#fun art that makes me happy and i dont pressure myself too much

[satasfries]

Lee pov </3 i just wanted a silly doodle of them

Additional Angel pov and alt ver

[choccy-milky]

A few months back, I asked if it was okay to write using Clora and Seb. Finished the work - thought I'd lost it on my hard drive and a virus scan located it.

Not sure if it's sad or happy, but the basic premise of it is Clora getting frustrated/upset at Sebastian and Sebastian comforting her, Sebastian getting upset at a predicament Clora's in and Clora comforting him, and them both getting frustrated/upset and having to comfort each other.

If you'd rather I didn't post it, that's fine too, but just wanted to test the waters and double check that you'd be okay with it if I gifted it to you via AO3, or see if you wanted a sneak peak of it before posting it.

OMG im so happy you were able to find it and recover the work you did!!😭🙏 AND YES OF COURSE YOU CAN POST IT AAA I CANT WAIT TO READ IT!! you can DM it to me first if you want, but i also dont mind if you post it straight away on ao3!! IM LOOKING FORWARD TO IT SM AAARGHHHA💖💖💖IT SOUNDS ANGSTY WE LOVE THE HURT/COMFORT I HOPE MY HEART CAN HANDLE IT🥺💖💖TY AGAIN FOR USING CLORA AND SEB AND TAKING THE TIME TO WRITE SOMETHING ABOUT THEM😭

@sunshine-goblin AAA THANK YOU!!! im honoured its your fav fanfic AND ALSO THE LONGEST YOUVE READ BAHAHAA fr, when you say its as long as four books in lotr it rly makes me realize how insane i am😃👍 aw IM GLAD I COULD INSPIRE YOU TO DRAW MORE AND WRITE AS WELL😭 I was curious so i creeped you and everyone go look at their HL blog @sunshines-legacy your MC is so cute and so is your art🥹💖 as for tips on writing a longfic and brainstorming and motivation and stuff, my motivation was my brainrot and unhappiness with the canon story/ending LMAOO, and looking at the story of the game and playing around with what i was unhappy with/what i WISHED could have happened instead, was a lot easier than just coming up with plotlines from scratch. but something i highly recommend is just OUTLINING and making a timeline, one of my fav parts of writing was just putting on some cafe ambience in the background and doing stream of conscious type word documents where id just barf ideas and then worry about making it pretty later....like look at how many versions of the same chapter i have BAHAHA or like different renditions bc i couldnt decide if id wanna keep a scene/what order, so id make a timeline and keep smoothing things out until i was happy with it and whatnot

brainstorming is defs my fav part of the process and the most helpful part to me. just getting a blank document and writing stuff you want to happen without worrying about how it connects to the story, and then a lot of the times as i was doing that id just keep going and it would kinda tie itself together/id come up with a solution as i was writing / once the ideas kept flowing. so basically : TIMELINES AND OUTLINES I VERY MUCH RECOMMEND, but very low pressure and barebones ones. for example, this is what my outlines/brainstorming look like

its honestly just me talking to myself LMAO, and a lot of the time ill interject and be like "OH YEAH AND THEN THIS CAN HAPPEN" as the ideas come while im writing BAHAHA. its a super fun process and honestly nothing feels better than just getting hit with that flash of inspo, and since its all very low effort theres no pressure to actually write well and its just a chill fun time AND GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR OWN PROCESS / WRITING💖💖💖it can be difficult but HOPE U HAVE FUN TOO💖💖

@a-little-lysdexic WAIT REALLY?? LMFAOO OMG THATS CRAZY....SAME BRAIN...🤝🤝...that would trip me up so much if i were you omg BAHHAHA but aside from having similar tastes in names, IM GLAD YOU LIKE MY ART AS WELL, TYY💖💖💖

THANK YOUUU im glad you're liking it!!! and that its taking over your life BAHAHA💖💖 the video you're thinking of was by @silverxstardust for chapter 13 of my fic, and you can watch the video here! (AND TY AGAIN TO SILVERXSTARDUST FOR DOING THIS!)

[squidpedia]

Hi! I wanted to ask for advice on finding an artstyle, I've been drawing for sometime but I still dislike my style.

Thank you in advance :D.

Hi hiii

Whenever my artstyle gets kinda boring to me, I try asking myself questions to figure out what exactly is it about my artstyle that I don’t like. Things like what is it about my art that feels boring to me while this other’s artist’s work excites me? What makes me most insecure about this piece? What do my favorite artists do in their artworks that I don’t do?

This isn’t to put yourself or your work down, make sure to go out of your way to still note anything you like or are particularly proud of in any of your artworks, you work hard on your art and that deserves to be appreciated, even if your artstyle isn’t quite at where you want it to be yet! But this is mainly what I do to try to address reasons my artstyle isn’t giving me as much joy, and what changes I can make that might make me happier. Most of the time I can’t really put my finger on what it is that I dislike about my art, so I keep these questions in the back of my mind while I try experimenting through doodles and messing around with my style in each one. Have some doodles dedicated to things you dont normally try in your artstyle. Varying eye sizes and distance from each other, some doodles with different ways of stylizing noses, trying varying levels of realism vs cartoonishness when drawing characters, and trying different brushes if doing this in digital art. If any specific doodles jump out to you as kinda neat, take note of whatever you did in that doodle and try it more often!

(Sorry i was doing this in a hurry but definitely couldve utilized more full body shots, varying poses, face at more side angles, coloring styles, would 100% reccomend experimenting with that too. But this is mostly what those batches of experiment doodles usually look like for me)

As always, it doesn’t hurt to also study other artists’s whos stuff makes you so happy and figure out what it is about their art style that excites you so much. Whatever that may be, think about if its something you want in your own art style and try replicating and practice doing it if you do want to take your art in that direction.

Quick example from me but november 2023 i remember starting to feel super uninspired with my artstyle. I asked myself what felt like the most unrewarding part of the process for drawing and realized the answer was my lineart. At the time I was seeing a lot of @/bixels ‘s artwork of drawing mlp characters as humans from the 1920’s americana and was so delighted by their lineart. I kept experimenting with brushes in my doodles and realized that using the gel pen reminded me somewhat of bixels’ art, so I took that and ran. It was a neat change after a while of having thicker lineart and actually having fun with pressure sensitivity and how the brush is able to taper.

This is what i found works for myself so im not sure how well it applies to other people or if i worded everything well, but I hope its at least a bit helpful in some way!

[ask-october-fox]

Hey OctoberFox! Welcome back! I've been a spirit viewing from afar ever since my partner introduced me to your existence a few years ago, so happy to see you're doing well! We always make sure to stock up on apple cider frycakes when we can (and apples, of course), so if you'd like an offering we can set some aside at a shrine.

I wanted to ask you a question... well, maybe advice is the better word to choose here. I've been diving into a lot of things over the past couple of years: voice acting, blender/3D art, and coding to name a few. However, I often find myself either losing all confidence or interest in these things (that I find myself loving to do) after a few weeks of investment. As an entity that has continued to push forward and return with dedication year after year, do you have any words of wisdom you could offer this lost spirit? I apologize if I'm asking for too much, but different perspectives makes a complete picture and I feel like knowing yours would be helpful.

Hello dear spirit! I am so glad that you could join me this year! Also a an extended "thank you" to your partner for introducing my little corner of the world to you. I hope you have been enjoying it. As for your question, that is a tough one I would have to say, but do know that the feelings that you have are very normal. Im not too sure what to tell you in terms of you losing interest- unless losing interest is part of the losing confidence, but either way please dont be hard on yourself for having a fleeting passion for one project before moving to another. I suppose that inspiration is a finicky thing like that! As for the losing confidence, please know that this happens to literally everyone. I think part of that can be how we see others around us, social media has a tendency to show usually the best of someone's work all while hiding the mistakes, trials, and errors to get where they are now. To be honest, it is very hard to be where we want to be with the hobbies and passions that we love, because for most of us, there is no true ceiling. Once we reach one step, we're already looking ahead trying to get to the next, and then the next, and so on. Its a want to be better, to strive for more, and its a beautiful and frustrating thing. If it helps at all, when I first started as a spirit guide I was... not very good at it. I had no idea what I was doing or what I was supposed to do! I made so many mistakes, its almost embarrassing to admit. But I kept going, because for all the mistakes I made, there were times when I could help someone, and when I could help one person.. I could help two.. or three. Each person I helped has become a memory that I keep close to my heart, and when I feel like maybe I cant do this, I try and remember those times. If I can make one person smile, or offer some words of comfort; if I can do one good thing for someone, then I know im going in the right direction. Its because of you spirits is what has kept my own fire alive for all these years, and because of that I want to be better not just for myself, but for all of you as well. Also another thing to keep in mind is that projects and hobbies are meant to be fun! If they start to become work, or a drag, step away from it. Dont turn something that you love into something that you hate all due to some imaginary pressure to be perfect from the get go. After all life is short, yes? Why spend that time not enjoying yourself? So keep going! Keep trying! Keep making mistakes and keep learning! Try new things and try old things! After all, if you feel like youve hit rock bottom.. then the only other way to go is up. I hope that wasnt too lengthy, but if they helped you-even a little, then know that will be another memory that I will carry with me for the rest of my days. Take care, spirit. Be kind to yourself 🤍🖤🧡🕯️

.....are those treats still available...? 👀

[shootingstarrfish]

THANK YOU FOR THE TAG MEL @melverie !!!!! <333

15 Questions Tag Game

01 - Are you named after anyone?

My grandma!

02 - When was the last time you cried?

...this morning in the car SHDJFJ i cry a lot anyway but i was thinking too deeply about Jack's Song by Cavetown this time HAHA

03 - Do you have kids?

Please gaze upon my darling children

04 - What sports do you play/have you played?

I started playing basketball when I was about 10, but I haven't played since I was about 17? Not for any particular reason, I just haven't found anywhere I can play at (haven't looked much either LOL) this is making me wanna look into it again though :,D

Briefly played softball for about a year in high school, it was fun! I also enjoy cycling but I dont do that a whole lot. Did a bit of boxing during the singular year I had a gym membership, and learnt that I hate arm exercises with a passion but I love getting to kick things :D I'm also a freak, a weirdo even, who likes running hahaha

This is making me sound fit but unfortunately I spend 90% of my free time drawing fictional men so I don't do a whole lot of sport... ever......

05 - Do you use sarcasm?

NOT REALLY but people seem to think so sometimes? I don't know why lol

06 - What is the first thing you notice about people?

I dont, Im really unobservant HAHAH

The exception would be if someone has a really striking or unique feature

07 - What's your eye color?

Dark brown

08 - Scary movies or happy endings?

Happy endings, I'm a baby i can't do scary movies :,))

09 - Any talents?

At last I can talk about my one true hidden talent, doing a Mort impression

Is it a good impression? I have no idea, but I can do it

10 - Where were you born?

Oman! The only country in the world that starts with the letter O!

11 - What are your hobbies?

Drawing, shockingly, is the main one, but I also enjoy animation and clay sculpting! I recently got into plush making, I really wanna learn how to sew properly so I can make Belphie's big human world outfit jacket for myself lol

I needle felt and crochet sometimes but those are really time consuming and take forever so Im never patient enough to pick them up for long lol

At this stage I would also consider my general zine shenanigans to be a hobby too, I can't get enough of these silly things

12 - Do you have any pets?

Okay I'm gonna talk about them fr now so meet Pepper and Chilli <3333

This is Pepper, shes my darling little angel who could do no wrong, she's graceful and beautiful and way too smart for her own good and I love her so much <333

And this is Pepper's son, Chilli, whom you could never tell was her son if you weren't told cause he's nothing like her. He's very clumsy and not very smart but he's very cute and handsome so it makes up for it and I love him very much too <33

Not a single thought behind those eyes

13 - How tall are you?

Like 176 cm? Which I think is around 5'9 or so?

14 - Favourite subject in school?

If we ignore art LOL I enjoyed english quite a bit! I know apparently the big draw of math is that there's only ever 1 answer but I'm not a logic brained person so I don't like that very much. I'm a certified bullshitter, I like being able to say whatever I want as long as I can justify it

15 - Dream job?

To draw anime boys all day...

If I was to be realistic though I think a job where I can use art and be creative but in a way that doesn't take the fun out of regular art would be ideal? I don't know what that looks like though

Or something with animals

***

I shall tag @aspiringtrashpanda, @kawree and @featheredcrowbones no pressure ofc lol

[cubedmango]

hi!! i just wanted to let you know that i started reading cherry magic in july last year after seeing the anime announced on toyota-sensei's twitter! i couldn't even rlly translate the announcement myself without the help of google translate LMAO but her illustration of them looked so sweet i had to snoop around. more than half a year later. i am no longer normal and my brain is fully rotted over and i think of those two nearly every waking moment!! your art, along with so many others feeds me and your translations are So Appreciated thank you for doing gods work. i usually don't get super involved in fandom or w/e other than consuming fanart or fics so the fact i find myself actually drawing them is so new to me...idk cherry magic really is so refreshing and it's just nice as an adult to see a mature relationship between two working adults. there are callbacks to childhood or childlike behaviors or interests sprinkled throughout the manga's dialogue and i always appreciated how they weren't seen as embarrassing or immature to embrace or learn from as an adult, but encouraged or seen as a valuable part of balancing work, life, and love. idk it's def one of the more subtle and less expanded upon parts of it but i love how adachi's and kurosawa's love of manga, though seen as a children's activity (from how kurosawa thought people saw it) was actually one of their first mutual hobbies. it's also interesting to see how many things about kurosawa's psyche are remnants of ideas probably for a lack of better wording, were taught to him from an early age. his self-image, how he tries to uphold certain societal standards, etc etc. im glad he found refuge in adachi that way. im sorry for rambling for so long but i've just been thinking about these two so much ldks

anon pls u never have to apologize for rambling abt my fav guys of all time, u should actually talk w me about them more i want to hear ur thoughts !! the eng speaking fandom isnt that big (or at least i dont get to interact w a lot of ppl personally) but its fun making art and doing the translations for my blorbos so im happy other ppl enjoy it too 🥺

and yess everything u said abt the childlike/immature stuff krdc enjoy like the fact that their interest in manga and stuff is never made fun of or anything (which would be ironic anyway since theyre In a manga themselves fdkjskf) but actually one of the things that gets them closer is So good augh?? (also spoilers for the radio drama if u havent seen it yet, but to me one of the best changes they made was changing the port scenes setting to an anime con instead like Yeah!! theyre little nerd guys of course theyd attend a con!!!! that plus how they both like watching animated movies and playing games too like its a very specific thing to Me but that relatability w stuff i do myself makes them both feel a lot more human? if that makes sense)

also w kurosawas whole deal its Definitely a longterm thing hes had for a while, and in canon its mostly been his friendships/relationships that affected him (probs the most clear in ch45 my beloved) but from the way the meeting w his parents went theres for sure a lot of parental/family pressure involved too?? this is going into hc territory but i have like a whole Thing brewing in my head about kurosawas and maris relations w their parents and how that affected their self image and all growing up too and i rlly wanna make stuff for it someday (idk if anyone would be interested but id probably do it regardless so fkdjksjfk)

[melodyofthevoid]

the way y'all are handling ocean idiots is actually kind of inspiring me, because i have Ideas but i feel pressured to turn it into a whole blown Thing when all i want to do is just have fun with it, because every artist/writer/etc ive seen does it that way.

yall are the first people ive seen who are just trying to Vibe with your blorbos and it makes doing the same thing feel more achievable to me. god bless

PS larus is my favorite. love the little skrunkly bird man. also can i steal yalls powerpoint idea 🥺?

PSS i assume everyone else working on ocean idiots will see this bc yall are mutuals, but in the event that they dont, could you please forward this to them? because i want them to know that theyre indirectly inspiring a random person with their Just-For-Fun-Creation as well >< many thanks

Aw, anon this is incredibly sweet. I sent your message along to the others before I got around to this answer both because I wanted to make sure they saw it, and because I wanted to respond to this in a way that really reflects my gratitude.

It's honestly so tempting to start making ideas "a thing". I didn't really understand that until the last couple of years and let me tell you, there is a lot of pressure to do that. People like projects! They like updates! They love seeing the progression of a story and getting invested in that. I absolutely understand why people leave comments like "this should be a webtoon" or "you guys should make an animated series". In a perfect world, that'd be a dream! The temptation to do that and establish a base is also attractive because it can really form a base that gives numbers and comments, which artists of all stripes thrive on (myself very much included).

But what most people never really see is the downsides of that. From their perspective, a one episode animatic, a chapter or two of fic or few panels of a comic, isn't a lot. It's kinda disappointing, and I get that. For the creator though, there's any number of reasons that things fall apart. Personal differences with friends amplified by the stress of expectations. Creative burnout. Shutting down due to the sheer scope of the undertaking. These are all real, and it sucks to deal with.

For me personally, I know I do want to tackle trying to write more of ocean idiots, maybe even try to nanowrimo this shit (not in an actual month but you get the gist). But that's just me. If it bums me out or I put it to the side, then that's just my personal project to pick up later. If we tried to make it a series, then we'd deal with the stress of trying to keep up a schedule on top of lives (college, jobs, personal lives, etc). It'd take the joy out of these characters we love.

Some of the most fun I've had in the past few years I've been writing and creating has just been fucking around with my friends. Throwing silly au ideas back and forth and exchanging art and fics for no one but ourselves. There's a genuine satisfaction that comes from it.

Not everything has to be a big production. Artists don't make their magnum opus every time. They draw shitposts and write crackfic and make funny edits. It's healing to have something silly, something fun just for you, and to share it if you want. That can connect with people, great! But it can also just be for you. I could go on a whole tangent about social media and the commodification of attention/art but that's not really what we're here for.

I hope that whatever you create, anon, that it makes you happy. That it brings a little joy to your day. That you can have that thing you share with maybe just your closest friends to play with. Lord knows I need to remind myself of that too.

[allthegothihopgirls]

RAAAAHHHH ASK GAMES ASK GAMES ASK GAMES!!!!! TY TEEF FOR THE TAG. I AM WELL AND I HOPE YOU ARE TOO!!!!! :3 @bandobsessed-welldressed-spork

Were you named after anyone? i was named because of an actor with a very specific spelling of a common name, but not after them.

When was the last time you cried? idk, it miiiiight have been watching yellowjackets.

Do you have kids? my cat.

What sports have you played? i've dabbled in everything from tennis to competitive bowling. i did netball for the longest though, around four years i think.

Do you use sarcasm? i try not to as much as i used to, but definitely.

What's the first thing you notice about people? if they have cool hair or piercings. especially if they have the same ones as me.

What's your eye colour? green. i had blue eyes when i was really young, and then they went hazel, but now they're just green. The only hint of brown left is in the freckles i have in my irises

Scary movies or happy endings? scary movies for sure. i can rarely enjoy media that ISN'T horror-related. idk what the appeal is for me but i just love spooky stuff.

Any talents? meaningful ones? no way. i can fold my tongue into a 4 leaf clover though. also being able to recognise most songs from just a few seconds of audio, i think that's a talent.

Where were you born? australia!!!

What are your hobbies? oh god i have so many. being insane about twd. doing art, all of it. decorating my over-decorated room (latest addition is glow stars on my spinny fan) skateboarding (SOOOO beating the uncoordinated allegations). crocheting, knitting etc. getting obsessed with video games for the perfect amount of time to 100% them and never look back. listening to cool music and making my silly little playlists. talking people's ears off. running a mediocre fandom-obsessive tumblr blog. overall just being the coolest guy ever.

Do you have any pets? YEAHHHH!!!! my awesome big cat alden (did not name him after a walking dead character, i would neeeeever) i also have fish, and i'm getting hermit crabs VERY soon!!!

How tall are you? i think i'm just over 6'0. most of the time i'm in my platform docs though, so by general consensus, way too fucking tall.

Favourite subject in school? I loooooved my arts, but couldn't bring myself to take them into my final years, some things are just supposed to stay as hobbies. i do like all the sciences though, which is what i'm ACTUALLY doing.

Dream job? sitting around and being the special-est guy in the world... what do you mean that's not reeeealistic?? i guess if i HAD to pick an ACTUAL job, i'd love to work for NASA. TAGS TAGS OH GOD I DONT KNOW WHICH ONES OF YOU WOULD WANT TO DO THIS!! @xolborsaysstuff @radio-ctrl-faggot @khris0l0gy @princeofpittsburgh NO PRESSURE!!! HAVE FUN!!

[lukarion-ven]

Hellooo! I just wanna say that your art makes me smile so much!! And i love your content with venti x oc TvT. If its too much trouble would you be willing to give some tips on drawing and how you do color for an aspiring artist. I cant wait to see more of your works!!

thank you so much, im glad my works that i do for fun make you smile! especially my venlune works, which i didnt expect would get attention ;w;

i dont consider myself a very skilled artist yet, and im also not an art student, but im willing to give some (personal) tips i learned along the journey i went through in making art!

(assuming anon means art in general not comics)

1. (this is obvious but some actually dont do this, ok tbh even i dont because im lazy lol) watch tutorials from the internet, like youtube. there are a lot of videos available there from pro artists!

2. practice anatomy first, or linearting. you can start learning more about rendering later. if you want to focus more on making pretty but simple art, then you should study how to draw anatomy decently first, then you can just use some flat colors if youre not confident yet or still practicing your rendering! because from what i observed from my past artworks, detailed rendering doesnt do much if the anatomy and lineart aren't done well TT (anatomy doesnt have to be accurate by the way, as long as it looks aesthetically pleasing to the eyes youre good! imo at least)

3. steal some processes from other artists, then mix it with your own. it helps in experimenting and building your own style that you find comfortable to do! but you dont really have to find a specific style, you can draw inconsistently, if that's what makes you enjoy art! dont pressure yourself in finding a style, take your time! it even took me almost a decade to find mine (yes i just found a style im satisfied with recently that i can actually make consistently TT)

4. for rendering, im not confident in giving tips regarding it yet, because im still struggling with lighting and such. but im willing to share my process next time with images! just ask again if youre interested ^^

5. the most important part, have fun with the process! this sounds cliche, but to me this is what my goal is currently. i used to enjoy making them so much when i started, so im doing my best to feel happy with the process again, not only focusing on the result! also i believe in [happy process = good result] hehe

my bad im not good with words and im currently sick so i hope what i said is still understandable >w<;;

goodluck with your art journey, anon! <3

[polysyndetonaddictsupportgroup]

for the writer asks!

🌻💌💫

🌻what makes you want to give up on writing? what makes you keep going?

i don't know if anything could actually make me give up on writing. i love it too much. the thing that makes me keep going is the writing itself. like, legitimately, when i feel myself getting to stressed and overwhelmed at like, life and my Actual Professional Job and shit, I take an afternoon off to write and it's legitimately like a pressure valve is released. It makes me happy in a way that nothing else really does, so I don't think I could ever give it up.

that being said, at risk of sounding like an old geezer shaking their first at kids on their lawn, i've seen a kind of devaluation of writing and literature recently that makes me a bit discouraged at times.

mandatory disclaimer: i do think that people have always been people and that we've been doing shit just like what i'm complaining about forever, it's just that the internet makes it easier to see, so i don't think anything is like, a product of today. people do the same things they've always done. I also do want to say that due to the nature of the ask that this is all way too broad of a criticism and that an actual discussion of literary criticism and writing today would require way more detail and nuance.

that being said, i think that a lot of current trends in fandom that i see just sort of devalues writing, literature, and literary criticism as an enterprise.

there's this weirdly puritanical insistence of analyzing all written work in a primarily moralistic framework, which i think is often just toxic to actual meaningful literary analysis. and we're back to book banning now and defunding public libraries, so it's really going to shit. there's a big devaluation of older literature nowadays, and reading comprehension of a lot of the books being critiqued in those respects is at times, nonexistent.

there's a lot of mob mentality. i've watched a lot of really amazing writers get attacked or driven off entirely based on some pretty baseless critiques of their writing--and like. this is something that I personally find to be one of the most disheartening things? I've seen multiple amazing queer artists get harassed because they didn't like, submit their Queer Card for the perusal of grown adults on the internet before writing the very kinds of stories those people want. and I think that it becomes very worrisome when there's a lot of people who have decided to judge written work not by it's actual content but rather by like, demanding the intimate personal details of the artist that no one is entitled to.

and i think that there's just a real devaluation of just writing as an art in general? I've seen a lot of analyses of fictional works that are like "the story is bad because the writer didn't do X." And I'm reading it like "huh. yeah you just wanted it to be a different story entirely. like, that's not a problem with the original story, it's just that you'd rather be reading a different story to begin with." Everyone's out here trying to be an amateur english professor--and like, I want to be clear, there's nothing wrong with amateur literary analysis. It's fun. I do amateur literary analysis. But a lot of what I see keeps getting tangled up in this weird drive to frame everything in primarily moralistic terms, and I think it's weird that the majority of fandom analyses or breakdown that I see tend to be discourse about whether some writing decision was Morally Right or Wrong. And that's not to say it's all the analysis that I see online--it's just common. Like, I'm still seeing the ace jon discourse on my dash in this the year of our lord 2023 and it's kind of weird to me that a lot of media appreciation on the internet is just us beating each over the head with rocks so we can claim the high ground. Dont get me wrong--sometimes there is a moral issue to be discussed, I just don't think it's nearly as often as a lot of fandom seems to think it is.

All of these things i'm referencing are very vague and non-specific, and none of them can be effective critiques without a more nuanced discussion, so I'm not certain I said anything of tangible merit in the past five paragraphs. and I do want to say that there's a parallel conversation about the very necessary role that critical analysis and examination for biases and harmful stereotypes, including in a moral framework, plays in our engagement with literature--it's just not one that really answers this question, so i won't subject you to it.

none of this really discourages me from writing so much as discourage me from being a writer. Like--I only dump my fan fiction on this tumblr, but I've got purely original works too. I've loved writing for almost a decade now, and I always dreamed of doing it professionally. but i also really love law and am fulfilled by it, and sometimes i wonder if i want to go through the potential hassle of publishing or if i just want to keep my stories for myself. I mean, i probably would still if i ever get that opportunity, but i also probably would chuck my phone into the sea if i ever made anything moderately popular

💌share something with us about an up-and-coming work (WIP) that has you excited!

there's a time loop TMA AU that I'm kind of looking to publish once I clear a few stories off my docket. It's much shorter and more artsy than nhthcth, which is part of why i'm considering writing and releasing it, because nhthcth is a fucking BEAST of a story and while kintsugi itself is much shorter, the series is Many Parts, so that's also gonna be around for a while.

i'm excited for it because it hits that kind of perfect balance of being very sad and wistful while still getting a decently happy ending. like, you get all those fun angsty emotions and there's still loss but it's still happy in the end.

💫what is your favorite kind of comment/feedback?

i answered that here and usually i try to come up with a different answer when i get duplicates but i feel like the nature of having a favorite means I can only have one

[theoneandonlyneonleon]

Something I learned

I've been drawing for a long time. It's a big part of who I am, being known as 'the art kid'. Drawing is something I really enjoy, and its a good distressed for me!

But recently (circa mid 2023), it became something that wasn't as enjoyable. I found myself even more stressed after drawing, upset that nothing was coming out right.

Ive been thinking about why I haven't been enjoying something that is such a big part of me. And then it hit me- I care too much about it. I spent all my time getting upset because i can't produce beautiful full body rendered works of art like other artists that I constantly felt like nothing I made was good.

Which also sort of explains my constant switching between different art styles. I kept trying to mimic the art styles of other artists.

I think what it took to finally enjoy art again was to stop caring. Stop expecting perfection. To stop making it about what other people would like. Art is supposed to be fun, and once I stopped making it about pleasing others, it was fun again.

I actually felt like drawing regularly and wasn't constantly afraid of messing up.

And that's important.

Your art is for you. Dont worry about pleasing everyone else.

If you're not having fun you're not doing it right!!

Art comparison below the cut

My art when I cared:

This art makes me sad :[ it wasn't fun to make and I hated it (this one does not spark joy

My art after I stopped caring:

I enjoyed making this art! Its much more relaxed since there are no pressure or expectations to make a perfect masterpiece :] Looking at these make me happy (this one sparks joy)

[goremet-chef]

DREADFUL so dreadful but the only step is to just reach forward. like all i need to do is pick up my pen but i cant. wish i could tho

art will always be my passion, even if it bothers me sometimes. its all ive ever been good at, fantastic outlet for creativity and emotional buildup but i just. sometimes i cant move and i dont know why and its literally inches away from me but i can hardly move forward yknow? im fine physically, but mentally its like this huge step that seems so intimidating

i feel like i live off of outcomes and when the outcome isnt certain my brain goes haywire and holds me in place until the outcome can settle. but? this outcome IS the same. its so easy, ive done it before. reach and grab, draw what yr dying to draw

im drowning myself in lethal company things im so excited and im . all my minecraft ocs and my sotf ocs like i have so much i need to make and just.. no will to do it. but i want to! want to more than anything. id feel better if i did, which is true i would feel better. when it builds up inside you its OVERWHELMING like insanely so. i can get it out and free myself if i just DO it but theres always this barrier between what i want and what i actually do yknow? very lame

yknow art is my passion even if it hurts me sometimes it makes me very happy and i like to create, everyone likes to create. i like to see what i can do, like to bring all these buzzing thoughts to reality. can hardly hold onto them long enough to do that but i try at least. sometimes i feel really really unreliable and i dont know why?

i dont do commissions anymore, i pretty much ONLY draw for myself. who are you disappointing? who do you THINK yr disappointing? no one even remembers all the times you say "im drawing this 😼", YOU dont even remember all the times you say that. theres no pressure, you can do it whenever you want, it doesnt make you worse or anything. art is for you, you'll get to it when you can

yes :] i think i probably will. im just trying to make myself feel better honestly its something that eats at me and i dont know why?

its like some HORRIBLE combination of impostor syndrome and bpd fears like "oh no im not good enough!!! i need to provide i need to create for others to consume to prove im worthy" and then when i DO create, when too many people like it its.. i feel like ive conned them, surely i didnt make something that good, i must have faked it somehow and the attention is undeserved

SHIT LIKE THAT honest to god all my mento illnesses come together and hold hands like some really fucked up version of the power rangers. all of them collide in the WORST ways possible its. what is bro doing in there !!!! seriously its actually comically tragic but i live in spite this, i probably always will live in spite of it. sometimes im like wow lets let everything wash over and give up, this hell isnt worth it. but isnt it? back and forth black and white, world is ending world is beautiful type shit. when it feels over i just try to remember all that stuff that and it forces me to remember that there is no giving up on this, wouldnt give it up for the world. its mine and ill keep it

as i was saying tho, i feel so much happier drawing when i try to keep it out of mind. like yes, of course i love the attention. who doesnt? but i used to be INCREDIBLY numbers driven for like. hefty chunk of my art history. like little 11 yr old me breaking coppa on dA had so much fun just drawing hot garbage and sharing it and it never got like any likes but i didnt even CARE i just. to be able to create and share is the best part of all

i wish i was like him again. im not that boy, not anymore, but i remember him and i keep him close. all that cringe bullshit and i was having so much fun

ill give myself some credit yknow. im an adult, money is a necessity in this world. art becomes more of a chore and something i feel pressured on because logically its the only thing i can DO right to make a quick buck like. its the one thing i know i can do. but having my passion turn into something like that? dreadful

sometimes you cant avoid it, i just have to do my best to look past it and recognize that beneath all that shit. theres something in me that needs to draw, the same thing that forces me to carry sketchbooks and pencils with me wherever i go, even if i never use them. just this lingering presence that screams at me and tells me that i will create. i will! i will create

[actuallytalldumbass]

Yeah that's something I'm sure most (if not all) people struggle with. I got back into drawing as a hobby like 3 months ago and let me tell you. It's amazing. I feel so fucking happy because of it and it gives me something to look forward to and work on instead of doomscroling and then blaming myself for wasting so much time.

For me one of the big blocks is, well, drawing in a sketchbook. There's this belief that they're supposed to be beautiful and full of amazing art, but that's such bullshit. Those are called art books. Sketchbooks are for sketches. For the ideas, the quick thumbnails, doodles, mistakes and lots of trials and errors. You might want to start drawing in a random notebook (or loose paper) instead of your sketchbook. For me it really takes the pressure off and I dont focus on making everything perfect anymore. Just choose some notebook, clean paper, dotted, ruled or grid. Whatever you like. You can decorate it a bit (but not too much/ in a way that will make you intimidated to use it!!) And just let loose. Starting is a hard part to get through, but one you finally do it, it will get easier.

And if you mess up, dont rip away the page or scribble on it. Just go to the next one and start over (I personally add little notes like 'not really what I was looking for :/' or 'kinda shit but whatever', so that whoever sees those can read the notes and think "oh okay, guess it wasn't his best work")(even tho literally no one sees those sketches💀 but whatever, it makes me feel better and more comfortable)

There are also some very important things you have to remember. And it goes for a lot of other things too! Not only drawing (or writing).

1. You're most likely criticizing yourself too harshly (belive me. That 'shaky' line is fine. And you don't have to erase and redraw the whole thing. It might be a good idea to just cover it up with some paint (but make sure it's still at least partly see through)(if you're drawing traditionally) or just change the colour of the sketch and lover the opacity of the layer (if you're doing it digitally) and start drawing over it! (on a different layer ofc)

2. Don't think about what others think about your work. Don't think 'but what if they won't like it?' Let them. The most important thing is that you had fun making it and that you're happy with what you did.

And definitely don't compare yourself too much to other people's works. We live in a time where it's so effortless to see what others and doing that we get overwhelmed with content, works and ideas of other people. It's easy to loose yourself in all of that.

3. You might want to try out other media/materials if you're stuck in one place. (Change is difficult! But can be nice) It can be very refreshing to draw your idea using different materials (even if you might not feel super confident in them)

4. I beg you. Dont push yourself too much. Take breaks. (Seriously) Once you begin something you get used to the way it looks and it's so easy to notice all the little mistakes (that might not even actually be there) (I once spend like an hour trying to draw a shape only to look at it the next day and think "wtf was I on last night? It's literally fine and how I wanted it to look." XD)

And the last one, that gives me a lot of motivation :)

5. There's always someone that wants to see your work.

No matter how shit you might think it is. No matter how much better it looked inside your head. There is someone that will look at what you made and it will cause them so much joy. Its honestly fantastic. The times I made smth that I wasn't super happy with but decited to still post it/ show it to someone and they loved it is bizarre to me. There will be someone that will see your work and think "i wish i could draw/write/whatever like that." All while you were looking at someone else's work and thinking the same thing.

STAY MOTIVATED AND KEEP GOING!! I'm sure you'll get out of the pain that's an art block and will make so many things you'll like

(You'll make it out. You always do in the end.)

idk how to get back into drawing i think about it everyday and when i manage to pull my sketchbook out i just stare at the blank pages

[tomatoart]

mwah your art is good and nice :>

can I ask for some advice? no worries if u don't want to answer.

do you have any tips on how exactly to practice art? everytime I ask for art advice everyone always says "practice" but idk what to practice first! do you have any strategies for learning how to draw something? do you do excercises? and if so how do they work?and are there any beginner mistakes I should look out for and change specifically?

thank you so much!! have a wonderful week :>

thank you so much! im ok w answering! i dont want to speak as if i am an expert on how to draw things in general as i am learning as well and definitely am not completely learned, so i might not be the best person to ask since im not very professional w my art as I do it as a hobby (and I can only speak on mostly digital cartoon matters) but i reallly hope to try and help u out even a lil ! im really happy that you’re eager to draw :] I wish you so much luck muwah muwah

i also hated when ppl told me “just practice” and i dont wanna inflict tht on u EITHER LOL but also thats just what i ended up doing for awhile but i tried to find some things to help ^_^

tips for practice: My number one rule is that practices should be challenging but still fun, I know it can get frustrating trying to redraw a pose over and over trying to get it perfect. And over time it rlly is all about muscle memory, the longer you draw the more your eyes will pick out specific shapes in everyday life and convert them into its own vision of them! or at least its good to look at life that way, try to pin point key shapes and stress less on details in practices. after you look at key points, THEN you can go over what you have and draw in and over it to make it more “complete.” To stop practices from getting too stressful I recommend starting out drawing what you want a little more simple looking than ur desired finished product. This helps eliminate the pressure of everything not looking “perfect” and keeps your art more loose and fun. Doing this a few times is gonna get ur brain to recognize patterns in art and how things look/flow in anatomy and such. dont get stuck in ur own head abt perfecting everything to the point you either 1) give up bc ur not at a level capable of it being 100% “perfect” or 2) focus so much on making it perfect that you end up saying the work looks “wonky” or stale in dynamics, So while I do think studies help, don’t get too lost in them. I always practice with media I enjoy too, whether it’s characters or fashion I enjoy.

Strategies learning to draw something: people get mad abt this one but I think tracing reference photos is great. its been awhile but When I tried learning to draw hands better at first I would trace them then put the traced image to the side of the canvas, then try and replicate what my mind saw as its most important angles and aspects. Same for clothing folds/hair/etc! I think it’s maybe not the best idea to trace the ref and use the tracings as is, because you learn more from tracing it then trying to replicate and simplify what u learned into the style you’re working in. Find what shapes you like from them and don’t over detail it. you may have to go by eye and think “what parts of this ref photo should i simplify to fit my style” and for me, its usually adjusting the length of the torso and then the limbs by associations. i dont recommend feeling like u need a reference for every art you make though, its ok to let ur own head try out its own sometimes too while trying to learn this, see if it remembers any call bad from the past referenced sketches! over time ull remember where everything goes more, these days i rarely kick myself to use refs but im sure they still would help to use, but figure drawing simple blobby figure in a bunch of random poses was a big thing i used to do as well to get better at full body art + overall dynamics (still does this). also paying attention to silhouettes is great 

Exercises and how they work: I WANNA HELP U SO BAD BUT to be honest, all the works on my blog ARE exercises! i rarely actually do finished pieces, if u scroll thru my posts ull notice most r sketches. i usually just fill up a page and call it “warm ups” then i get attached to some of them, take a few, and just line them up pleasingly on a smaller page, then color them in (or sometimes fix the lines to be more clean too). im not rlly a person who “exercises” to practice, it more so happens from just me drawing a lot for fun as a hobby! but i really should. i will tell u this has humbled me a lil i need to start practicing too 😭 LOL but a good exercise is to look at what ur inspirations do, and study it. Make a collage and write out what you like most abt their styles/what u want to gain from them. For ref Here’s a page I did awhile ago when someone asked me abt my insps:

i also look at fashion magazines and as well as anime figures and take insps from that sometimes with learning cool poses and compositions to convert into my own things

Beginner mistakes to look out for: its hard for me to pin point “mistakes” beginners make, as sometimes we cant avoid all of them or even notice them, progress comes from growing out of old ways. some mistakes are even the foundation of ur future amazing cool style! but i think some things to look out for could be these, from my own old art experiences

Hands were the first thing I learned bc i liked drawing them. I don’t know if that is the best way to go but I think it is smart to practice sooner than later, here is a lil guide thingggyyy wingyyy from awhle ago

i see beginners shy away from drawing signs of age in people, sometimes adding too much detail on an older person in cartoon art makes it look weird, so i try and hit the key markings on ppls faces of age.

Too thin of lines. sometimes its a stylistic choice to use thin lineart, and it can look amazing ! but sometimes it can flatten an image if ur not familiar with its flow. im not saying use thick line art, but more so to keep in mind the weight of ur strokes, adding depth with a thick thin combo of line art can do SO much for the simplest of pieces. heres a visual from a while back when i talked abt my brush + more abt lines:

but if ur desired style is thin lineart that is cool too! tbh it was just harder for me as a beginner

sometimes artists think they need to do full lineart for everything and then hate how it looks compared to the sketch, do not fear i will introduce u to my bff: painting over a sketch, extractinging the lines, then calling it line art. i only do this sometimes but its a fun exercise-ish thing to do in a pinch. example:

finding what shading fits ur art. sometimes ill see ppl starting out who have a style thats very simple, but they use a very detailed rendering process on it. this is not something id ever police of course, art is each persons own choice! And it CAN work. It can be so cute! but sometimes mixing two very contrasting mediums of art can throw off the “put together” look of it. i use to abuse the airbrush tool thinking it made my simple style look super cool and detailed, but looking back on it now those pieces looked a little off, having such a simple style have somewhat more realistic shading. dont get me wrong the ability i see ppl use rendering like that is so insanely talented! but i found cellshading to be a good match for cartoony art like my own. a tip i learned way too late abt that is rather than shading each layer by color picking a darker color, instead use a clipping mask over the entire art (above line art too as I color my lineart) and lasso tool the areas u want shaded + fill it w a saturated purple then set to multiply + lower opacity. also, sometimes coloring can come out chalky looking when u meant for it to be smooth and transitional, i think this comes from overshading and overlighting pieces without reason. pay attention to where the light source is, and focus on making the shaded and lighter areas nice shapes that cover the necessary areas, then u can add additional shading to the smaller details of what should have a casted shadow/light  

its good to spice up ur art now rather than later, focusing making ur art pop more w backgrounds will help ur coloring skills look better too! i dont mean detailed huge backgrounds, a small lil color pallet and design rather than a blank white bg. like this will make u feel better abt it or at least it helped me *sweats* yeah:

beginners tend to draw blank faces like “:)” but I think a good thing to do is try and get silly with expressions early on. It’s okay if the mouth hangs off the face cartoonishly with joy or shock, it’s ok if the eyebrows are super high in surprise.

tracing and pasting it as is (already said this but I’ve seen ppl do it a lot with hair styles and it makes it look alienated from the rest of the style) (final fantasy fans found critically injured) n if need a ref for a pose, using a real humans anatomy as-is doesn’t look quite right on a cartoonyish drawing. Shortening torso and legs usually comes out of this for me!

flip ur canvas i promise u it’ll be less embarrassing over time!

using guidelines for perspective and foreshortening is GREAT. Do it stylistically rather than realistically to add some groove to it...yay. Having silly perspective in art can make it look like a 10 so easily opposed to a normal front facing sketch. Look at cool poses from fashion magazines! Don’t be scared to draw something you don’t feel confident in conveying perfectly, this is why progress redraws exist :)

Drawing the hairline b4 u draw the hair is great, it helps u understand where their hair flows from, where it starts and stops, AND prepares u for drawing bald ppl. Also don’t make the head too big, the skull IS bigger up top, but sometimes I see an alien head affect.

Anatomy is an interesting mistake that beginners make a lot, but it’s one they find harder to notice! When I started out, all my art would be SO wonky, but I didn’t even realize it! It still happens today too! specifically though I see beginners struggle with the arms in this department. My advice is to try and measure them out and make sure they don’t go past the knees, and are the same length as each other when Unfolded. asking for criticism is hard but it helped me realize when i would make something bigger/longer than it should have been in my art, and stuck with me being able to go “oh... i see it LOL” 

clothing wrinkles- do not over do it! Too many wrinkles and shading can look unpleasant and wirey- like a plastic table cloth all bunched up which isn’t exactly what ppl wear. pay attention to gravity too

I hope this helped even a lil im sorry tht I’m not very good at explaining or didn’t have much to sayyy! If u have any troubles no guarantee I’ll have the answer, but ur always free to ask!

[plushievash]

4:02 am questions: all prime numbers

oh thats a fun way to do it putting it under a readmore so its not too long <3

2. Do you mourn for a place or person you’ve never known? yeah, occasionally, when i think too hard abt it i mourn the person i couldve been if i wasnt u kno...

3. Do you really think there is somebody for everybody? yes! multiple people even! <3

5. Do you have to be related to be family? of course not! <3 just a few of my best friends ive never met irl that i consider family are renee, emry, n eli <3<3

7. Are you in love? Do you want to be? i think so yes

11. Would you change your appearance if you could? i can and i will >:) im making myself into who ive always been! isnt that great? <3

13 - answered!

17. Did you have imaginary friends? Do you still have them? i dont think so unless u count plushies ?

19. If you aren’t religious, do you wish you were? Why? im not anymore...sometimes i wish i was because i felt like i owed that to my lolo and lola (though they never pressured me into it.. i just felt like it could be a way to honour them)

23. Is love about convenience or something more? Can it be about both? i dont know what it means abt convenience so.. something more!! love is the way u get excited abt ur fave things; love is ur friends sharing their fave things w u; ect ect !! <3 love is everywhere bestie <3 maybe corny as hell but im tired of being embarrassed and depressed !! theres so much love in everything and its nice to think abt :) !

29. Do you believe in some form of god/s? no? i dont like to think abt it too hard

31. Do you have a hunch about how you’re going to die? i believe im meant to drown as irrational or insane as that might sound i always had a feeling i was meant to drown.. even when i was little if i started to drown i wouldnt freak out because i just ? trusted the water ? deciding it was my time to go ? but when i get extremely paranoid im afraid i will be hit by a car or killed by a random act of violence

37. Do opposites attract? magnets! yes :) ok ok sorry. maybe. idk w/e lol

41. What fundamentally matters do you? money fun and my besties <3

43. Do you create art? How do you define art? WELL. yes <3 i do my funnie little drawings :) how do u define art? who give a shit <3

47. Do you have to suffer to truly understand the human condition? What is the human condition? How can you really experience it? there will always be suffering in life but thats not all it is

53. Which beliefs do you have that is most likely to be wrong? nothing. i know everything so jot that down. <3

59. What do you think the next era of music will be like? i dont know bestie... i listen to the same songs on repeat for years on end </3 penis music.

61. Do we live in tumultuous times, or do they just seem so strange because we’re living in them? oh it is very tumultuous times

67. What’s the worse thing a person can be? abuser obvs

71. Would your life make a good play? yes im the most interesting person in the world hope this helps <3 it has to be a musical

73. Would you fight for your country? Do you feel a sense of loyalty to your nation? AS FUCKING IF LMFAOOOOOO

79. When you are sad, do you listen to music that conveys your emotions or music that makes you happy? sad music my beloved <3

83. Given the chance to live your life on Mars, with no hope of returning to Earth but with the promise of scientific discovery and glory, would you take it? yaes... i want to get killed in space seems fun

89. If you lost all your memories, would you have the same personality? losing ALL my memories is something that freaks me out so much i have such a huge paranoia abt it i do not want to think abt it

97. Are you overly analytical? perhaps but my thoughts and my brain is sexy so its ok :) (bonus fact 97 is my fave number)

[hanymelon]

Hi! Your art is *chef's kiss* and the ways you draw Mammon solo or with your MC are super cute and I love the way you detail his blushes and expressions so much. I get excited everytime I see you post a new drawing 💕

I was wondering if you had any tips for a beginner artist on, like, anatomy or just starting off in general? I usually just write and stick to that for OM, but some ideas feel like they should be drawn. I get confused with where I should start practicing and usually just drop the idea altogether.

Sorry if that put you on the spot or anything, don't feel bad if you don't wanna answer. I also really just wanted to gush about your art and ty for drawing so much good stuff!

Hi! Awwh thank you so much! ;v; Im so happy you get like my art enough to say that <333 💕💕💕 I know what you mean about getting ideas that feel like they should be drawn. Sometimes i get ideas that i think would be better done in writing. If you wanna share what you've written, id love to give them a read :)) No pressure tho! Ah, i get excited when someone is starting to pick up drawing. It can be challenging but super rewarding. Before i give specific tips, firstly I'd say if you are just starting out, have fun with it and dont stress too much about the technicalities. If you get too caught up with how something doesn't look right or how your anatomy is wonky, you'll bog yourself down and end up not creating at all which is sad :( In the end, its really about getting your ideas down on paper and it shouldn’t be something too too stressful since youre doing it for fun anyway! I have to remind myself that no one is holding me at gunpoint and forcing me to create drawings with perfect anatomy or proportions, im still learning! And thats okay!

[More under the cut bc this got kinda long!]

With that out of the way, here are some tips you can hopefully use. Im not that great at anatomy either, but what helps me a lot is references. Its pretty typical advice, but it really helps me understand form and what the human body can and cant do. like can the arm twist that way? Idk, look up a reference. Although it is the best way, sometimes its really overwhelming to look at actual pictures of humans and trying to translate that to a cartoony anime-ish drawing so you can start out by referencing anime (or cartoons) instead. When i was starting out i used to do little studies on styles that i liked. That can help a lot with seeing how artists you like draw certain things. For example how they make the arms and legs not look stiff, the specific curves they use for the waist, the folds in the clothes, etc etc. (Goes without saying here, but just don't upload your studies or copied drawings on the internet and claim it as your own and you're all good) I’d insert pictures of my own studies but i dont have them with me where i am rn so i cant do that unfortunately sorry! So lets say you have this super specific pose in mind and you cant find a reference for it or youre just too lazy to sort through hundreds of pictures on google or pinterest to find that one perfect ref img. You can just pose and take a picture of yourself. i do this a lot and sometimes get my friends (who are also art students so that makes things easier haha) to help if i need it. If you really dont want to do that tho, something i also do a lot is to do the pose while drawing it. Feeling and seeing where my body naturally leans and where body parts are relative to each other in a certain pose really helps. for example if im drawing someone waving, how far away is the hand from the head, should the elbow be out or close to the body, how long should the forearm be etc etc. Yknow the thing where you make the same expression as the character you're drawing? The way you kinda feel the way its supposed to look? Yeah its like that but for poses fjsv i hope this makes sense. Personally im not a big believer of the "Draw everyday!! Even when you dont feel like it!!" advice. But If youre really enjoying what you do, youd wanna be doing it every day anyway. And the more you draw, the more comfortable itll become and the more things will kind of make sense when you notice patterns as you practice. I guess what im trynna say is make the practice fun and not feel like a bother so you'd wanna do it more and in turn improve more. Its a cycle haha.  Im not the most qualified to give advice but i hope this helped a bit? There are plenty of sources on the interwebs that are very useful and can probably help you a lot. I hope you keep drawing anon! Tldr; Draw what you want, use references, strike the pose and feel your body, make practice fun (whatever that might mean for you), the more you do it the better you’ll get