Furry Frets That Nobody Draws Gift Art for Him

Hi there, I need some more advice.

I started drawing after AC, but life got busy for me all summer and have finally started doing trades with people, though I am unsure if I am being too impatient with wanting to do art trades, as it took a few hours to get a few response, or if people still en masse are ignoring me.

A part of me wants to do trades because not everyone has time to do commissions nor get art for free (I know because in the 7 years in the fandom no one has ever drawn me gift art besides my birthday, which makes me jealous because it seems everyone gets gift art except me no matter how nice or helpful I am to people), but it also seems no one wants to give me a chance, either. The fandom is the only social outlet I have and I feel I don't have anything. Local furs are busy and won't return texts; online furs just seem to ignore me. I want to write a vent journal on FA but I know I'll regret it or end up removing the journal or something.

Hypr

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Greetings, Hypr,

I think your name is apt in this case. Thinking that “it took a few hours to get a few responses” is a long time is a bit spastic, is it not? Good for you for restraining yourself from writing a “vent” on FurAffinity. You’re right that that would cause people to see you more negatively and would do nothing to help you. So, yeah, don’t do it.

You are getting overly concerned about getting comments and feedback and such from furries. It’s not just furries who do this sort of thing—ignoring people, not replying etc. Unfortunately, it’s become a very modern thing to ignore people, both in social contexts and in business. 

The thing you have to remember, though, is whose feedback are you really concerned about? Are you just talking about not getting feedback from mere acquaintances, random people online? Or are these people you consider to be your friends?

The point here is to focus on what really matters: making friends, real friends is much more important that worrying about whether or not people will draw a picture of your fursona. I mean, really, who cares if some random artist you don’t even know doesn’t draw your picture, even on a trade?

Draw your art because you enjoy drawing, not because you want to do trades or want some kind of validation for your work or, indeed, for your very existence. And don’t be nice to people because you want something in exchange. Be nice to people because you are a nice person and care about other people. Art should be created for art’s sake.

In short, don’t seek out others’ opinions and feedback for validation and a sense of self-worth. That can only be truly found from within. If you love drawing, then draw. Don’t worry about other people’s opinions. Some of the greatest artists never got much validation until after their deaths. And if you want to make friends, do so in the real world. Cyberland is a place where there is too much insincerity, fraudulence, trolls, and shallowness to navigate in most cases. If you want friends, real friends, meet them in the real world. Use the Internet to stay in touch, sure, but having a real life means going out into the real world.

Hugs,

Papabear