Give yourself more credit.
One of the things that is difficult to understand about an art community or site is that viewers/fans are part of it. This means even though your not an artist yourself you are fully capable and expected to give meaningful and reliable feedback.
What do I mean by this? Surely you cannot expect me the normal person to judge an artist. That would be hypocritical John.
It's not Hypocritical when you provide them with something they can use. If they use it, it is completely up to them.
A lot of you don't seem to understand a necessary part of an artist's development is third party observation. It's the reason they display their work-rather than just sell.
Here in lies the kicker. I don't draw myself John. I have no right to judge.
Yes you do. Your there everyday looking at their work. You found the artist and liked their work why not help them improve.
This isn't a matter of how much money you throw at them, although I have thrown quite a bit myself the last 2 years in donations. It's about giving the artist what they don't have, what they will never have; a point of view they cannot maintain in construction or refining. Another set of eyes works wonders on visual media.
Can I enjoy a piece of art I think is flawed? Yes. Just because I enjoy something doesn't mean I cannot look at it critically. Also not all work displayed need be finished. Professionals display and collect their failed pieces or concepts that are rejected, and they look nothing like the finished project. I myself have enjoyed Jason and the Heroes of Olympus and most of that was before they kid oriented the material so badly all the beautifully done characters were ravished by the censors. Greek myth doesn't translate well into children's shows let's just leave it at that.
Can it always be better? This depends on the artist and their media/time. The real question is, "Do you want it to be better?" If you want an artist to improve to the maximum capability possible and you have no artistic talent, here are the things you can do:
1) Provide feedback greater than "I like it, nice, awesome, etc". Positive is best, but it's never one word or phrase.
Be specific with what you like. Your eyes work, therefore you are capable of giving artistic feedback. Yeah. Amazing isn't it? All you need is a mostly working set of eyes. (My apologies to all blind people reading this on the Internet. Move along, nothing to see here).
2) What looks wrong and what is wrong isn't your fault.
If an artist criticises you for noticing something or acts curt in response to your feedback it isn't your fault. You were not responsible for what was posted, you are only looking at it. You are a third party. Giving feedback doesn't make you responsible, so don't feel ashamed for mentioning what seems off.
Again your not an artist, so you may not know all the terms. But you know what perspective is, and you know that a first to your face is larger than a fist at someone else's face.
You needn't go looking for anything wrong. If something is wrong or terrible it will be blatantly apparent. This takes no effort whatsoever. Your brain may be stuck on the left side, but you slide right ever so slowly when you see something odd in a visual picture.
3) Be calm.
Your not leading a Crusade here. Either the artist will take your information or not. Obviously the more involved the artist is, the less they respond. Most are nice enough to tell you "I cannot do what I do and answer each comment or email," It just isn't possible. There isn't enough time in the day.
Myth: Good artists always improve.
HELL NO. I lost my calm!
I wish this were true. If it were, we as a race of human beings would be in a golden age of visual media. We have not come close to this since the Renaissance. Read up on art history. We are no where near this point in our development.
Good artists fall like the rest of them. Great artists do too. All it takes is a little slip, a bit of lacking feedback and they stagnate as well. I'd use an example, but this isn't meant to cast a shadow or spotlight on anyone.
The calm is back.
Accept the fact anyone can make a mistake. Even the best artist. If there were no possibility of failure there would be no self improvement. Get it out of your head that talented people belong on a high pedestal. The higher you place them the further they fall, and they will fall.
4) Patience is a virtue not just for an artist.
It takes time to improve. The moment you say what is lacking doesn't mean the artist immediately implements it.
Everything happens in cycles. They have their adjustment/acceptance phase like everyone else.
If the artist lacks patience or feels obligated to 'lash out', guess what? They are a normal human being. Don't pass final judgment on their attitude, only their work. Do you not feel comfortable giving feedback to those artists? Don't. Your silence hurts them more than you know. It isn't what is said about a person, but what isn't said that they dwell on all hours of the night during their work and otherwise. More so than any comeback or snide remark can do so.
5) Not everyone wants to improve. Including you.
You don't want the responsibility and I cannot blame or force you. It's your call and effort that makes or breaks artists at critical moments. I don't mean when they need money, I mean when they need criticism. And no it isn't when they ask you personally. That is the time they least need criticism and go fishing for compliments. Again, entirely normal human response. Don't judge. Observe. Don't react. Observe. Don't antagonize. Observe. Your greatest weapon is simple, and easy to use. An artist cannot hide things as easily as you can simply look.
If the artist's work is evident that they aren't improving and you noticed, congratulations; you are just like everyone else. Minimal effort is noticeable.
Your not impressing anyone calling someone out on it, because we all can see it clearly too. We have working eyes. (Sorry blind people reading this). You are impressive for saying something constructive and helpful, "Palladinthug you never draw women. Palladinthug try more action poses, they are all static. Palladinthug how do you draw with boxing gloves on? Palladinthug where are my commissions? Palladinthug why did you eat 5 burritos?"
What I want you to take away from this rant is simple. You don't want to be responsible, but you are responsible. Your the closest thing these people have to a creative parent. You guide them, whether the artist lets you know that or not. They can never have what you do, and that is the point of view you provide. They are stuck and trapped in their own, and no number of styles or hours of practice will change that. They need you not for your money, but for the information you can give.
What do I mean by this? Surely you cannot expect me the normal person to judge an artist. That would be hypocritical John.
It's not Hypocritical when you provide them with something they can use. If they use it, it is completely up to them.
A lot of you don't seem to understand a necessary part of an artist's development is third party observation. It's the reason they display their work-rather than just sell.
Here in lies the kicker. I don't draw myself John. I have no right to judge.
Yes you do. Your there everyday looking at their work. You found the artist and liked their work why not help them improve.
This isn't a matter of how much money you throw at them, although I have thrown quite a bit myself the last 2 years in donations. It's about giving the artist what they don't have, what they will never have; a point of view they cannot maintain in construction or refining. Another set of eyes works wonders on visual media.
Can I enjoy a piece of art I think is flawed? Yes. Just because I enjoy something doesn't mean I cannot look at it critically. Also not all work displayed need be finished. Professionals display and collect their failed pieces or concepts that are rejected, and they look nothing like the finished project. I myself have enjoyed Jason and the Heroes of Olympus and most of that was before they kid oriented the material so badly all the beautifully done characters were ravished by the censors. Greek myth doesn't translate well into children's shows let's just leave it at that.
Can it always be better? This depends on the artist and their media/time. The real question is, "Do you want it to be better?" If you want an artist to improve to the maximum capability possible and you have no artistic talent, here are the things you can do:
1) Provide feedback greater than "I like it, nice, awesome, etc". Positive is best, but it's never one word or phrase.
Be specific with what you like. Your eyes work, therefore you are capable of giving artistic feedback. Yeah. Amazing isn't it? All you need is a mostly working set of eyes. (My apologies to all blind people reading this on the Internet. Move along, nothing to see here).
2) What looks wrong and what is wrong isn't your fault.
If an artist criticises you for noticing something or acts curt in response to your feedback it isn't your fault. You were not responsible for what was posted, you are only looking at it. You are a third party. Giving feedback doesn't make you responsible, so don't feel ashamed for mentioning what seems off.
Again your not an artist, so you may not know all the terms. But you know what perspective is, and you know that a first to your face is larger than a fist at someone else's face.
You needn't go looking for anything wrong. If something is wrong or terrible it will be blatantly apparent. This takes no effort whatsoever. Your brain may be stuck on the left side, but you slide right ever so slowly when you see something odd in a visual picture.
3) Be calm.
Your not leading a Crusade here. Either the artist will take your information or not. Obviously the more involved the artist is, the less they respond. Most are nice enough to tell you "I cannot do what I do and answer each comment or email," It just isn't possible. There isn't enough time in the day.
Myth: Good artists always improve.
HELL NO. I lost my calm!
I wish this were true. If it were, we as a race of human beings would be in a golden age of visual media. We have not come close to this since the Renaissance. Read up on art history. We are no where near this point in our development.
Good artists fall like the rest of them. Great artists do too. All it takes is a little slip, a bit of lacking feedback and they stagnate as well. I'd use an example, but this isn't meant to cast a shadow or spotlight on anyone.
The calm is back.
Accept the fact anyone can make a mistake. Even the best artist. If there were no possibility of failure there would be no self improvement. Get it out of your head that talented people belong on a high pedestal. The higher you place them the further they fall, and they will fall.
4) Patience is a virtue not just for an artist.
It takes time to improve. The moment you say what is lacking doesn't mean the artist immediately implements it.
Everything happens in cycles. They have their adjustment/acceptance phase like everyone else.
If the artist lacks patience or feels obligated to 'lash out', guess what? They are a normal human being. Don't pass final judgment on their attitude, only their work. Do you not feel comfortable giving feedback to those artists? Don't. Your silence hurts them more than you know. It isn't what is said about a person, but what isn't said that they dwell on all hours of the night during their work and otherwise. More so than any comeback or snide remark can do so.
5) Not everyone wants to improve. Including you.
You don't want the responsibility and I cannot blame or force you. It's your call and effort that makes or breaks artists at critical moments. I don't mean when they need money, I mean when they need criticism. And no it isn't when they ask you personally. That is the time they least need criticism and go fishing for compliments. Again, entirely normal human response. Don't judge. Observe. Don't react. Observe. Don't antagonize. Observe. Your greatest weapon is simple, and easy to use. An artist cannot hide things as easily as you can simply look.
If the artist's work is evident that they aren't improving and you noticed, congratulations; you are just like everyone else. Minimal effort is noticeable.
Your not impressing anyone calling someone out on it, because we all can see it clearly too. We have working eyes. (Sorry blind people reading this). You are impressive for saying something constructive and helpful, "Palladinthug you never draw women. Palladinthug try more action poses, they are all static. Palladinthug how do you draw with boxing gloves on? Palladinthug where are my commissions? Palladinthug why did you eat 5 burritos?"
What I want you to take away from this rant is simple. You don't want to be responsible, but you are responsible. Your the closest thing these people have to a creative parent. You guide them, whether the artist lets you know that or not. They can never have what you do, and that is the point of view you provide. They are stuck and trapped in their own, and no number of styles or hours of practice will change that. They need you not for your money, but for the information you can give.