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Description
I've expanded on this as people seemed to like it so much.

So now its a text tutorial:

1. Creativity.

You can NOT just take a picture of something and expect it to be awesome. You have to dare to do things differently from how everyone else is doing it.

"Art is either plagiarism or revolution."
Paul Gauguin (1848 - 1903)

You also have to have some sort of meaning behind it. People love meaning especially if it relates to themselves. If it makes them feel something, you are doing your job as an artist.

Horror, repulse, love, nestalgia, hunger, thirst, sleepy, dizzy...

Make them feel. Make them see themselves in the picture somehow... while still seeing a part of you.

I can tell you that when I do a piece that people LOVE... its
1. completely unique, an idea that has just popped into my head or came from me playing around
2. something they are constantly commenting "that makes me..." on

My DDs...

First was "Smile" which in the writeup on it actually says "Smile by =psivamp really made me hungry while sitting in my office on a hot summer day. A really refreshing piece !" `nighty

See. Made me hungry.

Then there was "pottydance" which made people say "that makes me think of my friend" or "that reminds me of the time i..."

Thus... making them think of themselves or their friends.

And of course "For You" on punkyB which couldnt have had more perfect timing, an emote about love just two weeks before valentines day.

But as an artist, that should really be your goal.

Not getting DDs, not getting pageviews, but getting a reaction!

2. Dedication.

Now. You can do awesome work and post it all you want.

Yes, you will get viewers, even with the massive amounts of deviants on this site. If someone sees your work and likes it from the "latest deviations" page alone... you will get views and watchers.

But if you really want your art out there, it takes a lot more than just making great art and uploading it. Hey you don't even need to make great art! But it certainly helps!

First and foremost there is #ThumbsShare on dAmn chat.

Go in there, read the rules and post your work.

I attribute at least 10% of my "popularity" to that chatroom alone! Hundreds of deviants go in there every day and it's not always the same ones (yes there's regulars but others as well) so if you post some one day, you can go in the next day and new people will see it!

But make sure you follow the rules! Because being banned from somewhere like this isn't good for you.

Secondly, there is Thumbshare forum.

I use this as well, but again make sure to read and follow the rules!

Thirdly, clubs.

I run *Manipulators and know that several of my members love it for the fact that it has helped their art get out there so much more!

Over 1,500 people see our members art when we upload it.

Thats 1,500 more times for people to see what you do after you upload it, and be sent to your page to comment/favorite.

Fourthly, contests.

Not only can you win.
Not only can you be inspired.
But out of doing so you will instantly at least get the views by the people running the contest, and possibly by other contestants if not more than that!

So in conclusion BE ACTIVE.

3. Activity.

Comment!
Favorite!
Watch!

People, this is the only way some deviants on this site will ever even consider to go looking at your work. Don't sit there saying "they'll come if it's good enough" because they're thinking the same about you and won't do it unless you do it first. So take the first step.

Even if you don't like a piece, comment to politely explain why.

If you love a piece, favorite!

If you really like someones gallery, watch them!

Leave devious comments (the ones on the users page) to tell them you were there, just to say hi, to say nice art, whatever. You know you love it when you get them right? So leave some!

Oh and best of all:
See that "Random Deviant/Random Deviation" at the bottom of the page?

Click it.

Comment.

Fav if its good.

Watch if it's excellent.

Get out of your little group of friends. Broaden your horizons.

Be nice, be friendly, be vocal!

4. In conclusion.

You can say...

"oh I upload pretty pictures all the time"
"that person uploaded the same thing and got way more favorites!"
"no one wants to come look at my work and its totally worth it"

All that you want

But unless you are being creative and getting your work out there to be seen as well and commenting on others works...

You are in essence saying

"I think I am worth so much more but am unwilling to work for it"

"I think I deserve pageviews I've never put any effort towards"

or... to put it another way...

It's like working at McDonald's with an IQ of 180 and saying "Man I'm worth so much more than minimum wage." but never applying yourself enough to go out and get a better job!

Description
I've expanded on this as people seemed to like it so much.

So now its a text tutorial:

1. Creativity.

You can NOT just take a picture of something and expect it to be awesome. You have to dare to do things differently from how everyone else is doing it.

"Art is either plagiarism or revolution."
Paul Gauguin (1848 - 1903)

You also have to have some sort of meaning behind it. People love meaning especially if it relates to themselves. If it makes them feel something, you are doing your job as an artist.

Horror, repulse, love, nestalgia, hunger, thirst, sleepy, dizzy...

Make them feel. Make them see themselves in the picture somehow... while still seeing a part of you.

I can tell you that when I do a piece that people LOVE... its
1. completely unique, an idea that has just popped into my head or came from me playing around
2. something they are constantly commenting "that makes me..." on

My DDs...

First was "Smile" which in the writeup on it actually says "Smile by =psivamp really made me hungry while sitting in my office on a hot summer day. A really refreshing piece !" `nighty

See. Made me hungry.

Then there was "pottydance" which made people say "that makes me think of my friend" or "that reminds me of the time i..."

Thus... making them think of themselves or their friends.

And of course "For You" on punkyB which couldnt have had more perfect timing, an emote about love just two weeks before valentines day.

But as an artist, that should really be your goal.

Not getting DDs, not getting pageviews, but getting a reaction!

2. Dedication.

Now. You can do awesome work and post it all you want.

Yes, you will get viewers, even with the massive amounts of deviants on this site. If someone sees your work and likes it from the "latest deviations" page alone... you will get views and watchers.

But if you really want your art out there, it takes a lot more than just making great art and uploading it. Hey you don't even need to make great art! But it certainly helps!

First and foremost there is #ThumbsShare on dAmn chat.

Go in there, read the rules and post your work.

I attribute at least 10% of my "popularity" to that chatroom alone! Hundreds of deviants go in there every day and it's not always the same ones (yes there's regulars but others as well) so if you post some one day, you can go in the next day and new people will see it!

But make sure you follow the rules! Because being banned from somewhere like this isn't good for you.

Secondly, there is Thumbshare forum.

I use this as well, but again make sure to read and follow the rules!

Thirdly, clubs.

I run *Manipulators and know that several of my members love it for the fact that it has helped their art get out there so much more!

Over 1,500 people see our members art when we upload it.

Thats 1,500 more times for people to see what you do after you upload it, and be sent to your page to comment/favorite.

Fourthly, contests.

Not only can you win.
Not only can you be inspired.
But out of doing so you will instantly at least get the views by the people running the contest, and possibly by other contestants if not more than that!

So in conclusion BE ACTIVE.

3. Activity.

Comment!
Favorite!
Watch!

People, this is the only way some deviants on this site will ever even consider to go looking at your work. Don't sit there saying "they'll come if it's good enough" because they're thinking the same about you and won't do it unless you do it first. So take the first step.

Even if you don't like a piece, comment to politely explain why.

If you love a piece, favorite!

If you really like someones gallery, watch them!

Leave devious comments (the ones on the users page) to tell them you were there, just to say hi, to say nice art, whatever. You know you love it when you get them right? So leave some!

Oh and best of all:
See that "Random Deviant/Random Deviation" at the bottom of the page?

Click it.

Comment.

Fav if its good.

Watch if it's excellent.

Get out of your little group of friends. Broaden your horizons.

Be nice, be friendly, be vocal!

4. In conclusion.

You can say...

"oh I upload pretty pictures all the time"
"that person uploaded the same thing and got way more favorites!"
"no one wants to come look at my work and its totally worth it"

All that you want

But unless you are being creative and getting your work out there to be seen as well and commenting on others works...

You are in essence saying

"I think I am worth so much more but am unwilling to work for it"

"I think I deserve pageviews I've never put any effort towards"

or... to put it another way...

It's like working at McDonald's with an IQ of 180 and saying "Man I'm worth so much more than minimum wage." but never applying yourself enough to go out and get a better job!