Popularity of Certain Art on CAF

[MedicAR]

It's a really good question and one that I had not previously considered.

 

I imagine one might drive up the view count by posting a link in a forum like this, rather than posting a pic directly. This would force those that are curious to go look at it and each click drive the count higher.

 

Another factor might be the way I usually look at CAF. Let's use the Tomb of Dracula cover as an example. Despite searching regularly for Gene Colan, I would not have clicked on it for one of two reasons. First, it's probably not for sale and when I look for something from Gene Colan, I am looking for something to purchase. Second, even if it were available, there is no way I could afford it in this lifetime. Between the two, I won't click it.

 

 

I've actually found that almost everything is for sale on CAF for the right price. I picked up quite a few pieces by asking what it would take to buy it.

 

You have a point there! Tragically, the one I want is not available at any price (that I could afford, anyway).

 

I don't like to be bothered by people wanting to buy items that I have listed as "NFS" so I try avoid doing the same. Honestly, though, that [i[bringing Up Father[/i] strip was a giant exception for me.

 

Back to the topic, though, when I am searching CAF, the items I click on should be for sale and what I expect to be within my range, so I actually avoid the really nice pieces. My current search for art by Gene Colan is for a Nathaniel Dusk page. I have learned how important that book was to him and want a page from it for that reason. It is nice to have a page that collectors consider important or great, but this is a case where I want one that the artist thought was special.

[Terry Doyle]

In a similar vein to CAF (format is very similar), the 'Infected by Art' web-site is well worth exploring:

 

http://www.infectedbyart.com/default.asp

 

It's mostly fantasy-art-orientated (which I lean heavily towards), with the galleries available to either professionals or emerging talents (an artist's work has to be approved for inclusion, which eliminates all the amateurish cr*p that pervades CAF).

 

Some gorgeous stuff on display.

 

You have some impressive art in your gallery. I love the Daleks page. Such a fun piece of art.

 

Thanks.

[Terry Doyle]

I am pretty sure some of the most viewed items are manipulated. That may make some of the nicer pieces with less view counts seem neglected.

 

I remember when Jim D'Amico dominated the 'Most Views' category on CAF for a long, long time. I refuse to believe that the masses viewed the same handful of pages, week in and week out . . .

 

Don't get me wrong, Jim has a lot of great pieces . . . but five-figure viewing counts on most of 'em?

[Brian Peck]

Another way the view count will skyrocket is if your piece is posted on a blog site. I had piece of art used for a Black Crowes t-shirt (just two crowes no T&A) and its my #2 most viewed piece at 6,098. I figured it got posted on a blog and the link sent the piece thru the roof.

[Catwoman_Fan]

I am pretty sure some of the most viewed items are manipulated. That may make some of the nicer pieces with less view counts seem neglected.

 

I remember when Jim D'Amico dominated the 'Most Views' category on CAF for a long, long time. I refuse to believe that the masses viewed the same handful of pages, week in and week out . . .

 

Don't get me wrong, Jim has a lot of great pieces . . . but five-figure viewing counts on most of 'em?

 

His numbers are insane.

I could never figure it out, are those hits helping him sell art?

I don't notice my hit counts, and I've a few AH pieces that have hits in the thousands. I appreciate the comments, especially from friends, but if they had 100 views I wouldn't mind one bit.

[Mephisto]

If you post a direct link to a piece else where...such as this message board it's going to get more views. That's pretty much a given. I did have a Star Wars piece that had been posted for quit some time that one day I noticed was in the top 5 viewed. Not sure if someone may have found it on CAF and recently posted it on a Star Wars message board or not. I know I hadn't pimped it anywhere.

[Solar]

Here is an example of what I am referring to. This is the TOD #10 cover featuring the 1st app of Blade. This piece is simply amazing to look at and a very important piece historically.

 

It was posted up less than a year ago and only has 876 views. This is incredibly low to me for such a fantastic item.

 

tod 10

 

 

Again, I know this site is not a popularity contest and everyone's opinions vary greatly from what they like. I find it odd that these pieces are not viewed more often then they are.

 

In the case of TOD 10, I think there are limited views because it was in another gallery for years, prior to being sold and posted again. I probably viewed it 20 times with its first owner and twice with the current owner, just because it's not new to me. The comments certainly aren't lacking at 28.

[eewwnuk]

back when top 5 was dictated by view count im sure there were people hitting f5 constantly to get their counts up.

[Doc McCoy]

I have found just posting it to the CAF does guaranty a lot of views or comments. A lot of pieces get posted to the CAF every day. Many pieces get lost, when we do the Best of I am amazed at the pieces I missed over the year even though I check the CAF everyday.

I found posting to the Comicart-l and CGC the views and comments will be higher than just posting to CAF.

 

Agreed. Even if you check CAF everyday, once to twice a day (or more), if something happens to get posted on a day that some of the dealers who use the site as their storefront are posting pieces, it can easily get buried within a half hours time.

[Pete Marino]

If you post a direct link to a piece else where...such as this message board it's going to get more views. That's pretty much a given. I did have a Star Wars piece that had been posted for quit some time that one day I noticed was in the top 5 viewed. Not sure if someone may have found it on CAF and recently posted it on a Star Wars message board or not. I know I hadn't pimped it anywhere.

 

Also I've seen 1 of my pages linked to on pintrest. I'm sure that can drive a lot of traffic for more popular stuff.

[Wyndchill]

I've actually gotten emails from some CAF'ers offering to trade comments on pieces. Like it's a commodity. Can you just see a market of buying/selling/trading comments? Think of it. If you could establish yourself as 'The Desired One' so that everyone would want -you- to comment on their art, you could charge a premium. The whole thing could be funded by Bitcoin. ~massive eyeroll~

[Sharkey]

If there was an Art Adams sketch of Batman on a gargoyle with Powergirl flashing cleavage it might crash the site.

 

If you really want to get depressed look at the most searched for terms.

 

How does one do that?

 

resources > popular keyword terms

 

http://comicartfans.com/popular-searches.asp

 

Not so bad now, but last time I looked (probably about a year ago) it was "nude", "naked", "breasts", etc.

 

Sad but true. 3 of my top 4 viewed pages are either convention sketches with nudity or bondage (not my core of collecting) while some impressive Silver Age Kirby pieces have only a fraction of the views.

[suspense39]

Con sketches always seem so personal to me, I never understand all the comments they get.

[Bronty]

Well. I have to assume that's just numbers. The amount of people getting con sketches, and sketched cover blanks, and other sub $500 stuff is probably greater than the number of people buying the more expensive vintage stuff.

 

 

[Dr. Balls]

Here is an example of what I am referring to. This is the TOD #10 cover featuring the 1st app of Blade. This piece is simply amazing to look at and a very important piece historically.

 

It was posted up less than a year ago and only has 876 views. This is incredibly low to me for such a fantastic item.

 

tod 10

 

 

Again, I know this site is not a popularity contest and everyone's opinions vary greatly from what they like. I find it odd that these pieces are not viewed more often then they are.

 

I definitely agree with some of these pieces having low views - however, I'd like to say that I rarely cruise around CAF without a purpose. I am usually researching art that *I* collect, and while TOD #10 is an unbelievably awesome piece, I'd likely never click on it only because it'd never show up when I'm searching for things.

 

Those times that I do find things like iconic OA covers, I usually do take a look at it just for the sake of looking - but it's not often.

[Bronty]

agreed, its not particularly easy to just surf CAF, you need to start with an artist or subject matter key word most of the time, and colan / blade / dracula will be the focus of some searches, but not nearly as many as certain other combos

[Ironmandrd]

Not sure if I am in the minority, but while I'm not on CAF all that much, I do cruise around CAF at times without looking to find and make offers on pieces or see who has what) but just to see what's out there and/or what's been recently posted. It's generally limited to certain characters (or titles) and artists and when I am CAF I also usually look at the home page to see what's new, including Most Commented On and Most Views and in that way I feel like I get exposure to pieces I might not ordinarily see.

 

In so doing I generally don't pay attention to views or comments unless something jumps out at me as odd (like a great piece with hardly any comments or very few views). I echo what was said earlier that a bunch of pieces posted years ago (and maybe as recently as 2010) have far fewer comments than if posted today. Sometimes I leave a new comment on those and more often I don't (especially if the CAF gallery doesn't look very active).

 

I don't like the reciprocity or solicited CAF mindset. I still get an email from one CAFer a few times a year telling me in detail about the piece he just uploaded and asking me to post a comment. It's basically a Spam email that he puts together and then sends to a bunch of people each time only changing the name of the recipient. Or the emails saying "I'll leave you some comments if you leave me some." Ugh.

 

 

[Unca Ben]

I enjoy looking through the CAF on occasion.

Sometimes I'm so blown away I forget to comment.

 

I do avoid the porn, though. I really don't see the point.