Following vs. Connecting on ArtHelper
ArtHelper offers two distinct ways to interact with other creators: Following (a one-way feed subscription) and Connecting (a mutual relationship that unlocks direct messaging).
1. Quick Comparison
Feature | Follow | Connect |
Relationship | One-way | Mutual (requires acceptance) |
Direct Messaging | ❌ Disabled | ✅ Enabled once accepted |
Feed Updates | Adds their posts to your feed | Auto-follows both ways upon acceptance |
Best For | Quietly keeping up with work you admire | Building a professional network & messaging |
Pro-Tip: Hover your mouse over the Connect or Follow buttons on any artist profile to see an instant tooltip explaining what each action does.
2. How to Follow an Artist
Use Follow when you want to view an artist’s work in your feed without initiating a mutual connection.
Open the artist's profile (or find them in your feed, Trending list, or Community).
Click Follow.
The button updates to Following. Their posts will now appear in your feed.
To Unfollow: Hover over the Following button and click again. Unfollowing happens silently—no notification is sent.
Notifications: The artist receives a brief notification when you start following them.
3. Sending a Connection Request
Locate the Artist: Go to the artist's profile page, Genome page, or find them via the Community directory or feed.
Click Connect: Select the Connect button near the top of their profile.
Add an Optional Note: A prompt will appear allowing you to include a short personal message.
Tip: Sending a short, friendly intro ("Hi! I love your watercolor series and would love to connect") significantly increases your acceptance rate.
Submit Request: Click Send Request (or choose No thanks to send without a note). The button on their profile will update to Request Sent.
4. What Happens Upon Acceptance
When an artist accepts your connection request (or when you accept theirs), three automatic actions occur immediately:
Action | Result |
Network Addition | Both artists are added to each other's mutual Network tab. |
Direct Messaging Unlocked | The Message button activates on both profiles, enabling private DMs. |
Automatic Mutual Follow | Both accounts automatically follow each other in the background, adding each creator's posts to the other's main feed. |
5. Decision Guide: When to Follow vs. Connect
Scenario A: You discovered an artist whose portfolio inspires you, but you don't need to message them -> Follow.
Scenario B: You want to ask an artist about their techniques, collaborate, or network -> Connect.
Scenario C: You know the artist in real life or met them at an event -> Connect.
6. Managing Pending Requests & Your Network
You can review all active connections, pending requests, and followed accounts in one place:
Navigate to /community (My Community).
Use the top navigation tabs to switch between:
Connections: View mutual contacts.
Pending Requests: Accept incoming invites, cancel sent requests, or withdraw pending invitations.
Following: Manage accounts you subscribe to.
(Note: If you want to be connected to someone for messaging but do not want their posts in your feed, accept the connection first, then manually unfollow them from your Network page.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an artist know if I unfollow them?
No. Unfollowing an account does not trigger a notification.
What happens if my connection request is declined?
You will receive a silent notification. The button on their profile resets to Connect. Re-sending requests immediately after a decline is discouraged.
How do I message someone after connecting?
Once connected, visit their profile and click the Message button, or go directly to your Messages Inbox. For a complete walkthrough, review the Connections, Network, and Messages Guide.