An "Advanced" board has been added to the oekaki!

[Duh]

Just because you don't intend splitting the art into these categories to make people feel bad doesn't mean it wont. There are plenty of other websites that operate without separating users' works based on skill level(deviantart,furaffinity,etc.). If artworks really need to be split up into different groups there are many other ways to divide the boards. Honestly, this is only going to encourage an elitist type behavior that already exists within the artist community here, and lead to many works being put into advanced only to receive degrading comments because others don't find their work suitable for the advanced board.
And beyond that, just because someone's art looks better, doesn't mean they spent more time on it. People who are less skilled who spend a ton of time on their art will get less exposure because they wont be able to put it in the advanced board where most people will end up going to look for art. It's unfair to those who are trying their hardest to improve their work and spending tons of time on it who just don't have the same skills as more experienced artists.

[Kida]

Seriously? This is a ridiculously unnecessary addition. I was already unsure about posting in intermediate, but now I have to worry about my art being judged and moved through two "experienced" categories by mods, according to my displayed "skill"? If that's not a way to "make people feel bad", I don't know what is. There was enough division and labeling to begin with, the oekaki did not need this.

[Queen Vivane]

There is no need for an advanced board. It's a bit degrading really. Two categories fine but we don't anymore of the beginners feeling like they aren't worth a penny because of a silly change. The break between “beginner" and “intermediate" was bad enough. now lets make the beginners feel worse, and the intermediate feel a bit lesser than other artists. Who determines what is an "advanced/intermediate/beginner" result? everyone has their own style and taste. There should be no “guidelines" when it comes to art.

[Hyensa]

There is no need for an advanced board. It's a bit degrading really. Two categories fine but we don't anymore of the beginners feeling like they aren't worth a penny because of a silly change. The break between “beginner" and “intermediate" was bad enough. now lets make the beginners feel worse, and the intermediate feel a bit lesser than other artists. Who determines what is an "advanced/intermediate/beginner" result? everyone has their own style and taste. There should be no “guidelines" when it comes to art.

Agreed. Art is art.

[Linsang]

Basically seconding what Emberwolf and Duh said.
Honestly, even if the idea of this change isn't to make people feel bad, it's bound to. A lot of the younger artists here are going to go thinking things like "There are three categories of art here on CS and I'm in the lowest one", and that doesn't help anybody's self esteem. Since I was new, I've seen issues with the splitting of the Oekaki boards, with those "rebellious" members who would post their art in intermediate and, when met with cries of "This isn't intermediate!" would respond with comments along the lines of "I don't care if you think this is intermediate, art is subjective" etc, etc. Because they just felt like their effort was that undermined by being placed in the lower of two categories.
As a newer member, I was also very overwhelmed by the splitting of Oekaki boards. I felt like having to post in beginner meant I wasn't good enough, and that since everyone would want to browse the intermediate boards anyways, my art would never get recognition. The addition of advanced, I'm sure, is going to result in a whole lot more feelings of "I'm not good enough." And it really isn't nice, man.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is whether or not it meets many people's standards of advanced, or intermediate, or any other blurred line of a term, when people put effort into things they've created to express themselves, they don't always want to feel like they're being judged/ranked/categorized. Even people with a lot more practice and grasp on concepts like shading and anatomy might not feel comfortable posting in a higher category, because judging oneself is hard, and they might not be sure whether they can consider themselves "good enough"

tl;dr- Categorization of such subjective things is a lot more trouble than it's worth and not god for anyone's self esteem, when I know many CS users already have issues with that.

[Hotchner]

There is no need for an advanced board. It's a bit degrading really. Two categories fine but we don't anymore of the beginners feeling like they aren't worth a penny because of a silly change. The break between “beginner" and “intermediate" was bad enough. now lets make the beginners feel worse, and the intermediate feel a bit lesser than other artists. Who determines what is an "advanced/intermediate/beginner" result? everyone has their own style and taste. There should be no “guidelines" when it comes to art.

Agreed. Art is art.

I also agree, But I Think its nice with only 2, Beginners and Intermediate Oekaki
And it feels that I'm not ready to post in Intermediate Oekaki then,

[Berkshire]

The "This isn't intermediate" issue has always bugged me. People really need to keep that to themselves, especially if that's all their comment says. The intermediate board is for critique and professional commentary. "This isn't worthy!" is neither of those things. And, unless accompanied by, or better yet, replaced with, suggestions on how to improve, these kinds of comments shouldn't be there, no matter the board they are in.

Personally, I doubt I'll be looking at these new "guidelines" when I draw (well, maybe I will at first, getting used to the new board). I'll just use my own judgement, and trust those around me to do the same.
That's the meaning of "guideline" right?

I definitely see the negative points expressed, and agree with many of them. I for one, will try to look at this as a generally positive change. Personally, I'll be using the boards much the same as I do now, and consider the new "advanced" board more suited to more ridiculously amazing artists like Oofay, for whom the "intermediate" tag is laughable (in my eyes at least)

Well, I'll be giving it a few weeks of watching, this is a new change to our lovely CS, and we'll have to make the best of it. Who really knows how this board will be used in the end?

That's up to us, the users.

[Ollie.]

I really think that there's a big gap that you guys have put between the intermediate and the advanced.
Although at first I didn't like the new split, I saw the examples for the Beginners and Intermediate and knew what you meant, but some art is above Intermediate, but not quite at the advanced level standards you've put it at.
I believe that the standards for the advanced oekaki are waaaay too high, I understand that you want to put art in there that people have worked very hard on, but a lot of people spend a lot of time on just simple art work that doesn't look as complex and realistic as the advanced oekaki art.

It's like giving the beginners a small cookie for their hard efforts of trying, and then giving the advanced a larger cookie and showing them that their art isn't good enough to get a big cookie.

I know that you have featured drawings that make the selected people feel like their art is the bees knees, but adding this other forum is just going to make people feel like crap, I know that you didn't make the forum to make people feel that way, but it's going to happen.
Anyway I'm sorry for rambling, I just thought I could get my two cents out there :c Because the board made me feel like crap, because I've been drawing my whole life, and haven't ever been able to draw realistically, and I don't plan on it because it's not my style.

[snowykay]

Great idea, I'll be looking forward to looking at people's art in the new board when it gets put up! ^.^ Of course, I probably won't ever be able to post anything there. cx

[*JACKAL*]

Good idea. This needed to happen really.
Please feel free to use my art my art for examples!