History of DeviantArt
in the present day, DeviantArt is home to around 61 million members, being the internet’s largest art-sharing website. It is a place where users share artwork, writing, poetry, photography, crafts, and a whole array of different creative ventures (1. DeviantArt). The website also allows groups to be made to create spaces for even the smallest of niches. Many changes have been made to the website in its almost 23 years of existence. Adapting from the internet interface of old to a newer more modern website in past years after being bought by Wix.com in 2017 (4. Wikipedia). The website, like other platforms, has also experienced many controversies and is a place that houses controversial posts and users due to its very lacks monitoring (3. Cultural History of the Internet). Despite this, DeviantArt.com is still the most popular art-centered social media on the internet to date.
The creation of DeviantArt
In August of 2000, Angelo Sotira, Scott Jarkoff, and Matthew Stephens launched DeviantArt.com after sharing their love of creating “custom website skins” in online chatrooms. A website skin was something very common in the older days of internet websites as it allowed users to create custom pages using coding and digital design/art. This can also apply to desktop wallpapers (3. Cultural History of the Internet).
DeviantArt also started its own website lingo for its users to use. Starting with the name, what is a Deviant? and why are posts referred to deviations? According to CEO, Angelo Sotira, the word “deviant” refers to the deviation of one’s desktop. By decorating, designing, and customizing your desktop you are deviating from what was the default. This also goes from when users post, because the user is also “deviating” from what was originally there. The website prioritizes this lingo for all future updates as well (3. Cultural History of the Internet).
DeviantArt’s update history
In DeviantArt’s infancy in 2000, the website featured a mostly greenish-grey and white interface that contained several boxes for organizing what was on the website at the time. There was a box to navigate deviations, show the latest uploads, a search box, updates, forums, and a few other small features. Polls also became a thing on the website and remains a feature to this day. Polls also played an important part in the website’s future development (5. Says).
In 2001, DeviantArt held a contest for a new logo design and for the website’s mascot via two separate polls. Over the years the logo for the website changed. However, the new mascot, Fella, remained an ever-present part of DeviantArt making appearances on warnings, web pages, and admin posts (5. Says).
in February of 2002, a new update was launched on the website. A few important changes to the website were made as deviants could now see recent deviations in thumbnail form as opposed to only titles. There is a news bar added to the right side of the page as well as a place for advertisements across the top. in 2002, DeviantArt also added DAprints.com, which was a way for deviants to buy and sell prints of artwork or photography. Later in the year, the website was also able to accept all major payment forms (5. Says).
In the next upcoming years, not much is changed about DeviantArt’s appearance besides moving a few things around and redesigning previous boxes. There is the new addition of “scraps” which is a folder where deviants can place more private artwork they don’t want to appear in the recent deviation submissions box or in the “featured” section of their gallery (5. Says).
In 2005, DeviantArt hosted the DeviantArt Summit, which was a massive convention with over 200 booths containing and showcasing artwork (5. Says).
the next major change to the website came in 2006 with a new website design. This new more modern-looking webpage now featured updated icons, a more deviantion emphasized and a less crowded homepage. There is now more color shade variation to differentiate different parts of the webpage. This is also the color scheme and style most long-time deviants would recognize as it remains similar to this until 2019’s new update. Below the slow color change can be observed in the webpages of 2006, 2010, and 2014 to DeviantArt’s iconic green interface. As the years passed, the webpages modernized, whilst other old features on the website remained the same. Profile pages from DeviantArt’s green era focused more on allowing users to code unique pages themselves as opposed to forcing change on them.
What did change for deviants over this time period was the addition of many lovable features. Some of these new features included: Da.muro, groups, premium membership, points, badges, mobile, Sta.sh, motion books, and a commission section (5. Says).
Then in 2014, DeviantArt revamped its logo to its current form as well as added many more new features: watch feed, status updates, tags, and newer forms of organization and navigation. This era essentially kickstarted DeviantArt’s new modern age in appearance (5. Says).
DeviantArt’s big and last change
after being bought by Wix.com in 2017, the website was going through changes in order to not only modernize website but make it easier to navigate and look at. During 2019 and 2020, the website began its transition in to DeviantArt’s new version, Eclipse. Above is a before and after of the same profile during this update. The newer version displays visually fewer options than the left in favor of dropdown menus. The number of specific notifications is moved into the messages tab under the bell icon. stats are now hidden along with much less freedom to customize one’s page due to getting rid of HTML. At the time, this was a very big change for users, not one many admired due to lots of bugs early on. At the beginning of the transition for a few month period, deviants were unable to see any notifications send notes (dms), and other things essential to the website. The new interface was also extremely hard for past users to use, but changes came due to mass user feedback.
Regardless of any user opinion, the website remains in this state into the present day. The website in general is a good place for people to come together in an art-centered environment. After 22 years, most artists online would tell you they had a DeviantArt. The place made it very easy to bring people of similar interests together while giving you a free online platform to share and organize your work. DeviantArt has made a major impact on the online art scene due to it being a part of so many’s artistic journies. It houses so many people willing to help and further others with guidance. It is a place for really anyone.
The users and controversy
DeviantArt may be in everyone’s memories, but for many different reasons. Most know it as THE art website, others see it as a huge porn, fetish, and controversy warehouse. During most of DeviantArt’s history, the front page was accompanied by the “recent deviation” section, which is more commonly known now was the “browse” section. Mysteriously around 2019–2020, the browse page silently left the website. It is speculated that it was finally removed due to the ever-growing negative reputation of some of DeviantArt’s users. The summary is, the browse page was constantly and consistently showcasing fetish art and pornography of all kinds. This alongside hate-speech and idolization of horrific people. All of this goes against the rules/terms of service of the website (3. Cultural History of the Internet). However, with the sheer amount of users and posts, moderation cannot reach everyone.
Biblography
1. “About DeviantArt.” DeviantArt. Accessed February 16, 2023. https://www.deviantart.com/about/#:~:text=We%20have%20over%2061%20million,art%2C%20films%2C%20and%20anime.
2. “DeviantART Logo.” 1000 Logos The Famous Brands and Company Logos in the World DeviantART Logo Comments. Accessed February 16, 2023. https://1000logos.net/deviantart-logo/.
3. “DeviantArt.” Cultural History of the Internet, August 12, 2021. https://culturalhistoryoftheinternet.com/student-projects/fall-2020/deviantart/.
4. “DeviantArt.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, February 4, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeviantArt#:~:text=DeviantArt%20.
5. says, Bradley. “The Timeline of DeviantArt by Bradleysays on DeviantArt.” by bradleysays on DeviantArt, 2013. https://www.deviantart.com/bradleysays/journal/The-Timeline-of-DeviantArt-389880193.