Deviant Art

Recently I sent a message to Deviant Art complaining about the vast amount of daily deviations that are nothing more than trace jobs, when there are many talented artists there that freehand their own work that are getting overlooked. I expressed the need for a second look at these works that are getting picked to weed out the tracers (which in my own opinion are wanna be artists – if they can’t draw it, they shouldn’t be doing it.)

here’s what their response was:

From Daniel Sowers Jr. Copyright & Etiquette Administration Manager

Daily Deviations are chosen by a select group of staff and volunteer members and those selections consist solely of works which they personally found impressive or otherwise interesting enough for them to think that the work deserves to be brought to the attention of the community-at-large.

“Originality” is not a requirement, nor is “quality”, or any other standard beyond the one simple fact that the person selecting the work has found it interesting enough to do so.

This is completely the wrong message to send out to an ART community. Originality, Creativity, Technique and QUALITY of work are what the criteria of any ‘award’ SHOULD be. Not just because ‘someone liked it’.

Personal note: If you trace, show some integrity and do yourself a favor; buy a book or two, or take a class, but learn how to freehand your own work. You’ll feel more confident about your work knowing that you can actually draw.