I found this interesting (there are 10 short pages): What Hurtful Things Have People Said When Commenting on a Painting? There are interesting perspectives and horror stories, though here and there I suspected people had allowed a throwaway, possibly unconsidered and well-meant comment to rankle too much. One of the experiences I've shared is the close friend who pays no attention -- though I suppose if they don't like your work, you have put them on the spot by expecting a response. :-) After reading the comments on the page linked to above, what does strike me is how little some people realize that a painting or drawing might be important to you -- they believe it's of no more significance than if you had bought a paperback or a CD. "Here's my latest Patrick O'Brian..."... "Oh... well I'M reading C.S. Forester. If you haven't read it yet, you ought to." :-)
Suppose this is the fair and balanced side to that of 'critiquing'.. without thinking, that is. (<--- I am obligated to get this qualifier in, it's in my contract.)
It might be interesting if the same respondents made mention of words received that they enjoyed/accepted. To get a better gauge on their respective personalities.
Anyway, there are different perspectives... I quite liked one that suggested that if people who have no knowledge of art like your works (or don't), then that's somehow the bottom line of whether or not you do good work. That's controversial, though, I guess... I don't know how it is that I liked some images at the beginning, and as time went by, I found them to be actually quite poor, and was preferring others that I'd ignored before.
I think that there is something to be said for the acceptance by the 'unwashed masses'. Or, vice versa.
For the artist.. what may be more 'commercially' viable works, pays the bills. In turn .. this gained financial freedom, so to speak, grants said artists the artistic freedom to pursue more personal interests.
Insofar as the latter point of your post is concerned? Makes sense to me. Personal tastes can change over time and/or evolve. Happens on all manner of fronts.
... ...
Yes, I am making this stuff up as I go along. But, shhhh ... don't tell anyone..
There are few situations in life that cannot be honourably settled, and without any loss of time, either by suicide, a bag of gold, or by thrusting a despised antagonist over the edge of a precipice on a dark night.
-- Kai Lung
I also get lots of photographic praise on my CGI work, like 'you nailed the focus on this', or 'well exposed'. I even got one comment suggesting I cloned out a something in the image that I had placed there. Makes me laugh.
There are interesting perspectives and horror stories, though here and there I suspected people had allowed a throwaway, possibly unconsidered and well-meant comment to rankle too much. One of the experiences I've shared is the close friend who pays no attention -- though I suppose if they don't like your work, you have put them on the spot by expecting a response. :-) After reading the comments on the page linked to above, what does strike me is how little some people realize that a painting or drawing might be important to you -- they believe it's of no more significance than if you had bought a paperback or a CD. "Here's my latest Patrick O'Brian..."...
"Oh... well I'M reading C.S. Forester. If you haven't read it yet, you ought to." :-)