Is it normal to say nice things about a friend's artwork even though it sucks?

I think you are normal to be polite about it. Just because you think it sucks doesn't mean that you can't find at least one nice thing to say about it.

Art doesn't have to be good to be worthwhile; sometimes it just needs to be a creative learning process for a person creating it.

Your friend might be showing you because they actually would like a little *constructive* feedback. Just be nice about it; would you want an artist who's even better than you ripping your stuff apart with critique? You can critique it by offering one or two suggestions or techniques that will help them with their next piece.

I think my little cousin does the same thing to me also lolz. I used to be a decent artist when i was 16. I even made a good self portrat, but over the years i kinda started to suck.

Im trying to perfect my skills now and i showed my cousin some of my work. Lol she said i was good but i could tell by her verrrrryyyy long pause that she was lying lol. That just makes me want to do better so i can draw something amazing and rub it in her stupid childish face.

You are just being polite. Also you might want true criticism of your work but a lot of other people wont. I personally when I cook food want to be told if its good or not. If you tell me there is a mistake I will work on it. Artists like to be critiqued but a lot of average people dont. There is a difference between critiquing and being a jerk though. Simon Cowl was known for being a very harsh critique and most people wanting to know are not going to accept that.

i wont ever say something is good if it is not, but i might not say the truth, e.g. that its "totally shit",

help them out, remember when you sucked?

The best part about sucking at something is that you have an easier time improving! But if they are full of themselves just whatever it and go along.

thank you for being a friend

thank you guys, I've been mulling things over. I did what I thought was right, and I think that should be ok.. I don't want to be overly frank because it might hurt their feelings unnecessarily , and I don't want to be a liar either, so I think telling them nicely and when its really NEEDED is the right way to go.

It is normal, but I'd rather have a sincere friend, though.

It's good to be polite. And for me, when I critique work, I don't usually do it by whether I like it or not. Because art it in the eye of the beholder, I feel as if it is not my place to say whether something sucks or not. It's their eye and the way the view art.

I think it's nice that you don't tell them what you really think of their work. And, chances are, even though you don't like it, somebody else probably does. That's the amazing thing about art, though, there is no right or wrong about it.

Once you start lying you're going to have to keep doing it to keep them happy...
That's why I always tell them they're rubbish. This way I don't lie, and they strive further into the depths of their art for greater perfection, in whatever they do, and the overall continuation of mankind's progression as the dominant species on this planet...

Hmmm, I have a friend that feels the same way about anything I draw. Though I'm not great at it and I don't draw often if he ever sees one lying around he'll criticize it. He even criticizes some professional artists. Thing is... I hate his drawings. Most of them are really bad. And it's not just me, no one really thinks he has much skill in art but he believes he does. So in that case he seems very, very stuck up about it, but if you're really good at it then it might help you sound less stuck up. You'll have the proof that you know what you are talking about in your own work.