Ever heard someone say:
wow your art is really good? Chances are you have, but when do you take it serious? Some times I've heard someone say �I wish I could draw like you�, but the weird thing is that I know the same person draws better than me. How am I meant to react? Is the person being sarcastic, or serious?

I have no idea what to do here :S
anyone had a similar experience or have anything?

Yup. I've had some friends say that some of my art is pretty good when its obvious that theirs is better. But I think they just say that stuff to be encouraging, not really meaning anything negative. Also a lot of the people I know myself included don't feel very highly about our skills so even though others think the art might be good.

Also it could just be politeness, because no one wants to hear "wow thats one load of !@#$" But generally when someone compliments you, its meant to encourage you to keep on, atleast thats how I see it.

Another possibility is that they like your style :P

HAHAHAHA! The amount of times I've heard those two phrases... Whenever someone sees me draw that's what they always say, it's sort of like saying "I like your hair", or "That's a pretty name"; just a standard thing that you as an artist will tend to hear. As complimets they aren't much though, sort of the baseline...

It's never sarcastic. Just take it as it's meant; a general compliment.

I've heard it only from my parents. But they think I'm smart and pretty too. lol

(I also don't let anyone see anything I draw or read anything I write. I'm rather sensitive to being judged, so I avoid it.)

Well sure that's happened, but I don't think they're 'lying' or anything....they just....need to stop saying that and give me tutorials! :D

Yeah okay that wasn't an entirely serious comment.

Though sometimes I get frustrated when the artist puts themselves down way too much and aren't just being modest. I just want to say "Dear god don't realise you're ten times better than I am?! Knock it off!" XD

I think it's due to the fact that some of those people are clearly suffering from the "French artist syndrome".

You know, that stereotype of the French artist angsting over how much he/she sucks so hard when it's actually the opposite. They have the tendency to trash everything They've ever made or written because in their head, it just sounds or looks so stupid. They're never "good enough". according to them, everyone else's works are pure gold compared to their own works. And then for a while they just can't get inspired enough to work on their own progress.

I think everyone suffers a little bit of that once in a while... I know I did for some time.

Thankfully I've struck a balance where I think that I still need some work on my own progress in art skills, I'm not constantly putting down my own work neither. =D

So I don't think you should read into it too much if somebody says that your work's "Good"... just take it as encouragement to work harder on improving your own skills... and who knows? one day you may even get a "your work are so amazing!!"
^^

I don't tend to go to far on either end of the love/hate spectrum when it comes to my work. When someone tells me my art is good I tend to respond "yeah it's ok I guess" because thats how I feel. I still make huge novice mistakes, and things like anatomy and prespective never stop being challenging. And I swear to god I always fuck up a proportion somewhere in a "forest for the trees" type mistake and don't notice it till months later. So when someone tells me that my art is "awesome" that almost immediately keys me in to the fact that they don't know much about the technical aspect of art, because I know I need alot of work. But on the other hand I'm not full of that angsty bullshit. I can usually admire some of the positive aspects of my work. I don't think "I suck" after every peice I do. I have a long way to go still, but I know I've certainly come a long way.

Most people who stop and compliment art really have very little talent at it, so they feel you're doing something they could never do. I've never had someone with better art than me say they wish they could draw like me...that would be wierd. OO complimented a pin-up I did for Green_tangerine a while back though, that felt pretty good. When I got it though the response in my head was still the usual "yeah it's ok I guess."

I'm the same way with people I know offline. Whatever they do see they like, but most of the time they draw worse than I, so it's kinda moot in a sense.

It's good to hear it from the average reader. But it's better to hear it from a good artist. I always assume they're sincere. Because I would be.

If I comment a comic truthfully about the art needs work, some artists would assume that I'm a snob by picking on his/her artworks. Then they will start to put up a denial shield and say, "I'm doing this for fun. I'm not a pro and I don't intend to. So STFU."

If the art I deem is really bad and I don't really know the artist, I avoid putting "your art is good" comment and comment on the storyline instead.

However, I would like to hear other professional artists pointing out truthfully on my comics where I could improve.

I'm gonna have to agree with some of these here. Those words typically hold no weight with me unless they come from someone I respect.

XD yeah, I have gotten that too...not that it doesn't make me feel happy when someone oooh's and ahhh's over my work. But when someone that I respect and admire tells me that something is good...damn, it's a big deal to me.

I've been on the other side though too. I have a friend that I love her art and I love to look at it. I don't think my stuff is any better than hers, but she thinks mine's better. Every time I see some new of hers I eat it up but she kinda takes it like I humoring her. I wish she could accept that I really do like her work.

I almost never take it 100% seriously when somebody says that I'm a good artist or my comic is an excellent read. I tend to think more about the various criticisms that I get because I'm always thinking that there's something I'm doing wrong and I'm just too dense to notice it. There's also those random people that are way better at making comics than me but they like mine for some reason. Those guys just leave me confused!

the people who say my art is good usually come from those who either cant draw or are beginner artists. Those who know what they're doing treat my art as average or throw in suggestions (which I'm open to) on how to make it look better.

I'm more of a writer if you ask me.

Sometimes, never someone far more talented than me. I absolutely hate it when people say it's good though, because it isn't. It's like reverse egoism, I can't operate unless I have someone telling me I'm a failure.

I should probably see a therapist about it.

who are these people that would compliment things. One thing though even though there are some things I'm really proud I still have trouble looking at my art or even reading my writings. I use to be really good at writing romantic comedy type stuff(I have no idea why, it's not like I'm even a romantic person) but girls loved it. I had no idea why, so what did I do, I jumped the shark and added ninjas for no good reasons and people thought I lost my mind...what was I talking about.

Anyways yeah sometimes my father would tell me something like, Boy you did good here. Most of the other times it's "you ain't #**@!"

I've had that happen to me. I usually just say thanks and get back to my work. I also had someone tell me my art wasn't good, it was just "detailed." I wasn't exactly sure what do about that.

At least everyone wants me on their team for Pictionary!

ditto

Being pessimistic is much more fun. I like getting negative feedback more because it teaches me something and allows me to improve rather than try to inflate my ego.

Yeah I hear it from time to time, especially as my comic becomes more and more photorealistic. The thing is, though, I'm not a very good cartoonist - so I put insane amounts of work into shading, coloring and layouts.
As for drawing, I envy people, for whom it's completely natural and intuitive and the artwork just "flows right through them" (to quote a friend of mine). When I draw characters, I'm always making sure the proportions are right, and I often model for myself to get the anatomy right. For me, it's a very analytical, conscious process.
So basically, we end up being jealous about different aspects of each other's art.

I have been told my work is good, which I find very kind, and I really am happy if people enjoy it- that's what brings me the most joy. But honestly the only comments that ring true about my art are those that jive with my own thinking that everything I create is horribly flawed and poor.

The only work I have ever done that I felt was 'good' is the one I haven't yet created.

But it keeps me trying anyway.

Of I'm happy to hear that someone thinks that my art is good, but I know that I can become better. While I am glad to receive compliments, I don't let them stop me from improving, because I know that I can become better.

I never hear it because I'm not an artist. O.o ButI spend a lot of time around artists, and I've found that often people who say it mean it - but maybe not in the general sense. I think a lot of times, an artist wll say that because they see some aspect of that person's work that they think that artist has a better grasp on. Someone with great art but static panel design and perspective may think a comic with art which isn't technically as good but which makes good use of layout and dynamic angles is "really good."

To be honest, I never take it seriously. Until I can assert in my own mind that my art is really good can I completely be moved by such a compliment. I'll thank the person, of course, as I still appreciate it. However, I don't ever get revitalized by the statement or anything, since I still feel the same thing in my own mind: to keep getting better at all costs or I won't be satisfied. I suppose all great minds would have this kind of mentality.

I rarely find reason to be shocked at someone I feel would be "better" at me in drawing if he/she says "I wish I could draw like you". Art is different from every person who pursues it honestly; in either major and minor ways. Thus, I just interpret that such a person simply found something admirable in my art that he/she wishes was more prominent in his/her own art, not that they literally want to posess my exact art style.

There's a guy who is envious my art, yet he draws better than I can. My art isn't strictly based on the quality of line relative to proportion or in the same style as his, though, so it is actually the traits in my work unique to his that intrigue him.

A girl who sits beside me in social studies always comments on how "amazing" my art is, totally sincerely, and says she wishes she could draw like I can, even though she is at least as good if not a better artist than me. That always makes me feel bad. Unfortunately I'm a very jealous, angry person so I never return the compliment.

I always take them as words of kindness and interest, or, if as said elsewhere in this thread, if they are uttered by someone I respect, then I take them as words of encouragement.

Take heart, and look not for the ill intent in the words of others. Both good and bad reactions to art of whatever magnitude we created is appreciated, but NO reaction..., that would be a cold shoulder.