umbatman

guys for those Who don't Know CG Society is closing down, it is one of the big time CG communities which had the whos who of the CG industries. Now I am really worried cause Deviant art might be headed the same way, I don't know how most of you feel but I don't have another art account and everyday my friends tell me to open an instagram now I have been here for a decade which isn't as much as other who have been here from the beginning, But i don't want to see DA go,

Those of you Who have given up on DA and feel the site has gotten worse, yes it has but don't give up on DA cause just remember, when DA goes all the artworks and artists you like will be gone and the artists who have a huge following they can create a fan page or what ever but small artists like myself who has no other platform i won't be able to follow alot of the great artists and people i follow. I am sure all of you share my view that when i say that each of us when we see our favorites folder we see how amazing and how all these works were collected by us individually and every individual makes that difference.

Just remember once its gone, no way of getting it back, SO i ask all of you who read this share the message and try to bring DA back to what it used to be, start posting on groups, share art and get involved,

we don't have to love AI art but we can work within our own little friend circles and bring that MAgic back, its not too late,

I won\t give up on DA

SO i recently have gotten a core membership for one month and its by some random anonymous person. Whats so special about this with all the new features that DA have added. I really couldn't tell you. How much has anything changed since this new membership? well nothing cause i have seen some new faves and a few old works faved but guess what, the numbers on those works are still the same, yes i have or remember the value casue i am not stupid. I always see which artwork is at what position. so the updates are practically getting mixed up and there is hardly any sort of traffic to my page. i really don't know how many of you have still stayed and enjoy DA, i miss my old friends and with more A.I its just getting annoying. to the point i just look at A.I everywhere and whats the fun in that its the same anime girl in some pose. I miss the days you had to put in hard work and effort to try to achieve something, now we can just write a promt and mention some famous artists name and trending. Maybe i am just those guys who believe that art should be something you struggle at first with but after putting in time and learning to do the right things, there is a click and suddenly you feel things are starting to make sense.

I have gone through my own battles of trying to learn how to sketch, learn gesture, lighting, color theory, shape design and composition and the learning never ends, But when the very thing you enjoy is being taken away from you, how else can you respond?

I am not against A.I art as it can be a tool to learn from but when it is taking away the beauty of art and the skills of a artist, it makes me wonder, will art slowly fade away? Who knows

Hi guys how are you guys all doing ?

I know the Covid hasn't helped anyone but we all have to stay strong and be positive.

A thing I have recently noticed is the views comments and interaction on this site has been dropping and dropping fast. i also have been busy with work So i have not been able to post art on a regular basis but do be patient and I will try to upload more. Some things that I have noticed as a cause of concern.

!. Less interaction of a artwork and the viewers.

2. The terrible algorithm which has made finding your favorite artists or art categories is now almost impossible

3. Less group invites and posts.

4. Same as before promoting the same artists over and over and over again.

Addressing the first one: I don't know why that is but if you guys are all fed up and think boycotting DA and its artists will make the site go back to the old ways well I really don't think so, I want all of you guys who are reading this ask yourself one question and i asked this question to myself 8 years ago when i first joined? The short answer is i love looking at amazing art and wonderful artists sharing their vision and passion. Its a 2d screen and nothing truly exists and people take the time out of their day to try and paint, write, sketch, draw, hand craft, 3d model something amazing, personal, skillfully something wonderful that they want to share with the rest of the people out there. We all don't have the ability to post our works on a museum, gallery or a art store but we still feel like sharing.

Now some of you guys well say "Oh i hate the new Eclipse look and the setup and UI is terrible, Its me saying to DA i don't care and sticking it to them" I want you to know your action isnt helping anyone. Many artists are starting to Leave DA (smaller artists) I have seen artists on artstation- serious Pros who are also on insta and FB. These are two sites i would never share my art but even i have seen good turn outs on Fb personally. I seriously want to ask you guys, what will happen if everyone stops posting, connecting and sharing art on DA and everyone goes to instagram. The art there is amazing but also surrounded by Trash and lets just say people who do less (nothing) and get lots of attention. The one true art site dedicated to art and skill is now having to compete with Insta

I don't have an instagram but i have seen my friends and work colleagues who get lots of better attention and feedback just cause of insta, the same artist wouldn't get many likes on DA. Something to Think about.

2nd point about the algorithm:

well I guess bad decisions have bad or poor results. small artists who cant properly showcase their works cause of DAs heavy one sided Algo has made them approach things much smarter. these days I have found that the artists work i can find on other social media before even finding it to DA. the link they attach to DA lets me know they have an art on DA, does that mean I found them on the social media platform or DAs algorithm didn't show it on my feed? you guys can guess and feel free to put in your own opinion.

Part 3 less engagements from everyone.

I know the 2020 was terrible for all of us but well we all know why adn the one thing that makes me happy atleast on a cold rainy day is a cup of coffee and art, Guess where I get my art news and updates these days from ???? anyone. Anyone...

you guessed it artstation and pinterest Also I can't believe that i would ever say this but facebook actually promotes the artists too, YUP i get news from various art pages, groups and even artists. Pinterest notifies me to the artworks and directly links back to artstation, DA or twitter, Even concept world. I know we all have lives and day to day activities which we need to attend but why is Pinterest jumping ahead of DA on my email lists?

Last point:

I have seen so many Korean and chemise artists that I never heard of doing so well in artstation and Instagram its just mind blowing to know that these artists even exists, many artists I have found through artstation that had a DA but it was as if no one even noticed them. I think DA needs to start finding ways to not only keep artists here but help promoting everyone. A few weeks ago a friend of mine was planning to Leave DA as she said the site has lost and forgotten its old ways and can you Imagine, the first thing i said was not "don't go, Stay DA well get better and you will get to share your works with others" i said you can post your stuff on Insta cause I know she will do better there. Thats how Bad DA has gotten the fact that I am suggesting the site I don't even use or Like and completely believe its not a place for artists but rather to feed the ego.

Now you guys can say Bats, your crazy, Insta is great. yes great for art and all things social media but the fact that your having to upload via smart phone, the dimensions are 4X5 and lets not forget its not the best quality to or place to judge art seriously but yet almost all artists are now using their platforms why, casue they know potential viewers will notice the artwork slowly over time.

Those are my thoughts for the recent month and well guys 0ctober will soon be here. Guys

this is one of my favorite works I did along with others, its at 297, if you guys can just take the time and if you really felt that it is a nice piece of work and the effort i put in shows a like would be nice. I am trying to hit 300, its a small number but a number that means I did a good job(goal reached thanks to the wonderful people here).

Anyway everyone. Have a nice day and feel free to share your thought. Agree with me disagree? feel that DA is going places or feel that DA is not the same. I know a lot of you guys feel that DA may not be the same but guys remember THE Deviants are the ones Who make DA great, If we all just decide to sit down and do nothing DA will be like all those other sites and vanish and I don't want to go to another Site, I worked hard enough for 8-9 years posting all this stuff here. Also Support smaller artists, When a small artist does well, we should be happy cause if you didn't know the myth of the artist dying poor is actually true, I have been a member of that club for a while.

Thank you good day

UMBATMAN

Is Anyone else really struggling to navigate through the new DA interface, at least bring back the old message setup so i can see and respond to comments and replies. It seems the one place I used to come for my mental peace and after a terrible day.

Its a shame that the one place i once called my favorite site and the site i would visit more then facebook, twitter, youtube, pinterest and i don't even have a instagram but now DA has kicked me out of my own home, It has seriously disappointed me that when uploading a deviation i can select if it was a landscape or character design, I can't even read the messages properly, I liked the old stack system, it gave me a lot of confidence and belief that the people do care about art and DA still is the place for real art lover, Take it from me, i have a artstation, over there its all about skill and getting the pros to notice your works, its really hard to get noticed there as everyone there is a pro and its a pro looking at your work and thinking ok ok, he got that and that right, nice design, end of story.

But DA is the place where you can see great art and not under any pressure to continuously

pump out a certain type of art, I have a very very very small crowd here but i appreciate each and every person that took the time to even fave or view the art.

Now i just feel really bumed, I was planning to upload so many artworks this week like almost every day but now dont even know if i should... Hmmm.

REALLYBUMMED.