• I’m starting to look forward to these like a favorite tv show, and I start to sing the theme song before it fully loads..

    Erin! Send me a line if you have a free minute. I’ve got a preposition. :)
    xo, Jessie–

  • I have no work,so i have no negative reactions,just a joke,to be honest,it’s hard to control for me,I think somebody can against it by changing surroundings

  • also by putting your stuff on the internet your going to have to accept that there will be negative response’s no matter what, alot of people enjoy it even if its un-true – some of the best ones ive had are the ones that mean nothing “doodling for doodling sake” (which is the title of my next zine and “you have to much time on your hands” which again i have no idea what thats meant to mean “og well yeah i finished it at 9:30 so i spent the rest of the day drawing a bunch of crap to fill it up” who knows…

  • call this a shallow comment, but i could listen to craig atkinson talk all day, especially saying the word “rubbish”.

  • Great episode! Criticism and negativity are important subjects. The way a creative person deals with those can create either a roadblock or a boost forward.

  • erin, great to see this, like all the others. it is really helpful listening to these different artists.

    thank you!

  • fantastic stuff, as always. Its so great to hear other people’s views and maybe find a new way of looking at things. Thanks so much xx

  • Great episode! Required regular viewing by anyone who creates (though I’m considering showing this at my next staff meeting at work – applicable in nearly any setting!)…

  • My mom gave me great advice on pointless criticism: it’s usually not about you, it’s about them. That is always a relief to remember when you feel hurt by someone’s comments.

  • I heard about this on Twitter from another Crochet fanatic and this was WONDERFUL, serendipidous even since I had a run in with a negative customer just this past week and today was stressful!

  • Oh SWEET! I just love these and I am with Jessie(2nd comment), I have begun to look forward to these live my fave tv show, and humming the theme song! Jen and her adorableness get me every time, sweet, sweet Will and Craig! Good advice, honest opinions, AND cutie pie Erin?! What is not to love? Thank you all for this bright spot in each week!
    xoxo
    Melis

  • “Filter of Face to Face” so true Erin. I never type/write anything that I wouldn’t be comfortable saying to a person’s face.

    Worse still…once you’ve put in out there in “print” you can’t get it back.

    I think a lot of people are too quick to click.

  • Erin, Great Job with these Dialogues. Criticism and negativity is a great subject to discuss in relation to artists/artworks. If the criticism is constructive I’ll maybe pay attention to what the person is saying, if it is just random negativity,delete is the only answer. I wouldn’t even give some anonymous git the satisfaction of being crushed by some snide comment. The only time I would be crushed is if someone I admired rubbished my work, but even then, it’s all subjective isn’t it? Loved the comment about fanciful hairthings getting people’s knickers in a twist.

  • Mostly, I’m happy someone cared that much to notice! But a negative comment does get to me. Milton Glaser said it best: “Some people are toxic. Avoid them.” They are pretty easy to recognize by this qualifying phrase: “No offense, but…”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y11mMp2CSiI&feature=channel

    Nastiness comes from a place that probably has nothing to do with the object being criticized.

    On the other hand, a nemesis is handy to keep one’s creative mind sharp and honed. For every Peter Pan a Captain Hook. So I should probably thank my nemesis. One day. But not today. Definitely not today.

  • I don’t quite care about the outright negative criticism. I understand that my pieces are not for everyone and quite right. I’m most annoyed by the criticism some of my acquaintances aka not close friends would offer me, such as ” you should put lots of beads on this one” etc. I don’t quite understand what irks me about statements like that .such a comment only reflects the tip of the tongue type of suggestions that they do not understand my vision.
    basically i nod and smile and then rant like a mother to my close friends

  • Love this! I’ve been so enjoying all of your episodes Erin (and contributors) and look forward to them every week!

    My wise grandfather always said, “when you point a finger at someone you have three fingers pointed right back at you.” I try to keep this in mind both for myself (when I find myself becoming overly critical towards something) and for those times when the finger’s being pointed at me.

    Thanks again for all the hard work you do Erin! xox

  • This episode could not have been timed any better for me! I needed to hear every word after “an episode” yesterday. I love these videos and appreciate all the hard work and care taken to produce them!
    Keep it up!

  • Ah. Love. So much love. Watching this was cathartic. Thanks, Erin and Jen and Will and Craig!

    I think the worst kind of negative criticism is that which masquerades itself as constructive, while in all honesty it is given out of jealousy and spite… usually by “friends”.

    Negative criticisms suck as, yes, but if you’re inclined to retort/reply to them, do so nicely and politely. If you’re being criticized face to face, give the troll a genuine smile. Then work harder and create something amazing. Nothing exasperates them more than realizing that despite their best hurtful effort, you’re only getting stronger and better, and not at the least bit defeated. :)

  • I’m really enjoying your videos, Erin.
    This theme is super-interesting.

    I think that, being an architect, I’m used to deal with criticism, although I’ll never get used to people that don’t know how to do it in a constructive way.

  • I LOVE THIS!!!!!!!! my fave one so far. i love the “bag of skittles.” :) i’ve gotten lots of criticism after blogging for 2.5 years and it used to make me cry (truly!) but now i just roll my eyes and say….”haters gonna hate!”

    joannaxoxo

  • oh Erin this was so great! I loved it!

    I have never got any negative comments but i doubt it’s because I’m so great it’s probably because no one has really heard or seen my work!

    But a friend of mine was really given a hard time once, some people on a blog where really criticizing her work in a extremely horrible way which was completely unnecessary. I lost it and shot back at them telling them what i thought of them and what they where doing was wrong….let’s say it went from bad to worse, in the end i left it. If they want to waste there time criticizing others people’s work then why stop them? I’d rather put my time towards better things…like blowing my nose! [polite way of saying picking!]

  • Really loving this series, and this episode certainly doesn’t disappoint – it’s so comforting to hear that others go through the same sort of things. It’s like one knows this, but it’s really helpful seeing others say it and talk about their experiences and what helped them. Keep up the good work – looking forward to the next episode!

  • This is a great topic, everyone in the business must deal a lot with the issue. So glad you brought this up. It’s easy to distinguish a negative criticism and a constructive one. I am used to ignore the negative one, although a little heartache usually occurs :) (sigh, who never takes it personally?), and I always keep the constructive one in mind at all times.

    I often deal with “difficult” criticisms, I don’t know whether it’s negative or constructive, but it’s goes something like this:

    Client: I want a cartoon image of a rabbit
    (after the work shown)
    Client: But…this isn’t look like a real rabbit, don’t you think?
    Me : …. ( I don’t think Mickey looks like a real mouse as well, and what the heck is Goofy then?)

    How do you deal with this kind of criticism? I said nothing but it gave me a headache thinking about it.

  • great!

    lovely to see and hear Craig! yay!

    also, I vividly remember Will’s w00t shirt day. Dark times in Mississippi, friends. ha!

  • “It’s not the hand you were dealt that really matters; it’s how you respond to it”

    —maybe it’s just my sardonic inner high schooler coming out, but sometimes the spice of life is really coming up with the best comeback ever! …and then saying it to your best friend and cracking up.

  • This was delightful to watch…. very important topic and so good to hear the artists talk about their own experiences… (plus I now have a little crush, but I won’t say on who!) I tend to respond well to a helpful critique, and appreciate someone’s honest and well intentioned opinions. Other times someone says they don’t like something I’ve done, and I just let it roll off my back, as I like what I’ve done and that matters most to me. I have only one time really been smashed to the ground with someone’s criticism… which was there intent, and they were skilled at ripping new ones in peoples posterior region. It was long ago and thankfully my lovin’ hubby was their to scoop me up and push me onward… but I have never forgotten the sting.

  • i really enjoyed this video and the comments that followed. as someone else said, this video couldn’t have come at a better time. i’m realizing that i have thinner skin than i ever thought and do not deal well with misguided mean criticism. it’s such a waste of time to tear people down and a waste of time to allow cutting remarks to draw blood. the latter is what i’m trying to remember. thanks for focusing on this topic… i think it’s an important one for anyone that enjoys being creative.

  • waiting, waiting, waiting for your dialogue 7… your blog just came at the right moment! a big thanks:)))

  • Erin, you are seriously brilliant. I have just downloaded my new Mankind mag, and while waiting got hooked into one of your dialogue pieces. They are GOLD!
    Keep up the fantastic inspiring work, cos I will be here EVERYDAY. So nice to visit a site that is so positive, uncontrived and just all round welcoming. Hope you get paid lots of money by someone cos you deserve it!!!

    Cheers,
    Julia

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