How to fanbase growth?

[Van]

I wanna start getting a following that is bigger than just 50 people who don't actually look at your art
atleast like, 500 people with 50 who actually look at it

I got a DeviantArt, Tumblr a Instagram and recently a Pixiv. I sometimes post my stuff in the deviant thumbshare threads but other than that I hope someone finds it through tags. I already have a twitter but it's nsfw and I'm too lazy to make ANOTHER account where I have to remember posting stuff

What else can I do to gain actual dedicated fans? Course' there's fanart but I reeeeally wanna focus more on original stuff rn

[uglygirlnextdoor]

I am just replying coz I wonder the same.

[nostalgicroxas]

Short answer you already said you don't wanna do: Fanart

Longer answer: tag everything and schedule releases to all your social sites to release once every three days, or once every day, for like a YEAR. Be super dedicated. Sell your soul.

[Lunar-Turtle]

I actually took a look at your comic and I noticed something in your artist note:

and that's it! I didn't even bother to finish this one because that's how much I suck :'^)

I don't know why people think that insulting yourself and your work helps you get attention, but it doesn't. Don't do that. It just shows you don't take your own work seriously and if you don't, why should anyone else? Building a community is a long process that takes a lot of time and effort. Your readers first must be interested in your art, story, that's what catches their attention and your future actions decide if they stay or not. That means you have to communicate with them, keep them engaged, and be respectful. Show you are sure about yourself as an artist and you value time of your readers. It's hard, it's long and tiring, but it is possible to create of community of people that return. It's not that people don't do such a thing, the problem is always on artist's side. I was the same, thinking what could I do to get followers. Later I realised my art and story was not good enough, I started again and changed my behaviour. Started to talk to other artists and things changed.

And yes, you can do fan art, but the fact is people don't come to you for yourself, but the popular thing you draw. In the moment you show them your own thing, they leave, so building a community like that isn't very good way.

If I can recommend you something, it's work on your art, polish it, and show you are confident artist who is willing to take feedback and talk to other people. It's practically the best thing you can do, because there isn't any magic button that will bring people to you.

[jcmraz]

Ugh FINE lol Yeah I really should do a little more on the side just to draw eyes. I don't have a problem with fanart I just would rather draw my own characters but yeah, piggybacking on something known and popular is the obvious way

[Van]

show you are confident artist who is willing to take feedback and talk to other people.

I can do the taking feedback thing, but having confidence is a whole different jar that's never gonna be filled. I have severe self esteem issues and don't really like anything I create even if others like it

Still, I wanna make things and get better so I keep at it

[Lunar-Turtle]

And that's the actual problem that keeps you away from success. If you don't love yourself and your own work, it will never get better. Let me tell you I was through a lot of shit in my life and I also very often felt like my work is not good enough. But in the end, you should make art because you like it, it's something you want to do. If you don't like it, why do it? Maybe you should try first fiure out things and brings you joy and want to work on it. When you look at famous artists, you can see they love what they do, that's the real key to success. So don't think about gaining a following, but figure out, what you want to draw and makes YOU personally happy. Then you can expand.

[jensrichard77]

I’m just here to support everything @Lunar-Turtle said.

You need to show your pride and show what you like to do and stay positive.
I’m no artist and if you look up my Blue Life comic you will see that.
But I’m not giving up and I have worked my way up and only try to be a good friend who helps others.

My suggestion for you is to try again. Make something new and perhaps do it together with someone.
Read other comics and see what works and not.
Not just in art but in story.

[darthmongoose]

Making fan art may not be necessary if you can do art and other posts around a specific interest or community. For example, people who make original furry art, original illustrations of diverse characters not often represented in media (like say... black characters, south Asian characters, characters with disabilities or older characters as examples), LGBTQIA+, or even just relating to a specific hobby, like say illustrations based around rock climbing or original tabletop RPG characters etc.

I have a lot of friends who have found success through making work about one of their interests or areas of knowledge or experience outside of art, whether it's illustrations that show a historically accurate reconstruction of viking clothing, comics explaining the autism spectrum, or cute drawings of leopard geckos.

The other thing I'd advise is to reach out to other people on your level, give them encouragement and grow with them. It's a good way to make lifelong friends!

[HGohwell]

or cute drawings of leopard geckos.

This sorta thing is a really good way to go about it. There's floofyfluff on twitter who's most known for the kawaii sharks but does all sorts of adorable animals and great illustrations. I got a reasonable amount of notice for my LGBT+ frogs sticker collection after a con (wow cons feel like forever ago don't they) because I think frogs are cute and apparently so did lots of others. Finding a niche can be a really good way of introducing people to your art.

[byelacey]

What else can I do to gain actual dedicated fans? Course' there's fanart but I reeeeally wanna focus more on original stuff rn

unfortunately the one thing you can't do, despite your best efforts, is make people care about your work. what you can do though, is show your passion for your work! love your own content the loudest, and people will see that, and think "hey, maybe this is worth checking out".

because like @Lunar-Turtle said above, no one wants to hear people put themselves down. if you don't like the work you're putting out right now, that's valid and fine. but you also don't have to say it out loud

[LCT_m_a_d]

I can do the taking feedback thing, but having confidence is a whole different jar that's never gonna be filled. I have severe self esteem issues and don't really like anything I create even if others like it

What makes you say that?

[domisotto]

If you live for acceptance, you will die from rejection.

It doesn’t matter what art we do, we all chase the same thing: to produce something that will make them to check it out and then not look away, no matter who or what you are.

There is really no other way

[Van]

I dunno man, I just don't have much pride in my work

[malwdark]

Work on your art first, work on your reach when you're proud of your art.
There's no need to expose yourself on the internet if you don't feel confident yet.

[Lunar-Turtle]

I think I can give you an advice on art, not really on how to draw better, but how to create better. You see, I noticed over the years that artists look at their own art with different view than other people. We like our art, because it was made in our minds, but what if you imagine you never saw it before and never heard of it. Try to look at your art as total stranger and ask yourself: Would I want to read this thing? Would I like what I see? When you do this, it gives you a different perspective and you start to see your work in different light, many times it helps to identify what's wrong with it.

If you want to attract people, create somethign they want to be part of. For example, I created my world with mindset that it should feel welcoming The art should look nice, colorful and there are many things for people to discover. I wanted them to feel like: WOW, I would like to make a character and walk around in that world, because there is so much to explore.

Now, can you imagine doing that with your comic and art? Is there soemthing that attracts people and makes them curious? Try to think this way and remember when you became a fan of somethign that already exists, like tv show, game, comics, anything. Something made you a fan and that something keeps you there. I think this is soemthing that is very important for comic making, because it gives people reason to engage and be interested in your work. Remember, you create art not only for yourself, but also other people.

[Van]

I want to smooch most of my characters, that's a good point I think

[FritzC]

My 2¢ are an audience doesn't come before some sort of established narrative for a comic unless your art attracts people in itself. Most people only grow a larger audience after years of posting regularly because they like and are driven to create out of love for the medium. I was posting on tapas for 3 years before I passed 250 subs, and found my niche.

[uglygirlnextdoor]

me too, specially my villains <3

[migxmeg]

Yep, 100% agree with you - I think if your response to "this will probably take years" isn't BRING IT ON , it's probably time to rethink what you want to get out of art/comics.