you know bby, I can’t answer for everyone, everyone has their own opinions on this subject, but I’ll try and break it down sensibly ;-;/

So to start off, everyone has their own aesthetic. Everyone has a style as everyone has a style they like. You can’t possibly force someone to like your work, can’t force them to reblog it, can’t force them to comment.

Some artists can create what to them is a sketch and to others a masterpiece. Some artists take half an hour producing the same work as it takes another 6 hours to do. There’s that cliche where an artist finds one piece to be their ideal, most complete style, took hours to do, they put their heart and soul into it, and that only gets a few notes. That same artist turns around, posts an unfinished sketch and the notes keep piling on.

I’m as confused as you. I DON’T KNOW what makes people say “i love this so much I’m going to reblog it” and then “i love this so much i’m going to like it” or “i love this so much, i’m gonna keep scrolling”

Some artists are charismatic and chatty, very friendly. They don’t have to produce amazing content in order to gain a following. Some are just a witty, pleasant person. 

Some artists are completely professional. They post their content with absolutely no word, maybe a few tags, the fandom, the name of the character. They don’t allow asks. They don’t allow messages. They don’t reblog. And yet their follower count is through the roof.

Some artists post beautiful content, but they don’t have a following. 

Through the years, one thing has always been apparent. 

PEOPLE WANT FANDOM CONTENT

This famous artist post their work of canon characters it never fails to make notes. The same artist posts their original work and/or OCs, eh maybe a handful of notes.

But it’s the same artist??? Shouldn’t their followers like this too?? 

Turn right around and there’s another artists who does the exact same thing, but with a different outcome. They’re loved for their fandom work AND their original content, people starve to see their OCs, people want to know more about their OCs. There are very few in between who produce original content and people FALL FOR IT, a webcomic or just an interesting character design. 

There is just no way to give you a guide on how to get recognized as an artist. I can give you tips all you want, but I can’t guarantee that they will work for you. 

What do I think about unrecognized artists? I think they’re trying so fucking hard. I think they’re trying the same way that popular artists tried in their beginnings. I think they’re trying to get better and just can’t seem to make it to the top. I think they feel they’ll never get there.

I think even the most professional, most established artists has felt like this.

Everyone starts somewhere. Some people rise to the top faster than others do. Some decide to quit before they get there.

I’m sorry this is so long, but this is honestly something I need to get off my chest cause I have felt this too. I feel like I need to do better as an artist with a following, but the problem that I always have is my method of posting.

I post my artwork. I scroll through my dash, see a work that I love, want to reblog it and the little voice that craves validation in the back of my head says “but you just posted, it’s not going to get notes if that one is on top of it” and unfortunately, I always cave and say “you’re right”

And that’s one reblog that was taken from that artist. All because of my own vanity, my own need for recognition. And I say “I’m gonna make a separate reblog blog”….. and no one follows it.

IT’S FUCKING FRUSTRATING AND I FEEL TERRIBLE AND DO NOTHING ABOUT IT, IT MAKES ME PART OF THE PROBLEM

I want to help you, sweet anon, I really do, but even I am struggling. Some of these will sting, may upset some people, but here’s some 

TIPS:

Join a fandom. There’s more likelihood for you and your work to be seen, why?? Because you:

TAG EVERYTHING. People periodically search the tagged name of their favorite character, of their favorite fandom. You tag everything because you want to make it easier for people to navigate your blog. Tag as much as you fucking want, SERIOUSLY. Comment in your tags, put every name imaginable for that fandom (literally go #bnha, #boku no hero, #boku no hero academia, #mha, #my hero academia, etc), put every name imaginable for a character, you just have to fucking tag, that’s your biggest benefactor because that’s what tumblr revolves around.

Choose a blog theme that not only is personalized to your taste, BUT IS EFFICIENT. Especially if you use anything other than mobile. There have been countless times where I visit a blog on my desktop and the little characters they put on their sidebars are covering half the fucking post omg

 Tag your art on your blog as something personalized to YOU. Using “my art” is all well and good, but if you also reblog posts, I guarantee that it will be buried. I don’t know how many times I visit a blog who reblogged a post from me, I see that they themselves are an artist, I check out “my art”….. and I scroll and scroll and scroll with no sign of an original post. Tumblr’s blog search is SHIT. You have to find a post actually tagged as #my art and click it to get their original posts. Try tagging as #(x)doodles, #(x)draws, even writers #(x)writes, etc.

Expose yourself on different platforms. Get yourself every social media platform available to you.

BE. FUCKING. RESPECTFUL. I don’t care if you’re the best artist out there, unless you’re defending yourself or others, you make sure that by the end, your name will not be one dragged through the dirt. And even if it is, it better be for a good, respectable reason. Now-a-days it’s easy for reputations to be tarnished, just be careful. Make your name one that makes people smile when they see it on their dash.

Don’t put your own work down. “Here’s this shitty doodle” may work for some people, but if you are degrading yourself, “Here’s this shitty doodle, don’t know why I’m posting if people aren’t gonna reblog it anyway” ….. I understand that maybe that’s a coping mechanism for some, but it’s not a healthy one. It’s damaging not only to yourself, but to your work. You have to realize you might be making someone uncomfortable, you might be unintentionally guilt tripping someone. 

Don’t be afraid to try talking to other artists.. but do it with good intention. Don’t expect every artist to respond the same, or for some to respond at all and respect that. Don’t make friends with an artist just to try and get free artwork. Realize, PLEASE realize that the “HEY CAN WE BE FRIENDS” can make people uncomfortable. Don’t expect an artist to drop things for you. If you have genuine intentions, it’s easy to see.

Realize that notes aren’t everything. At the end of the say, you draw for you, that’s it.

Realize your own potential. Work hard, I know that’s frustrating to hear over and over again. “Keep practicing” they say, and they MEAN IT. Take your time. Don’t be angry if one artist progresses faster than you do. Tell yourself that you are going to get there no matter what.

I’m sure there’s more I’m missing, this post is long as it is so I’ll stop here, but I’ll answer any other questions I possibly can for you guys if you have any. I know this is hard guys. It doesn’t help that tumblr isn’t the best platform to expose yourself either, but take your time.

Reach out for help the way this anon did, thank you so much by the way bby ;;; Thank you to those who read this far, I hope this helps someone out there. I have a tag for #tips, there are some other posts where I talk about this (smaller posts omg). 

Nighty night for now ♥