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Help me make better art! Need your opinions! by Cybercat (critique requested)
Okay so recently I asked what leads people to buy original art ( or prints ) that isn't some kind of fan art or commission. The theme seems to be ' displaying emotion, or invoking emotion in the viewer', seeming to have a story to the image, ' with of course subject matter being a prime characteristic.
I thought I had been putting in enough 'story elements' into my pieces, but apparently it isn't enough. Some said they like images that show sadness / loneliness but I don't want to go there. Have you found that people gravitate towards pieces that show 'anger / violence / despair' over positive emotions?
They also said they prefer traditional media over digital. Have you found this to be true ?
This piece is typical of the type of 'story' I try to put into a piece I design to sell. It's a recurring character I've drawn before that people seem to like. What could I change to make it more desirable outside of going into 'adult content' that is something I'm not interested in doing.
Thanks for your help! and no doing comics is not something I'm capable of doing right now. :)
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- Category:
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Comments
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i'd say putting something in the crystal ball would be a first step. Maybe she's spying on enemies, watching over a loved one, communicating with somebody distant.
But specifically, for it to be the kind of story people want to buy to hang on their walls, I think it's best if it's something they can relate to. Sad stuff I think is easiest to portray because like.. I don't think it takes complex scenes? but there's also relationships, family, that kind of stuff that people may like.
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volkkeslate
I think that negative emotions are easier to relate to because it's more common for people to have experienced something that's at the very least 'similar' to something they've experienced themselves. After all, not everyone has fallen in love and not everyone has led that 'wonderful life' that's often portrayed in the various mediums of art.
Traditional medium i find to have fallen by the wayside in recent years; people see it so often now that when they see traditional art they tend to gravitate back to it for whatever reason. Be it nostalgia, some sort of awe that someone can achieve such works without the aid of an undo feature, who knows?
For this piece.... I'm not sure i can give an easy answer. Presently to me she looks surprised. What is she surprised about? What unknown thing does she see in her crystal ball?
Other emotions could be achieved, though you'll need subtle changes to her expression. A sultry look for finding out something she's not supposed to, etcetera. Lighting and color can also play key roles in portraying emotion, darker lighting can add mystery or foreboding as can deeper colors like purples and blues. Reds can convey anger or lust/love.
That being said, it's something of an unfortunate fact that adult material will always tend to be more popular on art sites for the most part. Though... not all art need be actually explicit, i have a love for pin ups that don't actually show anything. Risque? perhaps. But even those can tell stories and convey various emotions.
Hopefully my mindless drivel helps you out in some way. In other news; hooray Egyptian themed stuff! ♥