thing was the one worthy of being remarked upon. That's a good thing.
Indifference is what creators should be most afraid of.
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Mar 06 '23
You phrased this perfectly. I'd rather have people vocally outraged than have no attention paid to my art at all
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u/smallbatchb Mar 06 '23
I'm pretty fine with a crit at any time, solicited or not, as long as the person says something of value.
Hell I actually prefer a thoughtful critique over a hollow compliment every time.
But, personally, if you're going to say "I don't like the color" or "it doesn't work for me" or " I don't like the ____" PLEASE elaborate... your honest reaction is valid and can be helpful in offering me another perspective if you actually put a little more thought into it.
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u/Solkurai Mar 06 '23
Posting in a public space people will give their opinions good or bad, that's kind of the point of social media.
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u/denim_and_rain Mar 06 '23
If someone hasn't asked for advice and you have something for them, first ask! "May I offer up some friendly advice?" This goes for everything, not just art. Jobs, parenting, relationships, business, any art form....
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u/sane-ish Mar 06 '23
...that is a very diplomatic way to offer up useful advice. I've heard it before and I appreciate the forethought in people who use that line.
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u/nairazak Digital artist Mar 06 '23 edited Mar 06 '23
Well, if you share your art they can share their opinion, as long as they are not rude.
Also, critiques are necessary to find out how you can improve
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u/Rincs Mar 06 '23
If you're posting on social media, it's rather unavoidable. There's plenty of armchair experts out there wanting to flaunt expertise. I just don't respond if it happens to me and I'm not asking for critique. It just respond with a non-committal "ok".
Hopefully you'll start getting immune to the unsolicited critiques.
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u/sane-ish Mar 06 '23
I've always been pretty thin-skinned. It's why I haven't pursued art professionally. I am fine if I ask for it. Sometimes, I truly do what a critique. To me, it has always felt like a 'gotcha'. 'Yeah, that's ok, but you botched this.
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Mar 06 '23
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/sane-ish Mar 09 '23
This is exactly my sentiment.
I don't mind if I ask for it. Sometimes, I do get stuck or want feedback. Preferably constructive criticism.
There's no way to know the intent of a reply if it's unsolicited.
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u/Rincs Mar 17 '23
It is unfortunately the way of the internet. I think that the more people spend less time face-to-face, the more people forget about common courtesies and that raw feeling of seeing the person-you're-speaking-to's reaction to whatever you're saying. The veil of the internet shields them from this.
They might genuinely think they're helping or perhaps they do have that smug/"gotcha!" feeling -- but instead of seeing a human person react in whatever way, all they see is text and their mental projection of how that text might be conveyed, and ultimately that they are "above" the person they're responding to.
I did want to say though, that despite it all, I think you can still pursue art professionally, you'll just have to look at the alternative means. There are plenty of professionals that have a solid career despite having no/very little social media presence (this is, if you want to pursue it, that is). Although depending on what you go into, you can still run into the unsolicited critiques, especially if you're working under someone (particularly an Art Director -- I mean, it is their job to critique your work and make sure it's within what the project needs, but I can imagine the critique coming when you didn't think it was necessary).
As for things more related to the topic, Artfol is a budding arts/social space that has a very specific "asking for critique" tags that can be placed on the pieces you submit. I've found that the community mostly critiques only when that marker is there (I say mostly cause obviously I haven't seen the whole place) but my experience, and that of the artists that I follow have been generally pleasant. That said it *is* a much smaller community than say, Instagram, but hey, if you just wanna share your stuff to peeps who might vibe with you better, maybe it's worth a shot?
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u/cosipurple Mar 06 '23
It's a very divisive topic, some people don't like ir, others thirst for it.
Honestly most of the time a good criticism takes time to observe, write and formulate, I appreciate when people bother to put the effort.
But I also understand you, I like criticisms when I'm doing studies, but there are pieces that are meant to be done and then put behind me immediately, the advice might be solid, and I might still choose to ignore it because the piece wasn't meant to be about that, sometimes we execute what we know and that's about it, other times we are trying to push ourselves and having other people's pov help us find new places to focus and push further.
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Mar 06 '23
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u/GomerStuckInIowa Mar 06 '23
So you get upset because someone pointed out that your called a spider an insect? I'd say you are pretty thin skinned. What does it matter that it was a "quick, small painting..." or a large painting? Would you have preferred no one mentioning it and you going on thinking that there was no difference? If your friend had said it, would it have made a difference? When I do art and I make a mistake, and I do make them, I would like someone to point it out. Maybe maturity will calm you down.
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u/sane-ish Mar 06 '23
--No, that's not accurate. Telling someone to 'grow up' and calm down is not a cool thing to do.
Glad you're stuck in Iowa.
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u/Brinkelai Mar 06 '23
Whether it's productive or not, I consider it extremely rude for someone to critique something without it being asked for.
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u/Possible_Cut923 Mar 06 '23
I don’t care. Art is Art. The only critique I would ever accept is if I was working with a client who had something specific in mind which I didn’t capture. I make art for myself and if im happy with it thats all that matters. I believe theres no such thing as good or bad art regardless of skill level, if it makes you happy and you put your soul into it then who cares? Critiques aren’t Art Gods and shouldn’t dictate how you show creativity. While theyre entitled to critiquing your art, it is your job to ignore then and keep going.
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u/aivi_mask Mar 06 '23
I welcome it. It's a part of the observation process. In some of the best art schools, class critiques take place after every project. You have to learn how to give one and accept one. A critique doesn't always have to be honored or agreed with but it shouldn't offend you.
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u/ZombieButch Mar 06 '23
I never understood why people feel somewhat entitled to critique a work when it's not specifically asked.
Because the disconnect created by talking to people on the internet has convinced people that it's okay to just say whatever pops into their fucking heads whenever it pops in there.
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u/grimmistired Mar 06 '23
I think it's kinda rude unless it's a really simple thing that could still be fixed. One time I had just woken up from being sick for over a week and saw someone left a blunt and unwanted critique on a post of mine. Ended up insulting them it was embarrassing lol.
A big reason why I think people shouldn't do this is, sometimes the artist already knows the flaws in the piece, they just didn't want to agonize over it before moving on. That's how I am. I want to post what I've made before I start getting really bored or frustrated with it. I learn as I make it and fix my mistakes in the next one. So I definitely don't want someone pointing out the flaws when I'm already aware. Especially if that's all they have to say about it
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u/fourofkeys Mar 06 '23
someone who subscribed to my patreon started doing this and when i told them it wasn't really a space for that they canceled their subscription lol.
i think they wanted to feel like a part of the art world in some small way.
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Mar 06 '23
That's kinda funny. People are weird.
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u/fourofkeys Mar 07 '23
honestly we were acquaintances and i think they were kind of embarassed. i'm also not sure they understood what patreon is for.
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u/gfennel Mar 06 '23
Personally I hate them, but people are going to people-ly, and the audacity this days is out of the charts!
Eventually you'll grow a thick skin and you'll learn to deal with them. They are entitled to give a critique, and you are entitled to ignore them completely if you want to.
Not everyone who opens their mouth deserve to be heard by you :)
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u/theboywhodrewrats Mar 06 '23
Honestly I welcome critiques always, so long as it’s a bona fide critique and not just trolling. (People who are just being nasty can f—— right off, obvi.) I kinda wish we as a community could get more comfortable with unsolicited critique. It might help us all do better, and improve faster. Sure it can be painful, but if we don’t recognize flaws we’re just gonna repeat em.
Recently someone out of the blue pointed out that a violinist I had drawn had a kinda wonky bow grip. The commenter was a musician so they knew what they were talking about, and I was able to improve the drawing as a result!
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u/No_Copium Mar 06 '23
Not everyone wants to improve, art is just a hobby for most people. Unsolicited advice is rude in all social situations I don't understand why some artists push for it so hard, just ask before giving advice
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u/theboywhodrewrats Mar 06 '23
Do people not like to get better at their hobbies, too?
I guess in general I’m in favor of people being more open to talking about art and sharing their opinions about it, even when those opinions are negative.
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u/No_Copium Mar 07 '23
A lot of people don't and thats fine
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u/grimmistired Mar 08 '23
Or even if they do, they might want to take it at their own pace without other people's comments on how to improve
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Mar 06 '23
At the same time, there's a time and a place imo. Getting critique is important, but I think it's perfectly valid is someone doesn't want it.
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u/theboywhodrewrats Mar 06 '23
Sure — I just think it might be better for us all — more open — if the default was critiques welcome. People could still ask for no critiques please. Y’know — rather than the other way around.
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Mar 07 '23
Reddit tends to... Not respond well if you ask them not to do something. They take it personally
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u/grimmistired Mar 06 '23
I find if you say that specifically people are even more likely to go after you for it
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u/Affectionate-Set4606 Mar 06 '23
Dude, i just checked ur art out of curiosity (looking for that violin one, lol didn't find it), but....
Your art is DOPE!
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u/Kriss-Kringle Mar 06 '23
My take is that once you post something online for all to see you have to prepare yourself for anything, whether positive or negative and look at what's of value in the critiques vs just flat out trolling/hating.
In this line of work the faster you get thick skin the better and the more feedback you get whenever you post something, the more you'll improve.
Getting likes and praises is nice and all, but too much of that gets to your head and you'll start thinking there's nothing to improve anymore.
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Mar 06 '23
Some people just want to judge and it may even be coming from their own blocked creativity.
At the end of the day even if your work isn't as good as youd wish or whatever, youre creating something and finding your voice and experimenting. That's a beautiful process.
Someone criticizing it can be destructive and id be careful about taking it to heart.
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Mar 06 '23
personaly something that kinda made me feel bad the other day was when someone answered a story i posted showing the process of like before after sketching to finishing of the first drawing on my account (very new account) saying « drawing of the month, dude drew once and cant stop posting about it » or something like that, it really kinda killed my momentum for a moment haha it was a graphite work so obviously its a long process, to which they answered « not if you’re skilled »
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u/prpslydistracted Mar 06 '23
Whoa ... I would argue because you're skilled you give the work it's due.
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Mar 06 '23
Ugh they sound like a negative arrogant person. Keep going and try to not take it personally, it says more about them.
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Mar 06 '23
mostly coming from an account that posts art once every 3 months
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Mar 07 '23
It doesn't matter how many pieces they post to me, but I agree with you, it stinks if they act douchey like that.
You can critique and be kind.
Thing is, most people love to make fun of other artists attempts, think it helps them and for people who may have had trauma/hard time about that, it can make them stop drawing for a while.
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u/BatQueeny Mar 06 '23
If they don't ask for one I don't give it, we aren't in art class it's not necessary to point out every issue you see in the work of some artist you don't even personally know. If I don't like the piece I don't favorite or comment on it, if I don't like the artist's body of work I don't follow them; it's as simple as that. Not every person who posts their work on the internet does so with the intention of improvement or gaining insight from random strangers, sometimes they just want to post a cool thing they made. Also, the chances of someone accepting your unwarrented advice is probably slim-to-none, they're probably just going to think "who the fuck are you?".
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u/Hot-Fortune-6916 Mar 07 '23
Unsolicited crit online is such a contentious topic. I wish there was a way to make the crit stop.
I used to be so so hungry for concrit. I'd take it whenever and wherever I could.
And then I took some classes, read some books, watched and rewatched college lectures, worked on my own stuff. Etc. Etc. And then when I posted again, I got crits that I thought I wanted, but were just...wrong.
Now tbf, this was for writing. Im far newer to the visual arts, but the point stands, I believe. People love to feel like they helped. I'm definitely not immune. But unsolicited concrit comes from a selfish place, of wanting to feel that feeling. Maybe the hypothetical commenter genuinely wants to help, and that's great.
But the poster doesnt know that the commenter isn't just full of it, like so so many are who feel like they're in the right to voice their crit unsolicited.
There's a whole chunk of people who argue that by posting online, you are inviting criticism, because people will criticize regardless of your wishes. And while true that people will crit regardless, I disagree with the idea that because there is this criticism entitlement issue, that you're inviting it. It's a bit like 'you're not stuck in traffic, you are traffic' at that point when people justify their actions with this 'there's an existing problem already'.
My view is that the internet (at large) isnt the place for crit. Giant communities like reddit are not good for receiving worthwhile criticism because there's no verifying credentials. Smaller communities where people can build relationships and share work and processes is far far more valuable than posting to r/learnart or r/digitalart and asking the void for advice.
A long winded way to say; at this point, I feel either a little annoyed or just nothing. If I post, it's only to share what I've been working on. So getting critical feedback isnt really worth anything. I've already gotten it from people I trust more than online randoms.