CRITICISMS: LOVE EM OR IGNORE THEM?

Like I've said many times, artist's are constantly being critiqued. We critique each other, we critique behind people's backs, we try to give helpful information, or we can't see past the negative aspects. It happens to everyone. But how do you respond when you're being critiqued?

When you have been working isolated for a long period of time, you only have yourself to figure out some pretty important decisions. You have to be the one to power yourself up and motivate yourself that what you're doing is truly awesome. So what do you do when someone comes in and doesn't see what you see? I think there are two main options, love it and use the criticism to make you see what other people may be seeing, or ignore it and just do what makes you the happiest. Now how do you choose what is the best option?

It's always hard to hear a bad review on something you hold dear. Especially when you thought you were doing great. So after that rest period of accepting the critique and wallowing in it, do you change it? or do you press on? The best option is to get a second or third or fourth opinion, someone you trust will be honest and helpful.

So now either they disagree, or support the criticism. If they disagree with the bad review then at least you can blow it off as just one bad critique and continue on. But you do want to fix what could be something bad, so take it in pieces, try and see what they see and fix it in their eyes but keeping to your overall idea. If they support the bad review, you've got some figuring out to do. You want to fix whatever you've got wrong, but you also want to stay true to your master plan. Maybe step back and work on something completely different for a bit. This will allow you to have perspective and maybe you'll see what they saw and scrap it. OR use that anger to fuel what you want to do without anyone holding you back, who cares if you just keep the piece to yourself. OR you can take their critique and build off of it, do what they say, in the end it could turn out exactly what you wanted. It might just take a different path to get there. 

Either way, trust in your peers and friends. Know who the people are that you can really be honest with and will guild you. If you don't have a support group, then try and build one. Find people on the internet where you can show your work to and help them as well. 

What do you do when you get into this situation?