Ok

The hardest part about being and artist with a unique style is that you have to defend said style when people come along and tell you how you do things is completely wrong.

I think thats the biggest blow to the ego when being an artist, why should there be a "right" way to do art? Unless said person is trying to draw something at a beginner level, and need to be told what's right (IE: five finger not four, eyes usually are not center on the head and necks arent thinner than a pencil). But thats only when they want draw realism.

The biggest blow came when someone commented on how i drew a male that had actually looked female, but due to the character's history (being fed estrogen steroids as a child, had little body hair, long hair and very slender build with slight hips) made him look like he was female.

The list they had made was long and with each line i kept shrinking and getting angrier. After responding about the character's history and why he looks like that i got a reply back. Everything was fine until the last line...

"If you want i will post some of my art so you can reference it"

Which brings me to another thing to ask of you all... for critique like this... very harsh and belittling as what i had received... should be received by someone who has no art to show but only for what they say "they have"?

But the main question: What is the worst, belittling critique that you have ever received... so much that your pride as an artist was cracked a little.. For me it was that one sentence. And what did you do/say in response?

Art in drawing is kind of like art in writing. Some times people don't take you seriously enough to allow you to stylishly break the rules until you have proven you know how to follow them.

The world is harsh. You shouldn't have to prove it to anyone, but they somehow expect you to anyway, and even then they might critique your style pretty awfully.

I just started watching xxxholic done by Clamp. I know CLAMP can do pretty characters. I think the characters in xxxholic are atrocious with arms and legs too long and middles oddly thick. But I know CLAMP's previous pretty work, so I know they have made these "errors" (in my eyes they are errors) on purpose to demonstrate a point and set the mood in their anime. They proved to me with their previous work that they knew what they were doing, so when looking at xxxholic I KNOW it isn't lack of talent to blame.

That's just an example. A weird one maybe?

But draw in your style. Express yourself, the mood of your message, your purpose, through your style!

First off, I LOVE CRITIQUES. Now a critique, by my definition, is when someone points the good but also the bad and gives a constructive way to fix it.

The worst critique I ever got was this, "You can't fix it. The piece looks bad." It didn't sting or anything, but it was the worst critique because he didn't tell me how I could get better. That is the thing with critiques, you take what you can from it and build upon it. I strongly believe that your peers didn't mean to hurt you or anything, they just wanted to be honest.

I have a teacher who is VERY blunt and will literally tell you to do the whole thing again. But what makes him great is that he'll tell you how to make it a stronger piece. Just remember that no one is perfect and take what you like from critiques, they can really help!

I hate critiques. I always try to take what ever advice is given, but If I've been given a list of things that's wrong with my work, (especially about anatomy) it makes me die a little inside. It's not because I can't conceive of my doing things wrong or anything. I just don't care to have my work picked apart.
That said, I will always offer my work up for critique if I think that it will help at all. I almost never discourage critique of my work either. I hate it, but I'll pretty much always accept it. I try to just grin and bear it.
The absolute most irritating thing for me was to be told stuff about I was doing wrong with anatomy by people with galleries full of photography. I was just all: Wtf, seriously? If they had commented from a gallery full of drawings I would have been, like: okay we're doing the same thing here. It's not like they didn't seem to know stuff, and they were right about things, but I just...Grrr!
It's just that I'd like someone critique my work from an account that has drawings in it. That way I wouldn't wonder if I'm below the notice of people who work in my medium.

Originally Posted by Kayxx

I hate critiques. I always try to take what ever advice is given, but If I've been given a list of things that's wrong with my work, (especially about anatomy) it makes me die a little inside. It's not because I can't conceive of my doing things wrong or anything. I just don't care to have my work picked apart.
That said, I will always offer my work up for critique if I think that it will help at all. I almost never discourage critique of my work either. I hate it, but I'll pretty much always accept it. I try to just grin and bear it.
The absolute most irritating thing for me was to be told stuff about I was doing wrong with anatomy by people with galleries full of photography. I was just all: Wtf, seriously? If they had commented from a gallery full of drawings I would have been, like: okay we're doing the same thing here. It's not like they didn't seem to know stuff, and they were right about things, but I just...Grrr!
It's just that I'd like someone critique my work from an account that has drawings in it. That way I wouldn't wonder if I'm below the notice of people who work in my medium.

Not using the same medium in art doesn't mean the person doesn't have a background in it. I don't have any photography up on my DA gallery, does that mean I have never in my life taken a photography course? No, it just means I don't have any photographs I personally deem worthy to post for others to see. Does it mean I shouldn't be allowed to critique someone else's photography and give them tips on how to better their future images? No.


That said I love critiques when they are just that. Critiques. A critique points out the good and bad and offers advice on how to fix something that's wrong or to use on your next piece. The bad is crap like 'I don't like your style' 'I hate the face' They don't offer anything to help the artist grow and fix the piece. That is what I call bashing, however slight it is. Its not constructive or useful in anyway its just someone trying to be an ass in a round about way.

Originally Posted by SamuraiPanda

Not using the same medium in art doesn't mean the person doesn't have a background in it. I don't have any photography up on my DA gallery, does that mean I have never in my life taken a photography course? No, it just means I don't have any photographs I personally deem worthy to post for others to see. Does it mean I shouldn't be allowed to critique someone else's photography and give them tips on how to better their future images? No.


That said I love critiques when they are just that. Critiques. A critique points out the good and bad and offers advice on how to fix something that's wrong or to use on your next piece. The bad is crap like 'I don't like your style' 'I hate the face' They don't offer anything to help the artist grow and fix the piece. That is what I call bashing, however slight it is. Its not constructive or useful in anyway its just someone trying to be an ass in a round about way.

I know what you mean about having a background in something. What I mentioned is just something that bugged me personally. I can be hyper sensitive sometimes, and anything can set me off at times like those, even something silly or random like what I mentioned. I don't mean that those people shouldn't or are somehow not allowed to critique me, and I don't mean I don't value their critiques either. The fact that they critiqued it at all means they cared enough to say something, and that means something to me. I'm just not very thick skinned is all.
I actually don't think I would care if someone said they hated my work, or my style. That isn't helpful, but I really don't give a damn about what they like or don't like. If they don't like it, I'm not gonna change it for them. (unless they commissioned me to do it, which is unlikely since I'm not really good enough to have people buy my work) If they point out a weak point to me, I will probably fix it later. Like I said though, I'm not that thick-skinned. Critiques make me bleed. I don't care to bleed. *shrugs* I guess I'll have to get used to it though.

Maybe you just need to find people who work in your style. I suppose if it's really unique, then it might be a challenge. I do agree that what might be the right way for a certain style might not be for another one.

Originally Posted by Ionait

I just started watching xxxholic done by Clamp. I know CLAMP can do pretty characters. I think the characters in xxxholic are atrocious with arms and legs too long and middles oddly thick. But I know CLAMP's previous pretty work, so I know they have made these "errors" (in my eyes they are errors) on purpose to demonstrate a point and set the mood in their anime. They proved to me with their previous work that they knew what they were doing, so when looking at xxxholic I KNOW it isn't lack of talent to blame.

That's just an example. A weird one maybe?

But draw in your style. Express yourself, the mood of your message, your purpose, through your style!

I love the art in XXXHolic XD

But, I agree, draw in your style, the masters were the masters because they broke the rules and did what they wanted creating new styles for others to mimic.
I have a unique art style and have had some pretty harsh reviews, the stuff I could use I did, the criticisms I couldn't I just let roll off my back. You have to get a thick skin to be an artist.

People need to learn that even if you think you have a unique "style" people can tell if you have no foundation in anatomy or art basics. It's well known that using style as an excuse is one of the weakest excuses you can give when faced with a harsh critique of your work. You have to build a foundation before you build your house, and a foundation in art principles, basic concepts, and observational drawing is needed before you try to stylize the world around you.

Overall, I was hurt a lot more when I was in high school than when I was in art school. I was probably hurt the most when I made the transition probably. That's because that was the time when I learned the most and figured out that, oh yeah, I suck, maybe I should do observational drawing and try to improve myself traditionally.
Now, if I receive a critique I know that it is there to help me and use it without throwing a hissy fit inside my mind. Critiques, even if they are harsh, shouldn't hurt your ego.