Five Tips for Getting Noticed Online

Use Instagram or DeviantArt, or Artstation to get your art noticed and connect with fans! We'll give you tips to keep in mind for getting your art seen.

Art sharing sites and social media are places where you can post and publish your artwork online for free. Your art can be seen by many people and receive comments and likes. You can communicate with other artists or with fans, and aim to become a professional artist by getting your work noticed by people in the industry, such as comic producers.

 

Let’s first learn about some social media websites.

 

Which social media are most popular for art?

Since most people that visit such community websites are interested in illustrations and comics, you should choose the website that fits you the best.
Some famous services include the following.

 

 

DeviantArt
DeviantArt is one of the most well-known and popular art communities, with users from all over the world. It has a strong community focus, with blog features, detailed profiles, and advanced commenting tools to communicate with other artists. You can see a diverse range of art styles, techniques and tools as well.
https://www.deviantart.com/

 

ArtStation
ArtStation is an art community for illustrators, concept artists, and animators. You can build a portfolio on the site, including software proficiencies and past work experience, and easily sort your artwork by art categories including 2D or 3D art. ArtStation leans toward professional artists, with a job board, marketplace, and an optional paid profile.
https://www.artstation.com/

 

Instagram
Although not tailored for the art community, a lot of artists post their work on Instagram. With more than 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram is a good place to try and build a large base of engaged fans. However, it can be hard to stand out as a new account, so frequent posting is a must.
https://www.instagram.com/

 

Behance
Behance is a user-friendly portfolio site with all genres of art, with features for organizing and sharing your artwork. You can get views by using tags and categories for your art and create a clean portfolio with artwork arranged into separate galleries.
https://www.behance.net/

 

pixiv
Pixiv is the most popular art community in Japan, with millions of monthly users. It’s popular with manga-style artists, including professional manga artists and illustrators. Pixiv offers the chance to grow your following and connect with professionals in the industry.
https://www.pixiv.net/

 

The number of users is essential, but the type of users is also important. You should try and compare different art communities, and then slowly focus on those that feel best for you.

 

What Are the Merits of Getting Noticed?

In most art communities, people can leave likes, rate artwork, or write comments.

 

The better your likes and the more followers you have, the more people you can showcase your work to. You can also share advice and opinions with other artists to improve your skills.

 

 

Other industry professionals, such as producers and editors, can get a positive impression of you from social media. Having a lot of followers can lead to work such as books, games, animation, and so on.

 

Even if you’re not interested in commercial work, being noticed could motivate you to draw more.

 

Five Tips for Getting Noticed

So how can you get noticed in an art community site? We will introduce you to five crucial tips.

 

1. Don’t be a critic! Support your fellow artists.
If you discredit other artists’ work or criticize them, many people will be hurt, including those who read the comment. This could stop them from looking at your drawings.

 

Even if you think your criticism is right, the artist on the receiving side may not be happy about it. If you want to give advice, make sure to think about how they would feel. Choose your words wisely and never be harsh.

 

2. Post consistently

There will be many submissions daily in artists’ social community services. Consistently posting your art is usually the most effective way to keep up. This will also let you slowly gain followers and positive comments.

 

 

No artist becomes famous through a single piece of work. Only by posting regularly and steadily can you gain supportive followers and likes.

 

3. Don’t give up.
Many people will have different opinions on your work. Some people may like it, and others will criticize it. Some criticisms may be entirely off the mark, and some people may even leave unkind comments. This is something every creator goes through, and artists aren’t an exception.

 

Sometimes people might not understand your art. Other times they might leave hurtful remarks. These kinds of people may deter you from drawing, but that shouldn’t be a reason to give up.

 

As you post, you’ll find fans who love and support your artwork. Ignore unkind remarks, and take compliments to heart. Try to keep a positive mental attitude.

 

4. Praise other artists
Find other artist’s strengths and praise them. Look at the works of other artists, and support them with positive comments and likes.

 

No-one feels offended by words of appreciation. These artists may even return the favor by looking at your artwork and supporting you with likes or comments. You should also show your respect to artists that you admire. Doing so may increase your chances of getting advice from them, such as things to improve and habits to fix.

 

5. Finish each piece of work

 

 

Sometimes you see unfinished artwork and quick doodles on art communities.

 

A rough-looking style is fine, but only posting unfinished work can’t be a good thing. Popular artists’ rough styles are carefully thought-out and are complete in their own way.

 

You never know who might look at your work. It might even be seen by someone who could change your life, such as industry professionals. If you only post unfinished artwork, you might lose that chance. Make sure to post completed artworks that showcase your skills.

 

Having a mindset of completing all the art you create, rather than only posting the things you complete, can help you to push yourself and improve your art skills.

 

Respect Your Online Community

These five tips all have one message in common; respect your community!

 

Being an artist can be a lonesome at times. However, don’t forget that you are connected with many people through the creation and sharing of art. Being kind and respectful to the community will build you a good reputation and help you get noticed.

 

 

If you can become popular on social media, then you have a good chance to become a popular artist in the art industry.

 

 

Created by: Nyle Inc.
Writer: Yoichiro Sugimura (杉村 洋一郎)
Illustration: Yuuko (ゆうこ)

 

Interested in concept art or what it takes to become a concept artist?
Check out the link below!

Ultimate Beginner's guide to Concept Art