so glad to see i'm not alone in this! i totally get why it WOULD annoy others, especially if you're trying to find your own style. but, for me, it's a beginning result of someone starting a dialogue with your art. most times, esp for non-artists, they're trying to communicate recognition. - ThreadSky

heyshivana.bsky.social • 75 days ago

so glad to see i'm not alone in this! i totally get why it WOULD annoy others, especially if you're trying to find your own style. but, for me, it's a beginning result of someone starting a dialogue with your art. most times, esp for non-artists, they're trying to communicate recognition.

Reposted from Jon Davies 🦖

My ultimate, spiciest, and seemingly most controversial hot take as an artist online is that I have never once been bothered when people say my art reminds them of some other art, artist, IP, whatever.

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kotalinejones.bsky.social•75 days ago

So agree! I can get why it’s annoying sometimes, but if someone cares enough about my art to connect it to something else they like, they’re trying to express that something about it spoke to them.

heyshivana.bsky.social•75 days ago

exaaaactly

rockettpowered.bsky.social•75 days ago

Never understood why this is so fiercely hated I thought it was universally understood that your artstyle is a collective of things you seeked out to emulate. Sure, someone might get those inspirations wrong but that doesn't mean they don't share a source.

rockettpowered.bsky.social•75 days ago

"This reminds me of Hazbin Hotel" isn't an insult they just forgot Nightmare Before Christmas existed and altered the brain chemistry of an entire generation of ex-scene kids.

kelmcdonald.bsky.social•75 days ago

Almost every time someone has told me “you art reminds me of” or “are you a fan of” has been of something I haven’t heard of and I THEN end up enjoying

heyshivana.bsky.social•75 days ago

100%!! i've found a LOT of lovely art that way, odds are they're trying to communicate a love you'll easily share

kelmcdonald.bsky.social•75 days ago

I’ve found some of my favorite artists because of that

dairelawlor.bsky.social•75 days ago

I completely agree! I appreciate that it bothers people, that's fair for them, but for me, my work is an amalgam of all the art I've ever loved and when someone identifies with that it's really quite lovely for me! Once someone said my work reminded them of E.Carroll - it was a massive compliment 😂

lspicerart.bsky.social•75 days ago

You just made the best thread on this whole matter and what makes my feelings so complicated on this! Intent matters and I think the way the internet (and places like twitter) caused knee jerk reactions that made it worse. But you made me feel better about it tbh

kikidoodle.bsky.social•75 days ago

This is 100% a statement that requires you as an artist to understand the intent behind the words. All art is built off layers of inspiration, so people saying it reminds them of something means you are eliciting an emotional response that they remember from whatever media

heyshivana.bsky.social•75 days ago

it was one of the top comments i received as a docent at an art museum. "this reminds me of ____." i liked hearing it because it meant they were thinking about ways they related to the work by connecting it to art they already internalized. you can start a lot of great convos from that!

heyshivana.bsky.social•75 days ago

i try not to confuse it with "isn't this [whatever art]", which indicates a door is already closed, conversationally, and i'm not particularly interested in doing the work to reopen it—the art can speak for itself in that matter.

heyshivana.bsky.social•75 days ago

not every comment needs to be responded to, even if you like it, but it really doesn't grate on me to be reminded my work lives in context with everything around it, including works that i've never experienced or care for. that's how things are!

heyshivana.bsky.social•75 days ago

there are people uninterested in moving beyond that moment and not passionate about my work and that's fine! i just hate to miss the possible fulfilling connection with someone who saw something they recognized in something i created. maybe my work will become that recognizable thing for them

heyshivana.bsky.social•75 days ago

some responses i like to use when tabling and am able to chat:
➡️ oh cool! i'm not familiar with that work, what do you see that reminds you of it?
➡️ thank you, that's very kind. [these] were my influences, do you like those, too?
➡️ here, take my card! maybe i have some other stuff you'd recognize

breebird33.bsky.social•75 days ago

"I'm not familiar with that work" has become my bread and butter for IRL and online interactions

heyshivana.bsky.social•75 days ago

ultimately i view it as both a foot in the door for someone to stick around for my work—they wouldn't bother telling me if they weren't at least a BIT interested—and to find work that'll enrich my experience, too. a little patience goes a long way with this response!

juliejubz.com•75 days ago

Like you and others have said, I totally get why it would annoy some artists and they’re valid for it.

But for me it feels good to get any (good) interaction at all, so even a comment like that seems like it would be fun! Especially if it leads to a nice conversation of what we read/watch :3

hjhaverkamp.bsky.social•64 days ago

I literally think the last time I was annoyed by this was when I was in high school in 2006 and working on branching out in styles, and people kept asking "is that anime" lmao. If it annoys people bc they get a lot of traffic to their pages.... Congrats, and just mute!

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