How do you deal with criticism?

Hey guys!
So about a month ago I found one of my works posted by someone on a livejournal that is specifically made for making fun of "horrible makeup". A friend told me that someone had posted my dragon face painting on there so I went to check it out. It was there, along with some nasty comments. =/

Although I guess it's not all bad, cause it was a video and they were giving me free views. haha ;P

I often get negative comments on youtube too. It's discouraging especially since I'm new to this.
I've not been caring much about the youtube comments lately, but when I saw my work on that site. Ugh.

So what has been your experience with people criticizing your work? And how did you deal with it?
Oh and do people ever not like what you paint on their face?

Thanks guys!

Maybe practice more before you do the videos? You say you are new (I have not watched your videos) I guess I wouldn't do videos until I felt secure with what I was doing... Just some advice from me

Just watched one of your videos (monster) and saw nothing wrong with it. I liked your shading and detail. Some people will love a face that other will hate, just move on and work on the things you like. If you get bogged down in the negative you will loose the fun in the art. I sometimes get to wrapped up in what I did not do sometimes to appriciate what I did do.

So take risks otherwise you will never improve and put it out there you need other peoples options (appriciate the good, learn from the bad, ignore the mean).

Not everyone will appreciate your work... consider the source and ignore those that don't matter.

The people that mind don't matter and the people that matter don't mind.

I agree though that if you feel insecure about your work, maybe don't post it all over the place? I know that I'm not a spectacular painter myself, but I get enough compliments locally that I feel ok with my work.... besides which, I know that face painting is not the only thing that I do for my clown work.

They have to have SOMETHING to write about in their blog... and it's easier to make fun of something than it is to build new content.

Whenever I hear bad stuff I just ignore it, say...'well that's your opinion.' and move on.

don't let the bastards get ya down!

Are these other painters we're talking about? If so, shame on them...

Regarding criticism, if you read what someone says and and can see where they're coming from, use it as a lesson and learn from it.

BUT, it doesn't sound like we're talking about criticism here, it's sounds like people are being mean and making fun, NOT the same as criticism, ya know?

Keep your chin up and don't worry about knuckleheads, the world is full of them.
Cheryl

Cheryl Guerino-Verduga
www.create-a-face.NET

Usually when people say things like that it's because they have nothing better to do with their life. Those who spend their time browsing youtube and making negative comments on different videos are usually the couch potatoes who spend all of their time being lazy. Don't let their negative criticism let you down.
When people are like that to me, their criticism just pushes me to be better. I would suggest that you just take it in stride. After all, any publicity is better than no publicity.

When you put stuff "out there" you have to expect some sort of attention.

I haven't seen your work (I don't bother with YouTube or Facebook or any of those things...) but I wouldn't worry about it.

If you are confident enough to post videos of yourself doing make-up why be bothered by criticism or even having it made fun of?

If you are worried about people being negative, don't put it out there.

A lot of what we do is purely our take on things and other people's opinions of it aren't really important - other than the customer we are painting! If they like it... that's all that matters. What someone else thinks of it is irrelevant.

And when I've painted something and the customer isn't happy (if they are paying me themselves!) I will start over. When face painting the design is chosen or asked for and I paint what they want... haven't really had any complaints there. And for theatre and commissions I have to change things all the time.

You can't take it personally.

There's being mean and there's being constructive. If you put yourself out there to the general world, constructive is less likely to happen (even with good comments). There are some things I only show here because I want good feedback, and I get it. (Good meaning thoughtful and helpful, regardless of how well done or craptastic it is).

But when you draw attention to yourself from unknown audience, you've gotta take the good with the bad... and I tend to treat them both the same. As each person's opinion and weigh the importance of that opinion accordingly. Sure, it makes you feel rotten when it's bad, but are you going to focus on one butt-head with no professionalism and not take into account the opinions of others who are encouraging?

Can I just say I love the word craptastic?...I'm sitting here at my 9-5 and I just broke out laughing at my desk. EVERY time I read or hear the word craptastic I bust up

Thanks for your input everyone!
And yes that's a good idea. I shall post some work sometime for you guys to critique since ya'll know what you're doing and can actually help me. ;D

CreateFaces wrote:Can I just say I love the word craptastic?...I'm sitting here at my 9-5 and I just broke out laughing at my desk. EVERY time I read or hear the word craptastic I bust up

Me too! I saw Ashley use it once, and I now work it into my everyday language as much as possible!

awe - I wouldn't worry about it, people are just rude like that.

I get ALOT of mean comments on my videos, but I just delete them and block the author.
My Favorite video, the China Doll video seems to be the target of alot of the rude comments... I guess cause's it's really not a china doll....lol...

Like Ashley said above - They have to have SOMETHING to write about in their blog... and it's easier to make fun of something than it is to build new content.
*** that is very true

I think your dragon video looks awesome People are stupid!
I think you have lots of talent- don't let stupid people get you down!
I'm subscribing to you

Aw thank you guys!

It depends on the criticism. Normally I get a "you're fat" comment, but usually I don't get too many negative comments about the painting itself; except for my feeble attempt at the Avatar. However, I was expecting it so it didn't bother me. The only reason I even put it up was to show people that nobody can paint everything. 90% of my videos are a first attempt. I do it that way as a means of encouraging others to try new designs.

As far as dealing with the criticism; it depends. If it is just a blatant a-hole comment, I remove it and block the user. Normally I just leave them up and laugh them off, or make a funny comment at the person's expense.

Send them a bill or something for using your picture without permission!

If it is a place you can write yourself, then maybe do so. I do that when I get comment on pregnant bodypaints about it could be harmful for the child (and just delete the comments on the youtube video with the pregnant where the comment are something about her breasts..)

Else, if people are not happy with what you have made, then ask what they are unhappy with. Maybe you can fix it. Sometimes you can't. Like when they see that their big sister is having and want the same (after you have painted her something else, that she wanted then).

Chin up. Practice will gain you confidence. I volunteer and paint for free and as a hobby. When I started out, most everything REALLY looked bad, but, I was practicing. I never promise to do anything that I know I cant and if the canvas isnt happy with what has been painted, I offer a few antibacterial wipes and move on.

Keep face painting, by all means.

Oh I feel for you, if that had happened to me I would be pretty upset, it's hard not to let the bully's on the net get to you.
I have a pretty low selfasteem as it is, and something like that would drag on me and would take a lot of effort to not care, and build myself back up.
People are rude and the internet allows them to hide, and say things they would NEVER say to your face. The fact that you put yourself and your work out there shows you have guts.
I would assume the people commenting on it didn't know anything about face painting, had never tried it themselves and therefore would have no grasp of how hard it is. (My hubby tried it for the first time yesterday and told me he would rather stick to painting flat things that don't move...... yeah wouldn't we all!)
You should post the link to the nasty site and let us defend you and your work.
Opinionated people with no education are easily silenced when confronted with educated facts.
Stay tough, and remember small minded people feel the need to belittle your talents, they are simply jealous, and want to take your creative energy from you.
I would get in touch with the site's owner/builder/ postmaster and tell them they have no right to use your video for their blog.

I guess what is truley bothering me here is that "a friend" told you that it was on there. I don't think I would point out to a friend that she was being made fun of. Why would you really need to know?

Maybe I am just misunderstanding how you found out.

Anyway, it sounds like a bunch of immature, no talent, persons with nothing else better to do. Still doesn't make you feel better, but it takes a whole lot of cahonas(spelling--you know what I mean) to even put a video out there, so you are already better than them.

-Metina

Yeah, I wish she hadn't told me cause I was really freaked out. She knew about the livejournal group because her makeup had been on there before. I actually liked a lot of the stuff that was on there. It's like the people that run that site hate any type of creative makeup. haha.

Here is the site if you really are curious. I won't post the link of the post of me though.

http://community.livejournal.com/badmakeup

wow it's a whole community of small minded bitchy people.
How sad is that?
I would worry about what those people think, they belong to the growing number of idiots in the world that need to put others down to build themselves up.
I agree your friend would have been a better friend to not tell you about it.

Perry Noia wrote:Not everyone will appreciate your work... consider the source and ignore those that don't matter.

The people that mind don't matter and the people that matter don't mind.
...

Perry, I LOVE, Love, love your response! "Consider the source" was my late husband's favorite response to situations like this. Your answer took me back 14 years to my first husband (God rest his soul), and gave me a happy memory of him. Thank you!