tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813512259260074342.post3891089072929869145..comments2024-03-20T19:35:26.478-07:00Comments on Judy Adamson's Art & Design Blog: Defending Ourselves against Art Critics – Inner and OuterJudy Adamsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02986456665704994228noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813512259260074342.post-27484411471097687512011-11-19T12:40:56.770-08:002011-11-19T12:40:56.770-08:00Thanks, Carole - maybe it would be fun to do a ser...Thanks, Carole - maybe it would be fun to do a series of cards where the recipient had to find something that's hiding (such as a trashcan) rather like those 'Where's Wally?' books?Judy Adamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02986456665704994228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813512259260074342.post-9099716916295082272011-11-19T12:27:32.328-08:002011-11-19T12:27:32.328-08:00Thanks for the encouraging post, I couldn't fi...Thanks for the encouraging post, I couldn't find the trashcan at all but I love the composition of your photo.Carole Barketthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18068078540295273489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813512259260074342.post-41483777544473213092011-11-15T08:46:03.483-08:002011-11-15T08:46:03.483-08:00Thank you, LJ :)
Actually what you wrote about &#...Thank you, LJ :)<br /><br />Actually what you wrote about 'authenticity' was exactly what I thought when I took the photo. I wouldn't have wanted a trash can right in the foreground, but I thought that one in the distance was an integral part of the park. <br /><br />But that decision by the reviewers was very minor compared to some of the reasons they've given for declining cards. Their decision is final, no appeals, so all we can do is accept it and seek other outlets for our work.Judy Adamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02986456665704994228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813512259260074342.post-67621714580143641622011-11-15T07:48:41.349-08:002011-11-15T07:48:41.349-08:00The "trash can" criticism is pure nit-pi...The "trash can" criticism is pure nit-picking, focusing on extraneous minutiae rather than relevant elements of composition, leaving an impression that the critical process is merely a top-down arbitrary winnowing for the sake of winnowing.<br /><br />Does the removal of the trash can improve the image? I don't think so. In fact, I would argue that its presence gives a subtle sense of authenticity to the image.<br /><br />I hope all turns out well once this review runs its course. :)LJRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04938501366227182545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813512259260074342.post-22277447925728512772011-11-13T09:12:09.619-08:002011-11-13T09:12:09.619-08:00Thank you, Carol - I thought that was quite funny ...Thank you, Carol - I thought that was quite funny about the 'trash can' as I think that's somehow part and parcel of a park :)<br /><br />I agree entirely that if it had happened to me a couple of years ago, it would have been devastating. But I think it comes down to what stage we're at as far as our confidence is concerned and nowadays a little bit of politely worded 'stick' is probably good for me - sometimes!Judy Adamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02986456665704994228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813512259260074342.post-71682082492272205712011-11-12T16:17:17.921-08:002011-11-12T16:17:17.921-08:00Great post, Judy. I'm definitely a "carro...Great post, Judy. I'm definitely a "carrot" person! If this had been done to me even two years ago, I'd have been a gonner.<br /><br />As for the trash can, I couldn't see it even straining. Some people are just too picky, picky, picky!AnfinsenArts Alivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07361234735661011962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813512259260074342.post-69799688526118729912011-11-12T02:08:09.537-08:002011-11-12T02:08:09.537-08:00Hi Donna - in answer to your question: no, I don&#...Hi Donna - in answer to your question: no, I don't create unique designs for each store, though some of them do require different sized images, which is a lot of extra work.<br /><br />I think you've got the right idea about uploading your designs to other sites where there is no review process and where sales are mainly dependent on customers' choices. I say 'mainly' because promoting your offerings also makes a difference. <br /><br />I hope you can also get some enjoyment out of the creative part of the process itself as it's all too easy for that to fall by the wayside when we are focused on 'sales'. Ironically, as the article I linked to suggests, you may well produce your best work when you are not trying to meet someone else's standards of perfection!Judy Adamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02986456665704994228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813512259260074342.post-79488519405973152632011-11-11T17:58:04.847-08:002011-11-11T17:58:04.847-08:00wish it were that easy to do. Coming into this as...wish it were that easy to do. Coming into this as a total amateur and newbie, I'm feeling REALLY put off by the holes in the basket as you say. I'm amazed that fellow artists are the ones making the comments when it would be so easy to do just that because it IS direct competition. I've seen this garbage in my other hobby - friends ONLY helping friends and the rest fall by the wayside. Easy enough to feel ostracized in this world. I have a question - do you design unique designs for each store you hold or does each store get the same images? I'm really thinking of taking all my current submissions and loading them elsewhere and just letting that one particular store sit and do whatever it may - for the small change I make there, it's taking way too much effort on my part - time is money to me and this is definitely a one-sided deal and it's not to my benefit at the moment. And thank you for commenting on a couple of my Z designs - I just became a fan of your store!Donna L "Sunshine"https://www.blogger.com/profile/08520492226266206905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813512259260074342.post-67922791859013268542011-11-11T02:57:26.104-08:002011-11-11T02:57:26.104-08:00Hi Donna - thank you for your comments.
I think y...Hi Donna - thank you for your comments.<br /><br />I think you will have discovered by now that 'learning by example' doesn't really work in this situation because there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it.<br /><br />I've just heard that a new professional photographer, who has had his work published in leading photographic magazines, had one of his stunning cards rejected because the reviewers simply didn't understand what the card was all about!<br /><br />This is where it's so important to keep on creating, following your own lights, but not to put all your eggs in one basket, especially if that basket appears to be full of holes!Judy Adamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02986456665704994228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813512259260074342.post-86035558214924443872011-11-10T19:33:05.180-08:002011-11-10T19:33:05.180-08:00oh, I had another thought - since reviewers are fe...oh, I had another thought - since reviewers are fellow artists, who's to say that they aren't deliberately eliminating competition? I just learned that only fellow artists can make comments on our cards at that particular site - again, I can't help but wonder if they won't make sure friends get all the accolades and forget the rest of us artists. I personally think this is a major conflict of interest - it should be the BUYERS who decide what sells well and should be ranked high - NOT fellow artists who can certainly manipulate things to suit their own fancy. Call me wrong but it doesn't seem right to me and easy enough to work the system in favor of only a select bunch of artists.Donna L "Sunshine"https://www.blogger.com/profile/08520492226266206905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813512259260074342.post-3687770008292297442011-11-10T17:03:56.683-08:002011-11-10T17:03:56.683-08:00exactly my point, Judy! What the heck does anyone...exactly my point, Judy! What the heck does anyone know what will sell if it isn't put out there for the general public to see and decide on themselves? I think "marketability" is the wrong word to now use - design "guidelines" is much more appropriate. I'm sorry I've been a rebel rouser on "the POD" in question but being a struggling artist, I'm totally sick over this whole deal when I thought I could handle this. Sure, many of my concerns are stemming from rejections of cards done by other artists, but I learn by example. If SELLING cards are rejected, then what chance have I got in surviving for the long haul? I am really starting to feel that cookie cutter cards are what's going to only be acceptable. It's obviously my stupidity in what people actually want and obviously I am unable to supply. Am I in the wrong market? My other question now - why aren't customers able to leave reviews/comments for cards they purchase as a means of feedback to the designing artists? People keep telling me I'm so good - then why are my cards selling next to nothing? Is it all my fault? I'm obviously too stupid to understand this business. I keep trying but obviously my best just isn't good enough so yes, I've moved on to other creative ventures taking a break from cards because I feel NO inspiration to create nor any feeling that I'll succeed here. Sorry to vent but obviously I'm just the kind of artist you are singling out - maybe I'm really not cut out for this market after all - not because I can't take a critique but because I don't understand WHY in some cases (whether they be my cards or not and especially in the case of cards that artists say are selling well - makes NO SENSE to me).Donna L "Sunshine"https://www.blogger.com/profile/08520492226266206905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813512259260074342.post-56255387671000084992011-11-10T10:02:18.017-08:002011-11-10T10:02:18.017-08:00Hi Crystal - thank you very much for your thoughtf...Hi Crystal - thank you very much for your thoughtful - and at times, hilarious - comments!<br /><br />So you need to be a plastic surgeon, an optician and an orthodontist to take commissions!!!<br /><br />But seriously, what's upsetting some of the artists is that cards that have sold well are being rejected, which could be said to make a nonsense of the 'marketability' standard! In the end, it's the customers who decide what is 'marketable' and what isn't, I'd have thought?Judy Adamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02986456665704994228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6813512259260074342.post-90796787649079002612011-11-10T05:46:18.392-08:002011-11-10T05:46:18.392-08:00Very interesting post! If your photos shows a tra...Very interesting post! If your photos shows a trash can...I don't see it. So big deal if they ask you to remove it. It doesn't hurt the final photo. And you are so right, sometime we develop a love affair with our art. I was in an art show where one woman was purchasing a lot of art for her new home. Some artists actually wanted to go to her home to see that the art was properly displayed, when they found out next year that she still hadn't hung anything they were very upset! Also, Some of what I consider my best work is not as well received as some of what I consider my worst work. Go figure, like you said one man's meat... In a way the card company you create for is accepting your work on commission and you have to please who you are creating for or why do it at all. You are free to not participate. Once a long time ago someone brought me a photo of their long passed on father and wanted a portrait. Their request was to take out the wrinkles...I did. Now I don't do people portraits anymore because requests can be a bit hard to accomodate. Yes, I also had a woman who wanted me to straighten her son's teeeth, another remove the glasses...and the list goes on. Animals on the other hand are easy!Crystalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08824473397605172813noreply@blogger.com