=kedralynn

Commission | My Website | My Prints | My Stock | My Wishlist

I moved the conversation about my artwork, about why I disabled comments, and about why I take portraits here due to the fact that it was on my main page and all responses end up showing up there. This has also been linked in my FAQ

I've been asked SO many times why I post self portraits, and why I don't allow critque. Ok mostly I'm not asked why, I'm just TOLD to do otherwise. Well here are my reasons, maybe you'll come to understand a little better.

Here's a the short(er) answer to why I don't allow comments:

1. I can't never respond to all the comments and people were getting pissed off that I wasn't responding.

2. No one could read "critique discouraged" and still choose to tell me how much myself and my art sucked. I got tired of it. They also loved to harass me about how I "can't handle critique".

3. I honestly don't want critique on the pieces I post here because I've already ran them through people I know in real life for their critique and don't need/want more. I've already fixed some errors here and there, sometime even reshot the idea. I am my harshest critic and I probably see more flaws in the work than you. I also deeply understand why it is the way it is.

4. Sometimes my life is a bit too cluttered. Especialy with my bipolar disorder. So when I see a comment on a photo that I poured my heart into saying "You're an egotistical ugly whore." Well it hurts more than it should. In fact even though I'm laughing at the note, it angers me. Brings on bought of mania. So I choose to disable comments in order to lessen the chance for people to flame me.

Here's the short answers as to why I take self portraits:

1. I have no other models. I don't have friends who will pose for me and I don't have money to hire models or bring them here.

2. My art is my therapy. If I'm sad, I take a picture to convey it and if I like it, I post it. Same thing if I'm angry, lost, ect. It's "self expression" and my greatest means of learning more about myself.

3. For the most part people respond well to them so why stop it when it works for me?


Read below if you want the more detailed answers.

Everyone is so cutthroat lately always arguing me about "artist" this and that. Like I'm not an artist simply because I don't want comments.

Let's state the most obvious fact first. I don't have the time to go through hundreds of comments. I barely get through the comments on my page, in my journal, and through my notes.

Also, I get way too many stupid comments. Flamers, haters, people asking the same question 7 times in a row without reading the other comments and responses. People not even reading the description and saying something that I addressed in the description already...

And I hate when people give poor advice on "how to make an image better" when you yourself have no idea what I was going for. No one seems to grasp the fact that I make my pieces to look the way I want to make them. The way I envisioned them. If something is a certain way in the image, it's because I want it that way. I grow as an artist on my own. The same way I tought myself how to take pictures, and model, and use photoshop. No one helped me at all. I was the same way when I taught myself how to ride a bike, swim, ect. It's just how I am. And when people tried to help me, it pissed me off and would cause me to quit. Artists usually hate their own work and find the most flaws in their own pieces, so trust me when I say I see the flaws too.

Disabing comments makes things easier for me. I don't get overwhelmed with comments now. I don’t get into any arguments over anything that was said and I don’t get scolded for not responding (this was a big problem but I didn't have time to respond to everyone). I also can’t get told that I’m posting pictures just to hear comments saying I’m pretty if I’m not allowing comments.

The comment disabing thing only started in the middle of a break down. I had plenty of comments until then. But I have been overwhelmed with real life and real life problems. I need to cut a lot of stress from my life. And haters here on DA and people who just complain to me in general about stupid stuff that I do, are stressful. I don't feel the need to cater to the haters. I'm not going to make it so they can bother me. And my friends and loyal fans understand why I've disabled comments and they support me in that.

So then why do I post on DA at all if I don't want comments? It's my portfolio. I use it with employees. And I use it to sell prints. I like to share my art with my friends. I like getting notes about how my art and my journals have helped and touched people. That's why I still post on DA. And DA happens to be the ones who came up with the ability to disable comments anyway so I shouldn't be persecuted for it.

It's true I miss out on a lot by disabling the comments. In all honesty, I'm a pretty weak person sometimes. So I try to avoid conflict and this is my way of doing so.

Now, let's talk for a minute about women taking portraits. I am so tired of "hey you're hot, woo" comments. They don't help anyone out. If I'm in my underwear in a picture, there's usually a reason for it other than just showing off. And at first glace it is hard to pick out the true artists in a crowd of girls just taking webcam shots of themselves in underwear and such. And I can see how someone might think me to be completely in love with myself at first glace of my gallery. But I believe I have good reasons for using myself as a model. And I don't entirely feel the need to explain it to every single person who asks. Partically because I find that most people aren't asking me why I don't use other models, instead they're just trying to insult me for only using myself.

So now the more emotional reasons behind why I do my work. Since I've been diagnosed as a manic depressive, I've come to learn more about myself and my art.

I do what I do because I feel the need to. I post self portraits to express my emotions and get them out of my system. I NEED to express it. I'm not emo, I hate the trend. I hate how it's suddenly cool to feel something. Emo is a lifestyle, and I don't intend on living my life thais way forever. I'm manic depressive and need an outlet for the mood swings. My art is just that.

I post it here for the recognition, for the art sales, for the commission, and simply to share. I can't count the number of emails I have gotten from people, thanking me for posting my self portraits and the messages they carry. People thanking me for inspiring them through the hard times. Or merely for helping them get over their fear of self portraits. I like that, it inspires me to continue to do the work I do.

Personally, I have low self esteem and don't even always find myself decent looking. Do I post images to hear people call me pretty? No, then I'd allow comments. I just want to come to terms with who I am and I'd like others to as well.

DA is a stepping stone for me not only in my art, but in my life. I've grown much here, even without the critique. I'm going to continue to do so, but not by being compared to people I don't even like all that much and not by hearing the same old suggestions over and over again. Heh, I didn't listen to them the first 30 times, I doubt I'll change my mind now.

There ARE reasons why I do and don't do certain things. Reasons why I don't shoot outside. Why I don't do much landscape shots. Why sometimes I lock myself in my room for hours and take self portraits all day while not speaking to a single soul (It's great therapy). I'm NOT just doing it on a whim. I have my reasons. And I'd like them respected or at least considered.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.