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Message
Posted
Is the forum worthwhile? Simple answer YES. I may be70+ now but I wasn’t when I first started reading it. I do have to agree though that it is a pity that there seems to be only a central core of folks who engage. I have no idea how many people engage with the rest of the site, presumably the gallery, but from the number of artists who post there does suggest there is quite a sizeable untapped pool of opinion.
Posted
I do agree the Forum is very worthwhile and that it should stay for all the reasons outlined. I also think seeing the number of views each subject is receiving should be re-instated again for the reasons cited. I do look at it every day but I'm not a frequent commentator on the threads. The only comment I would make here is that occasionally (rarely) it can be a platform for some negative comments from artists who throw their toys out of the pram and that can or could cause hesitancy from other people joining in for fear of saying the 'wrong' thing, certainly that's been my situation from time to time
Posted
I am very much with Heathers post. I stopped using the forum years ago because of negative response. For example I reviewed a set of brushes, no response, books, little response of just slapped down. Are not artist about art equipment I wonder. Also if you make a comment on a thread the tendency is that someone will take one sentence out of context and wallop. As for debates so called, well they more like turn into battles. However there are some good contributors to the forum and I thank them. As Heather says “in fear of saying something wrong”. Which I may have already done.
Posted
Great to read the views. Incidentally John, some while back you did a thread about a new book…THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO ACRYLICS. It interested me. I’ve long thought acrylics ought to suit me, but I’ve made a hash of it the few times I’ve tried it. I bought the book. I found it informative and inspirational. Life intervened, but I’ve just started a new acrylic today. I’m all fingers and thumbs at the moment, but I’ll be doing a WIP thread on it. Obviously I’m a complete tyro at it, but at my age it’s great to be ‘new’ at anything. I need to keep busy or I’ll go barmy. So there’s one small example of how the forum has helped this old codger. So thanks John.
I know what people mean by being taken out of context, and innocently upsetting people. A forum isn’t like chat round a coffee table, where differences can be instantly be resolved, but please give it a go. I’ve fallen out of my pram couple of times, and instantly regretted it. It’s only opinions, not facts. If we didn’t have different opinions there really would be no need for a forum.
Martin’s suggestion is a good one.
Edited
by Lewis Cooper
Posted
I'd be interested to hear your views on acrylics, Lew. I tried them for a while, but my pictures turned out a little flat.
However, I must persevere as using oils in my weekly art group, means I have quite a few unfinished symphonies in oil, hanging around. (not a fan of alla prima, I keep picking up paint already laid down)
Posted
Thank you Lewis for that feedback, a great positive outcome. I will look forward to your thread. Yes I had that thought also about differences being better resolved if around a coffee table. Don’t think of yourself as an old codger as you put it as old codger’s can be full of wisdom. A golden rule on the forum should BE KIND. Thank you once again for the feedback.
Posted
It would be very odd if we all agreed all the time , I know that’s not being suggested , it good to have the counterpoint to an a discussion. Having said that it does get a bit personal feeling at times and I think all of us at some point have thought why’re the hell am I doing this . I know as a moderator it sometimes difficult to know when to or not to intervene and I’m sure my fellow moderators would be in agreement, we do as you know remove stuff that’s getting out of hand an£of course the spam, etc .
In a nut shell , I think the forum is a valuable resource, yes it’s not fully utilised , sometimes I think it’s because people don’t know what heading to use , Works In Progress, Drawing, etc so do t bother. I know from personal experience that it’s a difficult decision to initially post something, because you think it’s to simple a question, think you have to use more technical terms, and of course in my case being dyslexic , scared that you will make a fool out of yourself, soon got over that .
I have occasionally suggested on the gallery when commenting on a painting, does it work , not sure, I do know that when new members introduce themselves we often suggest that they look and join in the discussion.
If you look at the gallery there are quite a lot of people who post up to four paintings a day by put never comment on the forum or anyone else’s work , obviously they are here to post their own artwork only , do they ever look at the forum or other work , don’t know the answer to that .
What I do feel is that we should continue to promote the forum as and when we can and of course it’s appropriate to do so We can continue ourselves supporting each other when we post something, I know that some don’t comment but read the thread, it’s helpful to the person posting and to show that the forum is working to put a simple comment , even if it something to say it was interesting or helpful. I’m just as bad at posting on some threads , for example I don’t use oil or acrylic, and feel that I have nothing to offer to the discussion, what I should do is ask the simple questions that intrigue me . Well I hope that’s not put most of you to sleep , or put you off the forum totally.
Edited
by Paul (Dixie) Dean
Posted
I think Martins idea is a good one and the point Lewis makes about different opinions is a valid one. There would be no point of a forum if we all had the same views. Johns point about art equipment and reviews is good. I often enjoy reading what new equipment other artists are trying and the end result. Sometimes post will disappear quickly before you have had chance to see them. Maybe there should be a timeline of at least 24 hours before it moves along to the next post. Giving each subject more of a chance to get views and be seen.
Posted
It lacks Dawn's guiding hand; those competitions and challenges she used to post kept up a level of interest, and are much missed. However - we haven't had very many new people joining in, even in her time - and probably that's down to a) lack of confidence; b) there being plenty of advice available elsewhere (and also in previous replies here); c) younger people being more pushed for time than the core membership, which is a bit on the elderly side. I wouldn't worry about it, though - more people take up art every day, and some gravitate here just to look in, not necessarily to comment. They may, in time - after all, we all did, and wouldn't have joined the fray until we were more sure of ourselves.
Rather few people write letters to the magazine's editor, too - but I suspect the circulation is pretty healthy nonetheless. Plus - interest and involvement do fluctuate: the magazine, PoL, and individual contributors are alike easy to find on Google, which is a pretty good way of establishing that we do get noticed; and we're not Wet Canvas, which so far as some of us are concerned is a really substantial advantage: opinions offered here may not always be right, but at least there's general evidence of thought behind them.
Posted
I'm a seldom contributer, mainly to being stupidly shy and generally not much of a talker! But I often look in to see what's the latest on here. I'm very willing to make more of an effort if there is a danger of the forum disappearing though! I guess I am possibly under average age wise (born 1974 so work it out for yourselves!) but hardly a spring chicken though I don't use social media at all.
I wonder if there could be an embedded link to the forum which appears on the page once a painting is posted? To join the suggested 'how to' guides which is a fairly new feature i think. That might bring it to people's attention .
Please keep up the good work though - I am sure there is a silent majority of us out here who appreciate what you do!
Posted
Robert’s point about Dawn is a good one, she did seem to hold things together but that’s now in the past. I don’t feel that “ debates “ work online, they turn into arguments and misunderstandings and generate bad feelings - I’ve often felt like Paul, “ why am I doing this?”
And joining in for the first time can, for some, be daunting, especially when you are joining an established group. I would say, personally, I like to get on with painting and I tend to look in during the evenings, when I’m relaxing ( though I’m here now but I’m off to paint in a minute). But, on the whole, having a forum is an extra, I think the site would be poorer without it.
P.s. I think Robert is being a little optimistic about the age group on the site….generally, we are “ in our prime “, the trick is never to admit you’ve passed it!
Edited
by Marjorie Firth