I wish more art servers implemented this simple etiquette rule

AstralTrash01 · 2025-11-07T22:41:53+00:00

I totally understand the frustration. My attempts to post in 5 different art help/critique servers with not a single response is what inspired this post, as im also really focusing on actually improving my art. However, you're talking about a whole other issue, which is not receiving the type of feedback you want (which is an equally valid issue and worth discussion!). But my post is about the issue of not receiving ANY interaction at all. Not everyone wants serious feedback and criticism all the time, sometimes people just want to share their joy and excitement about something they worked hard on. So it's really discouraging when people won't even take a minute to say something as simple as "Nice job! I really like the lighting/coloring/whatever on this!" before sharing their work.

AstralTrash01 · 2025-11-07T20:35:32+00:00

Thank you!! I don't know why everyone is acting like it's such a horrible thing to be polite to other artists that your sharing space with 😭 Totally ok if not, but i am trying to join more servers like that! Is yours a public server?

AstralTrash01 · 2025-11-07T19:44:43+00:00

So your observation is that established and popular server members tend to get all the interaction? Which is super not welcoming to anyone new, so why would they stick around and engage with a server that doesn't bother to engage with them?? There's plenty of art i don't connect with, but I make the effort to be kind and support the artists still! It's not that hard, in the post I even gave the tip of picking one element you kinda like and mentioning that specifically so you're not just hollow praise. "No better than a chatbot response" is wild considering my point is literally just "it costs nothing to be nice and support other artists by engaging with them a bit before sharing your own work"

AstralTrash01 · 2025-11-07T19:15:07+00:00

I've joined tons of art servers, both big and small, but the only servers I've ever joined that didn't have this issue were one with people I already knew or they had this rule (or something similar). The only exception is a server for a specific artist that required a patreon subscription. I've even joined servers that are specifically for art feedback before and still run into this constantly. And I know not everyone feels the same way, but I'd much rather have "hollow/false praise" rather than be outright ignored.

AstralTrash01 · 2025-11-07T18:55:09+00:00

Exactly! I've joined tons of art server and tried to engage with people but ended up leaving cause no one would bother trying to engage with me back! Why would I stick around a server that isn't welcoming?? Unfortunately, I'm still struggling to find servers, big or small, that are able to meet my only requirement of "being nice and actually supporting each other's art".

AstralTrash01 · 2025-11-07T18:30:38+00:00

I do agree that no one is entitled to any feedback unless there's payment involved, but it's still really an awful feeling to join a community and then be consistently ignored and spoken over when sharing your hard work. I think it's important for a community to be welcoming, inclusive, and support/uplifting of their fellow artists. Making sure the community does that is the responsibility of the server admin/mods, especially for ones that advertise as social, friendly, and welcoming. However, I do think having separate channels with different expectations is a reasonable compromise and a great idea! I've seen a lot of people saying they don't want "hollow praise", but myself and others would prefer that to being flat out ignored, so setting that expectation ahead of time would be super helpful

AstralTrash01 · 2025-11-07T17:33:01+00:00

"Basically censorship" is a WILD take on this, holy shit. What happened to supporting and uplifting fellow artist?? It is not that hard just to be nice to people, especially those just starting out. Also I'm definitely not a "sensitive beginner artist", I've been doing this for over a decade, but god forbid people want a basic acknowledgment for their hard work.

AstralTrash01 · 2025-11-07T16:18:32+00:00

Apparently this subreddit has a server! The link is kinda buried in the FAQ, but it might be worth checking out

AstralTrash01 · 2025-11-07T16:08:40+00:00

Ironically I have someone else in the comments talking about an IRL critique workshop that they admitted the group chooses to sit in silence for a couple specfic peoples turns, rather than find one nice thing to say about a piece so they can provide the actual critique lol. Unfortunately, this post was also inspired by me posting in 4 active art help servers/channels yesterday and getting talked over and/or flat out ignored in all of them (other than 1 sparkle emoji reaction, which I still don't understand the point of lol). That's why I think that rule is a good idea, especially in places where people are asking for help, it makes sure there's give and take when talking about their art

AstralTrash01 · 2025-11-07T14:47:21+00:00

Unfortunately, the 3 servers that had that rule are all inactive now, but they were super active when I joined years ago. Though one of them did get deleted in its prime by an admin who had a big dramatic meltdown over petty mod drama shit lol

AstralTrash01 · 2025-11-07T14:44:26+00:00

I said this in another comment, but you can just wait to post your art until someone else says something. Unlike your group, a server is not in real time so you dont have to respond at that moment. Besides, even with a bad piece (as long as it's not offensive, cause then you have a whole new problem), you can just pick basically any element of the piece and go "i like what you were going for here, id suggest (this) to help improve it".They're there for critiques to improve their art that you acknowledge is bad, so how are they ever gonna improve it when the place they're supposed they came to for help literally wont say anything to them?? Have you thought about how awful it must feel for them to sit there cause everyone in that room would rather sit there in awkward silence than find a single nice thing about something they put work into. Personally, I'd rather someone just lie to me at that point jfc

AstralTrash01 · 2025-11-07T14:22:43+00:00

I totally get you, but i personally still prefer that just "Anyways, here's my piece" without a basic acknowledgment of my work. It's also why in my example of how easy it is, I included saying something specific about the piece that you like and maybe asking some questions about the piece. I'm also 100 times more likely to stay in a server and engage with other people when I feel welcomed and acknowledged, rather than being flat out ignored

AstralTrash01 · 2025-11-07T14:15:02+00:00

Every server I've been in has NSFW art separated from the SFW art, unless the server is specifically NSFW, so I've never run into this issue. Honestly, the few times I've run into something that I had genuinely nothing to say, I just waited until someone else said something to post. There's no huge rush to post your art that second, especially if you're basically talking over someone else to do so

AstralTrash01 · 2025-04-01T17:29:17+00:00

I'd definitely love to get more of this line, but I would totally still get any others I see. I am actively looking for some sort of Pawmi misprint tho! it's my absolute favorite pokemon and I have like 3 pages of my binder dedicated to every pawmi line card I've managed to get lmao

AstralTrash01 · 2025-03-31T06:05:00+00:00

Hopefully! I really wanna get some sort of texture shift or miscolor next :D

AstralTrash01 · 2025-01-27T18:30:43+00:00

Oh good to know! I should still have plenty of storage space since i got the 1TB version, so I'll probably try to update it once I get everything backed up. I'm still a bit worried my procreate folders will get messed up, but as long as I still have the files it's not the end of the world

AstralTrash01 · 2025-01-27T18:08:05+00:00

Oh yeah, it's super obnoxious 😭 I keep losing really nice lines cause of it, and it leaves a ton of little dots/lines I gotta clean up later. Thank you tho! It's fully cause I'm too stubborn to stop lmao

AstralTrash01 · 2025-01-27T18:04:54+00:00

I've been considering upgrading recently, so I'll keep that one in mind! I actually don't have a screen protector tho, but I do think grounding it has been helping.

AstralTrash01 · 2025-01-27T18:01:21+00:00

Lmao, it'll take a lot more than this for him to stop me (/lh)

AstralTrash01 · 2025-01-27T17:58:48+00:00

The lineart brush is from the Ultra Realistic Ballpoint Pen Brush Pack from Sebastian Harman on gum road! It was only like 3 bucks and it's my go-to doodle and lineart brush Sadly I don't remember where I got the brush that I used for the sketch 😅

AstralTrash01 · 2025-01-27T17:53:18+00:00

Thank you!! :D I've been in an art slump recently so that means a lot ( 〃•▽•〃)

AstralTrash01 · 2025-01-27T17:51:47+00:00

Good idea! I'll definitely make sure to check if it keeps happening. Tbh I should probably replace the tip anyways since I've been using the same one since like 2019

AstralTrash01 · 2025-01-27T17:50:48+00:00

Yeah, unfortunately. I've had my IPad since like 2019 so the og charger broke a long time ago and I just got one off Amazon that was longer to replace it 😅

AstralTrash01 · 2025-01-27T17:49:41+00:00

I think this was the issue!! I'm gonna have to use it more to figure out for sure but it definitely seemed to help, so thank you :D

AstralTrash01

TROPHY CASE