Connecting with other artists on ArtHelper
ArtHelper is built around real relationships between artists. This guide covers everything you need: finding artists, connecting with them, sending messages and group chats, and managing who's in your circle.
Follow vs. Connect — what's the difference?
ArtHelper has two ways to keep up with another artist. They do different things, and you can do one without the other.
Follow is one-way, like Facebook or Instagram. You see their posts in your feed. They don't have to follow you back.
Connect is mutual. You send a request, they accept, and then you can message each other directly. Connections also count toward each artist's reputation on the platform — a healthy network signals an active, real artist.
You can follow without connecting. You can connect without following. Most artists end up doing both.
Your Network is everyone around your profile — people you've connected with, people who follow you, and people who've viewed or interacted with your work. You manage all of it from the My Network page.
Finding artists to connect with
You'll see the Connect button in four places:
On any artist's profile page.
On the Genome page for an artist (a special page that shows how their visual style, identity, and intent compare to yours, plus a map of similar artists nearby).
Inside the Nearby and Tribe panels on a Genome page — these surface artists who are visually or geographically close to you.
On the recommended artists shown on your home screen.
Tip: If you visit your own Genome page (just add /genome after your artist URL), the "Nearby" panel is one of the fastest ways to find artists who'd be good first connections.
Sending a connection request
When you find an artist you'd like to connect with:
Click the Connect button on their profile or Genome page.
The request sends right away. A small box pops up asking if you'd like to add a personal message.
Click Add a message if you want to. A friendly intro like "Hi [their name] — I found your profile on ArtHelper and would love to connect" is already filled in for you. You can keep it, edit it, or replace it entirely. Click Send intro when you're happy with it.
If you'd rather not add a message, just click No thanks. The request still goes through.
After you send a request, the Connect button changes to "Request sent" so you can't accidentally send it twice. The other artist will get a notification.
A short personal message helps. Requests with a one-sentence intro get accepted much more often than blank ones. Just mention what drew you to their work.
If someone has already sent you a request first and you visit their profile, the button will say Respond to request instead. Click it to jump straight to your inbox to accept or ignore.
Responding to a connection request
When another artist sends you a connection request, you'll see it in three places:
Your My Network page (the first five appear right at the top).
The notifications bell at the top of the screen.
Your email — you can adjust which notifications come by email in your settings.
To respond:
Click My Network at the top of the page (or click the bell icon).
You'll see each person who wants to connect, along with any message they wrote.
Click Accept to connect — you'll be able to message each other right away.
Or click Ignore if you'd rather not. The other person isn't told you ignored them. The request just stays on their side as "pending."
You don't have to decide right away. Pending requests stay in your inbox until you act on them — they don't expire.
Withdrawing a request you sent
Changed your mind about a request, or sent one to the wrong person? You can pull it back anytime before it's accepted.
Click My Network at the top of the page.
Click the Sent card to see your outgoing requests.
Find the request and click Withdraw.
The other person isn't notified. The request simply disappears from their inbox.
Sending a direct message
Once you're connected with someone, you can message them privately.
Click Messages at the top of the page.
Click New message (you can also click New message from your My Network page).
Start typing the name of the artist you want to message. Only your connections will appear in the list — that's by design, so your inbox stays free of strangers.
Click their name to add them.
Type your message and click Send.
If you want to message someone you're not connected with yet, send them a connection request first. Once they accept, you can message them.
Starting a group chat
You can message more than one person at the same time to start a small group conversation. Useful for collab projects, show prep, critique circles, or just keeping a few artist friends in the same thread.
Click Messages → New message.
Add the first person from your connections, then keep typing to add more. You can include up to 30 people in one thread.
Write your message and click Send.
Everyone you add will be in the same conversation. When anyone replies, the whole group sees it — just like a group text on your phone.
What to know about messages
Messages are private. Only the people in the conversation can see them — not the public, not other artists.
There's no subject line. Messages on ArtHelper work like text messages, not email. Just write what you want to say.
Threads stay together. If you message the same person (or the same group) again later, your new message joins the existing conversation instead of starting a new one. Everything you've said to that person stays in one place.
Each message can be up to 5,000 characters — plenty for a detailed note, pitch, or collab proposal.
Removing a connection
If you no longer want to be connected with someone, you can remove them. Removing is the gentler option — the other person isn't notified.
Click My Network at the top of the page.
Click Connections to see your full list.
Find the person you want to remove and click the three-dot menu (•••) next to their name.
Click Remove connection and confirm.
What happens next:
You won't be able to message each other anymore.
Your old messages stay in your inbox for reference, but no new replies can be sent.
The other person isn't told you removed them.
If you change your mind later, you can send a new connection request.
Blocking someone
If someone is harassing you or making you uncomfortable, blocking is the stronger option. Use this when you want a hard boundary.
Go to My Network → Connections.
Find the person and click the three-dot menu (•••) next to their name.
Click Block and confirm.
Once blocked, the person can't:
Send you any new messages.
Send you a new connection request.
Interact with you on ArtHelper.
You can unblock someone later from your account settings if you change your mind.
What others can see about you
A connection on ArtHelper is meant to feel friendly and lightweight. Connecting with someone doesn't unlock anything private about your profile, and it doesn't hide anything from them you weren't already showing the public.
Here's what changes once you're connected:
You can message each other directly. This is the main thing connections unlock.
Your connection counts are visible on both profiles. Other artists can see you're connected — the same way mutual connections show up on LinkedIn. A real network is a sign of a real artist.
You both show up sooner in each other's feeds and recommendations. Connections are a strong signal to the platform that the relationship matters.
Public profile information — your art, bio, badges, posts — is visible to everyone, including people who aren't signed in. That doesn't change when you connect.
Tips for getting the most out of connections
Visit the Genome page of an artist you admire. The Nearby and Tribe panels surface artists with similar style, identity, or intent — great first-connection candidates you'd never find by browsing.
Use group chats for ongoing projects. If you're prepping a show with a few friends, planning a collab, or running a small critique circle, one shared thread keeps everything in one place.
You don't have to follow everyone you connect with (or connect with everyone you follow). Think of follows as "keep me in their feed" and connections as "I'd like to be able to talk to this person."
Personalize your intro message. One sentence about why you're reaching out makes a big difference. "Loved your latest landscape series" works much better than a blank request.
Common questions
Can I tell if someone ignored my request?
No. From your end it just stays as "Request sent." If you'd rather move on, you can withdraw it.
Will the other person know I removed them?
No. They're not notified. If they happen to check their own connections list they'll see you're no longer there, but ArtHelper doesn't send any kind of message about it.
What's the difference between "Ignore" and "Block"?
Ignore just dismisses one specific request — the person can still see your profile, follow you, or send another request later. Block stops them from interacting with you at all.
If I remove someone, can we still see each other's public art?
Yes. Removing a connection only ends the private link between you — you both still have full access to each other's public profile and posts.
Is there a limit on how many people I can connect with?
No. Connect with as many artists as you like.
Can I have multiple group chats with different people?
Yes. Each new combination of people creates its own thread. You can have one group chat with three friends, another with seven, and a one-on-one with someone else — they're all separate.
How long do connection requests stay in my inbox?
As long as you need. They don't expire. You can accept, ignore, or come back to them later.
I sent a request and it's been a while. What should I do?
Some artists check ArtHelper daily; others check weekly. If it's been a few weeks and you'd rather not wait, you can Withdraw the request from My Network → Sent.