I've been a deviant for three years now (another active account) and back then, I would turn to the site's Front Page to take a look and be inspired by the showcased work. Every day, the works would just mesmerize me and make me think, "I hope to one day get to be just as good as that person is, and I'll keep trying to do so!" Those were the days were the Front page meant a grand achievement.

Sadly, that is not the case these days. Whereas there's plently of works that show brillance and talent in the artist's field, there's an incredible surge of low quality art being recognized as though it had the same caliber, noticably in the Anime and Manga area. I'm tired of seeing the stereotypical big eyes, big breasts among other characteristics (I chose these due to the inmmense predominance of said characteristics in the genre in DevArt) make it to the Front Page. It's all fine and dandy to post it if the user wants to...but to gain recognition to such a piece, lacking any artistic value other than to please a predominantly eager and young audience? Hardly worth the prize.

It's this audience of young boys and girls that drives deviant art, therefore they're usually the ones giving thousands of favorites to whatever looks like their favorite series or is cute or 'KAWAII!!'(apparently the word cute and its synonyms are obsolete to the modern deviant). Sure it's adorable, but what else about it? Does it have anything else? Good anatomy (if that were the case)? Perspective's in order (again if that were the case)?, outstanding use of colors and their shades? Mastery of the medium used (traditional or digital)? Is the feeling/theme properly portrayed in the image, even it were the silliest thing on this blue Earth? If you, the reader, answer 'no' or 'not really' to most of these, then chances are you're just favoring the piece based on a critique of how much it makes you say, 'KAWAII!'.

I have nothing against the artists who actually create the pieces . I do, however, scorn the ridiculous amount of followers who value the pieces exaggeratly more than what they are. Instead of fav'ing that overly exposed picture of that cute, repeated staple with little value in devArt, look for some anime art (or venture into one of the site's other artistic areas!) that just inspires you to draw the heck out of that pencil.

This is an ART community, and good communities encourage growth not just from the giver but to the receiver. Let's make this site work for all of us: the artists, the watchers and everyone else in the devArt wagon.