There is a flavor of deviants out there whom I just don't understand. Their behavior is completely inconsistent in my opinion, and I often wonder why they do what they do. Maybe you know? There are a couple of types.

Type 1
A deviant comes in to my gallery, and leaves a comment such as "OMG, I LOVE your art!!" on my front page without having faved or commented on a single one of my pieces. This one I get. It's the simplest kind of brownnosery, designed to get me to go to their gallery and see their stuff.

Type 2
A deviant who leaves a comment such as "OMG, I LOVE this piece!" and doesn't fave it. If you love it, why don't you fave it? And if you don't love it enough to fave it... why do you say you do? I figure this one is also BS written to get me over to their gallery, but sometimes it's people who don't have their own galleries. What's the point then?

Type 3 (we're out of flattery land now)
A deviant who comes in, faves every single one of my pieces... and doesn't watch. If you like my art enough to keep ALL of it in your faves... why don't you watch me for when new stuff comes out? I'm vain enough to believe that my newer works are better than my older works. I don't get these people at all.

And finally, Type 4
A deviant who comes in, watches me, and doesn't look at, comment on, or fave, a single one of my existing works. Why watch me if you don't even know if you like my art? And if you liked it, why would you only glance at a couple pieces and not look at the whole gallery? And furthermore, if you liked my art enough to watch me... why not fave a single one? Can someone explain this to me?

I myself rarely add on new people to watch. Any new artist I watch has to be absolutely amazing. Their art must be inspiring to me and embody some concept that I would like my own art to improve at. But when I find such an artist, I look at their whole gallery. I fave everything that I like. And I comment on everything that I have something worthwhile to say about (no "wow, that's kewl!"s for me, thankyouverymuch). And then I watch them. Because if they did some amazing things in the past, I want to know about it when they come out with their latest amazing thing too.

Is that the best way to expose myself to great art, network with other artists, and still stay honest with myself? It is for me. If you have a different way you work, please share.



~Maria


PS: if you haven't noticed already... I have a Twitter account now. Good place to know when I'm in town, when I'm painting, and also a great place to see sketches, since I won't be posting them here in my gallery. I'm getting some sketches done for my commission series now, and will post those there when they're approved.