How do you guys avoid the dreaded jealousy of your fellow artists?

I hope I'm not being too harsh, but that behavior sounds kind of...stalkerish? At the very least, it's clingy. People do and have done that to me (not on this site, of course) and it always makes me feel so uncomfortable...I wish they would stop. It's one thing to want to emulate someone, but to try to get them involved in your "becoming" is quite another.

^I would definitely do this. It might sound overly simple, but it makes sense. If you're worried you're being too heavily influenced by people you admire, just get away from them. Take more time for yourself, to foster your own creativity.

I've never felt the need to suck up to an artist I admire, but I use to feel down about my own art and feel like their skill level or success is 'unreachable' for me. I also found them really intimidating? Too nervous to even comment on their posts or whatever sometimes. (this is all in the past now)

At some point I started to put myself in their shoes tho "if i ever got that good/popular, how would I want to be treated?" and the answer was pretty much the same as usual. I wouldn't want to be put on a pedestal, and I would probably feel strange or sad about missing opportunities to connect with other artists just because of our difference in skill/following. So yeah, basically I just try to think of them as regular people too. And as a regular person myself, I just have to practice more to improve my skill like them. Sure, I still admire their art, but I don't let it effect how I might interact with them or feel about my own art anymore.

That is a hard one. No doubt something that I struggle with. I like a lot of what people have said here. Many of them are things I haven't tried. I've learned that a lot of jealousy and copying to the point of stressing over having something look EXACTLY like how something else looks can do more harm than good. I think what's been mentioned before, like style and art studies, is good. I remember an author saying something that's stuck with me for a long time, and I tend to think on it when I'm fighting comparison. While it had to do with writing, I think it can be applied to art just as much. It went something like, "Someone will always be better than you. But no one can write your story the way you do." - J Scott Savage
I like to look at that and say, "Someone will always be better than you. But no one can draw your story the way you do."

Have you considered having an honest PM with them? Saying "Hey, I really admire your work. Can you give me a good critique and help me improve and find my style?" Approach them as you would a mentor, being prepared to have them turn you down. But if you really admire them, then perhaps trying to treat them as a mentor would be a better idea if possible?

i dont avoid it

i use it to fuel my own fire

there will be other artist better than me

the good thing about that is to learn from them

Maybe the problem is that you need to try really hard to find your own unique voice that you're passionate about so you don't feel the need to copy them? I'm friends with some of the popular writers on this site, but I could never try to emulate them because I'm obsessed with writing weird-ass psychedelic stuff that they would never touch XD I'm just really passionate about the stuff I want to write and I want to tell it in my own voice.

You should ask yourself:
What story am I passionate about telling?
AND
What is the unique way in which I can tell that story?

Another suggestion is that, instead of sucking up to and trying to emulate some of these popular artists, maybe you should legitimately try to be their friend? Take an interest in their work, leave them really nice comments, try to interact with them, etc. Although, to be fair, a lot of authors/artists just don't like interacting with their fans, so if they make it clear they don't want to interact with you, you should definitely respect their wishes.

"How do you guys avoid the dreaded jealousy of your fellow artists?"
I don't I just use that jealousy as fuel to better myself and to strive for new heights

also copying is a great way to learn the trade I copied my art style mostly from my sister and then just took it and made it my own, she now draws differently and I'm trying my hand at copying another style

a style is just the name we give to all the things we steal and make our own so don't get too hung up on it

I've never sucked up to someone so I don't know about that, but I do try to copy a lot, like I said the best way to learn the trade, just don't go crazy and try to do your own thing

I mean, everyone has an idol of some sorts, especially in something they're passionate about. Taking techniques from them and adding to your own style is a part of learning, it's what makes you you. Like most things, it's best to keep things balanced and healthy. Don't obsess, just linger occasionally.
I wouldn't know exactly, but if I were to give any advice to anyone who has this problem of "sucking up to someone", it would be to start enjoying time with yourself more. Take him/her out to dinner. Watch a movie. Give em' a kiss. Understanding yourself more can go a long way in broadening your creativity, and can also give a fresh perspective on things like that.
Just a thought : )

I really don't care enough about art to compare myself with artists who regularly pump out works and probably do way more practice in the back room than I do. I know why they are better than me and that makes me feel okay about myself.

Second, I tend to be the middle-level or higher level among artists I meet and get acquainted with, so I rarely feel bad about having worse art than others.

How I got to my art level? Practice and being surrounded by good artists influenced me to be like them.

I view comic making like Satsuke! Don't compete against everyone else: compete against yourself. Draw inspiration from others, but compare your work to your past work, no theirs.

Like others said, comparing yourself to people you admire is not a good way to improve.

Some people used to do that with me, always praising my drawings, talking to me like I was their best friends, asking me to draw them stuff and things, liking everything I used to say or do, being agressive with people not fond of my stuff...
It's ok to admire someone and it's a good thing you're aware about the issue. But you know, people you admire are just weirdos and losers like all others xD
See them as equal persons, don't see them as person above you, they cant give you drawing skills nor popularity. They can't give you anything, maybe their friendship, but nothing else.
The popularity thing is actually a thing I hate, like it's now THE goal in life, that popularity is going to give you a wonderful life and you're going to be loved by everyone when in fact it's made of wind.
Actually, I can't really give you advice on how to deal with it from your angle, I never got jealous about others because I know everybody walks at different path.
The only thing I can tell is : give love at yourself first, not at others.

When you're hated by enough people growing up to make you look back at them with disdain and disgust, you won't want to copy anyone's style. I learned this firsthand and I have a very unique writing style because of that.

"One day, as I was drowning in my own seething envy, my mind snapped in the same way you snap a twig in half--except there were 300 people in a line snapping a twig at the same time, making the loudest snapping sound ever known in human history.

From then on, I simultaneously accepted my mediocrity and my innate desire to continue shitposting in visual form--I went to many lengths furthering my creative endeavours, of which included stealing a shipment of Samoan children, extorting $3.00 out of the manager of my local McDonalds, returning a shipment of Samoan children, and shitting out 3 days worth of military rations in the span of 2 minutes.

Now, I'm here sitting in my parent's basement shaking in my boots and whispering to my taxidermied penguin in tongues--at this point, I've become too jaded to care about competing with other artists--I get this sickening sense of freedom when I keep in mind that I'll always stay at the bottom of the barrel in every echelon of my life--it's like a free pass to go wild with shitposting and saving Samoan children.

I am content that I can at least produce some scribbles on paper--it's the best way to counter this ceaseless, existential dread."

~me

Actual answer though--mentally focus all your energy in creating something only you can make.

Our time on Earth is limited, and it would be a waste using said time trying to completely replicate someone else--be open to influence, but ultimately make your own thing.

I find avoidance rarely solves the problem. But often running right at the problem is a scary but most expediant way to solve it.

It's hard to get out of a mindset because it will leave a void and, well, Nature abhors a vaccum. Instead all you have to do is reframe how you approach thinking about these artists. This will be a slow and gradual process, because it'll be about shifting how you think about yourself, what you can control, and what you cannot.

Before anything, one's success is never in one's control, not really. All we can do as artists is hone our craft and put ourselves out there in the most authentic way possible. Especially if we want a lasting impact and legacy. Success will not rub off on you, it's not an objective thing.

Success is the progressive realization of a worthy Ideal (quote from Earl Nightingale). So long as you are working toward what you consider your worthy ideal (not what 'everyone else' considers) then you are successful.

Cause most people aren't willing to work. Most people aren't willing to recognize that "success" is not an ending that never changes! It's a constant process of choosing who you are, who you want to be, and what you're willing to DO to reach your chosen ideal.

No one who was ever successful knew with certainty they were going to succeed. More often than not they wallow in doubt like the rest of us. Those truly successful people focused solely on what was in their control: their choice of goals and their actions.

Now, a couple points. Starting with advice I learnt from Neil Gaiman in his Commencement speech to a college of the arts:

"The urge starting out is to copy. And that's not a bad thing! Many of us only find our voice (or art style) after we've sounded (looked) like a lot of others."
(parenthesis mine)

This is how we learn what we like and what we enjoy making on the path to discovering what our unique creations are. It is more than okay to stand on the shoulders of giants, the masters that came before us and demonstrated their paths. Just know you won't replicate said path; your path is unique, because you are a different person.

Second, there is a difference between Jealousy and Envy, and I'm not sure I've seen anyone mention this. When people say 'use it to fuel you', they mean Envy.

Envy is a healthy emotion that says you want what someone has (skill let's say) and you are then motivated to work to cultivate that in your self and your life.

On the other hand, Jealousy says I see what that person has and I want it so* they can't have it*. Or I wish they didn't have it so I can feel better about myself. It's an emotion full of bad juju and it leaves one feeling small and miserable (no wonder it has the word lousy in it, cause that's what it makes you feel).

Envy lights a fire under you and raises you up, like a glorious hot air balloon, bouyant and colorful. There's plenty of room at the top, and each balloon is different.

Be mindful of this and really think on which emotion you want to follow in this situation.

On the topic of comparing yourself to others.
Consider this: would you compare one of your favorite foods to another? Hopefully not because each dish you love for different reasons. One is not 'better' than the other, there's no need for value judgement.

In the same way, the hypothetical reader can love a wide variety of "similar" work. In fact many people stick to genres they enjoy and find familiar and hope to find people who make similar things. Humans are creatures of habit and comfort after all. Most don't like to tread out of those comfort zones.

More than anything, I would advise you to look at what you love about these similar artists. Then instead of thinking 'Ill never be as good', ask yourself, 'what can I do, right now, that would take me one step closer to where I think they're at?'

Then as soon as possible, do that thing. Don't give yourself time to think cause your mind can and will sabotage you right now if you let it. You have to demonstrate to it actions that move you toward your goal to get your mind to, well, change your mind.

If you don't have a goal, make one. Make it specific and something you feel you can achieve but it's juuuust out of reach. Write it down. Write it anew every morning so it remains on your mind. And an important followup, write what you're willing to do to achieve the goal. (I do this before starting work every morning.)

Confidence is not a prerequisite to achievement. Past attempts and actions built confidence, that's inevitable.

Don't you feel good based on stuff you did well in the past? That's confidence, cause you know you can do it again.

But when you're still a small creator, there is a lot of uncertainty and a lot of unknown. That stuff is not in your hands, only your choices are. So choose what you want to do that feels emotionally best to you, not what other people's shoulds or should nots are.

The power is in your hands and is your responsibility.

STEAL THEIR STUFF!

Not literally, obviously. But when I see someone and get jealous or insecure, I spend sometime studying their work. If they have a youtube with speedpaints or howtos, investigate those. What are they doing that's so appealing to me? What do I like about their style that I can apply to mine? What about their workflow can I apply to mine to make it better?

If I'm jealous or insecure, turn it into a positive and start learning from it. (Easier said that done, I know but attempts to deal with this positively count)

Jealousy is an emotion like anything, it's tough, unavoidable, and a build up of energy. What matters is what you do with that energy. It always seems like a lot of advice boils down to "ignore/avoid" or "use it to fuel yourself/get angry/git gud"- I always got this advice and it never helped me.

Honestly what has always helped me to deal with jealousy is to lean into it and look straight at it. What is making me jealous about this person? What do I feel is lacking in me that is making me feel this way? What can this emotion tell me about myself and my own needs and wants and how they aren't being addressed? It's not that other person making me jealous, it's something internal. That's one thing to note, to not blame someone outside yourself and realize that other people really have no power over you.

The other thing that has always helped me is turning that negative energy into something positive. I compliment and am kind, even when I feel jealous. Especially then. I treat those people like fully rounded other humans, with their own highs and lows, faults and wins, and not objects. I practice being kind about the content, even internally, and say nice things instead of repeating self-negative internal talk in these instances. I do draw fanart. Actively practicing positive actions can help transform those negative or jealous emotions into positive ones, through practice and repetition. Don't continue those negative thinking cycles- replace them with something positive.

I think you're almost there, OP, you just get hung up on giving attentions to the object of your jealousy in the hopes that it will reflect back on you (ie: I copy this style to get what they have, I give them attention so they'll give me some) when it's really about soothing yourself, not an expectation of reciprocation. Try to give kindness without expectations and see where that gets you. Also, cast a wider net. There's a problem with copying someone's style completely and intentionally, but to create your own style is to take ALL the things you enjoy and incorporate bits and pieces from each style or way of working that you love, into what will be new and yours.

You're already the best you, and nobody else can have the same voice that you do or the same style, as no one else has the perspective on the world that you do. Don't squash that by trying to mold yourself into someone else. And rest assured that feeling jealous or not good enough is not some reflection of reality or that you are broken in some way: every artist struggles with these things. It just means you're human, it's a feature not a bug So don't hyperfocus on these feelings meaning something wrong with you or lacking. They will come and go, no matter what you do or how good you get.

Very best of luck!! I hope you can push through this rough patch and start feeling better!!