“How do you deal with negative comments and trolls?” – Jeanne asked me a while ago.
I’ve been asked this question a lot while growing as an artist on Instagram, and I’ve always wanted to answer it in a long and detailed manner.
If you’re still improving your art and trying to find your art style, I have a detailed post that will help you learn how to become a full-time artist.
I started posting my art and comics on Instagram sometime around June 2017, and I was very excited when I started gaining followers.
I would wake up early every day to read the comments.
Those of you who love to post your art on Instagram will know this wonderful feeling.
The feeling of being loved and praised for your work.
It’s super addictive. Am I right?
But there were some days when I would see a nasty or hurtful comment, and I’d want to crawl under the covers and stop drawing for a while. I was very sensitive and naive back then.
I’ve had negative comments from internet trolls, adults who cannot understand my comics or are tired of seeing “hair-related” comics on their feed, and even some from people I’d considered friends. Those hurt the most, let me tell you.
Although, here’s the thing.
When you draw consistently and get better at drawing really quickly, you rise really high.
Some people are genuinely happy for you, and some cannot take it.
The ones who love you and respect you will pat you on the back and encourage you to rise further. At the same time, there are others that will try and bring you down. And then some do absolutely nothing at all but hate you in silence.
These people aren’t really our concern in today’s blog post.
It’s all about dealing with hateful and negative comments.
Please scroll to the bottom if you want to see more posts like this:
Also, I send free drawing tutorials every week. So, if you’d like to keep up, please sign up here:
Ready, Freddy?
Letโs begin.
This post includes affiliate links. If you do decide to purchase something, I will make a commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, please read my entire Privacy Policy here.
1. The first step to dealing with negative comments – Acceptance
Now, you’re posting your art/photos on Social Media.
Therefore you are going to get both – love and hate. Because let’s face it. As an artist, you cannot please everyone. Out of every 100 people that interact with your art:
- 90 people will love your art and rave about it. (These are the people you want to focus on)
- 5 will like it and move on.
- 4 will not like it but move on to something else they do.
- However, 1 will hate on it. Not just hate it, but hate on it.
Now comes the difficult part.
Breathe. Accept it.
If you want people to see your art, you need to make peace with the fact that not everyone will gush over it.

Time to move to the next step.
I had a terrible time in September 2017 when I was the victim of cyberbullying by another artist.
It was difficult for me to focus on much.
I had never witnessed such blatant animosity, so it was a new and terrifying experience. It got so bad, I needed to go home to my parents just for some down time.
Hence, I took a trip to Abu-Dhabi to clear my mind and find solace. And I came across a book at the airport.
This book changed my life. I read it while I was on the plane, and everything changed.
Everything.
That huge, heavy burden that I was carrying on my shoulders suddenly disintegrated into nothing. I cried, and then I laughed. Because I was finally felt at peace.
I was able to sleep again. This is the book:
This particular book- How to Stop Worrying and Start Living – Dale Carnegie actually helped me learn that worrying and obsessing over problems (that can’t be solved) was pointless.
It taught me to accept the bad and either fix the problem (if there was a solution) or move on if there was no answer.
There is a particular chapter that I love to read and recommend anyone who faces this problem to read too. It’s called “No one ever kicks a dead dog.”
Basically, it means that if people are trying to bring you down, you must be doing something right. Something that is gaining a lot of attention. ๐
It helped me understand that you can’t make everyone love you. And you have to make peace with that.
So, I recommend this book to anyone who cannot function properly if there is a problem that can’t be fixed. It covers various aspects.
This book will teach you to move on and stop obsessing about a problem.
2. Don’t take negative comments personally
People love to comment.
They love to have a say in everything. Good or bad.
Mostly bad.
Because let’s face it. It’s easier.
It is easier to type when you’re rattled up or when you’re angry. It’s difficult to type at the same speed when you’re calm, isn’t it?
You have to keep in mind that this is Social Media. Hence, people are more comfortable typing anonymously than saying the same words directly to your face.
You have to learn to how to become a more confident artist. Remember, you are drawing for yourself.
Ask yourself why you’re drawing and keep those points in mind:
- To better your drawing skills
- To become a better professional at your field
- To start making money as an Artist
- To build a Brand for yourself
This will help you stay focused on your journey as an artist.
The key to remaining calm is to…
3. Identify the type of Negative Comment and deal with it accordingly
After you’ve made peace with the fact that you’re going to get some negative comments no matter what you do and stop taking them personally, you can deal with the comment directly.
But how do you deal with a negative comment when there are so many types?
Let’s analyze each category, and I will show you the correct way to answer/not answer each one.
1. The Naรฏve Negative comments
These people don’t mean to be rude.
They’re just speaking their mind and trying to give you (what they believe is) constructive criticism, even though you didn’t ask for it, and it looks a little rude.
The best way to answer it is by being kind.
You don’t have to worry about these people – they don’t mean harm in any way.
Please note that all the below examples are all made up and illustrated by me in order to showcase how you should respond.

The key to replying to this type of negative comment is to be kind and, at the same time, helpful.
Help the person understand your point of view and leave it at that.
You don’t need to add additional remarks.
2. The Need to draw Attention type of Negative Comments
These comments are the most harmless negative comments you’ll find.
They’ll either insult you and praise themselves for drawing attention to their own art, or they’ll shamelessly promote themselves.
You have three choices.
One – respond in a witty and humorous way or two – leave it alone and let your followers defend your art for you, or three – delete the comment and block this person because you don’t know if they will do it over and over again on all of your other posts too.

3. The Grammar Nazi Negative comments
Now mind you, I’m not talking about the Grammar Nazis that are genuinely trying to help you. Those types of comments are sweet and thoughtful.
This post is only about negative comments.
And these commenters will try to spot the tiniest mistake and jump on it like a cheetah on unsuspecting prey. They’re just waiting to catch you making a mistake.
So, when you do make a mistake, they’re going to be like, “Aha! A mistake!” And instead of simply pointing it out, they will write a whole paragraph judging you and reminding you why your mistake is a huge offense.
Oh, brother…

Therefore, the best way to respond to these commenters is to acknowledge your mistake and correct it simply.
After revealing your mistake to you, they will expect you to bow down and confess your undying love to them for pointing out your mistake.
But by keeping your reply short, sweet, and dignified, you will annoy them to their very core. And they will likely not repeat this in the future.
4. The Internet Troll
This is by far the most ruthless and senseless negative commenters you’ll find on the Internet. These types of people love to troll only to poke you and get a reaction.
Hence, they shouldn’t be taken too seriously.
Most trolls will have a very ambiguous profile picture and won’t know you from Adam. Their comments may be personal, but they will have NO first-hand knowledge about you. They want to annoy you and get under your skin.
Therefore, it is essential not to let them win.
Some trolls aren’t so bad.
They may be good underneath all that venom. So, if you feel a reply may be in order, go ahead. See how they respond. If it’s a nice, logical response, well and good. However, if it’s more anger and rage-filled words being strewed around, scroll past it.
If I know a troll is just being nasty for the sake of irritating me, I respond with a quirky, teasing reply to show them that they’ve not succeeded.

However, if the comment targets you personally and is purposefully spiteful, it’s best not to respond. You can either delete the comment or block them or do both.
Do. Not. Feed. The. Trolls.
I cannot stress this enough.
Logic will get you nowhere with most trolls.
It’s extremely pointless to try and reason with them after the first failed attempt. They will continue to throw around unrelated arguments till you concede or break down. They want to win.
By trying to win with them, you will not only lose your morale, but you will also look extremely petty. You don’t need to stoop down to their level. Let them dig their own little graves.
Just leave them be
5. The Honest (but wrongly timed, wrongly placed) Negative Comment
Now there is a fifth type of negative comment.
The negative comment is truthful but somewhat crude. Like when someone points out a mistake, you made somewhat harshly. You can either acknowledge your mistake or choose not to reply.
Now you may ask, why not reply? The person has just said something dauntingly true, albeit a little harsh. If I don’t reply, won’t it look like I’m a coward?
No. Here’s why.
A person who genuinely wants to correct you and point out your flaw will never do it in public. They will either email you or personal message you. These people genuinely care about you and want you to correct the mistake.
But people who point it out in public want to draw attention to your mistake. They want to show the world how right they are and how wrong you are.
This is why a response is not necessary.
You don’t always need to respond to negative comments
Overall, each response/non-response will show the public what you really are.
Don’t be afraid of negative comments.
Please know that you cannot control everything around you. Everyone has an opinion and some people feel the need to proclaim their opinion on social media.
If you’re worried about what other people might think by reading negative comments on your feed, don’t.
Those who are sensible will not hit “unfollow” by reading someone else’s negative comment on your feedโthose who will believe just about anything might.
Hold on to those who love you and have your back.
They are your pillars of strength, and they are what you need.
Let the others leave if they have to.
How you respond in a chaotic situation is the biggest test of character. Stay calm and always be rational. In cases where you must not respond, let your silence speak volumes.
People will respect you when you’re dignified and positive.
Before I end this blog post, I want to talk about the book, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living – Dale Carnegie.
I owe my mental peace in that year to this Author.
I’ve reread the book 2 times after that and that book taught me to let go of control.
Because he taught me how to start living and stop worrying.
And the biggest takeaway from this book is this quote that I repeat over and over again whenever I feel I’m lost in worrying.
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.
I don’t know if there is a God. But I do know that the power to change lies in our strength and willpower.
This quote changed my life.
This book changed how I operate.
And I owe a lot of my wisdom and tranquillity to this book. Read it if you haven’t. You won’t regret it, trust me.
Conclusion
It is effortless for me to write these tips because I’ve experienced all of these firsthand.
But I know practicing these is harder than it looks.
In any case, whatever the negative comment, don’t let it affect you personally. You need to develop a thick skin to become a successful artist.
The higher you rise, the more stones people will pelt at you. Therefore, you’re obviously doing something right.

In the end, you must remember that no one can bring you down if you’re confident and believe in yourself. No one can make you feel bad about yourself except you.
Take everything you see on Social Media with a pinch of salt.
What was your first experience with a negative comment? How did you respond?
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like:
- 7 ways to get back into drawing after taking a long break
- 10 things I wish I knew before becoming an Illustrator
- How to start digital art
- How to respond to compliments as an artist
- Does drawing increase creativity? Explained
- How to draw when you don’t feel like drawing – 13 easy ways
- How to draw without a reference
- How to get better at drawing (for beginners)
- How to find your art style when youโre a beginner artist
- 13 signs you were meant to be an artist
- How long does it take to learn how to draw? (Explained)
- How to become a full-time artist without a degree
- How to sell art and make money on Instagram without a website
- 13 drawing mistakes most beginner artists make
- 9 drawing books for beginners
- Fun drawing gifts for children under 10 years old
- 13 easy ways to make money online as an artist
- 13 reasons why people like drawing + drawing benefits!
- 13 Ways to be a more Confident Artist
Great tips!
Hey Marsha!
Thank you so much.
Warm regards,
Angela
Wow! maybe i need follow this tips. Thanks for sharing your blog Angela.
Hey Mae,
So glad you loved the post. ๐ You’re most welcome. Feel free to look around as I have more posts coming up soon! ๐
This post was really helpful, especially for a young artist like me. I really want to go into animation and illustration when Iโm on my way to college. I find all your post super helpful and canโt wait for more in future.
Hey Sarah,
I’m so glad you found the post helpful! And I wish you all the best with animation and illustration. It’s such an interesting field and you’re going to love it. I’m sure!
More posts coming soon! ๐
Lots of love,
Angela
Hi Angela,
Very useful tips and good that you found the solutions for these negativities. Some are really funny. But you might have struggled alot to reach at this point. I’m not an artist but in everyday life we all have to face these negativities. May you be successful in all your works.
Hey Priya,
I’m so happy you found it helpful. ๐
I intended it to be funny, just so the read is more light and fluffy. Ha ha. Being a comic artist, I guess I can’t help it.
Oh yes, no success comes without struggle, and I’m glad that I have struggled. It made me stronger!
Thank you so much.
Lots of love,
Angela
Your comics make me so happy. I love them! And this post makes me more of a fan. I donโt have to deal with social media trolls, but we all have to deal with real life trolls and this is great advice. Thank you!
Hey Jill,
I’m super thrilled that you love my comics. <3 I know I've not been making more lately and it's only because I am trying to build my blog a bit.
Oh yes, there are trolls everywhere we go. Ha ha, life never ceases to surprise us.
Thank you for being a fan.
Here's a kiss from me to you,
Muah!
Angela
Thank you for sharing your wonderful tips..
Hey Sowmya,
You’re most welcome. <3
Hugs,
Angela
Really great post ? Love you and your work โบ๏ธ
Hey Abhilasha,
And I love talking to you. <3 How's everything going?
Warm regards,
Angela
Itโs been a bit hectic but your posts always cheer me up! Youโre the sweetest ?
Hey Abhilasha,
I understand. ๐ How’s Abu Dhabi? My mom told me the weather is erratic and weird. Ha ha. I miss it so much. <3 I want to visit.
Lots of love,
Angela
Hey Angela
Thank you so much for this… I really appreciate it…. Thank you very much… Its so amazing….. You’re so amazing… Please continue…. I really appreciate you.. Byee
Hey Adebekun,
I’m so happy you liked it. ๐
Have a wonderful day!
Angela
This is the best post I’ve seen on this topic, plus your example responses have me a good laugh and ideas for how to deal with my own trolls. Fantastic job!!
Hey Mackenzie,
Haha, that was the intention. To make you guys laugh. ๐ <3
So glad the post was helpful to you. I love your comics by the way! So cute!
Lots of love,
Angela
I really enjoyed this post!! I remember being so offended when I first received negative comments, and now I just try to brush them off, and this post definitely helped me look past all the negative comments. Keep up the great work!
Hey Mary,
I’m so glad you loved it. Oh yes, it’s very hard initially. It’s more of a shock than anything else. But it’s very necessary to not take those negative comments seriously.
Lots of love,
Angela
Great post! I’ll never be able to understand why people feel the need to tear others down… postive people like yourself is what the artist community need!
Hey Jeane,
It could be because they’re not in a good place mentally or are insecure. They could be really angry or just feel that nothing is fair. In order to gain control of things, they start off by trying to make people bad. There are plenty of reasons but mostly, it has nothing to do with you as an artist. Very few comments are actually directed at me. Most of them are vague and are simply put forth.
It’s crucial to stay positive always. ๐ Otherwise it’s impossible to live in this world.
Lots of love,
Angela
Let me just start by saying I LOVE your work! As a fellow curly haired girl, I laugh out loud at your depictions of the daily struggle of having curly hair (or any hair for that matter)!
I am not an artist, by any means, but I am a nurse, and I feel like this post actually helps with the situations I find myself in on the daily. Sometimes people can be so rude, itโs insane! I just like to remind myself that maybe that person is in a bad place….sometimes people who are hurting (emotionally or physically) lash out at anyone and everyone! So, when I want to respond in a snappy way to a rude person, I just have to stop and think that they may not even be mad at me…just at the world or their situation and I happen to be the person to receive their negativity! This usually helps me to not take everything personally (which is very hard)! ๐
Also, thanks for the book recommendation! Iโll have to grab that book next time Iโm at a bookstore!
Hey Alyssa,
First of all, let me say that I respect you so much for being a nurse. I’m not a big fan of hospitals and I’ve seen people (whom I know and love) be rude to nurses. And yes, most of the time it is because they’re angry or scared. They feel that they don’t belong in a hospital and are simply taking it out on the people they know won’t fight back.
But by being polite, you are showing them that kindness does exist and I really admire you for that.
Get that book. It helped me understand why people do what they do and why it is necessary to take most things with a pinch of salt. <3
Thank you so much. I seriously loved your comment.
Lots of love,
Angela
So well written! Thank you, needed one of these to deal with some trolls on my account too. ๐ @calligra.fever on instagram.
Hey Samia,
Thank you so much! Oh, every type of art form attracts trolls. I’m so glad that this post was able to help you! <3
Lots of love,
Angela
Hey
Can you make an article or a course on how to illustrate?
Hey Avostic,
I’ve gotten asked that a lot, so I will definitely be making a post on that! ๐
Lots of love,
Angela
Hey, I was sending around your posts to a few friends today who I thought would need them. And guess what, as the day progressed I realized I needed to read this post in particular to help me deal with a client. (I’m a Baker but the rules are kinda the same right)
I was contemplating whether to reply or not, but realized sometimes you just have to, to make them stop. Though I was tempted to be harsh, I took the kill-em-with-kindness approach. Doesn’t seem to have worked cz I still see messages popping up on whatsapp. I have made my point, I guess its best to leave it at that ?
Hello Nashoma,
First of all, thank you for sending out my posts to your friends. That is so, so sweet of you. And, a baker? Wow! I can only imagine the dreamy smells that come from your kitchen! ๐ Sometimes, yes, you have to. Once you have ascertained your point, you can leave them to expel as much hatred as they want to. Just let it bounce off of you. ๐ You shouldn’t waste your energy trying to change them. Or let their hate affect you. It’s not worth it. And you’ll be much more peaceful. I promise you that.
Love, hugs and a doughnut from me to you,
Angela
Great blog post,Angela. Your blog is a new find for me and am loving it. Havenโt got my blog up and running yet and am not so youngโบ๏ธ but love what you have done with yours. It has a great look and I really appreciate that it is inspiring and positive.
Hey Su,
Thank you so much! ๐ You are so amazing.
Starting a blog is super, super awesome! You can read my simple guide on how to do that here:
https://straycurls.com/start-money-making-blog-2018/
As for being positive, it takes a while to shrug off what’s bad but once you do that, it becomes darn easy! ๐
Lots of love,
Angela
I love this! I certainly need a tougher skin haha especially with negative comments about my art prints! I’m a flimsy piece of paper right now. But maybe with these tips, I can evolve from a thin rice part to a 330gsm art card paper.
Hey Nia,
You’re going to be great! I also love what you’ve done with the website! So creative!
Lots of love,
Ang
Thank you. This is exactly what I was looking for. In the last few weeks i’ve seen my instagram account gaining popularity and someone commented “๐คฎ” on my art. I didn’t mind that at all since it’s just an emoji, but i thought that if i ever get an actual hate comment i would probably be really hurt/upset. So, I decided to Google how to deal with that as it comes. I love your articles, they always provide exactly what i’m looking for. Thanks again โค๏ธ
Hey Nishtha,
Oh, those are trolls. Ignore, block, and delete. ๐
You should not get upset with negative comments. Learn from it if there is a speck of truth or rise above it and ignore it. People who really want to give you advice will message you personally. ๐ It comes from a good place!
Lots of love,
Angela
I love how youโre bringing reading and the blog back online! Love your articles and your kindness. God bless you.
I’m glad you loved my posts Juliet, I’ve slowly shifted to the Online Business and blogging niche, but I think you’ll enjoy it very much! ๐