Paper Peril

How NOT to compliment an artist

missjiffy:

the-tawny-scrawny-lion:

spookychan:

teratocybernetics:

kinomatika:

kions:

Saw a few things regarding this matter floating around, and since this is my wordyblog and I’ve got some experience on the matter, I figured I’d pipe up because OPINIONS.

It’s happened to me before where I’m streaming, or where I post something, and I get someone messaging me saying something…

reblogging because this is something that I think everybody should probably read! also because it doesn’t singularly relate to me, but all artists of all crafts!

You should read the whole thing, and not only because they quote Metalocalypse in the sumup.

I have had this happen to me- always. Even one of my good friends says it… and I never know what to do. I think i’ve said.. “Okay, you can hate me… but I dunno what good that will do.”

Seriously it’s the weirdest thing to do to a person-

THAT and another tangent to comments on art making- saying “I couldn’t draw a straight line to save my life” line is pretty fucking stupid. Obviously you couldn’t get past Kindergarten if you you couldn’t do your fucking alphabet. BTW- i’m no good at straight lines too. Ta-fucking-da. Art is more than envy and being precise or being like another in art- it’s about voice, passion, and the skill you develop after countless hours spent only devoted to the craft. Spend 65% of your life if not more devoted to art and we’ll talk.

< / rant >

I think every artist has had to deal with this at some point. And it’s really irritating and awkward. 

I have had this said to me multiple times…but honestly I don’t take offense to it. As the original poster said, I guess it varies to levels of sensitivity, and I can see WHY people would get annoyed or upset over those things. I guess the reason I don’t really get irked by it is because I know it’s sarcasm and humor, especially when it is someone I know who says it. One friend says it all the time, to various people, but that’s because that’s her humor, and I honestly love her for her jerky sense of humor to be frank.

I think what irritates me MORE is when people compliment you while bringing themselves down, and they AREN’T joking. Or when they downplay the amount of hours you spend training yourself to be better. When they say you are a natural talent? Really? Natural talent? Let me show you my preschool drawings, I can assure you they were NO BETTER THAN YOURS AT THAT AGE. This “natural talent” is years in the making. A childhood spent doodling and sketching, tracing and drawing, just so I can be good at art. I enjoyed it. It’s like telling a surgeon “oh you are so smart, you could do this in your sleep.” No…actually I spent 8 or so years studying and training so I could help save people’s lives. (That’s a terrible analogy…but you get the gist.)

Anyways. I do agree that there are much better ways to compliment someone’s art, or any other type of skill and craft. Perhaps by COMPLIMENTING THEM NORMALLY. “Your drawing is beautiful, I love the lines and the way you blend colors, etc.” Instead of “You are amazing, I suck, I hate you, why wasn’t I born with your talent, I have no talent, etc.” Cause hold up. Everyone has a talent, yours may NOT BE ART, but there is talent in talking to people, making people happy, doing any type of sport, hand coordination, speaking in public, writing, making music and so much more.

So I guess in the end, just think before you speak. Sometimes you may not mean to be rude or make people uncomfortable, but as you can see from everyone else’s responses, you can. So just compliment and leave it at that, no need to add weird things in the mix to throw the compliment off.

And for the people recieving the compliment just say “Thank You”. Honestly…nothing irritates me more than when I compliment someone like “your painting is REALLY coming along, I love you value, etc,” and they say “oh god, I hate it, I can’t get it right, I hate all my art, you are so much better than I am, etc.” Cause then I just want to say, you know what, I take it back, your art sucks. I understand, TRUST ME DO I UNDERSTAND, that you can’t like everything you do, but just take a compliment and let it sink in. If you did, you would be surprised how happier you’ll be. Cause people don’t always lie about liking stuff. Some people do…but most of the time if someone talks about your work, says positive things, they MEAN IT, otherwise they wouldn’t spend the time of day to compliment you.

The end. Good Morning everyone. Haha.

Reblogging this once again for the add on comments.