"DON'T POST VENT ART!" (Debunking the Vent Art Stigma) || SPEEDPAINT + COMMENTARY 

whats even more evil to me than "vent art is unnecessary" is the idea that vent art is "cringy". the fact that i REGULARLY find out my friends have had their vent art about the worst traumas imaginable ended up in some "tiktok cringe compilation" is genuinely vile

I can't stand how people respond to any unashamed expressions of mental illness or trauma with "uR rOmAnTiSiZiNg" They say not to hide it and then when you don't, this is what you get. This applies to things like books and movies as well - like how dare you show mental illness? It's insanity (ironically enough) and I can't take the word seriously anymore.

Making artists take artwork down for trigger’s defeats the purpose of art- art is personal inherently, and sometimes these vent arts are actually extremely relateable and emotional. Idk people shouldn’t make their own triggers someone else’s problem.

Rarely ever is it the original artist that romantizes mental illness, it's often someone hijacking it and turning it into something it's not. Back in tumblr days I made the mistake of posting vent art, but letting people know I was okay and that was just a moment I need to acknowledge and let go. ...And then the 'aesthetic' blogs got a hold of it and basically put they're own twisted pro-harm BS onto it. That threw me into such a spiral because not only was I getting notifications with blog names that were just disgusting with icons to match, I had people sending me messages saying I was faking/enabling/an f-d up waste and trolls telling me to off myself without anyone actually having the original context. To say that it seriously caused me harm was an understatement. Sorry I had to get that experience off my chest.

"People shouldn't make vent art in a way that glorifies mental illness and makes them money." Well what else am I gonna do with this mental illness? I don't have insurance.

i think the thing about "you cant post vent artwork because xyz" that annoys me the most is that every OTHER type of artist CAN (and is encouraged), just not visual artists. singers, songwriters, writers, poets, and all sorts of people under that scope are free to vent about their problems through song and writing. actors and actresses and even dancers or comedians can vent in performative ways. but for some reason. its always visual artists who arent allowed to express themselves fully. whats the point if we cant? what is this all for? art can have many auxiliary purposes. money, attention, practice, whatever. but at the core, every single artist of every type and of every medium is expressing themselves. and that should never be disallowed.

I've never posted vent art, but I find the viewing of it therapeutic. It's kinda hard to put it into words, but it feels like I'm not alone in the experience, and that other ppl understand what I'm going through even if I'm not ready to share my experiences yet.

when i heard celestia list those points on why people dislike vent art i was honestly dumbfounded, i personally never post my vents cause theyre very personal to me and id be uncomfortable sharing them, and honestly i think that should be the only criteria used by an artist on deciding to make their vents public or not vent art is a valid and healthy way to cope, the idea that it romanticizes mental illness is stupid to me, and artists have no control or responsibility over who sees their art or not, if thats a concern as long as the piece is properly tagged thats not gonna be an issue

I’ve never made or posted vent art, but I can see why people would

My thoughts about vent art are simple: Does it follow TOS? Does it have appropriate content warnings? Is it the artist's own work/do they have permission to use the work? If all those criteria are satisfied then I do not care.

art is art,I don't care of it's vent art,there's nothing wrong with drawing of how you feel

I've never posted vent art online before, but I have looked through other people's vents that relate to my situation to cope with my problems. Sometimes when you're depressed/anxious/or just sad in general, you need to see that other people are also going through your same struggles, it makes you feel less alone and comforted in a way. Not only does vent art help the person posting the vent art, but it can also help the people seeing it as well

I just recently listened to kikou's song I’m sorry I’m sorry which is about sexual child abuse and oh boy did it fuck me over but I read the comments and saw how much people found comfort in having what they went through depicted in such a gruesome way because that’s what it was. The only horror being that it happened and still happens to so many people.

I remember several years ago, before I'd ever heard of vent art as a phenomenon, I watched a movie called "To the Bone" about teens suffering with profound eating disorders (take that as a content warning). While it was difficult for me to understand exactly what happened (the dialogue was somewhat vague), what I eventually pieced together that the whole exposition around the main character was that she (I believe) had been posting essentially vent art and it had led to some other, total stranger, girl unaliving herself. From the start, the other girl's mom and even people in the MC's life were SOOOO accusatory, disappointed, and/or just cruel to her, like she had done something evil and CAUSED the other girl's action, totally blaming the MC and her presumably graphic art for triggering it. The girl may have even cited MC's art in her letter, I can't quite remember. Even before ever having heard of vent art or any of the discourse around it, I was immediately confused and disgusted at those characters. I think I gave the mom who'd just lost her daughter a little slack, assuming she'd not be in her right mind and may eventually come around and realize her misplaced hatred... but I'm pretty sure even the MC's OWN FAMILY was like, diappointed with her?! I was like WTF?!?!?! SHE is suffering too!!! She is allowed to express her own pain and suffering, and was presumably NOT glorifying or encouraging it. For all we know, making and sharing that art could have been the only thing keeping HER alive. If somebody else sees and interprets it as glorification or encouragement, it may not be their fault, but it's also NOT the artist's fault. Overall I think I appreciated the movie, but that was the one point that kinda otherwise ruined it to me. I don't think it was ever revisited, or even necessarily corrected by the narrative. It just showed all these people villainizing simply another victim, her feeling guilty and torn apart by it, and then... that's it? The rest of the movie was about her getting help for her own eating disorder, and I don't recall anyone ever telling her that the event from the beginning WASN'T her fault. So if someone did ever say that, either it was tossed in there in a super insignificant way, or my memory is just shot. Either way, what I took away from that movie was that they never condemned the blaming of this poor girl for what happened, and it was really gross and I hated it. And now, listening to you discuss the topic directly, I'm better understanding why I felt that way.

As someone who is currently recovering from self-h*rm and s**cidal thoughts, I've had people accuse me on occasion of romanticizing/glorifying my depression due to some of the vent art I've posted. From their wording, I couldn't tell if they've never experienced mental illnesses and are making assumptions that do, or if they suffered from mental illnesses and are making assumptions about me. But what is clear is that they've never bothered to check in with the artist who posts vent art. They just can't be bothered to drop a "you doing okay?" or "is something wrong?".

If I feel triggered by someones art, I block it or blend it out. Pretty much every social media offers that

Never posted my own vent art anywhere, but a long time ago i was following this one artist, really liked their work. Have been following them for years and never had any issues. And then one day i saw their vent art piece appear on my dash, and it triggered me, badly, even though that wasn't the first time i saw something like that. Then it happened again a short while later, and i decided it was time to unfollow. Hated that i had to do it, their art was very pretty and it also wasn't all vent only, but it was my responsibility to take care of myself. It would have been completely unreasonable of me to demand they stop posting vent pieces. As was said in the video, you automatically sign up to the possibility of being exposed to all kinds of unpleasant stuff when you decide to use any online platform. Can't handle? Then i'm really sorry, but just stay offline

For me, if I made a vent art and kept it private, I'll feel like I haven't vented at all. My healing process requires me to put it where there is "air flow" to let fresh air circulate through.

So wait…if I draw vent art about me getting mad at the food triangle, I could have someone have a mental breakdown? Gods dam.

Oh my gosh new cat website just dropped!! Also yeah serious vent art is something i could never see myself posting because i am bad at letting people see my ✨emotions✨

I dont blame the artists for the vent art but mostly the apps mainly because if I scroll through insta reels, there are a lot of vent reels from artist showing up and I cant even scroll through for too long without getting triggered

Imagine if artists were never allowed to explore tough or distressing topics through their art

Of the many times I've shared Vent art I had backlash from those who got a deeper view about me in the darkest parts of my mind, and I now have my Vent art as a more independent thing for me that helps me feel better it's like intrusive thoughts I'd never want what I draw to ever bestowed onto me or anyone around me, I just also am a visual person so saying I'm sad vs drawing something a but more distressing crying and warped might be a bit uncomfortable so I hold me Vent art in a folder and once in a while share Vent art but Don't share why I made it because some people relate to Vent art, I know when I see inspirational quoted happy art it's weird I feel more in awe and attached to a Vent art like a skull with flowers or other art like this that can range from passion to distress and despair. Your videos are always very captivating and I'm happy to see someone talk about this.

A majority of the music i listen to are venting type songs, and i think its been pretty beneficial to me since i can just listen to the music to get all of my emotions out instead of lashing out at other people. So yeah, vent art can definitely have positive effects when its shared. Not to mention a lot of old art we see is also vent art and if that wasn’t shared, artists would be much further behind in our ability to convey emotions authentically.

Thank you for these videos. My girlfriend found your video on "cringe" art and she is starting to open up and want to make art again. We just watched this video together and she found it inspiring and completely right. So thank you again for videos like this one.

I recall there are also legal reasons and regulations why your therapist wouldnt share the vent art you made, such as HIPPA.

I’ve posted vent art before and it makes me feel just a tiny bit better.

As someone who routinely draws vent art, it's important to me and my experiences to share it with at least my friends due to being silenced about my feelings. Most of the art isn't very vague in its subject matter so I don't post it. I genuinely worry about getting yelled at if I do post it. I'm probably going to make a different account for it. Thanks for the video Celestia

I’ve posted a few vent art pieces in my time and it definitely has helped me cope through some of the roughest times in my life. It truly is an amazing therapy! It really really is!!!

I remember people accusing strawberry milkshake or whatever as faking her art being vent art

In the wise words of ancient fic writers: Tag Your Shit. (Yes, it may be less helpful for visual art depending on the platform. But still)

"drawing my feelings" was a huge part of why I started drawing as an adult. those sketches are hidden at the back of my sketchbook but I've always wondered about finishing them as full artworks. Something about confronting art helps process feelings a lot better, I'd rather feel uncomfortable and engage with that emotion than hide behind commercial, "uplifting" works, which usually leave me feeling worse by comparison.

I’ve only made vent art once and don’t have it anymore, but to me processing and expressing complex emotions is one of the core aspects of art! That’s basically what art is for! Sharing vent art is just sharing art, and if it makes you feel something - good, it accomplished its task in trying to make you take its message seriously. Discouraging people from sharing art that expresses complex emotions is discouraging art itself as a concept! It’s not just pretty images. Plus, people sharing complex emotions in art form helps ME who may not have experienced a lot of them to understand and emphasize with what others are going through. Mental illness is really confusing for those who aren’t dealing with it, and seeing vent art helps. I want to emphasize and understand people, I don’t want them to hide what they’re going through.

“You shouldnt be able to make money off of your vent art cause it upsets me and making money off of mental illness!” Dude. My mental illness. My choice if i wanna make money off of the expression of my suffering and mental turmoil. (Its as simple as that. Its YOUR art and your choice if you want to share).

I've seen a lot of vent art, the most common are artists who fell lonely and say they have not friends. When I or others try to reach them in order to be that friend they're asking for, usually go silent. people making vent art saying they love some kind of art of characters but when people reaches them it goes silent again. To me vent art is a seek for the five minutes of attention, maybe because I only find those kind of posts...

As long as everything is tagged appropriately, we good

To add onto to the point of the hypocrisy of vent art used for profit argument: even if making vent art for profit somehow not makes it vent art, so? It's then just regular dark art, which is normal. Regardless if the art was made to vent, that doesn't change the fact that stories with dark themes should be allowed to be sold. Horror and murder mysteries are their own genres, Courage the cowardly dog had topics like grief and abusive relationships that it got to cover like any vent art can today, heck, we can get really wacky we could argue anti-drug PSAs fall under this for showing drugs and overdosing. This stuff is shown, advertised, and bought like crazy and we don't claim glorifying cause they're trying to show how those things effect people, but that consideration or understanding isn't lent to vent art. The argument of vent art shouldn't be profited is a knee jerk reaction at best with someone not realizing they grew up with dark themes already and the personal aspect of vent art doesn't change the value, or it's a bad faith argument for someone not wanting to see dark themes at all and instead of taking themselves out of the situation, blame others.

The way I see it. Posting vent art is fine. Sometimes posting is a part of the intention so the artist can help bring awareness to something. But it is the artist's responsibility to give their audience the tools to avoid triggering subjects. Like using trigger warnings. Especially if the vent art is different from what they normally post. It is the viewers responsibility to use the tools given (like trigger warnings) to avoid potentially triggering subjects.

I respectfully disagree with the opinion artists aren't obligated to warn others a post they've made is vent art. Taking a few minutes to blur the image and add text listing the appropriate trigger warnings either on the image or post itself with the next panel containing the uncensored art to prevent a mental breakdown is decency, not kindness. Artistic freedom does not include giving others panic attacks over sensitive subject matter. People also can't control, only curate, what the algorithm shows them and sometimes this includes posts they don't want to see. I do agree with everything else though and appreciate you educating others on why vent art, no matter the setting, is helpful! Your videos are always well-spoken despite me not agreeing with all points. Thanks for making them! They benefit all who watch them

Most vent art I’ve seen has been tagged as vent art.

Artemisia Gentileschi was an italian baroque painter, and she is known for her biblical paintings of women taking vengeance on the men who harmed or abused them. It was literally vent art, as she had been raped, betrayed and tortured, and put her pain into her art. A lot of people who goes through trauma publish books about it, they're making money from it and also are getting their feelings out, one doesn't stop the other...

Personally, for me, sharing vent art *is* the release. There are a few pieces of vent art I've made that I absolutely cannot force myself to share - generally the less abstract pieces - but the entire rest of it just isn't properly effective unless I post it publicly or show it to my friends. So, every time I see people debate whether or not it's okay to post, my opinion is always that the problem is not the posting itself, but the situation surrounding it. Like not marking it as mature or NSFW content, and not taking precautions to make sure people are aware of the content that they are about to see. However, I still do not believe that making such a mistake is something an artist should be harassed over - nothing is, really - and that's my issue with everything surrounding it. Like, if you saw someone's art, and that art is triggering to you, it isn't the artist's fault for creating it. It's likely their mistake or, often, unawareness of what precautions to take when posting, that causes someone to see it. So I think the real action that should be taken on the topic is just more open discussion of it. Public awareness of such a topic is almost never negative. Edit: I don't hold all artists to the standards I hold myself. I feel that for me, taking precautions such as content warnings and mature tags *is* a standard. However, for other artists, I generally consider it a responsible and respectful thing to do, but never necessary. I wish that it was possible for no one to ever come across triggering content, and for all artists to be able to comfortably share their vent art, but sometimes healing your pain can hurt someone else. That's no one's fault. If you want to blame anyone in specific, blame the algorithm of the platform you saw it on. The artist doesn't choose to place vent art directly in front of you; the algorithm did.

i believe it's important to post vent art sometimes. for me personally, posting my vent art online in the past helped get me the help i needed, it made me realize i did need mental help. it gives others a space to believe they aren't alone in their struggles if they find my art relatable. sometimes all people need is a space to feel like they're understood and thats why i think vent art is important. there is a difference between glorifying and excusing mental health, and using art as an outlet and reaching out for help rather than having a mental spiral. nobody should have to hide their mental health, and everyone should have the ability to vent their emotions when they need to. (apologies if some of this sounds like words on repeat, i have a reading disability)

I've never shared vent art, but I have shared art that could be potentially triggering (i.e gore and blood), I think that posting this art is fine if a trigger warning is included

I might have seen this video a bit late but it's still very greatly made. as someone who struggles and makes vent art to cope (especially with sh), I really appreachiate this. I also personally have a whole extra account dedicated to vent art and always put a tw beforehand, so that people who don't wanna see it don't have to. Again, great video. It really made me feel better, since I always felt bad to post my vent art sometimes, even when I know I hadn't had any bad intentions with it.

The most annoying thing is when vent art is “cringe”. Because literally *what the fuck* 💀

tbh, I don't really care if people post vent art. In all honesty, I don't even *know* how to feel or react when I see vent art. Sometimes I can't feel anything nor can I tell if I'm supposed to react at all. I don't know how to explain this without sounding like an a**hole. For some reason, I'll feel sympathy, but other times I 'll feel skepticism. And in some cases, absolutely nothing. It's so weird. I've never been able to understand human emotion very well, so there's that also. Ngl, I don't know how to really speak on this.

in my opinion- art is meant to be a form of self expression.. regardless of what art form it takes in (music, dance, visual, theatre) many of the famous artists of the past have depicted various struggles in their lives, and those paintings/artworks have been sold.. no one seems to mind that they (all be it gone now) have depicted their struggles…. but now if people label something as “vent art” it’s bad. - anyways i agree with a lot of your statements/opinions in the video, and this is just another addition i have to this whole conversation :))

Take responsibility for yourself. If you get upset it's on *you* to protect yourself. Give artists freedom

I’m really glad I saw this because I have a character that I want to use in my vent art because this character is the raw emotions of this really specific trauma that I have and I was really scared to make a vent art of him because I want to make a comic where he is a character in that and sort of work through that trauma But I was scared that people would try to harass me because I would post fanart of him.

Though I've still got to watch the whole video I can say I'm really curious about this, since i haven't actually seen vent art in some time, and I'm curious about how people use it now.

"Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable." - Banksy

When people show their vent art im sure its to express themselves and is for others who might can relate to their experience kniw their not alone and connect in their little online circles of tears, and letting out their emotions in something they all have a passion for, art.

"You shouldn't post vent art because you're just doing it for exposure, clout, or money" is the dumbest argument I've ever seen, because those three things describe almost every reason why anyone posts art.

if not post vent art then what to post? there was a time in my life when vent art was the only thing that helped me to express emotions in the safest way possible and i almost didn't draw anything else

I have created vent art but I never share it with others. I'm personally against the sharing of it to be honest. It can trigger people who see it, it can attract the wrong audience, and it can do some serious harm to the artist themselves in the long run. I feel like if someone's gonna post vent art they should do it in a safe space with people going through similar experiences.

I’ve made a decent amount of vent art, but I never really specified it as vent art, just cool little neon drawings. I don’t do it often anymore, but when I do, it’s to myself only

For me, as an artist struggling with multiple mental disorders because of childhood trauma I find it it can be both therapeutic as much as it can be just showing off pain. Sometimes I wish I could express how I feel or be able to say help when I’m just unable to say it without deleting it 3 sec after so making art about it helps sooooo much cause it’s like saying « hey I’m not okay as you can see so please notice it ». (And before someone calls me an attention seeker, I’m just like so many other people that have mental illness. It comes with the package)

For me personally, my sona it's self is a vent sona, I.E she faced a lot of the same trauma I did with an ex partner. The difference is while I never got justice for what said ex did, She did and though exaggerated ofc with my writing, She's slowly dealing with finding a new identity as her ex turned her into a vampire against her will. Call it what you will but I find often then not those who are traumatized, abused etc find we turn into completely different people even after we escape the abusers that harmed us. We can't be the same happy, blissfully unaware people we were before, Echo's of it will show through but that's it, anything can crush it even the smallest discouragement. It's why vent art/ writing is so therapeutic and often then not we share it to tell other survivors it's ok and that they aren't alone. Often times it's a cry for help. I'm not too far into the video but already I appreciate you debunking this idea that it's romanization. I actually plan on making a video myself on my sona and her struggles, But I wasn't sure when to make it, you've defiantly encouraged me to go ahead with it.

don’t have much to say about this topic personally, just doing the usual comment to boost celestia’s videos in the algorithm :)

some of the most famous traditional art pieces were made as vent art by the artist. I think it depends on if vent art is glorifying experiences rather than depicting mental illness. Like if it's pro-shipping

I have never posted vent art but I have seen many vent art videos and vent art pictures posted by people. I do understand why people post it, it can help them feel better and it can also make the people who see it feel better in a way.

Good video!! I agree with pretty much all you said!! Something i thought of was younger children seeing it and strong alghorithms on apps like tiktok for example. I wouldnt be surprised if some little kids feed just got filled with vent art and self harm stuff. I use insta and sometimes see someone i follow post a vent art piece, its not very often, im old enough to have my own understanding of mental health. But some kids have not gotten a healthy understanding of it and i think if a strong algoritm showed them pretty much just that, and get in communities with a bunch of kids that make it worse for eachother, with awful tips and stuff. Sorry my comment is a mess, just wondering how people feel about vent art being seen in mass because of algoritms and younger children with poor understamding of mental health being shown a bunch of it.

I’ve seen this a lot with vent accounts and it makes me so fvcking angry. Like who cares if someone puts heh or :) at the end of the post??? I’ve seen ppl use a quote on quote “cringy” examples and then reply with “do it” “hurry up” and “good” like people are genuinely so god d@mn disgusting

myself i have interacted with vent art that i am aware of. but for my self when i see it in videos animation or books i find it helpful that it reminds me that i am not the only one who has suffered in that way.

Actually I produced vent art before, without even knowing it's called vent art. I struggle with depression and panic attacks for many many years. I expressed myself in my art but I was not aware of that concept of vent art at all. If I will ever encounter bad comments on my art I at least know what they mean - Thank you

The only time I get a bit iffy about sharing vent art is when people use the label vent art as a shield or excuse to draw gross things, such as the situation with Strawberry Milk. Other then that, I think that as long as you put the proper trigger warnings on your artwork and you aren’t romanticizing the material then it’s fine. Most vent art I’ve seen doesn’t do either of those things.

On the topic, I feel like it's much more of a range than "vent art" to "romanticizing harm", though I unstand you kept it simple for the video to not get into every bit of it. dkjbfgdskjbdg Like, many others have said, art is personal. Telling a story, fictional or not, with our art is up to the artist. Sometimes that falls on some dark topics, but in most cases, it's not with the intention of causing harm to others. Another great video, keep up the great work!

Michelangelo's David was vent art; you can't change my mind xD

I believe no art should be banned. whatever you thought on life is, its only opinion. But i also think if you show your work to the world you deserve as much criticism as support. But to this video, if you ever see this, i have a lot of respect for you from when i started watching your videos. Your someone that seems will open their mind. I just found it weird you talk down to people judging those who post vent art because they dont know the intentions. Which i agree. But turn around and say most vent art is made with the best intentions. Which you also cant know. Its a big discussion but something i thought should be brought to your attention. Keep making videos. They make me have a little more faith in people

Whats that common phrase? Art is meant to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable. Art is extremely personal. It is a way to express yourself when words aren’t able to. Its disgusting to tell someone youre glorifying mental illness for simply posting your art when venting in music is common.

I used to draw a lot and sometimes I used to vent when I did water colour paint. I was not really wanting to show it off. I am scared of looking bad when I talk about what I feel

Artists vent in the way they best know how. If people don't want to see vent drawings, then we should criticize venting in music or any other medium. It's all or nothing. It should be allowed because it can be therapeutic.

i have no problem with vent art considering there is a lot of work that "masters" have done that would prob qualify as vent art

I've only drawn vent art a new times. I don't personally have a problem with artists venting through their work. I don't understand why people get upset what that artist does with that artwork. (Like if they post or sell it)

also, im sorry, but what the hell kind of complaint is "oooo ur profiting from mental illness, that's baaaad" or whatever bs it is?? like, if you are struggling with an illness, monetize the hell out of it as long as you're comfortable with that, get at least something positive out of a crappy situation!

I've made vent art a few times, nothing violent or nsfw or anything, and making and posting it feels cathartic and really can help for the artist. I feel like as long as things are properly tagged and not subjects that are not like, overtly illegal subject matter, vent art should be allowed to be posted without the artist being demonized. Whether it's free or the art makes profit, the artist isn't less valid either.

Ok completely off topic but holy shit the art you drew in the video is fantastic

I admit i posted vent art twice..... One was kinda an adaptation of a meme and the other just blowing off steam. All because somebody insulted my voice online playing Halo. And you know what i gotta say it was some of my best art. I've never made skin that good looking before.

I've posted vent comics, or vent art on my channel once or twice. and I never knew anything like it was controversial. I actually was just scrolling through RU-vid before I head off somewhere and I came across your video. I don't see anything wrong with vent art but people should still be mindful. And my opinion about this is that I think people should post vent art, but as long as there is at the very least warnings about what's going to be in it. (S3lf H4rm(SH), -Suicidal thoughts- , etc.) or mentions of it. I think it's okay to post it, but since a lot of people have trauma and can get triggered by certain topics, you definitely add warnings for those who get triggered by the topics if there is something like being sad then it's not bad, but if it's depression, add a warning that it has mentions of depression in it. But also try to not pay attention to the bad things people are saying, delete the comments and maybe try and do something you love. Like watching cartoons or something that makes you happy, or if you do still feel down in the dumps, talk or chill with someone you really love. A friend, a family member, or your cat and/or dog. (Or any other pet you have! :D) This is just my side of the story coming from someone who isn't really triggered by those topics. But I'm a new subscriber to your channel, your art and skills are amazing! --LeahBug

So my character Zardix, who tries to kill his brother Aubrin (the main character), but always fails in a cartoony way, because Aubrin's always been seen as the "better sibling" by their parents and the people around them, is vent art ? Zardix is jealous of Aubrin because of that. He tries to kill Aubrin because he has the impression that if he's gone, his problems will be gone as well. And he also uses this aggressivity towards Aubrin to hide his insecurities from him. Aubrin is a relatively nice person. His main flaw is that he's even too nice for his own good. So he obviously cares about Zardix and tries to help, by still being nice to him despite Zardix trying to kill him (also he knows that Zardix always fails so he isn't really worried). And that's when Zardix, after quite some time, starts experiencing character development. He starts genuinly caring about Aubrin and sometimes helps him when other villains attack. But he's too stubborn at admit it to others, and especially to himself, and uses the argument of "I'm protecting you now so I can kill you myself later". Which is absolutely not why he does it. The true reason is that he cares about Aubrin now. More and more time pass, and Zardix caring about Aubrin becomes more and more obvious, to the point where Aubrin himself has noticed the change (even though Zardix still tries to kill him from time to time). And finally, the last part of Zardix's development is when he accepts the fact that he cares about his brother, and that he doesn't want to kill him anymore. It took around 4 years for it to happen (from the start of the story to not so long ago). It happened when he got called out by the big bad that concluded the arc that started alongside the series itself. He said that Zardix is bad at being a villain, constantly teaming up with his target. That triggers the switch that makes Zardix realize, and he tells the big bad that he isn't bad at being a villain. He was bad at being good guy, but now he isn't anymore thanks to Aubrin. And I think this is vent art because my sister also is the "better sibling" in my family's eyes. But Zardix is also his own character, I would never try to even hurt my sister, and I'm very proud of his character development, which is specific to Zardix and not something I went through (since I never denied I care about my sister even though things are complicated right now). But I relate to his insecurities and his resentment towards his sibling since he feels like he's not good enough compared to them. But Zardix is lucky enough to have a nice brother who cares. My sister doesn't. She sees herself the same way my family does and we were barely speaking to each other before I left.

"Is vent art bad" I cannot believe discourse has come so far.... incredible 🧍‍♀️. Expressing yourself in art, your feelings, sad or happy, has always been one of the main purposes of art. To see that people feel entitled enough to speak against people expressing their sorrow... idk man it makes me pissed off. Not your cup of tea? Curate your feed goddammit don't make it worse for someone who is already suffering.

When people accuse artists of romanticizing mental illness because they made art about a symptom of a condition they actually have, it reminds me of the concept of the "perfect victim". Mental illness doesn't show the same way in everyone; some people prefer to keep their struggles as a private matter, some prefer to instead make art about it, some talk about it. And so what? They are equally suffering, just coping differently. The idea that there is such a thing as the "right way" to cope with traumatizing situations is inherently harmful. I wouldn't call everyone who perpetuates it a bad person, but to know why a hammer is swung doesn't lessen its impact.

I personally make vent art to deal with my mental health and deep rooted trauma that I deal with. It's sometimes the only reason that my trauma doesn't take hold of me. I suffer from horrible mental health and conditions that even alter reality for me those of which were caused by genetics and horrible traumas. I create horrible terrifying monsters because that is how I see my mental health as or the people who inflicted my trauma. I create characters or depictions of myself that are put into helpless positions and sometimes victims of horrible circumstances because they were traumas that I suffered. I post it with warnings and such so that way those who don't want to see it can avoid it but to those who are suffering with the same problems I do, can see it and perhaps realize that they aren't alone. Perhaps it is a younger person who doesn't realize that their not alone and they are not only one who suffered that trauma. It can help them realize that the feelings that they have are normal and can be worked through. It can show them that their art can become their own personal therapy. It opens a pathway for them to even reach out and we can discuss experiences and coping mechanisms. I've been the person who has helped some younger artists understand and cope with their trauma through them viewing my vent art and reaching out. Vent art is not only therapeutic for the artist but sometimes people who suffer from similar problems can reach out for help that they might be too afraid to do in real life. Mental health is still heavily scrutinized and I've dealt with people who believe that mental health isn't a thing and I'm making it up. It took me 5 years to finally come forward to my family that I needed help after many near death attempts and got caught during one. People may not realize that there are others who can help them without their family chastising and belittling them for asking for help. Vent art can help the artists cope and learn how to deal with it in a healthy manner without interference. Gatekeeping and chastising people from making it and posting it can not only harm the artist who made it but other people who may see it and take it as an opportunity to reach out for help.

I find the idea of not being allowed to post vent art pretty ridiculous, considering that the artists' emotions are often an inspiration and motivation for their art. Be that drawings, music, poetry, stories, animations, movies, or games.

If people can’t make vent art just because of xyz, then singers and writers can’t make songs, movies, or books based or inspired by their own life experiences and serious real life topics because of the same xyz 💀 I feel like it’s some sensory-based bias too, where what someone *sees* could give off a more negative response from someone than if they’re *hearing* the thing. Some may react more strongly witnessing abuse than if they’re hearing it. I feel like it’s a bit ableist, but I can’t entirely say if it is or not, but the double standards rubs me the wrong way. I can’t stand if someone says we can’t make or post vent art because it’s “triggering,” and here’s the thing… artists are not here to please you. The artist used what’s triggering for them to express their pain and give off the message of what is hurting them, like a cry of help or a cry for hope to live just one more damn day. “Attention-seeking” is not always bad because if that person didn’t say anything, how would you know how the person is feeling. That artist could be happy and laughing and liking the chat, but because they didn’t say anything publicly, you wouldn’t know they have a crap ton of factors making them miserable inside to the point that you don’t see them anymore because they’re fuckin *dead* the next day. To me, vent art is an act of reaching out, and you never know… it could save someone’s life or give someone else a revelation.

To me, "vent art" sounds like a redundant phrase. If a thing is made without emotion, can it really be called art? Even unusual edge-case art like a ready-made is shot through with emotion. Marcel Duchamp's bottle rack, for example: the bottle rack itself was an industrial product made only for utility, but when Duchamp claimed it as a ready-made, the act of applying a signature says "I feel this thing in my soul, it is as much a part of me as if I created it with my own hands". It the vent that makes the art, without it there is only a product.

I have a question, if you make a character to show how SH is to others who may not experience it- is that glorifying SH or not?

Hey, I'm preparing an exam on the topic of art therapy, andyou raise really interesting points. Do you have some resources (papers, websites or anything) regarding that topic ?

Honestly I have no problem with vent art, I think it’s a great tool and I do it quite often. However, I just feel that if you’re going to post it, you have to make sure that it is labeled as vent art. I’ve had times where someone I follow will post vent art of something really serious, sometimes something that is very triggering to me, and don’t mark it as such. They just post it as they would any other artwork and it’s led to me spiraling for a moment. I have the vent art tag blocked on all my social media accounts for a reason, so please if you’re posting vent art, mark it as such

Ive never had a problem with vent art, but ive also never really understood the appeal of it. I mean, i can understand and see why other people do it, but it's never really done anything for me. I've never felt the urge to make vent art and i dont really feel anything when viewing other's vent art. The closest ive really gotten to vent art is making fanart for a song or character i relate to a lot, and those both are more about the connection i have to the source material than the actual art itself. I do feel a lot more towards songs that vent feelings or about certain subjects i find relatable, and people post and monetize music all the time. So if music artists can do it, and are praised for it, i don't understand why visual artists are treated so much differently for doing the same thing. Also when pop art was first becoming a thing, oftentimes these artists were criticized for their work not being meaningful enough. Its just interesting to see the shift from people back in the day thinking art should only be meaningful, to today, where people are made fun of for making meaningful art.

Beautiful art btw and great vid

if Olivia Rodrigo can make an album and a half venting about her ex and sell it to us I think I can post my vent art online

anyone who complains about vent art needs to step offline. Im serious. reality check PLEASE.

Im so tired of art puritans. People demand artists only post positive sunshine and rainbows when we’re humans with emotions and our work reflects our emotions. People have a double standard too depending on how “high quality” the vent art is. People will eat up more grand, beautiful looking works that reflect artists emotions but scratchy scribbly vent art seems to have a weird stigma

What is the software you actually use for drawing? Last time I checked, MSPaint doesn't support pressure sensirivity. //edit: Or layers.

I love your drawing.

I can’t say I’ve ever wanted to post my vent art- letting other people see it felt way too invasive- but that should be my decision to make, not anyone else’s

One year later, but I was thinking of this again. Mainly because I've been drawing vent art a lot lately... Maybe? Um, basically. I stopped drawing for awhile, because of IRL stuff + I started seeing my current sketchbook, as something that needs to be finished. Instead of something to draw and have fun in I am drawing in it more, not as often as before. But still drawing in it. And lately, it's been my secondary Sona, dressed as a bunnie girl/Playboy bunny Why? 'Cause I'm feeling tired, or just... Negative. And I want I want to draw self indulgent art Idk, if it like, "fits the dictionary definition" of vent art. But to me, it expresses how I feel Will I post it? Maybe some of it? I haven't decided yet

Tell it like it is Duchess Celestia!