Finally got up the nerve to share my art online after a decade of keeping it to myself

About three years ago, I finished a digital painting of my old dog, Sam. I spent maybe 40 hours on it, getting every little hair right... but I just saved it to a folder on my desktop and that was it. Last month, a friend saw it on my screen and said, 'You made that? You have to show people.' So I made an account on ArtStation and posted it. My hands were shaking when I hit the button. For a whole day, nothing happened, then someone left a nice comment. It wasn't a big deal, but it felt huge to me. Now I'm trying to post something new every two weeks, even if it's just a sketch. How do you guys deal with that first-time sharing feeling? Does it ever really go away?

2 comments

2 Comments

brian_murray15h ago

You said that first comment "felt huge" and I get that, but for me that feeling is the whole point. That nervous shake before you hit post? That's the signal you're doing something Real. I hope it never goes away. It means you still care.

sandraf847h ago

That "signal you're doing something Real" feels a bit dramatic. It's just a comment on a website, not a life changing choice. The shake probably means you need less coffee.