I commented on the original thread that generated this one.
Been reading this one and I'm seeing a lot of the veterans replying to express their reasons behind the level of activity they provide.
I would just like to say that I find it really interesting to get this sort of perspective on the other end of the forum.
The full array of experiences have occurred in my few posts in the past several months that I have been active, including not receiving comments or advice after posting updates, my threads receding into the darkness beyond page 1, finding myself feeling rather wounded by a powerful criticism or devastatingly powerful edit that shows how terrible my current skills are, edits that are radically different than my efforts or so far outside of my skill level that I can't even consider trying without feeling a little weepy, and so on.
My very first post here was filled with the whole lot of these effects, but I feel that it's a perfect example of what can
STILL happen in this forum if a terrible artist can manage to just keep on plugging away and trying.
http://wayofthepixel.net/index.php?topic=15933.0But, I have found this website incredibly resourceful in the time I have been here. I started with a truly horrible piece and received a lot of "Your art is broken" sort of replies from some of the big boys around here. It can hurt a little to realize that you are doing it wrong, but you have to train yourself to soak that up and accept that it's true.
I really want to learn to do this style of art and I spent a good amount of time going through the forum's history (starting at the beginning of what was available) and reading every thread. [Seriously]
I learned a lot. I saved images for references. I saved tutorial images and powerful edits to compare. I have a massive folder now to look through containing a ton of the art you guys have created. It's like a huge toolbox for me to dig through whenever I wonder how to do a texture or lighting effect or something else...
That's really not enough though. Because you can't just walk in with no experience and look at someone has done something and emulate it into original art without hours of practice and really growing to understand why and how they did what they did. So those edits and comments in the forums are extremely powerful. I would like a chance to thank those people that have helped me and I always try to reward the edits I receive or the comments with more work on my part. I would feel guilty otherwise, I think.
I have often felt since my start that the best way to receive more feedback is to provide more work yourself. You can bump your posts up by updating and I have seen no criticism for necro'ing a post with a valid edit/update. So really I don't think any passionate or truly dedicated novice should see a post ever slide beyond the first or second page if they don't want it to. Just keep working on it.
The thing I have learned about pixel art is that there is always some way to improve something or do it in a different way that is at least equivocal or interesting to look at. There is never a loss of effort from trying. If you post on this forum you have the internet and that is really the most powerful tool humans have ever known. You can find art lessons on line. Color lessons. Lessons on anything really.
As I have grown, however little that has been, I have grown increasingly respectful of the edits I do receive and the time others have invested in my work. I have tried my best to give edits to others when I know I can help in some way or maybe help with a bit of knowledge that I have gained. It tests my own abilities and understanding and I feel that it's like paying it back some to those that have helped me.
In summation: Thanks to those that have helped me and others. I really do appreciate it even if I have been unable to immediately reward your efforts with a masterful revision that captured your points and maximized on your assistance. And also please don't lose heart in the effort because even though the cost may not seem to equal the reward to you guys at times, the reward is mostly hidden from you because it's truly on the recipient's end that the rewards have room to shine.