#art rambling

[changelingsandothernonsense]

Next renders are-

A double whammy of "The Mercenary your dad told you not to talk to."

Now that the current render is at the halfway point, I need to start considering the next work to lessen the "you finished art" depression I get.

[pare1dolia]

[Scarlet Hollow] Reese Kelly and his Paintings

I’ve been thinking a lot about Reese lately.

Potential spoilers under the cut. Also this post is just long, because I like to ramble, especially about art.

Admittedly when I did my first few runs of Scarlet Hollow, I didn’t give much mind to Reese’s room. It’s a space he’s filled with art. Pointedly disturbing artwork, at the very least in the narration of the game, but I’d interpret it in part as him taking this frankly dingy space and making it his. Since it’s basement level, the windows are all narrow and up high. The walls are obviously cinderblock foundation, and I can almost guarantee that the floor’s concrete.

But more recently, I decided to take a closer look at the contents of his paintings. I’m no stranger to horror art personally-- it’s one of my favorite types of artwork, especially when done in a way that isn’t for shock value.

Now I’ll claim I may have some bias here in interpretation when I say these paintings feel inspired by Francisco Goya, specifically the works that became known as the Black Paintings. They were painted around the walls of his current home, in muted and yellowed colors. Their depictions were disturbing and mysterious in equal measure, especially given the placement of certain pieces in the estate.

I hope you can see the resemblance, especially with the figures appearing to be sleeping near where his bed is placed. Which leads me to my next tidbit: It’s more than likely that Reese utilized the contents of his work as a coping mechanism, or some way to find comfort.

This is nothing new, sure. Art has been used as a coping mechanism for ages, and given what we know of Reese’s upbringing, it feels only natural that this would be the mechanism he’s drawn to. To quote a comment I’d seen on a series of horror paintings: “He’s fine. This is how he’s healing.”

Also, in Episode 4, when the paintings come to life they seem to act in a protective measure. It’s another layer of coping-- a protective system, a way for him to have control over an uncontrollable situation.

But maybe I’m reading too much into this. I just think his art is neat.

(As an aside, this piece feels particularly noteworthy, given what we’ve seen of Wayne...)

[isa-icycle]

wait...I'm really digging this style actually

should I switch????????? actually no, I really enjoy drawing in a semi-realism style too but like...fuck it I'll draw in both styles, this is so fun actually

[possumcollege]

I don't do tutorials but, having seen a post on the difficulty of sketching circles digitally, I will share my personal preferences for when I need a line to meet itself in an O kind of way.

- I don't actually like using proper circles but when I need one, I'm not above using a plastic stencil on top of my tablet. They're cheap and abundant and you can still get a nice hand-drawn feel by modulating pen pressure

- More often than not, I draw, undo, draw, undo, draw, undo- until I get a circle that's circle enough for my liking

- Use a circle tool and freehand trace over it

I doubt any of this will come across as particularly wise or game-changing to anyone. However, in a space where I've watched hundreds of artists dig at each other over processes, shortcuts, and program hacks, I hope it's useful to anyone to hear that doing it in a klunky or roundabout way is absolutely valid if it gets results you like.

If it's dumb but it works, it ain't dumb.

Talking down to folks who don't find drawing programs universally intuitive isn't helpful. I slogged through 4yrs of art school critiques where kids would rather flex their own resources in service of dunking on each other than listen to the person asking for help and that's the opposite of a supportive community.

[jateshi]

It's been so long since I tried to do a group shot and last night at about midnight I decided to do a 4-person one of my TBC kid's OG team, Bad Decisions.

Well I guess this is my vacation, right?

Working on some updates to add to my vgen and then prolly biting the bullet, pricing, and ... giving it a go. Woo!

[bespectacled-bookwyrm]

Just played around with some brushes on Procreate and discovered the wonder known as the Baskerville brush.

I am going to give this dragon some KILLER eyelashes once I get around to adding the "ink" onto the drawing.

This brush is brilliant for sharp, pointy bits. Like really nice eyelashes. :P

[loreliaod]

I wish this Christmas would bring the Ghost of Artless future to show the world what it would be like if we keep treating artists like their years of study and passion are worth nothing

[foldingfittedsheets]

When I was a TA for the freshman art class in senior year my students really adored me. It was so sweet. I’d had classes that were more ambivalent toward me but these guys were all about me.

I loved working with that teacher too. He was the kind of crunchy art nerd whose own kid didn’t know what candy was, who loved bird watching and wearing tweed. We’d chat while they worked and it was just a three hour pleasure rather than work.

When the class switched from charcoal to gouache a devil medium, the evilest watercolor, the students struggled. We’d have in class painting where they’d spend the whole time trying to mix one color instead of just accepting something as good enough and trying to practice other skills.

So one day I showed up to my shift and announced, “I have stickers. If you get color down for the whole composition, you get a sticker.”

They wanted. The stickers. So bad. Students who had agonized before about keeping lines neat and perfect plowed ahead. The first student to call me over I tsked at. “Putting grey on everything doesn’t count,” I chided, “I asked for colors on each object.”

The classroom worked in furious joy, young adults who had seen my bird and cactus stickers and gone feral. The teacher was flabbergasted. “Why do they want stickers? They could just buy stickers…”

I held up my water bottle and showed him a tiny 3D bubble sticker the program director had brought to my game teams space last week. “You never grow out of wanting to earn a sticker.”

By the end of class everyone had a sticker. There was more visible improvement in the work too, which surprised them since they’d been rushing. “Gouache looks terrible before it looks good. It’s okay to start messy and then refine.” The teacher had said the same thing but looking at their frantic sticker paintings they finally saw the truth of it.

[kalicocal]

ONE FUCKING BREAK. CAN THEY NOT GET A GODDAMN SECOND TO FUCKING BREATHE?!?!?!

[noritaro]

booping someone numerous times when they only booped you once feels like this

[changelingsandothernonsense]

Like I know I'm an unlikeble creator but if you're gonna repost my work at least link back to my page.

Like yeah, I know my name on it instantly makes everyone ignore it but it's a fucking inspo killer to know that people only like your work when they don't know it belongs to you.

Idk support artists you like on their pages and to those you don't please don't repost their work without credit. It's hard enough to get any eyes as it is.

[crowkip]

yeehaw, baby!

[dragonbleps]

what artists dont tell you is that every compliment is actually 100 compliments because they'll go back to re-read it 100 times and it'll make them feel fuzzy all over again every single time

[iamespecter]

my brain: You're hating your art style again aren't you me: That's literally your fault my brain: Yeah well lucky for you I know how you can deal with it me: How my brain: Practice cloth wrinkling and lighting using a different brush me: Aight...

my brain: But also draw Caine hot me: Wh

what