Why don't you fave AND comment? - last rant for 2012


nonecansee's avatar
I've been patient and I've been kind. I used to be what I'm complaining of now and I have seen the light.

:(

Many artists look forward to view and faves BUT comments (constructive ones or general ones) are HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER. I appreciate faves and views on my works but it hardly feels as though anyone has really seen my work because they didn't leave a comment. I think (and I used to think this way too >.< God forgive me for still thinking it now, haha) Favorites are DeviantArt's "Likes" or "Thumbs Ups" of social networking sites :|

And it just bothers me how even a front page work o a Daily Deviation has more FAVES than COMMENTS :/ I feel for everyone who experiences this so this thread comes with a question for those who fave and run (and well people who like a work but do not leave comments): Why? Why not take a few seconds to leave a comment (especially on works that you faved!)?

If you have faved and run before, why?
I'll admit my initial reasons were that I didn't feel qualified to leave comments but with the onset of Critiques (which I think are more serious), Comments are now (and have always been) where anyone with an informed opinion of a certain work can leave messages to the artist about his/her specific piece.

I mean attention is nice and all. I appreciate pageviews, views, downloads and faves but comments too, please? :cry:

-Reactions below-
Comments165
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Keyboard-Ninja's avatar
For me it's either because I can't think of an appropriate comment, don't feel there's anything to say regarding the piece, or mental fatigue from trying to provide useful commentary and crit for some other work. Simply commenting with "this is nice/cute/funny/cool" is just feeble. Always nice to hear, but... :shrug:

Seems better to simply say nothing at all, if that's really the best I can manage.
nonecansee's avatar
I see. Thanks for your input :)

I now value having an inbox with minimal activity, haha. A least I know I can keep track of any major alerts that way =P
Keyboard-Ninja's avatar
Quite welcome. ;P Far better than the opposite extreme, I assure you.
x666NiGhTmArE666x's avatar
I'm more happy about getting favs than anything because at least someone looked at my artwork.
Eventually, you'll get comments, but you can't force anyone. Be patient and you'll get some. ^^
nonecansee's avatar
Okay, haha.
*Pours self more Patience*

It's just, idunno, starting to taste boring is all. :shrug: Of course, I know it doesn't mean it's not healthy for me.

Serious reply time: I suppose. :invisible:
x666NiGhTmArE666x's avatar
I love how you responded. xD Well, stay active on deviant, get yourself out there. Fav, comment, reply to messages, go on forums, all that jazz. It's okay, I know the feel about being patient, but it's worth it. :aww:
GigaPipen1407's avatar
"Favorites are DeviantArt's "Likes" or "Thumbs Ups" of social networking sites."

It's not entirely relevant, but I find that kind of annoying. This is an ART WEBSITE. Therefore, (almost) everything people post here has taken anywhere from a few minutes to WEEKS of their time to make. So, is it not reasonable to thank someone because they liked your piece enough to favorite it? You could say the same thing about social networking comments, but from what I've seen/heard of social networking, most of the comment there are just crap about people's miserable lives, who's dating who, who's cheating on who, and the occasional witty comment/good profile.

I probably shouldn't say this, but don't you think a piece of art is worth thanking for? It's a personal preference, of course, but I don't understand how fave'ing a piece of art with effort put into it is anywhere near clicking a button saying you like something that doesn't mean two shits in the real world.
nonecansee's avatar
But you still click a button. :rofl:
Get some snacks before reading this because it'll be long =P

Serious reply time:
Perhaps not you but other people who haven't defended themselves, I can half-assedly assume fave for the sake of attention (and that doesn't mean two shits in the real world either, at least not for the artist who made the work and then goes out of his or her way to thank said fav-er only to end up a number in their pageviews or whatnot) and fave for the simple reason that they found something funny or witty at the moment and then forget about it later on, not realizing they have it bookmarked and added to their collection in their profile. That's not really worth thanking the faver for.
Besides if you do like something here on dA, what is the only way for you to show it here if you want to avoid spamming an "omg kawaii" comment at the same time?
The thing I did not foresee is that unlike a social network site, people here are more sensitive or equally full of themselves and under the guise of internet anonymity can get away with meaningful or meaningless comments.

Also, I don't thank people who have fav'ed my work. I tried but I found it too awkward on my part. It's like the sole interaction between me and that internet person is a thank you on their profile page because they liked my work. Not for me.
-end-

Also, haha, let this thread die :blushes: I've already learned my lesson to not expect too much of others.
GigaPipen1407's avatar
Ah, true. :shrug: I just ran on the assumption that people fave your work for a reason, not for profile page views, which I guess was a mistake. I don't mind if people thank or don't thank for my favorites. I just didn't understand what the big deal was with courtesy, you know?

I don't demand comments, and I do know that I'm guilty of "fave n' run" myself. I do agree that it's better for a few constructive comments than a ton of "So cool! :D" comments. My thing was/is that I just don't understand why people get so irritated because someone thanks them.
nonecansee's avatar
It's true for some percentage of the dA population :) more often than not, people who fave your works do like it or have some good reason to. But yeah, I too realized thanks to other complaint threads that there are still those others who do it for their own benefit. The irritation at people who thank other people for their faves may actually be thanking them for faving OR may actually be trying to bait the fav'er to look at his/her gallery/profile. But idunno :shrug: it's best not to think too much about it, haha.

A really bad case that I read on the FAQ is that some people make multiple accounts just to be able to increase the number of their pageviews (but whoever does that is putting waaay too much effort in the wrong place, haha. I mean instead of improving their art that is).

In the end, you just do your own thing while not expecting too much of people :)
GigaPipen1407's avatar
Good philosophy. :D
maidacervania's avatar
Sometimes the work has so many of the same comments that posting another one of similar praise would seem kind of silly or annoying to the original artist. Like, why waste their time saying how good it is when so many others have already done so?

And sometimes I don't feel qualified to make an intelligent comment on a great piece of work because of the lack of experience I have in the art field. Lots of people don't like seeing those comments from people who seem to know less than they do and I don't want to risk getting on anyone's bad side. So, a favorite is usually as far as I go. Though lately I've been trying to help out some deviants who want a little feedback.
RensMeerkat's avatar
Because I often can't think of anything to say.
Retro-Death's avatar
I fave when I really love a piece or when a technique is used I might want to look at closer in the future or simply because it gives me an idea I might look into later for myself.

I comment when I actually have something to say, or am impressed with a work one way or another or simply to give some critique or even to talk with a friend.

The two are completely unrelated, I have different reasons for doing any of the two so no way in hell will I always do both.


For my own work I'd rather have someone fave it then leave a comment saying 'Good' or whatever. I do not want a comment for the sake of getting a comment so I don't give a comment just for the sake of giving one either.
You shouldn't be on dA for faves and comments anyway but to share and improve on your art and what not.

A person who faves your work is doing you a favor, they do not owe you anything afterwards, a fave is not a down payment for a comment.
Panthera--Shadow's avatar
I'm trying to fix that by commenting on everything I fav. It's one of my New Years resolutions.
Engelsblau's avatar
You know what I appreciate? When people who fave half of my gallery watch me. But how often does that happen? Not much. But I deal with it and so you should, too.
nonecansee's avatar
Yes, that's very nice and all but if I want to improve myself, that doesn't really help me decide what direction to take. That's the main point I wanted to make as opposed to people simply liking my stuff.
Engelsblau's avatar
That's the sad thing...
You can't really expect anything from the people over the internet, because you can't expect things from people in general.
Be glad when you get a helpful comment, but don't set your expectations too high.
I'm careful with giving critiques, honestly, because most people on here take it as an attack.
(And I'm being constructive, not this "your drawing is shit", thing).
nonecansee's avatar
Sigh *goes off to count her helpful comments carefully placed in a hidden treasure chest*

Haha yeah =P It's easy to have such high expectations of the internet and then be suddenly faced with the durned truth.
MelodyMoose's avatar
I don't comment if I have nothing to say. I fav because I want to see the pic again later.
nonecansee's avatar
Yes. I apparently missed that "faving" bookmarks a work. But I wonder how many people actually look back at their favorites folder, especially those who fave and fave and fave.

(Not counting people who fave for pageviews or other such ways attention; but that is a different complaint :))
LoVe-3N's avatar
I don't fave and comment. I favourite something because I like it, and I see no need to comment. I don't care about comments.
nonecansee's avatar
umm, did you just spam my works and my profile to prove your point? :hmm:
LoVe-3N's avatar
lol. Yeah. Just report them as spam.