Hey there,fellow adventurers of the digital realm! Now, imagine this – you’re cruising along on the high-speed internet highway, sharing your artistic escapades, when out of the digital shadows emerges a troll, ready to turn your creative haven into a battleground. It’s an all-too-common experience, one I just talked about. It’s something everyone seems to live with nowadays, but this toxicity is even more detrimental to creative types (aka artists). So let’s talk about toxicity for a moment.
Drown out the noise with the strokes of your creativity… in this digital world that sometimes feels like a never-ending tsunami of negativity, your art is the lifeboat.
A Toxic World
The art world is famously a toxic place. I can’t personally claim this exactly because I have no experience in the art world. But I can completely understand this sentiment. It deals with things that some like, some don’t and some can’t even understand (aka art). And, I’m no Picasso, so I don’t have tons of people critiquing my work, but let me tell you writing this blog has been like navigating a minefield – one misstep, and BOOM, you’re dealing with some temperamental people who have no qualms judging you
And it’s all thanks to the internet. It’s our trusty sidekick that simultaneously saved and doomed us all. The World Wide Web is a treasure trove of knowledge, cat videos, and, unfortunately, a breeding ground for toxicity. You see, it’s a double-edged katana – granting us access to everything under the sun while also empowering the not-so-friendly to vent every negative opinion that pops into their head.
Shoulda Saw it Coming
Imagine this: you post a blog about haters, and suddenly, like a lurking … um…troll, someone appears on Facebook to rain on your parade (OK, OK, I should have expected that kind of response really). Not because they dislike your post, oh no. It’s because they have strong feelings against the fact that you’re using AI art. Hold onto your sushi rolls, folks, because that’s where things take a spicy turn.
If only they’d had love in their eyes…
This mysterious figure decided it was their divine duty to declare AI art as lazy (which it may very well be). Fair enough, opinions are like ramen toppings – everyone’s got their favorite. But what ensued was a symphony of self-righteousness and a relentless pursuit to prove that using AI art was damnable. He starts preaching from the digital mountaintop, doing every BUT directly say that the use AI art is a sin. And that, btw, he’s not a hater for saying so.
The irony here? This troll embodied everything I ranted about in my previous post about haters. It’s like the universe wanted to prove a point. He demonstrated almost each point I wrote about as he danced around, feigning politeness, never quite throwing a direct jab while disguising his disdain for the image used as a well-intentioned critique.
But here’s the kicker – this interaction wasn’t a genuine discussion. No, sir, it was a not-so-well-disguised attack. He wasn’t fishing for answers; he was waiting for me to stumble and fall on my face. Each time I answered a question, he aggressively jabbed, with another. But it was clear from each “but why don’t you” that these questions were simply a veiled attempt to not look like the aggressor.
Just Who--?
Being the digital Sherlock that I am, I decide to peek at his profile, and surprise, surprise – he’s on a crusade to out people for using AI art, proudly posting their replies as some form of artistic witch hunt. Cue the dramatic exit as I hit the block button faster than you can say “origami.”
But seriously, how did my blog about haters turn into a virtual showdown about AI art skepticism? It’s like ordering sushi and getting a pizza delivery instead. But being a creative of any sort nowadays means you have to wade through a sea of toxicity. People will hijack your creations, your life, anything about you, just to flex their dislike muscles. It’s a lose-lose situation, and it’s enough to make even the most robust sumo wrestler shed a tear.
I am the Devil
Now, let’s clear the air – yes, I use AI art for some blog images. Why? Because this blog is about the words, not the pictures. It’s my personal blog about living in Japan and drawing comics. I’ve filled it with silly images to accentuate the quirky points I’m making (and so it’s not just a boring wall of text). I juggle writing two full entries a week, my gig as an artist, my role as a teacher, and, oh yes, being a husband and father. It’s a circus, and I’m trying to make this experience more fun for the reader.
As for AI art in general, the eternal debate? I’m sitting on the fence unsure if it’s a villain or just another tool in the artist’s toolbox. I don’t feel it’s right to use in my work, so I don’t use it. And I don’t feel it’s ‘real art‘ when I see it (like I’ve seen some people make comics with it). But I don’t want to fall down that conversational rabbit hole, because it will only bring out more people with strong opinions and no intention of actually conversing. So let’s steer this digital rickshaw back to toxicity.
To Comment or Not to Comment
If it weren’t for these toxic comments, I wouldn’t even be typing this entry out (and would be writing about some other pleasant part of being an artist, like prancing through fields of daffodils, which all artists do). And why? Because it is toxic that the ONLY comments I’ve received for Drawn to Japan are from people on a crusade about tangent issues which aren’t even about the blog. Not a single “Right on, man” or even a “Nah! I don’t think so” (only my Aunt and Uncle have commented, because they have my back). It’s made me wonder if it’s worth it to do this blog. That’s the venomous nature of toxicity; it poisons everything in its path.
But silly reactions to images on a blog isn’t the only toxicity artists need to deal with. The comic community, in particular, has its fair share of fickle, opinionated, and sometimes downright negative fans. A quick Google search of “comics fans toxic” will open up a Pandora’s box of interesting reads. There’s even a movement called Comicsgate, notorious for its toxic behavior.
I’ve been lucky enough to avoid real harassment, but I’ve crossed paths with some genuinely nasty individuals. I vividly remember getting an email from a comic book store that put one of my comics on their shelves. Their message? A harsh declaration that my comic had failed on the shelf, followed by an unsolicited suggestion that I should take a leap off a bridge for everyone’s supposed benefit. Talk about a punch to the creative gut! Then there was that one-star review for the comic “Simulation Theory.” The critique? A curt and dismissive statement – “Drawing people is hard.” Now, I’m no stranger to constructive criticism, but there’s a line between helpful feedback and hurtful comments. What these critics fail to grasp is that their words have an impact, a ripple effect that stretches far beyond the confines of a message written safely from behind their computer.
It’s Fine to Dis (Just Not to the Creator)
Sure, it’s fine to have opinions and share them with friends. It’s fine to even be nasty to get a chuckle out of a friend. But to tell the creator of the comic these hurtful things is another thing. Words effect people. Even if it the creator says the critiques roll off their backs, the toxicity of the comments spreads. It makes everyone feel less happy to be making or reading comics.
Yet, as an artist, you have to rise above it. Focus on the positive. Drown out the noise with the strokes of your creativity. Let the toxicity be the background static to your symphony of creation. Because, my fellow creative friends, in this digital world that sometimes feels like a never-ending tsunami of negativity, your art is the lifeboat.
So, put on your digital armor, wield your stylus like a sword, and let the creativity flow. The trolls may try to drag you down, but you, my friend, are the shogun of your own artistic domain. Stay inspired, stay weird, and let’s keep this digital journey rolling. Sayonara for now, until our next virtual adventure!
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*I don’t use AI for my artwork. These filler images are just for fun and aren’t meant to represent my art so they have been labeled “AI GENERATED.” I want my blog to be enjoyable for you but I don’t have 2-6 hours to draw each image (this blog is done in my free time). If you’re against AI in art, please direct your criticism elsewhere (maybe someone trying to pass off AI generated images as their art). I am not doing that.
This one breaks my heart and makes me angry all at the same time. I’ve never been on the receiving end of an online troll — but that’s probably because all of my published work predated the Internet. I personally love the art you use on your blog — it’s clever and funny and along with your good writing enriches the whole experience. I especially like where you wrote, “… in this digital world that sometimes feels like a never-ending tsunami of negativity, your art is the lifeboat.” Keep sailing!