My Inner DeviantArt Debate

Membership?

Yes.	5.6%	[ 1 ]
No.	55.6%	[ 10 ]
Bacon.	38.9%	[ 7 ]
Total Votes:			[ 18 ]

[12345BunnyBunny]

I am currently debating with myself as to whether I should get a premium membership on DeviantArt. The Pro-membership side of me tells me it would be great for actual critiques and self promotion. However, Conservative-non membership side of me tells me that it would only be great IF people actually wasted their time making critiques and in the end, it's $4.99 a month on something that isn't physically mine.

I was reading the pros they not so subtly made into an easy large chart conveniently without cons that makes it seem like the dream choice.

So, how about it? Anybody have any cons to share about premium-ship? Or anybody on the pro-membership side that can give me any positive feedback from their experience as a paying member?

[XMegantronX]

Eh. It's ok. On the critique side, you still usually have to go to the critique thread in the forums of DA in order to get anyone to critique. Even then, there's a good chance you may not get one. And self-promotion? Don't really need a DA for that. I have no idea how the membership gives that to you.

On that note, I do have a membership on the off-chance I may get a critique and I hate dealing with ads.

[TarotBunny]

I got it recently during the winter sale, where I gift it to a friend while giving myself one. Otherwise I usually wouldn't. So really Ii only have it for a few months before it's gone again.

But I use it for just the customization features and polls. XD I just did it just for fun with the offchance my friend could find a better use for it than I could.

You're almost better off without it, unless you're extremely DA active and feel that the extra features they give will give you a better DA-experience as a whole. Personally I'm more active on tumblr and can find free ways to get feedback and exposure.

I think even with the portfolio thing they provide to premmies, you could make one on portfolio based sites if you wanted to. If things like that are what you're looking for, try to look up alternatives that are free then try to re-weigh your options from there. Like critique wise you can look into other forum-based sites that provide that like conceptart and permanoobs.

[God-the-almighty]

With the premium account you can set your own prices for prints. You also have access to exclusive forums and like you said you can also get critiques.You can also do more with your page and i think also get access to a more professional gallery.

[Lychee Fruit]

A premium membership will give you more bells and whistles, but won't necessarily give you better exposure OR high quality critiques.

[q2k]

Premium really isn't worth it.

I used to be totally spoiled on premium. I'd do sketches in exchange for people buying me memberships (never once did I pay for it myself).

There used to be some awesome features that were premium only back when Deviantart was the big site everyone hung out on, but since then the difference between premium and free memberships has become pretty muddied and since less people care about BEING on Deviantart, it's less worth it than it once was.

My big thing was always the fact that premium gets rid of ads. but then I found adblock so that's completely unneeded. Adblock gets rid of ads so efficiently it's exactly like having premium.

I can understand wanting the critique feature, but so few people will actually make use of it that you might as well just say on your descriptions that you'd like critiques. People can write them just as easily WITHOUT the special critique-centric feature. Or yanno, just go to Gaia's comment/critique forum. They're better at giving feedback anyway.

[bad benji]

i honestly am surprised that people even still use deviantart. even the people who have a lot of traffic on there still have insanely low numbers compared to literally anywhere else. deviantart has been on the decline since the mid-2000s and from what I've seen its only gotten worse.

i've heard of people literally throwing away people's business cards when there's a deviantart link. there's just such a negative stigma around it all it just doesn't seem like its even worth being on there in the first place to be honest....

[Loner Yanagi]

bad benji

i honestly am surprised that people even still use deviantart. even the people who have a lot of traffic on there still have insanely low numbers compared to literally anywhere else. deviantart has been on the decline since the mid-2000s and from what I've seen its only gotten worse.

i've heard of people literally throwing away people's business cards when there's a deviantart link. there's just such a negative stigma around it all it just doesn't seem like its even worth being on there in the first place to be honest....

What are the other sites that provide more traffic? If you're thinking something like Tumblr, that's pretty ridiculous... I don't want reblogs or people just looking at my work. I want the comments and interaction.

A professional should have their own website otherwise it looks pretty lazy on their part. Putting your DA link on a business card sounds really silly.

[12345BunnyBunny]

Loner Yanagi

bad benji

i honestly am surprised that people even still use deviantart. even the people who have a lot of traffic on there still have insanely low numbers compared to literally anywhere else. deviantart has been on the decline since the mid-2000s and from what I've seen its only gotten worse.

i've heard of people literally throwing away people's business cards when there's a deviantart link. there's just such a negative stigma around it all it just doesn't seem like its even worth being on there in the first place to be honest....

What are the other sites that provide more traffic? If you're thinking something like Tumblr, that's pretty ridiculous... I don't want reblogs or people just looking at my work. I want the comments and interaction.

A professional should have their own website otherwise it looks pretty lazy on their part. Putting your DA link on a business card sounds really silly.

I agree with this. I will NOT join Tumblr, for one because of what you said and two, anything amazing I do on there would definitely be stolen and taken credit for.

Maybe I should just do my own website....but I really hate doing my own codes....

[Asteriale]

bad benji

i honestly am surprised that people even still use deviantart. even the people who have a lot of traffic on there still have insanely low numbers compared to literally anywhere else. deviantart has been on the decline since the mid-2000s and from what I've seen its only gotten worse.

i've heard of people literally throwing away people's business cards when there's a deviantart link. there's just such a negative stigma around it all it just doesn't seem like its even worth being on there in the first place to be honest....

Really? In what situation? I think it's pretty unprofessional to use a DA (where potential employers can read alllll your comments and journals), not to mention it doesn't look professional at all. But to the extent that they would throw their card? Pray tell? What's the big fuss?

Oh yes, and please recommend better alternatives to DA?
I'm sure we all want to know where we can get better traffic.

The proportion of hits:effort is so much lower than my wordpress blog (unrelated to art), which I think is pretty sad. Esp if our main interest is art.

[A.D.1492]

Asteriale

Oh yes, and please recommend better alternatives to DA?

Behance?

[Chu Fizz]

If you just want to be on a social networking site to share your art, I don't see the problem with DA. Same for facebook. Personally, I think sites like this can get you exposure. If you rant about your ex in your deviantart journal, and are planning to use it as a 'professional" thing, that's your problem. It's up to the user to think about what they post online. (side note: "professionals" do use deviantart in addition to having their own site. By the way, ever thought about all the sites you're on, especially if you use the same nickname for all of them? Just saying. Hell, I know someone who is in industry now who keeps her decade-old DA account intact-- complete with her journal full of teenage rants about her mother)

I would recommend getting your own site to show off your portfolio if you plan on being "professional" however. If you just want a place to talk to people, post some sketch you were working on in the bus while your friend's screaming "give it a mustache!", then there is nothing wrong with DA.

[12345BunnyBunny]

Chu Fizz

If you just want to be on a social networking site to share your art, I don't see the problem with DA. Same for facebook. Personally, I think sites like this can get you exposure. If you rant about your ex in your deviantart journal, and are planning to use it as a 'professional" thing, that's your problem. It's up to the user to think about what they post online. (side note: "professionals" do use deviantart in addition to having their own site. By the way, ever thought about all the sites you're on, especially if you use the same nickname for all of them? Just saying. Hell, I know someone who is in industry now who keeps her decade-old DA account intact-- complete with her journal full of teenage rants about her mother)

I would recommend getting your own site to show off your portfolio if you plan on being "professional" however. If you just want a place to talk to people, post some sketch you were working on in the bus while your friend's screaming "give it a mustache!", then there is nothing wrong with DA.

I agree with this. One of my favorite Comic Book artists doesn't have a website or fancy blog, he just uses social media and one of them is DeviantArt and he still is quite popular and obviously is successful in his own rights since he has three different comics being published in the real world. I don't care about being professional in the sense of being respected by non-artists. I just want to hear from other artists and get/give real critiques often. I know on DeviantArt, you get what you give and I also know that you can give critiques through comments.

Also, I think DeviantArt has one of the best communities of artists who are friendly and encouraging. That's what art is supposed to be.

I have no intention of leaving DeviantArt but as I continue to think about what I want from DeviantArt, I am sure it's not a premium membership....not that I pay for, at least.I do think that I would like to start a website and I found some good hosts at inexpensive rates.

[Chu Fizz]

FoolishMinako

Chu Fizz

If you just want to be on a social networking site to share your art, I don't see the problem with DA. Same for facebook. Personally, I think sites like this can get you exposure. If you rant about your ex in your deviantart journal, and are planning to use it as a 'professional" thing, that's your problem. It's up to the user to think about what they post online. (side note: "professionals" do use deviantart in addition to having their own site. By the way, ever thought about all the sites you're on, especially if you use the same nickname for all of them? Just saying. Hell, I know someone who is in industry now who keeps her decade-old DA account intact-- complete with her journal full of teenage rants about her mother)

I would recommend getting your own site to show off your portfolio if you plan on being "professional" however. If you just want a place to talk to people, post some sketch you were working on in the bus while your friend's screaming "give it a mustache!", then there is nothing wrong with DA.

I agree with this. One of my favorite Comic Book artists doesn't have a website or fancy blog, he just uses social media and one of them is DeviantArt and he still is quite popular and obviously is successful in his own rights since he has three different comics being published in the real world. I don't care about being professional in the sense of being respected by non-artists. I just want to hear from other artists and get/give real critiques often. I know on DeviantArt, you get what you give and I also know that you can give critiques through comments.

Also, I think DeviantArt has one of the best communities of artists who are friendly and encouraging. That's what art is supposed to be.

I have no intention of leaving DeviantArt but as I continue to think about what I want from DeviantArt, I am sure it's not a premium membership....not that I pay for, at least.I do think that I would like to start a website and I found some good hosts at inexpensive rates.

I think that's a good choice.
I'd like to maintain a DA for fun, so I stopped by this thread to learn about premium memberships. So thanks for the thread. razz
Post the link to your site when you're done, I'd love to see it! smile

[zheida]

i have such a jaded view on deviantart (dont pay those people money) and most art websites including tumblr but i see it as this:

I would make a tumblr if you are really fan-art driven and want to get a lot of exposure that way and want to sell prints/other goods of fan art related things. if you are there for any other reason art-wise well... i would just avoid. and for the love of all that is holy watermark your stuff yea LOL even deviantart and-- generally everywhere else has this problem its just a good idea.

UMM I GUESS THO if you want something quick and dirty, alot of artists including myself are mostly retreating to twitter, its not a great option but its an option nonetheless. A lot of people are making art twitters, so something to consider I suppose.

also take this with a grain of salt as I'm not amazingly "SERIOUS" about my art career, so I cant speak for much in this terms if you are looking to do the professional thing.