Why do YOU upload pictures?

[Recel]

Nowadays, most artist has a little gallery somewhere on the internet, where they upload their pictures to share with others. For viewers, for followers, just because, or sometimes just to end up getting commissioned. But I always wondered, what makes it worth it for you?


For me, it's not the views, not the favorites, nor even the amount of people following my gallery. But the comments. And not in a "fishing for attention" kind of way.

For me, those little comments make it worth it. Even if rare. Let it be a simple "Cool picture!" to a full, harsh critique. Because when I read it, it feels like those people are actually there, looking at my art. They become more than simple numbers on a statistic panel. They become people you can interact with. Something more... touchable.

I still appreciate the views, the favorites and the few people following my art. But they are really distant, only represented by a number on a page. And if that was the only thing I would get from uploading, I wouldn't come back again and again to share more.


So, I ask you. What's that little thing, that makes you continue to share your art? Money? Numbers? Community? What makes it more than just a habit?

[FishNChips]

I don't even upload anything anymore, so for me right now, if I'm going to upload, it'd be in the expectation of some kind of critique.

Though I believe in the future I'd want to upload nice things and see people enjoy those nice things. I'd like a bit of money to come out of it, however~

[Senri Zeron]

Nowadays, most artist has a little gallery somewhere on the internet, where they upload their pictures to share with others. For viewers, for followers, just because, or sometimes just to end up getting commissioned. But I always wondered, what makes it worth it for you?


For me, it's not the views, not the favorites, nor even the amount of people following my gallery. But the comments. And not in a "fishing for attention" kind of way.

For me, those little comments make it worth it. Even if rare. Let it be a simple "Cool picture!" to a full, harsh critique. Because when I read it, it feels like those people are actually there, looking at my art. They become more than simple numbers on a statistic panel. They become people you can interact with. Something more... touchable.

I still appreciate the views, the favorites and the few people following my art. But they are really distant, only represented by a number on a page. And if that was the only thing I would get from uploading, I wouldn't come back again and again to share more.


So, I ask you. What's that little thing, that makes you continue to share your art? Money? Numbers? Community? What makes it more than just a habit?

Well I just upload things for fun, the view and favs are a little factor too but I do agree with you that the comments which are sometimes given is enough to make the time I invest worth it

[BlueJaySF]

Why do I upload?

Because I choose to.

[Moogle]

Improvement & critique, though thoughtful comments are always welcomed! I agree on the interacting and being more than just numbers part. It's always nice to talk more in depth about the picture you've created and see others who take the same interest as you.

[Vae]

Partially just to share things.

Partially because I've been doing it for so long that it just feels... almost like nostalgia. I started majorly contributing to an old, now pretty much dead art site around the same time that I actually got internet access in my own home. It was basically the first internet community I ever participated in, and I continued the practice ever since then. It almost feels like "tradition," in a sense.

Partially to catalog things for myself. I like going back and having both a backup and detailed descriptions of my work.

[Nattles]

I won't lie. One of my main goals in life is to eventually make some money off my artwork, whether in a larger, professional capacity, or in a small hobby capacity. So I post my artwork with the hopes that it'll garner attention, traffic, and commissions.

Of course, if that were the only goal, I could theoretically stop growing as an artist at any point and just focus on what sells. But I want my artistic ability to be eventually be good enough to sell on its own merits, not based on what I think others might want. I ardently desire to improve. Posting my artwork online for strangers--to either admire it or rip it to shreds--is a good way to learn and grow. And I won't be satisfied until I can create a finished product that looks exactly as I had pictured it in my head. I've got a long ways to go towards a professional level of artistic ability, but I'll keep posting and keep trying and keep learning.

I also feel like I make a connection to the larger artistic community whenever I post my work online. It's a pretty cool feeling to share your work with other people who are also putting themselves out there. Not in a competitive way (for me, anyway), but in a camaraderie sort-of-way.

Partially to catalog things for myself. I like going back and having both a backup and detailed descriptions of my work.

I do this too. However, I have found this more valuable for me when it comes to sketches, not complete pieces. I like seeing my progress and vitality through my older sketches/wips. Old finished artwork, on the other hand, usually sparks a embarrassing reaction of "bury it bury it kill it and bury it forever" hahaha. ahhhh... >_>

[Sammacha]

For myself.
I enjoy art, I enjoy that it makes people happy and I enjoy when people appreciate it (thoughtful comments)
To get help and help others. On the added part I do commissions as well but thats not my main reason for uploading and joining a community.

[Hewge]

I don't even know anymore! I almost never upload jazz, and when I do it's normally a drawing I don't actually think too much of.
You know, just doodles or drawings which were just a lot of fun to draw.

I suppose hearing what people have to say about my draw, even if not much is pretty nice.
Watches and follows also feel like some kind of colorful hug!

All in all - I don't really know. I remember I just started uploading drawings because I simply wanted to, and it wasn't really anything beyond that.

[battybegins]

Attention

I really don't consider wanting attention a bad thing. Most people crave attention in some form or another.

I draw because I like to, I upload it to the internet because I want people to see and react to it.