Should I Quit Making Free Comic Book Art On Deviantart Entirely?
I didn't want to bring this up but it was bugging me a lot. So I have this problem and it a know place called DeviantArt. As you may of known it was once a good place to grow as an artist. While it indeed help me grow a little more. My problem with it is the constant taking advantaging of others.
I know you can pretty much being taken advantage on everything. It's just you see I take some criticism and nitpicking for my art. I also know I’m not the world’s greatest artist. I know it may sound somewhat entitled on my part. I only say that cause I did spend a bunch of my time while working on free artwork. I just wish some would realize that when you get something for free it’s not always perfect. I may just stop making free art entirely, I don’t know yet. So anyway thank you for listening me rant and ramble about this.
Edited: I decided to take a break from giving out free art to people but anyway thank you all again for those who read this silly rant of mine again.
Best Answer
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Catching this post late, so I'll share some thoughts despite the conclusion you've already drawn.
I'm not sure what stage you are at with your art journey, but I typically don't recommend working pro bono for strangers, unless it is for a charity/organization or the like that you wish to support. Some people might try to sell you on the "experience" but you'll grow much faster as an artist by doing studies and exercises that target your weaknesses.
At some point you'll want your portfolio to stop looking like student work, and it when you are at that level you can definitely justify charging people for commissions. Then you'll be making money and building your portfolio--best of both worlds.
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For far for my art journey right now, I’ve been working more trying to add more landscape elements into the fan-art I mostly made.
I mean I’m trying to sheer more away from that. Cause I do have somewhat portfolio like you mentioned which is on ArtStation. Which happens to be another art website that similar to Deviantart. I’ve also been somewhat working on putting another portfolio. Just with different mediums of art.
Like more for a example landscape art, anatomy, object studies and other original artwork. I’m also trying to work more with using color pencils, alcohol markers, and gouache paints, etc. I’m still practicing more with the materials and studies I mention. Especially anatomy and landscape. Both of which are difficult to master. But I do what I need to do. And the best way to learn in study more pictures and videos on the subjects.
I will also say that’s it’s definitely hard to get your self out there for sure. Which reminds me, I had to make a couple posts on Deviantart.One was warning about spammers and whatnot. The other was as me deciding to have people buy my art. It was a shame it had to come to that. But I had to do what I needed to do so that no one could take advantage of me or anyone else.
So anyway maybe in the near future I may change mind my on the charging my art.I only made posts to protect myself from spammers to say the least. I will also agree that giving free art is also the best thing I could do and keep doing. Like I said I had to stop for a while at least.
Well anyway thank you for the feedback and advice. I really do greatly appreciate it. I will also work more on my fine art skills cause those are important to master as artist.
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Best of luck to you!
Is there a specific category of art you are most interested in?
I will also note that people will surprise you with what they are awed by, and how much they are willing to pay. My sophomore year of college I created a poster-sized charcoal design sketch for one of my architecture assignments. I didn't think much of it, but I had it pinned on the wall next to my desk. A few days or weeks go by, and I was eventually approached by a grad student who couldn't stop appreciating it as he walked by every day. I believe he offered me upwards of $200. I gave it to him for $20 XD
Also, if you are working towards making art for a living, and no one has given you this advice... Commenting on other artists' work, and interacting with them, is just as valuable as putting out work yourself. You should be genuine about it--don't just go through every artist you can find and tell them "oh my god you're so good, I love your art!"--and if you can make it a part of your routine you'll not only grow your artist brain but your audience. Over time you'll develop a circle of artists who are personally invested in your development and may even be your foot in the door to a career in the future.
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Thanks and good luck to you too.
To answer your question about what specific category I’m interested in. Well I would have to say Illustrations. I really enjoy making comic book type art. I also really love just sketching with a regular pencil and paper in general.
Wow that’s very interesting and cool. I kind of gotten some offers to buy my art. It’s just that well on Deviantart they have to point system that helps pays for nft protection other then using real money. In other words they were just trying to get free art. I mean I appreciate some of the point offer but again I just went a head and gave the art away for free at the time. Another offer I got were wedding invitation design spams. Luckily I figure it out with the help of my family. I studied computer science and animation online. It was a pain to get through after that I managed to get my 2 year degree.
Also yeah I’m trying to comment more on art related topics anywhere I go. It’s just that I tend to stay within my shell sometimes. But I’m I think I’m making some progress of being more open to people cause that’s important especially in the art world. I also met some nice people on deviantart. So yeah I kind of form a circle on there in way. But really it’s just fans like fan art and also sharing what we made. I also forgot to mention is that my audience on deviantart is mainly a mixed of adults and kids. So that why I got I bunch of fan art cause they really like that stuff. I mean everyone likes that anyway.
I mean that’s what circles are anyway. But I probably should create a different circle like on Twitter but instead it focuses more on fine art. But again I don’t know I may just stick with what I got. Probably for the best the anyway, so anyway again we will see what the future holds.
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Have you heard of the Oatley Academy?
Chris Oatley's podcasts were a huge inspiration for me as I started learning about entertainment design & animation. Back in 2016-17 it seemed like it was the corner of the internet for artists to be--I made some really close friends who'd all meet up in virtual hangouts to do art together. All-in-all, it was very motivating and kept me really focused on my art.
I drifted away from that community for a year, and when I came back it felt like a ghost town.
I get a email newsletter like once a year from Chris, but I can't tell if the business is still kickin.
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No, I haven’t heard of Oatley Academy. That’s really cool and awesome. It also sounds like interesting as well. I didn’t know that, I wish I heard of it sooner cause at that time I kept switching from community college to universities. So it does sound like a place I could of learn even more from, lol.
I totally understand about losing interest in somethings. Also that sucks that the site became a inactive too. That’s cool that you still get a newsletter letter from time to time.
Oh on time when I was younger I sign up for this how to draw comic book class. It was taught by a guy name Arron Warner. It was really fun class, got to meet all sorts of kids like me at the time and other people. Sadly he shut down the class cause I don’t think people were interested it that much and soon move on like that guy, Chris Oatley you mentioned.
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I active there for years, now its all AI posts.
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