Sta.sh
Not me, personally. But I'm seeing an alarming trend of amazing artists who are getting frustrated with devianART because of what their viewers are doing, and deleting their accounts (or at the very least, deleting their galleries). In the past two weeks, I've seen the demise of three incredible galleries.
One could put the blame on rude and ignorant people who really shouldn't be here. I'm talking about people that view dA as "MySpace with ' porn '". In other words, people who don't know or don't care what the community is about. It would be nice if there was a way to reach them and ask them to leave or change their ways, but that's never going to happen.
But there's another issue that the frustrated artists may not be realizing when they pack up and leave forever. By pulling back the great work they had once contributed to the great collection that is dA, they, themselves are diminishing the quality and splendor of this place. To say that another way, if all the real artists here were to leave at the same time, this place actually would devolve into MySpace with porn.
The best way to improve the community is not to surrender to the ones that "just don't get it", but to make deviantART an undesirable place for them. We need to fight, carry on, and claim this place as our home.
Here's how to do it:
If people are making inappropriate remarks, block them. If you see people posting artwork that is inappropriate or stolen, report them. And as much as I hate to see watermarks, if you're having a problem with people taking your images, I'd rather have the chance to see a watered-down version of your work than nothing at all. If we turn a cold shoulder to them and deny them the ability to do the things that are bringing the place down, they will eventually tire of even being here.
(Note: This was modified from my latest journal, which was less of an editorial and more of a desperate plea.)
One could put the blame on rude and ignorant people who really shouldn't be here. I'm talking about people that view dA as "MySpace with ' porn '". In other words, people who don't know or don't care what the community is about. It would be nice if there was a way to reach them and ask them to leave or change their ways, but that's never going to happen.
But there's another issue that the frustrated artists may not be realizing when they pack up and leave forever. By pulling back the great work they had once contributed to the great collection that is dA, they, themselves are diminishing the quality and splendor of this place. To say that another way, if all the real artists here were to leave at the same time, this place actually would devolve into MySpace with porn.
The best way to improve the community is not to surrender to the ones that "just don't get it", but to make deviantART an undesirable place for them. We need to fight, carry on, and claim this place as our home.
Here's how to do it:
If people are making inappropriate remarks, block them. If you see people posting artwork that is inappropriate or stolen, report them. And as much as I hate to see watermarks, if you're having a problem with people taking your images, I'd rather have the chance to see a watered-down version of your work than nothing at all. If we turn a cold shoulder to them and deny them the ability to do the things that are bringing the place down, they will eventually tire of even being here.
(Note: This was modified from my latest journal, which was less of an editorial and more of a desperate plea.)
I just have to say, I have considered deleting my accounts on everything 'arty', just because of flamers and bashers... and just plain out fags....
This was well said totally!
I would also like to say that it's not totally the people publishing the images either, If for example you look through the collections, you will see mass amounts of collections which guys have entitled "Too Hot", "2 or more girls", "hotnudes," and these are in no way or shape the more explicitly-named collections which I've seen sad, pervy, 30+ year old guys creating.
It's obvious that some people just use this site to build a collection of what the rest of the internet would consider a stash of porno. It disgusted me.
I know I'm only 18, but as a photographer, and an artist you learn respect for models, male and female, and I believe that this site has had an influx of people who don't know how to respect the passion, the beauty and intimacy of nude art.
I'm sorry for the rant, but let's make a stand!
Peace & Love,
Silas x
There are times I feel like leaving dA over some of the frustrations I have. I do a lot of Japanimation art, and I do a lot of my own OC character art on top of it. I'm not concerned with obsessing with incorrect usage of "the lingo" such as being an "otaku" (many people do not realize what an offensive word that is to people in Japan! They think it means "anime fan" or something!) I'm not concerned with how many fan art pics of Naruto that can be done into the ground or whatever. If people like that stuff, fine, more power to them.
But I used to have a lot of nude art and "hentai" ("anime porn" more or less) of my characters, and I got tired of those drawings getting more attention than some of the other works I do. And after a couple drawings "disappeared" from my site (DA took them down without telling me) I decided to yank them all, except for the ones that could be clearly argued as "artistic nudes". I was slowly becoming pigeon-holed as a "hentai artist" - but it was taking my focus away from the other stuff I want to do with my art, and more importantly, some people were only coming FOR the "nudie" art. And I got tired of it. I have ONE drawing I spent 12-14 hours on that I can't get people to look at. [link]
I am working on more materials of that calibur. And as a result of pulling the hentai, I HAVE seen a fall off in some people coming to my page. However, that does seem to be changing for the better, because I'm seeing more people I didn't see before coming on a somewhat regular basis.
but you're right- sometimes this DOES seem like a "myspace with porn" site when people ONLY want to look at the "juicy" stuff. I have moved all my hentai art to another gallery site for people to drool over THERE. (It's a site for "furry/anthro" art anyways... uhhh... I won't comment anymore on that!) And I'm keeping my gallery HERE for more of my more serious work. Doesn't mean I won't do something suggestive here or there, but I want my gallery here to be for people who want to see stuff that takes 12 or MORE hours to do, as opposed to a nudie pic I spent 3-4 hours on.
I also can't understand how a STAMP I created has more faves than my ART. After all, I spent about 8 minutes making the STAMP-- [link]
I think sometimes it's a simple matter of "There's just no accounting for TASTE!"
So I figure you just have to say "the HELL with it" and just do this thing out of your own passion for ART, and THE HELL with what people think of it.
I agree. It should be for the love of the art and nothing else.
Keep up the fight!
and don't worry about hacks and art thieves! They eventually become exposed for what they are!
I don't like watermarking either, but I do it because of that reason.
But you know what? Fuck the idiots, fuck the drama. I'm in this for the long run.