professional painters courtesy HA

[desertdragon1964]

How is anyone going to improve on their painting skills when the members of this site just ignore anyone who they dont consider up to professional level.I thought this was supposed to be a place of learning as much as a place of gathering.It seems as of late people are afraid to give out criticism or comments to those of us not so great painters.If it is going to take high eights and nines to get comments back what is the bloody use in trying.I would hope there are still those who would aspire to inspire before they expire on this site if not say so now and save many of us from wasting countless hours on here.For most this is a hobby to paint, others it is an income,even those of us who are not great as of yet may still hope to be so someday.Me personally I paint for fun not scores it relaxes me.You folks out there stressing over the amount of income you do or do not recieve from being an artist just remember (Every artist was at one point in time an amateur)and (Art like morals a line must be drawn somewhere to begin). DD :drunk::drunk:

 

[lono]

???

Supposed to be a reply rather than a new post?

 

[generulpoleaxe]

not many get comments due to the number of users.
it\'s usualy friends and a few who like the painters work who leave comments.

if you want feedback on how you can improve then use the wip section.
there is also a rather large article section

hope that helps.

 

[Shawn R. L.]

Post in the WIP or Discuss Submissions section and simply ask for feedback. I think you will be surprised by the amount and quality of feedback there. I usually don\'t cruise the gallery so I don\'t see a lot of stuff but I do look through the forum\'s.

 

[DrEvilmonki]

For me it\'s all about time. I don\'t tend to spend time browsing the gallery. When I do have 15 minutes to sit and comment I will go into the WIP forum and leave comments there. I actually find I have limited things to say when I am shown a completed mini because I don\'t always know the steps the artist has taken to get there.

 

[lizcam]

I\'ve found that a lot of the feedback I\'ve gotten hasn\'t come from the posts I make directly. What has happened is that I get a little comment on the forum but I also get PM\'s that have been a HUGE help. People who want to give me advice but don\'t want to have to reply to thier replies. I know what you mean, tho\'. When I 1st posted I didn\'t get much response, especially on the photo board. But I kept up and then I started getting PM\'s. Now I have a mentor here (hi tracy).

Don\'t give up. Keep posting and someone will PM you. And remember that this is supposed to be fun, too. (I\'d mentor you but I\'m not up to those standard in any way yet. Still got a LONG way to go).

 

[Dragonsreach]

I am surmising that the \"Rant\" is because of the low level of response to this thread http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/viewthread.php?tid=20384.

Having said that there is a low level of response there is probably good reason; since my time on here is limited at the moment to lunchbreaks and very early in the morning (UK time), it\'s quite possible that others who would normally comment on figures also haven\'t had the opportunity.

 

[Avelorn]

First, I often find the amount of constructive criticism you get is based on how good your pictures are. If the pictures are well lit, and without a yellow cast people can more easily comment and point out things that can be bettered. People do tend to not want to give out criticism and if they can write it off due to the picture not representing the IRL piece, they most often will.

Many of the basic techniques like layering and brushcontrol is something that you have to learn by your own with practice practice practice. It\'s much easier to comment on a wip that says \"I\'ve been trying the XXX technique, what am I doing wrong\" then to look at a drybrushed miniature and start explaining the entire process (I\'ve done that before. but then I\'m mainly just retelling what can be found in articles and tutorials). Direct questions to painters is another thing as well.. I always try to answer the questions I get through PM\'s and such. By being active you also show a willingness to improve and to make an effort that makes us want you to improve even more (we all want stories with a happy ending.. )

To be honest, sure many of the comments I have gotten through the years have been helpful, but the reason I have improved is that I have really tried to improve, read every article I can find on the subject, spent countless hours looking at miniatures and asked people how they do certain things.

 

[Matt Cexwish]

In general it is aaaaall about skill (okay, a bit about pro - status...) that you get Ratings and more important... Comments...

A very, very well painted Mini with a nice idea will reach a high score and people will vote on that one, because they see it in the TOP Week or even the TOP overall Rating...

So... as a shit advise... Paint a 9.9 Miniature and I am sure people will comment on that one quite much...

 

[Avelorn]

@Matt: Sure but will there be constructive and helpful comments or just *sslicking?

 

[Bengoodall]

Its a rare occurance these days Ill actually scroll through the galleries, I spend more time flicking through search pages of things I am working on.

But I will stop and comment on something I think should be commented on, even if its just to float some ideas.

But I always try to, if there is a negative point, to get that one across first, and then show the good points, always gotta be some good in anyones work.

 

[Ritual]

You say that you thought this was a place of learning. It is, but only if YOU make it so. Learning things is your responsibility and not the community\'s. Sure, most of us happily answers questions and offer what help we can, but you can\'t make demands as no one has any obligations to help others! We do this on our spare time and we do have other things to do as well (or at least I do! ).

As Avelorn said, it helps if you\'re more specific when you seek help. If you just post a photo of something you work on and say \"I need help with this\" you will get pretty useless \"standard\" answers, if any at all. I usually don\'t bother anymore writing the same answers over and over again on these type of non-specific questions as I have litterally written the same things hundreds of times. So, identify what your biggest problems are and ask more specific questions or explain what you\'re trying to do and you\'ll see that you will get more, and better, answers.

 

[darklord]

as a place of learning i find this place invaluable. it has been my biggest source of inspiration. when i first posted my mini got about5.1 now they average around 7 (the highest been 8.3)
i browse the gallery a lot mainly for inspiration and will search for a particular mini if i am painting the same one. the articles are great and so are the forums. I know no one apart from on here and an ebay group (no real life friends) but if i ask a question i get the help.
Most of the things you need to improve are on this site but you need to use them, they wont come to you if you dont look for them. i believe there are only two things this site can\'t give you and that is time and the practice.
If inspiration from seeing what people can do with a bit of metal, paint and some imagination dont help then i dont know what will
p.s i am no pro-painter, far from it. these guys do do better in an hour than i could in a month

 

[matty1001]

If any thing I lose painting time on this site lol

 

[demonherald]

I haven\'t been on the site for a while as I\'ve been really busy painting damn armies.I find that the people who spend a lot of time looking at the galleries are looking for help themselves so don\'t leave comments other than WOW...that\'s great..etc..
I always ask for feedback and have had some great from the galleries but get a lot more putting a link in the discuss submissions thread...
The Forum Guys generally have a BIT more to say...I myself will get back to commenting more when time allows.

 

[Bengoodall]

Darklord and ritual hit the nail on the head here, there is a wealth of modelling you information out there,and not most of the useless tripe you will get off the GW site (I wont start, I wont start, I wont start....)

But you have to find what you need, not the other way around, mostly everyone is willing to help you find anything you need, or give you ideas or advice, but there is so much stuff to troll through, you cant just go, oh, I need help.

Mind, its like that in life though too, you say I need help, and people look at you blanky, you say, I need help with doing.............and youll get it sorted.

 

[desertdragon1964]

Well first thank you all for responding.Second for those talking about post it in the wip or discuss submission sections I had already done that I dont cruise the galleries as much as I should so I\"m not looking for feedback there as many would expect.I read these forums and listen to what others say so I may learn better ways or techniques to paint.But after several days of no comments on my wip (Bull Ogres) to be exact I began this rant hoping to get other peoples attention to a dilema or pattern I have seen on many c-moners post .It is frustrating to say the least to see hundreds of views on a post and only a handful of comments.I being as busy as I am am guilty of this also just hadnt noticed until now.DD

 

[Legacy Account]

Originally posted by Ritual
Learning things is your responsibility....

Bingo. Almost everything I know about painting is self taught or from stuff I read. Mostly before the advent of t\'internet.

All you have to do is trawl through the article section on this site, then follow the links from the front page and you have, quite literally, an encyclopaedic knowledge potentially at your disposal.

If an individual cannot see what bits in their own work need improving, then there\'s little hope for them.

 

[Dragon Forge Design]

Originally posted by Spacemunkie

Originally posted by Ritual
Learning things is your responsibility....

If an individual cannot see what bits in their own work need improving, then there\'s little hope for them.

That is the best piece of advice that can ever be given to anyone on any subject.I can\'t tell you how many times in my carrier Ive had to deal with people who want to be professional sculptors or painters who can\'t see that their work isnt as good as others and that there is room for improvement. Those people sadly will never get better. its the person thats never happy with their work and always looking to improve and can take and accept critisism are the ones who will truely become better.

As for people commenting or not on posts, you need to steer them to your posts sadly on a site this big. Plus yes name does help draw attention. My advice like others is post you work in the forums if you want advice from people. But remember it is a two way street. You get what you give sort of thing.

 

[desertdragon1964]

\"I can\'t tell you how many times in my carrier Ive had to deal with people who want to be professional sculptors or painters who can\'t see that their work isnt as good as others and that there is room for improvement. \"quote from Dragon Forge
Already know I\"m not as good as many on here and I\"m not looking to become a professional just would like to improve others see things in art the painter might not see and it is helpful to those who seek iy out.To me it is not about the destination but the journey.DD