OMG, you’re so talented…. and other things you should never say to an artist!
Okay, okay… the title is a bit confusing right?
Let me start off by saying that it’s quite nice to hear ‘wow, you’re so talented!’ from people, and it’s an incredibly kind thing to say. I’m confident that people never say this with malice or cruel intentions… so why does it make me cringe inside when someone says it to me?
Talent is a strange word; it implies that someone came out of the womb, brimming with ‘talent’, and can do things with no effort or complications. It implies that the only reason someone can do something is because of their ‘talent’ that they were gifted by a higher power.
Am I talented? I don’t think so. This supernatural ‘talent’ power isn’t something I believe in, especially when it comes to drawing. ‘Talent’ is a word that is thrown around, to make hard work, passion and years of practise seem effortless, and I think we’re at a stage where we should appreciate all of those qualities in a ‘talented’ person.
So what else can I say? Well, there’s nothing wrong with calling anyone, in any profession, talented. Like I said, it’s a really nice thing to say and will be appreciated…. But is there a better alternative? Why not say ‘wow, you’re so skilled’, or ‘wow, you must’ve spent years learning to do this’. Little alterations like this, can make someone’s day!
So what else shouldn’t I say to an artist?
The last one was more etiquette, and will not cause offence if you get it wrong, but these next ones are downright rude, but hopefully they give you a chuckle! (These have all happened to me at some point).
Don’t ask someone to lower their prices! - Seems obvious but it happens relatively often to me. If you ask someone to do this, it shows you don’t value or appreciate their work. You’re paying for someone who has years of experience; their time and lots of costly materials! If their prices are out of your budget, why not ask if they could do something smaller, or less time consuming to align with your budget. Prices are based on their services and skills, not an individuals budget.
Don’t ask someone to “make it good”! - Thankfully I’ve only had this once. I don’t think it needs much explanation as to why it’s unacceptable. You may communicate with people via a keyboard, and sometimes it’s easy to forget that behind that keyboard is a human being.
Don’t ghost! - I know my work, and my prices are not for everyone, and that’s totally okay! I appreciate everyone who reaches out for a chat, and I take no offence in someone telling me they don’t want to go forward, and I’m happy to recommend other artists that may suit your needs a little better. I get sad when I get ghosted 😞.
This has been pretty lighthearted, but I guess all I’m trying to say is, be kind 🥰 I am very fortunate that 99.9% of people I talk to are lovely!
