What's the scoop on DeviantArt?

Glarryg · Post by **Glarryg** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 11:34 am

Every so often I mull over the thought of joining DeviantArt to post the odd sketch or coloring experiments that pop into my head now and then. I know a lot of people have accounts there, but I've heard mixed things about them. What have folks' experiences been with the site/service? Good? Bad? Anything one would need to know before joining?

Thanks,
Glarryg

LibertyCabbage · Post by **LibertyCabbage** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 11:41 am

If you're looking for a place to post artwork, that's where to go.

Atillathebun · Post by **Atillathebun** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 1:25 pm

Most people I know, Jeddy included, only uses it to post fan-art. The ghosts of image piracy loom over that place like the haunted mansion ride at Walt Disney World. (Only at DeviantArt, the computer graphics are much worse.) Original art be damned.

KittyKatBlack · Post by **KittyKatBlack** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 1:29 pm

I personally avoid it like the plauge. They USED to have a thing stating that they reserved the right to modify, copy and distribute anything you uploaded onto their servers without your permission. They also used to say that it was your responsibility to remove things from the server that you no longer wanted them to have access to, BUT they reserved the right to ban you at any time for any reason. And guess what? They kept your work. Because it's your responsibility to remove it, even though you no longer have access to the account. I've heard they've changed the rules since then, but even so. I don't trust anyone that would say play the game that way.

Also, I hear people get banned from it for the stupidest of reasons, or have art removed that they consider outside of their acceptable bounds, which tend to change from person to person. (I.E. some people are allowed to post full on porn, while others get pictures deleted simply for hinting at nudity.) Really, they just left a bad impresson on me.

Terotrous · Post by **Terotrous** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 2:13 pm

I got kinda that impression as well, they run that art site far too much like a business and seem to make every effort to screw over the people that use it.

There are other sites that are really just so much better.

Nanda · Post by **Nanda** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 3:07 pm

I've never had a problem with it. *hugs her deviantArt account*

Atillathebun · Post by **Atillathebun** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 3:15 pm

Nanda wrote:I've never had a problem with it. *hugs her deviantArt account*

*stomps in* SINNERS! *stomps back out*

Keffria · Post by **Keffria** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 3:23 pm

I like the service itself, but I've had a few run-ins with stupid people. Back when I bothered with my dA account (i.e. my hiatus between webcomics), I liked to go around and offer random critiques, and apparently there are some people who don't know how to use the 'critique discouraged' button. -_-

Stinkywigfiddle · Post by **Stinkywigfiddle** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 3:50 pm

Terotrous wrote:There are other sites that are really just so much better.

Where are these sites?

SergeXIII · Post by **SergeXIII** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 4:24 pm

I only know of CarbonMade although I wouldn't neccesarily deem it better.

MixedMyth · Post by **MixedMyth** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 7:49 pm

I use it. Never had any problems with it. I like a lot of the features, and it beat the socks off of Elfwood, which is what I had used before...granted, that was years ago. Can even host flash. I did hear about the use policy, though, and it does concern me a bit. But it may have changed, as well.

As far as the fanart thing...dude, it's no better or worse than any other gallery on the net for that. People do what they do. There's also a whole hell of a lot of great artists on there.

For example-
http://www.deviantart.com/view/31166859/
http://www.deviantart.com/view/28855928/
http://www.deviantart.com/view/2790752/

And even as far as fanart goes, there are those people who are excellent. A great deal of it is anime fanart.....a company would have to be INSANE to sue over it given the huge subculture that grew up around it that also serves as a support network for the anime itself.

http://www.deviantart.com/view/14027048/
http://www.deviantart.com/view/11858649/
http://www.deviantart.com/view/32476480/

Ultimately, it just depends where you look. The site has served me well. The biggest thing that you may wish to look into is that use policy and whether or not it still stands. A lot of sites have a similar policy that serves to allow the site to digitally transmit your picture at all- i.e. show it to people visiting your gallery. But there were issues with the wording in DevArt's. Again, that was several years ago. It may have changed since then.

Biev · Post by **Biev** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 8:18 pm

They changed their ways a lot. At first, you had to pay for a membership if you wanted to sell your stuff, now they'll let you sell anything but you'll only see 10% of the profits... meaning someone gets paid production cost + an actual salary for printing your work and it isn't you. It's ridiculous. They don't reserve the right to sell everything you post on there anymore though, you need to choose if you want each picture to be for sale or not. I'm pretty sure once you check that box, your stuff is theirs if you lose your account ;o)

It's also easy for people to upload just any picture they randomly found and try to sell it, though they can just as well fish your stuff off your site and go sell it on dA later. It is a good place to get people to look at your art though. I'm gonna keep my account there until I actually take the time to make a portfolio site.

Jackhass · Post by **Jackhass** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 8:36 pm

I dunno'...I signed up, hosted a couple pictures then stopped and have since forgotten what I named my account.

It's set up seemed kind of un-intuitive to me. Certain pictures didn't show up like I wanted them to and other problems. Besides, now if I want to show off art I can just use my Comicgen account and put it on my site.

MixedMyth · Post by **MixedMyth** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 8:47 pm

True, I would NEVER sell through them. Ever. Of course, if I really wanted to go do some business, I wouldn't use Cafe Press or Zazzle, either.

Dave Against The Machine · Sun Jul 16, 2006 8:56 pm

I know this one guy. I swear he lives by deveant art. He always talks about how great it is.

The Neko · Post by **The Neko** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 10:19 pm

I think some people use DeviantArt and expect to somehow get noticed or popular from it. I think that only happens to people who have extremely amazing art.

I don't use it, but I have browsed before.

Kris X · Post by **Kris X** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 11:33 pm

I personally find it a bitch to load browser wise. And I have cable connection too.

Princess · Post by **Princess** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 12:36 am

I like it! The comment system... It's like playing victorian ladies with calling cards though. One fold top left corner= thank you for the fav!

God I'm such a history nerd *dies*

KittyKatBlack · Post by **KittyKatBlack** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 1:04 am

Kris X wrote:I personally find it a bitch to load browser wise. And I have cable connection too.

I've had problems with people's art not showing up because I wasn't a member or something. I don't know what that's about, but I don't care what it is, I'm not signing up for any of their crap just to view some artwork.

Rickford · Post by **Rickford** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 1:13 am

Yep, I did the whole DeviantArt thing before the comic got going, I don't know what everybody is bitching about to be honest. It's a simple service that allows you to share or get critique on artwork, nothing more. They don't abuse the terms of service and I've not seen any reason to be hacked off with it. In fact it's pretty useful if you want to do collab work, cause if you've got some nice pencils, people will jump through hoops to ink it for you.

Stop Moaning.