I used to draw realistic stuff by using reference photos and put in a lot of effort to make them look as real as possible. This got me the typical responses you’d expect like how good and realistic it looked. But honestly I didn’t enjoy it much. There wasn’t much originality and creativity to it so I turned to drawing more of an anime like style that took way less time to make but it actually made me happy.
Anyway that turned into drawing gay pairings and some nsfw stuff and I built a small audience for it. I didn’t tell anyone around me out of embarrassment but my supposed best friend found out and she didn’t say much about it. I told her it makes me happy and she said that’s good and I should keep doing it then. But she did that after going on for over 30 minutes how when she met me she thought I was an amazing artist and showed me off to everyone and now I’ve really downgraded. She also told me “I’m wasting all that time making that art instead of making something really good for her”.
I’ve made a lot of artwork for her and most of it realistic but she tore it up when we had a really big friend ending argument and I’m not too motivated to draw stuff for her anymore. She told me to come to her if something bothered me that she did and I’m not sure what to say to her about this. Obviously she already has opinions about what art is good or not and I already told her I thought she’d be more supportive.
I feel bothered by this for some reason and I don’t know how to go about the situation.
TL;dr: Friend tells me that I’ve really downgraded in my art and she doesn’t like my new style at all even though I told her it makes me happy.
8 comments
You should’ve stayed friend-broken up. She doesn’t soujd supportive at all. TEARING your art and then wanting replacements is ridiculous.
From one artists to another, do what makes you happy. Those who don’t draw will always be impressed by realistic art when it’s the least creative. Also drop her as a friend or just ignore her completely about this. You’re not her personal trophy to show off.
Tell her how happy your art makes you. Tell her how incredibly disrespectful it was for her to destroy it. It might not be her taste, but her actions were out of line. Tell her how her actions impacted you and how you feel about your friendship. Hold her accountable. She did a very hurtful thing. Isn’t already built infrastructure that doesn’t rely on resource extraction the most environmentally friendly option?
Draw whatever you like. Fetish stuff is sometimes a hard sell, cos you do cater to a unique audience. But at the same time, those people are willing to pay and support their authors because it’s a niche.
Your friend used to be your target audience and now no longer is. That’s fine. There are tons of other artists out there she can enjoy, she doesn’t have to look at yours. Also, why are you making art for her? Consider, every work is hours of effort you’re gifting to her and she rips it up? That’s really disrespectful. Did you ever get something equivalent back, where she put in time and effort to surprise you? When you draw for someone, it better be worth it and this person doesn’t seem worth that.
Draw your stuff, whatever you like and what she disliked. Even the smallest sketch you can put on your network and see if someone wants it. Cheap or not, if it’s just sketches you’re not very attached to, it could get you some money and appreciation from someone who puts value on your work. Don’t waste your skills on assholes. Don’t do it when they pay and especially not when they don’t have anything on the line at all.
>She also told me “I’m wasting all that time making that art instead of making something really good for her”.
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>I’ve made a lot of artwork for her and most of it realistic but she tore it up when we had a really big friend ending argument and I’m not too motivated to draw stuff for her anymore.
Why would you waste your time making art for her when she’s unappreciative and destructive of it? Who gives a fuck what her opinion is on the art you’re doing now? That’s all it is. An opinion. Not a statement of fact.
Let her think whatever she wants, you don’t have to pay it any attention. You’ll be better off making the art you want to make regardless of how she feels about it.
If a friend of mine ever tore up a piece of my art, I would never speak to them again. That’s like having someone cut off one of your toes.
It’s just her personality I suppose. Ultimately she has no control over your drawings so you should continue to do what you want and don’t turn it into a huge argument. She’ll come to accept it/ give up on it eventually. I doubt her opinion will change.
Also, ignore some of the more whimsical replies as they will only lead you back to that argument you had before.
She sounds selfish and seems to only want to be your friend for your previous art and not because of you as yourself.
You friend’s an asshole and not really your friend.