Blue Sky for Artists- Tips and Advice!

[@Gleamiarts]

bsky is so chill! i don't feel like i'm posting into the void for once and its nice chatting to other artists on there too :o

[@Voltergeist]

Yeah so far it's been nice there!

[@beediverse9086]

Oh sith heyyyy small world!! (It’s bee)

[@Gleamiarts]

@@beediverse9086 :o hey bee :D

[@EmoKitsuneDesigns]

I feel your sentiment of welp this site is going to be eventually enshittified at some point. I personally really like Bluesky and I've been getting a comment or t two even though I'm a brand new account. Thanks for the tips as I'm looking for ways artists can interact with each other, because like imagine being actually social on social media, LOL.

[@Voltergeist]

Yeah, I’ve had an easier time talking to others on there. At least I know they’ll see the comments!

[@froxyfroggo]

hey what’s your bsky? i just started out there and i want to follow more artists :3

[@EmoKitsuneDesigns]

@@froxyfroggo Same name EmoKitsuneDesigns :D

[@regalx1]

My theory that OCs do so well in BlueSky is because BlueSky is more pro multi-cultural in general. There's usually a contingency in other social media platforms that gets angry when a character doesn't have traditional aryan beauty. When that's gone, non-confirmist characters can get more upvotes in and shares in decentralized platform like BlueSky, instead of algorithm based platforms. I just realized how f---ed up and discriminatory algorithm based feeds are.

[@Mae4Ever]

"So that contingency that gets angry when a character doesn't have traditional arian beauty, is gone" Jessie, what are you talking about?

[@peanut4820]

@@Mae4Ever when people get mad that a character doesn't have features associated with white people

[@Mae4Ever]

@@peanut4820 Since *WHEN* ? *WHERE* ? I have never seen arguments like this.

[@Voltergeist]

It can be more implicit than an argument. Just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it does not happen.

[@regalx1]

@ Yes I agree that it's implicit, no single actor is being malicious. The algorithm is just doing it's job in recognizing bias and amplifying it. But since Blusky doesn't have that issue, we can results that are more representative of the diverse tastes of the people on the platform.

[@acidicbarkbeast]

I feel the reblog/repost thing so much lol, I'll always understand "reblog" as sharing and "repost" as theft->posting again

[@Arek-66]

i like bsky a lot, it was a little too quiet for me but i just joined a few art shares and it feels finally active!! Also i never thought about asking to be put on a starter pack, that's a great idea!! (Very cool art btw!!)

[@Voltergeist]

For sure! Thanks so much for watching 💕

[@R83145]

I was previously only on tumblr and when I first joined Bluesky about a week ago, I was pleasantly surprised at how much interaction there was. I've been posting on tumblr pretty consistently for several months, but never got a lot of likes, comments or followers (with the rare exception). But on Bluesky literally the same drawings got several likes and reposts within only a few hours of posting them. I don't know if there are simply more people there or they are just more open to interacting with posts.

[@Voltergeist]

I'm pretty sure people are more willing to interact now because everyone is tired of just mindlessly scrolling like they've been doing on other platform. Interactions seem more organic and less contrived there (for now).

[@silviasabo962]

Strange but I got the same experience as you creating a tumblr account last year after having an instagram account for several years! I got quite a lot of likes and reposts on my first tumblr posts (and still have a lot on my recent ones) compared to my instagram posts. I usually get a big amount of interaction in a first couple of hours there. I wonder if bluesky would show even better results if I'd ever create an account there

[@BlueDragonArt]

I appreciate that you mention the AI scrapers. I didn't know that. Le sigh. Thank you for the insight!

[@M_Feitosa7]

Thank yo uso much for the video, bluesky really feels like twitter without all the drama and toxicity, we needed those more peaceful times

[@hollowfox213]

I finally joined BlueSky yesterday, after saying "this will be the year I'm finally active on social media" like I do every year, but hopefully I actually follow through lol. I didnt really know about art shares or starter packs- they sound interesting, so I'll look into those. Also, loving the elf girl, really cute design.

[@scarabee04]

I don't use bluesky yet but what you're describing reminds me of the best aspect of tumblr (chill, tags being useful...) so I might gave it a chance

[@Voltergeist]

So real. Gods I miss old tumblr.

[@skapunkoialternativeliving6522]

Yeah, you made a video. I'm loving it awesome, my darling. I hope you make more. I'm enjoying this video.

[@twistytoonyt]

I joined bluesky back when it first started to get going (thanks people of toyhouse for never shutting up) but i didnt get too attached to it. I tried again a few months ago and again didnt really get hooked. In general i dont like social media, i find it boring and feel like theres nothing to do, and really the only places i frequent are youtube, toyhouse, discord, and tumblr for rp only. i also just dont like being percieved and with social media usually comes attention and i dont like that lol so i dont really have social medias. i just like posting my stuff in a void, going "damn that looks epic" then going back in my hidey hole never to be seen again.

[@Voltergeist]

I know. Same here, I can't stick to any one thing consistently I like to hop in and out when I want! I need to dust off my toyhouse account actually! Thanks for the reminder.

[@H4ZARDOUSCH3MICALS]

The blocklist thing is the main reason I don't want to use bluesky. I block people bc it makes me feel safer. That includes anyone from actually dangerous people to people who I haven't even spoken to I just think they have a bad attitude. I don't wanna have that published like I think those are in any way comparable

[@Voltergeist]

Yeah. That's a real deal breaker for a couple people I know, too. Platforms are normalizing the deterioration of your right to your privacy.

[@Darklucariorox]

Make it so you're authenticated and viewable by registered users. If the user you're blocked by wants to see your account, they can't even view your feed from said blocksite, they get routed to the official bsky website to see your acct but when they're blocked they can't see anything. I've seen I've been blocked by a lotta weirdos. There's def some bad actors and many others who have put marginalized communities in misleading lists for blocking..

[@samsong8355]

As an amateur traditional artist I have been using bluesky to just post whatever I feel like; fanart , ocs, creatures etc. I have been treating it more as a diary of progress and learning how to handle my social media account. Though I haven't much idea what platforms are good for someone who draws various kinds of subjects.

[@sillyshrimp]

Bsky is good but there's still a lot of issues? A lot of people don't mark their posts as nsfw even though it's really easy, so despite me being a minor and my account being set as my age, i see a LOT OF stuff i don't want to!!! Another thing that annoys me is the follow bots, I had one comment "kindly follow back" no.

[@Jami_rainstorm]

Yeah I hate how nsfw gets posted just anywhere with no warning like I did not consent to seeing that

[@Voltergeist]

Yeah that's a serious issue. And it happens for a lot of social media. no matter how careful you are, there are no real guard rails. Just know that it isn't your fault other people aren't using the tools given to them.

[@ShirtFan]

There's also the issue that the moderation isn't good at marking everything that needs to be marked for NSFW correctly. This is important as a lot of times content can fall under multiple tags of NSFW, and BSky only allows you to really select 1 tag for the post. So sometimes you really have to rely on the moderation system to catch things and add the additional tags needed.

[@adamssmasher]

block and move on. this is the internet and nobody knows if you're a "minor"

[@Jami_rainstorm]

@@adamssmasher minor or not, people don’t consent to seeing sexual content just on their feed with no warning. Blocking helps but it doesn’t solve the issue at its roots

[@SteveAdmienn]

Lucky for you that you were able to grow well there. I was able to get a hundred followers but the problem is that not so many people actually look at my posts.

[@skapunkoialternativeliving6522]

Is great artwork.I'm loving it.Keep it 🎉up.

[@Voltergeist]

Thanks! Glad you like it!

[@Eldr1tchGl1tch]

and THIS is why I've stayed on tumblr XD I do have bluesky and cara but tumblr is my fave

[@cynical_chai8922]

how do u gain a following on tumblr?

[@Arcsonara]

Clicked for the info, subscribed for the art, thanks for the video it was super informative for me!

[@Voltergeist]

I'm glad! Thank you so much.

[@CRNekitou]

Hi! I will absolutely follow you there, since I’m an artist too! Nice to meetcha here!

[@savantisq4549]

2:50 i can agree. my growth has also been relatively quick on there, which was surprising. especially right now, since i find trying to post my art to twt, or insta, has me suffering. i uploaded 2 art pieces to both twt and bsky the same day on a brand new account, and the one on bsky got 7 likes, the one on twt got 0. honestly, after trying and failing to start an art account for years now, it feels like a breath of fresh air.

[@mistereagleman]

I appreciate the background music selection for this 😌🎶

[@Voltergeist]

Glad to hear that. I'm always wondering if it's too loud or just right.

[@skapunkoialternativeliving6522]

That's why I covered my face. I don't show my face. For that reason.

[@Totorolover456]

5:43 I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO NOT HAVE AI??? honestly im so scared that my art is going to get stolen, that i dont even want to post my art anymore😢❤

[@Voltergeist]

Let's be real, no part of the internet is without AI imagery at this point. It's sad but don't let that frighten you. Continue to make art knowing it will never be able to keep up with you. Enjoy your craft regardless of whether you post it or not.

[@chxrrmie]

cara is anti ai not bsky

[@MrGrandpapa]

i made my account and within like my first day posting only one skeets, i had like 15 random followers. one of which actually conversed with me. you just feel more seen or like you have a shot at getting your voice heard. and it's like twitter in that fleeting moment it didn't feel like a hellsite. it's genuinely so nice. new and different, but really nice. i just wish i could follow tags instead of tabs/ lists, but maybe that will come along eventually.

[@StarryVT]

so theres essentially a way to "private" the account, and i believe its in the settings where you can turn off the option for logged out users to not see your account. however if your using those bluesky plugins that are logged out by default then thats when things will get iffy

[@Voltergeist]

Yeah, but there's no way to lock down your account and make it totally private if you wanted to do that.

[@Skull19O1]

Let’s make a discussion here, KZbin keep recommending me these videos. I don’t hate em but at the same time I’m a traditional artist and I rarely upload my work, I only upload my graffiti work on insta stories and that’s it. I never could understand the appeal of online art communities and anytime I look into it the majority of people who do it only make art for the sake of gaining followers and attention but never for the art itself, they tend to follow trends and the algorithm, my question is why, what’s the appeal in gaining a following.

[@scawydemon]

As an artist who would like a following, I personally want both commissions and to be acknowledged for my work! I want others to look at my work and go, "Wow, that's cute!" Or "Wow, I could do that!"

[@Voltergeist]

Everyone has their reasons. I mentioned in the video that my inclination isn't towards gaining a following necessarily, but to connect with other artists. Follow numbers are pure vanity. 👌🏾

[@Noella1]

been looking for a video like this :o

[@Voltergeist]

Me too. It's why I made one. You'll probably see more soon after this though, not by me.

[@Noella1]

@@Voltergeist Glad you made one!

[@NotXolot]

Soo bluesly good because it available where i live and it much better than alternative in where i live. It have not so many bots, and it infinitly more good in algorithms and search tag system. And whole site looks more good

[@cynical_chai8922]

ughhhhh i feel like i cant find a good platform that i like to post my art on

[@Ragna6765]

i joined bluesky recently and i need bookmarks already... might do this oc making challenge once i get enough people following me so i can actually get suggestions

[@arixmas325]

I downloaded Blue Sky back in November and I have to admit I did get discouraged pretty early on because I WAS paying attention to numbers (which I have a bad habit of doing but I'm working on it) and anytime I posted or commented on other peoples stuff it kind of felt like I was throwing words and art into the void. I think part of the discouragement also came from lack of interaction which I had been hoping for since everyone had been saying it was good for that. But if you're just there to lurk and vibe its definately perfect for that!

[@Voltergeist]

Yeah, I mostly go there to see what people are up to but not for too long. I give myself 15 maybe 20 minutes a day. When I have art to post, I just add it and go. It helps so that I don't linger.

[@skapunkoialternativeliving6522]

I agree with you. Oh, that's right. I'll never subscribe to that site that you'll talking about. Or you can't block nobody or you can't hide because you don't want to be on the line or let people see you. I won't go on a side like that.

[@Voltergeist]

Right. Privacy is important online. Too many people know too much nowadays.

[@skapunkoialternativeliving6522]

@Voltergeist So true my love so true. That's why I disguise my face. That's exactly why I disguise my face. Some people don't put their faces in front of the camera like you don't do it which is good. I kind of want to be on the front of the camera but without my actual face. And that's why I put a mask. So I use that instead so I have a save some privacy, you know.

[@sociallysatanic]

you mentioned "glaze" and "nightshade" as things to do to protect your art - i'm not familiar with these terms. anybody wanna tell me? :0 please

[@lalas181]

Iirc they're both programs(?) that help to make your art basically poison to art scraping algorithms and stuff to mess with AI generation programs that try and use your art.

[@Voltergeist]

Correct!

[@fancyfatale]

i didnt know the app was doing well! I am posting and checking out artshares now! do starter packs still exist? or is that just when you join? idk where to find it

[@Voltergeist]

They do still exist but I don't know that there's any way to properly search them right now. I've only ever joined ones that have come across my feed via people I follow or reposts. Like I said, that activity has died down some, but they still crop up so it's worth keeping an eye out.

[@federicomerlin4312]

Hi, I am trying Bluesky but only now I'm learning about the AI issue. Another choice on where to post I was considering is Cara, did you try it? Do you think it's safer for artists?

[@Voltergeist]

I have tried it but I haven't stayed or used it long enough to form an opinion on it I feel confident talking about.

[@MalliyaFK]

"get on one of those art gallery sites that showcase your work" oh? like which sites?

[@Voltergeist]

I was thinking mostly portfolio sites when I said it. So that's old school ones like sheezyart is back. I would recommend dA if it was 15 years ago. Just something static and not so scrolly. Even having a simple caard or your own site ideally. No platform is perfect though!

[@jimidoodles]

People who save something from your account just to use it against you in the future have no lives Also I love the Kingdom of Zeal Corridors of Time in your back ground

[@fiercefreesia]

Bluesky’s like a 7/10 for me. The biggest gripe I have with it, though, is that it’s had a bot problem for a while now. It got to the point where I had to close my DMs because I kept getting those damned commission bots. And I highly suspect most of my followers are bots; but that’s probably my anxiety talking, haha.

[@Voltergeist]

I'd rate it about the same. I find privacy policy and moderation to be lacking there. The bots I do see are few and far between, but I do know that it's been an increasing issue with more people joining!

[@KitKat_animate38]

So how many hastag to used on bluesky?

[@phancanedoo013]

I learned about and joined BlueSky once i learned about the changes in Twitter's block feature, like "What do you mean you can't prevent blocked people from seeing your posts anymore?!?" The moment i heard about the website, i flocked over real quick and HOLY SSSS! OPEN SOURCE? NO ALGORITHM? CUSTOMIZABILITY OF FEEDS? AND THE ART COMMUNITY ACTUALLY FEELING LIKE A COMMUNITY? Sign me the FFFF up! Yeah, i'm active there, and trying as an artist. (Currently in my esperimenting phase, seeking chaotic yet dynamic results like those anime-rage scenes)

[@samsong8355]

@@phancanedoo013 If you don't mind, will you tell your bsky name?

[@phancanedoo013]

As a side note: i didn't even have a Twitter account at that time, and i still don't. I'm out of there.

[@axolotl6855]

How do i join a art share on bluesky?

[@Voltergeist]

You find one that matches the theme of what you draw or a general art share, and you just jump in with your art! Comment on others' art in the thread if you want, etc.

[@axolotl6855]

@@Voltergeist I've been on Bluesky for abit oof time, and I never heard of artshare being on Bluesky

[@big-armed-mar]

THIS GOT RECOMMENDED TO ME I WIN HI VOLT

[@Voltergeist]

YOOOO!!! HI!!!

[@scientificallyaccuratespino]

YOOO WHAT YOUR ART ??

[@cocoapup1998]

thank you for the info! i was interested in moving to bluesky, but hearing that it allows ai scrapers... (￣o￣) yeah... is there actually no mainstream social media left that doesnt do this?

[@Voltergeist]

It isn't so much that Bluesky does it, so much as they let it happen by outside parties.

[@frostdragon_7887]

your likes are also public btw

[@NotXolot]

Test if i can leave comment under this video

[@NotXolot]

Can someone see first comment. I just want to write comment and it just didnt appears anywhere. I already 3 times try to reewrite it or leave under cooment. But it didnt appear at my screen. I think i didnt write any bannable word, but that super strange. Because i cant leave any opinion and it gets scraped without my knowing and didnt tell me what wrong with it if it banns it

[@NotXolot]

Can author check later spam folder and say. If comment realy needs to autodelete by youtobe

[@NotXolot]

So bluesky cool for me because other social medias like twitter and instagramm blocked in my country. And bluesky million times better than "original" version of social media in my country[Vkontakte]. Because posting for 3 years with hashtags only gets 10-15 views and platform constantly reminds of pay adds for getting more views.

[@NotXolot]

And ads uselles features like shorts, only for later shorten algoritms for mane peoples who dont post like 10 shorts per mounth. And many people just started go to other social medias like telegramm and simillar.

[@Voltergeist]

I see all of your comments here.

[@NameIsDoc]

Dont post art on bluesky they own every image posted on their website to do as they please its worse then x

[@Voltergeist]

Every social media that lets you upload anything has similar terms of use. Even youtube, several youtube videos were scraped by ai companies recently. Doesn't make it right, but one must post at their own discretion.

[@NameIsDoc]

@Voltergeist similar language but not the same bluesky is claiming complete ownership including if they wish to merchandise or sell your images to ai systems.

[@Darklucariorox]

Oh man, new accts, pls, if you're real, don't put something ai ish that throws uncanny pls. I've gotten so many followers rn and it's got me sorta on guard because there's been bait bots unleashed, but controlled to a extent thanks to lists, and there some slipping thru cracks that make me go "not today bot!" When it might be a human... being advertisement based in their bio...just. please don't say let's go build a world together. It feels corpo...

[@D3UberD3]

site needs a lot of help still. keep seeing political stuff on my feed even though I don't follow or click political posts

[@phillblake6829]

Visually it looks awful Like the internet 15 years ago

[@wettica870]

How often should i post? been doing sonic fan art recently and my metal sonic painting got reposted a lot for some reason but my posts since havent been making any traction.

[@Voltergeist]

I honestly post whenever, I don't have a set schedule it's just when I feel like I have something to share. Bluesky isn't known for penalizing you for not posting(for now) which is good. Don't stress it. Your space your pace.

[@wettica870]

@ fair, just not many people in “my space” right now, which is a little disheartening