#just slightly rendered sketches

[mazken]

brush test slash rendering practice with ayem

[eggsbenedictinurmom]

Silver Week day 2: Delivery

First day to have a pattern of “I will not draw Silver lonely. Give him a friend!”

The gift? Well let’s justr say…

A boxfull of these

They’re HELLA expensive in bulk (at least to my broke ass), so I just know Espio can’t get at least a reasonable amount of them without killing Vector’s wallet at the end of the month

Barely finished this one so Espio’s reaction is only a sketch I’m afraid 😔 (this + the original traditional art sketch below the cut)

If you’re having trouble with reading my handwriting (which I can absolutely understand), I transcribed the speech from the second image in the alt text! ^_^

[trebuchet151]

They agreed to let Anathema take ONE photo with their polaroid camera. And they got tipsy enough to forget their jacket somewhere so Ortega's helping them keep warm, that's all. Don't make it weird.

Sequel to this post

Gonna start dropping links to songs from Corey's playlist that match the vibe of the art so here's Sugar by Sleep Token

[hydrossity-zone]

[5/3/2024]

decided to finish an old sketch I had

(as usual, click for better quality!)

[pitgritted]

I did a Garen Crownguard sketch ! I sorta wanted to try drawing other LEAGUE characters and my friend suggested Garen while we were on VC drawing together on the same canvas . Honestly might end up coloring … depends .

[velvet-games]

AUGH I forgot how much I hate doing digital lineart

[alukaforyou]

and oh rip @ the compression u cant even see the line quality well here :( but medium opacity flat brush on sai my beloved 💖🎀 i sketch, line, and render w this baybey shes sooo good 😭

eye... need to stop sleeping at 3am when i have work the next day le sigh.... anyways v funny how i need at least 5 ref pics at all times to feel safe LOL first real attempt drawing on procreate i mean i made some sketches and fcked around w it before but idk how i feel about the textured lines, i do like it on one hand but idk if it'll look weird with smoother coloring idk i will def export this into sai to color cuz im just sooooo used to sai my beloved💖 i render / paint SOO specifically with sai idk wat to do in like any other program the brushes just act different so my workflow is like??? also an artist i love works on clip and one part of me is wondering if i can color better if i also work on clip but i dunno 😐 clip looks complex i did try it a few yrs ago and got intimidated by the unfamiliarity and gave up way too fast 😓 idt i will ever render on procreate but lining is somehow a bit easier on the screen i think? or is that just the textured brush lol i think its harder lining with a non textured brush in general.

ALSO!!!! I SEE YALL IN THE TAGS WISHFULLY WRITING ABT HOW YALL """""WANT TO""""" ALSO DRAW URSELVES WITH UR BLORBOS and...... WHAT THE FCK IS STOPPING U!!!!!!!! everyone who wrote "i should draw myself w x" GO DO IT!!!! 😾 dont make me say it twice

its really fun i promise :3

[mariasont]

not sure if you’re planning to write this, but smut with spencer & bimbo!receptionist!reader would probably fix my problems 😔 i feel like spencer would be praising her nonstop, while also being condescending & i fucking live for that‼️

Undo You - S.R

a/n: i love ur mind anon 😚 i hope this lives up to what you want 🫶🏼🫶🏼✨ thank you for requesting xoxo

anyway i kinda think this is bad bc i didn’t proofread but whatever ill prob go back and edit laters!

masterlist

pairings: spencer reid x bimbo!receptionist!reader

summary: bimbo reader and spencer doing the nasty

warnings: 18+ MDNI, fingering, degrading? (not really), spencer being slightly condescending, p in v, unprotected sex (BE BETTER!), creampie (STOP I HATE IT TOO BUT WHAT ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO CALL IT?!?!?! TWINKIE?!?!)

wc: 1.3k

Mustering the courage to ask you out was a feat in itself but getting you into his bed was a whole other ballgame. But here you were, fingers roaming through his hair and tracing the contours of his back. You were perfect, and you were in his bed.

The wasn't the first, nor would it be the last if he had anything to do with it. It's hard to fathom his good luck--to have you, breathtaking in every sense, under him, your fingertips gently grazing his waist band as you inch towards his cock.

Your makeup was almost artfully messy, with mascara delicately pooled beneath your lashes, rendering you devastatingly tempting. You had glittering eyeshadow on, and it was getting everywhere. Spencer felt the urge to undo you--to disrupt the pristine image you presented to the world, to make you uniquely his. Selfish? Without a doubt. But that didn't diminish the idea. 

Your hands, with their perfect manicure, were now wrapped around his cock, tugging and pulling as if your palms were sculpted precisely for this purpose. 

You were saying something, your lips a mesmerizing motion as he grasped the sheets beside you, each fistful a concerted effort to remain control.

"What, angel?" He was trying to be patient with you.

You talked a lot in general, but in bed, it only seemed to amplify. This was not a bad thing, not in his eyes, no, it was almost too much of a good thing. Each time your mouth opened and closed with another airy comment he found himself that much closer to spilling his load all over you.

"Your face is really red," you breathed out, nostrils flaring slightly, your eyes averted, engrossed in the sight of his length enclosed between your hands.

He stifled a laugh, resisting the urge to shove his cock into that pretty mouth of yours.

"Well, you see," Spencer starts, pausing as your hand presses to the tip of his length, "when someone is excited...or aroused, blood flow increases to the f-face, causing...vasodilation. It's... it's a sympathetic nervous system response."

"Oh, like when you get all red after running?" You tilt your head in that curious way of yours, your actions uninterrupted as words flowed from you.

"Yes, exactly like that."

He grabbed your hand, pulling you off of him and pressing that same hand to the mattress below him.

"And just like my face gets red, your pupils dilate when you're excited," Spencer explains, his hand poised just above your collarbone, sketching paths on your skin, "It's due to the release of norepinephrine, which is part of your body's fight of flight response."

Your lips were parted, pressing your body into him like you couldn't help yourself, hips squirming under his.

"So, what's the verdict, sweet girl?" Spencer asks, watching your gaze met his, lips parting as he dragged a hand over your clothed heat. "What's your body telling you? Fight of flight?"

You kissed him, gasping into his mouth as he pushed a finger into you. You were drenched. "Is submit an option?"

"That's my girl," he said, feeling his cock tighten even more, as if that were possible, almost moaning at the sight of your dimple being drawn out.

You whined, arching your back against the navy-blue sheets as your hands locked around his neck, pulling him impossibly close. He could smell everything about you from here—your coconut shampoo, your vanilla perfume, your lavender lotion. He wanted to inhale it, to inhale you.

He didn't even bother with your skirt, simply pulling your panties out from under it and lining himself up with your entrance. He watched, enthralled, as your chest rose and fell, holding your breath as you braced for his cock. You were so good for him, too good for him.

One hand clasped against your hip as the other guided his length into you, hissing as you tightened around him. It was a feeling that could never get old, like he was being reborn, like the world was ending and you and him were the only two people left. He would be fine with that.

Your face twisted up in pleasure as you began to rock against him, not giving yourself that chance to adjust. You did this often and it caused him to push down on your hips, stopping your movements. He could come if you kept doing that. He would.

"Patience," he hissed, but you were never one that was good with following orders.

You moved again, tits bouncing up and down your chest as you did. He stifled a groan, meeting your movements with thrusts of his own.

He imagined this is what Buddhists meant when they referred to finding the garden of Nirvana. This was it for him. The ultimate state of liberation and profound peace.

You were a blubbering mess, fingertips clawing down his back, surely to leave marks, but he couldn’t care less.

“Look at you,” he cooed, rutting his cock in and out of you. “You’re awfully quiet. Got something on your mind, baby?”

“N-No,” you stammered, legs wrapping around his waist as your arms went around his neck, clinging to him like a koala, your moans now pressed up against his ear.

“I figured as much.”

Your tits were flush against his chest, his breath stalling as he reached in the limited space between you, thumb circling your clit. Your whines intensified, just as his thrusts did.

“Spencer, please, yes, oh fuck—,” you paused, a gasp releasing from your lips as he felt you unravel on his cock, your wet cunt clenching around him in a way that made his legs shake.

“That’s it, sweetheart, just like that.” His movements were more desperate now, sloppily slamming into you without mercy. “You’re so fucking good, baby.”

He barely recognized your lips against his ear. “Will you come inside me please?”

That was all it took, those simple words, brushing against his skin and rushing all the way down to his cock. His thrusts slowing as he pumped himself inside you, the sound completely obscene, but it just made him enjoy it that much more.

You were limp against the bed, and Spencer was quick to follow, face finding the crook of his neck as he tried his best not to crush you with his weight.

He could feel your pulse against his lips, pressing soft, open-mouthed kisses into your honey induced skin as he waited for you to return back to planet Earth.

He was well aware of the drill, pressing one last kiss to your sweaty forehead before prying himself out of your hands and making a beeline for the bathroom. He grabbed a towel and a glass of water before coming back to the bed, nearly fainting at your tired smile shining at him, at him.

“Hi, gorgeous.”

“I really love when you call me that,” you said, almost dreamily as you pushed your tousled hair into the pillow.

He laughed, placing the water on the table and moving your legs so he was between them.

“Gorgeous,” he repeated as he dabbed the towel to your sex, cleaning the mess he made on you. “Do I not call you that enough? Because I can certainly make it a more regular occurrence.”

“Well, I mean, it couldn’t hurt,” you said, giggling as you flinched away from the pressure on your clit.

He pushed your leg down, preventing you from squirming. “Let me clean you up.”

You pouted, and he had the sudden urge to bite your bottom lip. You gave him a salute, giggling before you could even get the words out. “Aye, aye captain.”

He tossed the towel to the side, climbing up your legs as he kissed you, soft and slow, murmuring into your lips, “come here, smart ass.”

taglist: @hotchhner @khxna @readergf

[blackenedsnow]

Hi! I just wanted to asked if you could make a fanfic of shadow the hedgehog and mobian!reader,

the reader has a huge fascination with death and everything morbid to the point they draw,paint,sculpture disturbing stuff like that and all this fascination comes from them seeing lots of tragedies and they use morbid content as a way to try and help themselves and try to desensitize themselves from what they have seen and shadow is not very aware of all of this but he slowly finds out about it and wants to confront the reader

beautiful darkness

WARNING: Mentions of death, morbid themes, trauma processing, emotional vulnerability

PAIRING: Shadow the Hedgehog x Reader

NOTE: Hello. 🖤 I love how you’ve woven the themes of tragedy and coping through art—it's such a deep and fascinating premise. I hope this hits the mark for you. Thank you for trusting me with this request! Take care of yourself.

SUMMARY: You’ve always used morbid art to process the tragedies you've seen, creating sculptures and drawings that pull beauty from the grim. When Shadow discovers the extent of your dark fascination, he struggles to understand—but he’s determined to confront you and offer the comfort he thinks you need.

The studio was silent, except for the scratch of your pencil against paper. You were deep in concentration, eyes narrowed as you worked on a sketch—a skeletal figure cradling a wilted rose, the petals dripping into a pool of ink-black shadows. To anyone else, it might seem morbid. To you, it was therapy.

Your hands moved with practiced grace, each line deliberate. These drawings, these sculptures, these pieces of darkness—they were your way of making sense of the chaos in your mind. You'd seen things that clung to your thoughts like cobwebs: tragedies that replayed in endless loops when you closed your eyes. If you could capture those horrors, render them into art, maybe you could take away their power. Maybe you could breathe again.

But you never told anyone why. Not even Shadow.

You weren’t sure he’d understand. Shadow was someone who carried his own grief quietly, wrapped in layers of stoicism. You admired his strength, his quiet resilience. But he rarely spoke of his pain. And if he didn’t share his darkness with you, why burden him with yours?

You didn’t notice him standing in the doorway until you felt his eyes on you—a heavy presence, like storm clouds rolling in. You startled, dropping your pencil.

“Shadow!” You quickly turned your sketchpad over, heart hammering in your chest. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

He didn’t respond immediately. His crimson eyes flicked from you to the scattered pages around the room: sketches of decayed flowers, statues of distorted figures, paintings of other extremely gorey things. His jaw tightened.

“I didn’t realize you were working on… this.” His voice was low, controlled.

You swallowed hard, suddenly self-conscious. “It’s just art,” you said, trying to sound casual. “It helps me clear my head.”

His eyes narrowed slightly. “This isn’t just art. These… depictions of death and suffering—what are you trying to clear your head of?”

You looked away, fingers curling into your palms. You hadn’t expected him to find out like this. He was always respectful of your space, your privacy. But now the walls were down, and there was no hiding the truth.

“It’s complicated,” you whispered.

Shadow stepped into the room, his footsteps nearly silent. He crouched down in front of you, his gaze softening, though his intensity never waned. “Then help me understand.”

Your breath trembled in your chest. The vulnerability was like standing on a cliff’s edge, the wind threatening to pull you over. But the weight of keeping it all in was heavier still.

“I’ve seen things, Shadow,” you admitted, voice barely above a whisper. “It’s like those memories are burned into my mind. So I create these… morbid pieces. It’s my way of trying to control it. To face it.”

His eyes searched yours, a flicker of understanding sparking in the crimson depths. “You’re trying to desensitize yourself,” he said slowly. “To make the nightmares less powerful.”

You nodded. “Yeah. And maybe it’s weird. Maybe it’s too much. But it helps me.”

He was quiet for a moment, his expression unreadable. You braced for judgment, for the cold wall of misunderstanding. But then, Shadow reached out, his gloved hand gently brushing your cheek.

“It’s not too much,” he said softly.

Your eyes widened. “You mean that?”

He nodded. “I’ve faced my own darkness. And for a long time, I thought I had to carry it alone. But seeing you… how you process your pain—it’s not weakness. It’s strength.” He paused, his voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t want you to drown in it.”

You felt a fresh wave of emotion swell in your chest. “I don’t want to drown, either. But sometimes it feels like the only way to stay afloat.”

Shadow’s grip on your hand tightened just slightly. “I may not understand everything, but I want to try.”

The words settled over you like a balm, soothing wounds you didn’t know were still open. You leaned into his touch, a shaky smile breaking through.

“Thank you, Shadow.”

He nodded once, his eyes filled with a quiet determination.

[ezariumi]

Ezariumi 2025 Commissions: OPEN!!

Commissions are now open. From now, all through 2025!! 

Have any characters or OCs you'd like to see in my art style? I draw characters and pairings of all genders and combinations.

Please DM me if interested for commission! ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧

Guidelines: OCs and characters from just about any fandom are welcome*. Everything Safe for Work (SFW). Not for commercial use. 

I accept references in the form of both images and text descriptions. References can also be in the form of multiple different images such as collages, moodboards, etc. Please note that written descriptive references without any supporting images will have an extra $9~15 charge for character design depending on complexity. 

I issue invoices. I do not accept other modes of payment.

Note that for full color with shading and lighting, I utilize a mix of painting over and under the linework layers. The linework and color layers are not separable. 

The coloring technique I use offers slightly more leeway in making corrections in the later stages of the rendering process. Up to 30% of the placement of characters and objects within the illustration can be altered after the linework and during the work-in-progress coloring stage.

WIPs will be shared through direct messages at various stages of progress from sketch, color palette testing, linework, during the coloring process. Expect to be kept updated with upwards of 3 to 7 WIP updates/images. 

Working time may range from 3 weeks to 3 months depending on the complexity of the illustrated work. I will work on several pieces concurrently, however, there may be a waiting list.

Please specify if I can post either the full or cropped illustration upon completion or at a later date. 

*I reserve the right to decline your commission request if I do not feel confident or comfortable in what you have proposed for me to draw. Thank you for your understanding.

Please allow up to 3 working days for replies. (I may reply back at odd hours.)

[fishlung8877]

Dare I say... Coooked?

Wip, perhaps... Willl fix lighting later

[aventurineswife]

Thanks for answering my ask about comedic nudity!

So I ended up forgetting about the og idea I wanted to send because I didn’t write it down. 🙂‍↕️

But I do have another idea that involves Reader being a freak for art! If you’ve ever played (or watched someone play) Persona 5, Reader is a little bit like Yusuke, they love to draw and paint and all that fun stuff. They’re also a bit of a simp and have pages in their sketchbooks dedicated to drawing people they fancy.

So, not really nudity here, but one day while drinking, Reader gets so drunk off of their ass they finally dare to ask the question that’s been gnawing at the back of their mind:

“Hey, [muse]…D’ya wanna model naked for me?”

Bonus points if they’re trying to ask it to their muse in question, but they’re so drunk they don’t realize they’re facing someone else entirely.

Like, their muse could be Sunday and they’re trying to ask Sunday to model naked for them, but they’re facing Robin.

It can also be other combos!

Like, Muse:the person Reader is actually facing

So—

Gepard:Serval

Blade:Firefly

Dan Heng:Sushang

Lingsha:Yunli

Jing Yuan:Yanqing

These are just examples off the top of my head but basically pick any one or think of another pair yourself and make it as chaotic as you possible can. 🤣

If you make the title “Draw Me Like One of Your French Girls” istg—

Portraits of Desire

Tags: Sunday x Reader x Robin, Aventurine x Reader x Topaz, Artist!Reader, Fluff and Humor, Alcohol-Induced Shenanigans, Artistic Obsession, Mild Suggestive Themes, Confessions in Chaos, Playful Banter.

Warnings: Alcohol consumption and intoxication, Light innuendo, Embarrassing humorous situations.

A/N: sadly i already named a previous fic that, so I can't name this one the same title 😕💔

(Credits to @kakyoriya on Twitter/X)

The Charmony Festival's afterparty had always been a lively affair, filled with music, laughter, and the clinking of glasses. You, an artist swept into the chaos of Penacony’s surreal world, found yourself seated at a circular table with Sunday and Robin. Despite your initial plans to observe the Halovian pair discreetly, the generous flow of Halovian wine had turned those plans into a swirling mess.

Your sketchbook lay open on the table, pages flipping as a gust of laughter erupted around you. The pages showcased the delicate strokes of your pencil—portraits of Sunday, Robin, and various festival moments. They were all expertly rendered, but your fascination with Sunday was painfully obvious. His eyes seemed to pierce through the pages, and even his halo was meticulously detailed.

Robin chuckled softly, her hair shimmering under the festival lights. “You’ve truly captured his essence.” she remarked, pointing at one of your sketches.

You hiccupped, the wine adding a rosy hue to your cheeks. “Well, it’s ‘cause he’s so damn… inspiring!” you slurred.

Sunday, ever dignified, raised a brow but allowed a faint smile to curl his lips. “I see. I suppose I should thank you for the flattery.”

The room swayed as you turned, your intoxicated mind suddenly consumed by a thought you’d never dared voice. You reached out, grabbing Sunday’s gloved hand—or at least you thought it was Sunday’s.

“Hey… hey, you!” you stammered, squinting up at Robin instead. She tilted her head, bemused.

“Yes?” Robin replied, her voice lilting like a melody.

“I’ve been… thinking,” you began, leaning closer to her. “You’re… perfect. Your symmetry, your aura—it’s breathtaking!”

Robin’s brows knitted in surprise, her cheeks flushing faintly. Sunday, watching from across the table, cleared his throat. “They mean to ask me, Robin. I’ve noticed their fixation.”

But you, oblivious and unbothered, barreled forward. “Model for me. Naked. Just once!”

Robin sputtered, her elegance momentarily faltering. “I beg your pardon?”

Sunday, his eyes narrowing slightly, stepped in to steady you. “I believe you’re mistaking your audience.” he said, his tone carrying both humor and restraint.

You blinked, your intoxicated brain struggling to process the situation. Then, your gaze shifted, landing on Sunday’s halo. “Oh, right!” you exclaimed, jabbing a finger in his direction. “You! I meant you!”

Robin burst into laughter, her melodic voice echoing through the room. “Oh, this is priceless.”

Sunday, maintaining his composure, leaned down to meet your gaze. “While I appreciate your artistic passion,” he said smoothly, “I fear your request might be better suited for sober conversation.”

The IPC gala was a hub of high-stakes networking, dazzling lights, and endless champagne. You, an artist with an eye for detail, found yourself amidst the extravagance, clutching your sketchbook like a lifeline. Aventurine and Topaz had invited you along, each promising you’d find inspiration among the elite.

You had taken them at their word, sketching furiously as your muses moved through the crowd. Aventurine, with his flamboyant overcoat and peacock feather earring, exuded charisma that demanded attention. Topaz, on the other hand, carried herself with a composed confidence, her hair catching the gala’s light.

Hours later, you were drunk. Not tipsy, not buzzed—drunk. Your sketchbook was open to a page filled with Aventurine’s smirk and Topaz’s sharp gaze. The champagne had loosened your inhibitions, and you found yourself staring at Aventurine’s eyes.

“You’re like… a painting.” you slurred, pointing at him.

Aventurine, ever the gambler, leaned forward with an amused grin. “Am I now? Flatter me more.”

Topaz rolled her eyes, sipping her wine. “They’re drunk. Don’t encourage them.”

But you were already gesturing wildly. “I gotta ask. It’s important. Life-changing, even!” You turned—or at least thought you turned—to Aventurine, but your gaze locked on Topaz instead.

“Will you model naked for me?” you blurted.

Topaz choked on her drink, glaring at you with wide eyes. “Excuse me?!”

Aventurine burst into laughter, clapping a hand to his chest. “Oh, this is rich. I think they meant me, darling.”

You blinked, confused, before swiveling toward Aventurine. “Wait, yeah! You! You’re, like… perfection. I need to capture it!”

Topaz shook her head, a small smirk tugging at her lips. “You’re impossible.”

Aventurine leaned closer, tilting your chin up with a gloved finger. “Flattery will get you everywhere,” he purred. “But we’ll discuss terms when you’re sober.”

Topaz snorted. “You’re both ridiculous.”

And in your drunken haze, you could only laugh, thrilled by the chaotic charm of your muses.

[wolvietxt]

Congrats on 1000!!!!! 🥳

How about Daryl with this prompt? ❤️

secret talent: sunshine finds out grumpy has a hidden skill, like playing an instrument or drawing. sunshine keeps encouraging them to show it off, and grumpy tries to act like it’s no big deal but secretly enjoys the praise

THE CABIN smelled faintly of wood smoke and pine, cozy and warm as you settled into the couch with your cup of tea. daryl was at the far end of the room, tinkering with his crossbow, muttering something about the sights being off. it was a quiet evening, the kind you’d come to cherish out here in the middle of nowhere.  

that’s when you noticed it - a sketchbook poking out of the half-open drawer by the desk. it wasn’t like daryl to leave things out of place, and your curiosity got the better of you.  

“what’s this?” you asked, standing up and plucking the book from the drawer.  

his head snapped up immediately, eyes narrowing. “don’t go diggin’ through my stuff.”  

“it was already sticking out,” you said, flipping it open before he could stop you. your breath caught at the first page - a detailed drawing of a deer mid-leap, its muscles and fur rendered with startling precision.  

“daryl,” you breathed, glancing at him. “you drew this?”  

he grunted, shifting awkwardly in his chair. “ain’t nothin’ special.”  

“are you kidding me? this is amazing!” you walked over, flipping through more pages. there were sketches of birds, trees, even a portrait of carol that captured her sharp eyes and soft smile perfectly.  

“stop,” he muttered, reaching for the book, but you held it away, grinning.  

“why didn’t you tell me you could draw? you’re so talented!”  

his ears turned red, and he scowled. “it ain’t no big deal. just somethin’ i do sometimes.”  

“not a big deal? this is incredible.” you sat beside him, laying the sketchbook on your lap and pointing to a drawing of a bear. “look at this! the detail, the shading… you’re an artist, daryl.”  

“i ain’t no artist,” he grumbled, but there was a flicker of something in his expression - pride, maybe, or at least a hint of satisfaction.  

you leaned closer, resting your head on his shoulder. “you should show people these. they’d love them.”  

he stiffened slightly but didn’t pull away. “nah. ain’t for showin’ off. just for me.”  

“well, i love them,” you said, turning the page to a sketch of a rabbit. “and i love you.”  

his hand settled on your knee, rough and warm. “you’re just sayin’ that.”  

“no, i mean it. you’ve got a real gift, daryl.”  

he was quiet for a moment, then let out a soft huff. “well don’t you go makin’ a big deal outta it.”  

you smiled, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “too late.”  

the evening went on, with you occasionally flipping through the sketchbook and gushing over his work while he tried to act annoyed. but you could see the way his lips twitched, like he was trying not to smile.  

later, as you were cleaning up the mugs from your tea, you caught him at the desk, pencil in hand, sketching something new. you walked up behind him, wrapping your arms around his shoulders and resting your chin on his head.  

“what are you working on?”  

“nothin’.”  

you peeked over his shoulder, grinning when you saw the beginnings of a sketch - your face, soft lines shaping your features.  

“that’s me,” you said, your voice filled with wonder.  

“don’t get all mushy,” he muttered, but he didn’t stop drawing.  

“too late,” you teased, pressing a kiss to his temple.  

he finally set the pencil down, turning to face you. his blue eyes were softer than usual, and his hands settled on your hips. “you really like ‘em?”  

“daryl,” you said, cupping his face. “i love them. and i love you.”  

his lips twitched again, and this time, he didn’t bother hiding the smile. “guess i don’t mind hearin’ that.”  

you leaned in, capturing his mouth in a kiss, slow and sweet. his arms tightened around you, pulling you closer until there was no space left between you. when you finally pulled back, he rested his forehead against yours, his voice low and rough.  

“you’re somethin’ else, you know that?”  

“so are you,” you whispered, your heart full as you kissed him again.  

[mclalan]

Can you share what your art-making process is? What software and tools do you use?? I'm falling in love with your work!!

Thank you, I'm so happy you like my work and are interested in the process. The short answer is I mostly use Adobe Animate.

I hate how I'm using an Adobe product (although I still regard it as a MacroMedia Flash product), but there's just no other software that compares to its jankiness. Perhaps it's just my long familiarity with the program, but nothing I've experienced matches how it simultaneously feels like drawing in MS Paint and using Microsoft PowerPoint vector shapes. The result is something that feels in-between the two; handmade yet computer-generated.

Typically, I'll start with a hand-drawn sketch, often beginning as a thumbnail done with pencil and paper.

I'll then do a mix of hand drawing and vector shape tool rendering. I use the Paint Brush tool to hand draw strokes, and the line and shape tools mixed with transform to make more geometrically accurate shapes. The design is rendered into divided closed loop shapes, ready to be filled with a solid. The strokes are kept or removed depending on the design.

These fill shapes are then either coloured and rendered in Adobe Animate, using fills, gradients, or a more complex process of masks and effects.

Alternatively, I'll bring all these vector shapes into Photoshop and use them as clipping masks. The vector shapes act like masking taped areas or shields to maintain sharp edges, while the brush is like an atomized airbrush used to build soft volumed forms.

Please excuse all that horrible Adobe Cloud and AI bloatware...

And there we go!

Variations in the process include just using MS Paint, index color in Photoshop, or 3D programs.

Very old works of mine were almost abstract, just exploring digital mark-making, which was a trend I was following in the mid 2010s that I loved. This kind of stuff.

While my current work uses its digital material specificity as an intermediary to the subject in the illustration.

For example, #ersatz.world parodies clip-art and flash edutainment styles but imagines the characters living within that kind of world. The designs are meant to be cute, easy to read, light in computer processing, but also irreverent, janky, and generic too.

People typically regard this sort of clip art style as ephemeral trash, but I always found them charming. I use Ersatz World primarily as a satire vehicle, parodying educational formats to spoof corporate explainer content and digital media.

However, part of the problem with Ersatz is I've made it look too polished, complex, and I've grown too attached to the characters, which I imagine is a typical issue with overbuilding a world. So recently, I've made an even jankier Ersatz-like set of characters to play about with, using an even simpler style with less cohesion. I like to try and use slightly different styles and digital material styles to relate to the property at hand.

That’s why #autonymus has a bitmap digital material and a denser feel to it. Unlike Ersatz, Autonymus is not meant to be an overt semi-meta fiction. It’s not exactly pixel art, but the pixels are just about visible, as the intention is to create a digital expressionist depth to the setting. Although it’s still stylized and not realistic to our world, I definitely still want to evoke semblances of our world. That’s why there’s attention to landscape, plant life, and implied life beyond what you see in the frame with the characters, etc. But I'm still making a cartoon, and I still want it to feel at ease with itself being a digital material work. Characters are therefore flat, simple, stiff, and the speech style is like a bad Shakespeare parody. I like to balance between ugly and appealing, simple and complex, familiar and unfamiliar.

In regard to things like inspiration, references, and my relationship to aesthetic genres; these things certainly factor into my work, perhaps I'm even overtly dependent on them. My work can definitely be post-modernist in method; creating new, ironic, or fragmented interpretations through deconstructing a mix of various styles or methods. But at the same time, I'm still trying to make a digital gestural representation where the aesthetic is driven by my relationship to the software and techniques directly—not simply in an attempt to reference a style. For example, I like drawing lines in sweeping strokes, not to a point of geometric perfection, but just in a way where the curves are smooth and simple. But if I want perfectly curved or straight lines, I'll use the vector tools.

Working this way, you can sort of learn why certain styles and design choices in past vector aesthetics were made, as they would have also needed to make similar choices. That’s why I’m more mindful of using digital material specificity as a foundation to build narrative and subjects upon these days.

For example, genre references like cyberpunk clichés for #cyberhell or late medieval design for #autonymus or 2005 to 2015 era subculture fashion for #gradientgoblinz.

I think it’s important to take inspiration and reference from a wide variety of sources, but I think they’d mean nothing without having something to say or express. Autonymus, although it is a collection of tropes and clichés, isn’t just about that. It’s a story about the tensions of socially constructed systems and how that shapes faith, technology, and the natural world, or at least that's what I'm aiming for anyway.

But despite all that, I think there’s a danger of locking myself into the past by using these methods. For example, using nostalgia and references to past aesthetics can result in just recreating the past in a form of role-play. To avoid that, I try and evoke the past through a messy, inaccurate pastiche rather than caring to accurately re-enact anything. I’m probably not always successful at communicating the deliberateness of this, and it can certainly get very frustrating and pedantic. To be honest, I do kind of hate aesthetic labels (terms like Y2K, global coffee house, utopian scholastic designs from a pre-9/11 world).

I do not believe that a project aimed solely at mapping history through aesthetic styles is worthwhile. Sure, they can be handy for organizing style trends, but they can also be reductive and ahistoric. Who are these people to define the history of these design eras? The result is a kind of suffocating simulation of design history but removed from context, perfect for moodboardism. I wish it felt more tongue-in-cheek, less absolute of itself in its own practice. Instead, it acts to legitimize and engender those making these labels, almost giving them ownership of the design styles. It’s similar to the logic and process of generative AI and its databases in a way, just done manually.

I’m very inspired by artists like Oneohtrix Point Never in this regard, as I think he’s able to create an aesthetic portal to all kinds of memories, feelings, and worlds reminiscent of the past, while still being in the present. It’s more a reflection of how timelines are messy now, like a memory or dream, rather than an audacity to say the past was actually like that, or to try to actually map some kind of timeline.

I think the benefit of this process is how it avoids the other side of the spectrum—being locked into chasing the cutting edge of digital processes. I don't necessarily think using an old digital process means your work inherits the semiotics of old aesthetics. Non-digital mediums don’t have this issue to this degree, as you can still paint in oils and be considered contemporary, or at least it's not frowned upon to such a degree. And I also don't think anyone in the heyday of Flash ever made work the same as I do, especially as computers are more powerful now so can handle more. I probably shouldn't boast too much about that though, as artists at the time probably just had more sense than to use Flash like a painting program! So then, why is my use of Adobe Animate critiqued as obsolete and an aesthetic dead-end? Because to whose standards is this process obsolete? If you value digital aesthetics as an apparatus in industry practice, then sure, my work is redundant.

But as wonderful as the latest tech can be in creating new aesthetics, I do feel it can be overtly dependent on the trends and directions of tech corporations, and therefore act as an indirect propaganda tool to their hegemony over digital aesthetics, such as the ever-demanding processing power needed for simulated realism. If anything, work that does follow in the direction of the latest tech trends is ironically the quickest to date once the trends move on.

I've noticed I've not really described what my work is about, just the process, in this text. But I don't know, maybe I like Flash because it is regarded as redundant. No one really cares about it, so I feel free to make whatever I want, and can decide on form myself, to my own standards, the quality of my work. As fun as making images is, I find it difficult to put into words what it is exactly I'm expressing in my work, and perhaps that would spoil it anyway.

[puckpocketed]

who is #43?

Hello !! First off thank u for visiting. If you clicked read more by accident rip sorry it’s a lot of text. ENJOY!!! <3

1. This was the photo reference I used. I really did mean it when i said he photographs well!! I really like how scrungly he looks at times lol. v paintable

2. here’s a timelapse for your viewing pleasure in video + gif form <3

3. Process breakdown below. I am not formally trained, so don’t take any of this as professional advice!! The way i paint has been compared to channeling some evil contract with a demon also. So um . Im saying that i dont remotely think that this is efficient or correct, its just whats comfortable for me <3

3a) the dreaded lining phase. I have 2 modes of operation when it comes to painting - either i go full-dick with fancy inking/sketching + cel shading (rare, unrefined, haven’t figured out a nice workflow yet) OR i do a very very basic chicken scratch set of lines like so:

It’s less about being realistic here and more about laying down some guide lines for the chaos ahead. If i thought i could get away with it, I would start every rendered painting i do with laying down colours — but unfortchh ive tried that before and it usually ends in really weird proportions. Even with the lines i still need to make adjustments. This is something no people except me would notice but look at the above sketch; the eyes are too big and slightly too far apart, the forehead is too small and thus the hair is also not quite big enough… I have a bad habit of drawing eyes too big on faces, they’re my favourite facial feature to draw.. i barely resisted giving him big cow eyelashes (I love big cow eyelashes… all of my OC’s and most of my more stylised fan art of characters get big cow eyelashes… god…. Big cow eyelashes SAVE ME……….)

Anyway. Structure of the face + hand somewhat established. <3

3b) Underpainting!! Okay stay with me here . Ever since i figured out i dont have to paint in 03925893853 different layers, I’ve joyfully painted on 1 layer as much as possible. I dont have the brain power all the time to be managing layers so I simply dont work with that many layers. For this painting, the skin in its entirety was painted on one layer, the hair on another layer, and the effects on the last layer. There was a placeholder background off-white/grey colour for a while there, and I duplicated the line layer — one for figuring out where to lay colours, and one hidden for later so i could check back to see how accurate to the sketch/proportions were to the actual painting. 6 layers, 2 of which i painted the bulk of the piece on, 1 more at the end.

3c) here’s where I started carving out features. I think about objects in terms of volumes and light rather than lines. i love painting and sculpting because of this!! Here you see where I’ve begun to define his features — his eyelids, his bags, his nostrils. Just refining what was there before. The suggestion of facial hair before i gave it up and left it for later (his face is so naked the WHOLE time)

3d) nose bridge highlight, suggesting his eyebrows, a cheek highlight. A touch more coral red and muted yellow pull away from the grey/blue underpainting. Strategically leaving some of it peeking through.

3e) i truly start messing with the fidelity of his features here. Red lipstick <3 and some violet/blue for shadows on the right side of his face.

3f) the part where it starts looking like q.hughes to me (though, my friend said i got his vibe pretty early on which is such a compliment.. waaaaa…..) I love this part of every painting i do. I know it’s definitely not the Correct order since other parts of the entire painting are simply Not Rendered or Done, but whos gonna stop me?? :3

I love love loveeee painting faces. Adding the little shinies to his eyes + lips + upper lip + nose … you don’t know how much of a difference it makes until you do it. Also i snatched his eyebrows

3g) i really pushed the red/coral/ochre/orange here. Note the yellow highlights on his cheekbones, the forehead, and the thin thin line of pink right between where his bottom lip ends and his chin shadow starts <- very important . To ME!!!!!!! Also highlighting his waterline and adding his lashes was so so fun <3

3h) FACIAL HAIR!!! And I started rendering his hand. Some micro adjustments made to his face for proportion check.

3i) i start painting his hair in earnest and realise his forehead is too small so i make the adjustment. I really love how it falls into his eyes in this photo. <3

3j) i make some final adjustments to his eyes — a bit smaller, closer together. And i refine the outline of his jaw, push the stylisation of it just a little.

3k) Finishing details; his flyaway hairs, his moles, a bit of texture on his face, shadows cast by his hair, his little forehead cut <3

3l) i adjusted his hand here, added more texture to his skin, refined his hair a tiny bit more, and made the decision not to fuck around painting his jersey because i wanted the focus to be his face <3

3m) Canucks blue and green. Captain at 23. His form bleeds into the background. He is the franchise.

theee most fun ive had painting anything. and i finally feel... warmed up? if that makes sense. art for me is like. if i dont do it in a while it feels like nothing goes right when i come back to it. i hate that feeling, and the most difficult hurdle to clear is letting myself feel that until i get back into my Zone. after all this time i feel like im BACK !!!!!!!

i loved painting this fella. hes SO Shaped. <3

Apologies i simply do Not have the energy to write the alt text for all of these so i hope the little blurbs are okay aslkjasdklj. i gotta post and go to bed . if u made it this far, thank you for reading!!

[torchtour]

I know it's been a while since you posted it but can we see youd process for making the Michael Afton Mirror painting???

glad you asked anon cuz i have a LOT of wips for this trainwreck lal

ok so to get this

we have to start with this

which is the intial right-before-bed sketch i usually make so i don't forget the idea overnight. it usually looks very funny

from there it's slightly amended sketch, color mapping, and rough lighting draft from another angle (in this case above angle because it's a mirror shot and that's scary)

i make a refined sketch and mush all of the colors to fit the new lines and start some rendering to fix the nonsense. then it occurs to me that the lighting is crap and i use a bunch of multiply layers to darken everything + begin actual backlighting

this sorta brings us to the halfway point because i get super frustrated, flatten the file, and mutilate/crush a grayscale version to fix the composition and anatomy a lil bit. crush + glow + corner blacks + rendering and it's starting to look like..something

i reapply the og colors and add the graffiti + stickers because it looks BORING

finally some little touchups and then BOOM you just beat fnaf. idk.