#but like i am doing it for the intrinsic joy of drawing other peoples ocs idc if they give me anything back beyond a nice comment gjklgjkl

[tickfleato]

in my mind the whole point of art fight is to draw other peoples guys tbh. Im in it to draw other peoples characters i love doing my own takes on things especially like bug people and sharks and stuff. honestly if i could i would like. make a new AF profile where no one knows who i am lol because im not a Popular Artist™ but ive definitely got enough reach that im getting... More attacks than i would like... like i dont have a problem with getting a bunch of really fun art of my characters but it's more fun to attack ppl you know.

approaching it like an art trade machine is a loser way of looking at it that makes it less fun for everyone i think.

[skaldish]

Hello, i wrote some asks last year about how to get started on practise and you helped me lots with the resources you offer!

I also bought your WAP shirt and its one of my favorites, it always makes me grin and feel fuzzy (in the sense of both a warm fuzzy feeling and a fuzzy feeling like a swarm of bees hiding under my skin).

Not really an ask but i just wanted to share my joy with you because you have been such a great help and this is my way of saying thanks!

I often feel Loki the strongest when drawing and plotting and for a while i felt inhibited by some of the more chaotic vibes he gave off at first. I’ve come to love those spouts of „Hey so how about this batshit thing i came up with?“ It gets strongest when drawing a certain character who i think now was Loki in disguise. Its one of my oldest OCs and he‘s my dearly beloved bastard child. Rattiest bastard boy (most affectionate). Loki doesnt always pop up when drawing him, but chances are higher when i do, i think he feels the love. Another way to spend time with him i found is dedicating my drawing sessions to him, maybe even trying to draw him. Its adorable in a way that doesnt infantilize him if that makes sense. Like looking at a loved person doing something dumb but oh so endearing. I love him.

What i wanted to say though is, while Loki likes to visit when im drawing i am starting to feel Odins presence more clearly when i write, which, yay! I think Odin coming over more also has a lot to do with me shaking off shame about my being curious as fuck. I always wanted to know things. The world, its inner workings, people, everything. I want to know it all. But i have been made to feel bad about this most of my life and that flame of passion was reduced to embers for a while so now that its coming back i do sometimes feel a pat on my back, like a silent I‘m proud of you that makes me feel so light and seen.

I asked Odin to aid me with getting my ADHD diagnosis, because at that point I had tried unsuccessfully to get it for two years. Fast forward six (6) (!) months and i have a diagnosis for ADD, so of course i had to say thanks. My trying to overcome the shame of being told over and over again that im too curious for my own good and that im a failure must have made him soften up, it feels like hes guiding me back to my roots by helping me get the diagnosis that makes it possible for me to see my intrinsic worth again. Im not a failure, just someone with a condition no one knew i had for 30 years. Its not that i dont know how to human, i can human, and excell at that, but not by imitating a conventional path but by making my own path, by getting back to the state of constant wonder and curiosity and giving in to the urge to learn and find as much knowledge as possible, by not taking knowledge how its presented but by experimenting, by asking questions myself and not digest what others have chewed and i think those are things i got the pats on my back for, for trying to find my way back to myself.

Growing up catholic hurt. Even though nothing was ever directly done to me the things i was taught, the things i discovered about the roman catholic church just didn‘t sit right with me and it hurt. So bad. The world view presented just seemed so dire. Add to that that i never felt close to all this, didnt see myself anywhere there. It felt weird hearing others say they can feel their god, because i had never felt anything like it and it seemed somewhat delusional, i just couldnt grasp the How. Enter the norse Gods lmao. The first time i felt Thor i was like, motherfuck, so thats how its supposed to feel?! Asking him for company when i feel hopeless and ACTUALLY feeling his presence shortly after?! Asking Loki to come visit and FEELING HIM THERE?! Inviting Odin and promptly getting deep into the writing zone with some galaxy brain thoughts out of seemingly nowhere?! All while nudging me to be more me and encouraging that which i was told was sinful at church? As someone who wished for spirituality early on because i just felt there was something more but couldnt find it anywhere near church and in turn feeling a weird void in a part of my life then meeting the norse gods was like rehabilitation. I can feel myself heal when they visit. This feeling is so precious.

I can feel them guide me more and more and the more i shake off what hurt me the clearer their presence grows, its fucking crazy and im all here for it.

Its also crazy how distinct they all feel. Well, mostly, sometimes discerning if i feel Odin or Loki is harder but for the most part they want to be told apart. Sometimes it because they decided to visit simultaneously.

Thank you for pointing me to (your) resources, you gifted me a lot of tools to forge my own way. Im having the best time because of it and i just wanted to share with you the joy and the love i found on paths of my own making, with tools and tips you among others lend me. In that vein: i love the way you give help without making rules and that this is something you take seriously. Last year i had hoped for a more detailed guide and now i see it was exactly as clear as its supposed to be: fucking vague :D and for each person to figure out themself. Its hard, but its necessary, with a handy guide i dont think i could have realized how deeply the urge to Know has been overshadowed by shame and guilt and i dont think i would have been able to tackle it if i had gotten a play-by-play (which reminds me too much of christian doctrine anyway, so away with it lol). if you only follow a list you dont have to think for yourself and thats what, ultimately, matters. Doing your own work, working on yourself, working on your relationships be it the spiritual ones or the personal ones, being present.

Long story short, i love my Gods so much. They only add to my life and they encourage me being unapologetically me and in turn make me love Life more. Be it in the people, in nature or within myself. I finally feel like i can be human without feeling unworthy of godly love. I am loved. And in return i can love even more freely than before.

Thank you and im sorry for this wall of text I’D

I'm so happy to hear you're finding your rhythm and having a good time! It brings me so much joy. <3