Tentatively back on Artstation :’)

Figuring out platforms, tentatively posting at Artstation again and avoiding crypto/nfts

First up, I’ll stop posting to Webtoons indefinitely starting early next year as it’s slowly declining anyway. Especially when I’m not keen on sharing slices of my life as much anymore as a mundane hermit.

[The following ramble is also here]

Next I’m posting at ArtStation & slowly following back peeps there again :’)

It now feels pointless and naive of me to avoid ArtStation, one of the industry established websites. There’s definitely some “fear of missing out” involved and my reason to quit doesn’t hold anymore right now.

Back in March, I preemptively stopped being active and reduced my follows there when they first announced doing NFTs earlier than most. Genuinely I thought would let ArtStation go back then. Not long after they retracted their decision (and left it on the backburner??) So I opted to wait and see in case they changed their mind again.

Jumping to the present – in contrast crypto/nfts are increasingly everywhere and are pushed to become mainstream. As of writing, it’s actually/potentially happening on twitter, reddit, behance, adobe, discord (retracted for now), patreon (CEO seems to see it as a great thing for creators on his new podcast), food chains, game companies, big name and small artists, celebrities, “influencers”, streamers & many others.

It’s saddening and disappointing as I see more artists, companies, platforms, sites, streamers and people doing/promoting/embracing it as time goes by.

I know crypto itself has been around for years for those who could afford dealing/gambling with them whereas now it’s become its own scary monster and is increasingly prevalent. Back during March-July I didn’t think it would become so hard to avoid like nowadays and it how it doesn’t seem to go away!!

It’s messy, difficult to avoid, I can’t quit every site/thing/person and I don’t want to support ecologically-damaging scam shenanigans. This is all very emotionally exhausting, stressful and disappointing. I’m feeling cornered and resigned.

I don’t think I can quit all the websites I post to with confidence as it’s difficult to get people following my blog directly and reach people with my work as it is. As much as I do have my own self hosted website, it’s rare for people to even read this blog, subscribe to my email list or for most of my twitter followers to even see my work.

Probably another humbling reality check that I’m not *that* good nor popular with a engaged audience. I’m a reserved, lurking, grumpy butt ;P

All the same I’ll continue to not engage/participate with crypto/nft activities. As for websites I use the most, I’ll just post and hide as usual (it depends because they’re always changing). In terms of individual people, I’ll just consider things/circumstances on a case by case basis.

I don’t know anymore. Or how to best deal with things. I don’t have the answers nor do I know what I’m doing. Am I alone struggling with all this? Am I the outcast again? Things are changing, complex and evolving so fast :’)

If it really gets bad and if I have to indefinitely pause/stop using artstation again (or any other thing) then so be it and consider it another indefinite break from that place. I’m more likely to be out of the loop about all this plus conflicted, deliberate and slow to figure things out though.

Then again who cares. Admittedly I am thinking too much about this ;P

Sidenote: I turned off Artstation private messages since I got nft spam. Please don’t private message me about doing nft art (for free and requiring me to pay a listing fee??) Not touching that and I’m not doing crypto/nfts. Nope. Not keen on discussing nfts/cryptocurrency either; I am not interested. Please leave me alone.

Digressing. Thanks for reading my rambles.

Artist mutuals/acquaintances who still use Artstation, reply & share your link!
I would like to check your work out at the least (:

Also mutuals/acquaintances, consider adding me on LinkedIn – I collect/connect with industry peeps there instead!

---