It’s been 7 months, and I’m loving my Facebook Affinity Designer community :) Why am I writing about it? Well, I thought Facebook is dead! But then this surprising thing happened…
Let's kick things off by talking about online art communities in general. These are like virtual hangout spots for artists where they share their work, chat about creative ideas, and connect with like-minded folks. I am a nearly 40-year old millennial, so forgive me if I skip mentioning some of the “newer” platforms - Twitch, Discord, etc. I’ve heard about them, but my “old” mind wants to stick to the good-old ones that I’ve been already familiar with. I will refer mainly to Facebook for the sake of simplicity, but do know that you can apply any inspiration coming out of this article to any platform of your choice.
Now, why are these online art communities a big deal for artists? Well, they're kind of a game-changer, in particular for someone who wants to nurture their community, or their “tribe”.
Online communities can open up a world of opportunities, from getting your work out there and getting feedback to making some cool art pals. If you're an artist looking to navigate the digital age, you're in the right place.
We all want some level of exposure
I started my Facebook Affinity support group out of the sheer frustration and my “futile fight” with the Instagram algorithm. I felt like my work doesn’t pay off because my art and my creative challenges are only seen by a handful of people. I still know some of the names of my most loyal IG followers, but I’m not entirely sure about who’s really engaged in there and who is just scrolling. Slowly, the value of building a community via Instagram dropped for me, and my busy life of a mom of a 2-year old prevented me from posting every single day on IG, just to be “rewarded” with some exposure.
On the other hand, being part of online art communities (or running a small online community, like me on Facebook) can be like shining a spotlight on your work. These spaces can seriously boost an artist's visibility. When you share your art with a bunch of fellow art lovers, you're more likely to get noticed by a wider audience. And at least for Facebook, those people who signed up to enter the group, will rather see the post.
Photo: Activity stats from my Facebook Affinity Designer group. A bit of a dip during our summer break.
I’d love to hear from you in the COMMENTS: are you part of an online community or maybe you created one yourself? Are you happy with the amount of exposure you are getting there, and do you feel you are “being heard”?
Fellow Skillshare teacher, Mel Rye, has recently also started a wonderful Facebook group called “Mindful Art And Drawing For Beginners“, and it’s slowly growing organically, without too much self-promotion! So you never know…
Feedback, please!
One of the cool perks of online art communities is the chance to get constructive feedback on your work.
When you share your creations, you open the door to a world of opinions and insights. It's like having a team of art mentors at your fingertips, helping you improve your skills.
I love how people share their beautiful patterns in our Affinity group. I very much enjoy seeing sparks of inspiration in some people’s enthusiastic comments, seeing them profit from some constructive feedback. For me as a teacher, there’s a lot of joy in seeing this thriving group dynamics.
Photo: Wyoming, member of my FB Affinity group, got lots of exposure to her stunning work and received some words of well-deserved praise from our community!
Choose the right one!
Or if you are aspiring to start one yourself, give it a go. Finding (or creating) the perfect online art community is like picking the right art studio to work in. It's crucial that the community aligns with your artistic goals and style. Are you into abstract, traditional, or digital art? Or maybe you’re all trying to master Affinity Designer? ;) Look for a community where your work will resonate and where you can find like-minded artists.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? It could mean that you found your niche! When I was looking at potential Affinity groups to join on Facebook, I’ve noticed that there’s little out there about Affinity +surface pattern design and graphic design in general. I took the plunge, and I started my own Facebook group, which has now over 2,500 active members!
Maybe it doesn’t seem like a lot, but heeeeey - it’s been only 7 months :) And for me personally each and every member there is very valuable, because I’m feeling that if they chose to enter this group, under their own volition and knowing what the group NAME is, then it will be beautifully targeted for their needs! So instead of addressing an unknown and an unidentifiable number of individuals on Instagram (I have over 37k followers there), I’d rather address a handful of people who knew what they were signing up for :) Makes sense? I hope so!
PS: If there’s someone here from my FB group - guys, great to have you there! I read every single post and I love when you’re sharing your beautiful artworks. Thank you also to everybody who lends a helping hand to any member in need, by answering questions way ahead before I log in, and by giving constructive feedback. Thank you!
Let’s talk
Truly, I don’t want yet another social media platform that is seemingly dead. So the key to a thriving online community is to communicate.
Don't be shy about initiating conversations in such groups. Ask questions, offer feedback, and share your insights. Being a friendly, approachable member of the community can lead to meaningful connections and collaborations.
The way I tackled it for my Facebook group was hosting #AffinityTuesday every Tuesday of the week and starting a discussion under a post photo that could for example look like this:
Under such a post members can share their wip and self-promote a bit, which to many of them is already a big plus and they’re getting way more feedback, compared with posting only to Instagram.
Networking within online art communities is an art in itself. Start by being genuinely interested in other artists' work. Compliment them, ask questions, and show appreciation for their creative endeavors. Networking is about building authentic connections. I’ve noticed some of my Skillshare students also moved into my FB group and this new form of communication helps me to get to know them a little bit better, which for me as a teacher is super nice. Plus, my students can get to know each other too, so I hope that the group creates not only a better teacher-student relationship, but also a student-student relationship.
Don’t wait to start or to join one
Nope, Facebook (groups) isn’t dead (yet) :) Online communities can really provide artists with increased exposure, networking opportunities, valuable feedback, and inspiration for collaborations. I cannot speak for other platforms, outside of Skillshare and Facebook, but one thing is for sure: a creative mind that is driven to GROW will not miss any opportunity.
Have you ever heard the saying, “better done than perfect”? You don’t grow if you don’t try. Start an online community now and in the worst case scenario it won’t get popular. But hey, at least you tested it out.
Or celebrate gathering over 2,000 like-minded people who share your interests and your goals.
So, go ahead, explore, start a group, join a group, connect, and let your art shine in these digital spaces. Your next big break might be just a click away!