Moko-Young's Factoid Firefly album on Photobucket

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Art Bullies

I was originally going to have this weeks blog be about something totally different but there has been a problem going on over the weekend in the art world that I think I should talk about instead, Art Bullies.

So you might ask, what is an “art bully”?
An art bully is a person who because they cannot in their mind do art, don't understand the value of it, or just love to attack it because it's a very personal expression of one's self thus hurting that person. Basically it's a person who would rather put people down then lift them up and using their art as a way to do it.


I want to say, don't be this person.


YouTube Artists Collective Artist This Session (This is from their facebook I have no rights to this image)
This weekend a bunch of videos have dropped for the Youtube Artists Collective (YTAC ), a group of artists who have their viewers vote on a theme and they all paint/draw/create artworks based on that theme in each of their art styles and then sell them to the public (those who voted and those who did not). They at first started an auction but people made it hell for them, bidding but not actually paying playing cat and mouse games. Did some maybe honestly want to buy but couldn't? Probably, but as a general rule don't do this to an artist. Most artists love their artworks almost like a child and to sell it is a hard thing, and to know that it's worth money to a person means a lot to them. So to bid (sometimes even under the starting price) is an insult and a heartbreak. So after all the cat and mouse games they decided this time they will sell in their online art stores instead, first come first serve. This is where the idiotic happenings started this time around.



Lovely Baylee (she's blonde now)
A specific artist named Baylee Jae has been picked on, told how her art isn't worth what she wants for it, and scolded for her price because either they can't afford it or because she doesn't draw dragons (her picture was a dragon) that much that it should be worth less because it's not her “thing”. Okay, I can rant for a couple hours on this whole logic but I'll keep it short.


If you can't afford an art piece, too bad.
If you want it and can afford it buy it.
If it's not worth that much to you keep it to yourself or try selling your child and tell me how it feels.

Baylee's Dragon
Art is worth what a person will pay for it not what you think it's worth. I personally think Picasso's art is trash, but that's my opinion, other people will pay thousands for his work. And that's okay, they like it and it's worth it to them. Baylee's art work in my opinion is beautiful and she deserves what she asked for it. Making art isn't like being in a factory where you mass produce books for a larger market. It's worth time, energy, creativity, emotions, love, and heart. All things that you can't buy in reality. And besides that, when you see a painting for $250, which for her was approx $25 p/h, you're not even paying per hour because it took her a life time to learn what she knows now so in reality you're not paying her still what the painting is worth.


For her though, money isn't everything. She and her art colleagues aren't doing this totally for money, it's so you can have something they made from their hearts, and we can all create together to make beauty in a world that can at times be very ugly. If you can't appreciate that then buzz off.


Do I like every picture Baylee, or the others have made? No, but that doesn't mean their art is bad it still took all the things I said above to make. It just means a piece's subject matter wasn't something I liked, was interested in or believed in. And that's okay. My opinion really does not count, if they love it it's their concern. You can't judge a person because they want to be treated what their worth, and respected. God will judge you and them and most likely you'll be on the bad side of that judgment.


In closing, if you want an artwork but can't afford it, instead of taring a person down because you can't afford it, stop. If you truly love the artwork respect the artist enough to not insult their worth. If you wanna be lighthearted about it saying “Aww I can't afford this” that's one thing, but “OMG Y U HAVE IT SO HIGH I CAN'T AFFORD THIS MAKE IT CHEAPER SO I CAN BUY IT!!!!!” that's childish and immature. If you want to buy something in the future, save money now and by the time they have another one you can buy it. So in the future, for the sake of all other artists who have had this happen, be and encourager not a discourager.




Oh, and I believe Baylee finally sold her Dragon. Props to the person who understood it was worth it.

Also to the imbecils who made her weekend a mess and made her depressed, good work! I hope you feel big inside knowing you made person upset because you had to attack her and something she loves. Beware, one day you will love something and it will be attacked and before you cry remember you did it to a person and were so cowardly you didn't even do it to her face but behind a screen.


Thanks for reading.


~ God Bless ~




~ Firefly




If you're interested in the YTAC you can find their page here: https://www.facebook.com/youtubeartistscollective/


Note: I am not affiliated with them, I just enjoy watching them paint and draw.

Monday, February 22, 2016

I think it's time I finally do it....

Hey everyone! It seems I'll have constant internet for a bit so I'm going to attempt something...
Well some might remember that I did a tip of the week...Well I kinda fell off the wagon with that but I'm hoping to make up for it....I'm going to attempt to write a new blog post once a week.

If I post some drawings that post counts for the week, unless I posted an actual post about something useful then it's just a bonus post.

I have some upcoming posts planned already about paper, a program review, and other advice.


Oh, and since I started this blog my outlook has changed a wee bit, before this was just going to be about cheap art supplies, but as you can see I have expanded a lot so this blog will be about anything art related that I'm interested in. The least thing though, will be how to draw. I'm not a very good how to teacher and I won't pretend I am. Don't worry, I still use cheap art supplies and I don't look "down" on them just because I've "grown up". There will be more on cheap and free programs and supplies in the future!

So stay tuned and enjoy!


God Bless,

~ Firefly