I'm not a bellyacher. I've seen the threads about top 20 issues. I'm not seeking pats on the back . I want only to get constructive criticism to improve. I've had no formal or informal art training, but I love to create and try to discover what creativity juice I may have. After about 8 months of Brycing and looking at work on this site I got the nerve up to post something. Danged if I didn't get a couple "excellents" and from some names I've personnaly admired their work. A month later I posted a small ditty again and only got 4 viewings before I deleted the post. Again I'm not a vanity freak, I just want to get honest opinions not votes so I can improve. Any input on what makes someone at least look at the post. Or is it just paying the dues that everyone goes thru?

I must still be paying dues. I have images with 150 views and images with just over 10. The trick is marketing to a big enough crowd. Some of my "least popular" work was posted at peak visiting hours. It is all in the thumbnail. Not only do you have to create a piece of art to post, you have to create yet another piece of art so that people will want to see the original.

If you want help/critical comments/opinions/ect... post here. In this forum. We are often called upon to put forth our expertize, and do so with vigor. So post a WIP (Work In Progress). Ask for specific advice. Be patient. Don't delete images from your gallery. Looking at other works from you can help us get a feel for the direction you are going in. Don't take it personally.

depends on who you want to look at your pics. If you're just going all flat out, here's what I've observed to work

1. Suggestive title
2. Bright Colors
3. real or implied n*dity
4. a thumbnail that suggests more than it reveals
5. detail, detail, detail
6. a familiarity with Photoshop or postwork
   Of course, I could be getting cynical in my old age.
   Actually, look through the galleries, and see what you like, and what appeals to you. As said above in the other posts, see what works. Comb through the Bryce forum here, there's usually little 'mini-tuts' that get put in, that can answer some of your questions.
   Finally, stop by here and ask questions. Many of the top 20 folks pop through here, so don't hesitate to ask about how they do what they do. We're a freindly bunch, so have fun..

Some of it is paying your dues. There is the quality of the work particularly the thumbnail and what gallery are you posting in. I'm not talking about Bryce but Aviation, Science fiction, Animals etc. Some galleries have a slower turnover so peopel will view the image longer. Some galleries have a fast turnover and they will get a lot of hits right away but after a day or so it will be lost in a mass of pictures. Advertise if it is what you consider a really good piece on the forums. Don't advertise everything. Post soem WIP's in the forum get peopel interested. Send messages to other artists who are into doing the same type of work you do. Not only will you get to know more about the craft but you will end up with some peopel who will time after tiem view and comment on your images. If there are views and comments others will come. Noone likes to eat in an empty resturaunt.

skiwillgee, don't worry about the fact people aren't viewing your images. Since i have been on this site i have uploaded a few images myself i deleted them for reasons i'll not bring up again :)
In the time i have been here i have noticed a couple of things, 1 images done by well known artists on this site get a look at without even a second glance at the thumbnail. Please no one take offence at that, only reason this happens is because most of them have been added to others favourates or someone might be going through the gallery and happens to see an image done by one of them.

The others have mentioned a few things that could help, me i just do an image and if i think it looks fine then i'll upload it and i don't use photoshop or anything else but bryce for mine :)

Now here is the sad news, i look at images that catch my eye and i very rarely comment on them unless it is something that i really think is totally awesome, yes that includes images done by the well known artists on here :)
I don't find fantasy/sci-fi images with a hot-air balloon floating around in it awesome(joking orbital :))

anyway mate just keep doing your images and upload them when you are happy with the final render, bugger this lot..i'll comment on them for free :)

Message edited on: 04/02/2005 23:39

do not delete I got the good and bad . im people that you like they real thoughts on the image. comment on others people work and the ones that put a couple "excellents" means they like your work. me i try to say some good about the work. to impove post up in the formur and they tell you what to do things better.

I've said it before: Thumbnailing is an art. Some people are compelled to write 'detail' on their thumbnails. I do not belong to that cult, but I don't think it can hurt. Unfortunately, sex sells. Nudity + thumbnail revealing bare naval = views. Try to make pics that appeal in some way that hasn't been done before. Not things that haven't been done before, but things that appeal in an unusual way. This is basically all style and smaller things like POV placement. This is what makes people like Frogdot and Orbital succesful. Styling can also depend on whatever the current fad is. I could easily scrounge 300 views if I did a memorial pic of the late Pope in color styling from that new 'Sin City' movie. Also, believe it or not, people will tend to view higher quality images than lower. Personally, if I see even a TRACE of jpeg fuzz around an edge, you will not receive and Excellent rank from me. However, if you're only looking for constructive criticism, getting more overall people to view it is not the way to go. Post all your stuff in the forum; we'll give you all the help you need. Listen to jocko too. He's one of the most succesful and flamed artists here, he knows the entire system. ;) Deleting a picture because it got scant views is some kind of oxymoron. MoonGoat (Supreme Wombat Overlord)

I agree with Xenic and say that the gallery is intended for finished pieces. Those pieces, which you feel you have brought to completion. Nothing says that you may not have a change of heart later on down the line and do a remake, but for all intentioned purposes, the render is complete to your satisfaction as the artist.

If you have a WIP, and find yourself getting stuck on something, say you feel you have gone as far as you could but still feel there is something missing but dont know what it is, or you have two different renditions of the same scene and cant make up your mind which is more appealing, or you find you need help with a particular scene element then you would post them here and ask for comments and advise on those issues. Or generally just say: constructive comments and critiques please.

The people here are very forthright and in most cases would be more than happy to share their views of your WIP with you. You then, as the artist, must then weigh their criticisms, comments or advise and select those that suit your purposes.

If you are looking for a larger viewership to your work then as has been stated, there are many avenues to pursue. For instance, theres a whole fan club which is enamored to scifi images and others to fractals, yet others to still life, fantasy, history, seascapes, landscapes and many others. Within each sector youll find different turnover time ratios, some more than others. On some pages, your work will just fly through in a couple hours and later visitors will not get a chance to view or comment unless they scroll back in pages but few people do this.

Pakled breaks it down pretty succinctly, but to add that the better talents often get the larger following. Some artists are more prolific than others and therefore output more work. But few artists are consistent. In other words, pump out large volumes of work at a steady high quality but we can name a few.

Message edited on: 04/03/2005 00:29

For me I view a post with a nice Thumbnail. Its all the world to me. You have to understand though that many artist around here get mass views cause of who they are. But for a new artist, the clip of the pic in the thumb is what makes me open it.. Its subjective, but all I can give as way of opinion. Hope that helps.... B

I must admit, I sometimes wonder myself. I only upload a picture here if I am really really pleased with it. And quite often I will get well over a hundred views - sometimes over 200 but very few comments. I think that is just the way things are here. I don't like posting in the forum for people to look at my image because then I feel that I am forcing people to do so.

Offers of money and sex usually get my attention.....;-)

I think the key is to not worry about comments, views and votes. Post for yourself, not for others. I was amazed that anyone even looked at my first posting. I didn't think anyone would, so I didn't allow comments. It was only after a few more postings that I wondered what people would write (if anything).

Comments aren't a right, they are a privilege. If you just get one view and one comment then be pleased and happy that someone took the time to look and comment, don't be upset that you only got one view and one comment. That's just half empty glass syndrome.

I always post with the view that I'm posting for myself. Another place on the net where I can show off my meager skills and maybe learn something new and improve and if I get a comment or a view, then that's a bonus.

drawbridgep is wise :)

Do it for yourself. I agree with drawbridge if you have some freinds here with common interests comment on each others work help each other out.

Just keep posting your stuff,do not be put off 'cause you get no response.I'll bet 10 to 1 that your work is better than some regulars in the Hot20.
I generally post a full-image thumb,following-up thumbs that are made to entice is often disappointing.
Good luck!

I have always posted as phil said, for myself. Comments and viewings are a bonus and greatly cherished. In terms of thumbs, I tend to use a full frame thumbnail as to me it is just a visual tracking aid. I have never felt the need to lure someone to view my work - although I can understand the psychology behind it, it just isn't me.

Offer them money,.........I find a fifty dollar bill works best.

I'm with Sackrat on this one!

Ooops. Okay, I've deleted the images in my gallery. Phew! Sorry about that, I didn't know. Fran

Wow!!! All you folks have given me a lot to mull over. I think the best I've learned here is to ask for WIP advice at this forum and post what I like, after all I'm the one getting the most pleasure of it (in its creation) and if only one person views then thats okay too. Now to work on my own textures....uhm....ok.....I don't have any modelling software sans Bryce.... bye now... got lots to learn tks everyone