#graphic design is neither my talent nor my passion so sorry about this | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

potter-art · 7 years ago

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How long have you been drawing digitally? Your talent is insane and I really have no idea how you’re 18 and and are so so so so fucking good at everything you draw.

Thank you so much for asking, Anon!

I hope you don’t mind that I took your ask and turned it into an entire digital art journey?

Good.

(This turned out a little longer than expected)

Now I feel like I should mention that most of my drawing progress was made with traditional mediums. I started really getting into art (and actually practicing) around 2009 / 2010 (age 10/11 y/o).

I wish I could show you pictures of that, but they’re at my parent’s place and I didn’t have social media back then, so they aren’t uploaded anywhere (thank God)

I did find something from 2012 though! (And I already did a redraw of it! Yay!)

(Why did they all look like hedgehogs wtf)

Anyways, you asked about digital art, so here we go!

I got my first graphic tablet for Christmas in 2012 (I was 13 at the time). I was drawing with Photoshop 2 on a Windows 98 PC, so you can imagine how well that went. Sadly the very few drawings I did back then mostly got lost when I got my new PC bc the old one kept crashing at random times.

These are from around April 2013 (I was 14 at the time) and ALL of them are referenced. I’m sorry for not being able to credit whomever I referenced this from, but I really don’t remember. It’s been too long.

All of them are original characters I designed / drew for friends!

This one’s also from that time, though not as referenced

*shudders* yea, that’s more like it.

(To see more read below the cut!)

The next one’s from October 2013 (and really heavily referenced from another fandom artist, sorry!)

And then I decided that digital art was not my thing (it took me nearly a week to finish each of the larger drawings, and it was really frustrating. My digital abilities were just not up to par with my traditional art and I was an impatient little fuck back then) So I just. Stopped. Didn’t touch my tablet again until…

January 2015!

I finally got a new drawing program (Clip Studio Paint instead of Photoshop Elements) which made things a little easier.

I did a redrawing of the “Ender-Girl” from 2013 as a birthday present for a friend. The new one was NOT REFERENCED!! Yay!

Much happier with how it turned out, but still not close to my traditional art, so the digital drawings became sporadic things inbetween and thus, I didn’t really improve.

Flash forward to Christmas 2016! (One year ago, we’re getting closer!)

I got my Microsoft Surface Book for christmas and that’s when I r e a l l y started working digitally. Drawing directly on the screen made a huge difference for me personally and digital became much more fun. So I also precticed more!

This one’s from the beginning of January 2017 (by now I’m 18 y/o), no references used, the first proper digital drawing on my Surface.

Also made a re-draw of one of my oldest pieces, the Seto drawing from 2013:

And then I re-discovered the joys of coloring my traditional sketches digitally!

Still really proud of that one.

Then came my A-Levels (studying, ugh) and afterwards, around June 2017, getting rejected from art university, so I didn’t really draw much anymore, neither digitally nor traditionally. Basically one huge art block.

That lasted till September 2017, which is when I created a new Tumblr blog and decided to re-awaken an old passion of mine: Harry Potter.

(Yes, I’m talking about this very blog)

Since then I’ve been drawing more digital stuff than ever before! (Partly got the Color Palette Challenge to thank for that)

I can’t possibly put all of them here, so you can either go to this link for all of my drawings or this one for the Color Palette drawings!

But here are some of my favourites from each month.

On a side note, this account has its three month anniversary *drumroll please* today!!

So yea, with that being said, I’m more than excited to see where this journey will take me.

And I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank all 2,638 of you for your incredible support!!

I haven’t been this motivated to draw in ages. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you! You’re incredible.

And apologies to you, Anon, I could’ve just said “I started around 2013″, but where would be the fun in that?

(During Christmas break I’ll most likely do a traditional art improvement too, including drawings from when I was, like, three bc my parents are awesome and still have most of that. So stay tuned!)

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aish-rai · 8 years ago

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Oscars 2017: In Review

Oscar time is here again!

Once again, I’ve watched all the films in the Best Picture, Best Director, and major acting categories. I’m not one for long reviews, so I’ve broken it down into mini reviews that will hopefully help you decide who to root for tonight...or not. Who cares. This is Trump’s America, we’re all on our way out anyway. Jkjk.

So, without further ado....

Arrival

This is, by far, my favorite of all the Best Picture nominees. This year, the debate has been about the importance of certain films...the message a film sends, what place it holds in our society. On the surface, a film centered around an alien invasion doesn’t seem as though it would merit much surface importance. But in times of increasing globalism, followed by xenophobia and an overall intolerance for things and people we don’t understand, Arrival highlights the importance of communication, patience, mutual cooperation, and an open mind. At the heart of it, it’s an incredibly personal story about the relationships we form and the decisions we make: what choices would dictate your life if you knew what the outcome would be? What’s the value of the journey versus the destination? Arrival asks us all these questions, but protagonist Louise Banks (a linguist, which it turns out is a SUPER FUCKING COOL job) only answers for herself. The rest of the film is a reflection on humanity, and in times like these, I think that’s just as important as any other “message” film.

Moonlight

Don’t misunderstand me: this is a story for everybody. We can all get something out of it. But it’s a particularly important, incredibly personal story about black masculinity, sexuality, and identity in an environment of poverty and desperation. A queer black man will certainly connect more to this movie than me, a straight white woman. However, with that being said, I still consider this a near-perfect movie. It is in no way inaccessible to the rest of the audience. The way the film has been broken down into three stages of Chiron’s journey to self-discovery allows the story to unfold perfectly. The first third sends the message, “You don’t have to know who you are yet.” By the end, it asks, “Who are you? Have you figured it out yet?” And everything in between is beautiful. The three actors who play Chiron (Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, and Trevante Rhodes) are revelations. The fact that the kid from Manchester by the Sea pulled a nomination but Ashton Sanders didn’t is straight up offensive to my sensibilities, tbh. But Mahershala Ali is the real heart of the film as Juan, a local drug dealer who takes Chiron under his wing. His time in the film is brief, but he leaves an overwhelming impression. Also keep a look out for a magnificent performance by Naomie Harris as Chiron’s mother, as well as a color palette that quite frankly took my breath away. This is a film that sends a social message, yes, but it’s also a beautiful story of a personal journey and one that needed to be told.

La La Land

This film has been the frontrunner for quite awhile now, and as all frontrunners do, it has garnered quite a bit of criticism. Aside from just being the frontrunner, I feel like a lot of the criticism stems from the fact that it’s a happy, upbeat film in a year of otherwise somber stories. For some reason, we devalue the importance of joy in our films. I have to be grateful for the criticism, though, because the first time I saw LLL, I only “liked” it. Upon rewatching it, I’ve grown to love it. There’s so much more to it than “white man saves jazz”. That completely disregards the themes of nostalgia, the way the characters hold on to the past and hold themselves back. It’s very much a film that pays tribute to the American musical, while still managing to subvert many of its tropes and modernize the genre. The choice to have two lead actors who are neither singers nor dancers was a great one, in my opinion. Mia and Sebastian are two normal people, not extraordinarily talented but extraordinarily passionate about what they do. And without giving too much away, the ending, while polarizing, was perfect for me. The final montage alone makes it worthy of the praise it’s receiving. Ryan Gosling is good, but perhaps not Best Actor material here (I would have much rather he had been nominated for The Nice Guys). But he’s the perfect foil for Emma Stone, and it’s really her film. The Oscar is hers to lose at this point, and I know that bothers a lot of people, but again, they’re really devaluing the work that went into her character. Not everyone could have done what she did with this role. She nails the comedy, the melodrama, the understated moments, and the big musical ones as well. And really, the film itself is just a technical triumph (which, no shit Sherlock, is how it managed to get so many nominations...so stop whining). The cinematography and the production design are breathtaking, and something we haven’t seen on screen in a very long time. And honestly? Fuck it, we need some joy in this joyless time. Stop fighting it. Singing and dancing doesn’t make it frivolous, but it does reveal how short-sighted some people are when it comes to films.

Lion

First of all, if Sunny Pawar goes missing, don’t look at me. It’s not my fault he’s so goddamn adorable. He stars as young Saroo in the first half of Lion, which tracks a little boy who finds himself aboard a non-passenger train headed across India. He ends up in Calcutta, unable to speak the language or tell local authorities where he’s from. He’s eventually adopted by an Australian family, and grows up in a loving home. But as an adult, he struggles to piece together his journey and find his way back home. This movie will definitely reduce you to a puddle of tears, so keep some tissues handy. However, I did have some issues with it: mainly, the tonal difference between the first half (which I loved), and the second half, which felt weirdly cerebral, until it reverted back to tear-jerking melodrama at the very end. And when given the choice between the melodramatic and the cerebral, I will choose melodrama every time. Despite that, I will say Dev did a great job with portraying adult Saroo’s struggles, his wrestling with his identity and his privilege, his being torn between two lives and two families. Nicole Kidman is also spectacular as Saroo’s mother, and it’s a bit of a pity she wasn’t given more screen time. The scene where she tells Saroo the story of how and why he was adopted is a standout.

Hidden Figures

This is one of those films that tells you an important fact about history that you wouldn’t have otherwise known, and you’re grateful to have been introduced to the story, but when you break it down it’s a bit of a paint-by-numbers film. Don’t get me wrong, it’s one of my favorite films of the year, and it has infinite repeat value. It makes you feel good, and as I said, we can’t underestimate the importance of movies that manage to do that. And Taraji, Octavia, and Janelle are amazing, both individually and as a threesome. But this is a movie for the audience, not for the Oscars. The women were pathbreaking; the film isn’t. But that’s okay! If you watch it, you will undoubtedly love it to pieces, but it’s up against stiff competition this year.

Hacksaw Ridge

On paper, the story (a true one) is beautiful. It’s about Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector who, despite refusing to take up arms or harm another man for religious reasons, becomes a WWII medic who saves countless lives. Andrew Garfield gives a lovely performance as Doss, who walks a fine line between goofiness, earnestness, and pure grit. The issue I had with this movie was a personal one: it’s obscenely gory, to the point where my stomach turned (and I’m not usually bothered by these things). The problem is that I can see why the gore was necessary...because hey, that’s war! People’s faces get blown off, they lose limbs, bodies are used as shields. You sort of have to see the graphic violence to understand how important it is that Doss never once picks up a rifle to defend himself. His commitment to peace and healing, juxtaposed against such a violent environment, is truly moving. But I just can’t deal with the level of gore, sorry. If you’re like me and you’re thinking about watching this film, I’d suggest fast-forwarding through the war scenes and focusing on the aftermath. It’s definitely worth watching, just...don’t be surprised if you have an urge to vomit at some point.

Manchester by the Sea

How many different adjectives are there for overrated? I’d heard so much about this film going into it, and perhaps expectation is the root of all disappointment, but all I could see were one-note performances slapped with the term “internalized” to justify them. Lucas Hedges is a serviceable young actor, but hardly the discovery of a lifetime. And then there’s Casey Affleck, who has one good scene in the whole film but is somehow still considered a frontrunner for the Best Actor Oscar. Michelle Williams as the protagonist’s ex-wife is good, but it’s certainly not her best and her competitors were better. The film is a misery fest, which would be fine if you didn’t spend the entirety of it waiting for one person to react to their situation like a normal human being instead of, you know, a sociopath. I think this is a case of confusing a very sad, very moving story with a good film/good performance. Casey’s character is extraordinary...his performance, however, is not.

Hell or High Water

I don’t have much to say about this movie. The premise is intriguing, it’s a bit of a modern day Bonnie and Clyde, and it does reflect upon the new American reality. But jfc, is it boring. Chris Pine gives a great performance, and I enjoyed the banter between Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham...but you can honestly skip this movie and lose out on nothing except the overwhelming feeling that you have dust in your shoes.

Fences

This movie could have been brilliant; it could have been the best of the year. It’s touching, it’s human, and it’s thought-provoking. Unfortunately, they forgot they were making a movie and chose to shoot it exactly like the play. That means that we pretty much never leave the characters’ backyard. It means that all Denzel Washington’s character does is TALK, and talk, and talk some more. And everyone knows that silences are just as important as dialogue. Denzel is fantastic here, but the choices he made as a director hurt the film. Thankfully, Viola Davis is here to save the day. Her confrontation scene alone is enough to warrant her the Oscar. It’s just a pity she’s in the wrong category.

Captain Fantastic

SO underrated! This movie gained no traction leading up to awards season, but it truly is something different onscreen, and you can rarely say that about any movie. Because you’ve probably never heard of it, I’ll quickly summarize: a radical father of six children living off the land is forced to return to society after his wife commits suicide and reflect upon the life he has built for his family. It sounds depressing, but it’s not at all. It’s genuinely moving, with moments of absolute hilarity. You will be laughing one minute, crying the next. Viggo Mortensen gives far and away the best performance among the male nominees, and it’s a shame that with the campaigning system, he’s not going to get any recognition for it.

Elle

I’m torn between wanting to rip this movie to fucking shreds, and not wanting to dignify it with too much ~discourse~. I’ll only say that it offended me deeply as a woman and as a sexual assault survivor, and it was not a story that needed to be told. The complexity of womanhood, of sexuality, and of responses to trauma are all worthy themes to explore...and Elle managed to do that it the worst way for it. Just because they’re speaking French and the story is edgy doesn’t make it any good. It’s absolute junk. and I love Isabelle Huppert, but she left me cold in this role and as much as I’d like to see her be recognized for her body of work, I’ll be really upset if this is the film that does it for her. This film deserves nothing. Au revoir, assholes.

Loving

This film tells a story we’re all vaguely familiar with, Loving vs. the State of Virginia, the landmark case that legalized interracial marriages on a federal level. What we don’t learn about is the people behind the case, the Lovings. Unfortunately, the execution of this film was a bit “Lifetime Movie of the Week” for my taste, but Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton give beautiful performances. If you want to see internalized done right, look to this film, not Manchester by the Sea. Ruth is luminescent onscreen, and is able to communicate so much with just her eyes and body language. The same goes for Joel, who was even more impressive and unfortunately got royally screwed out of an Oscar nomination. Watch it not because it’s pathbreaking cinema, but because it’s a piece of history that needed to be humanized.

Florence Foster Jenkins

Look, I am a sucker for movies about old people. I cried like a goddamn baby throughout this entire film, and I am not ashamed to admit it. There has been a lot of controversy over whether or not Meryl Streep deserved her nomination, and while I too would have liked to have seen Amy Adams get in for Arrival, I wouldn’t call Meryl undeserving. I think the truth is that every performance she gives is worthy, people just get a little tired of seeing her name on the nominations list. It’s become a case of, Well, how is she going to beat what she’s already done? And if you’re looking at it from that perspective, FFF isn’t going to be a cornerstone film in her cinematic journey. But she’s pretty amazing, as she is in everything she does, and I was really intrigued by her character (particularly her relationship with her husband, played by Hugh Grant). What I’m trying to say, I guess, is that people aren’t giving this movie a fair shake. It’s a bit silly at times, and a bit melodramatic, but it’s entertaining and it’s moving. I’d sit through FFF a hundred times before rewatching Hell or High Water, not sorry to say.

Jackie

It’s a good movie, with good direction, good staging, and good acting. So what’s wrong with it? I think what we can surmise is that it’s time to put Jackie Kennedy to rest, literally and figuratively. She’s too singular a person to be portrayed onscreen without the portrayal coming off as a caricature. Natalie Portman (whom I don’t normally care for) gave her all to this role, and still came off looking like Natalie Portman playing dress up as Jackie Kennedy. Jackie was a strange looking beauty with a strange sounding accent. You can dress up as many Hollywood brunettes in her iconic pink suit as you want, but they’re still not going to capture what was so remarkable about Jackie Kennedy. And as much as I love the Kennedys and am intrigued by their story...enough. We’ve seen all this before, multiple times. If you’re going to make a film on them, at least focus it on other members of the family. This particular time in history has been covered onscreen in abundance, and as an audience....we get it. It was terrible, it was sad, it was the death of American royalty, it was a standout moment in our history. Time to move on.

Nocturnal Animals

I’m a bit upset that this movie didn’t make it to the list of Best Picture nominees. Tom Ford is such an interesting director, and this was a strong followup to his beautiful debut, A Single Man. Michael Shannon managed to score a Best Supporting Actor nom, but I truly feel Jake Gyllenhaal was snubbed for a Lead Actor nom. His performance, and the film in general really, walked a fine line between stylization and gritty, violent realism. And the ending of the film is so understated, but still manages to deliver a kick in the gut. Don’t let the lack of Academy love keep you from giving this movie a chance, because it really was under-appreciated this year.

My personal choices:

Best Picture: Arrival or Moonlight

Best Director: Damien Chazelle for La La Land

Best Actor: Viggo Mortensen for Captain Fantastic

Best Actress: Emma Stone for La La Land

Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali for Moonlight

Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis for Fences

#bullet point review #Oscars 2017

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