solstrix

[solstrix]

Merry Christmas and a happy Yuletide to all who celebrate!

A little late, but I hope all who celebrate had a good one!

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At long last, I can share my Magnum Opus of this year! Simon and Anastasia, teetering on the edge of realizing that their feelings for each other are, in fact, very reciprocated.

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Another piece I originally made for Monster High March! I’ve always been amused by the fact that Frankie’s room is like, a bizarre amalgamation of a teen’s bedroom and a mad scientist lab.

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Art log: My quest to try embracing being a slow, non-linear artist (2024.12.08)

I’ll get to the point: it’s still something I’m working on, and I haven’t really figured it out yet. And while these logs are always meant to be about my own experience with art, and my own feelings, this one may very well be only applicable to me.

All that to say, it seems as though this issue of mine is not one that is commonly talked about. So let's talk about it.

I'm a slow artist. There are very few pieces I've been able to complete in under an hour, and I'm sure it's easy to spot the ones I have. My piece for the upcoming Window to Worlds took me, according to Procreate's in-software timer, around *30 hours*. If you've ever watched my Twitch streams, you'll know I was working on the same piece for WEEKS. I have a webcomic I started in 2020, for which I am STILL working on the first chapter.

Whenever I’ve talked about this with other artists in the past, they immediately try suggesting tips and tricks to sketch faster, steps to skip, how to streamline…. And they mean well, I know, and I don’t begrudge them. But the truth is! I genuinely enjoy my process as it is! Every step of the way! And I enjoy the way those steps add up in the final product!

I like polishing my sketches until they look like clean lineart, erasing and adding until it looks right. I like to take my time pushing and pulling my shading, blending smooth in some places and sharpening planes in others. I enjoy experimenting with more complex lighting settings, different temperatures of light and shadows. Lately I've been having fun differentiating how I render different textures, which, again, means I'm spending more time on pieces. I like doing these things! I enjoy my process as it is, so of course I am resistant to changing any part of it!

To make art as efficiently as possible, to me, sacrifices a lot of its weight and meaning, and further takes the fun and pleasure out of it.

But at the same time... Yes, I do find frustration in the fact that I'm not faster. In part because I wish I could participate in those daily art challenges, but mostly, because the faster you are, the more you can make. I look at the amount of project ideas I have, and then I look at the amount of projects I've finished in the past couple months... I will never be able to execute every single idea I have ever thought of, and I have to learn to be alright with that.

To embrace my own pace, for me, has meant approaching my art with more intentionality, and by focusing on the long-term rather than the short-term. This means I'm pickier with the pieces I start and commit to, I establish clear goals for what I want to improve in each piece, I do more planning and iterating instead of jumping into it blindly, I keep track of what I'm working on and when... And I allow myself to take my time with each step, to dwell on it, to bask in it, to enjoy it, flaws and all. I allow myself to switch projects when I feel my motivation draining, so I may come back with fresh eyes later. I work in seasons, not in days, and I let my inspiration and motivation ebb and flow as it will.

Only time will tell how this approach will change my output. But all I can say for now, is that the pieces I've finished recently have made me happier and prouder of my art than ever before.

Our society emphasizes productivity and efficiency, short-term pleasure and immediate returns. This pace may works for some, but I would argue it harms many more, me included. I have given myself permission to quit the race, to go hiking instead. And I hope you can give yourself that permission too.

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Vandala's colour scheme is So Peak and that peg leg??? Top tier doll.

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Art Journey Log: What is Artmaxxing... and Why Does it Bother Me? (02/12/2024)

There's a specific type of art content creation I've noticed, especially on Youtube, that I've been wanting to talk about for a while. I'll admit though, even now I struggle with exactly what I want to say, and how... But I really want to try, it feels important that I get out what I've been thinking.

So this thing I've noticed is something I've been calling "artmaxxing", which I define as content centered on attempting to and explaining how one can get as "good" at art as fast as possible. Here's what makes this tricky: there is nothing actually WRONG with that type of content. Sometimes, often even, it can in fact be a very helpful form of video, and suggestions from these videos can, in fact, help you improve on an objective level. But...

(I will not be pointing at any examples, as I don't really want to draw negative attention towards these creators. Just know that they are very common on Youtube's art space, and you wouldn't have to look far to find one.)

(These contentmakers also tend to be the type of creator to make "critiquing/roasting your art" videos, which I also have severe issues with, but is not the subject of this current blog post. Perhaps another time...)

But here is where my issues start. The idea that the pursuit of improvement is not only necessary, but MANDATORY, I find, can be extremely harmful to the art mindset. "Soli, that seems, like, really counterintuitive," I hear you say. And you are correct! But here's the thing: unless your artistic goals begin and end with growth for growth's sake, you will end up standing in your way. And I'm gonna dare say that, for most people, the point of making art isn't inherently just to get better at it.

Most artists start making art for a purpose. Whether it's to make comics and tell stories, make characters, to externalise the visions you are plagued with, for fashion design, or just because you liked a piece of media so much that it inspired you to create something new based on it... There are endless reasons, and they are rarely Just For Arts's Sake, or Just For Growth's Sake. So the problem is when an artist holds themselves back, keeps themselves from creating the things they actually want to make, because they see themselves as not good enough yet. They want to wait until they are better, until they've improved,

The problem is that "better" is a constantly moving goalpost, and one which, simultaneously, you may never actually get closer to. Your own improvement is not always obvious, and there is always something more to learn.

Do the thing now. Do the art you actually want to make now. Pursue what inspires you, what makes you want to create. Improvement will follow, because every time you draw, you get better. If you're struggling on a part of a drawing, find reference, look for advice as to how to improve that one part, and remain specific. Remember that you can always come back to the same work, the same themes, iterate and improve on them, your piece doesn't have to be one and done. Do not let yourself get too general, or you will stand in your own way. Ignore the voices telling you you aren't good enough yet, that you NEED to work to improve.

Don't stand in your way, and don't listen to anyone telling you want you Should or Need to be learning and doing to improve.

You are good enough right now to start being the artist you want to be.

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I am so pleased and excited to announce that I got to contribute to this year's edition of the Window to Worlds zine, "an art zine series showcasing original worlds, characters and stories." This piece will be featuring characters from my upcoming webcomic, Anastasia and Simon!

Keep an eye out for the zine's release on @windowtoworlds to see everyone's amazing contributions!

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Lately on my art journey (25/11/2024)

As I mentioned in my last post, I've had a couple weeks now of feeling completely disheartened. While I officially feel like I've come out of it now, it's given me time to reflect on my relationship with art, and with the way in which I share it.

Making art is a spontaneous action for me. It's something I do almost daily, but there is no set time for it, no deadlines. I work on things as I feel like it, and sometimes, that means I don't work on anything at all. I have endless ideas. It's intuitive.

Posting art, however, is the complete opposite. I have to think about it. I have to remind myself to do it. It does not come to me naturally, and I always struggle to figure out what to say about it. Every step takes effort, and I have to draft even just the captions to feel even somewhat confident doing it.

I think that's part of why I've started doing these long rants. I want to normalize posting for myself, I need to let out all of the complicated tangled thoughts someway so that I can be left with just the clear heart of it when I finally do share my art.

Whenever I make these posts I feel like they really don't make that much sense but honestly? I've been looking for this kind of content from other artists I follow. I wonder if anyone else struggles with this, and how they've overcome out, what they've tried. So I'm gonna be honest and talk through it, stream of consciousness style.

Me, right now, I've decided to try and develop a structure, one which surrounds the art making, while supporting and enabling the art posting, as simply another step in the process. This is all fancy-talk to say, I'm trying out a posting schedule, where when a piece is finished it goes on an organized list of upcoming posts. I am at my best creatively when I get to be loose and freeform with it, but if I did the same for sharing, I would almost never post. And that's not how I want it to be.

[solstrix]

It's Been Too Long

Due to personal reasons, which have only been exacerbated by the current state of the world, I'm sorry to say... I haven't been in the mood to stream.

I wish I had the time, and spare energy, and I do miss it... But unfortunately, it is not possible at this time.

I will instead attempt to update this blog more often.

So yeah TLDR: I'm taking a hiatus from twitch-streaming until things start falling into place on my end.

Cheers and godspeed, I appreciate you all <3

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Literally just a couple days ago I realized I can google colour palettes, same as any other reference image.

I’d somehow never thought to do this before.

I’ve tried like palette generators before but those had too much randomness and I struggled to compare options. Search results just lay out a bunch of options and you can narrow it down from there.

Idk this is actually kinda revolutionary for me as someone who struggles with colour!

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No stream this week! Things have been a little crazy on my end still. Who would have thought moving countries would be so complicated??

I’ll admit it’s been hard to keep up my art practice through all of this. And when I do manage to pick up a pencil, things just don’t… quite come out the way I want them to. It’s hard to know whether it’s best to give myself a break, or push through and get over it! You’d think that since those two things are two very different things, they would feel different… But no…

Anyway, I’m happy to say the Scare-adise image has been coming along pretty well! And to make up for the lack of stream, I’m sharing with you the work in progress! Really happy with the character expressions in particular, those couldnt have come out any better!

Here’s hoping things fall back into place soon, and that I can share the rest of the process with all of you! <3

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Update part 2!!

The move has been going blessedly well so far! Though I’ve faced the mild hiccup of having forgotten that my current laptop charger would not be compatible with the electrical outlets in this country. Oops!

Adapter should be coming in this Monday! I don’t feel like I can guarantee a Monday stream, but next week for sure! Ive been itching to get back, and I have so many exciting news to share!!

More details to come <3

An Update

Sorry for the radio silence! I've appreciated all the well-wishes while I was away <3

The good news are that I have fully recovered from covid! And we are slowly approaching my moving date!

The bad news: due to having had covid there was So Much prep stuff for moving I couldn't do before that I HAVE to get done now, within a week.

I agonized for a while about where to fit in at least one day of streaming in between everything else but... I have to be honest with myself. My mind is all over the place right now. I am a bundle of scrambled nervous energy. I would NOT be a fun streamer, even if I managed to find the time. And quite frankly, I would be doing myself a disservice by piling even more on my plate.

All that to say: I didn't come into August expecting to basically take the month off, but! As the adage goes, if you don't schedule maintenance, it will be scheduled for you!

Thank you for your comprehension and understanding, and I'll see you all in September!! <333

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Garden Reflections

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Jinx belongs to Adykol!

FIGHT ME!!!

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Thumbnailing for comics is so fun and quick and makes you go "hell yeah! I'm a comic artist baby im doing it!!!"

And then every following step takes like 100x more time

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Y’all ever go to bed feeling a little sad that you didn’t draw today

Only to remember that. You totally drew that day and the sad feeling is Wrong

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Question: What's the preferred site for sharing fandom playlists?

I'm making a playlist for a fancomic I'm working on, just to get a feel for the mood, and I figure I might as well share it! But in that case, I'm not sure where it would be better to make it... Help?