Dear Critic,

I completely respect and appreciate constructive criticism. It is often helpful and needed. I do not, however, appreciate it when it's only criticism, and nothing else. Comments like, 'the hair sucks' or 'the arms are too long' with nothing to say of what is right about the picture are rude, and often detrimental to the artist's ability to improve. I've seen it time and time again, both on dA and in real life, both for my own art, and the art of others.

I am not an artist. I do not one day plan to be a manga-ka, animator, illustrator, graphic designer, or anything else of that nature. I am a writer, my chosen profession is to be a novelist in the future. That said, you can tear my art to pieces, but to what purpose? I still want to draw, and like to hear tips. I do not, however, appreciate cold, indifferent, unhelpful criticism. Even though art isn't my career focus, I like it. Don't kill that for me, and those like me.

Again, I appreciate and support constructive criticism. I've recently been given tips by several awesome people here, on how to improve drawing hands. I've also been doing a lot of studying on my own, and it's helping a ton! There is nothing wrong with sharing tips and wanting to help. There is, however, something very sick and wrong about leaving comments that only criticize the artist's work and never leave a decent remark about what is good in the picture.

Please, for the sake of blooming artists, unless you can find a balance and mention both good and bad, or just good, but NEVER only bad, then don't leave a comment at all. Not only does it often destroy the artist's bravery to share, it also causes you to come across as arrogant and self-absorbed, and I doubt if you want that.

To sum it up: Think before you comment.

Ja ne,
~Hikari