literature

How to Be Respectful on DA

Deviation Actions

SnakeyHoHo's avatar
By
Published:
2.2K Views

Literature Text

Reminder: How to be Respectful on DeviantArt

Why are you writing this?

Remember what they taught us in primary school; that seven-letter word R-E-S-P-E-C-T? It's been so long ago now for me, I figured I'd remind myself and everyone else as well. As I'm nearing six years of activity on DeviantArt now, I can't help but to notice how it's changed. New layouts, new features, new interfaces… Hn, it almost makes me feel old.

But there's always one part that shouldn't change: respecting your fellow members of this community. : )

Some advice on how to be a respectful member:

You may find that this does not apply to you because…

A) You're respectful. You know it. Everyone else tells you so. EVERYONE. You've never insulted anyone or made them feel bad. NEVER.

B) You never comment, favourite, post, nor buy anything on DA.

C) You're not a member of DA (but hey, this works elsewhere too).

D) You can't read English.

But for those that are none of the above, these tips may help.

1) When commenting, make sure it's relevant.

Let's face it; we've all had times when we go off on tangents and talk about completely unrelated subjects, but it's a good thing to avoid this.

In terms of viewing art on DA, you can simply read the Artist's comments to see what he or she has to say about the piece. If they're asking for advice, don't be afraid to show what you have to offer. Advice isn't just pointing out what you think is wrong; they're merely suggestions from your own perspective. Whether the artist takes your advice is completely up to them, so don't feel hurt or insulted if they disagree. Different people just think differently. : )

Keep in mind though, if the artist specifically states that he/she does not want critiques, it's better to not mention any faults, no matter how evident. Instead, you could mention what you think they're doing well on, or what you like about the piece. "I like how you used the texture in the background." "The fingers look very slender and suit the feel of the character." …Something along those lines.

Commenting on Journals is easy. Read the subject; read the context. Respond accordingly after some thought. Please don't go "I LOVE THE NAME DONUTS omg I name everything donuts like my fish" when members post a journal titled "My dog, Donuts, just died."

Despite all this, there are always exceptions of casual chitchat between friends on DA. I'm hoping people already know how to respect their friends.

For more on commenting, and good commenting/critiquing at that, I recommend to thee this Deviant Guide: bringbackart.deviantart.com/ar….

2) Refrain from swearing.

There's no reason why "Hey, this looks very cute!" wouldn't have the same effect as "Hey, this looks f**king cute!". I personally would prefer the first one. English is a language full of useful words you can use. Why keep using the same ones and sound repetitive?

If needed, consult your friend, the dictionary, or its wife, the thesaurus.

If you must swear, self-censor, it's not that hard. Lately, a popular way to do this is to type "FFFFF" or "FML" instead of the full word! :D Joy!

3) If you are commenting in another language…

That's perfectly fine. Just make sure the members you're talking to understand the language you're speaking in. Really. It's hard to tell when people are yelling at me or complimenting me. (Otherwise, I might have to start specifying that I can't speak French or Spanish on my front page. : [ )

DA is majority English speaking though; do your best and try not to alienate anyone with a language barrier. It kind of sucks to feel left out. (I admit this is a rule I break too often because I like to make people guess. Usually they're pretty good…? I'm a meany).

4) Length doesn't always matter.

Just follow the first tip, and you'll be fine.

5) Favourites: It's what you like.

Favourites. They basically mean you like the piece. Dear artists, you don't have to feel insulted if people only ever favourite your piece and never comment. It just means they like it enough to put it into a collection. But dear members, if you like the piece, it never hurts to tell an artist why. Bring in some community spirit. : )

6) Give Credits.

We're all influenced in one way or another. If you have a link to your reference pictures or stories, link them in your comments. If you saw the picture somewhere on DA and know the artist, insert the artist's name as well. And, if another artist influences your style, show others his/her art as well because if they like your stuff, why wouldn't they like their stuff too?

*Note: Often times this isn't just a matter of respect. It's the law.

7) You may be on the Internet, but this is no alternate reality.

Don't forget, you're talking to a real person when you comment. Rule of thumb: If you wouldn't say it offline, don't say it online.

8) Make use of DA's "police".

Stolen art spotted? Click the "Report Deviation" button, but only when you have sufficient proof. Reporting to the original artist often works. If the problem persists from the same member, I find it useful to "politely" advise them of their violations and how disrespectful they are being to the creator of the piece, just as a warning. If other people deviants start to believe the art thief though, respond with the proof you've found. : ) Like the media, you can influence people's thinking too.

If all else fails, rant about it in your personal blog or something. Sometimes others will help you get the proof.

9) Type properly, to the best of your ability.

Icantreadthiseasily y r u mkin' me du dis IS IT NECESSARY TO SAY EVERYTHING WITH THIS MUCH EMPHASIS PROVIDED BY CAPS LOCK OR SHIFT u cud at leest use prper pnctuatn lolomgwtf u lyin'

It's one thing if you failed English. It's another to put people through this kind of pain. If you can't speak English very well though, you'll be forgiven for sure if you just mention that fact provided it's true.

10) Release the right amount of information.

Because not everyone wants to know how you waxed your legs or the details of how good it was when you kissed a friend. Some things are better left unsaid.


These are only some advice I am providing. I know there's lots more out there, but do I really want to make you read more text? It's not hard to be a good person! Plus, this is all just my take on things; you're of course allowed to agree or disagree.

Oh wait, there IS one more I should talk about!

11) The "CAN WE BE FRIENDS" comment. Use wisely. Or not at all.

If you really admire an artist, or just think another member is plain awesome, you'll likely have to be a respectful person for them to want to be friends with you.

If that's the case, you don't want to use this comment as your first conversation starter with them. They barely know you, so don't keep your hopes up. Just comment on their entries and posts; leave a good impression (use the above tips if you need guidelines). If you talk enough, most likely they will respond. They may not know you well, but chances are they'll recognize you at least.

Gifts and greetings are always useful though; a quick happy birthday wish or seasons greetings, etc, can likely get the artist responding. : )

The end.
I honestly just came home, sat down, and typed this up in one go. :|

Mind you, it really is a response to recent events I've encountered, though not always on my page.

Not sure how useful this will be, but I do hope this helps? If not, feel free to ignore.

I may like to draw, but I enjoy writing too. : )
© 2009 - 2024 SnakeyHoHo
Comments38
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In