As a writer, the moment I quit using social media and focused on publishing books was the moment I was actually entering the business. Currently I'm working for 2 publications and I barely have a presence online. Social Medias are bubbles and their end goal is to suck your time and attention.

@cutzymccall7675

2 жыл бұрын

Oh wow thank you! I’ve always plowed right into writing novels but lately don’t seem to have the emotional equipment to finish the potentially very viable one I’ve been writing for a couple of years. Got a lot of chapters done on yellow pads but having a hard time putting them on the computer. I think I’m just exhausted from daily social media - a tale told by an idiot, lol. This has been enlightening. Now I will go and have a good, long cry and get back to basics. Clackety-clack!

@Coasterdude02149

2 жыл бұрын

@@cutzymccall7675 I know exactly how you feel. I'm in the same boat. 2 novels stalled out- I'm going to cancel my IG account and see what happens. I'm not on FB any longe, I quit one that 5 or 6 years ago because it was getting in the way and depressing me and keeping me from writing.

@trevorfranks69

2 жыл бұрын

Back then I joined like a lot of writing groups on different platforms, just trying to look up daily info and see how everyone's promoting their work, but I ended up doing nothing and completely lost instead of just finishing my stuff. Never again.

@mjl1966y

2 жыл бұрын

I bailed out of both Twitter and FB several years ago. In that time, I have written six novels. My only online presense is are my Amazon/Goodreads pages and a very modest website. I noticed right away (within months) that I was getting sucked into a vortex of worrying about likes, clicks, and was generally anxious because I didn't have followers -- all that jazz. Realized I wasn't writing as much and bailed out completely.

@satansjihad6353

2 жыл бұрын

Damn, you got me thinking if I should stay on social media.

I find it‘s illogical how most people judge value of an artist through number of followers that artist has on social media.

@lovewillwinnn

3 жыл бұрын

People are judges anyway. Notice your “value” is assessed right away when you meet people? “What do you do for work?” As if your value as a human being is gauged somehow by your income. Or even what opportunity has been afforded you in your lifetime. We are all valuable people regardless of job or talents.

@HTMangaka

2 жыл бұрын

Hayao Miyazaki, one of the greatest artist/animators on earth.....has exactly zero social media followers. He's not the only legend, either. =P

@AntonioSilva-hn5xv

2 жыл бұрын

It is highly illogical. We should judge value of an artist through the art they produce.

@alvianowar5993

2 жыл бұрын

@@HTMangaka the guy has nearly 400k followers on insta what the heck u be talking mate.

@HTMangaka

2 жыл бұрын

@@alvianowar5993 lol. I'd say you had a point if that was really him .XD Still, you had me going for a second. =P

This is why I do what they call "post and ghost". I make my art whenever I feel like it, post it on the couple social media accounts I have, then leave. Rinse and repeat. It's better than quitting entirely but it lets me not have to worry about staying engaged and appeasing the algorithm.

@JackieBaisa

2 жыл бұрын

That's how I do it too. It still keeps your work out there, but you can back out and not engage much (or only when YOU want to).

@skiphoffenflaven8004

2 жыл бұрын

But that still keeps it a LOOK@MEdia phenomenon, an aspect of the culture of narcissism we find ourselves in today.

@spitefulworld

2 жыл бұрын

@@skiphoffenflaven8004 Not true. The culture of narcissism was around far before social media.

@schechter01

2 жыл бұрын

@@spitefulworld That's right. The historian & cultural critic, Christopher Lasch, wrote a whole book about the culture of narcissism. Are you familiar with it?

@spitefulworld

2 жыл бұрын

@@schechter01 I'm not. What's the details?

As a musician it's been so difficult to keep up with social media, compose, produce, rehearse, AND work a day job to support myself. I think we would all be happier without social media. It's like a constant blow to confidence and creativity and feels like an episode of The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror.

I quit while my accounts were growing for three reasons, 1. I had more people stealing my art then commissioning it. 2. The hundreds of DMs from people wanting me to work for them for free/cheap. 3. I was becoming more interested in growing my account then my actual work. I’ve never made a dime from social media sales in two years....it was pointless for me. Glad people liked what I was doing, but can’t pay bills serving as a free designer and with hearts and likes. Best decision ever for me to get back to doing what I love, free from distraction.

@SrijahNair

3 жыл бұрын

Hi this is helpful but how do you go about getting commissions and stuff

@galaxyrider9599

3 жыл бұрын

Where do you get your sales from then?

@Chloe2000mm

2 жыл бұрын

Regarding sales, I was on instagram for five years. I have sold art during that time on a regular basis. Not one sale came through instagram. It was all through in-person events, showing work in stores and galleries and in-person networking.

@lianlawrence5671

2 жыл бұрын

you all prolly dont give a shit but does someone know a method to get back into an Instagram account?? I somehow lost the account password. I would love any tricks you can offer me!

@bigdonut1140

2 жыл бұрын

@@lianlawrence5671 you lost the email and the email's recovery email too ?

I think the "magic" of being an artist has been lost. Flicking through sketchbooks, seeing canvases in real life, feeling the aura of an artistic person- all of that has a life and soul, that doesn't fit into a square insta posting. Thank you for your thoughts, they are highly appreciated!

@NatureSketchbook

3 жыл бұрын

That's very true. I still get that sense from some videos here on KZread, when artists show their sketchbooks, or share how they work. But you're right it's really hard to grasp in a social media feed.

@myu5519

2 жыл бұрын

I kind of agree. Sometimes when I look at others’ work on IG, the sketchbooks are too perfect. I see sketchbooks as a way to experiment with mediums and techniques, a finished piece for me should be separate from that.

@g.walter1653

2 жыл бұрын

Totally Agree.

@raol635

2 жыл бұрын

Also Social media made people begging for likes and views. Becoming without dignity.

@TenTenJ

2 жыл бұрын

I agree! It has trivialized every good piece of creativity!

I quit a job at a studio and went freelancer so I could get better payments and more freedom. Social media is a far worse boss than the ones I had before. You can't negotiate, you have to produce like a machine and taking a week off is punished. Keep in mind this is just the promoting your work part, you still have to do your main work to be able to pay your bills. And at the end of the day you have to compete with girls dancing, cute animals and food.

@NatureSketchbook

2 жыл бұрын

Well said, thank you.

@707kuma3

2 жыл бұрын

Sorry I dont agree with one thing, food is art too. Beautiful plating requires artistic value. And food carving is not easy either. And sugar pulling is like making edible arts. I love both cooking and painting.

@RealDevastatia

4 ай бұрын

So don't promote your social media channels. Use them to drive traffic to your own website. If you're not seeking a paying career as a social media influencer, then the goal isn't to promote your social media presence. The goal is to promote your actual product or service.

As a person who is just trying to make a living doing what she loves (art), social media is so draining. At times, it feels like the only way I can find work and all. But here's the kicker - I hate social media. I hate that I have to appease an algorithm. I hate that I have to post to Instagram stories as micro-content to generate more reach. I spend so much time on social media and trying to crack the code just to find work. It's annoying that the algorithm changes constantly. First it was okay to use 30 hashtags, but now suddenly you might get marked for spam if you use all 30 and your reach is limited. It feels like it's never-ending. I took a break from social media for about 3-4 months and I felt so relaxed. I enjoyed art. I was creating it for myself, not for a trend. But I wound up going back to it, head held high, just "knowing" things were going to be different this time. I am 2 weeks in and I am just exhausted. At this rate, I'm considering going back to school to work in a creative field that doesn't require me to use social media. I know I'm late to the party, but I wanna say that what you say in your video is very true. You were very well spoken and I agree with you. I hope you and your art are thriving.

@AndyB1286

2 жыл бұрын

If you're late to the party, then so am I. Keep figuring out what works for you, because you're not alone.

@kidjiujitsu

Жыл бұрын

Great post validating the video. I enjoyed reading it. I hope you crack that algorithm or find some peace by getting off social media. I just recently got off. I feel so good.

@tehritzyllama

Жыл бұрын

you really need to hit your local community first and foremost. I've found being able to connect with someone and deliver art to them directly builds a client and fan, not just a customer

@nunyabusiness164

10 ай бұрын

Social media isn't the only way - in person connections, going to local art events, blogging, building a website and email list... these can all produce results without so much unnecessary anguish.

@hannumfineart

3 ай бұрын

Hello my friend ! I just eanted to let you know that social media is not the only/best way to sell art. As a matter of fact, 98% of all my sales are from means other then social media. I wouldnt totally ditch social media but dont ever rely or waste too much time with it. Be involved in your community and realize you are probably around way more people then you think...they are potential customers🙂 have a wonderful day !

I havent watched the video but I'm going to guess a few reasons. 1. algorithm 2. creatively draining 3. original work doesn't get any attention 4. its pay to be viewed 5. art work is meant to be looked at longer than 1.5 seconds 6. it feels like a competition with no reward 7. want to create for more than likes and comments Let's see how I do, and let me also say, all of these, and more and 100% valid reasons to abandon IG as an artist. I left IG a year and a half ago, and it's been amazing for my creativity

@Ximonic

2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely agree. I do digital paintings and have found the passion again after being mostly absent from FB and IG for a couple of years. I can say the same for photography too. It's much more fulfilling to photograph for Wikipedia (for example) than just for Instagram feeds. Even if the photo was the same, the reward is better in Wikipedia, knowing that a great photograph goes to a real good and educational use for years to come.

@therealmegabros

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, all of these.

@droldn

2 жыл бұрын

This is WHY I just work on my passion for my website & accounts I pay for.

@eduardochavacano

2 жыл бұрын

Sad, how from being an artist, they just make videos moaning about social media and yet sound like they are so in love with social media for the likes and views that the video generates, ironic.

@elijahyourdad3937

2 жыл бұрын

@@eduardochavacano I don’t see the irony here. If you’re a drunky, you love alcohol and you know it’s a bad thing to get drunk all the time. Same thing here. You couldn’t understand this simple logic, go back to high school and stop writing hilarious comments and think you’re so smart.

I am an artist who hates social media but looking around me and seeing my friend-artists getting popular makes me convence myself that this is what I should be doing and ignoring the fact that I get anxious every time I post because it makes my judge my own art according to how many people liked and commented on it. Sometimes I’d be very excited about a piece of art that I did, and actually my feelings about it change after posting it and not getting the attention I thought it would get. It’s basically killing my creativity and I know it but I’m doing it because other people are doing it and I don’t see any other way

As a 63yr old artist, it is really heartening to hear a younger artist speak about developing concentration skills in order to deepen ones artistic development. I suppose the 147 thumbs down are people who disagree with this idea, but clearly so many others feel resonance with the idea that social media, though perhaps broadening our reach, also takes away an important aspect of development in the quest for individual artistic expression, or any expression for that matter. Maybe this high tech driven lifestyle we've been thrown into, is a moment of experimentation? I think it would do us good to go back to that feeling of discomfort that comes when the mind is not able to distract itself every millisecond of every moment. If we were not able to distract ourselves, what would happen if instead, we re-invested in feeling, allow it to be, and then, allow it to lead our artistic hearts to a more authentic creative experience. ??

@RealDevastatia

4 ай бұрын

The thumbs down may have nothing to do with whether those people agreed with the video. They may have simply found the subject uninteresting or inapplicable to their situation, assuming they even watched the whole video in the first place.

@dancewomyn1

4 ай бұрын

@@RealDevastatia ...You may be right. That said, thumbs up or down has an impact on the channel unfortunately. Sad that our worth is determined by either of them.

I went to an art university and this video reminded me of that one course that was focused on marketing and "creating a brand" as an artist. I remember our professor was visibly irritated with me when I went against her opinion and claimed that I don't think social media will be beneficial for me as an artist. Basically her outlook was that I can't succeed as an artist without a social media presence on at least three platforms. LOL! You explain here really well why this isn't sustainable. A clothing designer told me it can take an entire day for her to create a post, that it's exhausting and takes valuable time away from her actual work!

You mention how seeing likes realeases dopamine, but you don’t mention how NOT seeing ANY likes on a pice you worked hours and hours on, and were really proud to post, releases some sort of depression chemical... cuz oh boy, it sure does. That has been my biggest issue, and it’s nearly gotten me to quit art.

@NatureSketchbook

3 жыл бұрын

I'm sorry to hear that. Probably all artists know that crushing feeling when your work doesn't get likes and you feel that you did it for nothing. Another example how social media warps reality. I hope you will continue to make your art!

@SKCothrenArt

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you spoke up on the opposite side of the issue. So true. I hope you are finding a way to make art that keeps your dream/ your spark alive!

@veronicaspages

2 жыл бұрын

I can relate Sarah. I’ve been struggling lately with creative focus. This video popped up on my feed and it definitely gave me a bit of an ah-ha. 1. Too much time spent online has got to be the #1 reason for the decline in drive. #2. Seeing other artists can sometimes make me feel less than. Here’s the truth though, we all are enough. Good enough and talented enough. Never give up Sarah, do it for the pure joy of creating something share it with those who love you and ask them to help promote you. We all have to learn to get out of our own way, I’m for sure in the thick of that myself. Sending you love and light and a blank canvas to fill🎨 if painting is your art medium? 😅 no matter your art jam, keep on going forward! 💖

@TheJacklwilliams

2 жыл бұрын

I'll add, I quit social media, 8 years ago. I primarily use youtube as a teaching method for tech and it's amazing how much material is out there. Equally for music. However, I've learned over the years, nothing replaces real face to face connection with people. Cultivating real relationships yields incredible returns. Whether that be art, business, or personal. Don't quit, don't give up, keep giving your gift.

@luc0

2 жыл бұрын

If it helps, I really value underrated works, It has some genuine touch. 99% of people with a lot of followers/likes lost their essence.

I completely get where you're coming from, I do think social media impacts artists creativity in ways people might not even realise. Personally I posted art on social media ever since I started high school and after a few years I realised my relationship to my art was actually changing. Instead of being excited to create something new I put pressure on myself to follow what was the 'right' way to market your art online. Instead of growing my skillset, I suddenly had a deadline to post something new every week to keep up engagement, and to post something everyone would like and something that would be popular, so I had to keep up with what was popular, keep on top of new trends and memes and contests that artists were taking part in so I could get some views too... After a while I lost connection with what I actually wanted to draw and just drew what I thought other people wanted me to draw. Of course you're not actually "forced" to upload art online in this way, but it's what people are doing, so you get caught up in it. Some people make it work for them. It just stressed me out, I couldn't. These days, I'm starting to finally realise what kind of art I actually like to make, what's actually natural for me to make. If I start posting online full time again, I want to create art in the way that works for me. I'll let social media just be one part of it, not the whole picture. Great video :)

@NatureSketchbook

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your perspective! I had very similar things happen to me when I was active on these platforms, so I understand what you mean. You're pushed towards making art for the algorithm, not for yourself. Great that you realized this and can now share your work in a way that makes sense to you! All the best. 🌿😊

@MsSavyy

3 жыл бұрын

I feel the same. I changed my ig though in a way that I’m just not posting, and maybe I will hire someone to run my Instagram acc for me because it’s killing my artistic vibe.

@ultraozy4085

2 жыл бұрын

this is exactly what ive been going through i looked at my art work and realised im not making what i like anymore but im actually making what i think people will like, or what i think clients and big companies will like

@RubykonCubes3668

2 жыл бұрын

I 100% agree with what you said here! I also realised how much my productivity quota changed ever since I started to get too invested in social media and overthink the fact that I just HAVE to post. That or else ppl wouldn't interact or/and just leave altogether. And once I realised, I started to post less on purpose, because 1) I got demotivated and 2) I decided to put quality of post > quantity. All this keeping up with the algorithm, post routinely thing just couldn't cut it for me and I ended up artistically drained at some point. Because I would feel my content isn't substantial or consistent enough to be given attention to. Now, I post at all only if I have made a series of illustrations or a back up of several updates for a project for example, since I can schedule them. If not, I just try to stay away from socials as much as I can and be productive. On a side note, the lack of interaction I have in general prompted me to not gateway ppl with "don't comment if you don't like!1!!". Yes ig I am that desperate. But if I see that someone doesn't like my wor, at least I know my work makes them feel something. And honestly? I'd rather have this than nothing at all. Wow, went on quite the tangent there. Good day, anyone who read this. 🍨

@feliciachandra-3713

2 жыл бұрын

this hit so hard. I feel you bro.. and the fact that if artist don't please to the algorithms (post frequently, visiting instagram frequently, liking someone's art, etc"), their art account will get buried out. but by pleasing the algorithms makes us artists vulnerable to sudden happy emotions that we get from likes, and it only pushed us to make more 'art' without actually accounting into the quality, the time we spent on the drawing, and the fact that if we're actually drawing the piece because we want it not because of being afraid to the algorithms. It's a hell hole on the social media. But I'm agree with you. Let social media be a part of it, not the whole picture. We artist control our hand only with our creative mind, and not by the control of social media.

with the upcoming metaverse this topic gets to a new level of insanity! all you creative souls, claim back your power and thrive on a personal dimension! our physical world needs your beauty more than ever

@SeeSawMassacre

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you.

@43cassy

9 ай бұрын

❤❤

@RealDevastatia

4 ай бұрын

Two years later, Zuckerberg's Metaverse is dead in the water.

I quit all social media 4 years ago besides YT, Reddit & Discord (For learning / Viewing art projects) … I am much happier & mentally/emotionally healthier. It’s amazing the value you gain from cutting out all the venomous ignorance & toxic behaviors. 🙏

When you put your art up on social media, people look at it for like 3 seconds and then decide to maybe like it, maybe comment on it, but then they just scroll away and it's completely forgotten. I had remade Twitter and Instagram to participate in inktober, but when I realized that's how it was, I just deleted my accounts again. I spent maybe a week on there. I quit for good and I'm never looking back.

@DEADEYESTUDIO

3 жыл бұрын

yeah and i hate how social media is designed in a way to make you only want to look at something for a few seconds. i've followed some artists that have great paintings that i only look at for a few seconds....yet before social media i'd probably spend a fewminutes admiring a painting in a museum. it's like social media conditions us to want to keep scrolling, and not take a moment to actually admire something.

@allanredhill8682

2 жыл бұрын

@@ralphlowrey yes social media can be helpful but its very rare that you get jobs or opportunities because of your insta acc for example. You need to properly promote yourself, connect at events, build a portfolio etc. There are tons of professionally working artists in the industry that dont even have social media and they dont need it. Its just ego jerking, you wont get much out of it - instead of trying to please algorythms, work on a proper portfolio and connections instead.

Hey everyone, thank you for all of your replies and comments. I'm glad the video is still circulating, and that more artists are discovering they don't need social media to succeed. 💚 I'd like to know from you: should I make an update video on this topic after one year without social media? What would you like to know or ask me? Leave your questions or thoughts below!

@sunny8254

3 жыл бұрын

Yes please make an update! I'd love to know how many followers you had when you deleted your account? I am facing a loss of 8k if I choose to pull the plug, so I would love you to slap some sense into me and give me a push to still do it.

@NatureSketchbook

3 жыл бұрын

Good question, I will definitely include this! Thanks! 😊

@inkythinker

3 жыл бұрын

I have artist friends who aren't even open minded to quitting because their college teacher told them to be on social media, and because of peer pressure. If I even say anything against it I get looks like something is wrong with ME - its cult-like... and pretty sad. The irony is that the majority of the truly successful artists I know personally or know -of ... have never, ever been on social media nor would they! Definitely open to hearing any more you would want to say, you did such a great job of articulating what I was feeling as well but couldn't say! Bless you Julia, awesome job - on both your artwork and your willingness to speak.

@inkythinker

3 жыл бұрын

Oh one more thing are you open to being linked to? I would like to, at some point link to this video - full credit to you, but I go by a completely different name.. just wanted to ask, thank you Julia...

@magpie_mel

3 жыл бұрын

I had to keep pausing your video to scribble down some wonderful quotes! lol I'm so glad I found this...and found another voice who's speaking up about what has seemed so obvious to me for a long time. I'm a writer -- an independently published author -- and i totally swallowed the lie that I HAD to have a social media presence to market my work. Then I realized it was utter nonsense and I was spending more time thinking about what I should be posting and less about my writing...which, if I'm not writing books, I have nothing to sell to this supposed audience who - no, was not where the majority of my sales were actually coming from! LOVE this topic...could blather on for ages about it, but will spare you that! Would love an update on how things are for you and the benefits you've noticed. ps. I especially loved what you said about the social media platforms and the algorithms being the new gatekeeper -- YES!! SO why would an indie creative want to be beholden to the very thing we are determined to circumvent?!?! Brilliant!!

I've had a significant decrease in creativity and even wanting to to anything. I thought it was because I'm getting older but since hearing your experience maybe age isn't the culprit. Thank you for bringing all this to my attention. I'll give it a lot of thought.

You're right about having to become a one-person media company. I'm very fortunate that my aim was to teach the world guitar so when my reach got bigger I saw it as progress in my goal. But if I were just writing songs and creating all day I could see how always keeping up with social media (especially the often dreaded comment section), I'd be way behind in the creative pursuit. Thanks for this awesome message/video.

@brendanoneil3489

2 жыл бұрын

'dreaded comments' , get out of here. ..comments disabled, happy days.

@fullclipaudio

2 жыл бұрын

I watch your channel - I love your content!!!!

@circadiancircus

2 жыл бұрын

Yep, I used social media because I wanted to get my music out, but in keeping social media current and starting in the know on things, I ended up not having time to work on my music. By the time I got stuff recorded people forgot that they cared.

@fullclipaudio

2 жыл бұрын

@@circadiancircus It isn't easy being a one-man-band. That said, my recording studio would have been a failure had I to set it up everytime I had to do work. Frankly, it would have been impossible. I have a corner of my home permanently set up for music recording, I have a place setup for podcasting and I have a place setup for video production both live and recording. I am a very technical person with work as a producer, technical director and systems engineer. I constantly think about how to make things easier and idiot proof. For example, if I feel like ranting on Facebook live then I have OBS Studio (free), Bandcamp Sonar (free), with templates all setup with b rolls, microphones, ducking, graphics, etc. All I have to do is put on a clean shirt and press two buttons and I'm live on a great looking set with all my amplifiers as a backdrop. Don't give up - it is possible.

@peterphooko1441

2 жыл бұрын

Hey Mike G love your channel!!

OMG THIS IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. I'm just a machine to these people!! Thank you Julia, you may have saved a life!

@fangtooth4471

2 жыл бұрын

I mean your a machine to whoever hires you, technically. Just get past that mindset and enjoy the process. If you don’t, find a way that does. All the best :::)

This is a breath of fresh air. I've been trying to step out of my comfort zone by posting art on Twitter and Instagram this year, but it's VERY uncomfortable and I don't like what comes with it. It's toxic, and devalues your work by diverting the focus of your work's integrity to gathering"likes" and "followers". I don't like it. It's not what art is about. Art is not about getting as many people to like you and your work as possible. Art is there to challenge perspective and encourage thoughts of self reflection and possibly consider thoughts beyond your immediate perception. I think art on social media focuses too much on trends, and as an artist, it puts the power in the viewer and not the artist themselves. At least that's my take... It got me judging my art too much and I just hated it. Very toxic.. I have been told I need to use social media for art if I want to be successful, but god I don't like that. I have a website, look at that instead. I don't need to sacrifice my artistic rights and rights and integrity of my own work in order to somehow one day dream of becoming famous or "getting discovered". I don't like it. You are absolutely right about how social media affects your brain... It's toxic to it's core, and you're constantly being lambasted and analyzed for marketing for companies... It feels like we are science experiments for capitalism. All the while conditioned to value your art based on interactions you receive online. Noooo thank you!

@littlestbroccoli

2 жыл бұрын

"It feels like we are science experiments for capitalism." Very much so. In fact many of us were, as Facebook famously experimented on sad or gloomy posters to see if they got "worse" when their feed only contained the gloomy posts of others (in addition to the leaks of their analysis of the harm they cause). I was convinced Facebook would be shut down in 2009 when their illegal, non-consensual experiments were revealed, but people didn't bat an eye. Today, teenagers know to stay off IG if they have mental health issues, body image issues, etc. It's a given. In our time, we were the guinea pigs who helped determine that this stuff damages people's brains. You can't take that back or erase that.

@AeonSaturnal

2 жыл бұрын

Yes.

Social media has proven itself to be a cancer upon Humanity. Everything you said is something I've gone through on a much smaller scale

You're completely on point about social media fragmenting the ability to concentrate. At uni we called it getting in to the 'zone'. When you were in the zone time flew and much work was accomplished. By exam time 3 hours could have passed without a break. The ability to get into the zone effortlessly and enthusiastically needs to be guarded. If it's a choice between social media or the zone, it's social media that has to go.

@brigidsgrove

2 жыл бұрын

Such a good point! I often complain about feeling fragmented/pulled too many directions. Then, I decided to take a social media break this month for ten days and I feel like I'm coming out of a trance--my brain feels like it is being restored to wholeness, defragmenting, and coming back "online" to my *own life.*

@beyondher

Жыл бұрын

Great comment

I am 48 days into my no social media journey. It took me 6 months to review my habits and identify that not one thing of value ever came from it. All of my success has come from real relationships that I have built over years and years. All of my successful actual friends know of my talents and expertise. This is how I’ve always done my business though direct personal communication and reinforcing them through hard honest authentic work. The majority of these high level creative figure heads have all responded in the same way .. “we’ve never hired nor discovered any of our creatives through social media”. I can already feel the sense of anxiety leave my life especially in today’s time of chaos and uncertainty. Thank you for this video. Cheers

@NatureSketchbook

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your story! I think hard work, expertise and personal connections will always be a better way to connect with other people in the industry than social media. Great you came to realize all of this and took action. All the best for your creative career!

@valedro

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this! I want to quit social media, but I was worried that I then wouldn’t get clients. I’ve heard many times how easy it is for people to find creatives on social media and to buy from them. It’s a relief to hear that there are other ways to do business! :)

I noticed that I was becoming obsessed with the numbers rather than my own art. I'm passionate about my art still but, I started comparing myself to other artists and other people that I know irl with a bigger follower count than me. I felt like I was putting so much time and effort into my posts compared to other people and that is never a great way of thinking.

@NatureSketchbook

3 жыл бұрын

That's very true! The numbers don't say anything about your art or you as a person.

@tiyanawilliams5070

2 жыл бұрын

Exactly! I'm glad that you are honest because ditto. Made me bitter smh.

Thanks! I just deleted my instagram art account. This video was the last push I needed to finally do it. Instagram had warped my relationship with art, making me hate my creations cause they weren't what most people wanted. What hurt the most was how much more attention and success I could get for pictures of my body than of my art which I worked so hard on. I only clung to the social media which gave me so much pain because I was told as an artist there would be no other way to success in today's society. A weight has been lifted from my shoulders!

@nunyabusiness164

10 ай бұрын

RIGHT!!! Pictures of me always did better than pictures of my art. I guess because instagram loves a skinny white girl... I hate it

Writers have to have an "author platform" before a traditional publisher will even look at them. I have no interest in social media (other than youtube which I do enjoy). Gone are the days when an artist could be an eccentric recluse happily locked away in their studio making art. Now we are also expected to be a "social media influencer with thousands of loyal fans who already know and consume my content . We have to know about a lot of things we don't care about at all., but because we care about the art we learn to package and promote ourselves when all we want to do is create.

@shotthebreeze9370

2 жыл бұрын

Well stated! We need to bring those days back!

@PhysiqueWildCard

Ай бұрын

Damn am I an eccentric recluse 😬

Thank you for this. As a writer, I am acutely aware that social media is content creation for someone else. I would be giving away my intellectual property for free. After listening to your video, I stopped my blog posts from feeding to several social media platforms. I think social media waters down our message and ability to build a business. KZread and Pinterest see their companies as search engines, not social media. I am okay with those platforms, but not much else. Thanks again and good luck in your endeavors.

@NatureSketchbook

4 жыл бұрын

Glad to hear you've come to the same conclusion, Donna. I sort of agree about KZread and Pinterest, partly because I never experienced the same addictive pull towards these platforms, and as you said because they're searchable. KZread still has some questionable aspects, but for now I'll continue to use it. All the best for you and your writing!

@DonnaLLong

3 жыл бұрын

@EmptyNesterAmy I haven't use social media all year. I am less harried, more peaceful, and more focused on my writing. Enjoy the peace.

@nocturnalnikkole3448

2 жыл бұрын

That was the biggest revelation for me how our arts on those platforms can be used/taken by them. I felt a sense of getting my creativity back fully when I deleted IG for good last month no regrets. I Posted on IG story: Thanks for the 4 years together but I'll be leaving due to my new life schedule short and sweet. I think the biggest thing that made me say goodbye too was I was feeling super drained and there were some extra drama in the Ig art community I didn't want to get involved in. The pros were that my art style improved a bit from drawing everyday and I observed and learned some brand new techniques. I tried to support other people art accounts however the cons were I could feel and see that there was some people who were in secret competition with me. Also certain weird people were in my Dms lying about having serious diseases because they wanted free pics drawn. However Now I'm getting so much more done since I've been off IG and I have so many more ideas that have swarmed in my head. I at first was hesitant to leave but then I thought of a very popular talented artist that left IG a year ago and I seen that after they left no one eventually cared and mentioned them or their work at all. Also there was an Inktober art theft scandal last year that really put a nail in the coffin for that place for me. I'm less stressed because I don't have to rush drawing everyday for the algorithm but I can take my time creating.😁

@DonnaLLong

2 жыл бұрын

@@nocturnalnikkole3448 - Glad you are busy creating beauty in the world.

@nocturnalnikkole3448

2 жыл бұрын

@@DonnaLLong Thanks 😊🙏 Likewise! I'm happy to hear that You all are regaining your Peace and more focused on your creativity too.

Wow - not that the content people post is shallow, but that there's so much that "we can only treat it in a shallow way.". Spot on!!

For me the killer of my art was seeing all of these artists who flourished and gained followings despite less work than I was putting toward my art. I became jaded and disappointed in my own achievements. Art is stressful now.

I agree. As a musician I have a hard time focusing on just living and finding what moves me to create when the concept of constantly documenting it seems so neccessary. I also feel I make a better impression in person and have a hard time being natural in photos and video. You really opened my eyes to the fact that this will make art even harder to sell or place value on. We are in a way working for the tech companies for free and giving up our most valuable contribution to society... for likes.

Thank you for this, social media has destroyed my confidence as an artist. I've been on social media trying to promote my art since 2015 and it's pretty much gotten no where and I have far less engagement with my art that take years or months for a single piece then what someone eats for dinner or their cat. It's maddening and confidence crushing

@NatureSketchbook

3 жыл бұрын

I know, it could in fact be a strategic move to get a pet and put it on the artwork to get reactions. 😉 But seriously, try to step away for a while from social media, see what other ways you can take to get to your goals, and work on your portfolio. That's time much better spent than on social media, and the feeling of inadequacy will fade. All the best!

@sleonard6

3 жыл бұрын

@@NatureSketchbook Thank you for your kind words and insight, you gained a new subscriber! :)

@sosaysthelegend

2 жыл бұрын

People, by and large, are low-effort content consuming dopes.

@RubykonCubes3668

2 жыл бұрын

I so agree!

@carolel4025

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, That was my experience, too. The more superficial, sexy, fast, pouting lips and filtered fake poses got thousands of likes. My hours of art got from 10 to 250. Unless I advertised. Complete time drain

Good points! That's basicly why I quit Instagram, too. First, it felt good, the positive response, the likes and the nice comments... but, after a while it was pressure. Pressure I put myself on, to constantly put new content, for new likes, new followers and maybe a chance to catch the attention of someone who was really interested in my type of art. But as you said, you spend so much time for an artwork, but you can never do enough, there are so many others who are getting so much more attention for a few simple pencil strokes they are posting every day... How to compete with this? For me it was impossible and I got more and more frustrated. So at one point I knew I had to quit. To save me, my inspiration, my love for drawing. And it was the right decision! Now I feel free again and I take whatever time it needs to draw a new artwork. For me, this type of social media is a trap. I don't think this unhuman algorithms are good for people! We are not machines, but they are treating us like robots. They are sucking out peoples creativity, passion, talent, time... for nothing. When the negative overrates the positive, it is time to go.

I can totally relate. I'm a filmmaker and I went from promoting my films all over social media to posting videos about trivial subject matter. I feel like I'm an empty shell of what I used to be. Good luck with your future endeavors. Stay strong and don't let the world weigh you down with their hate.

I came across your channel at the perfect time. I have been crying for two weeks because I’ve spent so much time trying to promote my art on social media that I am miserable. I spent 10% of my time doing what I love, 90% of my time doing what I detest. I hate marketing, I hate posting, I hate making promotional videos, yet that is what I spent most of my time doing and it has led to poverty. At no point has it led to any kind of windfall of art jobs. At the same time, people are so used to getting art for free, they are a palled when you actually want to charge them for your services. I can’t tell you how many people contact me today asking for favors. I wouldn’t call my accountant and ask for favors, but somehow because you’re an artist and creator, you should just give away what you work so hard for for free. Well my utility company doesn’t care about my charity work. I have created a life of depression rather than just getting out there and making personal connections in my local community to promote my art through relationships. Thank you for your KZread video. It really helps me have a lot of clarity about what I will be doing in the future.

I love your perspective about artists creating content for the company’s benefit - that really resonated with me. I felt like I was just generating content instead of actually advancing in my field of interest. Then I thought - all this effort, and what do I have to show for it in the real world? Absolutely nothing. It was also upsetting to feel as though pieces that were actually meaningful to me, were not receiving genuine recognition from others. As an artist, you want to know that people are actually seeing and taking time to reflect and understand your creation, not mindlessly and passively consuming it without consideration. I’ve tried to leave IG so many times but I think (or hope) this time is the last. It’s encouraging now to see others are finally coming to the same realization of how harmful it is.

@NatureSketchbook

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing this. I completely agree, particularly the effect you describe about making things that mean something to you that don't get genuine reactions - or none at all. In the end, social media is just a vanity time sink. All the best with leaving this time - just delete the account, you won't regret it! 🌿👍

All these social media feel like a playground for teens and a distraction, honestly. It's great if you just want to connect and talk with people (and I like to look at other's drawings much longer than only a few seconds) but it's so confusing if you try to follow all these trends, contests, dtiys ect... the process of gaining some recognition feels too overwhelming. I feel like I should quit too (or at least just ignore all these likes, hearts and followings). Maybe it's too much for my brain to comprehend. And with this rising pressure I can't truly draw for fun.

When I caved to the belief that I had to put my energy into social media in order to be "a REAL writer," my writing was the first thing to suffer. I felt discombobulated, insecure and depressed the whole time. Once I deleted my accounts (save for this one), I was suddenly making leaps creatively, producing loads of work, and experiencing far less blocks -- I was only focusing on the writing and not on how strangers would judge it. It felt like a return to youth, because until my late 20's, the world just wasn't like this. Still, at times, I get a rush of "wow, I feel like I'm 19!" and it all just goes back to the fact that I'm in the flow, creating from the heart, living un-self-consciously, and existing in a physical, tangible world filled with nuance and detail that engages all of my senses! It's the fountain of youth! Plus, side-note: I'm a MUCH better mother without social media, too, wow. Also, favorite quote from your video: "Not only do I not want to spend time there, but I don't want to make OTHER people spend time there"

@NatureSketchbook

2 жыл бұрын

That sounds really good and I wish you many distraction-free writing hours in the future! Thank you for sharing your experience. :-)

the problem is that without social media, people like me, poor without diploma and from 3rd country has no chance. Art was always something for the elite, still kinda is, but social media gave us some hope.

I think the only real danger of social media is when people use it to measure their self-worth or the worth of their art. That's when it really starts to control you. You use KZread to connect with people and communicate with people and share ideas with people, and I think same is possible with Instagram or Facebook or whatever. Social media doesn't have to be solely for "marketing" and producing content to appease others. When you start doing things just for others and focusing on others, that is the problem. Art that is has true meaning should ultimately be for yourself. If you start to get away from yourself, that is when you need to rethink how you use social media. I have no smartphone, but I have 3 Instagram accounts that I upload to occasionally. It's not about marketing (I have not even earned $0.01 from my photography), it's just about presentation and connection. When it comes to presentation and connecting with others, I'd much rather use an art gallery or book or something, but I still find it fun to curate and organize the pictures to display. Any thought about social media is minimal, and it comes after not before the work. I think artists just need to avoid letting social media control the direction of their work or letting it become a major part of how they present themselves. Maybe that is easier said than done.

@dida2318

3 жыл бұрын

beautifully said

@elena-buya

2 жыл бұрын

💙💙💙 I agree with it, I see my social media as a gallery of my skill progress. Sometimes I scroll to few years back and wonder how I was not afraid posting it 😅 and I'm happy that someone is actually watching my art journey. I would be doing it anyway, but at least I'm not the only one who is happy for my little victories

@ohmy9479

2 жыл бұрын

“Any thought about social media is minimal, and it comes after not before the work.” ….keep telling yourself that😉

Yes quitting is better option because it makes feel like depression , and stressful though I am only 20 but this this thing distract us from our real world and make us live in fantasy world of friends and places . It's better if we meet people face to face and talk, go out spent a good time with family and friends. Because THE TIME NEVER COMES BACK AGAIN .

As a small-time content creator I fell into that trap as well. It's hard to get a following without social media, but it's harder to focus on making quality content when you spend all of your time trying to keep up with the social media. I agree with so much of what you say here. I even had websites and some other things that I was trying to maintain to build my brand. Lots of energy and work that never amounted to much because I can't be a master of my craft if I'm being a jack of Trades with all these other platforms

Thank you for this video Julia. Apologies if this ends up a longer comment. I'm coming out of the other end of mostly quitting social media. Whilst I still have a KZread channel, Twitter and Instagram, I've totally transformed how I use them. In 2020 I moved to Japan and realized very quickly the nature of the algorithm coupled with a sudden time zone difference in my output. Now, after a bit of agonizing thinking my artwork and ideas were falling off a cliff in terms of being any good because my social media interaction itself fell off a cliff quite literally. What people don't see is that when there is a time zone difference all of a sudden, your following largely does not see you any more, you essentially disappear and the less they see you, the more you disappear and they don't often come back. KZread has proven to be the exception. The algorithms behind social media can create such ugly and unnecessary anxieties and concerns in your mind, and you begin to realize you aren't spending the time doing what you supposedly love doing. You begin to second guess the algorithm, start thinking I need to schedule stuff, start shifting what you do to try to be more appealing, and in my case, it didn't come to much. And that's pretty much when I said enough is enough. One of the reasons I moved to Japan was to rediscover the artist in me, sounds a bit whishy washy but I am (was?) a very lapsed manga artist having nearly not drawn a thing in 20 years, my old career got in the way. I came here to start thinking about producing the stories I have pent up in me, and have indeed started that with my own manga. But I found social media was poisoning what I came here to do because in the end I let it dictate how I felt about my work through the interaction it got. I admit some of it was actually not particularly good work so fair enough it didn't cause much of a stir. Some said to me I should schedule stuff, but why would I want to spend that time setting up stuff that happens in the middle of night for me, that then piles pressure on me the following day when it still doesn't register with the audience (because the disconnect has already happened). It's much better for me to get up in the morning, drink my coffee, do my kanji study, go for a skate on my skateboard, come back and do some drawing -- that's a life worth living. I do have a day job so that keeps me housed, clothed and fed so not all the pressure is on my artwork, but I do hope one day my current manga story gets published; but it can only do so if it comes from me being in a good place. But the constant stream of admittedly inspiring artwork that I saw that got massive interaction combined with the general fluff like selfies and memes that got vastly more interaction than say 2 months of my hard work really caused such a terrible feeling in myself. So I quit. I post my portfolio of stuff on Instagram only because I don't have a website, and it's somewhere for it to sit quite happily but I don't care about it any more in terms of generating feedback or interaction. Twitter I just use to announce stuff, I am also decoupling myself from using it because it distracts me. KZread, I've just gone back to documenting artwork I am actually working on that I want to do for myself. I think the move to Japan has truly highlighted so many things to me, but also the very fragile nature of presence on social media that something as simple as a time zone difference can really change things. If I was to look at the metrics of what i do, on Twitter my latest chapter got about 20 likes out of 2500 impressions, my artwork on Pixiv barely creates a single like, and instagram maybe gets somewhere around 5-10 likes per image. I admit I am not the best artist ever so fair enough, but all these numbers if listened to too intently can destroy the satisfaction and enjoyment of being an artist. These days I am focusing on building up the materials I need to submit my manga to publishers, and not working on stuff for social media interaction. Go to where you can actually further your career with concrete steps, rather than speculative forays. A key tip I have for anyone is, stop posting work in progress stuff! The sooner you can decouple your creative process from the need to show everything the better. Sorry this is incredibly long, about 20x longer than my previous longest KZread comment but your videos have very much resonated with me. Take care.

The part where 'you are creating content for free" is what has ALWAYS held me back. I saw this designer whose accessories were stolen by Zara and it made me so sad and angry for her!!!

@NatureSketchbook

3 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately many (big & small) companies get away with things like this, and even worse, some artists don't even complain, because they think it's great for "exposure" and "for their portfolio". I know it wasn't the case in this example, but all of the other "designers" who let companies take their art for free are making it more difficult for people who are trying to protect their intellectual property.

@aeoligarlic4024

2 жыл бұрын

Zara is just one big art thief company! And instagram is filled with online shops that sells goodies with other artists' art without their permission! What's worse is that the general public just bought them bc they're not aware of these things

@sonofhibbs4425

2 жыл бұрын

The big wigs have employees that scour the internet for their next big bright idea to market and cash in on. Thing is, that person who just had their idea stolen, their WORK stolen. The big company has the funds to hire legal help while they rape ‘’the little guy’’. You’re honestly just giving your good ideas up to be stolen, used and they get millions, not you.

Thank you for this honest video. I have recently quit Facebook and Twitter and am a bit ashamed at how much I'm struggling. Thanks for giving me hope!

@NatureSketchbook

4 жыл бұрын

You can do it! I struggled too in the beginning - it will pass. Just keep looking for alternatives that you love doing, eventually you will forget it more and more.

I'm not an artist, but was attempting to start a channel teaching some basics in Jazz, but I was put off by how much work it was taking to put content out there 'for free'. What really got to me is what I noticed on the current channel I'm working on (teaching high school maths) to try to qualify for monetization, and it's the fact that, although I'm only a third of the way towards monetization, as per KZread's relatively new policy change, there are ads on my videos. I didn't realize this, but only noticed when, recently, a colleague of mine wanted to see my channel, clicked on a video and an ad came up before the start of the vid. So, if anybody engages with those ads, depending on the level of engagement, KZread gets remunerated and, because I'm not monetized yet, I get nothing. So they are essentially using my content for free to place ads from which they can generate revenue, while they dangle the carrot of 'monetization', and I might ultimately have to put in several hundred hours more, just to get to the beginnings of monetization. It's almost like I'm offering them a free billboard space for advertising; but I'm spending many hours preparing that virtual billboard (the videos take hours to prepare) for KZread to place the ads onto. I'm inclined to call it immoral, but their terms are their terms and I don't have to use the platform; but it just seems unfair. This kind of thing has made me so suspicious of the lure social media success, and media platforms in general.

its so exhausting thinking about what to post, likes and comments... it’s come to the point where I procrastinate ART as if its a CHORE. that is horrible to feel because I used to love art so much more, but social media constantly crushes my confidence, creativity, and how far i’ve come in my art journey... i need to take a long break

Girl, you're making so much sense. I really needed to hear this cause I recently started posting my art after a long break and immediately started feeling that addiction you mentioned. In the end, so what if someone likes a picture, are those likes going to pay your bills? Very unlikely. Thank you for sharing this information :)

@NatureSketchbook

4 жыл бұрын

Yes, exactly!! Glad to hear you found the video helpful. All the best for your art!

@nickythomson2399

3 жыл бұрын

Yes I also needed to hear this .. it also steals time from loved ones, less communication and constant overload

Love this. I pared back my social media as an artist 98%. I no longer post process images, research or personal images. I just post a very limited number of finished works which I link to my website. I did a full rehaul of my artist website, making it a clean and beautiful way to view my works. I then delete instagram from my phone and only download it once per week, and maybe scroll and post for 20-30mins total. This is really working for me and I don't feel any pressure to post or change my art for anymore.

@NatureSketchbook

3 жыл бұрын

That sounds like you found a great way to make it work for you, Adria. You're using these platforms exactly like the companies behind it don't want you to: in a weekly, concentrated burst, in and out in under half an hour - they hate this because they don't get your attention. All the best with your art!

@adriamirabelli4332

3 жыл бұрын

@@NatureSketchbook Thank you!

After watching , re watching , I can honestly say this is one of the most freeing and inspirational videos I've ever seen on KZread. You have touched my deepest truth. Thank you.

@NatureSketchbook

2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome Stephen, and all the best!

@Brock_273

2 жыл бұрын

@@NatureSketchbook It opened up a great discussion in our house too thank you 😊

@Brock_273

2 жыл бұрын

My wife tells me you have other videos which I will watch x

This is so reassuring. Even though I try to curate my environment as much as I can, social media is very mentally consuming for me. I've slowly accepted the fact that it's ok to not be online. I learned to value my peace of mind and artistic integrity more than likes/views/follows.

It's so nice to hear your thoughts on this. For about 1.5 years I've tried to make social media work for my little shop, and I've finally had to admit that perhaps it's just not the right thing for me. I suspect that my time is better spent creating as opposed to marketing myself everywhere, so I'm doing an experiment and taking a break from Facebook and Instagram. Already I've noticed an improvement in my overall sense of well being. I sure don't miss the constant "noise" of what everyone else is doing, thinking, etc. We'll see if absence of these two platforms has any effect on my creativity.

@NatureSketchbook

4 жыл бұрын

That's great! And I'm sure better well-being will translate into more creativity, too, at least it did for me. All the best for your business, and let us know how it goes!

@sariyachone7905

4 жыл бұрын

Okay it might have affected your creativity in a positive way. But what about your shop? How are u managing it? I gotta know bcz I'm in the same situation where I feel like quitting Bt I don't feel the need bcz I'm not really bothered by it bcz I can save time if I delete it Bt I gotta promote there too. So how are u managing your shop without promoting it on ig nd fb?

Thank you for this thoughtful video. I deleted twitter and tiktok yesterday, and am taking a break from instagram and facebook. I'm a musician and think social media has massively affected my attention span and ability to do the deep work you mention. We are all brainwashed into believing we need social media if we are trying to build a business but... the return on investment often shows that it's just not worth the effort.

@natalielindi9423

3 жыл бұрын

Hey Angelina! I’m also a musician and curious as to how you are finding quitting. I have seen many musicians gain a big following online and then this translates into more Spotify plays and ticket sales. However I’ve realised how detrimental socials have been to my mental health and struggling to think of alternate ways of generating a fan base. It seems like everything is online these days especially for musicians. Would love to know your thoughts!💜

@HarpistAngelina

2 жыл бұрын

@@natalielindi9423 hey! Sorry for the late response! I’m so back and forth with social media but what I need to do a lot is delete the apps from my phone and just take a break. It can get to be wayyy to much time, effort and energy going into creating content for these apps. I have started streaming on twitch actually a couple of times per week. Literally just practising and hanging out, so it’s something I’d be doing anyway but it builds a little community and we’ll see what happens. I have dabbled with tiktok but it is way too addictive and I can’t have it on my phone. The longer I stay away from these apps the better I feel, the more I get done, the cleaner my house is and the busier I get with more worthwhile stuff.

Several years ago I quit social media. What followed was a torrent of creativity. I've made dozens of large highly original paintings with a sense of freedom I seldom attained previously. Recently I reestablished a Facebook account and have been debating quitting again. What I've found is that by putting out a sign that reads "open studio" I get real people coming in and actually sell paintings. I posted these open studio notices on social media and got zero response. The only people who showed up were the people who saw the sign. Real people wanting real art.

This is the most sensible thing I've heard in years. I've been a blogger since 2009, had a little business, but I have really burned out on it and everything you describe is exactly how I've been feeling. I have noticed that my attention levels have gone way down, my anxiety has gone through the roof, and social media is why. Thank you so much for articulating everything I've experienced.

I adore this video. I found/find social media crushing. So crushing I actually stopped painting ans sharing my art. I am trying to rekindle my love of creating without all the pressure and detrimental comparison that social media brings. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on these issues.

@shotthebreeze9370

2 жыл бұрын

Create and feed your own soul!!

I'm a photographer/videographer and was trying to sell my services through FB and Insta. Constant waste of time and money. All my clients are from real life. It turned out that after 10 years of using FB and more than 1000 friends (cos you know, more people should know that I'm a photographer) I realized to be so lonely. At the moment I have just one close friend who's not on social media. I'm going to read the books you've recommended and do my best to live my life for myself. Thank you!

@NatureSketchbook

3 жыл бұрын

Diane, I can completely understand and I sympathize. Good thing you can find your clients offline, that's a huge plus. And I hope you can find friendly people in real life to feel less lonely. 💚

@marsmotion

2 жыл бұрын

@Tom Squires sorry that field is filled with them...doh!

@crisgriffin3042

2 жыл бұрын

Figures. Selling videography on facebook is like selling a raw fish in candy store.

@magnoliasteele8284

2 жыл бұрын

@Tom Squires Marsmotion is right. You may as well go into cybersecurity so those a******s will have more difficult time to do some thieving on you.

Glad to hear others having this same experience. As soon as I quit Instagram, I had a huge surge in creativity. I could finally take the time I wanted to do work that was meaningful to me without wondering what others might think about it. Art requires inspiration and privacy, social media creates anxiety and rewards anything that can be internalized in 1-3 seconds. Another angle on this - social media rewards art that can be imitated and personality over creativity. It's like Andy Warhol on steroids. I have a friend who is wildly successful as an abstract painter. Her work is nice to look at, but frankly it is not in any way challenging, uplifting, inspiring. It's something that anyone could produce a reasonable facsimile of at a "wine and painting" party if you demonstrated the technique. She succeeds because people "get it," it makes their wall look nice, and they aspire to be successful, attractive and "liked" just like her. The painting becomes a token of the lifestyle, rather than an object of its own merit. Imagine someone like Caspar David Friedrich being an "influencer." Not possible - the work is too masterful to be imitated, it's moody and challenging without being prurient or tittilating, it requires contemplation, and there'd be nothing about his personality that could be used to sell iPhone cases or be in a "20 best" list on PopSugar or Oprah's "Super Soul Sundays." Technology has made art and culture cheap. Since the Victorian era there has always been cheap entertainment, but never before has there been so little (if any) real art. Technology has driven us off a cliff.

As a digital artist, I find it difficult to find an outlet for my creativity that channels me to those who would like to purchase my artwork. I sure wish there was a better way than the Social Media avenue. It's time consuming, frustrating, non-productive, not really a helpful way to attract people to your artwork. If ONLY there was another way to purvey my art without it, I would do it instead. Sigh.

Exactly! Many feel they "have to" have / do social media...but do we believe EVERYTHING we are told we "need" or are we Educated Consumers? WHO are the ones telling us this and is the benefit for US or for THEM? Mmm...Riddle me that Batman!

@Yotrymp

2 жыл бұрын

Just like renting a studio. You are paying rent by spending many hours dealing with social media.

I definitely resonate with what you're saying. After being on Instagram for just on year, I have seen how it has deadened my creativity - so I'm quitting. :) Thank you for your thoughts!

@NatureSketchbook

4 жыл бұрын

It took me four years to figure all this out for myself, so I think it's actually a good sign that you're quitting again so quickly. :)

This is exactly what I've going through myself as a musician. My way of framing it is to tell people that, as a creative, you need to scale down, not up. This means that you should focus on cultivating deeper relationships with clients, students, patrons, etc., instead of constructing a large but shallow array of fans or audience members. For me, the most important outcome is how meaningful and fulfilling the work is when it's for someone with whom you have a strong commitment to.

@NatureSketchbook

2 жыл бұрын

I really like your approach, thank you for your comment Peter!

I’m so glad I’m not alone in feeling like this. I was just having an anxiety attack because I feel like it’s impossible to go anywhere on social media and I’m always comparing myself to others. But you pointed out so many more reasons that I didn’t even realize were happening to me. It’s time I quit these platforms, thank you so much for sharing this video.

I quit social media over two weeks ago and life has never been better! It was a big move; especially as a musician (it's unheard of for musician's to NOT have social media in today's current climate.) I lived without social media for a couple of years, then when I released a new album, I was told by certain people I needed to have it. What a waste of my time! Now I have freed up my mind and schedule to do things without being bound by the chains of social media. I no longer feel pressured to constantly post "updates" or look at every experience in my life as a possible "post" for social media. How toxic. Thank you for reaffirming that it is not needed for creatives. Great video!

Thank you for making this video! I have been struggling with posting my art online for many years now. When I first started I was obsessed with how my work would appear on someone's feed, how many likes/comments I would get, and whether or not I would be perceived as a good artist. I have also struggled with marketing myself and for awhile I thought I would need to make merchandise (stickers, bookmarks, etc) and sell them at artist alleys. While I do think that artist alleys are very cool I just happened to put too much pressure on my "image" and was constantly comparing myself to others. And as you said, it is not fun to check social media anymore. I follow a lot of artists that I really enjoy but I can't help but feel like I can never be on their level or I am falling behind. I like to do my own thing but at the same time I wonder why I am not recognized enough and I have gotten very stressed out over it. I feel like I have spent too much time thinking about what my profile looks like, how many followers I have, what I need to make next, how the resolution/colors look on various browsers, and the list goes on. I have been drawing since I was four and before social media I was not worried about my brand or how much engagement I was getting on a piece. The engagement that I got was in real time with my family, friends, teachers, and others. I loved getting this kind of feedback and to this day I always prefer sharing my work with others in person. Anyways, I have lots of feelings about this and thanks again for your honesty. I don't feel so isolated anymore. Cheers! :)

@NatureSketchbook

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your story. I can completely relate. All the best for you and your art! :)

Thank you so much. It's so great to know that someone feels the same as I about social media. I am a recording artist/songwritter/music producer/recording engineer. When I play my music in public, people come to my car offering me money for a copy. This is because I spend most of my time on my craft, not social media. We also have to ignore other Artist who try to pressure us into social media. If that works for them, let them do it. I know God gave us a special talent to create wonderful works. And to help us he gave us good food, excercise, green grass, trees, bodies of water, and offline analogue experiences with others that fosters the great work we produce.

This helped me to really listen to how I feel about social media. I am not at all an accomplished artist but I do love to create art and photography. The social media aspect feels like a never ending race for approval and definitely feels very detrimental to being creative. Thank you for this video. I don't expect you to sign on to read this but for what its worth I am seeing more and more beautiful people with beautiful minds speak out against the harsh realities of social media and why we should not WORSHIP it.

Great video. I am an author, songwriter and photographer and have found social media has undermined my esteem as an artist and pulled me away from my creative content. I’m half way through Jaron Lanier’s book. It’s opened my eyes.

@NatureSketchbook

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you! I have experienced the same effect. Lanier's book is a great read! All the best for your art!

@Ptpop

2 жыл бұрын

@@NatureSketchbook Thank you. You too.

Very interesting points. I too have found it almost impossible to balance social media and creating things. I end up judging anything I make by the response it receives - regardless of knowing that it ultimately comes down to the algorithm and how it views the value of my account for keeping people engaged. That being said - it does help drive traffic to my business. Being entirely a digital creator - it's a necessary evil. I find the best advice I have ever heard for managing it all (when it is a necessity) is to pick 3 and stick to only those 3 social media platforms. You can't be everywhere at once. I would take it a step further and say if you can do it on just 2, or 1, that's ideal. Make yourself more exclusive. Don't chase everyone, find the right people for your art. Focus on them and don't pander to the "wrong" crowd. As always - easier said than done. But I'm trying.

@NatureSketchbook

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your perspective, very interesting! That's good advice for those who want to keep a platform or two, although I don't think being on less platforms will change the core problem. You'll look for likes and follows in the same way, as you describe. I don't believe social media is a must even if you share your work online exclusively - but of course everyone has to decide if keeping their profiles is worth it.

I have personally seen it happen in my life. I was a musician that felt like I had to keep my social media accounts up to date so that when I finish something, I wouldn't be coming out of the shadows to try to get people to buy it, and eventually I ended up on social media so much I never got to write and record any music and people stopped caring because of that. What I wanted to use to help me accomplish my goals actually became what kept me from doing it.

Glad that you returned with all this pandemic going on and leaving few places for artists to express themselves. I have joined social media in order to promote artists and creative industries as an independent journalist. Artists need to understand that it is just a communication tool which needs to be used in the right ways and small time amounts...

I quit today, I was so tired of it all, and feeling my art is not good enough. So yes, I’m done! All those reasons, I’m on the verge of quitting art, because I feel like a failure. So don’t know where I’ll go from here, but I sure as hell won’t feel like I’m not worthy,

@NatureSketchbook

3 жыл бұрын

Don't give up your art!

@Luxedrina

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, don't give it up! Don't let evil win your art over!

Quit fb at start of 2019, and it’s the best thing I’ve done in a long time. Anxiety and depression has disappeared, I’m at peace in my life with the real friends and family I see on a regular basis, and I’m making a lot of new music

@NatureSketchbook

3 жыл бұрын

Awesome, thanks so much for sharing! We need to hear more stories like this. 🌿🙂

The message in this video was spot on! So many artists, creatives, creators on KZread, for example, are putting in so much work for very little in return. The general audience is a very tough crowd (allow me to make a generalisation here) and it's hard to get engagement from them - especially channels/accounts with few followers/viewers. I've begun to think that KZread Shorts is a reference to people's "short" attention span. I have my own channel but I also consume a lot of content from other channels (several hours per day). Recently, I've found the interesting content to have dried up. There is quite a lot of bland content on the platform. The algorithm needs a lot of work. My experience so far with KZread has turned me off starting up on other platforms. I'd be interested to hear what other people think (especially those who have their own channel).

It was always difficult to get artwork viewed by people, including those who might want to purchase it. How do you suggest an artist might do that? Galleries frequently take 60% of the purchase price, while the artist pays for materials, framing, and shipping. Art fairs are not a great venue for selling original paintings because people are looking for inexpensive souvenirs. What do you suggest we do to connect with potential buyers?

Very, very, pertinent and important information! You are beyond your years!

@NatureSketchbook

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you, I hope that many people, older or younger than me, will think about this!

Thank you for making this video. It’s obvious that you’ve thought about it “deeply” and that is refreshing for me to see. In this age, I think it’s becoming less and less common for people to be as reflective as you have been, for the reasons you’ve just discussed. You stimulated a lot of thoughts with your video, but alas, this platform isn’t a good medium for in-depth two-way discussion so they’ll just have to remain inside my head. 🤔 😀 Regarding your question about whether we think social media affects creativity, I agree with you. While I don’t create to make money, it’s always been a part of who I am. Over the past several years I’ve done less and less, and only recently have I realized how much I miss it. I, too, blame it on social media and the prevalence of things that demand our attention.

@NatureSketchbook

4 жыл бұрын

Well yes it's a bit weird to post these thoughts on KZread because it tends to work like all social platforms, but I'm (honestly) thankful and glad you decided to add your thoughts here! I hope you'll find a way to reactivate your creativity. I found that taking a break from all the things that claim my attention is a good way to start.

A week ago I quit insta and quit giving my time, energy, and resources to insta followers who are used to free content. I’m glad to have found this video I quit for all the same reasons and it’s really helpful to hear this from another artist. Cause hot damn social media was literally making me mad, distracting me, taking time and energy from me and not paying for my art n time.

Thank you for this! I always felt like I was failing as an artist because I didn’t have the energy for both making art and trying to sell it online, so both were only done halfway and I never felt like I was good enough. The whole experience was disheartening, and I ended up depressed and exhausted. Since I quit social media and started actually living my life again, everything has been so much better. I had stopped making art altogether but now I’m slowly finding myself creating again. Life is much more rewarding (and less competitive) off screen!

I know this isn’t a ‘new’ video by any means, but THANK YOU. I’ve been slowly stepping away from social media and have been struggling with the decision to get off of Instagram, and thus gave me the last push I needed to do it. As you said, I want to focus on living life and the people who are in my life. Hope all is well!

Thank you for this. You have expressed many of my own observations. I think we all need to take a second look at how we are using social media.

This showed up on my feed today (I noticed that it's from 2 years ago). I very much agree with what you're saying here and have been doing something similar myself - good luck with your art!

This was emotionally helpful for me and I feel a lot less pressure now. Thank you so much for putting this out here. I have felt this mentality that social media is the only way to get noticed, but you're right, there are other ways and the anxiety of social media just sweeps you away and you forget that.

Your opinion is thought provoking. And I'm finding your comments very accurate. I've only been on Social Media about a year and am finding the same thing happening to me. It totally sucks time out of my day. A definite distraction.

Dear Julia, very clear and honest-reconnecting and slowing down is so much needed. This was posted last year. Now we are in the middle (? beginning?) of the Covid era, and the internet has taken another significance. I But social medial accounts, still, have a glass ceiling. The great hack was an eye-opening experience to me, there is a before and an after. Not that I wasn´t aware, but the extent...! It is truly unethical and sinister what these companies (people) are doing. And they are all free...Thanks again for sharing these reflections.

@NatureSketchbook

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your comment, Andrea! Very true, and to a certain extent I think social media companies are making the crisis worse - by tolerating all kinds of absurd fake news, scam healers and conspiracy theories that are put out on KZread, Facebook, on Twitter, in Whatsapp groups...bad actors are tolerated on these platforms, and stupidity, ignorance and criminal energy spreads further. There are many misled people who claim they can find some sort of "truth" on the "KZread Academy" or in Facebook groups as opposed to trusting real science. I'm glad we have the internet and all, but it's also a cesspit of misinformation, and social media isn't making it better. All the best to you!

Thank you! I stopped using social media during the first lockdown and I felt guilty (it was the worst feeling ever) because when I finally had some time to manage the posts, editing stuff, wildly self-marketing & stuff...I realized that I DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT. I felt bad, tired, empty, I wasn't learning anything new, I suffered from frequent art blocks. It's not my world, and I don't care if "it works like that now". I'm still looking for my own strategy to feel good with just a portfolio and maybe some periodical video editing of my work in progress, we'll see.

@NatureSketchbook

2 жыл бұрын

That's a good approach!

Thank you for sharing what social media does to your creativity and focus! One question I began asking myself when I posted is: “who do I think is seeing this? Who am I trying to reach?” When confronted with the reality that my well-crafted posts are not really “getting out there,” to new audiences, and they are completely buried in the feed, so the context in which they appear-as one drop in a sea of text, images, and advertising-diminishes the value I believe them to have-then I came to the conclusion that social media is not the appropriate context in which to share anything that requires thoughtful consideration or rumination. For me, any strategies employed to diminish the effects of social media on my focus and to protect my time (such as “post and ghost”) fail to acknowledge that sharing one’s creative efforts on social media diminishes their value to nearly nothing-just another bit of “content” to be consumed in the “feed.” This word conjures images of industrial livestock munching away on their manufactured kibble, which has been designed not to make the animal healthy, but to fatten it for slaughter.

You've just validated what I've been thinking all along. I write fiction. I have friends who paint and illustrate make music and are photographers I met through social media. Only two of them I will hear from via email. I've noticed when I've taken breaks from social media, I am able to focus and work on my novel. When I get back into social media, it's like y brain goes haywire and I cannot focus and get frustrated that I can't write or will only be able to write fragments of a scene. I get frustrated and depressed that I can't write any more. I think I really do need to quit the ones I am active on. The only one I use very infrequently is Pinterest to which I will look at every once in a while for writing prompts and nothing more. I will print out a few pages of writing prompts and am happy. Other than that, I agree with you, social media is killing my creativity. I need to get off them and delete my accounts. It doesn't help me, it harms me and my creativity. Thank you for saying what I feel 💜🙏🏻

I know I'm three years late with responding to this video but great stuff! 👏 Although I haven't been using Instagram and Facebook much these past few years, I'm ready to delete them both in a week from now. TikTok too! My focus is now on writing for Medium and Substack, Uploading my work on to Ko-fi and uploading video's to KZread. That's more than enough social media! I still check my stats way too often. I will work on it! Less is definitely more! I'll choose peace and tranquility over a short lived dopamine hit any day! It may take some effort to change our old habits but we can do it! The more we set some healthy boundaries and create some distance with these platforms, the healthier we will feel and the more time and space we will have to allow creativity to flow through us! It's not all bad! I'm thankful for a lot of these platforms. Some are better than others!

Thank you for taking the time to talk about this! I totally relate to everything you are saying 🙌. I feel so free being disconnected from social media.

Thank you so much for your input on this issue.. it really brought it to my attention. I didn’t realize just how distracted I was becoming and how much it was pulling me away from my artwork. It’s truly not conducive to our creativity.

Talking about how dangerous social media is, ON and using social media, is incredibly important. That’s where it will reach the audience it needs to reach. Thank you so much for this video.

I didn't quite SM (except YT), but I stopped using it, I reduced the usage to a bare minimum, I check it on my computer twice a week, but this is unsatisfying too. I'm an artist too and all of my supporters are real people with whom I get in touch via phone&mail and I sincerely enjoy the company! And the supporters grow organically. So I agree with you and I find your input so refreshing and to the point, that for me I can't overlook. I'm very grateful for your content and for the resources! I think this is the way to put content in general. I wish you and all the artists who read this all the best! Sincerely, Tanja :)

Thank you for this, Julia. You make some excellent points. I've had many of the same thoughts and truly appreciate how you lay it all out and confirm what I've been thinking. I am enjoying all of the comments as well. You got me thinking about some very successful artists whose careers I follow (through their websites, not FB or IG) and realized that they started when social media wasn't a "thing". So, social media is clearly not essential for career success. I appreciate you taking the time to post this video and the recommended book list.

Thank you so very much for this honest video. Many people in my life are addicted to SM and I have noted both the addictive tendencies, as well as the negative impact in self-worth and self-esteem. It is obvious that SM do not have the intent to support us, but rather to tear us down into data and analytics for corporate gain. The well-being of humanity does not enter into the equation. 😥

Thanks a lot for this video :) I make artworks like you but I do suffer from depression/anxiety, and the majority of the people says (also professional advisors) that it's necessary for marketing yourself as an artist but the truth is: if I don't get likes I feel down and unworthy, while other artists get a lot of them. It is harming me and I think I'm going to delete myself from Instagram. At the same time, I need to find a way to market myself without social media, and it kind of feels like I have no idea where artists market themselves outside social media! Thanks for this video. Really gaves me hope

@NatureSketchbook

3 жыл бұрын

It's good you're looking after yourself in this way. Social media doesn't make anything better, particularly Instagram can be a really bad place when you're already suffering from mental health problems. If you have a website, you could use that as a first base for your portfolio and maybe create a blog about your work. And I don't know how far in your artistic training you are, but building skills always comes before marketing. If you put out great stuff, it will be less important which marketing channels you use. And of course it's important to get good treatment - both depression and anxiety can be treated, and even if they should return it's good to know that you can do something against these mental states. Working as a professional artist with both depression and anxiety is super-hard, so it's good to take all the help you can get. All the best for you and your art, Fabio! 💚🌿

Thank you for taking the time to make and share this video! Much appreciated! I will have to think about this myself.

Thank you for the honesty, and the timing of hearing this is perfect.

This video is 17 minutes of "YESSS!" I'm glad to see that social media-deletion is spreading more and more. "Social" media is psychological poison - period.