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nectarprime wrote:

Jimsolo wrote:So I've noticed that if I post up pics of a model on the boards, if I come home and there is no responses, it just kills my whole day. I feel like throwing the fig away and quitting the whole hobby. Obviously I'm not going to, but that crap just crushes my soul. Anyone else feel like this when they share their work and don't get a good response? Or am I the only one?

So you are in this hobby to get gratification from people?

It's sometimes nice to hear encouragement from someone else, and it costs the encourager very little. We don't ALL have to be all bitter and aloof.

Also, it's nice sometimes to get a sanity check on something before painting a horde of them. Take for example, me. I'm colorblind. My girlfriend and another friend of mine didn't say anything to me after I painted up about 70 guardsmen in what are apparently hideous shades of green and brown, even though I asked him both their opinion on the colors. They looked fine to me. It took until we got another friend of mine suckered in to play 40k that he quietly says to me, "You know, I know you THINK those look good, but that's actually a pretty ugly color scheme." Naturally, I was pissed for a while, not at him, but at the first two for not being honest. I've got a much more neutral color scheme now.

Well, people like what they like. And generally, they pay attention to what stands out.

I don't know your work, but if it's anything like mine or most of the work on Dakka, it's just not that interesting. It's good, but not great. What feedback can a person give, other than to say, "it looks good?"

It's like critiquing the food at Denny's. It's good, but you're not exactly going to say more than that.

As mentioned before, thread response rates depends highly on the type of post you make, the way you post it and how active you are in other areas.

Personally, I'm biased towards marine armies, specifically Blood Angels so I tend to view and respond to BA P&M blogs more than others. If you post a thread about Tau I have no clue about in both game mechanics and models, you won't hear a peep out of me in your thread.

Also, if you're looking for feedback, make sure you say it and be specific. Posing a question regarding a particular model or technique will get more responses than just saying here are some pics of the models I just painted which almost sound like the post is meant as a view and forget type of post rather than one intended for discussion.

I also noticed that when I comment on other people's work, they will also reciprocate and comment on mine. If you're looking to get feedback on your work, make sure you are providing constructive feedback on other people's work as well. I tend to check out the projects and postings of people who have replied to me and see if they have personal projects or posts I can post in as well. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one that does this and as mentioned before, have your post link in your signature definitely helps in this regard.

With that said, it's still just a hobby and it's up to you what you do with it. I find not getting replies to your work isn't that bad. If you get disheartened from this, then you definitely want to avoid rating sites like coolminiornot. That place will crush your spirit on any model you submit unless you submit only the best of the best work.

Howard A Treesong wrote:It's nice to have replies, but ask yourself, how many threads do you look at with other people's work and then leave without commenting. Why didn't you comment?

Don't get down, it's just the way of it. Remember, most blogs don't grow to massive lengths and go down in Dakka history.

What kinda gets me down is how few people *use* the gallery. I mean I look at my most popular image...

Views: 1499
Votes: 34

34? Very nearly 1500 (and you might be that 1500th if you now go into my gallery to see which it is) have viewed it an only 34 took the time to give it a score?

Oh well.

This may not be a good excuse but when I go into the gallery looking for specific stuff like "Dark Angels" or "Eldar", if I happen to vote on something I like the gallery sends me to another random pic. Outside of my initial search parameters. That's actually why I shy away from voting when I do. When I'm looking for specific stuff, voting just throws me out of the zone. At work where internet is slow and people could be watching, the extra couple of backtracks isn't worth it. At home, it's not such a big deal.

Yeah, I know that I should hobby for myself, but it's nice to get noticed for what you've done. When someone comments on something I've done, it gives me a sense of validation. I did something that someone else took the time to notice.

Conversely, I share Jimsolo's feelings of not being heard. It's like being an outcast amongst the outcasts.

Jimsolo wrote:So I've noticed that if I post up pics of a model on the boards, if I come home and there is no responses, it just kills my whole day. I feel like throwing the fig away and quitting the whole hobby. Obviously I'm not going to, but that crap just crushes my soul. Anyone else feel like this when they share their work and don't get a good response? Or am I the only one?

I got to the painting and modelling sections to look at pretty pictures not to leave comments.

yakface wrote:

Mastiff wrote:
2) Are you asking questions in your posts? Rather than a generic "tell me what you think?", ask questions that show you are serious about improving specific aspects of the model like "how do I get smoother paint"? or "Do you think the blue looks good with red armour?". Even focusing on the parts your particularly proud of, like "hey, I'm experimenting painting power swords and am really happy with the results" gives people a starting point. I'm OCD enough that I'm unable to walk away from questions like that without taking a minute to answer. It helps to know that you are looking to improve, or have a specific concern, so I can understand what sort of feedback you are looking for.

Basically, I'm suggesting you start the conversation. It makes it much easier for people to respond to.

Some people don't want unsolicited advice, just praise for a model that is the best they've ever painted, so I don't tend to respond unless the model effects me strongly or people ask for feedback.

If you just want "that's awesome!", well, that's what your family is for, not the internet.

I was going to post exactly this. My experience is that when you simply post a model to get 'feedback' that you probably won't get much of any unless your model is completely unique and amazing.

If it isn't that, then you need to be asking a specific question that people can respond to.

isn't that a bit wrong, seeing as models are usually cast and sold to different people multiple times, hence the model itself can not be unique unless someone goes all out on converting it, when most of us PLOGers just want encouragment, support, and "thats looks great, keep it up!" in a usual reply so as to get some motivation to continue the plog?

I've had my plog, marcus' miniatures melange running for well over a month now, with way over 500 views, and maybe 1 or 2 unique, different people responded to the thread. OUT OF over 500 that viewed it. That kinda bums be out. from even thinking of continuing the log because it seems like no one is watching it if they don't Express thier interest.

I get depressed when people don't comment on my writing because I assume people dislike (which is probably true if they don't comment), but I'm usually fine if people don't comment on my models or other stuff.

It sucks yeah. I have a youtube channel with almost 600 videos on it. Some only have single digit views and most don't have comments. Gotta just like what you're doing and not care if anyone else does or not. My few dedicated subscribers make it all worthwhile even though I never get 3 digit views.

Except my battle reports, but I link those here and warseer so those get a lot of views. They're not what I base my channel on though.

Are your videos nicely organized into different playlists? If not, that may be why you don't have so many views on some of them. I know that I, as a browser, immediately turn away (unless I think it's really, really interesting) from un-sorted channels, since I'm generally looking for specifics.

It does seem that if 1% of viewers bother to vote in the Dakka gallery then you're doing okay.