The Perils of Popularity from Fanart
Okay so I was checking through my DA today and found a journal by an artist I watch who was complaining that she feels like she is dropping in popularity. So I had to take a step back and think why (not that it was too hard).
(Also I tried to ignore the bit where she stated she thinks she is better than her peers who get more comments than her).
She rarely replies to comments people leave her but I don't think that's the big reason - sure she might get less comments to every fave but she still will get the faves and should expect that if she doesn't make any contact with her watchers. Why bother commending someone when they never reply?
She is very popular, but then that is because she is a fan artist. Dangerous way to become popular on an art site as your are not being judged for your skill but for your topic. When you start fanarting and you become very popular because of the fanart you do, there becomes an unwritten obligation that you continue that type of fan art even when you start to like something else. Now this artist is very faddy and when she moves onto a new fandom she moves on big styly, obsessing over her new fandom and completely forgetting about her old obsessions. Now that's fair and allowed (everyone changes) but it is also how you lose fans, especially if your new fandom is no way near as popular with people as your old one. Unfortunately she doesn't see it that way, she sees it as though people are judging her and her skill as an artist.
It's hard.
I think the best thing you can do is try and find balance in your art output and generally never believe all the hype that other people give you when you are popular. A great example of this is The-G. Despite how popular he is he remains incredibly genuine. His art output is 75% fanart and 25% original. He truly loves his fandoms and even when he obsesses about something new he still stays true to his original fandom - American comicbook heroes - it is so obvious that his love for them is not a fad and that he doesn't do the art purely for popularity. No matter what his current interest is, he will always continue his American comic art (he has so much promise too!)
He also keeps good contact with his fans. He believes it is common curtesy to reply to every comment he receives, no matter how snowed under he is. He watches people back and even does 'ninja' gift art to his most consistant followers. It is contact like this which rises him above 'competent fan artist' to 'a really nice guy'.
I hope that the first artist I mentioned does realise that art is about expression rather than popularity. I hope she stops comparing her skill as an artist by how many people comment rather than the effort and techniques she uses. She does have lots of talent and will always be popular (even if not as popular as she used to be) but I hope that she will begin to appreciate her followers now that she feels she is losing them.
Your views on this matter?