#eliyips talks about xisuma 3 : this time it's personal

[eliyips]

If you're taking requests, can we get a helmet-less Xisuma..?

Hi, Anon! Thanks for the request, however, I do not intend to draw Xisuma without his helmet. This doesn't reflect negatively on you, or any artist who does draw X without the helmet - it's just a personal boundary of mine! But I'll take this opportunity to try and explain why :)

My choice to only draw X with the helmet on, or with his face otherwise obscured, is influenced by a few different things. Namely, my personal headcanons about X as a character, Xisuma's choice to not show his face on camera, and (for lack of a better word,) my feelings.

First, headcanons! This one is very simple. When drawing Xisuma, I do so with the idea in mind that he needs the helmet to be able to breathe. If I were to draw my version of X without the helmet in most scenarios... he would be suffocating! D:

Secondly, it's well known that Xisuma does not show his face on camera, or anywhere online. Part of my choice to not draw his face is out of respect for that. I do no think he would care either way, however, I personally feel kinda uncomfortable making up a face for someone who does not want his face to be known. Especially since he doesn't use a Minecraft skin with a face that I could interpret from.

Finally, maybe most importantly, a lot of this ties back to me, and my feelings as a fan artist. And as it turns out, my neurodivergent little brain has latched onto X very tight, and does not want to let go. I connect with him, and project onto him, and just overall feel a lot of feelings about him. So, when I draw Xisuma, I will often imagine he shares a lot of the insecurities that I do. I will imagine that he feels anxious about being in public spaces, and that dressing in heavy, concealing armor helps ease that anxiety. I imagine that he worries about social cues and situations, and that the helmet gives him a good alibi for if he ever doesn't emote on cue, or speaks in the wrong tone of voice. I imagine that he feels a disconnect with his physical body, and obscuring himself helps alleviate that feeling. Ultimately, I imagine that if I were in his shoes, I wouldn't want to be seen without the helmet. So, I don't let him be seen without the helmet when I draw him.

Sorry if that got a little bit personal. My Xisuma art is very personal to me, so it's difficult to avoid ^^'

As I wrap up this post, I again want to make myself completely clear: More power to artists who draw Xisuma without his helmet! Or with less obtrusive helmet/armor, or whatever else. My choice to stick to the helmet is mine alone, and I encourage others to use whatever design they please :) I just wanted to make this post to talk about my feelings on the issue, and why I will continue to draw him with his helmet. Thanks for reading, thanks for understanding!

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