ok.. above i asked 'do you feel it's empirically wrong to give low ratings?'
most said no, only if it's done maliciously. i think this is far rarer than most may think. i'd bet the
vast majority of ratings are given honestly. see a skin you thought was neat, but it was rated low? maybe so. somebody found something wrong with it, that perhaps you overlooked. it happens
some said yes, low ratings should never be given. i see this as blatently dishonest. as jafo says above, it is our responsibility to not abuse the system. i feel this includes lying about your true evaluation of a piece, merely to avoid denting someone's ego. an artist must..
must be able to handle criticism. and yes, even without a comment, it's a valid criticism. this all brings me to several points:
:: ratings are not for the authors' benefit. comments are.
:: many are taking ratings waaaay too personally.
:: the 'tweaking' jafo speaks of above is his responsibility as an admin. don't try this at home
some pieces of mine that i feel represent my best work got some of my worst grades. they're hanging in my home, and the homes of others right now. but i didn't go back to the class and complain about the bad grade
on ratings in general:: accept it, it's most likely a completely fair and accurate assessment. don't worry about it. if you like, read the comments and use them to help you grow in your art. best advice? grow in your art the same way other artists do.. experience the world, and practice
