kokabegami

[kokabegami]

I want to tell a story to the artists and would-be artists out there.

When I was 19, I made a large oil painting of the nerd I would eventually marry. I poured all my attention and care into this painting. It's the only art I have from back then that still holds up as a work I'm proud of today.

I entered it into a judged show at the local art center. It got an honorable mention. I went to see the show with my beloved model. One of the judges came up to talk to me, and highlighted that all the judges really liked the painting. It would have placed, except, you see, the feet were incorrect. They were too wide and short, and if I just studied a bit more anatomy-

I called over my future wife, and asked her to take off her shoe. Being already very used to humoring me, she did. The judge looked at her very short, very wide little foot. Exactly as I'd lovingly rendered it. I would never edit her appearance in any way.

The judge looked me in the eye, and to his credit, he really looked like he meant it when he said "Oh I'm so sorry."

Anyways the moral of the story is that all of those anatomy books that teach you proportions are either showing you averages, or a very specific idea of an idealized body. Actual bodies are much more varied than that.

So don't forget to draw from observation, and remember that humans aren't mass produced mannequins. Delight in our variation. Because it's supposed to be there.

[kokabegami]

[kokabegami]

"We met next day as he had arranged, and inspected the rooms at No. 221B, Baker Street, of which he had spoken at our meeting. They consisted of a couple of comfortable bed-rooms and a single large airy sitting-room, cheerfully furnished, and illuminated by two broad windows."

[kokabegami]

if pointing out that the age of getting a phone decreasing along with the prevalence of short form video as the dominant form of social media content during the most significant collective educational gap in recent history all of which happened during one of the most significant windows of psychological development in a human lifetime has had a deleterious effect on the attention spans, self-regulation, impulse control, social skills, tech literacy, and actual literacy of zoomers and gen alpha. if pointing out that that is a real and serious problem makes me a boomer and an old crank who has fallen for “kids these days” propaganda someone find me a porch and a rocking chair so i can yell at you to get off my lawn

[kokabegami]

Bothering the beast

[kokabegami]

“if somebody becomes panicked when you accuse them of lying theyre obviously not telling the truth” shut up ugly im a survivor who got punished for shit i never did all the time of fucking course im gonna panic when im blamed for something i didnt do

[kokabegami]

with it being April thinking about how I wish autistic community had nuance conversations. whole point of spectrum is everyone experience autism differently. even within similar needs.

like when people thought autistic people no empathy. everyone went “actually autistic people all have empathy” and it’s like no!! autistic can be empathetic and struggle with empathy! both are true! it’s a spectrum!!!

or people deciding someone support needs based on weirdest thing. “you can do this so it means you can’t have a higher level of support needs” no!!! support need not always about what can’t do is about what support needed!! people can do some thing and can’t do other! don’t get disqualified just because can do one thing! it’s a spectrum!!

both masking and unmasking are privilege! situation different for everyone! BIPOC, people living abusive home, being openly autistic not safe!! at same time being able to hide autism mean you are safe from ableism people who can’t mask aren’t! different for everyone!

while labels can help also need to think about every single person life different. never know situation never know someone personal struggle or disability!!! we all experience autism different and all should be listened to! people not need disclose or label experience to be part of conversation!

[kokabegami]

i cant even imagine where id be without "thats a really mean way to think about me, i wish you wouldnt think that i dont know what im doing when i love you." and "people want to be useful, trying to do everything yourself makes the people around you think that you dont trust them or that you think theyre incapable" and "people are made to be burdens. we are made to carry each other and not leave anyone behind." and "its rotten work / not to me. not if its you."

[kokabegami]

Just wanted to make a quick & lazy pinned post:

Hi, I'm KoKabegami! You can call me Ko or Koka.

I'm a queer artist who uses she/any pronouns.

I am also disabled, so art is posted extremely infrequently as I am employed full time and struggle with chronic fatigue.

I hope you stick around and enjoy the art!

[kokabegami]

"But why do you let your disability stop you?" Because that's.... what disabilities... do. That's... literally the basic definition... of being disabled... A disability impairs your ability to function. That's what the term means. That's the main thing

[kokabegami]

[kokabegami]

you can click on this button once daily to help palestine and support other causes in the middle east for free. it takes literally 5 seconds and could help save lives so please take the time to click and share this link.

[kokabegami]

Actually, people are good by nature and you’re a fool if you think otherwise.

[kokabegami]

i wish i could join discord servers and be talkative but alas every time i'm put in one i feel like a frightened captive animal being released into the wild for the first time and i instantly shove it in a folder never to be seen again outside of a random ping every few months

[kokabegami]

a post about when someone tags someone else on your post

[kokabegami]

[kokabegami]

Every time I question whether or not I have ADHD, I think about that tutorial request that has been sitting in my ask inbox for multiple months because I consistently either forget it exists or cannot work on it due to executive dysfunction straight up turning my brain off every time i try to force myself to work on it when i dont wanna.