*JRJay

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On bluntness and critique

Wed Feb 25, 2009, 5:59 AM

Whenever I'm serious, I tend to be blunt. Straight to the point. Uncompromisingly forthright. It's probably a cultural thing. I'm Dutch. Nondutch are often taken aback. Online this only gets aggravated. Even fellow Dutchmen are sometimes taken aback.

Whenever I give critique, I'm serious. You do the math.

Here on deviantART it's mostly a popularity contest. It's all about ego boosting. Critique isn't about ego. However, giving unsolicited critique is basically a direct attack on someone's ego. If I would do that, it would be like hitting someone with a sledgehammer. The miscommunication could be profound. I try not to, but sometimes it happens.

Hey, it even happens on conceptart.org, and that's supposed to be the place for honest critique.

So I tend to not give critique, or only very subtly. Only when someone explicitly asks for it, and I care enough to invest time in them, do I get serious.

So never ask for my opinion if you don't want to hear about your shortcomings. And reprimand me if I point them out unasked.

Just felt like saying this.

18 Comments

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*LilPixieryn Feb 25, 2009, 10:38:55 AM

YAY CRITQUE XD

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Legal Disclaimer | Chat of Ages | I RAID THINGS

*JRJay Feb 25, 2009, 12:19:50 PM

Hooray!?

~MewOfTheClouds Feb 25, 2009, 1:10:16 PM

and I'm just

special like that

fufufu

wait _shit
you were being subtle with me?
/facepalm

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_{Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. -- Samuel Beckett}

*LilPixieryn Feb 25, 2009, 1:25:03 PM

yes D:

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Legal Disclaimer | Chat of Ages | I RAID THINGS

*JRJay Feb 25, 2009, 2:46:10 PM

You're special. Now go draw something!

In your case I joined in with the subtle critique that was going on. But at some point I took the risk and went full force, as you know. I did however warn you that I was gonna get blunt, which lessened the impact I guess. I've also been rather verbose with you, which works as a softener.

Were I to do such a thing again, I will first explicitly ask if it would be all right, get a reply, and only then proceed. At least, that's the plan.

~Peachfuzz Feb 25, 2009, 6:13:46 PM

You were extremely blunt on that one piece of mine.

Among the most blunt of any critique I've ever received, not counting the blatant insults (which a lot of people seem to believe count as critique...). I personally think less bluntness would have made your critique more pleasant to receive, but I needed that information one way or another so there's no sense in whining about it coming in a blunt form.

I know if I'd gotten a comment like that a few years ago, my response would have been an immature, emotional whine-fest. To this day, my primary emotional response to an honest critique is defensiveness. But I've been on DA long enough to know that getting defensive about it isn't right. Even if one feels that the critique is rude, uncalled-for, or wrong, defensiveness is still a form of rudeness. Returning perceived rudeness with more rudeness is never necessary.

In fact, the problem with the head became so grossly apparent to me after you pointed it out that I feel silly for having drawn it that way in the first place.

It really helps me when someone points out an issue I'm unable to see. The problem becomes really apparent and it puts me on the road to improvement.

I've gotten a lot of really defensive or downright insulting responses to critiques I have given to other artists. Even when the actual critique comprised but one or two lines amidst three paragraphs of praise. Subtlety helps but some people are simply unwilling/unable to accept any sort of critique no matter how it comes. It's the chance a person takes any time they give unsolicited critique.

=ShadowFang777 Feb 25, 2009, 6:56:03 PM

if someone asks then i hope they expect what you have to give. if they dont then maybe they dont know what their asking for...

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