This is what happened to me too. When I was on DeviantArt, I posted my comic “So, You’re A Cartoonist” on an almost daily basis. I got TONS of criticism, which I tried to listen to and follow. I was told my backgrounds were lacking, so I added more backgrounds even though the comics and jokes didn’t need them. I was told the format was too repetitive, despite the fact that a 4 panel structure made posting daily easier. I was told my jokes were too tame, so I tried making edgier jokes despite not being comfortable telling jokes like that.
Every time I adjusted my art to fit the needs of some random critic, more would just take it’s place. Nothing I did was EVER good enough, and I eventually ended up burning myself out trying to accommodate everyone. I was getting hundreds upon hundreds of comments a day, and what did I get for listening to the feedback? Branded as “unable to handle criticism” by those whom I missed or didn’t listen to. It didn’t matter that I listened to feedback, because the second I didn’t listen to one person or they felt slighted by me for whatever reason, it was all over 4chan and SomethingAwful and the trolling intensified. It’s physically impossible to listen to hundreds of criticism and adjust our work to them all equally, yet we’re treated like that’s a fundamental aspect of our job.
This doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of why random criticism from online fans is kinda useless. The best type of criticism happens DURING the making of the work, when you still have time to change the art and adjust things easily. Once the work is completed and put out there, it’s not viable to go back and change things because you’re got other projects to work on and you can’t get hung up on what’s been done. There are deadlines to meet after all. But fans can only realistically comment on final works of art. They can’t usually comment on the behind the scenes process and influence the art in any meaningful way.
My longest paying gig was a 2 year stint drawing “the Brentalfloss Comic.” It was weekly, and I got scripts sent to me. I would draw up the comic, send it back, get notes on it, change things, and make adjustments. It was rough, but it worked because I was getting feedback BEFORE I finished making the comic. And it yielded some of the best work I’ve ever done. But when people criticize my work, they conveniently ignore those 378 comics. Strange...
Also, speaking personally here... the best type of feedback I could get is someone telling me what I did RIGHT. Not mindless “praise,” mind you... but what did you LIKE in my art? What did I do that you ENJOYED? I know what I did wrong. I drew it, after all. I don’t need the negative pointed out, because I know eventually I will overcome it. But I need positivity. I need people to tell me why I should keep making the art I do. If all an artist ever gets back is negativity and harsh criticism, they’ll quickly fall into depression and despair because they’ll feel their work is never good enough. So why bother? If every work of art is just going to spur more negativity, why bother making new work?
The biggest lie social media has instilled in us is that your ability to reach out and contact the creators of your favorite works is a “right.” It’s not. And if a creator doesn’t want your feedback or doesn’t listen to your criticisms, you are not being “censored.” Artists are not obligated to waste their precious time dealing with your personal beefs. Especially if you’re not paying them. lol
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