I Take the Bad with the Good when It Comes to Reviewing Art Supplies (Patreon)

Improvements to Patreon's interface makes it easier to write blog posts, and I feel like blogging!

I find it rich when Youtubers who receive all the products they review talk about other reviewers being too negative.

Often it's said in a general way in a tone that implies their way of reviewing- focusing on the positive- is the better, more fair way to review art and stationery products, with the hanging implication that focusing on the negative is unfair to the company or unpleasant to the viewer.

Maybe I'm projecting as I'm a reviewer that often gets accused of being negative but I'm also a reviewer who purchases the bulk of what she reviews, so I'm less inclined to be overly generous with products that don't perform up to expectations.

This is actually in reference to a fountain pen reviewer I watched for the first time yesterday, who gave a long prologue about preferring not to do negative reviews and always trying to find the positive while then admitting that much of what he reviews is given to him by the companies themselves. Personally, I think he's doing his viewers a disservice by erring on the side of positivity, but that's the reason I buy most of what I review, and I dont classify things that are sent to me as reviews but as demonstrations.

With the exception of handmade products, I do not do reviews to serve companies, but to serve fellow customers like myself, and I do not feel I owe most companies the benefit of the doubt. Small business and handmade? I will extend a lot of grace. Winsor and Newton? They're big boys; they can handle some negative opinions. Sometimes the best way to improve is through honest feedback, and I don't feel that I owe companies a privately sent email with my concerns listed out. If a product is on the mass market, other customers deserve to hear my concerns if they wish to listen.

I wanted to write about this because honestly? It's a sentiment I see often. Not disclosing when products are sent to you is illegal, but a lot of content creators neglect to inform their viewers. Many viewers assume we all get sent things for free all the time- disclosure or not. I've had viewers who assumed I was sent product accuse me of being overly negative about something I received for free- when in fact it was a product I paid full price for. I've also had viewers thank me for my honesty, and I try to live by that. If I'm wrong, I'll revisit a product and admit my mistakes.

I think transparency in the review world is mandatory- trust is an essential component of what we do, and I think if I have a negative experience with a product, that's worth talking about, and if the price impacts that experience, then it's worth mentioning. I dont really care if other reviewers review products they received care of, but I do care if they don't disclose that, if they were paid for the review in something other than the product FOR their positive review, or if they try to degrade the differing opinions of other reviewers who have purchased the product.

To circle back to the fountain pen reviewer- it was a pen he'd been given at a show, by company reps, and it failed catastrophically. He demonstrated the points of failure quite well and explained why it wouldn't be worthwhile to even do a writing test. I just wish he hadn't felt the need to give a lot of preamble about how he was usually such a positive reviewer and hated to give negative reviews- that mindset makes it challenging for those of us who believe in pointing out the bad with the good to do our jobs as it creates a culture of toxic positivity. I believe there's room for reviewers who see the sunny side of life just as there's room for reviewers who will sniff out every flaw. Companies need the Pollyannas to sell products and consumers need Debbie Downers like me for honest troubleshooting and pain points.

I want to reiterate for the folks in the back- if a product gets sent to me, I will disclose it, multiple times, in multiple ways throughout the video and in the description. I have no desire to hide it. Companies have tried to convince me to lie about receiving product, I refuse to work with them. When I purchase a product, I'll let you know that too, and I'll share where I purchased it if I can remember to do so. My loyalty isn't to companies, I enjoy playing with art supplies, I enjoy making art, and I love sharing what I find with others.

If you're reading this, I know you appreciate art and illustration created by human hands and honest art supply reviews, even when the news isn't pleasant. And I want to thank you for believing in me and what I'm doing- it really means a lot to me.