How to deal with negative feedback on your art
Due to the nature of my work as an artist, I have been exposed to all kinds of feedback, reviews and "advice" daily for nearly a decade.
I used to take every bad comment very personally, and I know what it feels like to have your day (or week) ruined by one mean comment that can make you forget all the good feedback and support around it. With time, although I am still not perfect, I have learned to deal with the criticism in ways that helps with both my mood and my business. Today I want to share them with you so that you can become more resilient against bullies and learn to recognise when a "negative" comment can be a little blessing in disguise!
No feedback or advice is created equal, and I can't give you a single answer. So to make this article more useful for you, I decided to break down the most common types of feedback you will encounter, the concepts and examples used are art-related, but they can still apply to almost everything in life.
BAD NEGATIVE FEEDBACK
"Your art/you/your dog is so ugly!" type comment.
Some people resort to bullying, aggression and negative behaviour as a result of stress and insecurities within their life. Which means bullying comes from a place of personal pain and, and has nothing to do with you.
It can be hard to accept at first, but it might be helpful to imagine them using you as a mirror; they are not targeting you specifically, but that part of you they wish they had for themselves but can't obtain. For example, your confidence in putting yourself out there might scare bullies, and hurt their self-esteem. Causing them to lash out and be loud in an attempt to take control over you, and heal their wounded ego. So next time you receive a negative comment, remember that when they say "you are not good enough.", what they truly mean is "I am not good enough."
Should you respond to bad comments online? Short answer: Probably not. If you do decide that you must reply, don't do it right away. Give yourself time to craft a proper response, and don't let your emotions guide what you say. If you have or aim to have an online presence, the way you answer to negative comments can have a profound impact on how other people perceive you.
Most of your followers who read a rude comment will think the commenter is an immature internet troll and move on, but if they see you answer back with a snappy or abusive comment, it might bring you right down to the commenters level in their eyes. So this type of toxic feedback does not deserve your time or attention, feel free to delete or ignore those comments all-together and move on.
CAN NEGATIVE FEEDBACK BE GOOD FOR YOU?
Constructive criticism is the type of feedback that helps you grow; it comes from people who have your best interest at heart and has a few key characteristics that make it priceless.
It is specific.
It is actionable.
It comes from a place of experience or expertise.
An example of non-constructive criticism would be if someone told you they don't like something in your work and walked away. This example of criticism is non-actionable. However, if that person says to you where you can improve in your work, takes the time to explain where the problem is and how you can improve upon it, then it becomes constructive and enables you to take action to improve your skills.
The process of receiving any form of criticism can still sting and be hard to digest, but remember that, as my counsellor says: constructive criticism is like pruning a plant, cutting the branches might hurt a little, but, it helps the plant grow bigger and stronger.
Now that we took a look at the two primary sources of negative feedback, you can see, not all negative feedback in bad or unkind, so you might not be surprised to hear that not all positive feedback is constructive or helpful. Some of it can even destroy your art career.
CAN POSITIVE FEEDBACK BE BAD?
The most valuable kind of feedback is Constructive encouragement; it points out what you are doing right and enforces it. Coaches, teachers and companies are moving towards this approach because it is scientifically proven to reinforces mood and improve performance in virtually any activity. Like constructive criticism, this type of feedback usually comes from people with experience in the skill we are trying to master.
Friendly encouragement can also be a wonderful thing; it comes from people for whom, your art is always great, they are there to cheer you on no matter what, listen to you when you need to vent and genuinely believe in your dreams. When this type of behaviour comes from your friends and family, it can make you feel good, boost your confidence and protect you against burnout.
However, the same kind of behaviour can be damaging when it comes from a teacher or mentor who is supposed to help you identify your strengths weaknesses and guide you to do better.
It is their job to help you improve your skills to a level where you can start your career, and if they are not giving you targeted constructive feedback, they are wasting your time. Sadly This behaviour is very common, and it is part of the reasons why many art schools are failing their students. If you are encountering this problem in your school, it might be worth considering to have a chat with your tutors or find different sources who can give you more constructive feedback.
CONCLUSION
I hope tips this article will be helpful next time you have to deal with negative feedback, and most importantly, don't let the fear of criticism stop you from sharing your work with others, the world wants to see you succeed!
