This post is going to sound a little stuck-up on my part. Why? Because I’m going to talk about people that paint who aren't very good. I am not talking about any one in particular, this is a generalization brought about through forum reading and interaction with other people… Now that I've done the disclaimer, let’s head to the heart of the matter. What do you do when someone posts a miniature and asks for feedback when said miniature is terrible to behold? Do you rip it apart? Do you focus on what they've done well? Do you lie and say it looks pretty good? Do you just not comment?
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| Yes... It looks great... |
I’m someone who likes feedback when I post stuff, critical feedback is even better. Especially when it highlights exactly what I've shanked, and possible new ideas or a different approach I should have tried or can try next time. Now, I don’t count my work as great, I count it as table-top, maybe highish table-top, but far removed from lots and lots and lots of painters who I really look up to, and have been nice enough to help me out with advice and really good critical feedback from time to time… However it has become clear to me that some people who state they want feedback don’t want an honest appraisal of their work, they want to be told they haven’t wasted their time painting, they also want to be told that their work is great.
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| My first miniature... Drybrush away! |
So knowing this what to do? Lie, tell the truth and earn scorn or ignore the post? I've done all three; I've told the bitter truth in an attempt to provide critical feedback which earned me contempt and even got me banned from a forum, I've lied through my teeth and told the person they’re work was really good, but maybe they wanted to focus on “small issues”, while this didn't earn me contempt (except from myself), it did leave someone with an over-inflated sense of their own ability, and right now all I do is ignore the question. It’s too much hassle and has very little chance of ending well (Both for them and me).
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| I look at this and cringe... But I painted it, so that's OK... |
So what do you when you’re asked?