Some more thoughts about game fanart

by Doug Ying

I thought that Dee's recent article, "Some thoughts about game fanart", was well put. However, I have some more thoughts to add to why video game fanartists seem to be shutting down their websites a lot. If you're a visitor to fanart sites, you'll know what I'm talking about when I say there's almost a certain attitude you can expect when you visit. A lot (not all) art site webmasters always say their art is terrible. Whenever they post on archives at RPGamer or other places, they say "This is my picture of X from the game X. Ga~~h! @_@ T_T X looks stupid!!". Then, people e-mail them or contact them on message boards saying "No, that's not true! You're an excellent artist." To me, it seems like some artists are doing it, without knowing it, for an ego boost.

Now, what does this have to do with shutting down their sites. I've witnessed this on many art site message boards, and overtime it just seems like a routine. The artist says their art's bad, someone else compliments them. After time, it builds up and the only thing to do is to get away from it.

I believe that the fanart community needs to change the attitude. As a matter of fact, 90% of the art sites I've seen look like their trying to make their design and atmosphere like Japanese art sites or else have a "gothic", depressing, feeling to them. How can someone's website survive like this, living a lie? It's time to change, stand out, and present your artwork in an original way. I believe we'll see less "fake" fanartists out there, and more happy ones.