Month 9 of the 365 challenge/ Where am I now?

  

1/1/15


Happy New Year!

Time for some account cleanup.  Im going to try (seriously this time) to keep my submissions on my tumblr and only share ones I'm really happy about on DA.  Which is usually everything until after I post it -_-  Tumblr helps me keep track of my doodles faster so I can see what I am and am not doing.

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧  My Tumblr

It's been rough.  Work and family issues have made it hard to focus on drawing like I'd really want to.  Today is the last day of my week long vacation.  But important for me,  I'm almost at the end of year 1 of the art 365.  I feel like I have had serious improvement even if I am not putting 110% effort into what I am submitting.  I still have difficulty putting thoughts to paper.  The anxiety that gripped me and kept me from drawing for so many years has eased slightly.  When I look at all the people I started with on DA and see them professional now, yes, sometimes my mind goes, "that probably would have been me too if I had just stuck with it".  But.  Instead of stopping at that and walking away, I want to do this now, for myself. I can't get back the years I lost not drawing because of anxiety.  I have to fight through it and keep drawing until I can draw what I want to draw on command.  It's very frustrating sometimes.  

I"m thinking to challenge myself, I need to output one 110% effort picture a month at the least- even if I set it aside like a monthly project.  So while I work on my daily doodles, I'm thinking I should try to lineart and color one serious piece a month.  My hand is steadier on the tablet and more confident, but it's still kind of hard to make linework.    I've already decided year 2 will be incorporation of more people in the picture and more detailed backgrounds and textures.  I want to work more on fashion and adding details to the people that I am drawing.  @_@  Thinking of this is a little overwhelming right now.  Probably by month 12 I will have my agenda set out more clearly. 


10/25

Omgosh.  People actually look at my pictures and like them.  I feel too shy to go thanking people right now.  I totally see you guys!  And I'm floored XD  It is very humbling that anyone even looks at anything I do and kind words are always appreciated.  I'm in that strange stage where I am too shy to talk about my art outside of submitting.  I don't feel right spamming up everybody's da's with thank yous, but really guys, thank you!  It's nice to know that my doodles and colorings could have even the tinitiest amount of positive impact in someone's life.


10/18

Still doing it.  Still sucking.  Still trying.  I just submitted a re-color to see what I have learned since starting.  My time is more taxed now because of work demands, but I still try to at least get one drawing or one coloring in a day.  I've about completely stopped trying to collab, because I am not comfortable coloring on shared work when I can see I have defecits in my technique but am at a loss on how to fix.  

I've been drawing sketches more, something I don't particularly like to do or consider myself good at doing.    Feeling where a line should be drawn and knowing where the color goes seems to go hand in hand.  But I feel like my color is both benefiting and hurting.  I can't focus on color when I am going nuts trying to keep my hand steady on linework or trying to get the form right with and without looking at refs.  I'd honestly just rather color lineart, but this has been a necessary evil for now.

Thank you to the people who hang around, putting up with my doodles and scribbles.  If anyone is benefiting from me pulling my hair out and messing around, I'm glad.    

5 months in, I'm thinking about the long term.  This is the most I've ever actively practiced art in my entire life since I was younger.  Not at the point of making DD worthy stuff in my opinion, but you know what I think anyone with an iota of art skill is capable of great work with good guidance and 1000% effort.  I don't want my art to just look good- I want it to have meaning!  

Onward to day 365 and beyond!