martinmckeown:

Hey, is that the same Kaber who used to show up all the time and ignored me when I posted on CGPad?

Uhhh.....*Uh oh*.....Nope, wasn't me.

Sorry martin, didn't know you were at cgpad. I'd have said hi if I saw you. Now don't get me wrong, sometimes there's just nothing to say. I was feeling a bit left out in the cold. Probably just me being needy and I did get some great crits here and then....it was like.....Well, I don't know. It's this insatiable hunger to be a great artist. This demon that my wife and I both wrestle with, (She wins most of the time), it consumes me. I....Must.....PAINT! 

 So, my apologies martin if it appears I had shunned you, it was not the case and I was most likely off in my oun little world. To be fair, one should give if they expect to get and I have been stingy. I suppose we all get a bit self absorbed when it comes to our work.

actually, you were a fairly competent artist when you got here Kaber. let me see...oh yah, you won the first monthly challenge we had if I'm thinking correctly.

I wouldn't take the lack of comments to heart though. I've posted a number of illustrations in the WIP area, etc and most of the time my own are for the most part ignored. every now and again I get a comment though, and my Hunting the Hood image got tons of comments throughout. so you know it's hit and miss. sometimes you get the comments and sometimes you don't. you just gotta be patient, stay with it and have patience.

and I think I've commented on a number of your images.

Okay here goes, *deep breath* I was pretty happy with the pulp challenge and what I managed to do...got no crits or feedback and I was puzzled since I researched so much about Doc Savage (watched the clips, read background history) I was suprised to get a few votes after feeling so left out. I pulled colors from the old posters to get an authentic feel and even gave him a bit of a makeover for fun. What the heck is wrong with my work? I want to improve...is it my lack of dark outlines? too much color? too busy? not slick enough?

I like you guys and I think all the different styles are so inspiring. I guess I just feel insecure since I'm a newb.

fabledgoat:

actually, you were a fairly competent artist when you got here Kaber. let me see...oh yah, you won the first monthly challenge we had if I'm thinking correctly.

I did!? Well, I had a lot of help from members of the forum. Heh, when I first saw some of the art work here I was floored. I'm older than most of you here and I have only been doing this for a few years. I have no formal art education and I've always felt lacking so I've always felt I had to really push to get where I am. In the process I may have seemed a little offish. You and Kaz and ......what's her name..um...drat. Can't think now. You guys did put in alot of crits. Even em gave me some good insight for which I was so enthused. Good solid crits.

fabledgoat:

I wouldn't take the lack of comments to heart though. I've posted a number of illustrations in the WIP area, etc and most of the time my own are for the most part ignored. every now and again I get a comment though, and my Hunting the Hood image got tons of comments throughout. so you know it's hit and miss. sometimes you get the comments and sometimes you don't. you just gotta be patient, stay with it and have patience.

and I think I've commented on a number of your images.

Yeah, I know. I didn't mean to come off sounding like I'm whining or anything. Just a thought that had been on my mind for awhile. I let it go but then here comes this thread and I was just curious more than anything so I thought I'd help move this thread along. Nice for all of us to have a little support group. Sometimes a smaller community is also nicer. You get more feedback and so I also joined cgpad. They've been good but my main problem is posting a finished piece when it could use a little more work.

I really can't thank all you enouph for your help with the viking ship though. Your crits and comments really helped me out and I thank the IFX team for giving me the opportunity to have it put in the DVD and printed in the mag. I've come far and I still have far to go but now it is my turn to encourage other artists.

kaber:

martinmckeown:

Hey, is that the same Kaber who used to show up all the time and ignored me when I posted on CGPad?

 

Uhhh.....*Uh oh*.....Nope, wasn't me.

Sorry martin, didn't know you were at cgpad. I'd have said hi if I saw you. Now don't get me wrong, sometimes there's just nothing to say. I was feeling a bit left out in the cold. Probably just me being needy and I did get some great crits here and then....it was like.....Well, I don't know. It's this insatiable hunger to be a great artist. This demon that my wife and I both wrestle with, (She wins most of the time), it consumes me. I....Must.....PAINT! 

 So, my apologies martin if it appears I had shunned you, it was not the case and I was most likely off in my oun little world. To be fair, one should give if they expect to get and I have been stingy. I suppose we all get a bit self absorbed when it comes to our work.

Don't take it to heart too much Kaber, was being a bit tongue in cheek, although my invisibility on CGPad led to me abandoning the site, although it's got some cool smilies!

It does happen to us all at some point, at times I post work and think "this piece must be brilliant as no one has posted any crits" then I get no votes, then again I've won a few challenges, one especially I never thought I deserved.

So it's swings and roundabouts online.

ZephyrA:

Okay here goes, *deep breath* I was pretty happy with the pulp challenge and what I managed to do...got no crits or feedback and I was puzzled since I researched so much about Doc Savage (watched the clips, read background history) I was suprised to get a few votes after feeling so left out. I pulled colors from the old posters to get an authentic feel and even gave him a bit of a makeover for fun. What the heck is wrong with my work? I want to improve...is it my lack of dark outlines? too much color? too busy? not slick enough?

I like you guys and I think all the different styles are so inspiring. I guess I just feel insecure since I'm a newb.

Hey there Dave, I tried to have a look in your gallery but nothing came up. If you could post a link I'd be happy to give you few pointers but that's what I'm talking about. I know daily life takes it's toll but you need feedback in order to grow and I think there are actually quite a few who arn't getting the crits they need. Now, as I've said before, sometimes an image is too plain. Sometimes you just don't know what to say but this is one of the reasons we're here. To do better by knowing what we're doing wrong.

I can understand a lot of the comments here and how people feel. I think it is tough because there is a fine line between what is good and what is excellent.

For instance I was lucky enough to get some great crits on a recent portrait I worked on. I manged to progress it to a stage I was happy enough with. It was good at that stage. Em then kindly posted a paint over with some small adjustments I imagine took him a few minutes to do and his paint over elevated it to excellent(in his version anyway).

What I'm trying to say is this aint an easy gig and opinion varies. I like to leave encouraging comments and don't often leave a ton of crits as I find it hard to write exactly what is in my head.

Keep on truckin, comments or no comments. 

"I get commented, therefore I am..." There are as many opinions as there are people, some loves ones stuff, others hate it, most of them are just indifferent...

Thats just the way it is, don´t mind, just paint and have fun ! Getting comments is often just about showing your work at right moment at the right place, whenever or wherever that is depends much on pure luck...I have even seen works by Koshime and Nickillus gone uncommented for days...

I pray this is an okay place for this.

 Hi guys! I have a problem! 

 Trying to make myself feel a little better here, haha.

Today, me andmy friend were talking and I think I've unintentionally disrespected her.

 Basically, I have a nasty habit of putting myself down/bashing myself and my art. I try not to because of her and others like do enjoy the stuff I produce but it kinda... happens. I spend a lot of my time looking at work of others that looks a lot better than my own (which is probably everyone on this site in my opinion), gathering ideas and trying to figure out what techniques they're using and if I can use it my own work. But I think in this process I go through the mindset of "gee, these people are great! It'll take me forever to get that good..." which starts the bad cycle.

 So I've been doing this... a lot and for a long time. 

Unfortunately, my friend looks up to my work and now I'm hurting her with my problem. She told me that its hard to have faith in her work if I keep being so critical of my own work. It hurts me a lot that I've done this to her, and I'm trying to figure how not to make myself do that, but I still haven't found a good method.

I'm asking you guys: Have you ever had a problem like this? If so, can you share some pointers with me? 

i think we all have that problem bigbad, every time you look at someone elses work you think, 'god i'd never be able to do that' and it happens at every level, obviously as you get better, you start to think what you are doing isn't bad, but still not as good as you want it to be. 

i'm not helping here am i? lol

ok the way i deal with it is i just have to accept it, for now, and just strive and keep trying to get better, so you either accept that you're going to improve and start to feel better, or else you are going to feel like this for a very long time, and if you can't get over that, then you need to ask yourself if you want to still do art. 

I think the answer would be a resounding yes, you do want to continue, so you have to put that feeling aside for now, accept and acknowledge that it's going to make you feel bad sometimes, but try not to dwell on it. And just draw and paint, as much as possible, soon you'll find that actually, you're not as bad as you thought you were.

And put yourself in your friends shoes, if she thinks she's no good, and looks up to you, and you think your work is no good, can you imagine what she thinks your opinion of her work is? 

it happens to everyone though.  

Tough one there mate!

It's not so much to do with art this one, so I will give you an un-art-related answer.

I too sometimes disrespect my friends and can feel even worse with girls...oh women!

If youre behaviour is obsessive and extreme, I think her saying this is okay and I think that perhaps you should just be honest,kind and sympathetic, and be humble.

Say sorry,be polite,let her blame you and have a go at you,but also try and explain your problem in the most lightest of manners possible,she might see the brighter side of your problems and seek to help you instead.

Either that (which is quite alot) or try and stop bashing yourself,I don't think this will get you anywhere,it gives you bad vibes,gives you problems like this one,makes you feel upset,and art is a progressive thing,just keep practicing and working at it, you will get better, but the only way to do that is with a positive attitude, the right attitude for progression.

However, if you're bashing and critics of yourself aren't that extreme and are just constructive crit's of yourself,arent so bad.

Then perhaps she is in the wrong?(I hope I'm not being too much of an interferer in this)

Maybe just try and explain to her about your problems,maybe she needs some space?

In which case just be humble and sympathetic.

I'm really sorry If I'm interfering with you too much,and being too personal.

I really respect you for your concern for your friend,I wish I could have the same qualities.

Remember I'm not in your shoes, please don't take this advice too literally as it may be the wrong advise, but if it feels right then have a go :)

What I'm about to say may be harsh but it is the attitude I take with my work. I have the same problem as you but when I see Peoples work that is better than mine I think to myself HIT THE SKETCHBOOK PHOENICORN THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE. basicaly if you change that negative emotion of I'm not good enough, to one of i'm not good enough so heres what i'll do, you will not only feel better but you will improve to. Fear used to hold me back and now I am willing to experiment more, Recently I have been producing some of my best work because of the guys here but there is still room for improvment (that will never change). Finaly in a way it is good you feel that way coz hopefuly you have a burning desire to improve, Feed that fire with your art, If you are that concerened about the idea you are crap may I suggest following the lessons given from Koshime to Alextooth. those lessons are helping me

http://community.imaginefx.com/forums/thread/155796.aspx

Good luck to you mate and don't forget picaso said once "Art is a vice. You don't marry it ligitimetly. You rape it"

I'm so glad you guys reply so quickly! Thank you Kazky and Grenich.

 Even though I figured a lot of people go through this sort of this, its nice to directly hear I'm not alone. Thank you, Kaz.

And Grenich, I'm thinking the problem with my friend is gonna work out okay. I don't think she's mega mad or anything, just a little upset. I think I need to start with myself first. At least... thats what I feel.