How do you handle negative comments on your work?

One thing I've found useful is reframing a dismissive comment as proof the work landed somewhere, even if the viewer didn't enjoy where it took them. Indifference is the real enemy. If someone felt compelled to say something, the image moved them in some direction. I've left a couple of those comments visible on my own pages for that reason. A short, gracious reply that acknowledges the reaction without defending the work, then move on. You don't owe them a debate, but letting the comment stand can actually work in your favor. Other people reading it will form their own opinion about who seems more thoughtful in that exchange.

"This doesn't do anything for me." Six words, and they sat with you longer than entire conversations about your prints. That's not weakness. It's what happens when you care about the work you put into the world.

The ones that sting most are rarely the ones with substance. A thoughtful critique gives you something to hold, something to turn over. But a flat dismissal just leaves a dull weight with no edges to grip. And you're right that it lands differently depending on who says it. When it comes from someone who once stood close to your work, the silence afterward has a different texture.

You didn't respond, and you don't owe anyone a reason for that. Sometimes the wisest thing you can do with a comment like that is let it pass through you without building a home for it. The fact that you're still thinking about your prints, still making them, still sharing them, that's the part worth noticing today.

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I always block them on social media because I do not wish me or others read any negativity concerning my art. No artist deserves to be judged wrongly. all artists are genuine and their work an inspiration to many.

Early on I used to spend way too much time composing replies to comments like that, trying to win someone over who probably forgot they even wrote it. Eventually I noticed I was giving my best energy to the wrong people. The folks who actually engage with my work, ask about a location, tell me a print reminded them of a trip they took through Shenandoah, those conversations were sitting unanswered while I stewed over one throwaway remark. Now I just let those flat comments sit and put my attention where it actually builds something. Not out of spite, just because there's only so much energy in a day and the people who care about the work deserve more of it.

I wouldn’t reply. Art is subjective and not everyone is going to like what you make. That doesn’t mean that hearing that kind of feedback doesn’t hurt though. My work is so closely tied to my heart that it’s painful when someone doesn’t like it. But I make things that I put into the world for others to see and some people think it’s their role to be critical. Them leaving a rude comment says way more about them than you or your work. So, it’s valid to be irritated by this person, but don’t get stuck there for too long. Keep making your work, the right people will appreciate it.

Block them🤣

I forget them

My experience is that a majority of the time negative comments- unless noted otherwise and specifically - boil down to personal preferences, which should be null and void to you. Negative comments are most often posted by trolls who like seeing their names or handles out on the internet. Constructive criticism can often prove to be positive and is always worth consideration. Otherwise, let it go. What I will add to this is that one should always be open to the possibility the person on the other side of the line has a valid point, but even in these cases, any further actions are yours to choose from or totaly ignore.

We humans put so much more weight on negative than positive!! Keep that in mind and try to focus on those that love your work, and I wouldn't even respond to someone just trying to be negative

I had someone criticise one of my cosmic works for being inaccurate, that there were mistakes in my composition. Then when I tried to point out tjat I wasnt aomong for realist accuracy he suggested I just want to be mediocre, beong dismissive.

I block them omce I realise there is no desire to be constructive

I would have a conversation about the idea that art comes in many different flavors, and individual taste is different for everyone. Engage them to express what they are drawn to. Remain very positive and encourage them to explore what would work for them andd their space. Be an advocate for art.

Was that on the Internet? On social media?

One time I had to endure something like that in person 😔. It was horrible. A self-proclaimed artist, educated, who considered himself an 'island artist'. A professional. For some reason, someone had told him that I painted. He had a good steady clientele. And he walked in and said: 'What is this supposed to be? It looks painted by a child. This isn't art'.

Well. I was as baffled as you are, but unfortunately it was live. It sat badly with me. And I couldn't help asking myself inwardly: 'Why? Why do you say that? What are you interested in?'.

Anyway...

I understand you, and yet: it's your people who like it. And to everyone else, well—no. They don't have to like it.

The important thing was your art and your clients ☺

i suppose you have to have a hard shell. Not everything appeals. I have seen some art in museums of large canvases painted all one color and selling for unimaginable amounts of money. I don’t get it.

This is not a negative comment! It's just someone tell you that image doesn't speak to them. That's not negative, it's feedback - if you feel like engaging with them you can ask why it doesn't speak to them?

I would ignor that kind of negativity. Someone is having a bad day or life and needs to vent on a stranger. I would love to get an honest critique, but if someone can't explain their opinion or be constructive, just let it go.

Does it really matter that someone has given a throw away comment? Look at it another way, ok, your art is not their cup of tea, but, maybe it is someone else's "id love that on my wall" If anyone gave me the negativity in a comment, id look to see if they where being constructively critical, or maybe jealous of my work, dont ponder over it, think, "well I love it" and move on.

Dismissive, flippant, arrogant comments such as that do NOT deserve your energy. Move one and make something. Comments that are meaningful, however, even if unfavorably critical, do deserve even a simple ‘thank you.”

My work has received many negative comments over the years. In the beginning I took it personal. After a moment I had to ask myself the question, why do I make art? The answer, for me. My art is odd, not everyone likes dolls, my audience is very small. My heart and soul goes into creating them, if someone doesn’t like it, that’s ok, not everyone will. Art is subjective, some people will connect with it, some won’t. To some it will be like nails on a chalk board. That’s the beauty of art. Take the comments as interactions that boosts your post in the algorithm. I don’t reply to negative comments anymore, my art isn’t for them and that’s ok, I created it for me. It’s just a bonus when people like it.

I think the most mature response is, "neither does your face."

It's still engagement. I might have replied, "and that's okay, I hope you'll spend some time here and maybe find something that does. What kind of art resonates with you?"

At the end of the day, I'm creating the work that I want to create. For me. And I'm hoping I can find a like-minded audience that my art will appeal to. I don't expect any one particular person to like what I do. And that's okay 🙂

Comments on any work run a spectrum from the most negative to the most positive. While the most negative may be designed to upset and undermine you, the less negative may be constructive, or can be taken in a way that can be constructive. Generally the most useful, helpful comments lie around the middle of the spectrum: critical but not too negative, praising but not too positive.

I think that everyone should be able to say and/or opine whatever they want, with respect and good judgment.

But they must also be held responsible for their opinion. In this case, they do not deserve to be taken into account, and silence is the best response. There is no shortage of fools.

Even if you were DaVinci or Picasso, you can't please all the people all the time. I believe you want some pieces to elicit different responses, even if they are negative. I'm sure that if you sold 5 pieces this month, they wouldn't all be copies of the same piece. Different people want different things and that's a good thing. In the buying process, everyone goes through the same process of looking at your work, looking at others and deciding what they like best. Sometimes they just want to comment on what they like least.

I would write back: obviously you do not have taste, I am truly sorry for you (just kidding).. rude comments deserve rude answers

It's okay to ignore. At the end of the day, they are still"supporting" you in a way by adding a comment.

BUT... if you like to be a bit controversial, you can still reply with kind words, which usually fires haters, and they end up commenting even more!

And hey, don't let a single comment get in the way, haters gonna hate, no matter what you do.

You can't hope to understand where all the comments are coming from. Everyone's situation and intention will be different, everyone's knowledge. That makes critique (and praise) something incredibly sterile without knowing whom it comes from. Yeah, everyone will be able to point out an anatomy mistake, but beyond technique, art is subjective. To make it short, it's just not his cup of tea, and even if it is clearly distasteful to say it, it should be all right.

My initial reaction is that you are not going to please everyone all the time and the negative responses should be ignored. That being said, depending on who gives the critique it may not be easy to ignore if it is from a somebody you respect, admire, a collector, a loved one, etc., in which case you may ask them why did the work leave them flat? They may have something constructive to say or they may point out something that you missed but you have to be prepared for their response.

In a prior life, I once asked a mentor a similar question who responded with: "if they can't take a joke f*****'em! And if you can't f******'em then joke'em!" While that was said in the legal profession and not the art world I think it still applies here. You are not going to make everyone happy and it is best to carry on with your day no matter what it takes. The negative comments are always going to sting, constructive or not, what matters is what you do with the comment. You can wallow in it and let it beat you or learn from it or just move on and process it when you have the inclination and the time. I personally, after much hard work and obsessing, have learned to just move on and process the comment when I have the ability. What I have found was that the people who care usually have a good intent but they don't know what is going on in your head with respect to art and the other group just want to get into your head because they are frustrated artists and they don't deserve the space in your head. At the end of the day, you need to move on! Or as my mentor would say so eloquently "F*******k'em!"