What A Vacation Day(photos)

My family and I went on a really fun, day out to the amusement park.  Most of the trip I was video tapping and taking photos.  I really enjoyed it because there's something about taking pictures of people that I really love.  I took a lot of the photos while we were all hanging out by the pool.

General Art Dump(001)

Posting some of my works from the passed month or so.  I've gotten rid of my previous Deviantart account and made a new one.  I think I'm going to post all my sketches here just so even if they're bad I can still show them :).  I like putting them on my new account too sometimes, but I can't just fill my DA with a whole bunch of sketches, ya know? Lol

 

Building your Art Style

I think the hardest thing for me, at this present time, is focusing on my style.  There's so many different styles out there and so many amazing artists.  When you see an amazing style you like there comes some time, some where, when you incorporate it into your own.  I've probably done it many times as well as other artists.  It's like an evolution thing.  You never do it on purpose, but your eye was drawn to something in their pictures and instinctively some of those qualities make it into your own work.

Trying to stay away from the habit is tough.  It makes you look at your art and think that it's nothing but a copy with nothing unique about it.  Even if you try to stay away from the habit it still happens.  I feel this is part of building style, but it shouldn't be the ONLY way you build your style.  Experiment and find things you like.  

I'm not encouraging being a recluse but shut yourself in when practicing without a reference.  Try new things with different tools and different colors.  Experiment with sizes and shapes.  Scribble a bit and find something that attracts your eye.

I think the worst thing an artist can do to themselves is to look at their art and to find it unoriginal or feel that no one will have interest in it.  Most of the time it isn't about what other people like about it, it's what you the artist likes about it.  Your art is a piece of you and you should build it to express what you want to express.  Even with this being the case always be sure to think about the criticism you get, good and bad because someone may point out something you yourself didn't notice.  You may benefit from it in the end and come out a better artist for it.

Painting is almost erotic

Aside from drawing anime, I love to paint.  Painting is like. . . an uncensored version of creating for me.  

Drawing, to me, has a process of sketching, lining, then coloring.  Painting is just something that let's me live a little more.  I love it.

Painting makes me feel so free.  Not as structured, but more in control in a messy sense.  Even if things look choppy it still allows me to live in that unorganized sense, with mixes and mixes of color that just make everything fit together so well. 

  Here's the product of last night.

A Cop Out?

So recently I've been having family issues.  

Of course who hasn't.  This particular time it has to do with my career choice.

For people who don't know, I'm an Anime Artist.  I've been one for quite some time (5 going on 6 years).  My family has no issue with my type of art or when I do it.  They've always been supportive of it (for the most part).  The issue now is with the choice I made about 4 months ago.

I decided to do my art full time, not as a hobby but as a career.  I had a period of time when I went to college; I quit that at the end of the first semester.  I had a time when I had a part time job (giving 30+ hours a week); I also quit that.  Each time that I quit those things I had an underlying want for something.  No. . . it was a need for something.  I wanted to pursue my art full time.

It didn't hit me fully until the ending period of my job.  All this time, even through that period in between when I was out of high school and deciding on college, I had wanted this.   Of course there were many family members who weren't for it and some that still aren't.

I understand where they are coming from.  Having a steady income and being able to take care of oneself is very important.  For most people it's their number one on their list of things that are important.  Frankly, it's my number two.  My number one is building my career.  So far it's going good in my eyes.  It's not great for some specific reasons.  Can you guess why?

To keep it simple it's the fraction of my family that doesn't support my decision.  I'm currently living with them and it's pretty agonizing.  I love my family and I try my best to please them.  Some things just aren't do able for me.  

For pretty much a month I spent some time with the other side of my family that I was raised with, this was maybe two months ago.  They saw how dedicated I was to this during that time.  I felt great while I was there working and spending time with them.  I was accomplishing so much.  Sadly, when my time there ended and I had to come back here things were just as I thought they would be.  I feel it may be because I broke a promise but either way I never wanted to make that promise in the first place, I just wanted their support.

I figure, if I had to get their support but making a promise, it wasn't worth it.  So for the last month or so what I've been doing is described as a "cop out".  An easy way out.  Not going out to work everyday or going to college to get a degree is a cop out.  Oh from that perspective it sure does seem like a cop out, I agree.  You might not think so once I tell you the stuff I do.

So, the side of my family that doesn't support me thinks I stay in my room all day on the internet doing "God knows what" and only comes downstairs to eat.  I don't know what they think I do, they may think I play games all day and draw here and there.  They may even think I'm doing exactly what I know I'm doing, but their expression of tone and the way they speak about it says otherwise.

As an independent artist I have to discipline myself to actually get things done.  I lay out my schedule and the things I know I need to do.  I don't just draw, though it is a huge part of what I do.  I draw, study, look for freelance work and opportunities, and network and advertise my work.  You might as well put me in the category of a student who works.  Aside from all this as an artist you have to boost your morale, because goodness knows your mind is the first thing that influences your art.  Lack of support or negative support are definitely not mood boosters. 

I don't feel what I'm doing is a cop out for myself.  I find going and getting a job or going to college for me is a cop out (not for anyone else but for me as an individual).  I don't want to go to a job and do the same thing everyday (which isn't that hard) and get paid for the time I put it.  A pay check like that is great, but I don't find it fulfilling.  Granted, I could always as my employers for new things to do, but I seriously don't want to work for an company where the only reason I'm there is for money.  Now, you could always say "Why don't you go work for a company that involves your field?", I'll get to that in a paragraph.

College also feels like a cop out for me.  Besides the fact that there are ridiculous classes that I don't want to take aside from the classes I do, I'm working for a piece of paper. . . .  I don't want to flash a paper around and get ahead,  that's not my forte.  Having that piece of paper doesn't guarantee you'll get a job or won't get a job, but what's the point?  Besides it saying that this person spent their time dedicated to this for such and such amount of years; I feel that it's a waste of time for me.  Especially if I can learn in different ways besides just sitting in a classroom.  I mean, yes, other things happen at college and there are a lot of opportunities but it feels handed to me.  It comes with the curriculum you paid for.  Why can't I just learn on my own?  As a society we've all come to the point to where if you don't have a degree you don't have anything, that feels so wrong to me.  Once again, this isn't the case for everyone, but for me it is.

As for working in a company that involves my line of work let me tell you how I feel about that.  Starting at the bottom of a company and working your way up isn't a bad thing.  To me it feels sly.  Why does it feel sly?  It reminds me of something slinking its way into someplace it doesn't belong.  I don't operate like that.  Working for another company doing things they want me to do doesn't feel ideal for me.  I can do it, but that doesn't mean I want to.  I'm a very selfish artist.  I like to express my own ideas freely.  One could just as easily ask "How do you freelance then?  It involves making someone else's idea come to life not your own."  It feels more free to say the least.  I want to bring people's idea's to life.  With freelancing you also get your hand at choosing your clients.  Whether or not they choose you is the next step.

To make it simple, I want to work for myself.  I'm not saying I want to work alone.  I want to create things for people, and things with people on an equal level.  Nothing more nothing less.  I feel I can put my education in my own hands without burdening others, and I can grow as an artist from everything I do.  Whether I'm meeting people who inspire me or studying different things in my everyday life.  I'm not afraid to do something unconventional, work hard, and succeed.  I want my life to be filled with feeling fulfilled.

My goal with this was to explain why what I do isn't a cop out.  Whether or not I did that is up to who ever reads this.  At the least I hope there are some who now understand my reasoning for deciding what I decided upon.

Perspective practice

Perspective is so fun to mess with!  I've been studying perspective and architectural study a bit more lately.  So I decided to do a rough sketch during a livestream.  I added some reflective lines on the sidewalk and the (very small) road to show that the ground is wet.  It had previously rained in the picture.  The character is my main character for my (WIP) manga Veggie.  She's in rain boots and carrying something.  

I might possibly make this picture into a fully done illustration but I'm not sure yet.  I actually like how it looks (sketchy).  My style is becoming more to my liking.  It's becoming way easier to draw and I'm getting a lot faster, because I've been practicing a lot.  

When you feel this way it's so peaceful.  To feel "one" with your art.  I hope I'll be able to portray my exact feelings and concepts through my art this way.

So I'm going to start doing shirt designs

Here's the first design.  I can relate to feeling androgynous.

Having both feminine and masculine traits.

And I drew this adorable boy/girl just for you guys <3

I've been drawing a lot more lately and I love to design shirts

You can buy the shirt here:

http://crudology.spreadshirt.com/ 

I've got a lot of concepts and these mini(chibi) concepts are going to warm me up to the larger

more serious ones.  I hope you all enjoy them!

How I feel about that urge to give up(Artist perspective/advice)

There's always a big urge in the back of your mind when you have doubts.

It tells you to give up.  You want to just say "I give up" and actually follow that feeling.

 I feel that from time to time like any other person, artist or not. 

When I want to give up I force myself to say otherwise.  It's hard to do so.  

To say to yourself "No, I won't give up" and to actually feel that way.  It's natural

to have the urge to want to give up from time to time; you have to remember that the only

person who's giving up is yourself.  You DO NOT benefit from giving up.  

That feeling of doubt may be gone but it is soon followed by a feeling disappointment.

Disappointment in yourself that you couldn't stick it out and continue your

commitment.  People say honor your commitment.  I agree.  I believe that if you made

that decision to do it you should.  You'll feel better if you stick things out and accomplish

goals you set for yourself.

Just because I'm saying this is something that can help you get rid of that feeling

doesn't mean you won't get it again.  It's all about the discipline you give yourself to push through and accomplish things.

So don't give up or give in.  Stick through it and do things even if you feel like you want to give up.

Giving up only wastes time.  Pushing through moves you forward!

Being a Self-Employed Anime Artist

Being an anime artist has its perks and yet it has its depressing times.  

It's hard to take the step and become a full time anime artist, you're taking a risk.  Aside from being self-employed you're also doing an art that doesn't get too much attention in mainstream media.  It's very popular on some sites (DeviantArt, Anipan...ect) but over all its a hard job to come by. 

When you do happen to come by a job it's a chance/chance situation.  There are many other people who want that job and sometimes you won't have the art they want.  You could come across a job offer that says "Comic Artist Wanted!" but they may not want you.  They could be asking for an artist with a "western" style or a Superman vibe style, you never know whether or not you're right for the job.  It's like that in the "real" work force too, but the advantage to that is you can make an impression that you're able to do whatever the job offers in person.

Adapting to certain styles is probably the most frustrating thing with this job.  Sometimes your work isn't "quite" what they want but you feel you can tweak it to make it what the client wants.  With that process it might take you longer to actually finish the picture than it would if you were to just draw how you usually do.  But, with those sorts of jobs it gives you the opportunity to practice with adaptation.  Adaptation is an important trait to have.  It shows that you're able to do multiple things aside from just that ONE particular style you do well.  It also helps to broaden your artistic abilities.

Sometimes this job makes you wonder if you're cut out for this.  If you can say to yourself "I want to work this job for the rest of my life".  It'll make you question whether or not this job will put the bacon on the table (with a plate or without).  Risk is important in this job, if you can't fully commit and one day you just want to quit don't start in the first place.  I'm not saying doubts won't be there, we're only human and the most important thing is to survive and be happy while doing so, but you've got to realize that it's the choice you made and it has its challenges.

I've gotten to the point to where I'm actually thinking about getting a small part time job just to make some extra cash during those in between moments for jobs.  I quit my first job for this though so I'm going to go through with it without wavering.  I can tell you this, it's hard but rewarding.

 

FInished up my Illustration to Animation!

I worked roughly 25 hours total on this animation.  I have to say I'm extremely proud of it.  It's simple, she blinks and breathes.  The lights also dim and my logo shows up!  With this animation(as an illustration) I decided to change up my shading and practice with the light above her.  I also decided to paint the colors of the background, even though the background is also lined I still had room to paint in detail.  

I used 15 fps for this animation.  FPS stands for frames per second.  I really have to pace myself while I'm doing animations because having to repeat steps over and over get's quite irritating.  Even though at times I got frustrated I still push myself through it.  The result of all that waiting and repeating was worth it.  

 I've always loved to animate, even if I am an impatient person, I love the gain from it.  I gain a great reward for all the hard work I put into it.  I'm no professional but this was good practice.

I hope you enjoy the end result as much as I do.  

Pose practice

Here's the picture I'm working on this morning

 Some needed practice since I haven't drawn in about a week.

Pretty disappointed in myself for how long it's been.  I have been studying things so I'll go easy on myself about the week of not drawing.  But here's where I am right now on this picture.  I plan on posting this up finished by the end of the day!  

I actually decided to animate this picture!  I'll be done the animation by tonight or early tomorrow! :) (Edit on 4/18/2013 at 11:33 a.m.)

It's just of a girl laying on the ground, possibly from boredom or from too much studying.  You'll have to stick around to see the finished product <3.  Thank you if you do!  

There's something about anime that I like

Anime has a certain "taste" about it for me.  It could be the big eyes, cute gestures, or curvy figures that draw me to them, or it could be the story lines that people produce that make them so enticing.  Either way, I have a taste for anime, it won't be something that will leave my life any time soon.

My history with it is a little boring and vague but I'll tell you how I got into anime.  Before being properly introduced to anime I was into cartoons.  Simple Nickelodeon shows were my niche in my younger years.  I mainly watched Rugrats, it was my favorite show.  Later on I got into Pokemon and when my brother and sister would come over we would all watch Dragon Ball Z.  I didn't think of them as "anime" at the time but became familiar with the term none too many years following.

 During my ninth grade year I moved in with my other half of my family, because my mom had moved away due to a temporary job transfer, so I got to spend some time growing up with my older siblings.  The whole new family switch up was alright at first but I soon realized it wasn't vacation but a life change that I had to adapt to.  Sadly, I didn't adjust too well.  I was young and rebellious as well as hormonal, you can see where I'm going with that right?  I had quite a few fall outs with my family, though they wouldn't compare to when I moved back in with my mom but this isn't my main focus of this "history".  I found a small escape into anime.  I guess you could say I thoroughly recognized it as such around that time.  I enjoyed it, in more ways than one.  

The stories drew me in and the art, oh the art, was so amazing.  What I had been exposed to at the time doesn't compare to the art I've been exposed to recently but at the time it was stunning.  I couldn't relate with the fanatical stories, for obvious reasons, but the escape in most of them made me feel...in short emotional.  Not in a negative way but relatable in the sense that I could feel how they felt and I really let myself get into the stories.  Mind you, I was very easily influenced at the time.  Never the less I've always been artistic and have always loved cartoons.

Long story short it had an affect on me in many ways and has brought me to this point.  I'm an aspiring anime artist and a lover of anime.  I'm no fanatic but I am a story lover.  I do plan on delving deep into the other aspects of the culture with cosplay, 3D, and plenty of other things.  I plan on bringing everyone along who is willing to join me on this journey.  

I'm an impatient person but I'm learning to be patient, especially with my dreams.