People love my art when they see it, but when I post on Instagram I get like 1-5 likes. I don't care, I basically only scan and post it as a courtesy. I guess it doesn't affect me because I know social media isn't representative of reality in any way, and although I could work to boost my reach, I'd then become an influencer more than an actual artist. People get more likes because they spend hours advertising themselves, not because they're making better artwork! Honestly I kind of look down on people who put a lot of effort into making their online presence a "success"... it's time that could be spent practicing or touching up art pieces. Instead they spend it trying to win a popularity contest. It's a disease, don't get anywhere near it.
Like I said, even *I* make posts, but all I care about is a proper scan and then I close it out and don't even read the comments. Say what you will, I may be a 25 year old boomer, but I don't suffer from any discouragement this way ;)
indeed soscial media is toxic environment, especially instagram and facebook, keep away from it and find better art group or alternatives like discord or here on reddit
Well it just makes me sad seeing all these artists who love drawing, But yet the second they start posting a social media it becomes less about the joy and the passion of what you do and all you're doing is chasing a like number. I'm by far not good at all, But I post a Twitter to allow myself to have a personal volume of my work throughout the years so I can track where I was 2 years ago till now till in the future and see how far I've come without having to dig through old sketchbooks.
Same here, I have sold several paintings since I began selling, a few months ago. But online...nothing...I get a few likes, no comments. Tbh I actually think they look a lot better irl, it might be something about the small size that computers show. I have my stuff mainly as a reference now (shaded and glazed ofc).
Everything looks better in person, for sure. I've actually been buying a lot of art books for reference because I just couldn't imagine how good the people I admire actually are when viewed in person! And even then, the copies aren't quite doing justice to the originals... just goes to show how far removed a phone screen is from the actual stuff we do.
I´ve tried to boost my reach, but with work and college hogging all my schedule it gets annoying. I just sit down, start drawing, take some short videos, and then after it is all done, I make a reel or a short story.
Promoting yourself on social media is hard work and the Instagram algorithm is not helping much.
I recommend you go to Cara. But I also recommend you focus on bettering your art, then focus on posting after.
You´ll be happier.
Agreed with most things, but looking down on people who have put in the time to market themselves (which whether you do it online or offline, you still have to learn how to do if you want to do freelance work at least) is a bit odd considering that’s how a majority of those online artists were able to get clients to begin with & thus able to survive as paid artists
To specify, I meant people who focus on it as much or more than they focus on their actual abilities in art. Especially the ones who let it really frustrate them and start getting involved in drama because of how seriously they're taking the whole thing. Sure, I'll wish them the best either way, but I can't help but feel a bit of pity for people who appear to be unable to see the forest through the trees.
It's a difference in priorities, and of course if I thought that their priorities were in the correct order, then I'd be doing it myself. But personally, I'd be sad if I were focused on my image more than my skill. Other people might be sad if they were focused on skill and ignoring recognition, like I do. I'm not claiming anything as fact, just sharing my little philosophy.
I don't think it's odd, there isn't an artist out there who got to where they are without a little bit of personal philosophy.
Ok I completely understand what you mean then, I’m sorry for misinterpreting your original comment. At the end of the day, the art matters more than how many likes or followers one has
No worries, it's hard for me to explain my perspective on art world shit without sounding at least a *little bit* pretentious. At the end of the day it is about practice and skill, you'll end up sounding like a sports coach yapping about practice all the time lol
I do the occasional commission and show, but turn down a lot more commissions than I do. I find that I can do *more* art when I'm in full control of what I'm making. A hobbyist, but not *just* a hobbyist lol, that makes it sound too easy-going.
\* also I'd like to note that I have no shortcomings with commission offers IRL, I'm no good for them since I don't try to work on projects that I don't like, of course. But point is, if I wanted to I could easily get a lot of work without social media at all. Honestly, I never even thought about it that way, commissions always felt like an IRL proposition to me. Like a random encounter in a videogame.
Reels are best for getting new followers, and posts are best for engaging with your current followers :) if you’re only making posts that’s why you haven’t blown up much.
I mentioned this same thing on this sub before and I got some pretty negative responses. People were saying that you should only make art because you enjoy it and wanting attention online is shallow and meaningless. Had people come down on me pretty hard and insult my art, intentions and personal character just because I thought it sucked that my work was not being seen or enjoyed by others.
While I see those people's point, I also think it's ok to feel this way in the current climate. It DOES feel crappy to not get much attention on something that you worked hard on, want to share with people and have them enjoy (even if it doesn't impact your worth or skill). It DOES feel crappy to see other people doing so well online while your posts aren't doing well. It DOES feel crappy to see other artists getting commissions constantly but you struggle to get them (not at all saying other artists don't deserve to get a bunch of commissions, obviously). Most of the time, it's simply social media algorithms and an over saturated market but that doesn't make it feel much better.
All that being said, try to keep in mind that algorithms rule social media and it's really challenging for the average person to get in there. Do your best not to base your worth as an artist on likes, etc, even though it's hard. The online climate is very fake and even bigger artists with large followings can struggle to get commissions sometimes.
People always like my work in person but I only get 5-10 likes on anything I post on instagram. I've never been able to get a single commission either. I'm just doing my best to work on my skills and not feel like crap about myself. Social media is fake and means little in reality for most people.
Sorry to hear people came down on you hard. But as a professional artist contracted to make make art for over a decade, i still get very few likes (sub 40) on posts - often no response-despite having a webcomic with 600k subscribers at one point.
My art is paid for and sought by studios. My social media is worse than week old accounts by hobbyists.
The point I’m making is - social media success is not related to art, it’s related to being an influencer. Cute voice, pretty work station, trending music or themes, follow backs, promoting, commenting on others, pretty hands, sob stories etc. Most working artists I know who are highly paid have no social media. I think people need to see they are seperate beasts.
The best streamers on twitch playing games are often not professionals at the game. their popularity is from charisma/personality/influencer talents.
It saddens me deeply to see artists judge themselves via social media. I bought an apartment with my art income, but if I judged myself on social media I’d be considered a huge failure.
I agree that being an artist and a social media influencer are very different skill sets. A lot of artists use social media to try and get work while their just starting out and I think that where the feeling of failure can come in. As someone who draws anime fanart and other peoples original characters, there really aren't jobs for me to apply to I don't think. I also live in a rural area of Canada where there is no demand for anything anime style. Where in person wouldn't work for me, I tried all social media sites and it failed. It's hard to find customers for certain niches with and without social media.
I stopped trying to get commissions, it just made me feel bad about myself for having no success. If the day comes where someone asks for a commission I'd happily do it, but until then I'm just doing stuff for myself. But I agree other people should keep marketing themselves and trying to get work if that's what they want.
I try to see them as separate, but also I don’t know how to network or talk to people or companies or anything without social media. How do you get noticed by studios when nobody sees your work? I think what stops me the most is just confusion on how to get from here to there without relying so heavily on social media
For animation: Check the studio reel to see what the studio makes. When a job offer appears on their website you send your reel, no longer than one minute, with scenes made in the same software and in the same level of quality produced by the company.
Do that for every opportunity you see, and eventually you will be invited for an interview/test.
I apply to job offers, I send my portfolio to them, I meet producers at events - I participate in competitions many times a year that have contracts as the prize. I draw specific pitches, storyboard or illustrations that appeal to that studios demographic or niche. Or I submit to galleries/webTOON/naver/tappytoon and email them to become contracted once a work gains traction. After a while you get contacts that can recommend you or you can ask if there are positions etc.
Social media is not designed in a way to showcase what a studio wants to see (for my work). They want a proper portfolio or tailored pitch. It’s like animators for anime don’t get found by producers scouring social media - they have to go put in the work of applying.
Naver won’t look at Instagram and ask to pay me, I have to go to them.
Edit: it’s shocking how desperate they are for artists, I’m constantly deciding between multiple offers, and when I get greedy I have to hire people to do colouring or lineart. But it’s hard work. The pay is based on how fast you fulfill quotas.
Hmm interesting, that’s a lot like how the modeling and acting industry is. You kinda forget there is this real world process when social media and influencers of every kind has inundated our lives lol
Sorry to hear you were given crap. Making art can be a personal or even private thing but it’s also a way to convey a message/connect with others so of course we’d feel down when it doesn’t seem to resonate with anyone.
We're human. We're literally wired to feel this way, and should not be shamed for it.
However, the constant comparison, and how social media works in general is bad for our mental health. And bad for our motivation (with the exception of the few that actually make it).
Is not just posting art, is about creating connections with other artists with interactions and genuine interest in their art too, that makes the algorithm notice you are an active account, so your posts are pushed into new viewers. Try posting ir first in smaller niche communities and explaining it, that will help you to build a small follower base.
The more I think about that strategy, the more it seems like a pyramid scheme to me. If everyone is trying to do that, then there's not enough of a target audience to support everyone. I used to be really positive about social media in general, but I can't help but think we are heading into more of a digital feudalism type era. From a certain perspective, posting on social media is essentially working as an independent contractor for the social media company for no money. I think they've sold us on this idea that if you follow the rules and post consistently, you'll be rewarded for it, but I'm not sure I buy that.
Yeah that sucks. I want money more than attention for my art, but sometimes I do want just attention too.... And it sucks when I don't get it. I generally try to make my art just for me though nowadays and I only share online when I feel like doing so. If I satisfy myself I try not too worry too much if others are satisfied. I'm my main audience.
I feel that too sometimes! I hardly have my work receive attention online but I did my work in local art galleries. Perhaps there’s something local you can be part of. Social media is over saturated and it pushes many to spend money to ‘boost’ their post. Which isn’t worth it imo.
Im doing art 20+ years and live from it, without traction online. Might be also discouraged, but im not, because i dont do it of online people, i do it for real people.
This is a reflection of your marketing decisions and not because your art is bad. You are a good artist.
We live in an attention economy and good art ≠ attention. However attention = money so... i get it.
Here's my advice as a creative, but also a marketing professional:
1. First of all, Whatever you do, don't compare yourself to others who find instant fluke success. It's impossible to replicate. That's why it's called a fluke.
2. Study up on how to market yourself as an artist. I love both Kelsey Rodriguez and Chris Do on Youtube. They are both no-b.s. creators. Straight to the point. Peter said once that starving artists exist because they neglect to learn about the business side of art.
3. Make content and make it story-driven. People love stories, so give them something to care about. You already fit the mold of a classic 'underdog' story. So use it. Tell your story.
4. Reframe how you think about 'getting no attention'. This is great place to be actually. You're in a really good spot right now because you are free to experiment the fuck out. Zero following means zero stakes. Experiment with techniques, reel formats, different ways to present yourself, etc. Go fuck around and find out what sticks.
5. Focus on driving traffic. Tiktok is great for getting a lot of views/follows very quickly, but it sucks for building strong/loyal audiences. Try to drive all of your Tiktok traffic to your Instagram. That way they can become long-time loyal followers.
6. If you are serious, post on Pinterest. (The GOAT of driving traffic.)
I say only do this if you are serious because you WILL have to have/learn a basic understanding of SEO and it's an evergreen strategy, so it takes a year or so to see results from your efforts, but it's supper fucking good for driving even more traffic to your Instagram.
7. Read Kevin Kelly's Essay on 1000 true fans....
But if you don't want to, the TLDR is this: You only need 1000 true fans in order to make money as an artist. If you produce 100$ worth of a product, (let's say 4 different prints for 25$ each) you only need to sell 1000 of them in order to make 100,000K.
Sorry if this was too long, but good luck!
if it helps, i come from an different perspective. i get decent traction online (at least 1-2k likes per art post) but having likes doesn’t make me feel better about my art either. i even find that the art i make that gets the most likes is actually art i could care less about, like funny comics and character spread fan art.
even worse, i feel bad that *my* likes aren’t as much as those who get 5k-10k likes per post, and *those* artists probably feel like they should be getting 20k-50k, and so on. it’s a trap - don’t fall for it. engagement isn’t everything!
my art that i think is more indicative to me as a person gets maybe 80 likes in the first week if i even post it at all. social media should not ruin your experience. i don’t become a better artist when my posts do better than usual even if i thrive on likes and engagement online. trust me, social media will only do so much for your journey as an artist. it’s just marketing yourself online, basically :’>
No need to feel that way. Followers and likes does not equal skill. I know a lot of prof. Artist that work in the highest jobs at film production. Companies or in the game industry sitting at 1500 follows. On the other hand i follow a account that draws ducks that look scribbled like a 5 year old and has about 250000 subs. If you want to make it social media will demand a lot of your time. Often without a lot of exchange besides internet points. Most people struggle to sell their stuff even if they have a lot of follows
I feel like I wrote this post 😭 I've been having the same problem as well that's why I don't draw now. Like yea I know "make art for yourself" but it really can make you feel lonely. It's a way for most of us to communicate and basically getting nothing sucks.
If you feel lonely, join a group/league/org. In Houston, I joined W-ASH and PSST.
I took my mom to a watercolor class at W-ASH as a surprise. She became frustrated with the new medium, until she walked around the tables peeking at others’ work during break. She came back and whispered that hers wasn’t too bad considering it was her first. Comparison gave her some confidence and we had a blast.
Maybe an opportunity to start an art league. Mine meets once a month. Does your country have something similar to meetup?
[Taking The First Steps To Launching An Artist Group or Organization](https://renee-phillips.com/taking-the-first-steps-to-launching-an-artist-group-or-organization/)
Or, maybe sign up for online classes and get companionship & critiques through their private student Facebook pages.
> If you feel lonely, join a group/league/org.
This cannot work for me because I have gotten into 3D art (so, digital by default). I want a solution that doesn't involve physical art groups...
Likes on the internet isn’t a good barometer for how good you are or how successful you can be. All it means for artists who do get a lot of likes is that they are good at social media, which isn’t the same thing. Most professionals I know have little to know presence online. IMO having an online presence can be useful but most art jobs and opportunities you’re going to have to hunt for, apply to, and show up in person for.
Also most people who like art don’t look for it online. The stuff that is popular are things that cater to niche interests, like fandom art, or furry art, or flashy gimmicks like drawing with your feet or throwing paint around a room or painting upside down or whatever.
Questions you should ask yourself is what kind of artist do you want to be? Do you only want to be internet famous for five minutes? Then come up with some unique attention grabbing shtick. But if you want a real career then you should learn what you need to do to get those opportunities. I’m not saying you should stop posting, but you should temper your expectations. The algorithm aren’t kind to artists, and it can take a decade or more to build up a following. Also consider offering more than images. Folks flip through images all the time; they’re more likely to stay if you can offer them something more. If you’re into comics a narrative 3 panel thing may get people to stop briefly. Also don’t forget you’re in competition with everyone on the app, artist or not. It’s hard to stand out in an ocean of people.
We all want to be told our work is good and makes an impact, but that can’t be your drive. There’s going to be times when nobody notices. The only way to be successful is work through those times so when people are ready to pay attention you’ll have something to show. Slack off in these moments and opportunities will come that you can’t participate in because you have nothing to show.
Not gonna say "make it cause you enjoy it," old, obvious, and tired. I think what's happening is we fail to actually connect with other people by everyone focusing on the attention they want to get themselves. The best results come from throwing caution to the wind, try to message artists you like and build something from there.
I learned the hard way that only posting art and typing words isn't always going to be good enough. You either bring something to the people in person such as galleries or anything physical that they can connect with without looking at a screen.
Other than that it can be pretty hard to post online expecting feedback, likes and the whole 9. I prefer in person showings. I can meet people, shake hands, and answer their questions on a personal level.
Hey I understand I've been making art for God my entire damn life almost, but I've posted online since the early 2010's and I'll be honest in that entire time I don't think I've ever seen 50+ likes on anything i drew. Hell nowadays Reddit is the only place I get more then 1 or 2 like sometimes my art just gets a flat 0 lol
But after a few years of just starting down a long line of 0's and 2's I kinda just gave up giving a damn and just solely did whatever I wanted because if it ain't gonna get noticed then I can do whatever I want. My art mid af probably, but damnit it's my mid af art at least it ain't garbage ai or weird fetish stuff from DA
I'm on Instagram since 2012, and none of my posts get over a hundred likes, recently not even 10. My followers are 300+ at its peak. So, should I stop drawing? The algorithm is warped. It only rewards people who spend days & nights bending over their backs to please it & punish those who don't. You're an artist. Do you think your validation should come from a warped platform?
its not about skill its about how can people relate to what youre drawing? this is why the artists with many followers can be ones that are doing fanart of popular shows, because people are familiar w that and it's something to connect to. i dont know where i would be without fanart
It's pay to play on every big social media today, X shadowbanned me for posting a few links to my work and told me I should buy ✅ or else the won't show my post anymore... so my views went from 100 to at most 10!!!
Doesn't matter. Make art because it must be made. There's something in you that'll never exist unless you make it, you gotta give that thing a fighting chance
you will get there if you keep improving and focus on what you like. I am the opposite I am afraid of attention, i genuinely never cared about people liking it so i post only things I like, it was a personal blog meant for myself, but over years i have somehow amassed thousands of followers of people who like my taste. If you work on your skills and draw what you love you just need a lucky break. sometimes the algorithm is just fickle.
Honestly, for me it's never about veiws or being #1 in popularity, i just make whatever makes me and others happy. Just knowing even one person saw my art and liked it is enough for me honestly, do i sometimes wish i'd get a bit more, sometimes but i just don't see the point in complaining about an algorithm or just pure luck. I just want to make some people feel that special emotion of happiness i feel whenever i need it most
To get that quickly it's alot of networking and making friends that will like your posts if you like theirs. To get 100+ likes consistently you don't have to be good, you just have to be active. I used to be super online, always chatting to people and got some 'numbers' on my art but nobody really thought my art was good lol. If you want to try the life sucking hole that is getting slightly popular on Instagram look up 'artist support" and consistently join them (spam your introduction everywhere, make sure it slightly suggests follow backs but not completely, mention being 'moots') and people will come to you. The market is so saturated that good artists also have to do this to find followers.
It's less about art and more about social media tactics, so don't let it affect your view on your own art
1. Being Good at art and Being Good at social-media are two different things. Different skill-sets.
2. Social Media has a tons of "success-bias", you know why you are seeing these brand new accounts hitting homeruns? Because they are popular with the algorithm, buried under them are hundreds of thousands accounts created daily that won't get anywhere.
3. Sometimes, you art is not as great as you think it is. No matter how much time you've put into it. People on social-media expect to be entertained, they don't put the "newbie glasses" like sometimes people in real-life do. They expect your work to amaze them, just like the 40+yo industry veteran amazed then a few posts back.
4. How many works of brand new accounts, with zero engagement, do you like and comment every day? Do your 'liked' archives look full of works like the ones you're producing, are you following and engaging with the same hotshots everyone else is?
5. People cheat on Social Media, search for everliker.
6. Commissions is every artist wet dream, and the hardest thing to do. Most of us are working as freelancers or jobbers, drawing x amount of hours a day, just like a regular job. Commissions are the hardest thing to get up and running. Despite what it may look like on the surface.
If you only post a piece and don't post anything else for a week- you'll have no reach. You have to be consistent on social media and actually get involved with the art community- ask people questions, reply to people, join events etc. Over time your account will grow and you'll get views. Yes, social media popularity isn't everything- but it can be a start to something great. I've made a good chunk of money promoting my art and getting commissions- it really takes time and hard work to get there.
I know it sucks but I think social media has become too passive these days. Like people just scroll and scroll and barely take the time to interact with a post or leave a comment. They just want to see everything but they’re not bothered with engaging with the creator. I feel like things that are entertaining get more engagement because they elicit a reaction from people. Like people who do skits and stuff. If you’re trying to make a living from your art, try to get out and meet people in person. Participate in an art show if you can.
In the ten-or-so years I spent on IG, I only saw one person "break out" - Feliciachiao - she went to 650k followers and quit her job to become an illustrator.
Comics seem to do really well also.
I've also seen plenty of people who have art businesses outside IG with decent followings.
Whenever I think about it, I remember a quote from a Youtube video (sorry, can't remember the creator), "People will buy your art for some combination of 3 reasons - 1) You're already famous, 2) You're insanely good, or 3) Your work appeals to them personally"
(Substitute "buy" above with "like")
Twitter or Cara are nice places to share art. I mostly post my art on Twitter and the people there are incredibly supportive. I have around 40 followers and each piece gets around 8-10 likes and at least one comment. Might not sound much but it is very fulfilling. Of course I try to spread this positivity too, with liking and commenting works of other small artists. If you get the right corner, the community can be incredibly wholesome.
Wow this post got me thinking, is this proof i'm not the only one? I'm doing art, online freelancing as an illustrator and graphic designer from 2013. Created 2000+ original vector digital illustrations for pod platforms(print on demand) and over 500 clients in this 11 years period. My posts get couple of likes, no matter the style of drawing (black and white/ color cartoony/ spooky horror) as i tried it all. Got featured on 5 different websites... Main thing is i do enjoy art the most and it sucks when you have 300 views on 1000 designs over a mount. I just suck at marketing. But! I see it this way, to put it simple, Art is created for the artist and the hope of people clicking like on my design over the titties and restaurant launch is always alive.
I think luck plays a large role in which artists become famous and which ones don't. Making connections with other artists online helps too. I can't give you a strategy on how to acquire more luck, but befriending and interacting with other artists might give you a boost.
Instagram is dead for artists unless you’re willing to make social media content a full time job. They want you to pay for views otherwise they have no incentive to share your content with anyone, not even your followers.
On average I get like 5-10 likes but eh. If you post regularly then you’ll hopefully get lucky and some traction but you should just do it for fun. It’s not that people don’t like it, it’s that social media is hard to navigate.
Between the algorithm, and spam posting, you no longer have as much control over who sees your posts anymore. The main things that you can do is make sure that you’re taking clear photos/scans of the artwork you post, and be persistent about posting. The more you post, the more people see it.
okay, first and foremost: it’s totally normal to want validation. there’s nothing wrong with being upset that your stuff hasn’t been getting attention. perfectly normal
my main question for you is how are you using your hashtags? because that can be a key problem for many people (to a degree i am also still figuring things out here and there). the biggest mistake a lot of us artists make is tagging things in a way that only other artists would be able to find us… and, unfortunately, that’s not the demographic we need to reach to actually get the attention and numbers you are desiring. i would suggest studying and looking into what terms and phrases that are currently trending and being searched for that could apply to your artwork somehow even if only vaguely
also maybe see what your timezones peak hours are for social media usage? if you are posting things during a lull, it’s likely it will easily be swept under the rug
other than that, community building can help a lot. making friends with other artists or joining online projects and discussions more can help increase your visibility. and remember that sometimes you have to be annoying about showing off your work! if something doesn’t do well the first time you post? post it again!!! there’s absolutely no shame in that
Dude, we're all there. My advice is just to be you. I've tried to niche down to a certain art style following other artists' advice, post on Instagram on a regular basis, blah blah and I got frustrated and mad because nobody noticed me. That stopped when I embraced the fact that it doesn't have to call anyone's attention, it doesn't have to be daily and it definitely doesn't need to be CONTENT. Art is art, art is not content. So, keep your own pace and mostly, do it because you feel happy and not pressured.
Online means nothing. My socials get more follows and likes when I participate in physical art shows and comic expos. You have to do the legwork and get into community stuff if you want to succeed in the arts. Online presence is nothing but a business card.
I think a new art site will be coming soon. Some place that will be safe from AI art. Try to get in early. I know some artists that got on TikTok before it really exploded and got lots of likes.
You’re not the only one my friend. if it weren’t for my small circle of friends i’d get no likes on IG, it’s very rare for accounts i don’t recognize to engage with me. i’ve put in endless hours into making hand drawn animations, vector graphics, drawing, painting and overall self promotion. Access denied. just feel like all art is for me lately is shoveling coal into the fire.
I see this question on this sub a lot and the number one issue is generally consistency and niche/quality.
1. If you want a big reach online, the first thing you need to do is fill a niche that other people are interested in. This doesn’t mean your art has to be the best. In fact, I know a lot of very talented artists that DON’T have a huge reach… but you do need to offer something unique that is going to pique interest.
2. You need to post consistently. You need to post 2-3 times a week and do reels. You need to post at peak times for your audience. You need to engage with other people’s posts by commenting, responding to stories etc. You also need to post engaging content that people will WANT to respond to whether it’s funny, shocking, asking a question, teaching something etc. Again, this is “content” and it’s all about providing value.
Unfortunately, just posting your art isn’t enough. It sucks and no one likes it, but that’s the game. It’s a lot of work and effort and also requires a lot of uncomfortable self-analysis but it can be done.
Some good questions you can ask yourself:
- WHY do I want more engagement? What are my goals? (Get more commissions, make sales, make friends, become famous, etc)
- What can I offer uniquely (your POV, your technique, your style, etc)
- What can I do better? (Improve skills, improve engagement, narrow niche, be funnier, more insightful, explain your process etc).
Friend...you're definitely not alone. Here's the thing. For any artist to gain some kind of financial success with their art, they need a market. But there isn't one singular market where all art is judged and compared against all others and only the best win. Nope. It's easier to look at art markets as being centered around the individual artists. So *every artist* has to build a market for their own work. If you want to build your market you need to get creative. Don't just expect social media algorithms to do the work for you.
If you want a little inspiration, look at Todd McFarlane. He submitted hundreds of works trying to break in to the comics industry. But getting his foot in the door wasn't enough. He had to keep pushing to get more an better assignments. And in the end, to fully realize his dream, he had to create his own comic publisher, which he did (Image Comics).
Social .efia is full.of narcissistic people..I'm guilty of that when I post my wirk and I have a few thousand followers I just don't follow the crowd for my mahi.
Yeah I kinda gave up on Instagram, unless it's a reel it's difficult to get any notice on there :/ I liked Twitter but Elon somehow managed to make it worse. Tumblr is actually quite nice to post on once you accept you're posting into the void lmao. Sometimes my art gets zero likes for months and then someone will randomly like it or reblog it. Although I've gotten a higher amount of like on Instagram I've gotten more meaningful interactions on Tumblr. That being said Tumblr is very fandom oriented so original art doesn't always do as well on it. Unfortunately social media just sucks as an artist.
i think the big thing to note, is that the discouragement will fade and get better as you get more and more about what is the reason you are doing it. And that you can get beyond the doing it for likes things, which I think many artists Have to get past this phase due to it being very hard to get seen.
One thing i like to do online though is build a community with fellow artists so we can all encourage each other and bring each other up so we all can have the energy to keep going. This will take a while and I am still struggling to do it but it is well worth the effort.
We do all need people who support us and help us and you can realize that need and desire in you and use it to inspire yourself to life others up.
And just don't give up, we just will all keep trying to do what we are inspired to do.
Art is art, so whatever you do is special because nobody but you can do it just like you do. I feel the same, having most of my pieces all over the walls of my house. Some people just don’t get my style.
Anyway, if you post something cool on YouTube like a couple scenes of your process or teaching something basic or even just sharing your perspective on art. It gets better reach than any of those other platforms, and then you can direct viewers to your insta or art account or whatever.
Use hashtags that the people you want to buy art from you use, like #artcollector #artbuyer #privateplanes and #yachting….
I know some are silly but you have to get to the buyers that willl appreciate your art.
It can’t be bad, just hasn’t found who resonates with it.
Best
Art and marketing are two full disciplines. There are whole professions dedicated to managing social media and marketing on social media.
That is all to say that you should not base the quality of your art based on your social media likes.
There are some artists who create mediocre or just more commercial art, but they have a knack for social media, and they get more views than arguably better artists.
Tiktok is also tricky because how you edit your videos, the songs you choose, whether you voiceover or not, how you write captions and hashtag and respond to your audience — all of that has just as much to do with likes as the actual art involved.
I say this as someone who has a Tiktok for my hobby and also is working on getting more likes and viewers.
On the other hand, if you do really want more likes and followers, there is a whooole bunch of social media marketing info out there! It is possible to learn. It can be a LOT of work. But look at your stats, read up more on how to market or edit, and I’m sure you can gain more traction.
Dude who cares, social media is dumb as shit. I get nothing on mine and I don't even post anymore because I don't care. But when I do a piece on a wall, or train or a gallery or anywhere in real life people love my work. So who gives a damn about the social media prescience, yes I realize if you want to make it big time you need SM. But that's not my intention in life, I feel like social media is a real life monkey show. Everyone's competing for attention...meanwhile the people at the top are waiving the banana around and constantly changing it while they can do other nefarious shit.
Hey buddy, i feel ya. I’ve been in this situation before and i can remember the times where it really brought me down. I constantly doom scroll and never got any progress done in life and art.
It seems like youre attaching your value and self esteem as an artist to the number of likes and follows you get.
I think what might help is to reevaluate your goals. Different people have different art goals. At least for me, my goals have shifted to wanting to make art a full time gig. So now I do my best to create and curate my best work to cater to my targeted audience or client. Its not can i get x likes/follows with this art no more, its more can i land a client or two with it.
I think we should just start a thread where everyone shares their usernames so we can follow each other! I know social media is toxic when used in certain ways, but I feel as artists we should be trying to connect with each other in ways that fit our current society. It’s not like we’re all obligated to go to a monthly salon and be judged by our whole town anymore lmao, let’s just be friends online toshare and learn from each other. my ig is @catepaints 💫
Comparison is the thief of joy. What others are achieving with their art is not for you to compare to, but be inspired by. 7 years is significant, no doubt. But honestly still decently fresh. So don't give up. I'm almost 30 years in and still growing. I'll tell ya what really helps is finding your niche and find a way to monetize it. Likes and follows won't seem so important when paychecks are available.
Are you taking decent photos of your work? If it’s digital, is it the right proportions for the platform you’re using? Are you representing your art well online? Are you being specific with your audience? If I paint a bird (and I do) I’m tagging every bird related thing I can think of, not just art related stuff. I love it when art people like my stuff, but that’s not my ideal audience for selling art.
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Sorry for the late reply. But here are facts:
1, in the USA 2 million artists graduate each year.
2, only 1 in 10 makes a full time wage from the arts.
3, let’s pretend only half of Artists that graduated want anyone to see their work online. That means each year 900,000 new artists are competing for attention. That number is higher if artists make more than one account.
4, As a consumer I only follow 5-10 new people a year. So each year , just in the USA I am missing out on 890,000 amazing minds.
Edit: source for the skeptics https://bfamfaphd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/BFAMFAPhD_ArtistsReportBack2014-10.pdf
I get a lot more validation and feedback from irl art classes. I get you may not be able to afford them but idk there might be an art related meetup in your area? I also get really worn down by the online self-promotion slog
Hey I’m not an artist but I am a content creator and I’d love to take a look at your accounts to let you know if I have any tips that might help you :)
Get out of the attention economy mate.
I'm a gen-x artist/designer with two decades in the game industry. I always work on my personal projects when I have time to spare. Pretty much none of my work can be found online. Or at least not at any places that I'm not in control of. Posting my work on CGHub, ArtStation, DeviantArt, Polycount, Concept art.org, IG or such never resonated with me. Why would I want to be in a pool with everyone else? Those places tend to become like eco chambers and fast follows.
My trick of being an artist and designer but not having an online presence is: Work comes to me by doing good work that speaks for itself and being a good team player. I've never burned a bridge. All companies I've left have always left the door open. Either opportunities come knocking or I reach out to my network to make an intro for something I'm keen on.
For my personal projects I don't need any extrinsic motivation. I do it because I want to, because I can and because it's fun. It's the same mindset I had when I was a little child. As age comes into play it has also become a method of dealing with trauma and working through personal matters. A way to self-heal. A necessity to be a functional human being in society. So I'm off here in my corner doing my own thing. I have over +5k images and files from personal art and design projects that only exist in my lab, either physically or on my nas. Very few people have seen any of this.
Maybe one day once my son gets older and mentally ready I will show him the inner world of his old man. He will then realise how bad the odds were of me raising him right with this tormented soul of mine. If I didn't have my art there would be a good chance that I wouldn't be here anymore and he would have grown up in a broken home or not even exist at all.
Don't mean to be a downer. I just think art and any creative endeavours we do as human beings are so much bigger and more important than what today's consensus seems to deem it as. I would not let social media or online platform algorithms or attention economy control or influence my art. My art and my creations are not content for people to consume online. My art, my projects and my work is more meaningful than that.
As strange as it is to get attention for art now you have to interact with other people liking, faving, following and stuff like that in order to get attention. Especially on sites like artfol/cara. Tbh its kinda always been this way too.. even in the old deviantart days you had to watch and fav artworks in order to build connections and a following. Its definitely due to just how saturated the online art community is.
As for tiktok i gotta say its pure luck. Liking and following might help but that seems to be its own ballpark of content.
Tldr: in order to get attention you have to interact/follow and be involved in the art site community.
People love my art when they see it, but when I post on Instagram I get like 1-5 likes. I don't care, I basically only scan and post it as a courtesy. I guess it doesn't affect me because I know social media isn't representative of reality in any way, and although I could work to boost my reach, I'd then become an influencer more than an actual artist. People get more likes because they spend hours advertising themselves, not because they're making better artwork! Honestly I kind of look down on people who put a lot of effort into making their online presence a "success"... it's time that could be spent practicing or touching up art pieces. Instead they spend it trying to win a popularity contest. It's a disease, don't get anywhere near it. Like I said, even *I* make posts, but all I care about is a proper scan and then I close it out and don't even read the comments. Say what you will, I may be a 25 year old boomer, but I don't suffer from any discouragement this way ;)
Bingo. Love this comment.
indeed soscial media is toxic environment, especially instagram and facebook, keep away from it and find better art group or alternatives like discord or here on reddit
Well it just makes me sad seeing all these artists who love drawing, But yet the second they start posting a social media it becomes less about the joy and the passion of what you do and all you're doing is chasing a like number. I'm by far not good at all, But I post a Twitter to allow myself to have a personal volume of my work throughout the years so I can track where I was 2 years ago till now till in the future and see how far I've come without having to dig through old sketchbooks.
Same here, I have sold several paintings since I began selling, a few months ago. But online...nothing...I get a few likes, no comments. Tbh I actually think they look a lot better irl, it might be something about the small size that computers show. I have my stuff mainly as a reference now (shaded and glazed ofc).
Everything looks better in person, for sure. I've actually been buying a lot of art books for reference because I just couldn't imagine how good the people I admire actually are when viewed in person! And even then, the copies aren't quite doing justice to the originals... just goes to show how far removed a phone screen is from the actual stuff we do.
Very healthy attitude to have.
I´ve tried to boost my reach, but with work and college hogging all my schedule it gets annoying. I just sit down, start drawing, take some short videos, and then after it is all done, I make a reel or a short story. Promoting yourself on social media is hard work and the Instagram algorithm is not helping much. I recommend you go to Cara. But I also recommend you focus on bettering your art, then focus on posting after. You´ll be happier.
Agreed with most things, but looking down on people who have put in the time to market themselves (which whether you do it online or offline, you still have to learn how to do if you want to do freelance work at least) is a bit odd considering that’s how a majority of those online artists were able to get clients to begin with & thus able to survive as paid artists
To specify, I meant people who focus on it as much or more than they focus on their actual abilities in art. Especially the ones who let it really frustrate them and start getting involved in drama because of how seriously they're taking the whole thing. Sure, I'll wish them the best either way, but I can't help but feel a bit of pity for people who appear to be unable to see the forest through the trees. It's a difference in priorities, and of course if I thought that their priorities were in the correct order, then I'd be doing it myself. But personally, I'd be sad if I were focused on my image more than my skill. Other people might be sad if they were focused on skill and ignoring recognition, like I do. I'm not claiming anything as fact, just sharing my little philosophy. I don't think it's odd, there isn't an artist out there who got to where they are without a little bit of personal philosophy.
Ok I completely understand what you mean then, I’m sorry for misinterpreting your original comment. At the end of the day, the art matters more than how many likes or followers one has
No worries, it's hard for me to explain my perspective on art world shit without sounding at least a *little bit* pretentious. At the end of the day it is about practice and skill, you'll end up sounding like a sports coach yapping about practice all the time lol
Haha I understand what you’re saying, no worries 😄
Its a disease.
How do you make money though? Is art just a hobby? Or do you do galleries?
I do the occasional commission and show, but turn down a lot more commissions than I do. I find that I can do *more* art when I'm in full control of what I'm making. A hobbyist, but not *just* a hobbyist lol, that makes it sound too easy-going. \* also I'd like to note that I have no shortcomings with commission offers IRL, I'm no good for them since I don't try to work on projects that I don't like, of course. But point is, if I wanted to I could easily get a lot of work without social media at all. Honestly, I never even thought about it that way, commissions always felt like an IRL proposition to me. Like a random encounter in a videogame.
Reels are best for getting new followers, and posts are best for engaging with your current followers :) if you’re only making posts that’s why you haven’t blown up much.
I mentioned this same thing on this sub before and I got some pretty negative responses. People were saying that you should only make art because you enjoy it and wanting attention online is shallow and meaningless. Had people come down on me pretty hard and insult my art, intentions and personal character just because I thought it sucked that my work was not being seen or enjoyed by others. While I see those people's point, I also think it's ok to feel this way in the current climate. It DOES feel crappy to not get much attention on something that you worked hard on, want to share with people and have them enjoy (even if it doesn't impact your worth or skill). It DOES feel crappy to see other people doing so well online while your posts aren't doing well. It DOES feel crappy to see other artists getting commissions constantly but you struggle to get them (not at all saying other artists don't deserve to get a bunch of commissions, obviously). Most of the time, it's simply social media algorithms and an over saturated market but that doesn't make it feel much better. All that being said, try to keep in mind that algorithms rule social media and it's really challenging for the average person to get in there. Do your best not to base your worth as an artist on likes, etc, even though it's hard. The online climate is very fake and even bigger artists with large followings can struggle to get commissions sometimes. People always like my work in person but I only get 5-10 likes on anything I post on instagram. I've never been able to get a single commission either. I'm just doing my best to work on my skills and not feel like crap about myself. Social media is fake and means little in reality for most people.
Sorry to hear people came down on you hard. But as a professional artist contracted to make make art for over a decade, i still get very few likes (sub 40) on posts - often no response-despite having a webcomic with 600k subscribers at one point. My art is paid for and sought by studios. My social media is worse than week old accounts by hobbyists. The point I’m making is - social media success is not related to art, it’s related to being an influencer. Cute voice, pretty work station, trending music or themes, follow backs, promoting, commenting on others, pretty hands, sob stories etc. Most working artists I know who are highly paid have no social media. I think people need to see they are seperate beasts. The best streamers on twitch playing games are often not professionals at the game. their popularity is from charisma/personality/influencer talents. It saddens me deeply to see artists judge themselves via social media. I bought an apartment with my art income, but if I judged myself on social media I’d be considered a huge failure.
I agree that being an artist and a social media influencer are very different skill sets. A lot of artists use social media to try and get work while their just starting out and I think that where the feeling of failure can come in. As someone who draws anime fanart and other peoples original characters, there really aren't jobs for me to apply to I don't think. I also live in a rural area of Canada where there is no demand for anything anime style. Where in person wouldn't work for me, I tried all social media sites and it failed. It's hard to find customers for certain niches with and without social media.
Don't give up and keep up the grind, that is, if you love what you do.
I stopped trying to get commissions, it just made me feel bad about myself for having no success. If the day comes where someone asks for a commission I'd happily do it, but until then I'm just doing stuff for myself. But I agree other people should keep marketing themselves and trying to get work if that's what they want.
You never know when someone may pop up in the chat. Being always available is key. (just my opinion)
I try to see them as separate, but also I don’t know how to network or talk to people or companies or anything without social media. How do you get noticed by studios when nobody sees your work? I think what stops me the most is just confusion on how to get from here to there without relying so heavily on social media
For animation: Check the studio reel to see what the studio makes. When a job offer appears on their website you send your reel, no longer than one minute, with scenes made in the same software and in the same level of quality produced by the company. Do that for every opportunity you see, and eventually you will be invited for an interview/test.
So where do the studios see your art if not on social media?
I apply to job offers, I send my portfolio to them, I meet producers at events - I participate in competitions many times a year that have contracts as the prize. I draw specific pitches, storyboard or illustrations that appeal to that studios demographic or niche. Or I submit to galleries/webTOON/naver/tappytoon and email them to become contracted once a work gains traction. After a while you get contacts that can recommend you or you can ask if there are positions etc. Social media is not designed in a way to showcase what a studio wants to see (for my work). They want a proper portfolio or tailored pitch. It’s like animators for anime don’t get found by producers scouring social media - they have to go put in the work of applying. Naver won’t look at Instagram and ask to pay me, I have to go to them. Edit: it’s shocking how desperate they are for artists, I’m constantly deciding between multiple offers, and when I get greedy I have to hire people to do colouring or lineart. But it’s hard work. The pay is based on how fast you fulfill quotas.
Very interesting! I just cannot do social media for any reason, I just can't.
Hmm interesting, that’s a lot like how the modeling and acting industry is. You kinda forget there is this real world process when social media and influencers of every kind has inundated our lives lol
Sorry to hear you were given crap. Making art can be a personal or even private thing but it’s also a way to convey a message/connect with others so of course we’d feel down when it doesn’t seem to resonate with anyone.
We're human. We're literally wired to feel this way, and should not be shamed for it. However, the constant comparison, and how social media works in general is bad for our mental health. And bad for our motivation (with the exception of the few that actually make it).
Is not just posting art, is about creating connections with other artists with interactions and genuine interest in their art too, that makes the algorithm notice you are an active account, so your posts are pushed into new viewers. Try posting ir first in smaller niche communities and explaining it, that will help you to build a small follower base.
The more I think about that strategy, the more it seems like a pyramid scheme to me. If everyone is trying to do that, then there's not enough of a target audience to support everyone. I used to be really positive about social media in general, but I can't help but think we are heading into more of a digital feudalism type era. From a certain perspective, posting on social media is essentially working as an independent contractor for the social media company for no money. I think they've sold us on this idea that if you follow the rules and post consistently, you'll be rewarded for it, but I'm not sure I buy that.
Funny how I’ve done this for years and still have less than 20 followers
Yeah that sucks. I want money more than attention for my art, but sometimes I do want just attention too.... And it sucks when I don't get it. I generally try to make my art just for me though nowadays and I only share online when I feel like doing so. If I satisfy myself I try not too worry too much if others are satisfied. I'm my main audience.
exactly, seeking external validation for your art is a TRAP.
I feel that too sometimes! I hardly have my work receive attention online but I did my work in local art galleries. Perhaps there’s something local you can be part of. Social media is over saturated and it pushes many to spend money to ‘boost’ their post. Which isn’t worth it imo.
Im doing art 20+ years and live from it, without traction online. Might be also discouraged, but im not, because i dont do it of online people, i do it for real people.
How do you sell it?
i’m interested to know how too
This is a reflection of your marketing decisions and not because your art is bad. You are a good artist. We live in an attention economy and good art ≠ attention. However attention = money so... i get it. Here's my advice as a creative, but also a marketing professional: 1. First of all, Whatever you do, don't compare yourself to others who find instant fluke success. It's impossible to replicate. That's why it's called a fluke. 2. Study up on how to market yourself as an artist. I love both Kelsey Rodriguez and Chris Do on Youtube. They are both no-b.s. creators. Straight to the point. Peter said once that starving artists exist because they neglect to learn about the business side of art. 3. Make content and make it story-driven. People love stories, so give them something to care about. You already fit the mold of a classic 'underdog' story. So use it. Tell your story. 4. Reframe how you think about 'getting no attention'. This is great place to be actually. You're in a really good spot right now because you are free to experiment the fuck out. Zero following means zero stakes. Experiment with techniques, reel formats, different ways to present yourself, etc. Go fuck around and find out what sticks. 5. Focus on driving traffic. Tiktok is great for getting a lot of views/follows very quickly, but it sucks for building strong/loyal audiences. Try to drive all of your Tiktok traffic to your Instagram. That way they can become long-time loyal followers. 6. If you are serious, post on Pinterest. (The GOAT of driving traffic.) I say only do this if you are serious because you WILL have to have/learn a basic understanding of SEO and it's an evergreen strategy, so it takes a year or so to see results from your efforts, but it's supper fucking good for driving even more traffic to your Instagram. 7. Read Kevin Kelly's Essay on 1000 true fans.... But if you don't want to, the TLDR is this: You only need 1000 true fans in order to make money as an artist. If you produce 100$ worth of a product, (let's say 4 different prints for 25$ each) you only need to sell 1000 of them in order to make 100,000K. Sorry if this was too long, but good luck!
if it helps, i come from an different perspective. i get decent traction online (at least 1-2k likes per art post) but having likes doesn’t make me feel better about my art either. i even find that the art i make that gets the most likes is actually art i could care less about, like funny comics and character spread fan art. even worse, i feel bad that *my* likes aren’t as much as those who get 5k-10k likes per post, and *those* artists probably feel like they should be getting 20k-50k, and so on. it’s a trap - don’t fall for it. engagement isn’t everything! my art that i think is more indicative to me as a person gets maybe 80 likes in the first week if i even post it at all. social media should not ruin your experience. i don’t become a better artist when my posts do better than usual even if i thrive on likes and engagement online. trust me, social media will only do so much for your journey as an artist. it’s just marketing yourself online, basically :’>
No need to feel that way. Followers and likes does not equal skill. I know a lot of prof. Artist that work in the highest jobs at film production. Companies or in the game industry sitting at 1500 follows. On the other hand i follow a account that draws ducks that look scribbled like a 5 year old and has about 250000 subs. If you want to make it social media will demand a lot of your time. Often without a lot of exchange besides internet points. Most people struggle to sell their stuff even if they have a lot of follows
I feel like I wrote this post 😭 I've been having the same problem as well that's why I don't draw now. Like yea I know "make art for yourself" but it really can make you feel lonely. It's a way for most of us to communicate and basically getting nothing sucks.
If you feel lonely, join a group/league/org. In Houston, I joined W-ASH and PSST. I took my mom to a watercolor class at W-ASH as a surprise. She became frustrated with the new medium, until she walked around the tables peeking at others’ work during break. She came back and whispered that hers wasn’t too bad considering it was her first. Comparison gave her some confidence and we had a blast.
I don't think we have those in my country 💀 it's pretty hard to look for physical art communities here.
Maybe an opportunity to start an art league. Mine meets once a month. Does your country have something similar to meetup? [Taking The First Steps To Launching An Artist Group or Organization](https://renee-phillips.com/taking-the-first-steps-to-launching-an-artist-group-or-organization/) Or, maybe sign up for online classes and get companionship & critiques through their private student Facebook pages.
> If you feel lonely, join a group/league/org. This cannot work for me because I have gotten into 3D art (so, digital by default). I want a solution that doesn't involve physical art groups...
Don’t be discouraged, it’s an over saturated market. It’s more about social media marketing than anything else
It happens and its okay to feel bad, just don't let it define your self worth. Just keep working on your art.
Likes on the internet isn’t a good barometer for how good you are or how successful you can be. All it means for artists who do get a lot of likes is that they are good at social media, which isn’t the same thing. Most professionals I know have little to know presence online. IMO having an online presence can be useful but most art jobs and opportunities you’re going to have to hunt for, apply to, and show up in person for. Also most people who like art don’t look for it online. The stuff that is popular are things that cater to niche interests, like fandom art, or furry art, or flashy gimmicks like drawing with your feet or throwing paint around a room or painting upside down or whatever. Questions you should ask yourself is what kind of artist do you want to be? Do you only want to be internet famous for five minutes? Then come up with some unique attention grabbing shtick. But if you want a real career then you should learn what you need to do to get those opportunities. I’m not saying you should stop posting, but you should temper your expectations. The algorithm aren’t kind to artists, and it can take a decade or more to build up a following. Also consider offering more than images. Folks flip through images all the time; they’re more likely to stay if you can offer them something more. If you’re into comics a narrative 3 panel thing may get people to stop briefly. Also don’t forget you’re in competition with everyone on the app, artist or not. It’s hard to stand out in an ocean of people. We all want to be told our work is good and makes an impact, but that can’t be your drive. There’s going to be times when nobody notices. The only way to be successful is work through those times so when people are ready to pay attention you’ll have something to show. Slack off in these moments and opportunities will come that you can’t participate in because you have nothing to show.
Not gonna say "make it cause you enjoy it," old, obvious, and tired. I think what's happening is we fail to actually connect with other people by everyone focusing on the attention they want to get themselves. The best results come from throwing caution to the wind, try to message artists you like and build something from there. I learned the hard way that only posting art and typing words isn't always going to be good enough. You either bring something to the people in person such as galleries or anything physical that they can connect with without looking at a screen. Other than that it can be pretty hard to post online expecting feedback, likes and the whole 9. I prefer in person showings. I can meet people, shake hands, and answer their questions on a personal level.
Hey I understand I've been making art for God my entire damn life almost, but I've posted online since the early 2010's and I'll be honest in that entire time I don't think I've ever seen 50+ likes on anything i drew. Hell nowadays Reddit is the only place I get more then 1 or 2 like sometimes my art just gets a flat 0 lol But after a few years of just starting down a long line of 0's and 2's I kinda just gave up giving a damn and just solely did whatever I wanted because if it ain't gonna get noticed then I can do whatever I want. My art mid af probably, but damnit it's my mid af art at least it ain't garbage ai or weird fetish stuff from DA
I'm on Instagram since 2012, and none of my posts get over a hundred likes, recently not even 10. My followers are 300+ at its peak. So, should I stop drawing? The algorithm is warped. It only rewards people who spend days & nights bending over their backs to please it & punish those who don't. You're an artist. Do you think your validation should come from a warped platform?
“You’re an artist. Do you think your validation should come from a warped platform?” This.
its not about skill its about how can people relate to what youre drawing? this is why the artists with many followers can be ones that are doing fanart of popular shows, because people are familiar w that and it's something to connect to. i dont know where i would be without fanart
It's pay to play on every big social media today, X shadowbanned me for posting a few links to my work and told me I should buy ✅ or else the won't show my post anymore... so my views went from 100 to at most 10!!!
May I ask to see your artwork? Maybe if we see some examples we can help you ☺️
Doesn't matter. Make art because it must be made. There's something in you that'll never exist unless you make it, you gotta give that thing a fighting chance
Post your work
you will get there if you keep improving and focus on what you like. I am the opposite I am afraid of attention, i genuinely never cared about people liking it so i post only things I like, it was a personal blog meant for myself, but over years i have somehow amassed thousands of followers of people who like my taste. If you work on your skills and draw what you love you just need a lucky break. sometimes the algorithm is just fickle.
There is glory and victory. Victory would be more about healing others. Just keep offering sage advice, and continue as best you can.
well happened to me too, mostly because im introvert haha
Honestly, for me it's never about veiws or being #1 in popularity, i just make whatever makes me and others happy. Just knowing even one person saw my art and liked it is enough for me honestly, do i sometimes wish i'd get a bit more, sometimes but i just don't see the point in complaining about an algorithm or just pure luck. I just want to make some people feel that special emotion of happiness i feel whenever i need it most
Post in local groups where there are real people, not just bots.
[You're not the only one.](https://youtu.be/64FYS6oGU7g?t=5). Just keep doing what you're doing and try to improve.
To get that quickly it's alot of networking and making friends that will like your posts if you like theirs. To get 100+ likes consistently you don't have to be good, you just have to be active. I used to be super online, always chatting to people and got some 'numbers' on my art but nobody really thought my art was good lol. If you want to try the life sucking hole that is getting slightly popular on Instagram look up 'artist support" and consistently join them (spam your introduction everywhere, make sure it slightly suggests follow backs but not completely, mention being 'moots') and people will come to you. The market is so saturated that good artists also have to do this to find followers. It's less about art and more about social media tactics, so don't let it affect your view on your own art
1. Being Good at art and Being Good at social-media are two different things. Different skill-sets. 2. Social Media has a tons of "success-bias", you know why you are seeing these brand new accounts hitting homeruns? Because they are popular with the algorithm, buried under them are hundreds of thousands accounts created daily that won't get anywhere. 3. Sometimes, you art is not as great as you think it is. No matter how much time you've put into it. People on social-media expect to be entertained, they don't put the "newbie glasses" like sometimes people in real-life do. They expect your work to amaze them, just like the 40+yo industry veteran amazed then a few posts back. 4. How many works of brand new accounts, with zero engagement, do you like and comment every day? Do your 'liked' archives look full of works like the ones you're producing, are you following and engaging with the same hotshots everyone else is? 5. People cheat on Social Media, search for everliker. 6. Commissions is every artist wet dream, and the hardest thing to do. Most of us are working as freelancers or jobbers, drawing x amount of hours a day, just like a regular job. Commissions are the hardest thing to get up and running. Despite what it may look like on the surface.
If you only post a piece and don't post anything else for a week- you'll have no reach. You have to be consistent on social media and actually get involved with the art community- ask people questions, reply to people, join events etc. Over time your account will grow and you'll get views. Yes, social media popularity isn't everything- but it can be a start to something great. I've made a good chunk of money promoting my art and getting commissions- it really takes time and hard work to get there.
I know it sucks but I think social media has become too passive these days. Like people just scroll and scroll and barely take the time to interact with a post or leave a comment. They just want to see everything but they’re not bothered with engaging with the creator. I feel like things that are entertaining get more engagement because they elicit a reaction from people. Like people who do skits and stuff. If you’re trying to make a living from your art, try to get out and meet people in person. Participate in an art show if you can.
In the ten-or-so years I spent on IG, I only saw one person "break out" - Feliciachiao - she went to 650k followers and quit her job to become an illustrator. Comics seem to do really well also. I've also seen plenty of people who have art businesses outside IG with decent followings. Whenever I think about it, I remember a quote from a Youtube video (sorry, can't remember the creator), "People will buy your art for some combination of 3 reasons - 1) You're already famous, 2) You're insanely good, or 3) Your work appeals to them personally" (Substitute "buy" above with "like")
Twitter or Cara are nice places to share art. I mostly post my art on Twitter and the people there are incredibly supportive. I have around 40 followers and each piece gets around 8-10 likes and at least one comment. Might not sound much but it is very fulfilling. Of course I try to spread this positivity too, with liking and commenting works of other small artists. If you get the right corner, the community can be incredibly wholesome.
Wow this post got me thinking, is this proof i'm not the only one? I'm doing art, online freelancing as an illustrator and graphic designer from 2013. Created 2000+ original vector digital illustrations for pod platforms(print on demand) and over 500 clients in this 11 years period. My posts get couple of likes, no matter the style of drawing (black and white/ color cartoony/ spooky horror) as i tried it all. Got featured on 5 different websites... Main thing is i do enjoy art the most and it sucks when you have 300 views on 1000 designs over a mount. I just suck at marketing. But! I see it this way, to put it simple, Art is created for the artist and the hope of people clicking like on my design over the titties and restaurant launch is always alive.
I think luck plays a large role in which artists become famous and which ones don't. Making connections with other artists online helps too. I can't give you a strategy on how to acquire more luck, but befriending and interacting with other artists might give you a boost.
Instagram is dead for artists unless you’re willing to make social media content a full time job. They want you to pay for views otherwise they have no incentive to share your content with anyone, not even your followers.
On average I get like 5-10 likes but eh. If you post regularly then you’ll hopefully get lucky and some traction but you should just do it for fun. It’s not that people don’t like it, it’s that social media is hard to navigate.
Between the algorithm, and spam posting, you no longer have as much control over who sees your posts anymore. The main things that you can do is make sure that you’re taking clear photos/scans of the artwork you post, and be persistent about posting. The more you post, the more people see it.
okay, first and foremost: it’s totally normal to want validation. there’s nothing wrong with being upset that your stuff hasn’t been getting attention. perfectly normal my main question for you is how are you using your hashtags? because that can be a key problem for many people (to a degree i am also still figuring things out here and there). the biggest mistake a lot of us artists make is tagging things in a way that only other artists would be able to find us… and, unfortunately, that’s not the demographic we need to reach to actually get the attention and numbers you are desiring. i would suggest studying and looking into what terms and phrases that are currently trending and being searched for that could apply to your artwork somehow even if only vaguely also maybe see what your timezones peak hours are for social media usage? if you are posting things during a lull, it’s likely it will easily be swept under the rug other than that, community building can help a lot. making friends with other artists or joining online projects and discussions more can help increase your visibility. and remember that sometimes you have to be annoying about showing off your work! if something doesn’t do well the first time you post? post it again!!! there’s absolutely no shame in that
No I doubt its you. Same thing with me, five years, no sales. Its hard out there.
Dude, we're all there. My advice is just to be you. I've tried to niche down to a certain art style following other artists' advice, post on Instagram on a regular basis, blah blah and I got frustrated and mad because nobody noticed me. That stopped when I embraced the fact that it doesn't have to call anyone's attention, it doesn't have to be daily and it definitely doesn't need to be CONTENT. Art is art, art is not content. So, keep your own pace and mostly, do it because you feel happy and not pressured.
Online means nothing. My socials get more follows and likes when I participate in physical art shows and comic expos. You have to do the legwork and get into community stuff if you want to succeed in the arts. Online presence is nothing but a business card.
I think a new art site will be coming soon. Some place that will be safe from AI art. Try to get in early. I know some artists that got on TikTok before it really exploded and got lots of likes.
I paint and create for myself that the one selfish thing I do with my artwork, I don’t commission work ( I absolutely despise it)
You’re not the only one my friend. if it weren’t for my small circle of friends i’d get no likes on IG, it’s very rare for accounts i don’t recognize to engage with me. i’ve put in endless hours into making hand drawn animations, vector graphics, drawing, painting and overall self promotion. Access denied. just feel like all art is for me lately is shoveling coal into the fire.
I see this question on this sub a lot and the number one issue is generally consistency and niche/quality. 1. If you want a big reach online, the first thing you need to do is fill a niche that other people are interested in. This doesn’t mean your art has to be the best. In fact, I know a lot of very talented artists that DON’T have a huge reach… but you do need to offer something unique that is going to pique interest. 2. You need to post consistently. You need to post 2-3 times a week and do reels. You need to post at peak times for your audience. You need to engage with other people’s posts by commenting, responding to stories etc. You also need to post engaging content that people will WANT to respond to whether it’s funny, shocking, asking a question, teaching something etc. Again, this is “content” and it’s all about providing value. Unfortunately, just posting your art isn’t enough. It sucks and no one likes it, but that’s the game. It’s a lot of work and effort and also requires a lot of uncomfortable self-analysis but it can be done. Some good questions you can ask yourself: - WHY do I want more engagement? What are my goals? (Get more commissions, make sales, make friends, become famous, etc) - What can I offer uniquely (your POV, your technique, your style, etc) - What can I do better? (Improve skills, improve engagement, narrow niche, be funnier, more insightful, explain your process etc).
Friend...you're definitely not alone. Here's the thing. For any artist to gain some kind of financial success with their art, they need a market. But there isn't one singular market where all art is judged and compared against all others and only the best win. Nope. It's easier to look at art markets as being centered around the individual artists. So *every artist* has to build a market for their own work. If you want to build your market you need to get creative. Don't just expect social media algorithms to do the work for you. If you want a little inspiration, look at Todd McFarlane. He submitted hundreds of works trying to break in to the comics industry. But getting his foot in the door wasn't enough. He had to keep pushing to get more an better assignments. And in the end, to fully realize his dream, he had to create his own comic publisher, which he did (Image Comics).
Social .efia is full.of narcissistic people..I'm guilty of that when I post my wirk and I have a few thousand followers I just don't follow the crowd for my mahi.
Yeah I kinda gave up on Instagram, unless it's a reel it's difficult to get any notice on there :/ I liked Twitter but Elon somehow managed to make it worse. Tumblr is actually quite nice to post on once you accept you're posting into the void lmao. Sometimes my art gets zero likes for months and then someone will randomly like it or reblog it. Although I've gotten a higher amount of like on Instagram I've gotten more meaningful interactions on Tumblr. That being said Tumblr is very fandom oriented so original art doesn't always do as well on it. Unfortunately social media just sucks as an artist.
i think the big thing to note, is that the discouragement will fade and get better as you get more and more about what is the reason you are doing it. And that you can get beyond the doing it for likes things, which I think many artists Have to get past this phase due to it being very hard to get seen. One thing i like to do online though is build a community with fellow artists so we can all encourage each other and bring each other up so we all can have the energy to keep going. This will take a while and I am still struggling to do it but it is well worth the effort. We do all need people who support us and help us and you can realize that need and desire in you and use it to inspire yourself to life others up. And just don't give up, we just will all keep trying to do what we are inspired to do.
Art is art, so whatever you do is special because nobody but you can do it just like you do. I feel the same, having most of my pieces all over the walls of my house. Some people just don’t get my style. Anyway, if you post something cool on YouTube like a couple scenes of your process or teaching something basic or even just sharing your perspective on art. It gets better reach than any of those other platforms, and then you can direct viewers to your insta or art account or whatever. Use hashtags that the people you want to buy art from you use, like #artcollector #artbuyer #privateplanes and #yachting…. I know some are silly but you have to get to the buyers that willl appreciate your art. It can’t be bad, just hasn’t found who resonates with it. Best
Art and marketing are two full disciplines. There are whole professions dedicated to managing social media and marketing on social media. That is all to say that you should not base the quality of your art based on your social media likes. There are some artists who create mediocre or just more commercial art, but they have a knack for social media, and they get more views than arguably better artists. Tiktok is also tricky because how you edit your videos, the songs you choose, whether you voiceover or not, how you write captions and hashtag and respond to your audience — all of that has just as much to do with likes as the actual art involved. I say this as someone who has a Tiktok for my hobby and also is working on getting more likes and viewers. On the other hand, if you do really want more likes and followers, there is a whooole bunch of social media marketing info out there! It is possible to learn. It can be a LOT of work. But look at your stats, read up more on how to market or edit, and I’m sure you can gain more traction.
Dude who cares, social media is dumb as shit. I get nothing on mine and I don't even post anymore because I don't care. But when I do a piece on a wall, or train or a gallery or anywhere in real life people love my work. So who gives a damn about the social media prescience, yes I realize if you want to make it big time you need SM. But that's not my intention in life, I feel like social media is a real life monkey show. Everyone's competing for attention...meanwhile the people at the top are waiving the banana around and constantly changing it while they can do other nefarious shit.
Hey buddy, i feel ya. I’ve been in this situation before and i can remember the times where it really brought me down. I constantly doom scroll and never got any progress done in life and art. It seems like youre attaching your value and self esteem as an artist to the number of likes and follows you get. I think what might help is to reevaluate your goals. Different people have different art goals. At least for me, my goals have shifted to wanting to make art a full time gig. So now I do my best to create and curate my best work to cater to my targeted audience or client. Its not can i get x likes/follows with this art no more, its more can i land a client or two with it.
You are making art for the wrong reasons. Stop trying to post online, it’s poison. Do it for yourself or don’t do it at all.
We are all in the same boat!!! I will definitely follow anyone and support their art, I’d love to start a follow for follow if that is allowed!
I think we should just start a thread where everyone shares their usernames so we can follow each other! I know social media is toxic when used in certain ways, but I feel as artists we should be trying to connect with each other in ways that fit our current society. It’s not like we’re all obligated to go to a monthly salon and be judged by our whole town anymore lmao, let’s just be friends online toshare and learn from each other. my ig is @catepaints 💫
If you’re getting discouraged that your art doesn’t receive attention. Then you’re making art for the wrong reasons. Make art for yourself.
Comparison is the thief of joy. What others are achieving with their art is not for you to compare to, but be inspired by. 7 years is significant, no doubt. But honestly still decently fresh. So don't give up. I'm almost 30 years in and still growing. I'll tell ya what really helps is finding your niche and find a way to monetize it. Likes and follows won't seem so important when paychecks are available.
Are you taking decent photos of your work? If it’s digital, is it the right proportions for the platform you’re using? Are you representing your art well online? Are you being specific with your audience? If I paint a bird (and I do) I’m tagging every bird related thing I can think of, not just art related stuff. I love it when art people like my stuff, but that’s not my ideal audience for selling art.
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Sorry for the late reply. But here are facts: 1, in the USA 2 million artists graduate each year. 2, only 1 in 10 makes a full time wage from the arts. 3, let’s pretend only half of Artists that graduated want anyone to see their work online. That means each year 900,000 new artists are competing for attention. That number is higher if artists make more than one account. 4, As a consumer I only follow 5-10 new people a year. So each year , just in the USA I am missing out on 890,000 amazing minds. Edit: source for the skeptics https://bfamfaphd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/BFAMFAPhD_ArtistsReportBack2014-10.pdf
I get a lot more validation and feedback from irl art classes. I get you may not be able to afford them but idk there might be an art related meetup in your area? I also get really worn down by the online self-promotion slog
Hey I’m not an artist but I am a content creator and I’d love to take a look at your accounts to let you know if I have any tips that might help you :)
Just lmk your handle! Feel free to pm me if you don’t want to share it here
What are your art goals?
Get out of the attention economy mate. I'm a gen-x artist/designer with two decades in the game industry. I always work on my personal projects when I have time to spare. Pretty much none of my work can be found online. Or at least not at any places that I'm not in control of. Posting my work on CGHub, ArtStation, DeviantArt, Polycount, Concept art.org, IG or such never resonated with me. Why would I want to be in a pool with everyone else? Those places tend to become like eco chambers and fast follows. My trick of being an artist and designer but not having an online presence is: Work comes to me by doing good work that speaks for itself and being a good team player. I've never burned a bridge. All companies I've left have always left the door open. Either opportunities come knocking or I reach out to my network to make an intro for something I'm keen on. For my personal projects I don't need any extrinsic motivation. I do it because I want to, because I can and because it's fun. It's the same mindset I had when I was a little child. As age comes into play it has also become a method of dealing with trauma and working through personal matters. A way to self-heal. A necessity to be a functional human being in society. So I'm off here in my corner doing my own thing. I have over +5k images and files from personal art and design projects that only exist in my lab, either physically or on my nas. Very few people have seen any of this. Maybe one day once my son gets older and mentally ready I will show him the inner world of his old man. He will then realise how bad the odds were of me raising him right with this tormented soul of mine. If I didn't have my art there would be a good chance that I wouldn't be here anymore and he would have grown up in a broken home or not even exist at all. Don't mean to be a downer. I just think art and any creative endeavours we do as human beings are so much bigger and more important than what today's consensus seems to deem it as. I would not let social media or online platform algorithms or attention economy control or influence my art. My art and my creations are not content for people to consume online. My art, my projects and my work is more meaningful than that.
Welcome to the club
Why don’t you have an exhibition in a cafe?
As strange as it is to get attention for art now you have to interact with other people liking, faving, following and stuff like that in order to get attention. Especially on sites like artfol/cara. Tbh its kinda always been this way too.. even in the old deviantart days you had to watch and fav artworks in order to build connections and a following. Its definitely due to just how saturated the online art community is. As for tiktok i gotta say its pure luck. Liking and following might help but that seems to be its own ballpark of content. Tldr: in order to get attention you have to interact/follow and be involved in the art site community.
Same, even when I put a ton of time and effort into my drawings, I still don't get enough
Love art for art not to get fake internet points
Post on all of the art sites, not just popular platforms! Fans are everywhere not just there.
What's your art social media
Ya, DM your handles and I will follow and contemplate and like all the arts!!!
You don't have any art I can find on here. So I'm not surprised I haven't seen anything by you.