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3wyl — Why Comment in the First Place?
Published: 2010-04-12 19:53:25 +0000 UTC; Views: 8120; Favourites: 493; Downloads: 0
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Many people ask themselves (sometimes on a daily basis) why they should comment on a piece of work. Whether it's just a deviation that pops up into our message centres or a deviation on deviantART's home page, what makes us decide whether we should, or even want to, comment on that piece?
Why do we bother? Or more importantly, why don’t we bother?
This guide explores the thoughts that we may have, the excuses we make, and, hopefully, a few thoughts to encourage you to comment, not just with a few words and that's it, but to really give a fellow artist a constructive comment that they deserve... that we deserve.
What is mentioned below is by no means accurate or complete and it does not apply to everyone. It was written by ProjectComment as a Group, by deviants, for deviants and we sincerely hope you enjoy reading this.
A massive thank you to annajordanart , catadescour , technochroma , Jenniej92 and xblackxbloodxcellx who all contributed in the making of this guide. Their efforts are much appreciated and they really deserve more recognition.
Commenting
Many of us do not have the time to constructively comment on deviations, even though we want to. As a consequence, we 
Is that it? Are our pieces reduced to only something that is worthy of one minute of a person's time?
How many of us browse the galleries, on deviantART, clicking on random deviations? How many of us see so many deviations that have next to no comments, or comments that only contain a few words?
One could argue that it is their own fault for not being more active and supporting other artists. Surely if they were more active, they would receive more comments, and that... that is true to some extent. Regardless, it should never stop us from commenting and giving people feedback on their pieces. The majority of us are artists, striving for the same goal, so why not help someone in the same position as you… as us?
If you don't have time to comment, that's fair enough, but for those that have the time, why not?
Reasons Why
"Commenting on other people's work is a great way to expand your own knowledge of different variations of art. It's also a key factor to an art community - conversing and interacting with other artists creates the 'studio environment' that many artists work to in their jobs.
Commenting also shows a bit of your personality, or even that you are an open person. If you leave comments on people's work they are more than likely to leave comments back - its like an ice breaker." ~ annajordanart
"Commenting helps you not only to give your opinion or viewpoint, it also lets you receive feedback on whether you understood a piece of art correctly. Moreover, you can learn from other cultures and become more open-minded." ~ catadescour
"There is always a point to sharing your thoughts on a piece, even if only to exercise your observational skills. DeviantArt is a community site and you should feel comfortable giving feedback." ~ technochroma
Fear is a factor that prevents some of us from commenting when it shouldn't: "I think most people are a bit afraid to give a deep comment, or just don't know what to say, or are afraid the receiver will be mad." ~ Jenniej92
Have you asked yourself, "What is the worst that could happen?"
You might get flamed/trolled/etc., but you are not forced to reply and you are not forced to see or read the comment. If the comment bothers you, delete it, never look back and move on. Your self-esteem/confidence/ego may plummet a bit from the encounter, but you have only conversed with one artist. Not all artists are the same and there are many out there who would appreciate any feedback at all, which leads us to...
Excuses
...the excuses we make.
My comment won't make a difference and won't do much, anyway, because there are already loads of comments and it's quite obvious the artist doesn't need their ego stoked any more. Thus, any comments made means nothing, and there is no point.
Although there could be many comments, really look at them and see how many just contain a few sentences. Are all of the comments constructive? If not, your comment still has a chance of impacting the artist, especially if your comment is in-depth. If your thoughts are parallel to those that are already said, then there really is no point in reiterating it, but many artists still like to receive feedback, no matter how many comments they have.
"Even if you point some "weak spots" out, but you're kind, the artist will surely make use of your comment and will appreciate your honesty." ~ xblackxbloodxcellx
Generally, though, "Artists appreciate and thrive on any and all feedback on a piece. It is doubtful that the artist would leave the comments option "on" if they didn’t seek feedback. " ~ technochroma
technochroma goes on to say, "Pretend the artist and the "already knows their piece is amazing" feeling doesn’t exist. Just look at the piece for what it is. This is kind of a reverse Zen technique where instead of being acutely aware or oversensitive at the loads of comments, we are only looking at the art piece for what it is. Then write the comment, look at it objectively to ensure it is balanced for critical and constructive criticism, and post it."
The deviation is not inspiring, does not interest people, people cannot connect, etc.
If you find a piece such as this, what more of a better reason than to comment? You can suggest improvements to be made, give general feedback or anything else to help them progress as an artist. The critique template with sections such as, 'Vision', 'Originality', 'Technique' and 'Impact' can greatly aid in the making of this comment.
"Art is individually experienced and should not immediately be dismissed as 'uninspiring'. While there may be design reasons for it to not be emotionally compelling, just look at the piece objectively." ~ technochroma
The medium of the piece is unfamiliar and I don't know what to say, because I am out of my comfort zone and depth.
You don't have to have specific knowledge of the medium to convey what you feel, think and see. Some artists are fine with just having feedback, any sort of feedback. Our guide How to Comment - Pointers and Examples lists all the things you could mention (General Pointers for All Categories) that can apply to every art out there.
"If you’re really stumped, at least write about what you feel from seeing the art. All art evokes a feeling – all humans experience art at very least on an emotive level." ~ technochroma
I can’t actually think of anything constructive so no comment is better than a non-constructive comment.
xblackxbloodxcellx has pretty much summed it up brilliantly:
"Take a deep breath and look at the piece again. Name three (or more) things you like most and try to think why you like them. Write them down. Then try to look for a couple of things you don't really fancy and again, think why they don't attract you this much. Write them down. And you've got a decent comment!"
Some people believe that if they have nothing worthy to say, then they shouldn't say it. This does not apply to everyone. Although you may feel like that yourself, try and empathise with the artist and think how they will feel. You may be pleasantly surprised that people may want a non-constructive comment.
If a comment is made, it makes me sound like a douche, people bite my head off, it’s not appreciated, people will call me names, etc.
If your comment is not disrespectful, rude or 'flame-worthy' matieral, then the majority of people will only be like that if a, they are trolls (in which case, stay away from them or if that is too late, delete the reply and move on), b, the comment you type is destructive (particularly focusing on tone, content and phrasing) or c, it's neither the above, in which case, it's best not to pay attention and take what they say to heart.
"Besides, there's a saying in my country, "nunca quedas mal con nadie", which refers to those people who avoid saying anything because they don't want to get in trouble with anybody." ~ catadescour
Is that what everybody should do every single time they get a negative reply? Should we skulk around in silence, scared that the same things will happen again?
NO! Take a stand, respect the artist for the path they have chosen (even if they don't respect you), and keep on believing that not everyone is the same. Try and comment on 10 random pieces and see if the replies you get are all negative. If you get one negative out of nine positive, doesn't that prove something?
"If you're kind writing the comment, it's highly predictable that the artist will be at least as kind as you were." ~ xblackxbloodxcellx
When the artist doesn’t reply to the comments, it could suggest that they don’t appreciate it, can’t be bothered etc.
The majority of artists have a reason for not replying to comments, don't take it personally. It doesn't mean that they don't appreciate every single one, though, and it doesn't mean they won't be read. Sometimes, time can be a major factor, as our lives outside dA are more important, the artist wants to save the comments in their message centre because they feel the comments are helpful, or they just don't want to reply and thank everyone generically.
The comment won't be read
That really is not possible unless the artist just deletes your comment from their message centre without even looking, and if they do that, why enable comments in the first place? The fact that a comment won't be read and that a comment won't be replied to are two separate things.
"It’s also really tough to tell another person’s message reading habits if you are not the other person. Just have confidence! If you’ve left a comment, your objective at giving constructive feedback has been fulfilled, and you should be proud that you have participated in a group effort to make DeviantArt a more enriching place." ~ technochroma
The fact that all there is in the Artist’s Comments is '…'
Some people feel that they shouldn't need to explain their piece, that it is all there up for your interpretation. Some people speak a different language and cannot portray what they want. Some people are in a hurry, or just don't want to distort your perception in any way so that you give your genuine impression.
Either way, it shouldn't deter you. It doesn't necessarily mean that you won't receive a reply. If a piece is beautiful and has "..." in the Artist's Comments, would it put you off from commenting more than a piece that is not quite so beautiful? Regardless of their skill, pieces shouldn't be judged in a way that one piece receives a comment over another that doesn't.
I comment, comment and comment, but I receive nothing. What’s the point? Why should I bother?
Selflessness, and the want to spread the love, to inspire other people to comment. It sucks when you do so much for other people and yet you receive nothing in return, but... look deeper. Do the people thank you for what you have done? Do they hug and smile at you? If yes, then that is its own reward.
Not only that, but keep hold on to the belief that what goes around, comes around.
Continue to be active, support other artists for just the support and the act of giving, and it will be reciprocated sooner or later.
Final Note
Hopefully this guide has given you a few things to think about. There are a lot of deviations out there with barely any comments, and deviantART is such a massive place, surely we should help as much as we can?
The most important thing to think about is to comment because you want to comment, to spread the love, to inspire others to do the same, or anything else that is selfless, not selfish. Set yourself a target to constructively comment on one deviation every day, or to comment on a deviation that has no comments at all.
Most of all, though, comment for art's sake.
Guides by ProjectComment 
An extraordinary group you should check out…
Project-Pay-Forward ~
"We all know of deviants who need help from time to time. Sometimes it is in a monetary fashion - Like donations for causes, paying for a bill here and there or something else.
Other times it is a simple hug, a friendly hello, a newbie who needs a guide or the promoting of an event.
And who doesn't know of someone offering or looking for commissions?
Need advice on your work? A critique perhaps?
This is what Project-Pay-Forward aims to do: Help those in need, however possible. We all have our talents, and we all have things we would like help with. This project hopes to bring together the two and get things done."
Thank you for reading.
3wyl , posting on behalf of ProjectComment
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Comments: 528
I was talking from personal experience when I said those things about improvement. It doesn't matter if you don't know what you did wrong in the early stages. The point is that if you keep doing it, you will inevitably get better on your own. And when I say inevitably I really do mean inevitably, in all cases. The knowledge/skill you get this way will be much richer than what you'd get from critique at that point.
Let's see if I can put it differently: if you draw people in various poses, a more experienced artist can tell you to "watch the position of the spine" in your drawings. But if you have no idea what that means (that you have to sketch your person and have an idea where the main bones go before moving on to the details), that piece of advice would be useless (even if very correct). So what I'm saying is, the more you know, the more you can learn from critique. When you know almost nothing you learn almost nothing, even with the best teachers.
And that is true for more situations than just learning how to draw. In a world full of tutorials, I strongly support the idea of everyone doing some serious work on their own, unhelped and unguided. It's a different and valuable learning experience. The problem (and need for tutorials) arises because people who draw a sketch every two weeks want to be as good as the artist who does that daily for a living. And that just won't happen even with a thousand constructive critiques.
Yay nice discussions
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I was talking from personal experience too. 
And it's true that your own experience helps you a lot, but comments and critiques from other deviants can be very helpful to see it in a different light - to look at it more objectively, yourself (for want of a better word, since art is never objective). But it helps putting yourself in the viewer's mind
Hmm, what you say might be true in your example, but that's the critiquers fault for critiquing above your level.
Very good point though, people should find their way with their art on theirselves, first of all.
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Lol, you make a lot of sense to me! You said really well when you put:
All these suggestions about "praising the composition, color scheme" and so on makes it sound like we're all accomplished artists who spend months planning their works. In fact, most of us are kids having fun with colors (which is great) and there is really NOTHING DEEP about what we do a lot of the time. People should stop stroking their ego and stop trying to take things more seriously than they were intended. That is so true. 
Even though I'm personally going for something in most of my works, there a few pictures where I'm just doing it just because. And I let people know that through my artist's comments. Maybe if people just others know when something is to be taken seriously, it will show through the artist's comments and their work.
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I'm on dA for 10 months now. I've uploaded like... well, many pictures. And I received many comments. But the majority of them where like "Great!", "Nice!", "Sweet!"... etc.
That's great, nice and sweet, no doubt. But I was REALLY happy when one day I got a long comment that actually had some constructive criticism in it! I could look back at my piece and say: "Yes! You are right! I'll edit it."
And that's what I'm here for. I want to get better and want to know what other people think about my stuff. It is great, nice and sweet to read they like what I do, but it's greater, nicer and sweeter if they tell me how I could do BETTER.
So thanks to the person who wrote me that one special comment and thank you guys for that great journal.
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Well put.
I guess it would be greater if there were more people like the person who commented constructively on your piece.
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Quite often I don't comment on the things I
Although....now you've mentioned it, I suppose a "W-O-W...." is better than nothing at all.
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I guess it all depends on how you see things.
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' but many artists still like to receive feedback, no matter how many comments they have.'
so true..
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I really want to try and get better with commenting, and I find this really helpful and informative. I'm usually one of those people who would rather avoid trouble, I get very 'panicky' if someone gets annoyed with me, or tries to start an arguement.
But I am trying to get better with commenting, I'm not too good with words, so I'm hoping to get better in that, as well, and the best way to improve is to just practice, right?
I also agree with =scott2753 . I, too, read everything in the 'Artists Comments', I try to be informative with my artists comments.
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Hmm...
I guess trying is all that counts. At least you are doing something, rather than nothing.
Yes, indeed! Practice certainly helps.
I think many people don't realise the importance of Artist's Comments.
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"If a comment is made, it makes me sound like a douche, people bite my head off, it’s not appreciated, people will call me names, etc."
This is the exact thoughts I'm fighting against right now when I'm writing this. I'm just to shy to comment but I AM working on it.
I actually rewrote this five times just because it didn't feel right and I was to insecure.
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Perhaps if you continue to comment and you receive both positive and negative replies, you may get used to it and it will boost your confidence a bit?
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As I said: I am working on it and it's getting better. But thanks for the advice.
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my problem is that while i am great with a camera, i suck at writing. to talk about art in words is an artform in itself. i look at something i really like, and am dumbfounded about what i could say that would not be lame, and really, sort of diminishing.
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Ah... That is a good point.
That is fair enough, though. If you try, I guess that is what counts.
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yeah, i do try anyway. even though i am unsatisfied with what i say. maybe it will develop in time.
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Several times I have had people go through my gallery commenting on everything in sight and even replying to other people's comments on the same pictures just to get their name out there. They would write one-liners that were obviously just to say something, not necessarily even related much to my piece of artwork, and they became irritating rather than welcome.
The guides to commenting and the details about what makes a constructive comment ought to be very helpful for people who don't know what to say.
As somebody who doesn't like to come across as being critical or hurting other people's feelings, I know that in text especially, you cannot show people your mood with a tone of voice. You need to phrase things diplomatically and tactfully, and so be careful not to tear a piece apart too much even if you think it needs serious reworking. Critiques CAN be kind, so long as the person writing them has kindness and a desire to help in mind.
Armed with tact and a desire to help, I have written quite a few critiques here on DA--usually about writing technique, but occasionally about art as well. I hope this article is read by many, because it's full of useful information!
~Threshie
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We hope so.
Hmm.. I must say I have never come across that myself, but I can certainly imagine what it was like. Perhaps the block tool is useful for that? =/
Exactly! It's all down to how we interpret it and how we perceive it.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
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They were actually commenting on the picture, but not much--they sprinkled TONS of little comments on everything going, "neat picture" or "I love this character". I mean literally dozens if not hundreds--my gallery is huge and filled with fanworks. 
Anyhow, you're welcome. Thanks for the informative article!
~Threshie
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Great article indeed ^^ 
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Mm-hmm! Thank you for the support.
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I'm actively trying to comment more because I know a lot of people prefer them to just a fave.
But if I genuinely have nothing to say other than something like "I like this" - if I like the whole thing and can't think of any aspect of it I like more than the others, I'm not going to write a comment that says the exact same thing as my giving a favourite does. Unless I'm already friendly with the artist, in which case I might still be able to say something personal and relevant, like pointing out that they're clearly improving. ^^
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Indeed.
That is a good point, and it is understandable.
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I really hate it when people complain "I GOT A WHOLE LOT OF FAVES BUT NO COMMENTS" seeing as some people aren't even getting faves. -_- Nice to see that you're reasonable about it. :3 Like I say, I try to comment if I can think of something to say, but if I can't then I will just fave and go.
Unless someone has one of those obnoxious "COMMENT BEFORE YOU FAVE" badges/icons in which case I won't fave as I can't think of a comment. >:3
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That's true. =/
Ah... That's their downfall, I guess.
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Commenting is good. Giving a very good comment takes time, which I don't think a lot of the deviants have. I always try to comment, but that doesn't mean I don't fave and run too. It's definitely not a fave and run, since I do take time to decide whether I should fave something or not. Fave and runs while sometimes mean that, there are mass favings, but not all time. Deviants do fave something, because they feel attached to it in someway or another. Otherwise, all the 11,000 deviations in my message center would be gone in a second 
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That is true... Most things good take a long time.
Good! That is very good.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
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I like commenting, but I stay away from critique unless there's some sign that the artist actually wants constructive criticism (like if they ask for it in the artist's comments, or they have critique turned on.) Otherwise I feel like I might be accidentally stepping on someone's toes - after all, not everyone wants critique on everything. Some people get annoyed if you crit something that was just meant for fun, or something really personal, or things that are old, or work done for assignments or jobs or things like that...
But if I can, I at least try to think of something interesting to say when I see a piece I like, because lots of "wow!" and "cool!" gets pretty boring after a while. Personally, I don't care if it's constructive as long as it's entertaining.
I admit I tend to stop commenting on someone's work if I leave several comments over time and NEVER get responses back, even though I know it's sometimes just because the artist gets too many comments to reply to them all. It's just that there's something unsatisfying about commenting when you never, ever get a response - it feels like talking to a brick wall. (If someone only occasionally responds to some comments, that's still encouraging enough for me to keep commenting. It's when they never respond to anything that I stop.)
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I am the same... I don't feel I am up for critique, because it is more intensive and extensive than comments. =/
And then there is the fact of stepping on someone's toes, as you've said there.
Yes! Likewise.
It is their own fault, in that sense.
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My fave is my comment. It tells you that I like/love it.
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Irony aside, commenting generally is a waste of time for the commenter.
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I don't really know what to type on one's comment box.
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You mean the artist's comments?
If so, we have written a guide here
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COMMENT FOR GREAT JUSTICE!!!
Hey wonderful artical dudes/dudettes. That was a really good read. ^_^
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I would comment on this article, but it won't be read anyway.
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That is somewhat ironic.
Read by whom, perhaps?
I read every single one.
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It was a weak attempt on humor from my part ^^
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Ah, I thought it might be... but eh, words can sound and mean different on the internet.
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