#I used to get super frustrated learning how to digital painting before it

[nameisrequiredd]

Also did a painted version of this drawing. Basically just as a way to learn how to paint digitally since I never did that before.

TS!Underswap Ruthless spoilers: (at least this time I put it under the cut)

(This moment was so sad.)

Y'know, I fully expected Sans to be unkillable in any route, so this really came as sort of a surprise??? When the cardboard Crossbones got slashed at the end of the Ruthless fight, I was like "heh, yeah, fully expected that" until you meet Papyrus on the bridge and realize that, actually, Sans is really really gone???

And this is a shot-out to Sans' Neutral Evacuation battle where Sans gets us accounted with, ahem, "just a little guy, a little man" (translation: very ugly cardboard crossbones) an he starts talking about what would happen if that little man fell down? Since he was talking past tense, I thought Sans was exclusively talking about Crossbones: after all, in the neutral evacuation run, Crossbones is gone and only Sans remains. But isn't he actually warning us? Sans doesn't pull out the "pitch-black eyes" schtick during the neutral evacuation battle except during that line of dialogue, which is pretty good indication that he's threatening us: ("spreading words of your deeds, and making sure nobody forgets about what you did.") (((also this rhymed I found it super cool)))

Plus ugly cardboard crossbones fell over in the Evacuation run the same way pretty cardboard crossbones falls over in Ruthless. The whole Neutral Evacuation run is more of a warning than anything else: Really hit me when I first played it, because in my mind Sans was risking his life and warning us about how we planned on making the fight end... I came to the evacuation Neutral fight with the intent to betray kill Sans, but actually the WHOLE THING was SO HEARTFELT I definetly couldn't have dealt the killing blow even if that had been an option. (In contrast, Ruthless's Sans fight is just as (if not more) frustrating than its undertale counterpart. Not only because we're "Getting tired of this" (only after the 300th try, in my case!!!) but also because Crossbones is absolutely right about our questionable motives and the fact there's a thousand things we could be doing right now that would be better than this. When it's time to choose fight or spare, we're just glad the fight is ending.)

To go back to the topic of the Evacuation Neutral, I always found it weird that there was an animation that showed the fallen cardboard becoming smaller and smaller. But if fallen cardboards is Sans' euphemism for death, then he's showing us what'll happen if we go past him without changing our ways. People around us are gonna fall over and decrease in number, until there's gonna be next to none of them left.

Also, Team Switch... ARE ALL RUTHLESS BOSSES GONNA BE AS HARD AS ASGORE AND SANS???? (I fully expect them to be harder and this S C A R E S me.) I died over 1000 times during that game already, and I'm not even exaggerating. Unfortunately. I sort of refused to touch the "decrease difficulty" button 'cause that wouldn't really be fair to the characters, but that doesn't change anything to the fact I suck at gaming. Just like crossbones so nicely pointed out during that famous race...

I rambled much longer than expected. Anyway, my idea for the drawing was that maybe the reason why Crossbones doesn't fight with his gadgets is because he forgot all of them (which, seeing the context, is understandable, even if using weird gadgets seems like a good way of stalling), and Papyrus, being the good brother that he is, grabbed them in a hurry because he knew they couldn't go facing murdery humans together without being properly equipped!

and this is how i usually color.

#ts!underswap #papyrus #ruthless route #crossbones #sans #undertale #fanart #rambling #ts!underswap spoilers

[blazehedgehog]

Do you agree with Gaming Journalists and what do you think of gaming journalism in general?

What does this even mean, dude.

"Do you agree with gaming journalists"? On what?

Do I agree with Shacknews that Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a 10/10, and with Digital Spy that it's also a 7/10? Do I agree with Let's Clear Up Those Halo Battle Royale Rumors?

Like, I've gotten some bait on this blog before, but this is 2/10 stuff, man. This is some hot 2014 garbage. Like no matter what I say, you're gonna go all

"Very interesting. Then do you care to explain why..." No thanks.

My real answer: Something I learned during my time at TSSZ and being around a few people who were deeper into "the biz" than I is that everybody needs journalism more than they realize. Corporations are pushing for consumers to become their personal cheerleaders more than ever before, which makes criticism and the journalistic exposing of information seem villainous.

After all: Xbox is my friend now, so how dare you attack the Xbox. Behavior that used to be reserved for the most dedicated fanboys is now the expected room temperature. I've talked about "The Cult of Naughty Dog" before, and that's the same thing. If a corporation can get you to be parasocial with them, then they have won, and being parasocial with a corporation means shunning real investigative journalism that would otherwise undo them. Journalists and critics used to be marketing tools, but by undoing the press pipeline and talking directly to fans, journalists and critics are painted as untrustworthy for being wildcards that don't always toe the company line.

And there has been more than a decade of people with a "I choose to be stupid and ignorant on purpose" outlook, which just makes that more frustrating. We've all seen screencaps where some brainless rando tries to explain something to a person who is an expert in that field. The rando thinks they're flexing their brain, but in some cases they are arguing with the person who literally wrote the book on their topic of conversation. Some people don't want to know anything but still pretend like they know everything, when there are real people out there doing real work to uncover real truths.

Misinformation is the real problem. It should not surprise anyone that there are people out there deliberately eroding the foundation of journalistic integrity, because the less people trust journalism, the easier it is to get away with lying. The easier it is to lie, the easier it is to control the mainstream, the easier it is to scam people out of their money, so on and so forth.

And misinformation is more than just "this one news article is fake." There are long running campaigns to install people into news organizations themselves to publish false information for all manner of different goals, but it's all the same: nobody trusts anyone and it's making everyone dumber.

That's when we get crypto currency. And NFTs. And now people claiming that generative AI will save humanity. Grift after grift after grift where the people at the top of the snake oil food chain make off with billions of dollars while the rest of the world is left scratching their heads.

The law isn't going to catch them. If they do, it'll take years. Look at how long it took for Sam Bankman-Fried to get caught -- he operated for almost half an entire decade. The amount of damage somebody can get away with in five years is significant.

We need journalism. Real journalism. Good journalism. Watchdogs that keep an eye on things and blow the whistle when it goes bad. Somebody to enforce accountability that isn't a cop.

Where do you find that? That's the hardest question. I'm lucky enough that I know people I trust because they are long time friends, or friends of friends, and thus they've been properly vetted in my circle as The Real Deal. But there are a lot of outlets out there who claim to champion "truth" and "intelligence" in a way to prey upon insecurity. I mean, c'mon, Trump's social media platform is called "Truth Social" and is basically the furthest thing from the truth you will ever get from anyone, ever.

The more obsessively they try to convince you they're telling the truth, the less likely it is they actually are. Which in itself could be an attack meant to undo the foundations of trust in people who actually know what they're talking about. By casting doubt on the very concept of truth itself, they can lie with increasingly greater efficiency.

Any advice I give feels like it is incredibly circumstantial. Which is the point, and is why we're in the state we're in.

Here's a good pdf by The News Literacy Project that's probably a good place to start. The general gist is "you'll have to do a lot of fact checking for yourself" but that's unfortunately where we're at these days.

But by and large I would say life is a lot harder for real journalists right now than I think some of their critics have ever thought about. There are people out there trying to do actual good work and being a bubble-brained moron about it just makes everything harder for everyone.

#questions #Anonymous #journalism #games journalism #gamergate

[delulluart]

could you post some work in progress stages of you're drawings and paintings? i am trying to improve my art and i like you're style but i don't really know how to get there. and many tutorials are for digital art only or there very anime style so it dos not very help in what i want to draw :(

but only if it is not to much work of course!

have a good day :-)

thank you, anon!

starting is really tough, i get you, and yes, i finding the tutorial for a style that you want to work in is often a struggle, but often you can apply the general rules to any style!

the most important thing is to not stop drawing! just keep going, a little bit every day/every few days and you WILL see the improvement! its super frustrating when you dont get the results you want immediately, i know that - ive been doing this for so many years now and i still produce pics that i dont like, where im disappointed in myself. but you cant let this drag you down too much, because everytime you fuck something up you learn something, too! you know then that this thing doesnt work - in a way failures are actually way more helpful. (still sucks a lot...)

as for wips: i found a few photos i took of two recent paintings; i dont know if it will help you, though. generally i just do some outlines roughly, then clean them up and then just...fill it either with paints or pencil. i dont do the whole grid method or assisting lines thing or something like that. before i start the proper drawing i often make a small quick sketch to know where everything has to go (see: first pic; youll notice its mirrored - i decided to change the entire orientation last second; i kinda wish i kept it, but its too late now) and then i just...idk? put it on the paper in a way that would make every art teacher cringe in pain (i know that, because it happened multiple times).

as for water colours its the basic rules: start with the bright parts and then go darker; make sure to use good paper, let the stuff dry before going for a new layer etc. add fine details/highlights at the end,

(hello no-hair-papa-anons, have some food here)

if you have any specific questions dont hesitate to ask, ill try to help! if you can afford it i recommend going to a proper class of an artist in your area, that can be lots of fun and really helpful. in 1st grade i was for a few weeks in a free weekly thing of a local artist and she introduced me to oil paints and taught me to just let GO sometimes of the perfectionism and the control of paints (yes, even tiny 5-6 year old me was already a control freak). the things she taught me are still with me.

#ask #it talks #Copia #ghost #wip #long post #tutorial #pls tumblr why are you hiding this post from dashboard now again i swear to the gods

[april-showersmay-flowers]

hello! I'm someone who has become incredibly obsessed with Greenteacup's Lionheart, and necessarily, your beautiful artwork as well. i'm so impressed by your artistic abilities -- how do you make the art that you do? what do you use to make your art? any tips for a beginner artist? I don't know how to make digital art but i have an old watercolor set you've inspired me to take advantage of... thank you so much!

Hi!

First of all, that is so incredibly sweet. I’m glad I can be a part of the fandom circle of life where art inspires art inspires art and so on.

In response to your question, if you’ll pardon the trite answer but it’s all just practice. I’ve been drawing and doodling since I was about 6 or 7, and I’m in my 30s now. Over that amount of time you just naturally start to amass some skills, plus I’ve got a fine arts degree so I’ve had some actual specific training. (On traditional art, not digital. Procreate scares me.) I’ve only been doing digital art for about the past year or so, before that I was strictly a pen and paper sort of girl. I try to do at least one new thing each time I break out the ol’ iPad so I’m continuously learning.

That said, here are some thoughts I have about starting out on your Art Journey ™

If you’re just starting it’s always easier to work from a base instead of just your imagination. Translating what’s in your head to paper is HARD, and unless you’re somehow a magical wizard it’ll get more frustrating than it’s worth. Find a picture, go outside and look around, go to a museum and just do your best to notice shapes/ shadows / details. Trace the broad strokes if you have to (provided it’s not someone else’s work of course) I’ll stitch references together in a creepy collage sometimes before I get a pose I like (a hand from here, a fabric lay from there) - transfer paper is your friend. I’d also recommend starting to learn about shadow and shapes from inanimate objects rather than human figures, they’re less complex.

Find a medium that you like that doesn’t frustrate you. You could not pay me to work in pastels. Watercolors are HARD to work with, just based on personal experience so if you’re just starting and you want your art to look specific and detailed, watercolors are hard to control. Start with a pencil or a pen and go from there, then start adding in colors second. Me personally, I love a good fine tip pen, calligraphy pen, and the digital airbrush tools. If you want to do watercolors, masking fluid is a super valuable tool!

After you doodle a little bit, you’ll start to notice things that come easier to you and things that are harder. I personally loooove organic lines which is why I draw hair so often and I hate straight lines which is why I rarely draw backgrounds. Lean into what you’re good at!

Rather than trying to get a solid perfect line and/or erasing over and over again, do a lot of smaller lines and keep it sketchy, I find it’s a lot easier to control shapes that way. If I’m drawing a circle, I do it in 15-20 tiny strokes rather than all in one fell swoop.

This is just me personally, but I like to work dark to light - so for example, if I’m drawing Hermiones hair, I’ll start with a dark brown then add in the highlights after. However - that’s only useful in certain mediums (digital) so if you’re working with pencil or paint, reverse it.

I literally used to try and recreate old Disney concept art from the hand drawn movies as practice. That’s a great study in line thickness and movement. Jin Kim and Glen Kane are my faves.

You’ll have more drafts than finished copies. I have so so so many old sketchbooks and abandoned drawings that just didn’t hit the way I wanted them to. That’s okay!!

So, tools. I use my iPad and Apple Pencil and I honestly only work in the sketchbook app. I will move to procreate eventually buuuut no rush. For traditional art, any pencil and paper will do but if you want to get fancy, get a basic drawing kit with different hardness of pencils, a kneadable eraser, cold pressed paper, and a blending tool. If you’re working with watercolor, there’s special paper that’s made for watercolor and printer paper will absorb a lot of the water and warp a bit. (Again, that’s okay! Just something to be aware of) if you’re working with water based paint, painters tape and masking fluid have saved my butt many a time in the past.

Okay wow that was a very long winded answer thank you if you made it to the end of this absolute novel.

Have fun, enjoy the process and don’t get discouraged along the way. Art doesn’t have to be “good” to be important.

#aprilshowersasks #sketch #drawing class is in session #the flashbacks this gave me to undergrad were sudden and vivid

[coincasual]

I think your Rainbow High doodles have been so cute - any headcanons you want to share?

😳😳😳💕✨ omg! yeah!

Sunny: she/her 16 scene style! did her own hair before coming to rainbow high and now she trusts Jade to take care of it for her! She’s autistic and has adhd! loves coding, anime, and making tiktoks! 💕Violet💕 she always stays up late and drinks a lot of energy drinks! she works really hard to try and prove herself and her skill (bc her mom is the head of the academy/university) even tho she is super skilled and talented! she has a big fixation on dress up games since she was young, she also loves mystery podcasts while she works! i’d like to think she made a big effort to learn japanese so she can listen to/watch anime without subs! she’s not fluent yet but she’s learning! she’s also really short so she wears big platforms all the time! she always tries to help others feel supported and included (before she met Violet she was bullied and felt ostracized, violet helped her feel like she could be herself and still be likable and loveable). also they have a lot of ear piercings! they also have spider bites and gauges! she loves sugary foods also!

Violet: she/her, 16, girly chic! does lots of “insta baddie” tuts for people on youtube. She carrie’s around digital copies of her release forms and keeps everything up to schedule bc if she doesn’t she gets really stressed out. she’s also totally one of those people that makes their notes look really tidy and always tries to set up her shots well! she keeps a grid on her camera so she can do thirds. she learned some css from Sunny to help her make her digital media really pop! she’s really particular about how her pictures look and likes to edit her own pictures and take her own pictures! her instagram is perfection! also 💕Sunny💕 and she gets really embarrassed by her bubbly supportiveness but she really loves it! sometimes she gets imposter syndrome and Sunny helps her feel more confident!

Jade: she/they, non-binary, 17 they are autistic and have bipolar disorder! they love to create moods and characters through makeup and hair. her hair is so long so they could practice even when they didn’t have anyone else around. they don’t particularly enjoy wearing a lot of makeup but she does wear it often! her every day look is like simple color correction and brow gel, their eyelashes are naturally pretty thick, but they do like when they’re extra long! Jade has some problems with aggression, they can get easily frustrated when faced with criticism and she’s had to work hard on trying to be more comfortable communicating and receiving feedback. she dresses pretty masc most of the time but they also love to dress up and go to the club! their favorite person is 💕Bella💕 and they are fiercely protective of her. they love collecting new makeup, brushes, and hair bundles/tools, etc. they get really excited over color pigments and unusual colors! they love to skateboard and longboard while listening to music. sometimes she and poppy longboard together! they have a double eyebrow piercing on the left side and dimple piercings!

Bella: she/her, 16, ocd, girly preppy chic/romantic academia style, love musical theater and sets! actual started building sets when she was supposed to act in her first musical when after a rehearsal when she saw them building and painting, it’s history from there! despite having such a doll aesthetic she is very strong and can absolutely build a set on her own. she’s really good at drawing and keeps a small sketchbook with her so she can doodle any cool or inspiring architecture she sees! she watched a lot of gossip girl growing up lol. she can get really fixated on an idea and will not stop until she’s achieved her vision. sometimes it causes problems for her and can really make her hyper-fixate or work obsessively on things. she knows she can do that so she tries to catch herself and make sure she takes breaks and uses coping mechanisms (timers, priority lists) so she can try to work a lot and also healthily! 💕Jade💕 is absolutely her favorite person ever and tries to hang out with them whenever she gets free time. they text all the time and have nightly facetime chats when they can.

Skylar: she/her, 17, she has problems with self esteem and depression. She dresses in like business casual girly core! she often feels like her skills are not up to par with others and compares herself to others a lot, even though she is MASSIVELY skilled and talented! some of her best designs are from when she is just doodling in the margins of her notes or sitting in her room listening to Poppy’s playlists. she loves denim! she says that she jokingly makes a lot of stuff out of denim/upcycled jeans but she actually loves them! she love how impassioned 💕Ruby💕 is and it helps her feel more confident in herself! Ruby helped her a lot after her breakup and a few months after Skylar confessed to Ruby and they started dating! She loves to collaborate on designs and like to let her models be a part of the design process so their true colors can really shine!

Ruby: she/her, 17, adhd, She can get really excited about things and can seem really impatient and may even come off a little rude but she just gets so excited sometimes she can’t contain it! she’s working on being able to wait on others, she doesn’t necessarily like to rush, she just gets really impassioned! she loves brands like Supreme and Hypebeast, toooootally loves brands and always has the newest kicks. SNEAKER OBSESSED! fr fr. she is always online bidding on vintage and limited edition sneakers (she also loves bootlegs!) she loves to paint with chiseled markers and does graffiti in her spare time (she has a secret tiktok account that she’s posts her graffiti on but she wears a mask for safety). When she first met 💕Skylar💕 she liked her but knew she was in a relationship so she tried to peruse someone else (we all saw how that went yikes 🥲) and her and Ruby grew closer and developed a supportive friendship that turned to Skylar and her dating! sometimes she’s goes to the skatepark with jade! she likes to distress and rock out with her bff! she has a nose piercing on her right nostril!

Poppy: she/they, 16, autistic and has synesthesia, she has a boho natural type style and loves butterfly themes, They’re definitely a beach bum when they’re home on the island! she loves to dance in the sun to their hand crafted tunes! she uses a lot of found and natural sounds that she manipulates in her music. she also became a DJ at a younger age and was able to spin for lots of beach parties, even for her parents! she and sunny created a light program to interpret sounds as what she sees when she hears them, that way her music is a fully interactive experience! she was a piano prodigy very early on as well, music just makes sense to her! while she does make a lot of happy/peppery music, her more ethereal and ambient music really makes waves. with natural sounds and her vivid synesthesia she can really create soundscapes that take you to another world. she gets really homesick often and misses her parents a lot. her parents were a great support group for her, and now she has her bffs! she wears her headphones all the time, and certain sounds/noises can really overwhelm and overstimulate her so she has noise canceling as well. she’s too wrapped up in her music to be concerned with romantic relationships, likely ace.

Amaya: she/her, 17, casual goth style! loves straps and silver! autistic/adhd/ocd. can have laser focus on what strikes her interest, and has a hard time working on things that are boring to her. that’s why whenever she feels a creative spark she goes headfirst into working on it! she normally does not stop until she finishes, she often will skip meals and sleep to get an idea into motion. she craves to be accepted as part of a group and is never afraid to speak up for herself and others (she had been bullied in the past and taken advantage of for her work ethic and ideas, after which she confronted the people in a peaceful way and they were able to settle their differences and be amicable). she loves expressing herself creatively, drawing, fabrics, hair color and makeup! she and Jade have worked together color mixing hair dye and pigment to make new colors for some of their looks! it took a long time for her to gain Jade and Rubys trust and confidence, but now they support her no matter what! she can be really awkward when she has a romantic interest lol! her confidence goes to clumsiness and she gets very frustrated! she has a septum piercing!

💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕✨✨✨✨🌟

also i think of the school like an academy that you can get into from just about any age as long as you have the skill/talent! the auditions and screenings for the school are really intense because the fashion industry is really intense. all students at the academy are put through psychological exams and all have mandatory therapy sessions to help with the stress! they are places in special teams based on their initial testing that they will hopefully work best in! they also honor all requests! i think of the school as more of a preprofessional academy that professionally trains it’s students to best cope with stress and creative blocks while allowing the, to network and meet people actually in the industry!

lmk if you want to know more!

#rainbow high #head canons

[jowoeyclaire]

do u have any tips for digital painting for people who like.... exclusively have experience in only lineart and simple cell shading ? i rly want my art to look like that but it always turns out horrible when i try to paint. i simply don't know how to blend colors i guess

this is going to be kinda long since im not very good at explaining things so i'll just run through my drawing process when im working on a digital painting!

first things first tho, im still learning to get the hang of it myself since im also super used to working with lineart/cell-shading rather than painting. so as time goes on my process will probably change as i learn new things!

first, i start out with a sketch of what i'm gonna be painting. i'll use one of my ocs as an example

when im working with lineart, i usually put the lineart layer over the sketch but when i'm painting, i tend to put the layers i'll be working on underneath the sketch! i do this cuz since i wont really be doing much defined linework, and it makes it a lot easier for me to do the next step which is:

blocking out shapes!

under my sketch layer, i'll block in shapes of color corresponding to my sketch, this works as a guidemap for me and usually each block of color gets a seperate layer to avoid getting frustrated while trying to work on areas where they intersect. (for example, the face, the bangs, and the back of the head are all separate layers to make it easier to avoid blending things i dont want to blend, like the face with the hair)

now here i start to work on each of the separate layers ive made, and i work on blocking in shadows. i usually clip layers together to avoid overlapping any unwanted things

at this point my process isnt super straightforward and i honestly havent exactly figured out what i do here definitively but i usually start working smaller and more focused on specific layers and work my way through the painting usually with one or two brushes. mainly, i use these two brushes, one for blending and making strokes, the other for VERY small details (i use clip studio paint so depending on what program you use and what you want out of your painting, your brushes may vary)

at this point im SUPER unsure on how i actually do what i do but i DEFO recommend studying other peep's art and using references to get things like hair and clothing textures. you'd be surprised on how some super complex-looking pieces tend to use less blending then you would think!

a tip when it comes to blending: i know it's super tempting to blend everything but from messing around with this style for a bit i can say that sometimes less is more! while blending is fun, it can sometimes lead to the colors or certain parts of the piece feel 'overblended' in which it might lose it's defined shape. although this is something that you'll learn to work through as you learn new ways to approach it!

now here is my final stage in where i might spruce things up a bit using layers to alter the colors and make things look a bit more unified and cohesive! honestly my fav step since i try out different layers that might bring out certain characteristics in my art!

also before i end this i wanna say that this is only the process i use and that you might use a completely different approach to it but if you find anything here that might be helpful, don’t be afraid to try it out and experiment!

and honestly… i think that's it? i tried my best to go through my process and hopefully people can see and try out what might work for them! idk if any of my points came across that well since im not very good at explaining but YEAH SORRY THIS GOT LONG OOPS

#ask! #WOW THIS IS LONG SORRY ABOUT THAT #hopefully yall find this helpful! #myart

[dogecansado]

I've been super slow with art lately because my style has changed a lot since I started studying painting in an actual class instead of on my own, and i´ts messing with my brain.

The way I was doing things, I start with a very rough and ugly sketch with lines and different colors to get the pose right.

Then, in another layer i do the lineart, this is not great for me, I know that a lot of people work this way, but it takes me so much time since I just don't have the skill to draw a clean lineart without taking a lot of time in the sketch, and it makes my art look artificial. Ignore the random line up there

Lastly, I get to the color, the horror. My problem is that I had a very basic understanding of how shading and color pallets work, the way I was doing things made my art look dull. It's functional, but I noticed that I started adding very dark shadows to make my mistakes less obvious. It is hard for me to add complexity and texture using only solid colors or lines. And It's not that the technique is bad given that the majority of people that draw do it that way, but my brain doesn't work like that

with that ds2 drawing, I started to be interested in other techniques. Specifically, while doing the background. I didn't use any straight line for it, or solid colors, I looked up references of dead trees and rocks and saw tutorials for hours. The process was so much smoother in comparison, it was great just to use a graphite pencil and the blend tool because it felt more organic and natural for me.

This is the finished drawing btw, it got zero interactions so I'm reposting it uhhh

I explained all of this in my art classes and I was told to lean more into watercolor and acrylic painting. I've been testing it through the last weeks with mixed results, but when I tried to go back to digital painting and tried to draw the same way I was doing before, I felt unable to do so. The straight lines didn't come out correctly, and colors looked like they were picked at random. I made like 4 or 5 terrible looking drawing, got frustrated and spent 2 days figuring out what happened. It felt kinda bad to see that suddenly I was getting worse at painting, despite the time I spent practicing.

This was the painting I did in watercolor

Today I searched for tutorials about how I could emulate acrylic painting in a digital drawing, and suddenly it clicked with me, the actual problem was that I changed my way of thinking while doing watercolor and now I was trying to do the same thing as before with that different mindset. Did this apple instead with what I learned, and It felt the same as when I made that background, I think I might found my thing in regard to coloring. Turns out my brain can't think in terms of straight lines and plain colors, and I work better by rendering rather than try to have a more cartoonish style. I slept 4 hours today, so I'm going to do more tests and finish one of the ugly drawings I had but now with this style tomorrow

we are so back

#my art #art #art style #artwork #dark souls 2 #this time im really gonna do it

[iisabelinski]

Can I ask what programs you use for your lovely art? And do you use a laptop?

Hi!! For the last year, I've almost exclusively used Procreate to create my art on my iPad. Before that I used to do a lot of my illustrations in vector programs like Illustrator (graphic designer by profession here). When I was younger I tried getting into digital painting with a Wacom tablet, but I just could never get used to that whole using-the-pen-like-a-mouse thing.

I do have a laptop, but for my art I really only use the iPad. Hope that helps, anon!

#asks! #ask me anything #thanks for the ask! #I do love procreate though #I used to get super frustrated learning how to digital painting before it

[rhyva]

hi! so i was wondering about how you drew side profiles actually like any tips, guidelines things like that! idk (im fine at them but only like 2/10 times and its frustrating)

coz i try to see as many artists views and idk little quirks when drawing it. and try to incorporate that into my budding style lol. most of the times other artists version of a side profile in their style doesnt fit for me because its either too non-realistic or too realistic (im picky af) but your style appeals to me so much and like i love your art and thank u for blessing me

(and also like any tips about anatomy and the works if u have any ill appreciate like any and all help. im desperate)

(also yes im the anon from before)

Hello again love !!! Yes definitely, I can give some tips,, ok so this might be kinda long cuz I’m gonna help u as much as I can (reminder that eveehone does things differently and at their own pace!!! Art is art for a reason, everything you make is amazing and I’m still learning myself :)) this is just how I currently do things )

For side profiles, I have two ways which I do them because they are still quite tricky. The first method I don’t use as much anymore but it helped SO much. I recommend at least sitting though some YouTube classes about the planes of the head or studying some skulls before trying this once, but once you have basic knowledge of the head it’s so fun to just practice them for hours and see how many different features you can come up with.

It’s literally just getting a blob of colour, and carving away at it with an eraser till it kinda looks like a face. When you do this, you don’t focus on details and it’s a super quick way to practice digitally. (Sorry it only lets me add one video ugh)

My second way 👏🏻 THICK PENS/ BRUSHES 👏🏻 i found it’s all about ignoring the details when I’m doing my thumbnails or first sketches. Don’t get too caught up on an idea or trying to nitpick something that is supposed to be messy!!

For this I just use a really thick brush to do basic guidelines. I will literally swear by Asaro head until the grave for where to place ur guidelines, it helped me sooo much.

This is really messy because I did it quickly but you see the point. You draw atop of the painted mess to focus on details (I use this now)- if your traditional you can use the flat side of a B pencil very lightly and it’ll work- I hope this helped at least a little Im not very good at sticking to certain methods, I’ve just smushed different ones together over the years 😫

Oh, and anatomy!!! I did a quick sheet for you, I hope u can read my handwriting oh lord. A massive tip is, even if the reference doesn’t, I always exaggerate the way the body is tilting. I will lasso the torso after and move it backwards, and it just makes it a little more dynamic. The second way I said for profiles it’s literally what I use for bodies too, and then define. :)))

Studying stuff sucks in art but it helps so, so much. I hope this helped at least someone a tiny bit 🙏🙏 feel free to dm me if I misinterpreted you or something or you have any more questions :))

[not-xpr-art]

Art Advice #2 - How to beat art block!

Hi again everyone!

This is the second instalment to my Art Advice tag offering hints and tips for artists of any skill level! 

This time I’ll be going into ways I’ve found that help me to combat art block or creative ruts. Of course, these may not work for you, and a big part of art is learning about what things do and do not work for you, but I hope it at least offers some advice to anyone who struggles with art blocks!

How to beat art block. 

Getting into an art block can be one of the most frustrating things as an artist. Especially if you’ve tried to dedicate a window of time to drawing something, only for your brain to ‘nope’ out and give you no motivation. I’ve found it can often make you feel worthless as an artist, particularly when you see fellow artists continuing to produce countless amazing artworks, and this kind of self depreciation only adds to your inability to produce anything. 

And I’m not about to suggest some magical cure of art block, since I don’t believe there is one, but I hope that my advice can at least help lead you towards getting out of these vicious circles of art block & self deprecation!

Tip #1 - Explore other mediums 

I feel like as artists we get incredibly ‘comfortable’ in the mediums we’re familiar with. For me, that’s digital and pencil drawing. I’ve been doing pencil drawing for as long as I can remember, and digital for a little over 7 years, so I’ve become very comfortable in using them. 

However, I think that a good way to not only help combat art block, but also to expand your art horizons, is to step out of that comfort zone into a new field of art. 

Of course, I’m not saying that I expect every artist to go from pencil drawing for 10 years to suddenly picking up a paint brush and doing some oil painting. But instead that every so often maybe just try and dabble in mediums you’ve not used as much, or haven’t used before at all. A lot of shops sell pretty inexpensive paints, pens or pastels nowadays, not to mention a quick Google search will give you tips on how to use the particular medium if you’re not sure how to start. 

A thing I want to mention here, too, is that I think it’s important to not to expect yourself to be automatically ‘great’ at a particular medium. For example, last year I did my first embroidery piece. I had wanted to do embroidery for a long time, and did actually enjoy it a lot (even if it was incredibly time consuming lol). But I found myself dissatisfied with the finale result. 

And in a way this is because I expected myself to be perfect at embroidery after just one attempt, which is ridiculous of course, since any kind of art takes years and years to ‘master’. And when I look back, I can’t help but think ‘why does it have to be good in the first place’? Why did I put this pressure on myself to be a sudden Master of Embroidery, when surely the main goal of any kind of art is to some extent the enjoyment of the process? 

This is still a mindset I think a lot of artists will relate to, and is something I’m trying to combat myself. 

Recently I painted some fake plastic eggs inspired by the Polish folk art tradition ‘Pisanki’. They took a long time, and my neck hurt a lot from being hunched over and painting little dots, but honestly I really loved the whole process of them! Painting on 3D objects isn’t something I do a lot, and I also rarely do purely pattern-based work like this, so it was a real deviation from my comfort zone.

In a way, exploring other mediums is like a creative respite. Giving yourself a break from what you’re familiar with not only helps you to be inspired by a wide range or arts, but when you return to the mediums you enjoy the most, I’ve actually found you appreciate them even more!

(Really, nothing makes me more appreciative for digital art than painting a wrong dot on the surface of an egg and not being able to rub it out...)

Tip #2 - Try different styles

Another tip, similar in many ways to the first one, is to try different styles of art every once and a while. 

Like with materials, I think we as artists can get overly caught up in ‘our style’ of doing things. Whether this is a particular stylised or cartoonish way of drawing, or doing realistic art, or even sticking to a particular colour scheme. And I think especially in the world we live in, where artists have to make themselves as ‘consumer friendly’ as possible, which often means having a ‘recognisable brand’, it can feel like we have to do our art in a particular way, otherwise people will lose interest in it. 

I think this is harmful for a lot of reasons. Partly, I feel it stifles artists creativity to force themselves to do one style and one style only. I also feel it assumes that non-artists are so single-track minded that if an artist were to post works of art that involve different styles, then they would immediately lose interest. 

So my advice to any artist who has a particular style is to once in a while try out some different styles. It doesn’t have to be big pieces, and it also doesn’t have to be the polar opposite of what your style actually is. But instead if can be as simple as doing a ‘style challenge’ (something I’ve done in the past), or even just trying a different way of drawing or painting! 

In a way, changing your medium and changing your style occasionally go hand in hand. I particularly find that how I draw people will change with the kinds of mediums I use, or even when I start using a new brush with digital art.

For example, I recently did this super quick sketch of Kiki Layne, because I really loved the reference image, and it came out a lot more stylised than my art usually is. And this is almost entirely down to the brush I used (which was an ‘ink’ style brush, in comparison to the ‘pencil’ or ‘pen’ brushes I usually use for sketching). 

This isn’t a drastic change in style for me, but I do think even trying to do rougher or messier styles of art like this can allow you to see your art in a new light! 

(A side note here, but I already pretty much change up my style with every piece because I have no interest in being ‘marketable’ lol... But I’m definitely not suggesting everyone should be like me, just every so often changing up your style I believe can be really beneficial!)

Tip #3 - Changing subject matters

This one is essentially the same as the other two, and I’m sorry if this comes across as repetitive, but I think another great way to help beat art block is by changing up the kinds of things you draw!

Being predominantly a portrait artist, I rarely go out of my way to draw things like trees or birds or cups or whatever. But I know that often when I feel myself entering a kind of creative rut or art block, it’s because I’ve been drawing too many people & my brain is sort of all people-d out lol... 

(this is a tree I drew in oil paints midway through last year because I was feeling particular people-d out at that point)

So I think occasionally drawing other things, and going out of your art comfort zone, can help to improve your creativity. And hey, who knows, maybe you’ll end up incorporating something you drew randomly into a new artwork!

TL;DR (/conclusion)

So, remember that exploring other mediums, changing up your regular style and choosing other subject matters can all help in beating art block! Of course, you don’t have to do them all at the same time, but instead just dipping in and out of them as you produce your regular work can be highly beneficial! 

I mainly wanted to make this post not to say that by doing all three of these things, you’ll magically be free of art block forever, because that’s just not true. (I’m someone who does a lot of these things pretty regularly, but still gets into art blocks every now and then). I instead wanted to inspire you to deviate from what you are usually drawn to as an artist. 

The world is your creative oyster, so don’t be afraid to explore it! 

~

I hope you enjoyed this post about ways to beat art block! I may make a part two if people are interested since there are a lot of other things that I think can help in improving creativity!

#art advice #art block #how to beat art block #creativity #art discussion #artists on tumblr #this is about 1300 words long btw #i honestly DID try not to ramble pffffft #anyway i hope someone found this at least slightly useful!

[caerwynherondale]

Wedding Bells

Caerwyn bounced on the toes of her stockinged feet, unable to stay still as she walked the length of her bedroom and back again, steps muffled by the carpet. She wrung her hands together, peeking up at the blue, cat shaped clock on her bedside table, the hands drifting silently across the face of it. She hated ticking clocks, the noise drove her batty, so this one had been a blessing when her parents had found it for her when she’d been about six. They could have simply gone with a digital one, but Caerwyn liked the classic look of the numbers and hands, in this case, each minute increment was marked by a tiny paw print and the numbers white on top of black cat head silhouettes. It was super cute, making her smile in that way girls who liked cute things did when they saw them. Most wouldn’t have pinned Caerwyn for liking adorable things like that, but she did. She supposed the only people who knew were her family and Rose, though, Louis may have picked up on it by now considering her usual go-to purse was shaped like a bunny.

“Winnie, I swear to fucking god...” Cleo, the girl’s sister spoke up from where she laid on her bed. The pair couldn’t have been any more different from one another. Caerwyn’s hair was inky and her body shapely while Cleo’s hair was light and she was skinny. At the moment, Cleo was on her stomach, knees bent, legs swaying as her ankles crossed and she perused whatever magazine she was currently interested in. She was on spring break from her school was well, but it wouldn’t have mattered either way considering she went to one of the local high schools and lived at home throughout the year instead of boarding like Caerwyn did. She had actually been quite excited to see Caerwyn when the girl had gotten off the train, showing it with the way she grabbed at her sister’s hand and dragged her along to the car without a single word. The past winter break had been the first they’d ever really spent apart and while they didn’t get along on a regular basis, Christmas time had always been a very important thing for their family. Not having one of them home had been kind of a big deal actually.

Carnegie had been even more thrilled to have Caerwyn home, clinging onto her the moment she walked through the door and refusing to leave her side even at bedtime for the first couple of days. She’d let him sleep in her bed, curled up against her stomach, a little warm package of heat. She loved it, his blond hair smelling still of newness and baby shampoo, his fingers slightly sticky in that way all little kids seemed to be. He was five now, having had his birthday a couple months back and he had even more to talk about now than ever. He’d jabbered on about everything under the sun. His favorite toys, his friends and teachers at school, all of the new things he was learning, and showing off how he could read simple worded books now.

As far as Caerwyn’s parents went though, things were still… strained to say the least. She was happy to see them, to have their loving arms around her and hear her dad’s dry jokes, but there was still that lingering sensation of worry underneath. The discussion they had had over the winter break was still fresh in her mind, but they had promised her that it wouldn’t be a subject they talked about this time. They would simply enjoy the holiday together. Both of her parents had been a bit on edge though, when Caerwyn told them she’d been invited to attend Victoire’s wedding. They knew who Victoire was, the nurse at the school Caerwyn attended, but she was also the cousin of their daughter’s best friend, Rose. Caerwyn had, conveniently, left out the information that she was actually going as a date for Victoire’s little brother, who also happened to be her boyfriend. She had thought it better to tell them it was Rose who had invited her along, easier to get them to agree that way. It had taken a bit of convincing, but her parents had finally conceded into letting Caerwyn spend the remainder of the break with the Weasleys.

“They’ll be along fucking soon.” Caerwyn shot back, but she flopped down anyway, sitting on the window seat between the two large built in bookcases. The bedroom was split evenly in two, everything matching, picked out by a mother who didn’t want her daughters fighting. Whites, light yellows, and laces decorated most of the room. White satin bed covers dotted with little silk roses sat upon the twin beds, curtains of tulle hanging down over the curved, white headboards, fairy lights intertwined into them. A bench sat at the foot of each bed, serving as both seating and storage, matching nightstands and lamps beside the beds. The walls were decorated with yellow wallpaper dotted with a small, pretty floral print. Each of the girls had taken over their own side though, adding their own touches to create a kind of drastic separation. Caerwyn’s bed boasted more throw blankets and her wall décor consisted of several of her own paintings and a limited amount of photos displaying friends and family. Her half of the bookcases was filled with old school texts, empty potion bottles, broken quills, and fairy tales. Cleo’s side of the room was nearly bursting in comparison. Posters, photos, a cork board and sticky notes plastered the walls. Clothes were scattered here and there on the floor and her bookcase held more girly items, like perfume, jewelry displays and magazines. There was still a faded bit and sticky residue on the carpet from the long piece of duct tape they had run across the floor years ago to make sure the other stayed on their side.

“You’ve got at least another hour.” Cleo chided, sitting up on the bed and tossing her magazine down in frustration. She stared at Caerwyn, eyeing her up and down. The way she kept tugging at the front of her baggy sweater, how she’d put on a pair of thigh highs instead of her usual tights, though, one wouldn’t be able to tell under her dress, and the little bit of make-up she’d used to accentuate her eyes and lips. She had even taken time to really brush out her hair, sitting down and running through it over and over again until she was certain all the knots were gone. “So, are you going to tell me who the boy is or not?”

“What boy?” Caerwyn asked, glancing up from where she had started picking at her finger nails. They were clean, the blue polish upon them fresh, but she swore she could still feel some dirt underneath them. She followed Cleo’s gaze to the newer photos by above her bed. The ones Louis’s aunt had taken on Christmas. She had kept the ones of just her and Louis hidden away in her things, but she’d hung up several of her, Louis, Rose, and Albus that she hadn’t noticed being taken on Christmas Eve. She didn’t look too terrible in them, with her hair all pulled back prettily and in the outfit Fleur had helped her pick out. She was particularly fond of the one where she was turned, drinking from a glass as Rose spoke to her and Louis was sat beside her, looking down at her as he tugged a loose bit of confetti from the Christmas crackers from her hair.

“The redhead.” Cleo pointed, her eyebrows raised in question. It wasn’t the first time she had asked, nor would it be the last. The answer was the same though, as it always was.

“None of your goddamn fucking business.” Caerwyn shot back, pushing up from the window seat. She snatched her duffle bag from the floor where it had been stuffed with the things she’d brought home from school, but also things she would need while she was staying with the Weasleys.  She dug through it, double checking the contents. Extra pajamas, her clothes for the wedding, a toothbrush… Last time she’d shown up with nothing but the clothes on her back, a book, her cat, and Louis’s Christmas gift. This time she was prepared. She already had Manson’s wicker carrier by the front door, his favorite cushy blanket inside of it for when it was time to go.

Cleo was, unfortunately right about the time. It took an hour and then a little bit before the doorbell was ringing through the house. Little feet scampered, slapping across the wooden floor of the downstairs portion of the house as Carnegie raced for the door. He loved answering it, though, there was usually always someone coming right behind him in case he didn’t know the person there, which was rarely. He reached up with both of his small hands, grabbing hold of the knob and twisting it, tugging the big white door open, a giant smile on his little face. The little boy was dressed in nothing more than a pair of overalls and a red towel tied around his neck as a cape. He’d refused a shirt that morning, saying superheros didn’t need them.

“Creoso!” The little boy stepped back from the door, his bare arms spread wide, eyes closed for a moment as he greeted the three teenagers standing on the front porch. He finally looked up at them, his head tilting back in wonder as his eyes moved up, and up, and up. The redheaded girl wasn’t too tall, but both of the boys standing behind her were quite a lot bigger than anyone Carnegie was used to seeing on a regular basis. He gaped for a moment before turning his little head and calling over his shoulder. “Mama! Da! Mae ffrindiau Winnie yma!”

“Ydw, ydw, Carnegie.” A woman’s voice called back. Her heels clicked against the floor as she appeared in the front room, her brown hair falling in curls around her shoulders as she stopped behind her son, placing her hands on his shoulders. “Hello there. How do you do? You must be Rosie and... I don’t believe Winnie mentioned your names. Come in, come in.”

“You fucking bitch!” A scuffling from above sounded as both Caerwyn and Cleo made for the door of their room. There was a small battle of pushing and shoving, the door banging against the wall as they both tried to get through it first. Cleo won as she tripped her sister, using her thinner frame to squeeze through. Caerwyn was right on her heels though, both of them using the corner of the banister to turn rapidly on the landing before they were heading down the stairs. Cleo skidded to a hault beside her mother, her hair pulled back into it’s usual messy bun on top of her head. She stared at the three strangers and then laughed, pointing with a victorious ‘ha!’ at the sight of Louis. The boy from the photo. He’d come along with Rose to get her sister, as well as a dark haired fellow.

“Rhosynie!” Caerwyn called brightly as she finally hit the bottom of the stairs. She laughed, reaching out to snatch at her best mate, hugging her tightly as Carnegie moved to close the door behind her friends. He took a few steps, his tiny hand reaching up to tug at Louis’s much bigger one, gazing up at him with big blue eyes.

“Ai chi yw'r dyn talaf ar y blaned?” The five-year-old asked curiously.

“Nac ydw, Carnie. Yw'r dyn talaf dw i.” A man’s voice filted into the living room as he came out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a tea towel. Carnegie laughed, releasing Louis’s hand to race to his father, arms outstretched so he could be scooped up properly.

“Albus!” Caerwyn grinned, hugging him as well before she released him and stepped back a bit. Her eyes fell on Louis and she stared up at him, a small smile pressing at her lips, cheeks a bit pink at the sight of him. God, she’d missed him so much. It had only been a week away. She sighed, closing the distance between them more rapidly than she had with the other two. Her arms came up around his waist, face burying against his chest as she breathed him in. Fuck, he smelt so good. “Fuckface.”

*Welcome! Mama, Winnie’s friends are here.

*Yes, yes.

*Are you the tallest man on the planet?

“No, Carnie. I’m the tallest man.

[love-takes-work]

Steven Universe Comic Fusion Frenzy (2019) - Outline & Review

Steven Universe: Fusion Frenzy is a mega issue with five separate stories that each focus on a different Fusion from the show. It's available digitally from ComiXology in the States and from Boom Studios and your local comic shop.

There are four covers for this one: two are by artist Nathalie Fourdraine and they connect together to make a single picture, while a third rarer variant is by Abigail L. Dela Cruz, and then there's a Wondercon exclusive by Alexandra Lillie.

The five stories feature Stevonnie, Garnet, Smoky Quartz, Opal, and Sugilite. And though, as per usual with comics, these cannot be taken as "show canon," they all show us experiences and perspectives we've really wanted to see with these Fusions! Except for Garnet--who speaks so rarely about her experience despite her everyday presence--we don't get to spend much time with any of these others, and it's so much fun to get a peek at these comic authors' and artists' ideas of what it would be like.

This is a review of each story, with an illustrated plot description and a list of notable items.

STEVONNIE: "When the Light Breaks," written by Anthony Oliveira and illustrated by Ver.

Plot: 

Garnet tells a story about the "dangerous side of fusion"--meaning that when you stand for who you are and what you believe in, you become a target, and you must be prepared to deal with that ugly side of it.

Stevonnie, after training, unfuses into Steven and Connie to attend a parade. It appears to be a celebration of love, with many rainbows and confetti. The Gems discuss how they really haven't been too active in these celebrations (though Garnet MAAAY have thrown rocket punches during one in the past because "love is a riot"). Garnet's narration continues to tell us that Homeworld was always against the diversity that Earth celebrates.

Steven and Connie are very excited, but then an attack begins. A monster appears--it’s an attacker that was used by Homeworld to separate Fusions, but it's also corrupted--and it looks like a Gem destabilizer. Garnet's narration encourages those who are attacked for how they love or identify to "learn together, grow together, laugh together, and endure together."

The monster is able to unfuse Garnet, but Steven and Connie quickly fuse into Stevonnie and protect them. They are able to attack the monster and get its Gem. A rainbow appears after the battle clouds clear.

Notable:

1. The narration talk bubbles are so cute--not only color-coded, but identified by the symbols for who's talking. Garnet's are decorated with both her Gemstones at the bottom right corner, while Stevonnie's has a star.

2. "Never forget how much bravery it takes to love each other"--what an incredible quote.

3. Uncle Andy is chilling in Greg's van during the parade. He looks kinda uncomfortable.

4. So many Beach City regulars are visible doing their thing during the parade!

5. Steven sticks his head into Lion's portal and comes out of Lars's head just to share some confetti with them. It's one of those things that's just too convoluted to explain if you don't already know what you're looking at.

6. Interesting that the destabilizer effect seems to just separate the Fusions instead of poofing them the way the modern destabilizer does in “The Return.”

GARNET: "The Gauntlet," written by Jy Yang and illustrated by Doki Rosi.

Plot: 

Steven and Connie are achy after fusion training and complaining about why it's so hard. Garnet--who's baked them cookies--is happy to give her perspective.

The art style melts into a more colorful, whimsical depiction of Garnet's days as a new Fusion, when she was pink and blue and innocent. She loved her early days learning about being a Crystal Gem with Rose and Pearl, but she wasn't given all the time she needed to learn about herself. There was a war going on.

Rose urges Garnet to run and hide, but she feels so weird running away and leaving her friends to fight the battle. Ruby had always been a soldier, after all, and Sapphire's ability lets Garnet predict where her help (and her failure to help) all led to different futures. When she realizes the soldiers are Blue Diamond's, looking for HER, she knows she has to fight.

Garnet unfuses, and when she comes together again, she has her more modern look, with a more consistent color and her visor in place. She confronts the soldiers and identifies herself as a Crystal Gem, standing up for who she is. Back in the present, telling the story, Garnet admits she didn't exactly "kick butt" at first, but she emphasizes that what's important is doing the right thing when it matters.

Notable:

1. Garnet in an apron, baking cookies (which she did in the episode "Warp Tour") is super cute. Her smiley style in this artist's depiction is really interesting!

2. The art style of the flashback is not exactly the same as the show's version of the same thing, but it is absolutely successful at being reminiscent of it. It's so soulful and expressive!

3. In one of Garnet's visions of a battle, we see Pearl fighting a Hessonite. Wow, cool.

4. This comic seems to imply that unfusing and re-fusing can create a new permanent form, and that Garnet got her more recognizable look (including the visor) during this time, but as of this writing we still haven't been told in the show canon when Garnet started wearing her visor and when she stopped looking like cotton candy.

SMOKY QUARTZ: "The Art of Friendship," written by Steve Foxe and illustrated by Xiao Tong Kong.

Plot:

Steven and Amethyst are fighting a pretty stubborn corrupted Gem, and they decide to fuse since Smoky Quartz's yo-yo is perfect for this battle. They have to think fast to stop an innocent bystander from getting injured in the battle, and it turns out to be Amethyst's old pal Vidalia.

Vidalia is immediately enchanted, thinking Smoky is basically just a weird shapeshift of Amethyst's since that's what she's used to, and she invites Smoky to be her model for a painting the way Amethyst used to in the old days. Smoky quickly becomes uncomfortable with Vidalia's reminiscing, because she's treating them like they're just Amethyst, the Gem who has a history with her. Steven doesn't have that history, and neither does Smoky.

Vidalia invites Smoky out for a day of partying "like they used to," and Smoky reluctantly accepts. No matter how many times Smoky reminds Vidalia that those memories belong to her history with Amethyst and Smoky is NOT just a different version of Amethyst, Vidalia keeps using the wrong name, ignoring the commentary, and making assumptions. Finally, in the pizza shop, Smoky unfuses out of frustration that Vidalia doesn't want to hang out with THEM and won't listen. Vidalia finally gets the message and pledges to do better.

Finally, Vidalia has Smoky model for her and this time she treats them like they're really someone she hasn't met before. She listens to Smoky's stories of beating Jasper, hanging out with Sardonyx, and showing Greg yo-yo tricks. They've finally bonded over who Smoky actually is, and Smoky likes Vidalia's portrait of them.

Notable:

1. Smoky's puns. Aiiii. "'Eye' bet you weren't ready for me!" *groan*

2. Fusion is a very specific thing that isn't exactly "like" anything in human life, but the parallels in this comic to misgendering are really interesting. Not only does Smoky exist as "sort of" a version of the person Vidalia knew BUT NOT REALLY--Vidalia also has to dispense with some outdated beliefs and perspectives so she can really know who this person is. It's great.

3. This art style looks really, really cool on Smoky! They're not quite as roly-poly-looking as in the cartoon, but they're consistently bigger than most people and the third arm looks great.

4. When Amethyst and Steven briefly unfuse to show Vidalia that Smoky is a Fusion of two people she knows, the effect is just like it was when Amethyst and Steven unfused for the first time in the Kindergarten during the episode "Earthlings"--Amethyst was glowing and diffuse, but Steven isn't. I love that that detail was mirrored here.

5. Steven is happy to fuse with Amethyst and model for Vidalia, but he's worried he'll have to visit Onion's room again. Yeah, that was traumatic. Heh, great callback.

6. Smoky tells some familiar stories to Vidalia at the end (beating Jasper, interacting with Sardonyx and her room), but then another one that's unfamiliar is added: Greg freaking out at first but enjoying Smoky's yo-yo tricks. Interesting! I'd like to see Greg meet Smoky, though he hasn't gotten to yet in the show. (Smoky also says "our yo-yo tricks," which is interesting since it's not exactly singular speaking, but that's not out of the ordinary for certain Fusions.)

OPAL: "Winging It," written by Nicole Andelfinger and illustrated by Mollie Rose.

Plot:

Pearl and Amethyst are after a flying Centipeetle, and they're having their typical trouble working together to catch it--not to mention Amethyst's saltiness over having to miss Taco Tuesday. Amethyst's noise attracts the attention of bats who are a nuisance that gets in their way of trapping the Centipeetle.

They're not fast enough to catch the Centipeetle by themselves, but then they realize their Fusion, Opal, would be able to move faster and might have the skills to capture it. Pearl and Amethyst fuse.

Opal's superior height, dexterity, and grace make it simple to catch the flying Centipeetle. She does it almost effortlessly, without saying a word.

But then Opal gets curious and opens her hands a little to look at the Centipeetle she caught, and it screeches, disturbing the hordes of bats. They quickly poof the Gem, unfuse, and go on their way--with Amethyst enjoying the idea of getting her tacos after all.

Notable:

1. Amethyst's griping about tacos is adorable. It's so her.

2. Really nice to see Opal. She looks pretty cool in this style.

3. I think it's funny that Opal doesn't speak in the comic. Some people joke that Opal is so rarely on the show because they can't get the guest voice actor back, but I think it's cool that this comic took a cue from what they actually do in the show and have her make a brief, action-packed, silent appearance.

SUGILITE: "An Overdue Conversation," written by Sarah Gailey and illustrated by Maurizia Rubino.

Plot:

A really big corrupted Gem needs to be taken down, and though Steven believes Sugilite is the obvious solution, Pearl has AGGRESSIVE objections to bringing Sugilite back.

Pearl's argument is that Sugilite is uncontrollable and leaves Garnet and Amethyst in bad shape when they unfuse. She doesn't want to even consider using Sugilite for the mission, and suggests Sardonyx instead, but everyone else wants Sugilite. Amethyst points out that Pearl doesn't have much business talking about her nature since she's never been Sugilite.

Steven invites Amethyst and Garnet to tell them about what that feels like for them. Amethyst loves the chance to not be held back by anything, and Garnet finds it a relief to be impulsive instead of thoughtful sometimes, though she has reservations about ignoring her calm side. When Garnet says fusion isn't supposed to feel like that, Amethyst takes ownership of why their Fusion goes wrong, and Garnet assures her it's just as much her responsibility. They decide to try to respect the different parts of themselves and try being Sugilite on the mission.

Sugilite ends up fighting the large corrupted Gem, and enjoys herself immensely. They capture the Gem, but then Pearl is fully ready to have to fight Sugilite to get her to unfuse or not unleash her anger at another target. But instead, Sugilite is happy that they saw her do a good job and peacefully unfuses.

Amethyst and Garnet learned to listen to each other better, and they had a much more satisfying fusion experience--with a promise of next time!

Notable:

1. Most of Pearl's irritation over including Sugilite is, of course, referring to the events of "Coach Steven." Interestingly, Pearl makes no reference to the last time they saw Sugilite, who was the choice Garnet resorted to when Pearl did something horrible in "Cry for Help.”

2. Steven having issues with getting tangled in his sweater and suggesting cocoa was really adorable.

3. Pearl is really being a jerk in this one. I realize she's traumatized by the last time she fought Sugilite and that she has a low opinion of her, and it’s true she has had to clean up their mess before, but Steven's right there listening to her talk crap about someone he loves. She at least could've expressed her reservations without actually telling Steven to get ready for a fight against their own teammate. But that's Pearl for ya.

4. Sugilite being satisfied that Steven saw her kick butt is very her. She was all about showing off for Steven during "Coach Steven," and seemed very disappointed and angry when she found out no one had seen her wrecking the Communication Hub.

REVIEW:

My favorite was the Smoky Quartz comic, which is probably pretty weird for this Garnet nerd, but Garnet’s was my second favorite, and I honestly really did love all of them! The message in the Stevonnie comic was powerful, and I love how even though fusion is a science fiction concept, it allows so many parallels with facilitating lessons about self-love, love that requires bravery, being different, identity acceptance and allyship, teamwork, and various types of intimate relationships (not just romantic love). 

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection--not just because I love seeing these Fusions, but because the writing said something worth hearing. ALL THE STARS!!!

[SU Book and Comic Reviews]

#steven universe #fusion frenzy #steven universe comics #long post #fusions #myblog

[oncewasaprime]

I saw someone make some headcanons for Orion Pax and while some of them I agree with, some of them I don’t. Then again my Orion Pax is very different, so that’s probably why. With that in mind, I’m going to made an addendum to that and flare it up with my own headcanons. Feel free to read if you want or don’t. It’s whatever you want. Putting it under a read-more because it’s loooong as heck.

I wouldn’t necessarily say Orion is sassy, but he does have the horrible habit of being very blunt to the point he may come off as sassy and probably downright rude. That isn’t his intention though. It’s just he’s still learning social cues, so sometimes while he thinks he’s giving an honest opinion or nice compliment, it can come off blunt or probably offensive. In due time, he’ll learn not to do this, but like I said this is a work in progress.

Orion is very quiet to the point it’s eerie. Even when he’s by himself. Rarely will you catch him talking to himself, unless he’s trying to figure something out and talking it out loud helps. Sometimes, but not all the time, he may read to himself out loud but this too is rare.

For the time being, he is very passionate about Cybertron and is wanting it to stay at peace. He has read what has happened in the past, about the war and such and does not want a repeat of that. The current Cybertron that he lives on doesn’t have a leader at the moment, but a lot of bots sometimes come to him to ask him for advice on projects and such. He’s not entirely sure why, but he’ll give advice none the less and will help when needed. So in a sense, I guess you can say he very passionate about Cybertron, keeping the peace and the justice, but in no way does he see himself as a leader. He’s just another Cybertronian just like everyone else, helping to rebuild their planet together.

Orion does have a tendency to keep his thoughts to himself, mainly for the fact he’s still trying to sort them out himself. It makes sense since he’s still fighting with his identity, his emotions and also his own thoughts. Since it’s hard to gauge his emotions since he barely emotes, it’s a feat of its own to tell whether there’s something troubling Orion or not. The only sure fire way to tell something is bothering is the minute clues he gives and you have to be paying very close attention to these little details; the little twitches in his digits, the slight shifting from one pede to the other, not being able to look you in the optics (because most of the time he has no trouble with this), if he begins to pace and doesn’t realize it, if he starts to touch his chassis a lot and so on. There’s probably more, but these are just a few examples.

Orion has never tried highgrade. If he did though, he would be a total light weight considering his frame is pretty light. He really shouldn’t drink though considering the weird spark condition that he has. There may be a chance that it’ll just randomly pop out of its chamber and not be able to go back in, which is fine. Orion will just go into stasis if this happens. If the other bot doesn’t know this though theeeen that could probably cause some alarm and they’ll probably think he’s dead. If this doesn’t happen though, then he’ll just be drunk, but still his spark may fluctuate weirdly none the less so really he shouldn’t drink until he gets a proper frame which won’t be until later.

Orion doesn’t mind being the center of attention, but he much rather not have any attention on him. He’s a quiet, solitary sort of mech so any attention drawn his way feels weird, but he knows he has to get use to it, especially if he’s going around trying to help rebuild Cybertron and what not. For the most part though, he’s unfazed by it and can take it unless it’s something he’s not use to say affection or something of the sort. Then that’s where he’ll get uncomfortable and will probably start to show some signs of uneasiness.

Perfectly content to stay inside and curl up with a good book or do his new hobby; paint! He’s looking for new things to explore and do, so anything that keeps him and his mind busy are things he wants to do. He also doesn’t mind walking around Cybertron and seeing the progress that it’s undergoing.

Anger is something he’s yet to feel. There has been times where he’s felt slight frustration, but anger? No. It’s hard to say what sort of anger Orion will have as he’s so emotionally suppressed right now. Not of his own accord mind you, but that’s just how he is. There may come a time where he might accidentally just blow a fuse or maybe he’ll just simply be angry quietly. It’s hard to tell at this point as he’s still developing.

Orion has yet to laugh or even smile. That’s kind of sad really, but as I said he’s still developing with his emotions and thoughts. One of these days he’ll laugh and smile though and when he does, it’ll be one of those smiles and laughs that will simply melt your heart. It’ll happen. You’ll see.

Super curious and always craving new data or new information. Yes. This is true. It doesn’t even have to be just Cybertronian history either. It can be about anything and he’ll be interested. There’s a lot he doesn’t know about and he wants to know about it. Talk to him. Tell him the things you know. He will genuinely listen and will asks questions upon questions, so be prepared for that.

He’s never handled any weaponry of any kind--yes, that is true and while he doesn’t see the purpose of it since they are no longer at war, he wouldn’t mind learning some basics for just in case. He’s not dumb enough to shoot himself in the eye or any other body part though. He may have never handled a weapon before, but he’s not that clueless.

Workaholic. Yes. Very much true. Especially with rebuilding Cybertron. He’s always constantly getting hurt because of this as well because he’s still getting use to his frame as well, so he sees Mercy a lot for this and his spark condition as well. He doesn’t mind though. He feels the effort is worth the pain to get Cybertron back on its feet again.

#﹙ Hᴇᴀᴅᴄᴀɴᴏɴ ﹚ Aɴᴅ I ᴅᴏɴ·ᴛ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴇxᴘʟᴀɪɴ ᴍʏsᴇʟғ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜ

[jackednephi]

@starseedjenny you have observed my tags and for this you get an infodump

So Dylan (my husband) took levels in carpentry. He's no master carpenter but he can make furniture. His absolute favorite thing to do is to get gnarly tree roots or branches and carve them into odd length walking sticks and then sell them at the local wood shop. It's easier to use a stick instead of a cane (my back hurts a LOT from using my cane but never with a stick) and different people are different heights. Plus, something people don't think about is there are incredibly short people or even children. So why not have something beautiful and sturdy?

What he does is he carefully exposes what it is about the piece of wood that is unique. Are the different bark layers different colors? He'll strip the bark carefully to have a gradient flowing up the stick until the heart of the wood, its true color as it were, is exposed. Did it have a lot of branches? Find a way to show off the cool knots. Basically, he works with what he has to let the thing speak for itself. Less actual carving like swirls or whatever and more revealing what it is that makes that stick special. Takes less technical carving skill but a good eye for natural beauty. My uncle carved my grandmother her cane before he passed and while it's a beautiful piece, it is definitely carved if that makes sense

Anyway, as you know I love arting and crafting and making pretty things with my hands. Because of church, I know how to embroider, quilt, scrapbook, make pretty much anything you could ever want from cloth from actual clothes to scripture holders, and all the usual home stuff afab people get taught in YWs. I know how to knit (with a loom), make paper art, draw traditionally, paint traditionally (and know how to stretch my own canvas), create beautiful digital art, create rough architecture blueprints that are less rough with minecraft now, stain wood, cook, make rugs, and basically if there is a craft out there I don't know, I learn very quickly as I'm great with my hands and my hand-eye coordination is fantastic. Thank you 15 years of piano lessons

Dylan, knowing this, encouraged me to take up wood burning. Painting is difficult as I don't have an easel and unless I find a comfy recliner or wheelchair stat, I can't feasibly paint anytime soon. Due to disability (and lack of materials) there are a great number of hobbies I can no longer engage in as there I'd nothing but pain and frustration. I was a little intimidated, I'll admit, because I had no idea what a wood burning tool looked like and how would I work it anyway? From my time around big saws and other wood working machinery, I wondered if it would be something unwieldy and dangerous

Plus, let's be honest. I have a very hard time justifying spending money on myself if it's more than $5 at a time

He'd been goading me into it since November. He'd basically finished up my stick except for staining and he knew I'd want to burn it. But I hemmed and hawed. Finally, we had a pretty decent paycheck with loads of money leftover and he talked me into it. Even got that nice flat piece to get me started before taking the tips to my stick

It has been a genuine blast and a complete delight. It's like a very hot, very fat pencil and he saw right away I was going to need gloves or I'd burn myself and have loads of scars all over my fingers and hands. I'm glad he did because it hasn't been a day and already my gloves have marks on them. He got real expensive deerskin so they'd be able to move with my fingers and give me more mobility than anything else. They were expensive too and wouldn't hear any complaints I had about money. He wasn't going to have me melting my flesh or unable to do delicate work like I like

What I've been doing is outlining the thin layers of bark he left. He noticed that while the outermost layers were ugly, the innermost were interesting. You can see the grain in a way you can't with the lighter wood and you have a cool looking shade that's a nice contrast to that lighter heart. I've been going over them with the round tip (really good for drawing and writing as it's super smooth) and doing those hair thin lines with the point tip. It feels very similar to drawing a fantasy map all over my stick

I'm about 1/3 of the way up my stick though definitely not 1/3 of the way finished. I lose hours at a time bent over and carefully burning. I found out I can take the tips off hot and put them in a ceramic dish to minimize cool off and maximize time spent working. Which is critical for me as I can't spend more than about three hours tops bent over burning

It's so fun because it's like line art but it's on a piece of wood so it feels like I'm doing something new. It's very methodical and cathartic and I lose so much time focusing on doing this. It keeps me calm and downright happy! Which is EXCELLENT because it means I'm combatting seasonal depression in a very big way. I've already agreed to do this with all of his pieces to enhance what he's already carved. Eventually I'll probably Do Things like Actual Wood Art but for now I'm happy with this

We already have some projects planned too by the way!!! He loves making furniture and he can build better stuff for cheaper than buying it from a furniture store. So he's going to build a lift top coffee table and a dresser for sure that I'll burn. The first piece I want us to do, I'll burn the wood BEFORE he cuts it and see how that turns out. It'll be a little box (probably to hold bunny stuff) but I want to see if that does something unique or if it just is bad. If it's not something we like, hey I didn't waste weeks or months on something huge that ended up looking bad

We're probably going to make all the tables and dressers that go in our home. Maybe an entertainment center. I know we'll make my sister stuff just on the condition she pays for materials and getting it into her place. We'll probably make stuff for people who want it and I KNOW he's willing to take commissions. Closest family (parents, my sister, etc) will only have to pay for materials/shipping. Friends and other family will probably pay that and a little extra because friends and family discount. Everyone else is gonna have to pay retail value on top of materials and shipping because they'd get a unique piece you can't find anywhere else and it'd be worth it y'know?

But that's like way off sometime eventually probably

For now, I LOVE this new hobby. I can't wait to see what my stick is going to look like finished! I'm going to burn "support" on the bottom in kanji before the no slip grip goes on. Not really for any particular reason so much as like. Sentimental? I guess? Kind of like I'm burning a prayer for it to be sturdy and useful and good into it. I tried carving my wife's kanji on it (the first kanji of his middle name means dragon) but it didn't work out well so I'm gonna burn it onto the top and that'll be its name. Again, sentiment. There is also power in naming things and like. Just in case?

It has been such a very long time since I've been able to make something with my hands that I had the materials for and I'm just absolutely pink over it. I really super want people to see this stick and want some useful beauty for themselves that I can give. I love giving and making and seeing people smile over stuff I've made. It's been such a long time since something I've done has made someone smile and I just really want to bring that back y'know?

Anyway thank you for letting me gush. I just super love this and like yeah it's the butchest hobby like ever (according to Phoebe who has the most femme hobby ever of macrame) but it really fits me. It sparks joy in a way I haven't felt in a very very long time and I can't wait to see all the things I can do

#long post #text heavy #wood burning #tw burns mention #just in case :) #ask to tag

[kitcorin]

Do you have any tips for learning how to enjoy the process of drawing even when you find yourself frustrated and struggling to do something as you want to, but your brain-to-hand coordination doesn't seem to connect as you'd like? I struggle so much with that so it's made me really hesitant to get back into drawing even though I'd really like to. I also have a really hard time controlling the pen since I'm trying digital but I haven't done it in many years and I'm more used to traditional.

Hi anon! Thanks for the message. I know the usual reply is ‘ just practice ‘ and, while that is true, I hate how generic and not helpful that sounds lol. I’ll try and break it down for you! I’m in no means a master and I’m still learning myself, but I hope I can share some helpful insight.I have a perfect video rec for you by Sycra about feeling ‘stuck’ and struggling to draw the image you form in your brain:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb0g_gWrNf8I stumbled upon this many years ago and I still come back to it when I’m feeling the way you described - and I really recommend his channel because he’s an amazing teacher, a lot of what I learned can be traced back to him!That being said, if you’re going to draw please warm up first - I always use this website for gestures . Sometimes I get lazy and I just dive straight into drawing without warming up and that tends to make everything I draw stiff and non-inspired… Which makes me feel super shitty about my art lol. I think if you spend 20 minutes loosening up your hand before a drawing session you’ll feel a LOT less stiff! If you have access to life drawing IRL def consider going - If you can’t, that’s ok! I don’t have access to those where I live and I still make do with internet and deviantart pose stock accounts lmao. (IE senshistock )You can use both medias!, traditional and digital - I do 100% of my illustrated work on digital but I pretty much always sketch and do my studies with pencil and paper (with really cheap materials, don’t fret over buying expensive sketchbooks or pens if you’re only going to sketch and study drawing. Only bother with those if you actually want to make finished illustrations in traditional media!) If I end up sketching something I really like, I’ll then scan and digitalize it. Since my traditional media skill is at -20, photoshop is pretty much the only way I know how to paint lol.I hope I was able to help, and if you have more questions don’t hesitate to ask!

#art help #art tips #drawing #anon ask #anon #not art

[houseofvans]

ART SCHOOL | RACHEL KATSTALLER

Inspired by traveling, architecture, seasonal fashion, and Nature, Austrian Alps based artist Rachel Katstaller's illustrations center around strong female figures and playful bold colors. With upcoming various book projects, including her first children’s book, Rachel balances her work and life with skateboarding, travel, as well as volunteering at her local animal shelter. We find out more about Rachel’s artistic process, her art school tip, and about some of her upcoming projects in 2018 – including her first board graphic! 

Make the Leap! 

Photographs by Florian Trattner

Introduce yourself?   Hi there! My name is Rachel Katstaller, and I’m an illustrator from a teeny tiny country in the Central American tropics. Two years ago I moved to the Austrian Alps with my Salvadorian street cat Hemingway, who terribly misses the palm trees and warm tropical weather back home.

Tell us a little about your illustrations.  How would you describe your work to someone who is just coming across it? My work centers around strong female figures and playful color palettes. These are deeply inspired by the vivid color combinations you can find when traveling in the tropics.

When did you first get into drawing?  Who were some of your early artistic influences? What artists inspire you these days? Ever since I picked up a pencil as a kid I’ve never stopped drawing, but I honestly never expected to be able to turn it into a career. I graduated and worked as a designer for a while, but it never really fulfilled me. Four years ago I decided to take the leap and pursue my real dream of becoming an illustrator. It’s been quite a ride with lots of ups and very low downs, but I’d never turn back!

My very earliest influences where definitely my grandparents, both architects who loved to make beautiful sketches of cities or oil paintings of Salvadorian market days. Also the gorgeous use of space and color by Miró counts as one of my earliest inspirations. Nowadays I find myself always checking out work by other wonderful illustrators and artists such as Carson Ellis, Tuesday Bassen and Cleon Peterson to name a few.

Take us through your artistic process? What’s a typical day in the studio like? Inspiration strikes at very strange times sometimes, so whenever I have an idea for a new illustration, I start working it through in my head, imagining shapes and colors. Once I get to the studio I most of the times just lay out the colors I want for the piece, sketch it and then get to work on the final art. It all sounds super easy and fast, but sometimes these ideas shape themselves through several days in my head until I finally see them clearly enough to put them to paper. Sometimes it feels like it takes forever! I’m a creature of habit and that’s why I try to have very regular office hours during the week. I’m the most motivated and creative in the mornings, or in the late afternoon so those hours are mainly reserved to paint and draw and dedicate myself to being creative. Afternoons I spend writing e-mails and planning out ideas, working on my online shop and mapping out personal projects. Before leaving I always make sure my workspace is clean and organized so that I have a blank slate to begin with the next day!

What are your essential art tools and materials? I love jumping from one medium to the other, it all depends on the project and client, as well as what feeling I wish to convey through my pieces. Of late I have loved combining gouache with colored pencil textures, as well as graphite. But I also love working digitally in Photoshop with my Wacom tablet, since this allows for mistakes to be easily corrected.

It’s mentioned that you’re currently living in the Alps. How has this environment or that city influenced the work you create?  What’s your favorite thing about residing there? Yes, I’ve been here for a bit now and I absolutely love it! Back in Central America we only have two seasons (rainy and dry), so actually being able to have four different seasons has been quite the experience. I love how the colors change over the course of the year, not only in nature but also in how people dress, it definitely influences my work. I also draw inspiration from architecture, which is so very different in every place I’ve visited. It’s a constant source of ideas. But what I think has been my favorite thing about living here has to be having taken up skateboarding. I’m a terrible skateboarder, almost deeply embarrassing so, but I try to get as much practice as I can. It’s led me to a wonderfully supportive group of girl skaters with whom I enjoy spending time with. They not only inspire my art but also motivate me to keep practicing and keep challenging myself to become better!

What was your last adventure that showed up in one of your illustrations, thematically or just visually? Maybe not my last but my favorite adventure was last year, when I went to Tromsø, Norway for the first time to see the northern lights. The whole 10 days I was there the sky was cloudy plus the full moon didn’t allow us to see anything! I was super disappointed about leaving without really having seen them. On our very last night there, my friends went to a party but I decided to stay home and go to bed early. I took a walk outside of the house and saw the northern lights just above me. It was such a magical experience and one that I will definitely never forget!

What advice would you give someone who wants to follow in your footsteps and pursue art? It is hard to give advice to others as I pretty much still feel really small and insignificant in the art and illustration world! It is easy to feel lost and as if what you do doesn’t really matter. What I’ve found has helped me to keep moving forward is to stay as true as I can to myself and my own journey as an artist. The work we do is a reflection of our inner selves, so as we grow, so does our art. Try to not look at others and compare yourself to them. Even if it sounds impossible at times, believe in yourself!

What’s your best Art School tip that you want to share with folks? I will have to second Martin Ontiveros and say that copying is not always the proper way to praise another artist’s work. Finding your voice as an artist is a long process and there are no shortcuts to get there. It’s totally ok to get inspired by other artists, but you are unique and your work should be too.

What’s been your biggest challenge career wise and how have you overcome it or how do you continue to persevere against these challenges? My biggest challenge as an illustrator so far has been keeping constantly inspired and motivated to create new work. Last year, after working really hard on some big projects, I found myself feeling completely empty of any good new ideas. Instead of taking a break, I just continued to push myself harder and getting more and more frustrated at myself for not delivering. This brought me close to burnout and it ended up becoming a vicious cycle of sorts. I’m slowly learning to listen to myself and understand that it’s ok to need breaks from work. I’ve realized how important time off is, how traveling helps me find new ideas and refreshing ways to see the world.

What are your favorite style of VANS? Definitely the Old Skool Pro, they combine comfiness with great style!

How are you not just ONE thing?  Illustration is a very lonely job, I spend hours cooped up in the studio working and concentrating on my things. That’s why I’m extremely grateful for skateboarding. It’s as much a relieve from work as it is a downtime to connect with others. Nothing compares to hanging out with my friends and challenging myself to try out new things. I’ve also found purpose in what I do when I find that my art connects or resonates with others, even when they’re hundreds of miles away. Central America still is going through major issues regarding women’s rights and it’s something that I like voicing through my work, in the hopes it reaches the right hearts and minds. I recently collaborated with the “No Estamos Todas” project in Mexico, illustrating a victim of femicide. It’s a horrible side of our reality back home, but one that needs to be talked about and put at the center of our attention. I’m also a cat mother and do volunteer work for the shelter where my cat comes from. I try to help out as much as I can through my work and give back to the community.

What’s coming up for you the rest of 2018? I’m as much excited as I am anxious about this year to be honest. I have some big book projects coming up, one of them being the first children’s book I also do the writing for! I’m also launching some skate related merch mid year, which will include my very first board graphic (keep checking my Insta for updates! :)). I can’t even explain how excited I am!

In between projects I hope to have some time to dedicate to myself and develop my art practice further, working on personal projects and just enjoying the process of creating! Thank you so much for interviewing me!

Follow Rachel | Website | Instagram | Shop | Las Furias

#Art #Vans #Vans Art #Vans Girls #Art School #Rachel Katstaller #Illustration #Interview