Hey there fan, how you going?

I'm sorry to barge in on you like this but i have to talk to you.

It's kind of important. You're mother and i have been talking and we thought it was time

Yes.
I want to talk to you about sharing...

Yes i know they teach you about these things in school but we still feel we should touch base on this anyway. We just want to make sure... you really understand. You see, my helpless nubile pup, we all get to an age where we start... Sharing. For most of us it starts of with music, many professors tell us now though that is a gateway event that only leads to more sharing, your mother and i aren't sure on that but we can tell you that we've lead a long and happy life sharing with each other and our friends.


but these days its not so old fashioned, you guys share things and from that one action an artwork can spread so quickly and so far. As artists we put our work onto sites like this and within days it can end up on the front page of a some blog, paper,in texts or a nondescript space of some vague kind. From there it can just keep spinning on and maybe eventually it will come back to the artist.


I don't think you are feeling the gravity of this in relation to you, my casual, observant muffin. Now you're just doing your thing, maybe if you like something you'll add it to your favorites, maybe you'll just like it or post a comment. You see something you like, you dig it. No big fuss right? I used to feel that way too, its okay, i understand. We've all been there, you'll get through it, don't worry bud. Stick by me and you'll be fine. By the end of this you will have evolved into the beautiful social butterfree you were never meant to want to be.


What is required here is a radical shift in your thinking so hold onto your butts this is going to be wild. You yourself may be aware that the image of the starving artist is as old as wine and cheese , that its a bit passe and cliche, so everyone's an artist now, so what?
Sometimes though, you find someone on this site or another that you really love. So much that you will save the image to your computer, show someone later on, for another purpose perhaps but what have you given the individual who has given you this nice little joy?


You know how the artist gets to keep making art? That's right. By selling it. Now i'm guessing that you don't have the kind of dough to roll off a print of every piece of art you like, its on your computer, its on your phone, that's enough. It's enough for me at least.


You know what you could do though? You could share it. Share it in at least one way. Preferably to the largest audience you can. You should do this for these few reasonable reasons:


#1 - The biggest and possibly most important reason you should share artists work you see on deviant art is that an artist simply needs as much exposure as they can get. In a time where everyone is making art and exploring their creativity, sharing an artists work is the only way an artist you like is going to survive, by getting more exposure than the hundreds of others around them they have a better chance of getting a commission from someone who might pay them the money they need to say, pay their rent or buy sandwich. Sharing an artists work on your facebook or your chan or forum gives the artist exposure to more people which can be the difference between them starving and getting a commission from someone you didn't even intend to see your post.

You're action here is not one of vanity but for the pure means of supporting those artists you want to see keep making art. I can't stress this point enough. You're participation in this process is what differentiates you from being a casual passerby to being a fan. If you truly are a fan you will support your favorite artists in this way. and its Easy! because...


#2 - There are just so many way of spreading something these days. You can share an artwork from this site on your Facebook page and it might get shared again from there. You can tweet an artists name, you cant show a friend in a text, save the image and share it later on the forums you visit. The simple fact is, its content and its original. You're contributing art which someone, somewhere will click on and maybe save as well.

Saving your favorite work and putting it in folders is something you just have to be doing now and it took me a few years to get into myself. Its a huge hassle but once you have a few gigs of images its kind of insane to just have everything all over the place, you know its only going to get bigger so get on it. Make a new folder, save all the artists work and next time you're giving music to someone include some pictures too.


#3 - The best thing about the internet is the exposure you get to new things. When i find something new i get excited. sometimes i make a mess. Like most of you i am addicted to new content, having a constant flow of new content is something I've just grown accustomed to.


Now i'm not saying you should be sharing everything you like, though it can be addictive. But its important not to be too selective and i find this understanding has helped me to determine what is worth sharing. If i see an artist i really like, i share it on facebook and maybe only a few people see it but i still feel good about it. I like that artists work and i want to see them succeed at it, but having no money to buy a print myself i feel it is the most i can do.

---

I want to take this opportunity now to say that i am back at it. I am going to be involving myself with deviantart more for this reason. I don't want to be famous on the internet, but i do want to get money from my work. Like many people who draw and paint i want to make a living from it and if you feel the same way then you should listen to what i have said here because without you i am no-one. I am just another starving artist looking for work in retail and cafes which means less art and less content.

Consider this my new legislation.

Show you're a fan and share your artists work. Its the best thing you can do!

- L

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