Suspended from DA

So, yeah, looks like I was suspended for repeatedly uploading their definition of underage erotica. A definition so wide, that basically anything that MAY give you a boner is considered erotica. Look, if you look at my OLDER Toph images and think "child" something is wrong with you. Alternatively, if you look at Toph during the series and think "total babe" then something is wrong with you. I think its normal to look at a young girl and think "wow, she is going to be attractive when she grows up." That seems normal. Ofcourse, I come from a family where my dad was 20 when my Mom was just being born. So maybe I'm fucked up.

This whole thing is really hilarious more than anything else. It's like dealing with the hall monitor of a school, only less threatening. They can't really do anything except make it harder for people to find my work.

I'm not 14-bis. You know, someone people like. I'm an asshole more times than I mean to be, and I'm sure that many people will say "I'm so glad that jackass got banned." So I know no one will get angry on my behalf. Which is good. It's not something worth geting angry over. More importantly, I'm not someone that cares enough to "fight the machine" on his own. So I'm not going to get all up and arms about it. The reporting system is used to troll, and someone trolled me. End of story.

My belief is that KagatoAkara, after our fight, decided to try to prove a point, and reported everything. However, its entirely possible that didn't happen. Alternatively, the fact that I signed the "Underage Erotica Petition" and got suspended a day or two later is pretty damn convenient. Ofcourse, it's possible that just some random troll came along.

Eitherway, it makes no difference. I'm just secure knowing that I could look these people, the mods and the reporters, in the eye and say "I'm am, without a doubt, a better human being than you will ever be." And that's the biggest ego boost I've had in a long long time.

Once the ban is over, I have every intention of continuing posting what I posted to begin with until they ban me completely. The DA mods need to realize that their power is illusory. That nothing of value for me, is lost if I can't post there.

I've been to portfolio reviews for companies like Blizzard, Insomniac, etc, and if you even mention that your portfolio site is Deviant Art, you lose points. You have to be really good for them to take a look at your work. In my experience, you can just see their expression change as they stop taking you seriously. So it doesn't earn points with people who may want to employ you.

I talk to my teachers, and Deviant Art isn't thought of very well in the fine arts community as well. So, unless you are EXTREMELY fortunate, it won't help your fine arts career either.

Finally, even in its own medium, the internet, Deviant Art is a joke. Go to 4chan.org, preferably /co/ as its the best board ever, despite the pedo vibe from time to time, and say "Hey guys, what do you think of Deviant Art." Usually the response will be "it's a shit hole."

So why do I post there? Two reasons. Out of habit and because it's easy. The habit reason is fairly obvious, I started drawing in 2003, and found DA in 2003. Believe it or not, Deviant Art actually used to be a good site. Things took a turn the minute Jark was kicked out, and if I ever meet -spyed, I'm going to, at the very least, chew him out. (I want to beat him senseless, but wanting do something, and be able to are two completely different things.)

The easy thing is related more or less to the community as a whole. It has two facets. First off, lets be honest, actual critiques are almost non existant on Deviant Art. I am not a fan of critiques, especially over the internet. I've said several times before why. The only people I critique are people who I see on a regular basis, and those are the only people I accept critiques from. You need the option to look someone in the eyes. Well, employers can critique me all they want, it's in their best interest. So DA is easy insofar as there is little to no consequence in posting something.

I don't post in /ic/ or /co/ because it's the exact opposite of that. People are so willing to tear your work to shreds that it defeats the purpose of posting your work. I've seen those guys take artists whom I adore, and go on tirades about how terrible they are. I'm no where near the level they expect someone to be, so why bore them? You know?

I came to a realization of all the artists I admire, very few uploaded work for scrutiny as they were refining their ability. No one becomes a great artist on their own, but relying on critiques won't make you a great artist either. And when you are a "pro" the only person you have to critique is yourself. So, I don't bother with situations that offer critiques, because it becomes a crutch, destroys confidence, and doesn't really improve the artist at all. It may improve the piece, but not the artist. I know that's hard to accept, since we're all trying to get good, and want a reliable way to get good, but places like DA aren't going to help you.

Which brings me to the other facet of why DA is easy. You don't have to be that good to be good on DA. There is just an unending fountain of unbelievably terrible artists on DA in every genre. Truly, by contrast, many artists, including myself, seem much better than we actually are. It's much easier to be a good artist on DA than it is to be a good artist in the real world.

I guess my whole point is, I'm not mad because DA is inconsequential and this "punishment" will not affect my practice at all. If anything I'm happy because I feel better about myself having been suspended.