Mahyar: Many of you doubted my abilities and mocked me.
I was not discouraged. Your criticism, rather, served as the catalyst that led to the creation of my very first hand-drawn piece.
Acknowledgment is due where it is earned—thank you.
Mahyar: The mockery I received did not deter me.
On the contrary, it compelled me to ensure my first hand-drawn piece reached its highest potential.
Criticism, when understood, becomes motivation.
Mahyar: Anyone may appreciate, critique, or suggest improvements to my artwork; my response remains neutral.
Should you, as previously, attempt to affix irrelevant labels or diminish my work, know this: it is ineffective.
Past attempts at derision did not perturb me; they merely resulted in unnecessary wear on your keyboard.
AMKitsune: @Mahyar: Mahyar, I can't say for certain why this has been the case, but practically every interaction of yours with other booru members that I've seen, has come across as either elitist, dismissive of others, or outright confrontational.
If your aim is to show yourself as being better than others, then I'm sorry to tell you that it's just coming across as pretentiousness. Nobody's taking it in the way you intend, and it's just pissing everyone off.
And if that *is* the goal, then you're just going to have to stop. We're not going to put up with that here.
*If* on the other hand, you're trying to sincerely share your thoughts and opinions with others in an effort to help, then you really need to slow down and consider the tone you use.
There *are* some times where it's fine to just tell someone out of the blue that "the tail's too long", "the colour's the slightly wrong hue", or "the proportions are wrong", and so on. But that's only the case when there's a good existing relationship between yourself and the artist, and they can trust your opinions as being useful, and they know that they're shared in good faith.
This isn't the case here, as this is a publicly accessible forum, and for the most part, communication needs to be handled appropriately.
Not everyone is seeking feedback (despite how tempted other may be to share it). Many just want to share what they've proudly created, and don't want the feeling of being compared to others, or having their hard work emotionlessly picked apart.
Either you *know* the person, and know they they actively want feedback,
They actively *ask* for feedback,
Or if you must, offer feedback in as supportive a manner as possible.
Some places may want to focus on artistic improvement above all else, but this isn't one of those places. Here, we try to encourage people of all skill levels, and often, that simply comes in the form of "Well done. You've improved a lot!" even when their work may seem amateurish compared to the next person's.
And if being supportive like that doesn't feel right when an image's flaws seem to overwhelm the good parts in your eyes, of course you don't have to. But that doesn't mean you get to make them feel needlessly bad about it either. You can simply leave them alone.
And bare in mind, that while you may consider that 'policing what people say', this is a privately owned website, so the manner in which users are expected to conduct themselves is entirely up to the owner. If Kazerad wants it to be a place where people can freely post their hard work and not have to worry about it being jumped on out of the blue, then that's the standard that we try to maintain. It may be a publicly available website, but that doesn't mean that you can say whatever you want without consequences.
Mahyar: @AMKitsune:
Claiming my first drawing is good is not a statement of superiority.
The tone you perceive as cold is deliberate, a barrier against childish mockery.
Mahyar: @AMKitsune:
Thank you for your warning. I have tried to make clear that I bear no ill-will, yet my tone was misread.
I did not intend to appear elitist. Discussing neurobiology is not elitist. My jokes were not malicious. Suggestions I offered were not rude.
If I commented previously, it was out of ignorance of the sensitivity of users here. Humor in my view; insult in theirs. I accept my role as a clown.
Now I respond in the most detached, mechanical tone. Users here are delicate: critique scares them, jokes upset them.
Understand this: stating ridicule was ineffective demonstrates resilience. Attempting to make my first work good does not imply superiority.
I never claimed to be superior or that my art is the best. Past humorous tones are retired.
Detachment is necessary; this mechanical tone is not elitism. Feedback is welcome; it drives growth even if some react emotionally.
Mahyar: If I were genuinely elite—or merely appearing so—there would be no reason for me to participate in a booru of such degraded quality, reminiscent of 2008 graphics.
Why waste time debating with users who instinctively oppose guidance and recoil from formal discourse?
While chronologically mature, their reasoning is arrested at the level of a five-year-old.
This statement is analytical, not an assertion of superiority.
hexTerminator: noticed there's only Katia's tag on this art and not something like "cool_wizard_robes" or something like that i don't remember the actual tag
Mahyar: @hexTerminator: Yes, I noticed it.
Only Katia’s tag is present…
We should perhaps add the descriptive one as well…
It will make it clearer for everyone…
Makkon: okay, I'm interested in seeing if you are capable of taking the kind of feedback that you deliver. but the main difference will be that I've been a professional artist for over 15 years, and have contributed a lot of art to the comic in the past, so my feedback comes from a place of experience.
at best this is an early beginner level drawing; past stick figures, but well before a real investigation into anatomy, perspective, proportions, and any conception of line quality.
the rendering is odd and showcases a misunderstanding of light and shadow, and of the digital art tools you're using. the drop shadow from the eyeballs, for example, implying they are sticking out from the face far enough enough to cast a shadow, like they're bulging out of her skull. there's an odd shadow in the pupils implying a darker second pupil within. the outer line of the character is extremely rough, it looks like you did a quick magic-wand selection of a flattened illustration to paste onto a different background, with no anti aliasing; there are sill stray white pixels left over from the procedure. there's an odd glow to many of the lines that bleeds into the color and shadow, I'm not sure what method you'd use to get that effect but it absolutely reads as a mistake from unfamiliarity with the tools. I suspect you're too early to know how to use layers, or blending modes for those layers.
further inspection of the lines, it looks like some of your rendering was done over top of the linework rather than underneath, it has the effect of lightening and somehow blurring some of the black lines, such as on the cheek fur below her eyes, or the entire belt. again this reads as a mistake, due to unfamiliarity with the tools. I think the eyebrows were missed in all of this, and remain soft and a lighter color than the other lines. if you were trying to make something within the style of the comic, there's too much space between her mouth and chin, giving her more masculine proportions. her head is implied to be at an angle from the camera, but the alignment of her neck is perfectly centered under her head, making her neck appear to attach too far forward on the skull. this is an aspect of the aforementioned perspective and anatomy.
her belt on the right side is overlapping improperly, making the belt seem like it doesn't actually go around her torso. the fingers look like equally lengthed sausages; there are methods of drawing fingers in a cartoony way that have the look you were going for, but those are deceptive and not easy to draw, I suggest you study some cartoon hand drawings from the old masters if that's the style you're after.
I think the most positive feedback I can give you here is that it does in fact look like art you made yourself. at best that's a relief, I'm glad you haven't slid back into generative AI slop, and hopefully this will also mean no more collages of other people's work without attribution. this piece however doesn't prove that you are a capable or accomplished artist whose feedback and critique comes from a place storied experience and should therefore be considered, especially with the rudeness and forcefulness you give them in (I had hoped this was just a language barrier, but your english is very good, your wording seems genuinely what you intend. that's bad, because it's very rude). it does, however, prove that you are an early beginner, and all your past feedback absolutely doesn't come from a place of experience, but perhaps at best you are parroting feedback from other artists you admire.
above all I want to comment on the incredible ego you presented this with, it's truly astounding; enough to punctuate the history of this booru. this is your moment, what you will be remembered for! you've acknowledged this behavior and said you are a clown, but I think that's unearned and untrue; I actually have respect for clowns.
art frequently exists within the context of it's creation, and that context informs the interpretation and critique of it. if you posted this piece first, without ever having said a word, people would probably like it, even give you some of the praise you seek. you wouldn't have to cosplay as an artist, you could have just been one. but instead you did all the things you did, said all the things you said, and your art cannot exist outside of that context. you are the ultimate barrier to yourself, your behavior and ego an immense handicap in being able to learn and improve. the only recourse is to stop talking, hunker down, and study, practice, learn, and improve. ask yourself if you really want to be an artist, if all the time it'll take to be one is worth it to you. and if you're doing it out of spite? that's a perfectly fine motivation. but I hope it someday changes into you doing it because you actually enjoy it. above all, I hope it humbles you.
PermaLurker: is everyone on this booru on the spectrum or something? i suspected that the furry + artist combo was a sign of neuroticism but damn, never thought it was this bad. it must be exhausting having you as friends IRL.
PermaLurker: like yeah, mahyar acts strange and all, probably new to online communities, we've all been there
but you are the worst fucking diplomats in existence, just constantly patronizing and trying to come out as the "better man" then act surprised when the person doubles down
Mahyar: @Makkon: I have read your feedback carefully, and I understand your point.
You are right about my current level—this was my first serious attempt,
and there is still much to learn.
By “good,” I meant the effort I was able to make at this stage,
not a claim of quality.
I also recognize that I misjudged the context and tone.
I will take a step back, focus on improvement,
and let future work speak for itself.
Thank you for taking the time to offer detailed feedback.
Mahyar: @Makkon: For a first serious attempt, it is a starting point. I am eager to improve and learn. From your experience, do you think this is a good starting point for a beginner like me?
Makkon: there's actually a great resource to new artists that I think you'll find very useful. these are short and concise videos about various principles that helped me to learn to draw during my formative years. https://www.ctrlpaint.com/library
Describe This Image As Dramatically As Possible
- Reply
I was not discouraged. Your criticism, rather, served as the catalyst that led to the creation of my very first hand-drawn piece.
Acknowledgment is due where it is earned—thank you.
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On the contrary, it compelled me to ensure my first hand-drawn piece reached its highest potential.
Criticism, when understood, becomes motivation.
- Reply
Should you, as previously, attempt to affix irrelevant labels or diminish my work, know this: it is ineffective.
Past attempts at derision did not perturb me; they merely resulted in unnecessary wear on your keyboard.
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i like the collar part with the hood
Background color could be a bit less saturated / lighter blue IMO, that's my only suggestion.
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If your aim is to show yourself as being better than others, then I'm sorry to tell you that it's just coming across as pretentiousness. Nobody's taking it in the way you intend, and it's just pissing everyone off.
And if that *is* the goal, then you're just going to have to stop. We're not going to put up with that here.
*If* on the other hand, you're trying to sincerely share your thoughts and opinions with others in an effort to help, then you really need to slow down and consider the tone you use.
There *are* some times where it's fine to just tell someone out of the blue that "the tail's too long", "the colour's the slightly wrong hue", or "the proportions are wrong", and so on. But that's only the case when there's a good existing relationship between yourself and the artist, and they can trust your opinions as being useful, and they know that they're shared in good faith.
This isn't the case here, as this is a publicly accessible forum, and for the most part, communication needs to be handled appropriately.
Not everyone is seeking feedback (despite how tempted other may be to share it). Many just want to share what they've proudly created, and don't want the feeling of being compared to others, or having their hard work emotionlessly picked apart.
Either you *know* the person, and know they they actively want feedback,
They actively *ask* for feedback,
Or if you must, offer feedback in as supportive a manner as possible.
Some places may want to focus on artistic improvement above all else, but this isn't one of those places. Here, we try to encourage people of all skill levels, and often, that simply comes in the form of "Well done. You've improved a lot!" even when their work may seem amateurish compared to the next person's.
And if being supportive like that doesn't feel right when an image's flaws seem to overwhelm the good parts in your eyes, of course you don't have to. But that doesn't mean you get to make them feel needlessly bad about it either. You can simply leave them alone.
And bare in mind, that while you may consider that 'policing what people say', this is a privately owned website, so the manner in which users are expected to conduct themselves is entirely up to the owner. If Kazerad wants it to be a place where people can freely post their hard work and not have to worry about it being jumped on out of the blue, then that's the standard that we try to maintain. It may be a publicly available website, but that doesn't mean that you can say whatever you want without consequences.
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Claiming my first drawing is good is not a statement of superiority.
The tone you perceive as cold is deliberate, a barrier against childish mockery.
- Reply
Thank you for your warning. I have tried to make clear that I bear no ill-will, yet my tone was misread.
I did not intend to appear elitist. Discussing neurobiology is not elitist. My jokes were not malicious. Suggestions I offered were not rude.
If I commented previously, it was out of ignorance of the sensitivity of users here. Humor in my view; insult in theirs. I accept my role as a clown.
Now I respond in the most detached, mechanical tone. Users here are delicate: critique scares them, jokes upset them.
Understand this: stating ridicule was ineffective demonstrates resilience. Attempting to make my first work good does not imply superiority.
I never claimed to be superior or that my art is the best. Past humorous tones are retired.
Detachment is necessary; this mechanical tone is not elitism. Feedback is welcome; it drives growth even if some react emotionally.
- Reply
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- Reply
Why waste time debating with users who instinctively oppose guidance and recoil from formal discourse?
While chronologically mature, their reasoning is arrested at the level of a five-year-old.
This statement is analytical, not an assertion of superiority.
- Reply
- Reply
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- Reply
Only Katia’s tag is present…
We should perhaps add the descriptive one as well…
It will make it clearer for everyone…
- Reply
at best this is an early beginner level drawing; past stick figures, but well before a real investigation into anatomy, perspective, proportions, and any conception of line quality.
the rendering is odd and showcases a misunderstanding of light and shadow, and of the digital art tools you're using. the drop shadow from the eyeballs, for example, implying they are sticking out from the face far enough enough to cast a shadow, like they're bulging out of her skull. there's an odd shadow in the pupils implying a darker second pupil within. the outer line of the character is extremely rough, it looks like you did a quick magic-wand selection of a flattened illustration to paste onto a different background, with no anti aliasing; there are sill stray white pixels left over from the procedure. there's an odd glow to many of the lines that bleeds into the color and shadow, I'm not sure what method you'd use to get that effect but it absolutely reads as a mistake from unfamiliarity with the tools. I suspect you're too early to know how to use layers, or blending modes for those layers.
further inspection of the lines, it looks like some of your rendering was done over top of the linework rather than underneath, it has the effect of lightening and somehow blurring some of the black lines, such as on the cheek fur below her eyes, or the entire belt. again this reads as a mistake, due to unfamiliarity with the tools. I think the eyebrows were missed in all of this, and remain soft and a lighter color than the other lines. if you were trying to make something within the style of the comic, there's too much space between her mouth and chin, giving her more masculine proportions. her head is implied to be at an angle from the camera, but the alignment of her neck is perfectly centered under her head, making her neck appear to attach too far forward on the skull. this is an aspect of the aforementioned perspective and anatomy.
her belt on the right side is overlapping improperly, making the belt seem like it doesn't actually go around her torso. the fingers look like equally lengthed sausages; there are methods of drawing fingers in a cartoony way that have the look you were going for, but those are deceptive and not easy to draw, I suggest you study some cartoon hand drawings from the old masters if that's the style you're after.
I think the most positive feedback I can give you here is that it does in fact look like art you made yourself. at best that's a relief, I'm glad you haven't slid back into generative AI slop, and hopefully this will also mean no more collages of other people's work without attribution. this piece however doesn't prove that you are a capable or accomplished artist whose feedback and critique comes from a place storied experience and should therefore be considered, especially with the rudeness and forcefulness you give them in (I had hoped this was just a language barrier, but your english is very good, your wording seems genuinely what you intend. that's bad, because it's very rude). it does, however, prove that you are an early beginner, and all your past feedback absolutely doesn't come from a place of experience, but perhaps at best you are parroting feedback from other artists you admire.
above all I want to comment on the incredible ego you presented this with, it's truly astounding; enough to punctuate the history of this booru. this is your moment, what you will be remembered for! you've acknowledged this behavior and said you are a clown, but I think that's unearned and untrue; I actually have respect for clowns.
art frequently exists within the context of it's creation, and that context informs the interpretation and critique of it. if you posted this piece first, without ever having said a word, people would probably like it, even give you some of the praise you seek. you wouldn't have to cosplay as an artist, you could have just been one. but instead you did all the things you did, said all the things you said, and your art cannot exist outside of that context. you are the ultimate barrier to yourself, your behavior and ego an immense handicap in being able to learn and improve. the only recourse is to stop talking, hunker down, and study, practice, learn, and improve. ask yourself if you really want to be an artist, if all the time it'll take to be one is worth it to you. and if you're doing it out of spite? that's a perfectly fine motivation. but I hope it someday changes into you doing it because you actually enjoy it. above all, I hope it humbles you.
but you are the worst fucking diplomats in existence, just constantly patronizing and trying to come out as the "better man" then act surprised when the person doubles down
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You are right about my current level—this was my first serious attempt,
and there is still much to learn.
By “good,” I meant the effort I was able to make at this stage,
not a claim of quality.
I also recognize that I misjudged the context and tone.
I will take a step back, focus on improvement,
and let future work speak for itself.
Thank you for taking the time to offer detailed feedback.
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- Reply
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I will focus on fundamental drawing skills first and study the Ctrl+Paint materials you recommended.