#i had to study my own art style to figure out how i did it

[jesncin]

Hellblazer homework time! The fun thing about Hellblazer is that there's always so much rich visual motifs and interpretation to pull from. There's tons of references in this short comic, mostly from Hellblazer #40 and #100.

Thomas' "fate ruled the game" line is directly from #40, when Goldie is musing about his backstory and it's revealed that in his universe, Thomas was a kindly father (and has both his arms).

crumpled loser. Haha, but I do like this idea that even though the ghost twins didn't get a chance to grow up, they have habits and tendencies that transcend their little existences. Johnny smells of smoke and crumples in on himself, Goldie hums and sings. I see some people interpret John curled up as a reflection of the abuse he faced growing up, (that he's still the hurt little boy after all this time) so there's an echo of that in other realities.

YEAH THAT'S RIGHT I INTEGRATED THE STING ROLEPLAY

The grave panel is a direct reference to when Goldie meets "The Sickly Boy" John. In canon, the Golden Boy rejects the ghost of John Constantine even though he felt "a sudden rush of pity urged me to embrace and comfort him". In our version, he did spend his youth caring for his ghost twin, because that makes it so much more tragic when he eventually pushes him away when he's older.

I also echoed my own comic in the narration :3c. I like the idea of these two reflecting each other across lifetimes.

The forehead kiss panel from Golden Boy's auto bio monologue. I don't know why I keep finding how I re-draw Dave McKean's out-of-the-box mix media edgy art into my own middle grade style so funny. Especially since I studied that guy's art for a long time back in school.

The nightmare sequence! These panels are all callbacks to Hellblazer #100, an issue where John meets his dad in Hell and we get a bunch of flashbacks to their relationship as they argue with each other. The final panel of Goldie's nightmare references the frankly iconic-ly horrifying imagery of Thomas Constantine being hung by the coat hangers he forced his wife to have an abortion with.

[this is not how the panels look like in the actual comic, I've spliced them together to save space]

And here's the fight John has with his dad! I wanted to keep Thomas shrouded through the comic, so he's rendered more impressionistically in this sequence. I combined a couple of panels for when Thomas is shouting up the stairs at John.

So this is more of a holistic premise reference. My approach to the Golden Boy is to tweak these tiny instances of characterization we get to something more human and less unknowable. I kept the part where he's described to be a very precocious child, but twisted the line where he's described as having "eyes that read you like a book and knew your secret crime."

In our take, Goldie is haunted by what he doesn't know and scared of a secret truth he might be uncovering about his dad. The original quote that he's "finding the paths between lies and truth where others feared to tread" makes for a cool sounding hero- but maybe it's okay for Goldie to have been scared at first growing up. Maybe he dismisses his visions as a manifestation of his survivor's guilt before figuring out what he's looking into. It makes him feel a bit more real to me.

More for the premise! This whole fan comic is inspired by the continued motif of characters dreaming of other realities in the original Golden Boy arc. We see Zed telling Errol she had a dream of something that happens in Golden Boy's reality. In one other instance, the Golden Boy wakes up (from being presumed dead) speaking in his brother's voice. Which is incredibly funny to me.

So that's what I'm exploring in this comic! In a time when multiverse stories are over-saturated, and how the idea of "multiverse with horror sequences" was wasted in things like Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness, I really wanted to zero in on how scary seeing other realities could be.

Final panel! Just a subtle allusion to the coat hangers again.

Also I put John Constantine back in the closet like a proper homophobe.

The Golden Boy and the Other Thomas Constantine.

Fan comic exploring dead twins, survivor's guilt and Hellblazer characters dreaming of other realities.

[ghostfrog81]

Pretend it's mclennon monday because I forgot to post this for two days

[vetyr]

hi, i ireally love your work and i don't know if you've answered this before but, what kinds of studies do you do or how did you learn color theory? i wanna get better at rendering and anatomy but im having trouble TT TT

Hi! Long answer alert. Once a chatterbox, always a chatterbox.

When I started actively learning how to draw about 10 1/2 years ago, I exclusively did graphite studies in sketchbooks. Here's a few examples—I mostly stuck to doing line drawings to drill basic shapes/contours and proportions into my brain. The more rendered sketches helped me practice edge control & basic values, and they were REALLY good for learning the actual 3D structure behind what I was drawing.

I'd use reference images that I grabbed from fitness forums, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, and some NSFW places, but you could find adequate ref material from figure drawing sites like Line of Action. LoA has refs for people (you can filter by clothed/unclothed, age, & gender), animals, expressions, hands/feet, and a few other useful things as well. Love them.

Learning how to render digitally was a similar story; it helped a lot that I had a pretty strong foundation for value/anatomy going in. I basically didn't touch color at all for ~2 years (except for a few attempts at bad digital or acrylic paint studies), which may not have been the best idea. I learned color from a lot of trial and error, honestly, and I'm pretty sure this process involved a lot of imitation—there were a number of digital/traditional painters whose styles I really wanted to emulate (notably their edge control, color choices, value distributions, and shape design), so I kiiind of did a mixture of that + my own experimentation.

For example, I really found Benjamin Björklund's style appealing, especially his softened/lost edges & vibrant pops of saturated color, so here's a study I did from some photograph that I'm *pretty* sure was painted with him in mind.

Learning how to detail was definitely a slow process, and like all the aforementioned things (anatomy/color/edge control/values/etc.) I'm still figuring it out. Focusing on edge control first (that is, deciding on where to place hard/soft edges for emphasizing/de-emphasizing certain areas of the image) is super useful, because you can honestly fool a viewer into thinking there's more detail in a piece than there actually is if you're very economical about where you place your hard edges.

The most important part, to me, is probably just doing this stuff over and over again. You're likely not going to see improvement in a few weeks or even a few months, so don't fret about not getting the exact results you want and just keep studying + making art. I like to think about learning art as a process where you *need* to fail and make crappy art/studies—there's literally no way around it—so you might as well fail right now. See, by making bad art you're actually moving forward—isn't that a fun prospect!!

It's useful to have a folder with art you admire, especially if you can dissect the pieces and understand why you like them so much. You can study those aspects (like, you can redraw or repaint that person's work) and break down whether this is art that you just like to look at, or if it's the kind of art that you want to *make.* There's a LOT of art out there that I love looking at, probably tens of thousands of styles/mediums, but there's a very narrow range that I want to make myself.

I've mentioned it in some ask reply in the past, but I really do think looking at other artist's work is such a cheat code for improving your own skills—the other artist does the work to filter reality/ideas for you, and this sort of allows you to contact the subject matter more directly. I can think of so many examples where an artist I admired exaggerated, like, the way sunlight rested on a face and created that orange fringe around its edge, or the greys/dull blues in a wheat field, or the bright indigo in a cast shadow, or the red along the outside of a person's eye, and it just clicked for me that this was a very available & observable aspect of reality, which had up until that point gone completely unnoticed! If you're really perceptive about the art you look at, it's shocking how much it can teach you about how to see the world (in this particular case I mean this literally, in that the art I looked at fully changed the way I visually processed the world, but of course it has had a strong effect on my worldviews/relationships/beliefs).

Thanks so much for sending in a question (& for reading, if you got this far)! I read every single ask I receive, including the kind words & compliments, which I genuinely always appreciate. Best of luck with learning, my friend :)

[hansoeii]

Hello! Hope you're having a great day/night! I absolutely adore your art, you are one of my favourite artists. I love the way you shade and do backrounds. Also everytime I get into a new show I immediately see your art for it??

I was wondering if you had any advice on drawing more realistically (backrounds, anatomy etc) but still keeping a style?

Hey hey!

Thank you so much!

I have a pretty good understanding of facial structures, because before I got into drawing more semi-realisticly, I heavily focused on realistic portraits. Here are some example, these are from around 2019!

(yes, I was really into danmei and kpop back then, haha)

I just always loved drawing/painting faces and it was all I did. But at some point I realized that I wanted to do more than that because just portraits felt super restricting. So it took me around 2-3 years to somewhat find my style. Thought it would be fun to show a little timeline! Advice will follow afterwards :)

2020

I began working on my OCs in 2020 and since I didn't have an exact reference to work off of, I struggled a lot. My art from this year is super wonky.

2021

Still wonky, but the Lokius obsession was the jumpstart into finding my style! My work from this year is all over the place haha, I was experimenting a lot.

2022

This first ofmd piece is pretty much the first drawing where you can see where my style is gonna go, which I think is pretty cool! This is the year I made the biggest progress cos I was drawing SO much. These two pieces are only six months apart. The one on the right was the first time I gave drawing a background a proper go, too! It was a good year.

2023

And this is where I am now! I'm still constantly learning and improving, but I'd say I have a style you can recognize now!

Now here comes some actual advice, haha:

What I highly recommend you to do is to study your favorite artists as much as you can! I have like 5 A4 sketchbooks all from 2020 that I filled with sooooo many studies, where basically all I did was look at artists I like and copy how they draw stuff, to try and figure out how to stylize certain things. Some of my favorite artists are Ami Thompson, Velinxi and TB Choi. But I also liked to just scroll through pinterest and study all the art I came across that I liked! For example, if I saw a really great drawing of a pair of pants I would copy it many times in my sketchbook and try to learn how they stylized the folds. Doing this for a prolongued period of time will naturally improve your own work! It'll be difficult at first, but you gotta push through, it's gonna be worth it!

I also highly recommend studying unique faces to try and avoid the same-face syndrome. Find some cool looking people and try to draw them as simple as you can! Maybe even draw a little timeline where you first draw them as cartoon-y as you can, and keep going until you end up with a more detailed, realistic drawing. Maybe in the middle of it you find a step that feels the most fun to you, so you can try to build on that! It's a great way to figure out what kind of style might be the best for you.

Here are some cool faces I found on pinterest!

I have a pinterest board with many more!

One REALLY important part of learning how to draw all kinds of things is to understand forms and shapes and how to manipulate them. I have so many pages in my sketchbook filled with just shapes that I drew from all kinds of angles without any references.

This is a great video on it:

6 Ways to Draw Anything by Proko

Learning how to do this is so crucial! Young artists often think they first have to learn all kinds of detailed anatomy before doing anything else, but all that's gonna do is make you tired and hate drawing. Shapes are where it's at! Once you understand how shapes work and which ones to use for certain parts of bodies or objects, drawing is gonna get so much easier! Once you understand them, you can get into details such as muscles and bones!

And honestly the most important point is to just absolutely love what you're doing! I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for the fact that I get extreme hyperfixations on certain media that turn me into some kind of beast where I can suddenly draw 10 detailed illustrations a week, haha. Just be passionate about what you do, find something you REALLY love and go crazy!

I really hope this was somewhat helpful! My inbox is always open if there's any more questions :)

[mochatsin]

When MC can Draw (Dateables Version)

Drawing and the arts is one of the things you’re most passionate about. There’s a lot of things, and certain demons, that are out there to give you inspiration to draw. How will the dateables react when they find out you’re a great artist?

Wow my first dateables version of my prompts. Hope i’ve written them all well. This version is requested from my tumblr :0 thanks for reading!

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Diavolo

Diavolo took notice when you saw your eyes lingering among the paintings during your tour around his castle. There were portraits of prominent figures from Devildom, from old kings to spearheads that shaped their history. He explains how there’s one royal painter for every royal king, thus the similar styles in every portrait. Since you’re an exchange student then it’s essential you learn about these demons, and Diavolo is happy to tell their tales for you. 

He was taking a stroll around RAD before going home when he spotted you in the school’s gardens, seemingly preoccupied. He wanted to call on you but he was more curious to see what you were working on. Diavolo watches you closely from a distance, afraid that you might hide from him if you spot him like how the others do.

To his surprise, he saw you working on a portrait of him in a style that’s similar to the ones he’s shown you. The way your eyes lingered on those paintings when he toured you around before, it clicks to him now that you were trying to study the art style itself as well. It’s almost identical, but with your added personal touches to make it unique.

His towering size doesn’t hide him very well when you immediately spot him at the corner of your eye. The pillars don't do justice to how large Diavolo is as a demon. You try to conceal the art you were making, it’s embarrassing when the subject of your art is actually a few feet away from you. But he quickly smiles as he walks over to you. Now that his cover's blown, he definitely wants to see everything up close now.

“I didn’t mean to be rude and spy on you like that. But you don’t need to hide anything! Even from a glance I could tell you’re talented. Would it be alright for me to see what you were working on?” You can’t really turn down such a polite request, but you most certainly can’t turn down the volume of his voice that’s booming with excitement as he flips from one page to another.

When you finish your portrait of Diavolo, expect it to be treated like a national treasure. A beautiful artwork of the young prince made by the human exchange student? It deserves the best frame that Diavolo can get his hands on. Expect Barbatos by your door the next day with high quality art supplies. He’ll treat you like one of the finest royal artists to ever live in Devildom.

Barbatos 

He invited you for some afternoon tea at the castle as thanks for lending him a hand in his duties the other day. Though there were some other matters around the castle that Barbatos needed to attend to, he asked for you to stay put first and help yourself to some of the treats he had prepared beforehand. 

You always admired the intricate designs of the tea set Barbatos always prepared whenever you came over. Since you’re a bit bored, you took out your sketchbook and decided to draw the fancy little tea cups while you wait for Barbatos to come back. 

The tea sets that Barbatos prepares always have beautiful pattern designs that range from dainty floral prints up to sets that look more expensive than the Mammon’s weekly bills due to how much the patterns are embedded in gold. If you look closely, you could probably spot little devils on it and it’s cute in its own way.

Little did you know he’s been actually observing you for a while now. He finished his last minute duties rather quickly since it would be rude to keep a guest waiting and that’s when he spots you keeping yourself busy by drawing, your glance going from the tea set to the paper. He wanted to admire that look you have whenever you concentrate for a little bit.

He lets out a small chuckle which gets your attention, a gentle smile on his face as he approaches you. “You’re quite the talented one, aren’t you?” Barbatos says as he takes a seat next to you, glancing at your sketchpad. “Maybe you can tell me more about your work while we enjoy some tea together?” 

Barbatos wouldn’t push for you to show anything, but he’ll be happy once you do. He’s impressed at how well you can make patterns that range from something simple to ones that have intricate details. He likes how you can make a portrait of the tea sets he’s been preparing, and secretly he grabs his finest sets to see if you’ll be inspired enough to draw it as well the next time you visit. Maybe he can also pull some strings to put your own pattern designs onto an actual tea cup and serve it to you next time. 

Simeon 

Sometimes you go to Purgatory Halls to get away from all the constant nagging and chaos of the demon brothers. It’s nice to find that peace and quiet you needed to do your daily tasks or just laze around since you felt like it.

Simeon lets you stay in his room for today while he tries to focus on writing for his novel. He plans on introducing a new character soon and since he trusts you, he starts talking about the character itself. How they compose themselves, what they’re like, the possible role they’ll play in the story, you get all these details before the chapter is even written.

Once he’s done talking he lets you get back to whatever you were doing while he continues trying to figure out how to write the next few parts. Though he soon hears the sound of scribbling pens and wondered if you were doing some homework? He could’ve sworn you were done with those already.

He turns around and to his astonishment, you were sketching the character he was just discussing with you earlier. Given his detailed accounts of the character, you were able to design it well. It’s an understatement to say Simeon is happy. He is ecstatic. You brought this character to life in just a matter of minutes all for him, and that brings Simeon more ideas on how to proceed with writing. 

“You never told me you actually knew how to draw. Your talent at visualizing is exceptional.” Simeon would listen carefully while you talk about your journey to the arts and how you honed your talents while he looks through your other works. Afterwards, he starts to praise your art like a professional critique, telling you what he loves in each work.

His heart skips a beat whenever he finds your old works that’s dedicated to his novels. Learning that you’re also talented with the pen like he is, just in a different element, makes him feel a little bit closer to you. If you’re not busy, he may ask for your help when it comes to visualizing something he’s having a hard time with. He’ll treat you to something nice as thanks!

Solomon

Being Solomon’s apprentice means that there are times he’ll require you to assist him with his research. There’s a few spells and potions that he wants to work on, though they all require a lot of preparation work. You both agreed on doing a bit of divide and conquer on those tasks so that it won’t be too time consuming to finish. 

You managed to do a lot of chores for him which is quite tiring, though Solomon is grateful for your efforts and he has one last request from you which he said is essential to the potion he’s making. There’s a delicate Devildom flora that Solomon harvested recently, and you have to make sure the flower stays fresh because it can wither very quickly if not taken care of and the potion would fail if that happens. He’ll take it off your hands once he’s done preparing everything else.

Normally, one would’ve kept it in a vase full of water and called it a day. Though you decided to not only put it in a vase, but draw up a summoning circle that would keep it fresh. It’s something that you learned from Solomon’s notes, and the sorcerer is astonished you drew the circle so accurately enough to work on your first try when he came to check up on you. 

“Now how did my little apprentice actually manage that so quickly? That would’ve taken me several tries to get the patterns done.” Solomon says with an amused smirk, staring at the circle in awe. Getting one line wrong would’ve instantly killed the flower but right now, he sees that not only is it very much alive but it looks more vibrant than ever. The magic is more potent, Solomon is sure that any potion he makes with its petals would be very effective.

While he was waiting for the potion to boil over in the cauldron, he decided to learn more about this hidden talent of yours. He makes you draw some summoning circles from one of his books, already starting out on the difficult types to draw. All of it is perfect somehow since you’ve had a history of drawing, so your hand is quite steady and you act like it’s no big deal. Solomon will definitely want to see your works in the future.

“A lot of sorcerers can cast magic, but not everyone has the talent to make summoning circles as quickly and accurately as you do.” That’s big praise coming from humanity’s strongest sorcerer. Though that means he’ll want to exploit that talent and call you over every time he needs it in his experiments, it’s a win for him either way because he gets to spend more time with you. 

Luke 

There’s a new event in Devildom where the angels and you were teamed up to open a stall that’s focused on selling sweets and pastries. Luke appreciates your input when it comes to taste testing his sweets since none of the demon brothers are able to give proper critiques like you can, Simeon tends to be a little too nice to Luke, and Solomon is never allowed near the kitchen. Ever. 

Your company is always welcomed and Luke would gladly add any of the sweets you recommended onto the menu. You always come back to the House of Lamentation with a bag full of samples you both baked that day, which always brings a smile to the brother’s face. 

You come back to Purgatory Hall only to find Luke seemingly having a dilemma. He reassures you that it’s not because of the batch of sweets and pastries since you helped him perfect the menu. It’s the fact he needs to make a logo and design for the stall. If it can’t attract any customers then all the effort you both put into baking this would go to waste. 

You sat down with Luke to brainstorm with him, watching the angel stare blankly at the paper with frustration while you ask him for what ideas he’s already had so far. Luke had to go back to the kitchen to pipe some frosting on the cupcakes, though by the time he came back you were already done with the sketch.

Luke is awed at the design, seeing as how you incorporated both his and your idea for the stall in a way that still blends well together. “Y-you’re incredible! How’d you do that so fast though? You know what, let’s show Simeon first!” If Luke had a tail, it would be wagging from sheer joy. He’d be so excited to get the decorations and paint for the stall that he almost forgot about the cupcakes in the oven. 

By the time the stall is finished and running, Luke would definitely flaunt your talent not just for helping him bake but for also designing the stall. “You like the design? They did that!” He would say with an excited grin on his face before pointing at you. Luke enjoys working with you that you both barely notice the brothers getting jealous over the amount of time the angel gets to spend with their human. 

[yume-esmeray]

How long did it take for you to master the LMK style? I really wanna learn how to do this style for my own future art, and I’ve followed that reference body sheet you posted a hill we back, but I never seem to be able to get it the way I want (Especially the hands). How did you do it?

Like 4 years, it was mostly just taking a whole bunch of references with literally everything. The width of the lineart, how they draw the head shapes, how the body is built and etc.

But like yeah it took a while to figure out, even my first attempts on the lmk style did look like the pilot lol My 2021 LMK art

But eventually you will get a hang of it once you've understood and studied their artstyle. My 2023 LMK art

and yes I drew all these backgrounds (except the celestial realm one- I had to redraw the entire thing for the drawing 😭)

[mothiepixie]

Hi Mothie, Uh sorry to bother you. I really love your art, it's such an inspiration. I want to get better at drawing the skeletons (and even try my own self inserts) but I often find myself struggling so was wondering if you had any tips? Like how did you practice drawing them at first? Sorry if you've had this question a million times, I couldn't find anything on your blog.

Also your colour placement, shading and BG's in all your comics are incredible! Thank you for sharing your amazing art with us <3

Hey there, thanks so much!

I never really answered anything like it, because what I'm going to say is going to be annoying

but PRACTICE.

I am so serious, you have to take these characters (be it skeletons or your own creations) and become so obsessed with them that you draw them over and over.

You will not see your growth and it will be frustrating. I feel people get trapped at seeing the finished product in their mind rather than focus on the steps to get there.

My art was definitely a rough start. I didn't know how I wanted to draw them and I just kept drawing them. I eliminated elements that didn't work or appeal to me over time and then did what would be easier for my wrist.

Examples

2022 vs 2023 Red looked SUPER ROUGH.

And Swap! 2022 vs 2024!

It took me a few years to draw them even close to how I wanted and I'm still figuring things out.

If you're looking for a distinct style, then you have to play with your style. And you have to embrace inconsistency.

But if you want to get better at drawing more realistic skeletons, I highly reccomend using Sketchfab and look up skeleton anatomy. (You can look up about just anything there and get it in 3d for all sorts of angles)

I also say definitely just practice gesture drawing and figure drawing. You can apply this tools to your OCs. And if you want to get better at expression then I recommend studying Tracy J. Bulter's expression tutorial. I still stand by this tutorial today.

I hope this helped some 🙇‍♂️

[chainsawmascara]

Figuring out where every companion fits in my Suddenly A Thing art school au doodle world is. Going to be interesting.

God's favorite princess who started it all is in general fine arts. She loves charcoal, painting feels like a necessary evil but it's secretly what she's always wanted to do.

Lae'zel is clearly in metalworking/sculpture.

Astarion is in textiles, specifically embroidering and fashion design/history. He has an entire brand built in his head. He works at an upscale fashion store part time. He judges EVERYONE.

Wyll???? Wyll's studying art history and debating going into curation. He's a trust fund kid and his father is deeply disappointed THIS is what he's doing with his college fund. He spends free time in the dark room. Darkroom photography has no place in the world these days, but he loves the classics and waxes poetic about 35mm film and its versatility - he does some oil painting over certain photos for flourish. It's phenomenal. He doesn't think it's that great. Everyone disagrees.

Gale is. Gale is the english major from the sister university who decided a double major is a good idea (it isn't, he is suffering) and hurled himself into abstract/surrealism. (It works very well in his favor when tara steps in his paint and walks on the canvas. He had a three hour anxiety attack and decided he did it on PURPOSE.

(Part of me wants to slam him into dark room photography and i will not elaborate. Maybe he sneaks in to hang out with wyll. He cannot be good at everything but he NEEDS TO BE GOOD AT EVERYTHING. He's a recurring subject of wyll's work.)

Where the FUCK do i put karlach. She's on a roller derby team outside of school. But what does she DO. She's in there somewhere but WHAT DEPARTMENT.

Dammon shares classes with Lae'zel bc that's The Most Obvious Thing. He's a natural.

Isobel? Pottery. Aylin doesn't go here. She's just The Girlfriend also on the roller derby team and hangs around.

Rolan is obviously into impressionism. He's the manet of the school, trying every artist's style in a desperate attempt to find his own despite cal and lia both knowing he HAS his own style and it's GORGEOUS but he just can't see it himself.

Alfira is also in the textile department. Astarion hates everything she makes. She plays music at local clubs on the weekends. Lakrissa is her bartender girlfriend who studies sequential art.

I need to keep this going, I'm on to something here.

But where the FUCK do i put KARLACH.

Edit: 9 fingers is the drug dealer. I went to art school, i promise you there are so many gatherings based solely around that, she'd be there constantly. Jaheira and Halsin are figure study models. Jaheira probably has her hand somewhere else in the school, she'd definitely have something to do with installation pieces, I'll get there let me cook on that one. Minsc is. Fuck. I need to figure that out. We're GOING SOMEWHERE HERE, WE'RE MAKING THIS HAPPEN.

Someone is in the jewelry department it's someone it's SOMEONE maybe lae'zel dips into it bc metal casting NO IT'S MINTHARA. MINTHARA. YES. I WILL JUSTIFY THIS WHEN IT'S NOT 2AM BUT TRUST ME IT'S MINTHARA. Intricate wire wrapping with gem stones she gets from 9 fingers, she has 5000 tools for it and no one realizes how violent whitesmithing tools are but I've BEEN THERE TRUST ME and the wire wrapping gives big spiderweb vibes, it's perfect, i love it, yes, she's in cahoots with astarion on a future design house and the bickering is CONSTANT.

[goron-king-darunia]

I wonder if you have a favorite Eg, Egg, and Eggy Eggtoberpost

Honestly, a style study of "Ed, Edd, n Eddy" for Eggtober would be interesting. (I did get your previous ask and am hanging onto it for ideas.) That said, if we're talking Eggtober from this year (2024) exclusively, I'd say anything by user @alkaline-noodles hit it out of the park. Their dedication and extremely photogenic egg dishes were really inspiring this year. There are still several beautifully photographed egg dishes that I want to immortalize in my own style. If it can be any year, user @cubicsoup did this amazing drawing of a raw egg in Eggtober 2022, and I still admire every bit of it! If we're talking overall, then anything by @quezify. As the Egg King and host of the event, Ruben just doesn't miss! Top of all time for me would be the Heart-Shaped Egg for World Egg Day. I just really enjoy how softly it's rendered. For this year only, it would probably be these fried eggs on green. Very classic and you can see that shift in style really exaggerating some of the choices that really make Ruben's style unique: that solid ring around the yolk, the rough pencil texture, and the organic shapes along with a common yellow and lavender contrast in the shading. The collection of some of their best eggs for this year's World Egg Day post are stellar though, and I love them a lot, but I'd never be able to pick just one of the bunch. The few egg on burger ones have been great too.

Some Honorable mentions from this year are users @arithetonberry and their squiggly eggs, @fivevotesdown and this gorgeous soft-boiled egg, @doradeluna's beautifully rendered, smeared over easy fried eggs, @kaehunterart's amazing rainbow-y fried egg in a very shiny pan, @quezify's redraw section from this year, @tiredyeehaw's crocheted egg throw blanket, and all of @nekko-took-egg-photos work this year, but especially this fried egg on noodles. We had lots of amazing participants this year. I wasn't able to finish all the art I wanted to in time this year, but I plan on finishing 31 egg arts this year. I just have a lot going on in real life and the world has been an ass this year. But I am trying to slot in art time when I can! As for favorites of my own, for this year it would have to be the bloody egg. Getting the hang of Krita has been a challenge, but it's nice to know I'm not tied to Clip Studio Paint to render art the way I want to. I think the bloody egg is the first freehand study I did this year on Krita where I've liked the end result and thought the process and result were a good analogue to working with the gouache brush on CSP as I had been doing in previous years. Favorite of all time is still probably Eggtober 11th of 2022. I started Eggtober in 2022 as a low-pressure way to get back into art after years of not being able to find time for it. I figured eggs were simple enough and I liked drawing them, so I might as well give it a go since I was trying to polish up my skills again for personal projects. The ramen piece for Eggtober 11, 2022 was the first piece where I really felt like I hit my stride and was able to put my ideas on paper more or less exactly how I wanted them. All art is a process of experimentation and discovery, but the way the noodles and mushrooms and egg and pork all came together in that piece just... really made me take a step back like "I'm not 100% where I want to be, and have a long way to go, but I finally remember what making art is supposed to feel like. I like this again." And I think my favorite for 2023 has to be the Pavlova. Another time where the process and product all felt smooth, like they came out how I wanted with minimal fuss, maximum learning, maximum flow state. I hope to keep seeing improvement in years to come. Eggtober has just been really great for keeping my artistic self-esteem up. Because even when I can't quite get the result I'm looking for, the community is supportive, and even when I struggle, at the end of the day, there is always egg. And Egg is pretty dang good, I think. 10/10 would recommend the chillest Drawtober challenge. 3 years strong! may this event persist for another 330 years at least!

[voidheartkisses]

Okay hello hi hello,

First off you're amazing and a gift to the world, I wish I had even half your talent. Your last piece blew my mind and I just HAD to ask,

How long have you been drawing/painting for? I imagine forever but I'm always curious how long it takes before artists reach these sorts of levels where it evolves into full-scale projects as opposed to smaller hobbyist crafts. There are so many beautiful art pieces on this platform as a whole and I'm constantly baffled by it all

Sorry if my excitement is off-putting that piece is heavenly and my mind is blown. Hope you're doing well!

Hi and thank you! That's a good question

So I've been drawing since I was born, but I've been drawing digitally for 8 years. I think in the very beginning most artists should just focus on having fun, you'll basically improve by default

after a while you will want to improve. It will be slow, but this is the stage where you'll recognize what you need work on

I'd say the turning point is when you've finally gotten far enough into your art journey without any sort of formal training (ie, a lot of artists dont learn the basics/fundamentals first, which is fine since most of us start as hobbyists) But I think learning them really did help me a lot. You start to think more about how light and shadow lays, depth, 3D objects, and more.

I highly recommend watching this video about levels of art, it's been really helpful and motivating to me throughout the years

This part is going to be long so you don't have to read it but I just wanna give my personal journey and how I got to now if anyone thinks it'll be helpful:

(2017) With digital art, I started off on ms paint and occasionally ibis paint x. Mostly using anime deviantart bases (EMBARRASSING), but after a while I developed my own style based on the people I was inspired by at the time, I was just happy to draw and didn't care much about improving at this time

(2019) The people you look up to artistically will naturally change over time (and thats okay), after a while I decided to switch to firealpaca, where I guess I got more invested on how light and shadows work, as well as making my characters look a bit more natural and develop my own style, your preference in aesthetic may also change over time which is noticeable here

(2021) Eventually, I began to lean more into semirealism (which isn't everyones preference and thats okay! realism shouldn't be the ultimate end goal of art) but I really enjoyed making stylized characters look 3D and in natural looking environments, since I felt it spoke to my own experiences, a lot of artists draw from real life experiences. I focused more on anatomy at this time as well as textures and environments, composition also became a big deal for me at this time, as well as wanting to use different colors

(2024) The change from LINEART to DIGITAL PAINTING in 2022 was the hardest for me once I switched to clip studio paint, it was basically like starting all over and I was so lost. I had a lot to figure out on my own but I knew it was a transition I had to make to draw the kind of art I wanted. But I began to study and take more things into consideration, I didn't like my art so I simply kept going "I can do better", learning from my previous mistakes and slowly making something I would be more satisfied with. At this point art felt more like "projects" then anything, because I wanted to make pieces that were of quality and had time and care put into each of them, sure it meant there was no longer much quantity. but hey that's what my smaller Cult of the Lamb lineart drawings are for!! 💙

I'm still growing and I definitely have a long way to go, but I am very proud of my progress this year, and I'll continue to grow until I'm satisfied (haha im stubborn) I also want to develop my secondary lineart style that I do when I'm not painting, since I feel that is important too

in short; time, practice, dedication, and passion are the most important, draw what you love above all else because it will be your drive to keep going, staying motivated was the most important for me

Sorry for the long post 😭

[hahnshands]

~ trouble ~

agathario college roommate AU stories

context: Agatha Harkness is an outgoing, people person who fits into every room steps into and every group she talks to, on the other hand her roommate Rio Vidal, could not think of anything worse than being that kind of person, she would much rather focus on her artwork as she is studying art but having Agatha as a roommate is proving to me a little more challenging than she first thought when Rio notices herself drawing a very familiar face…

pairings: agatha x rio extrovert!agatha x introvert!rio popular!agatha x artist!rio

Authors note: i’ll be updating this every now and then :)

The second Agatha Harkness walked into their shared dorm room on move-in day, Rio Vidal knew she was in trouble. Trouble because Agatha exuded the kind of cool confidence that made people want to orbit her. Trouble because Rio, the self-proclaimed queen of her own quiet solitude, the tortured artist, knew she needs to pass this year to graduate and it didn’t look like she was going to have a distraction free dorm room.

It didn’t help that Agatha’s side of the room was already immaculate—her bed made with precise folds, her books alphabetized, and a lavender-scented diffuser softly puffing away on her desk. Meanwhile, Rio had a half-unpacked suitcase on her bed and an open box of paints that she’d immediately forgotten about the second she found her sketchbook.

Agatha was eyeing the chaos on Rio’s side of the room with a bemused smile, “You’re one of those people”

“And you’re one of those,” Rio had shot back, waving a paint-streaked hand at the perfectly arranged lavender diffuser.

Agatha just laughed, brushing her sleek dark hair over her shoulder. “Stick with me, Vidal. You might learn something.”

A month into the semester, Rio was beginning to suspect Agatha had some kind of secret powers. There was no other explanation for how she managed to ace every class, charm every professor, and still find time to breeze into their room at night with perfectly styled hair and some wild story about how she’d ‘influenced’ the coffee shop barista into giving her a free latte.

“All I did was ask politely,” Agatha said one evening, lounging on her bed and flipping through a novel that Rio was certain she wasn’t actually reading.

“Sure,” Rio replied, smirking as she bent over her sketchbook. “You ‘politely’ hypnotized them into thinking you deserved it.”

Agatha quirked an eyebrow. “You make it sound like I’m some kind of witch.”

“Hey, if the pointy hat fits…”

Agatha’s laugh was low and throaty, the kind that sent a weird little shiver up Rio’s spine. She ignored it, focusing instead on the sketch taking shape on the page.

“Are you ever going to show me what you’re drawing?” Agatha asked after a pause, her tone light but curious.

“Nope,” Rio replied without looking up.

“Oh, come on,” Agatha said, leaning over the edge of her bed. “I’ll bet it’s brilliant. Is it me? You’ve been staring at me an awful lot lately.”

Rio’s pencil froze mid-stroke. Her brain scrambled for a retort that wouldn’t give her away. “You’re flattering yourself, Harkness.”

Agatha slid off her bed, crossing the room with that effortless confidence she always carried. Before Rio could protest, Agatha plopped down beside her on the floor, close enough that Rio could smell the faint lavender clinging to her sweater.

“Let me see,” Agatha said, her voice soft but insistent.

“No,” Rio replied, clutching the sketchbook to her chest like a lifeline.

Agatha tilted her head, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Fine. But I’ll figure it out eventually. I always figure things out, my love.”

Later that night, long after Agatha had fallen asleep, Rio sat cross-legged on her bed, staring at the sketch. It wasn’t finished, but the likeness was unmistakable—Agatha, with her sharp features and sly smile, caught mid-laugh.

Rio sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Trouble,” she muttered to herself.

PART 2

If Rio thought living with Agatha was going to get easier, she was delusional.

Further into the semester, Agatha’s relentless teasing had become as regular as Rio’s late-night sketching sessions. Every time Rio thought she’d found a way to ignore her, Agatha would up the ante—stealing glances at her sketchbook, throwing dramatic compliments her way, or offering entirely unsolicited critiques of her work.

“You know,” Agatha said one afternoon, sprawled on Rio’s bed like it was her own, “I’m starting to think all this brooding over your art is just an excuse to stare at me.”

Rio looked up from her canvas, her charcoal smudged fingers poised mid-stroke. “I’m sorry, what?”

Agatha propped her head on her hand, her dark hair cascading over her shoulder like she’d walked out of some impossibly chic fashion shoot. “You’re always hunched over that thing when I’m in the room. I’m beginning to think I’m your muse.”

Rio rolled her eyes, but her heart betrayed her by racing just a little too fast. “Don’t flatter yourself, Harkness.”

“Why not? You seem to do enough of that for me,” Agatha replied, her grin sharp and smug.

Rio muttered something under her breath and turned back to her drawing. The charcoal on the page was starting to smudge—Agatha’s sharp jawline softening at the edges—but she couldn’t bring herself to care. The truth was, Agatha had become a fixation for her. Not that she would ever admit it. Agatha’s confidence was already insufferable enough; the last thing she needed was for her to know she was the source of half Rio’s sketchbook.

“Come on, let me see,” Agatha said, swinging her legs off the bed and landing lightly on her feet.

“No,” Rio said automatically, shifting her body to block the canvas.

Agatha moved closer, her lavender perfume wrapping around Rio like a net. “Why not? Afraid I’ll fall in love with your depiction of me?”

“I’m afraid your ego will implode and take out half the campus.” Rio shot back

Agatha laughed, her voice low and throaty, and leaned over Rio’s shoulder. Her proximity was maddening—close enough that Rio could feel the warmth radiating from her skin. “You’re blushing, my love.”

“Am not,” Rio lied, hunching lower over her drawing.

Agatha reached out and gently tugged on the end of Rio’s ponytail. “You’re adorable when you’re flustered. You know that?”

Rio dropped her charcoal with a frustrated sigh. “Do you ever stop talking?”

“Not when I’m having this much fun,” Agatha replied, grinning. She perched on the edge of Rio’s chair, her knee brushing against Rio’s thigh.

Rio glared at her, though it lacked any real heat. “You’re infuriating.”

“And you’re still blushing,” Agatha teased, tilting her head as if studying Rio’s expression. “What’s the real reason you won’t let me see your art?”

For once, Agatha’s voice wasn’t mocking. The curiosity in her tone was genuine, and it caught Rio off guard.

“I just…” Rio faltered, her gaze dropping to the half-finished sketch. “It’s not ready.”

Agatha’s expression softened, though the playful glint in her eyes remained. “You’re such a perfectionist, Vidal. I’ll bet it’s stunning already.”

Rio hesitated, her fingers twitching toward the canvas. There was a part of her—a small, reckless part—that wanted to let Agatha see. That wanted to watch her reaction, to hear what she’d say about the way Rio had captured her in charcoal. But that same part also knew how vulnerable it would make her feel. And Agatha had a way of making vulnerability feel like a game she was destined to lose.

Agatha seemed to sense her hesitation, because she stood and stepped back, hands raised in mock surrender. “Fine. I’ll wait. But don’t think I won’t find a way to sneak a look eventually.”

Rio huffed a laugh despite herself. “You’re impossible.”

“And you love it,” Agatha replied, her voice light but her gaze lingering just a second too long before she turned and flounced back to her bed.

That night, long after Agatha had fallen asleep, Rio sat cross-legged in the center of the room, her sketchbook balanced on her knees. She flipped through the pages, stopping at each drawing of Agatha.

There were so many. Too many. Agatha reading, laughing, gesturing with her hands as she recounted one of her outrageous stories. Each sketch was a fragment of Rio’s growing fascination—a fascination she wasn’t sure she’d ever fully understand. Finally, she stopped on the latest one. Agatha’s face, her smile just shy of wicked, her eyes glinting with something Rio could only describe as dangerous.

Rio picked up her pencil and leaned closer to the page, her hand moving almost of its own accord. She hated to admit it, but Agatha had been right about one thing: she was her muse.

PART 3

Rio had just finished a sketch and was debating whether to call it a night when the door to their dorm swung open. Agatha stumbled in, cheeks flushed, her hair slightly messed as she leaned heavily against the doorframe, a bottle of something amber-coloured dangling precariously from one hand.

“Riooo, my love,” she slurred, her voice thick with alcohol and mischief.

“No,” Rio said, not even looking up from her sketchbook.

Agatha blinked, taken aback by the interruption. She wobbled a little before stepping into the room and shutting the door behind her with her foot. “Rude. I haven’t even told you what we’re doing yet.”

“I don’t need to know,” Rio replied. “The answer’s no.”

Agatha narrowed her eyes, as if deeply offended. “You’re no fun.”

"Well, some of us want to graduate.” Rio muttered, flipping the page of her sketchbook while refusing to look at her.

Agatha groaned dramatically and flopped onto Rio’s bed, half spilling onto her lap. Her sweater had slipped off one shoulder, revealing smooth, freckled skin, and her dark eyes gleamed with something both reckless and knowing. “Come on, Vidal. It’s Friday. There’s a party downstairs. I’ve got alcohol. You need alcohol.”

“I need you to stop throwing yourself onto my bed,” Rio said, attempting to nudge her off. “And go to your bed.”

Agatha ignored her, propping her chin in her hand and looking up at her with a lazy grin. “What’s wrong? Scared you might have fun for once?”

Rio sighed, putting her charcoal down. “I’m scared you’ll get us kicked out of this dorm because you decide to drunkenly yell at the RA again.”

“That happened one time,” Agatha said, rolling her eyes. She tilted her head, letting her hair fall artfully over one shoulder. “Don’t you ever get tired of sitting here with your little pencils, sketching away while the rest of the world is having a good time?”

“Nope.”

“Well, I am tired of watching you do it; I can see you slowly turning into a hermit,” Agatha declared, sitting up and grabbing Rio’s hand. “Up. You’re coming with me.”

Rio started to protest, but Agatha pulled her to her feet with surprising strength for someone so tipsy.

“Agatha—”

“Nope. No excuses,” Agatha said, cutting her off. Her grin widened as she tugged Rio toward the door. “Atta girl, You’re not hiding in this room all night, my love. I won’t allow it.”

The party was in full swing by the time they arrived, the dorm basement vibrating with music and packed with bodies. Strings of cheap fairy lights flickered over the crowd, and the smell of beer and cheap perfume hung heavy in the air.

Agatha weaved through the crowd like she owned the place, still clutching Rio’s hand. She stole two red cups from a nearby table, handing one into Rio’s hand. “Drink. Loosen up.”

Rio grimaced at the cup. “I don’t even know what’s in this.”

“Exactly!” Agatha said, already halfway through her own drink.

Rio took a tentative sip and immediately winced. It was sugary and strong—the kind of mix that promised a headache in the morning.

“God, that’s terrible.” she muttered.

“Terrible but effective,” Agatha said, stepping closer. Her voice dropped to a teasing murmur. “Unless you’re afraid you can’t handle it.”

Rio narrowed her eyes. “I can handle it just fine.”

“Prove it,” Agatha said, raising her cup in a mock toast.

Rio huffed but downed the drink, the alcohol buzzing warmly in her chest as Agatha watched with an infuriatingly smug grin.

A few drinks later, Rio found herself on the edge of the dance floor, swaying awkwardly as Agatha pulled her closer.

“Relax, Vidal,” Agatha said, her hands on Rio’s shoulders, her voice thick with amusement and drink. “It’s just dancing.”

“I don’t dance,” Rio muttered.

Agatha laughed, her breath warm against Rio’s ear. “You’re doing it right now, darling.”

Rio rolled her eyes, but her heart was racing. The alcohol made everything feel fuzzier—lighter—but Agatha’s proximity made her feel like she was on fire.

“See?” Agatha said, her hands sliding down to Rio’s waist as they moved to the music. “You’re not bad at this.”

“That’s just you,” Rio managed, her voice embarrassingly breathless.

Agatha grinned, leaning in closer. Her dark eyes sparkled under the dim lights, and the scent of her lavender perfume mixed with the alcohol on her breath. “You’re adorable when you’re flustered.”

“I’m not flustered,” Rio said, her cheeks blazing.

“Liar,” Agatha whispered, her lips barely brushing Rio’s ear.

Rio swallowed hard, her mind spinning. Agatha’s teasing was relentless—the way her hands lingered on her waist, the way her voice dipped into something almost intimate.

“Do you always stare this much?” Agatha asked, her grin turning sly. “Or is it just me?”

“I’m not—”

“Well… You are.” Agatha interrupted, her voice soft but insistent.

Rio’s hands fidgeted at her sides. The alcohol was making her bolder, but she still felt out of her depth—her first time this close to another woman, to someone like Agatha, who radiated confidence even when drunk.

“I…” Rio started, but her voice trailed off.

Agatha tilted her head, studying her with a faint smirk. “What, Vidal? Cat got your tongue?”

Rio couldn’t take it anymore. Without thinking, she leaned in and kissed her.

It was clumsy and unsure, a burst of confidence fuelled by frustration and alcohol. Agatha froze for a fraction of a second, and Rio immediately panicked, starting to pull back.

But then Agatha’s hands tightened on her waist, pulling her closer as she kissed her back. This time it was deliberate, confident, with that same teasing edge Agatha brought to everything.

When they broke apart, Rio’s face was on fire. "I—uh—I didn’t mean—”

Agatha laughed softly, her forehead resting against Rio’s. “Relax, Vidal. It’s not the end of the world.”

Rio groaned, covering her face with her hands. “I can’t believe I just did that.”

“Oh, believe it,” Agatha said, smirking as she tugged Rio’s hands away from her face. Her expression softened—just slightly—and her voice dropped. “For the record, not bad.”

Rio blinked, her heart still racing. “Really?”

Agatha chuckled, stepping back and taking Rio’s hand again. “Come on, let’s get out of here before you combust.”

They left the party together, the cool night air hitting them like a splash of water. As they stumbled back to their dorm, Agatha glanced over at Rio with a smile that was almost genuine. “Not bad at all,” she murmured.

By the time they reached their dorm, the buzz was wearing off, replaced by a different kind of dizziness. Agatha let go of Rio’s hand to fumble for her key, her smirk still firmly in place.

“Stop hovering,” Agatha teased, shooting Rio a sideways glance as she finally unlocked the door.

“I’m not hovering,” Rio muttered, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets and refusing to meet Agatha’s gaze.

“Sure, darling,” Agatha said, stepping inside and flicking on the light. She turned, leaning against the doorframe, her eyes raking over Rio with a dangerous kind of amusement. “You’re very convincing.”

Rio froze in the doorway, every nerve in her body on high alert. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?” Agatha asked innocently, tilting her head.

“Like you’re—” Rio faltered, the words catching in her throat.

“Like I’m about to kiss you again?” Agatha finished for her, her voice low and teasing. She took a slow step forward, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Or are you planning to surprise me again?”

Rio’s cheeks burnt, and she stammered, "I wasn't—"

Agatha’s laugh was soft but rich, and this time it lacked some of its usual edge. “Relax, Vidal. You’re so wound up. It’s kind of adorable.”

Rio crossed her arms, trying desperately to regain her composure. “You- You can’t just say stuff like that and act like it doesn’t mean anything.”

Agatha’s smirk faltered—just barely, but Rio caught it. For a moment, the tension between them hung heavy in the air, charged and uncertain. Then Agatha sighed, stepping back and flopping onto her bed.

“Maybe it doesn’t,” she said, her tone quieter but still playful. She glanced at Rio, her expression unreadable. “Or maybe it does. What do you think?”

Rio hesitated, her gaze dropping to the floor. The weight of the night—the drinks, the dancing, the kiss—pressed down on her. She didn’t know what to think, let alone what to say.

Agatha seemed to sense her turmoil because she rolled onto her side, propping her head on her hand. Her smirk returned, softer this time. “Don’t overthink it, Vidal. You’re cute when you’re awkward, but you’ll give yourself a headache.”

Rio let out a shaky laugh, her shoulders relaxing just a fraction. “You’re insufferable, you know that?”

“And yet, you kissed me,” Agatha countered, her grin widening.

Rio groaned, covering her face with her hands as she mumbled, “I’m never going to live this down, am I?”

“Not a chance,” Agatha said, her voice warm with laughter.

For a moment, silence settled over them, broken only by the hum of the desk lamp and the faint sounds of music still drifting up from the party downstairs. Rio finally dropped her hands, glancing at Agatha, who was watching her with that same maddeningly unreadable expression.

“Goodnight, Harkness,” Rio said, retreating to her bed and pulling the blanket over herself in one swift motion.

Agatha chuckled, leaning back against her pillows. “Goodnight, Vidal.”

As Rio closed her eyes, she could still feel the ghost of Agatha’s lips on hers, the scent of lavender lingering in the air. She told herself she’d deal with it tomorrow and figure out what it all meant, or maybe pretend it hadn’t happened at all, but deep down, she knew Agatha wouldn’t let her forget.

[velnna]

You have an incredible style. I'm about a year into doing digital, but I get so stuck on realism (even though I don't want to do realism) that I just get frustrated with myself. How did you find your style? Did you have to "learn" to be okay with letting yourself style your art?

Thank you!

I say this a lot, but I'm very against the idea that you "find" an artstyle. Everyone has an artstyle even if they barely draw, and every step of the way to achieving one you're super happy with is an artstyle on its own.

My own style changed wildly through the years and only really started stabilising ~2 ish years ago. I'm super happy with it now but never saw it as something "wrong" or incomplete before, it's just been a blend of things and other styles I liked. And yeah I had a realism phase, just found it boring and moved on 🤷‍♂️ realism to me is a lot about replicating what you see, and one of the most fun parts of art to me is imagining things and piecing things together like a puzzle without refs

In terms of how I got to the level of stylisation I have, again, I just get bored of my current techniques now and then and study people whose art tickles my brain. It does require some analytical thinking, figuring out which bits I like, which ones I can borrow for my own style, etc. Sometimes I'll just take a day to fuck around tracing things (never post it obviously) and breaking things down or redrawing old work to see what gives me happy brain chemicals again.

Idk if this helps but honestly I've never been formal about art. I just do what I find fun and if it's not fun anymore I change it 😅

[mymoodwriting]

Request for Anon (Yandere Professors Bang Chan, Hongjoong, & Sangyeon) 5k, yandere, college professors, scolding, manipulation, aggression, yelling, dub-con, non-con, smut, fingering, penetration, creampie, gang bang, bruising (@starillusion13)

“Have you forgotten who we are?”

Ever since you were young you knew you wanted to be a star. You wanted to be on stage, you wanted to entertain, you wanted to be loved. It was fortunate your parents supported you in this dream, even before they realized how serious you were. They signed you up for dance lessons, as well as singing, and did anything else they could to help. You were talented, and that was obvious from a young age. So it was no surprise when you got accepted into a prestigious arts university. Your parents were so proud, and you were so excited to properly start building your career.

Of course you had actually had the chance to show your talents before entering uni. You participated in some singing competitions, and did a few shows here and there. Some people knew you, but you weren’t a celebrity. You may have already had a chance to be on a stage, but that wasn’t gonna make you think you were better than others. At uni you were just another student, and maybe you wouldn’t even make it as big as you wanted to be, but being here was a great step. You wouldn’t bring up your past achievements, and do your best to get along with others. After all, in this industry it’s all about connections.

With that in mind you were quite surprised when some of your professors offered to privately tutor you and help you with your studies. They didn’t really do tutoring in general, but it seemed they were willing to make an exception for you. It had already been a few weeks, and by now they had all seen what you could do. You figured it was a good sign, so did your parents and they agreed to the tutoring. It was something you took seriously, but it was certainly more than you expected. Now you always stayed late with your professors. 

After your classes you’d spend a few hours with either professor Bang, professor Lee, or professor Kim in the dance studio. They had their own classes so it tended to be someone different each time. You’d practice your dance moves and work on developing your own style. It was quite exhausting, but fun nonetheless. Once you wrapped that up you took a bit of a break and then headed to the studio. You were already quite talented with singing, but that wasn’t the only thing they wanted you to focus on. If you really wanted to be a star, you had to be incredible, and they believed you were capable. 

So besides singing and dancing you were being taught about lyrical structure and music composition, then they even threw rap lessons into the mix. You weren’t studying all of these things on your own, this was certainly extra work they were putting on you. Still, they always assure you that you were capable, and you certainly felt you were learning. All this would give you an extra edge when trying to get a foothold in the industry, but there was something about this whole thing. After all, nothing is free, especially not in this industry.

“So, there’s this new place that opened up in town, and we should totally go.” Your friend Ava suggested. “I’ve heard good things from it. You in?”

“I’m out.” You commented.

“You’re always out.” Your other friend, Misu, pouted. “Are you ever going to hang out with us after class?”

“You know I have dance practice and then a session in the studio.”

“Those professors really don’t give you a break, do they?”

“They’re just trying to help.”

“Talk about picking favorites.” Lyla added. “You’re a freshman and they’re giving you all these free lessons. It’s kinda unfair.”

“They offered, and I couldn’t just turn them down.”

“You sure your parents didn’t pay them?”

“My parents never came to campus before they offered to tutor me.”

“Then what do they get out of it?” Ava asked. “No way they just tutor you for free.”

“Well… they kinda do.” You admitted nervously. “I should get going.”

“No, come on, girl. Text them you’re not feeling well and come with us.”

“Ava-”

“Please, pretty please, just this once.”

“Yeah, we never get to see you anymore.” Misu commented. “Let’s go hang out together. One day off won’t kill you.”

You sighed. “Alright, fine, but just this once.”

“Awesome!”

You were lucky you didn’t have any of your tutors as your last class of the day. So you sent a message in the group chat with them, letting them know you were feeling under the weather and apologized for missing your lessons. With that done you packed your things and went with your friends, talking about the plans for the evening. It really had been a while since you hung out with them, so you were greatly looking forward to this.

“Y/n.”

You stopped dead in your tracks when you heard a firm voice call your name. You swore under your breath, trying your best to compose yourself. You slowly turned around, your friends already knowing what the situation was

“Professor Kim-”

“I thought you were feeling under the weather?”

“She is.” Misu cut in. “We’re taking her back to her dorm.”

“Is that so?”

The professor walked up to you, pressing his palm against your head. Then he placed a finger under your nose. You closed your eyes, realizing you had been caught.

“You seem fine to me.”

“I-”

“You shouldn’t skip your lessons.”

“It-”

“Come on now.”

The professor took your hand and yanked you away from your friends. They attempted to protest but you just shook your head at them. You got caught, so you’d have to suffer the consequences. You figured you’d be taken to the dance studio, as was the routine, but instead you were dragged to the recording studio. Upon entering you saw that professor Bang and professor Lee were also there. You were shoved onto the couch, keeping your head down as you adjusted yourself.

“I found her.”

“Feeling under the weather?” Professor Lee questioned. “You forget I saw you this morning, and you were just fine.”

“Sorry…”

“Sorry? You lied to us, and for what?”

“I just wanted to hang out with my friends…”

“What kind of friends convince you it’s a good idea to ditch your lessons? Those are not good friends.”

“They-”

“Let’s not argue the details.” Professor Bang said. “The question is, what will be the consequences? Care to guess?”

“…”

“Since we’re here we should start with your vocal lessons today. Let’s warm up.”

That wasn’t a suggestion, so you got up and made your way into the recording booth, professor Lee following you. He brought in a stool with him and had you sit down. He placed his hands on your shoulders, slowly sliding them down your arms and then yanking them behind your back. You kept them there as you heard him take off his belt, using it to tie your hands together. He brought the mic closer to you, standing behind you.

“You may begin.”

You took a breath and began with your warm ups, following what you had learned, as well as what they had taught you. After a moment you felt professor Lee’s hands trailing down your sides, his hands reaching your thighs and massaging them gently. Instinctively you closed your legs, but he merely pulled them apart, tsking in your ear. From there his hands moved inward, his fingers rubbing at your core through your panties. You were never one for skirts, but had gotten into the habit of wearing them because of your tutors. You yelped into the microphone, feeling a bit shy.

“Keep going.”

“Professor-”

“When it’s just us you call us by our names, remember?”

“Yes, Sangyeon.”

“Good girl. Now continue.”

You tried to keep your voice steady as Sangyeon continued his distraction. You even had to avert your gaze as Chan and Hongjoong were watching you from the other side of the glass. It didn’t help anything when Sangyeon pushed your panties aside and his cold fingers ran up along your core. You shivered, accidentally making eye-contact with Chan. You felt your face burning and you shut your eyes. You tried to compose yourself and bit your lip, but Sangyeon pushed a finger into you, a moan escaping you.

“Are you getting this?” Sangyeon asked.

“We’re recording.” Hongjoong assured.

“Good.”

Sangyeon wrapped his free hand around your throat, putting light pressure on it as he held your head high. You had to stay by the microphone and continue your warm up. You desperately tried to move, but your arms were restrained, and Sangyeon was holding you still. His fingers kept working you over, eventually finding your sweet spot. You whimpered into the mic, your breathing becoming uneven. Your face wasn’t the only thing burning anymore. By then Sangyeon had two fingers into you, his lips pressing kisses against your cheek.

“Sa… Sangyeon…”

“Hm?”

“… please…”

“You don’t deserve to cum.”

He pushed you closer to the edge before stopping, pulling his fingers out. You whimpered, and looked up to him with pleading eyes. All you got was a kiss on your head as he undid the belt and freed your arms.

“We’ll start in ten.” Chan announced into the booth. “And you’re not allowed to touch yourself.”

Sangyeon left you alone, and you took the time to catch your breath and finish your warm up. You felt frustrated, but your lessons had only just begun. You practiced your singing and rapping, following the verses given to you and trying to do your own thing with them. When you finished you collapsed onto the couch in the studio, wanting to get some rest.

“Here.”

You opened your eyes when someone tapped your legs, seeing Hongjoong offering you a cup of tea. You took it and gave a smile, getting yourself a pat on the head. For now you’d let your voice rest and work on composition. Chan really wanted to get you to a point where you could write your own music. There was a great opportunity coming up as the university was having its annual freshmen showcase. It wasn’t mandatory, but it would be beneficial for any of the new students, even transfers, to participate.

“Chan.”

“Hm?”

“I was thinking of partnering with one of my friends for the showcase.”

“No.”

“But-”

“The showcase is very important and you can’t be doing it with someone else.”

“Why not? I don’t-”

“You have to show that you can be a star on your own before you collaborate with others.” Chan explained. “Besides, you’re already marked down as a solo act.”

“What!? I haven’t even submitted my-”

“We did it for you.” Hongjoong chimed in. “You can’t leave such things at the last minute.”

“I guess…”

“Hm, have you forgotten who we are?”

“No, of course not.”

“Then you have to trust us. We’re not just professors, but artists in the industry. We get a say whether you make it or not, and we do like you. So you shouldn’t ruin your chances.”

“Right.”

“As long as you stick with us and do what we say, you’ll end up in the spotlight.”

You took a sip of your tea before Chan took it from you, pulling you onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around you, resting his chin on your shoulder.

“Daddy doesn’t wanna see you fail.” Chan mumbled. “And I’m not talking about your father.”

Chan placed a kiss on your neck, his lips trailing up until he stopped to press a big kiss on your cheek. He giggled into the kiss.

“Hm, we should go over to the dance studio. You can’t skip practice.”

“I know.”

The four of you made your way over to the dance studio, using a private practice room. They helped you with your warm ups, and then continued where you left off. They intended to have you dance as well for the showcase, so they had been working with you to choreograph your routine. It was still a work in progress, but you were at the halfway point. After three hours you collapsed to the floor, exhausted and finally done for the day. You were laying on the ground, eyes shut, and catching your breath when you felt someone on top of you. When you opened your eyes you found Sangyeon smiling down at you.

“Don’t you look pretty.”

“I’m all sweaty.”

“A beautiful glow.”

“You’re gross.”

“One must find beauty everywhere, and you look amazing.”

You remembered that this was how it all started. When the trio had first taken you on it seemed like a normal student and tutor situation. It wasn’t until one of your dance practices that you realized there was more going on. After a long session you found yourself under Chan. Before you could say anything he was kissing you. At first you were shocked but then you pushed him off, moving away. You told him it was wrong, and that you weren’t interested in him in such a manner, but that didn’t stop him. He wound up pinning you down beneath him, telling you not to lie to yourself. He knew the way other students would stare at him, and you were no different. Maybe that was true, but this still felt wrong.

You thought things would stay between you and Chan, but he was very open with affection in front of the other two. That led to them getting intimate with you as well. It started softly with kisses, but when it was just one on one they got bold. First it was Sangyeon in the dance studio, taking you after a lesson and pushing you to your limits. Then it was Chan in the studio before you practiced, telling you to consider it a warm up. Lastly it was Hongjoong after his lecture, having you stay with him since your private studies with him would begin afterwards. You could tell they all had some experience on that front.

Now they were all just comfortable with each other and you, so they had no problem taking turns. At this point you weren’t sure if they actually cared about you or if you were their project and they were gonna make you famous. At least they didn’t seem to doubt your talent, which is probably why you were still engaging with them in such a manner. There were times when it hit you how wrong all this was, but this was your golden opportunity, and you couldn’t blow it. So you went along with them. All the private sessions, the one-on-one practices, the sex. None of it was bad, but you knew for sure those around you would say awful things behind your back if they knew the truth.

🖤

“Yo, what’s the plan for the weekend?”

“I’m gonna be at the studio working on my showcase.”

“Girl, do you ever take a break.”

“Winter break is coming up.”

“And you sure you gonna take it?”

“I’m fine Misu, and yes, I will definitely enjoy my winter break.”

“Then I’ll make plans for then since you always seem busy.”

“One has to work hard to make it in this type of industry.”

“I know it. Although some good connections can go a long way. I need to start getting closer to my professors.”

“Just not too close.”

“Why not? You have to admit some of them are very-”

“Stop! I don’t want to know your type.”

“Alright, virgin.”

“Ya! That’s not true.”

“Then who was your first?”

“Uh…”

“Exactly. Virgin.”

“Whatever. Enjoy your weekend.”

“You too. Don’t work too hard.”

“I’ll try not to.”

It was sweet that your friends always checked in with you about the weekend, hoping for the day you don’t say you’re busy. One day that will be the case but for now you had to spend your weekend with your tutors. You had to be at the studio by eight in the morning, so it always sucked having to drag yourself out of bed. You made a stop for coffee on your way, making sure to get some for everyone too. When you walked into the studio you were greeted with happy faces. They already seemed wide awake unlike yourself. Maybe they didn’t sleep at all.

“Look who showed up late.”

“It’s not eight yet, Sangyeon.”

“If you’re on time you’re late, if you’re early you’re on time.”

“I see, my bad.”

“We’ll work on that.” Sangyeon teased. “Let’s get you settled in before we begin.”

You had your coffee and the session was going by like normal until there was a knock at the door. It was the weekend, so not many students would be on campus. Although as everyone shared glances the door opened and your friend Misu stepped in.

“Hey- wow, what’s this?”

“A private session.” Chan stated. “Please leave.”

Chan didn’t wait for a response as he closed the door and locked it. Things were quiet for a moment, the guys waiting for the uninvited guest to leave. Once they were gone they all turned to look at you.

“What the hell was that?” Hongjoong questioned. “Did you invite your friend?”

“No! Not at all!”

“I think you’re lying.”

“I swear I’m not.”

“Then why show up here?” Sangyeon wondered. “On a weekend of all times?”

“I… I mentioned to Misu that I would be in the studio this weekend, but I never invited her! I didn’t think she’d show up to surprise me or something.”

“I thought we told you to stop socializing with your so-called friends.”

“Uh… they are my friends though, I can’t-”

“You can’t be having friends at this point in your career.”

“What? Doesn’t it pay to have connections in the industry?”

“It does.” Chan stated. “And you have us. No one else matters.”

“But-”

“What did you tell her you were doing here today?”

“That… that I was working on my showcase.”

“So she came to potentially steal your ideas, or perhaps convince you to perform as a duo?”

“I… no, she wouldn’t-”

“And how can you be so sure? The showcase is a very important event for all the new students. Those that don’t perform well don’t stick around.”

“Oh…”

“We shouldn’t continue at the school.” Sangyeon said. “It’s better we take these sessions off campus.”

“Off campus? What do you mean-”

“We can use my studio.” Hongjoong volunteered. “None of my artists are using it this weekend.”

“You… you have your own studio?”

“Of course. Chan does as well.”

“Woah…”

“We’re not just professors. So let’s go.”

There really wasn’t a choice here, so you went with them to Hongjoong studio. It was in the city, one of the biggest buildings around. The others also seemed to know their way around. It wasn’t really noticeable before, but seeing how they all acted with one another it was safe to say they were good friends. When you walked into the studio you were quite amazed. The view was incredible.

“This is your studio?”

“You like?” Hongjoong chuckled. “Need a good view and sunlight for motivation. I’ve done some of my best work here.”

“In more ways than one.” Chan commented. “Now let’s focus. She’s spent enough time worried about others.”

“I’m not some kid. It’s important to socialize and-”

“Y/n, you’re a talented girl, and that’s why we picked you, but you should know to respect your seniors.”

“You’re also my professors and this-”

“We’re taking out free time and giving it to you.” Sangyeon reminded. “It would be rude if you took that for granted.”

“I-”

“You still need to be punished for what happened earlier today.”

“Uh…” “I agree.” Hongjoong added. “Let’s enjoy the view some more.”

“What?”

Hongjoong stalked over to you, forcing you back until your back hit the glass. He placed his hand on either side, boxing you in. You felt your face burning, avoiding Hongjoong’s gaze, but he ended up grabbing your chin and made you meet his eyes.

“Hongjoong…”

“You’re gonna be a star.”

He leaned in close, pressing his lips against yours. By now it was a force of habit to kiss back, or maybe it was just you wanting this too. Hongjoong’s hands trailed down your body, grabbing onto your waist. When he pulled away from the kiss his eyes gazed into yours with lust before he flipped you around. He pressed you up against the glass, a hand trailing down into your pants, rubbing you through your panties.

“No one can see us all the way up here.”

“… you… you sure?”

“The glass is one way.”

“Oh…”

Hongjoong pressed kisses against your neck, sucking on bits here and there to mark you up. He kept you firmly pressed against the glass, leaving you with little room to move as he teased you. This was only the beginning and that was obvious once he moved aside your panties and ran his fingers along your throbbing core. You squirmed, pressing your ass against his crotch without meaning too, feeling something hard poking you back.

“You just have to ask, baby girl.” Hongjoong whispered. “Take your pants off.”

It wasn’t a request, especially when he helped you out by unzipping your pants. You hooked your thumbs into your pants, carefully shiming out of them as Hongjoong kept teasing you. After a moment your pants hit the ground at your ankles, and you carefully stepped out of them. Hongjoong pushed your legs apart, two fingers sliding inside you. A moan escaped your lips and you could see your breath on the glass. You were so focused on your own pleasure you didn’t realize Hongjoong had pulled his dick out. You only felt it press against your ass for a moment before he removed his fingers and then slid right into your pussy. You let out a loud moan, eyes rolling to the back of your head.

You needed a moment to adjust as he had done a sloppy job with prep. His heavy breathing was right against your ear, and he whispered how tight you were. He asked if you were ready and you nodded your head. His hands moved to your hips and he slowly began to move, getting into a rhythm before his basic instincts took over. Every thrust pushed you against the glass, giving you a slightly uncomfortable feeling, but it didn’t matter compared to everything else. You were panting against the glass, pushing back against Hongjoong as best as you could. You could feel yourself approaching the edge, mumbling something to Hongjoong, but he was in his own world.

By the way his movements were getting sloppy you knew he was close too. All you had to do was wait and play along, he’d take care of you in the end. His grip on your hips got tight, most likely going to leave bruises. Hongjoong ended up wrapping an arm around you and pulling your back against his chest. He thrust up into you a few times before you felt something warm running down your leg. The sensation pushed you over the edge and you were cumming alongside him. You had your head thrown back, resting on his shoulder as you came down from you high, catching your breath.

“What a good girl.”

Hongjoong kept you in place for a moment before pulling out and bringing you over to the couch. You were still out of breath, but were starting to settle down.

“You really got no problem making a mess in your own studio.” Sangyeon commented. 

“I have a cleaner.” Hongjoong mentioned. “And this wouldn’t be the first time they deep clean this place. Up against the glass is a popular place.”

“What about the couch?”

“A good choice too.”

“I like the sound of that.”

Sangyeon pulled you up and onto his lap. You were still exhausted but he loved the look in your eyes. He didn’t mind the mess either, his hand slipping down between your legs, fingers digging into the mess of cum still dripping out.

“Did you have fun?” You nodded. “That’s good. You had your break so how about I take you for a ride.”

“Sure…”

“At a girl.”

Sangyeon pressed his lips to yours, a new flavor into the mix. You kissed back, leaning into him. Your legs were still shaking, your mind numb from the pleasure, but you continued with Sangyeon’s advances. His thumb was rubbing at your clit, taking full advantage of your current state. You had your arms wrapped around him, feeling how he found your sweet spot and began to abuse it. Before you cooled down he wanted to get in on the action, and now that he had you in his hands it was easy. He kept fingering you while he undid his pants with his free hand, springing out his cock. He stroked himself, getting hard, leaking pre-cum all over his hand.

“You ready, darling?”

“Hm.”

You didn’t even notice when Sangyeon removed his fingers, but you certainly felt the stretch of his cock pushing your walls apart. You held onto him and moaned into his ear as he pushed into the mess, the squelching sound filling the room. Sangyeon let out a breath as you adjusted, loving the way your walls squeezed him. After taking a moment he grabbed your hips, helping you move up and down. You let him take control, helping how you could as you bounced on his cock. Your legs were already trembling, but you kept going, wanting to get another high. You could feel that heat growing again, practically being dragged out of you. Sangyeon got more aggressive as you kept going, definitely going to leave bruises on your hips.

As he lost his rhythm you did your best to take over, moving until you came. It wasn’t long before he climaxed as well, pulling you close and holding you in his arms, moaning into your ear. You twitched in his embrace, feeling so out of breath. You both stayed connected for a while as you came down from cloud nine. After a moment Sangyeon laid down and kept you on top of him, pressing lazy kisses to your face. You giggled and smiled at him, wanting to rest. Although you weren’t done yet. You suddenly felt hands pulling you off of Sangyeon and up on your feet. It was Chan, a devilish grin on his face.

“You’re not done yet, doll.” Chan said. “You have to please us all.”

“Huh…”

Chan kissed you before dragging you into the recording booth and bending you over the table inside. He only ran his fingers along your pussy and ass before getting his dick out and pushing it into you. Now there was going to be a mess to clean up in the booth. You looked up at the glass, seeing both Hongjoong and Sangyeon watching. You made eye contact for a moment before Chan rammed into rather hard, making your eyes rolled to the back of your head. Your mouth hung open as he kept going, pushing you to your limits. He was pulling another orgasm out of you, and all you could do was take it. His hands trailed up and down your back. 

As he got closer to cumming his movements became sloppy. You were feeling bits of pain, but it always got overridden by pleasure. Chan suddenly pulled you up against his body, thrusting up into you before spilling his seed inside you. A loud moan escaped your lips and you shook in his arms, feeling this third orgasm push your body to the edge. Chan held you tightly, moving ever so slightly to drag on both your climaxes. By this time you were spent and could barely keep yourself up. Chan wound up carrying you out of the booth, setting you down on the couch where Hongjoong had put down a blanket. 

Your vision was fading in and out, but it was over now. You felt a hand pet you softly, going along with a soothing hum too. You certainly fell asleep for a moment, waking up to the sounds of your own moans. You peeked your eyes open, seeing Chan and Hongjoong were by the mixer, messing around with the private recordings. Your head was resting on Sangyeon’s lap, his hand rubbing circles into your skin to relax you and release any tension in your body. You were still tired so you closed your eyes, most likely going to drift back to sleep.

“We should use some of this.” Hongjoong commented. “I got a few ideas in mind.”

“How exactly do you copyright this?” Chan asked. “Then again, we did make them.”

“Exactly.”

“How about we just keep it to ourselves.” Sangyeon added. “It makes it more special that way. Besides, actually using it could lead to trouble down the line. We don’t want to ruin her future.”

“Honestly, even after the showcase, we should continue with weekend sessions.” Hongjoong mentioned. “Especially in our private studios.”

“I second that.” Chan said. “Things work better this way for everyone.”

You don’t know how long you slept for, but when you woke up you were in the back of a car. Hongjoong smiled at you and took your hand in his, pressing a soft kiss against it.

“Hello.”

“Hi… what’s going on…”

“We’re going out for some food. You must be hungry.”

“Yeah…”

The boys helped you out of the car, as you couldn’t really walk straight just yet. You got a private room at the restaurant, Chan having you sit in his lap instead of taking a seat on your own. He tickled you with kisses, slapping away the hands of the others.

“Behave.” Sangyeon growled. “She’s ours.”

“Yes she is.” Hongjoong agreed. “She’s our beautiful girl.”

“No, no, no.” Chan corrected. “She’s our beautiful star.”

[genericpuff]

I followed artsangel since her previous comic immaterial. I have to say she IS talented and has the skills. But her style is verrrrry time consuming and she would only update every 2 weeks. I used to study her art a lot because I was always impressed by it, and Im fairly certain it did not look like like that when it was on canvas. I used to see her progresses on her stories and she uses a lot of assets and predrawn faces to keep her consistent pixar look. The faces were less uncanny and more expressive. Now the eyes are all wonky and displaced.

I think she may have used ai to polish her panels. Perhaps the workload proved too much, or maybe she was feeling insecure. I was concerned when she got picked up by webtoon because I could tell it would be difficult for her to keep up the schedule. Ai is super powerful but its not powerful enough to make a COMIC, not even consistently. She probably using it as an enhancer to her already great skills. A shame though, she doesn’t need it.

Also I think the reason her preproduction period was so quick is because she was highly prepared before launch. She already has multiple comics under her belt and webtoon probably didn’t need to change much. Im sure she just reused her canvas comic for her reboot and built a buffer in the meantime.

Having to meet deadlines can definitely be a reason but not an excuse IMO.

One creator I can think of who has a similar style (albeit in black and grey) is figmentforms, creator of A Tale of Two Rulers.

Updates are slow, she posts maybe a new page once a month, the art is gorgeous but it's clear it takes her time. It's a free to read comic. It's worth the wait.

That said, if she wanted to make her updates more frequent, I wouldn't blame her at all for utilizing new tools and methods to do so - but it wouldn't justify her in using AI tools that are stealing other people's art.

There are loads of shortcuts that artists already use that are fine because they're still genuinely handcrafted. 3D models, overlay textures, blur effects, etc. are all tools that artists use to help speed up the drawing process and were made by hand.

And beyond that, the need to make the process more efficient isn't a crime, but it's in how you do it. You can use these tools irresponsibly or at the cost of your own comic's quality. Case in point, Lore Olympus and Let's Play, which are both godawful in how they implement 3D backgrounds and stock images:

Creating comics is finding a balance between efficiency and quality, not sacrificing one for the other and using it as justification to avoid criticism for that sacrifice.

If Sarah Ellerton was using AI based on her own art and being honest about it, I don't think anyone would be nearly as upset. It might prompt a debate over what's ethical in the world of comics - whether or not it's right for consumers to pay for a product that's being churned out of an AI prompt - but at least it wouldn't be theft and it would probably just be there as an aid to an artist who's been doing this for 20 years and had to find a way to make the process more efficient. I think AI can be used as a productive tool if it's implemented responsibly and without being at the cost of another artist's work.

The issue is that 1.) Sarah is being VERY suspicious over the whole thing which leads us to believe that she's NOT using ethical AI assistance, and 2.) there's a VERY clear distinction near the end of her previous comic, Immaterial, where you can basically tell when she adopted AI. The main character Alex, for example, literally became a whole other person.

This is a common problem for AI coloring prompts, a LOT of them are bad at rendering darker skin tones (I think I mentioned this in my last post, but I literally got to playtest AI coloring tools from WT's a couple years ago, and they could NOT figure out darker skin tones, any dark colors that were put down were assumed to be shadows so characters just looked like white characters with the curtains pulled over their face).

She just looks like a SamDoesArts poster girl now. Everything unique about her has been stripped away and you can see this transition in the final page of Immaterial and the first episode of Quantum Entanglement:

None of it feels like organically her, it feels like a cheap machine reproduction.

I don't doubt that this person has evolved a lot as an artist or that her older work was genuinely her, she's clearly got a lot of skill that only someone who's been drawing comics for years would gain.

But it's clear somewhere along the way she succumbed to insecurity or stopped caring enough to start using AI to do the heavy lifting. I mean honestly, her work from before was fine! So I don't see why she would be using it for 'polishing', there are so many ugly ass webtoons on the platform so even the art from Immaterial - even if she had to simplify it a bit more to make it easier to meet deadlines - would likely be a refreshing change of pace.

But the way she's utilized AI here, I was quicker to assume Sam Yang drew Quantum Entanglement when I first saw it.

And it is a shame, because, as you said, she doesn't need it. Her art is perfectly capable on its own and while I can understand her need to make the process more efficient, there are better ways to do that than using AI that's clearly ripping off other artists and then lying about it. It's a shame she'd put her reputation on the line as a seasoned artist just to meet Webtoons' stupid deadlines. Like, how can it be worth it?

[megalo224]

How would you suggest to learn art? I currently am only able to draw heads not very well but I try and I'm very inspired by your art, do you have any suggestions or tips?

look at ur favs and try to draw like them! when i wanted to start taking art more seriously i was copying frames off cuphead and the sonic mania intro by eye and eventually i made some art friends who i wanted to draw JUST like. and i basically tried to adopt the artstyles that inspired me during whatever era of my life at the time but naturally my own swag shined through and after many years and inspo from so many different things, i draw the way i do now, and am still striving to get better! so what im saying is legit to just look at ur favorite artists and try to do what theyre doing, study ppls styles copy art by eye for practice, try to push yourself to try new stuff. pushing yourself sucks a lot because it can be quite a demotivator when you try to do something cool but you dont see what you quite hoped but thats experience!

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wear ur inspirations on ur sleeve! some of my fav artists that have inspired me a lot in the past 2 years are bobobazarra, marcoggers on twitter, vintdoo, dakidavekat, evilsk8r, deppa, mettaflix. and those are only just a few! i could literally go on naming people for hours. dont be afraid to proudly shout abt what or who who inspires ur stuff!

when it comes to hard practice and studies, if youre willing to get into certain techniques u can try looking into ways to break down the body, like boxing out stuff like the torso and pelvis and stuff like that to use as construction. to me when the mood would strike me when i was starting out, doing figure studies and copying poses i found on google was smth id do for like 30 mins to an hour, even if they were terrible it was just fun to draw them and move on to the next. and it was experience! even if it didnt feel like it at the time. like, doing something like copying a buncha hands for fun creates a mental library for ur brain to pick from to help make whatever unique hand youre trying to make for your art. its all experience! so do it when you feel up to it!

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and overall just try to have fun, if you find yourself frustrated enough to feel hopeless about art then just try to take a step back and come back later or draw whatever makes you happy. but when youre able to take on challenge and pushing yourself always try to, and try to have fun and keep in mind that what youre doing is gonna shoot your stuff to the stars and that u just gotta keep going. and get pinterest! that shit helps out a fuckton both with creative inspiration and art studies and practicing and tips.

------------------------------------------ also keep in mind everything ive said here is just my personal experience and whats worked for me. everybody works differently with art. something that changed my perspective a lot was meeting one of my favorite artists last year, and asking for advice because i was going through horrible art block and self worth issues. i was going crazy copying peoples art in my sketchbooks trying to figure out what others understood that it felt i couldnt, trying to figure out what was missing. i was super desperate for improvement and it felt like i was improving so slowly compared to others with the same amount of years spent drawing as

i. so when i asked this artist what they did to study stuff, they told me they barely even did studies on anatomy and whatever. which was crazy to me because it felt like they had such a grasp on that kinda thing and stylized it so well. that didnt make me stop studying though but it made me worry about everything way less, because it made me realize you just gotta do what you feel is right and what you feel is truly pushing you, but most importantly have fun doing it. it made me realize art wasnt this rigid ass process where i was breaking rules or not eating enough art veggies. so with that, i accepted myself and i moved forward continuing to push myself but not worrying as much about improvement right away, just have fun and do studies and shit as i went when i wanted to, and give myself a little push to strive for stuff just a bit crazier than what i felt i was capable of.

everyone is different, theres some artists that start from the feet up or start drawing a body from the shoulder its crazy. but its not because its objectively better to do that, its just how they draw. some artists do full sketch constructions for bodies, some artists do everything from eye. im sure theres some that switched from doing everything from eye to wanting to do construction for bodies and stuff, and vice versa. they did what worked for them, but what makes ppl rly improve is simply that they have fun in the process and strive to push themselves, thats the most important thing, or at least thats my perspective on it at this current point in my life.

so do what you feel is right, have fun, try different techniques out, try different stuff that you feel will help you, keep being inspired.

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best of luck to u, sorry for yapping kinda a lot and thank u a ton for the kind words!

[synnthamonsugar]

Synnth’s Fic Rec Friday ….......... #3!

Inspired by the fic rec listed started by @a-driftamongopenstars and the Friday fic rec series by @flowers-of-io. I thought I would throw my hat into the ring with my own weekly(ish) whenever I feel like it series. (Tag: Synnth Recs)

Newness of Breath

By @scribonia-art

Read on AO3

Fandom: Destiny | Rating: General | Characters: Original Hive Lightbearer & Original Hive Ghost | Word count: 4,043 | Warnings: No archive warnings (see chapter notes for additional CWs)

A Hive Wizard awakes from the thoughtless sleep that had been death and she experiences the world for the first time. A Ghost is panicking because she had not been expecting an idle experiment to work.

If you've followed this series so far, you know I love Destiny fanfic that engages with the conventions of Destiny storytelling — most notably the venerable lore book, backbone of Destiny narrative, unparalleled for its ability to establish wide swaths of world-building, poignant character pieces, and memorable standalone works of fiction in short-form.

Newness of Breath leans into the style of Destiny grimoire to brilliant effect, delivering an unforgettable study of the Hive Lightbearer, Melammu, in around 4k words and 8 chapters.

There is sun on my skin. Dappled by thin scrub and short trees that grow on a rocky brown crag above me. Smears of white against the incredible blueness of the sky and the hot white orb that stings my eyes but delivers such sweet warmth that soaks down into my flesh. I close my eyes and turn my face to the sun. I feel its embrace.  If this is what Being is like, I am glad to Be. 

I'm a sucker for newly-revived Lightbearer stories. As someone who enjoys the narrative arc of the bildungsroman, but cannot stand any of that teenage angst stuff, Guardians, as a concept, are tailor-made for me. Imagine: An adult who has to figure out their identity and place in the world ... and they have an enigmatic little companion and cool powers. It's perfect.

I love the way this fic handles being newly born into a strange new life, the way it delivers the perspective character's inner monologue and the physicality of existence. Even something as simple as breathing or enjoying the sunshine is elevated from Melammu's point of view.

"I can't believe I just did that," says the thing as it frets above me, spinning in its many smooth chitin parts around its little core of silver and luminosity. It darts to and fro as if the motion would help it find its answer. I watch it from my rocky perch, blissful in the sun's warmth, claws folded together in my lap as I wait for it to speak to me. With no teeth or tongue I wonder how it speaks at all, but maybe its words are also new things like sparks struck from between unseen ineffable objects.

But the story of a new Lightbearer is never only that. The Ghost is always the second half, or should be. The terrified surprise felt by Ghost as their decision to revive a hive wizard settles in, pit against the curious naïveté of their ward makes for a fascinating dynamic.

"... what if I don't defend myself?" "They'll just kill you anyway." I look down at my claws and the Ghost cradled in them.  "Oh."

Loss of innocence as the main character comes to terms with the reality of their station is a staple of every "coming of age" story and this one is no different. I love how this fic grapples with the injustice faced by hive lightbearers, who, as with any other, are born with no inherent agendas or loyalties, and casts a spotlight on the hypocrisy of those who judge Guardians by their pre-Light lives.

Still, Melammu and Ghost care for each other, despite their strange and frightening circumstances and the acknowledgement that a mistake was made. I love the tenderness and compassion with which they treat each other, despite - or because of - their hardships.

We move at night. Fewer of my estranged cousins-in-the-Light are present in the darkness and, though the crisp moonlight shines brightly on the white of my frilled carapace, it is harder to see us.

The proceeding chapters are vivid and heartwrenching, and build to an emotional culmination that I dare not reveal here because it should only be experienced firsthand. (This is your cue to go read it now.)

Destiny is very much a story about devotion, duty and sacrifice, played out on cosmic scale but also in the interpersonal relationship between every Guardian-Ghost pair, and this story is exemplary of that most tender and bittersweet dynamic. As well as larger questions of what it means to exist, the meaning of life, and what to do with the life one is given.

Final rating: Will be thinking about this one forever/10