#not completely out of artblock yet

[thatdemonbee]

heuhghheu more dreamfell twins :)

[children-of-subcon]

Hey, are you gonna continue that fic on Ao3? No pressure or anything, just asking.

Oh, yes! I plan to finish it… eventually. Sadly, my go-to destressor is art, not writing, so progress has been VERY slow ^^;; Plus, I’ve been splitting my writing motivation between it and a few other fics….

TLDR yes, but no promises on how long it’ll take.

[vaelyane]

Hello there, my kind beans! As you can see, I’m not completely dead (yet). Today, I come to you with this odd fluffy creature. I know it's a bit out of season since everyone is doing Mermay currently, but... 😂 Mermaid shenanigans will happen later. I sketched this boy in the middle of an artblock at the end of last year, and I couldn't figure out how to colour the wings for a long time! I hope you'll like what I came up with. It's almost all watercolours, with some small touch-ups wih acrylic gouache paints. As usual, take care, and stay safe. ~~~~~~ Bonjour, mes bonnes patates ! Comme vous pouvez le constater, je suis toujours en vie (à peu près). Aujourd’hui, je soumets à votre regard cette étrange créature duveteuse. Je sais que c’est un peu hors-saison vu que tout le monde est en train de se concentrer sur Mermay, mais... 😂 Je posterai quelque chose pour l’occasion plus tard. J’ai croqué ce charmant garçon durant un artblock vers la fin de l’an dernier, mais je n’avais aucune idée de comment coloriser ses ailes! J’espère que vous aimerez ce que j’ai fini par en faire. C’est quasiment tout à l’aquarelle, avec quelques retouches ponctuelles à la gouache acrylique. Comme d’habitude, prenez soin de vous, mes braves.

[emponies]

♙♔♛♣♛♚♙

♦Well uh, hi!! you can call me chob(she/her)! i love Empires SMP and ponies, so i made a blog for empires ponies. because yes here i will be posting art i create of emponies. enjoy but pls read this post first for some cautions and heads ups and warnings and all that. ty

♦Currently all drawings/desings will be from season 1 as i have not seen any episodes from season 2 yet. i probably will in the near future tho.

♦feel free to ask me something, or request a scene/character to draw

♦NOTE: As this blog first starts out, most of the art you see will be mere concepts of what I think each cc would look like, both cc wise and empires canon wise. but after i got a rough concept of everyone then the fun starts lol

♦NOTE 2: This is NOT AT ALL intended to be a daily doodles type thing. i draw/post when i feel like it. sometimes a bitch be artblocked asf.

♦NOTE 3: Not every drawing is going to be a completely finished full piece. sometimes i'll just post some doodles. i am dogshit at natural backgrounds. So dont expect much of that lol

♦NOTE 4: Smallishbeans , ldshadowlady, and mythical sausage are my all time favorites… so you'll probably see a lot of art of THEM especially. juuuuust a heads up. i am planning to have many art pieces of each member tho so uh dont worry abt ur fave being excluded

♦NOTE 5: check out the emponies twitter !! also follow ME on twitter!! bc i said so. i follow back btw. would like some more empires/afterlife mutuals

♦NOTE 6: i swear a lot lol

♦NOTE 7: warning for a mild amount of shipping. not much tho. may occasionally make a joke abt two characters dating or i'll draw something dumb or sum I am only intending to ship the empires characters, not the actual creators. Of course if a creator says they are uncomfortable with shipping i will not draw anything of that sort

this does not apply to joel and lizzie since ofc they are already a thing. you will probably see lots of joel+lizzie stuff.

And obviously this blog is going to be entirely SFW. even though i say fuck.

♦NOTE 8: I have also seen afterlife smp, so you may see some doodles from there too. i may also draw and post pony versions of ccs who aren't in empires but associate with their group(ex: afterlife ccs like oli, meghan, etc). I've also seen 3rdlife/lastlife(NOT doublelife atm) so you may see some art from there too. though it'll probably only be joel and lizzie lol

♦NOTE 9: currently this account is only ran by me, chob. if you want to mod with me, dm me on twitter (@hitmonchob) and we'll get things sorted out

♦NOTE 10: do not kill the part of you that is cringe. Kill the part that cringes.

♦NOTE 11: i am fairly new to tumblr. i have never owned a blog before. little to no clue how this stuff works. bare with me lol

i think that's it for now! Sorry for typing a whole ass novel lmao… i thank you for reading all of it Enjoy your stay at emponies ig !!

♙♔♛♣♛♚♙

[historical-misfit]

11 and 6 and 2, please <3

2. 5 favorites of your own work?

Now lemme open the fanart stash...

You can tell one's fav just by noticing which feller matches completely their art style, this drawin technically screams it. My coolest drawin of him yet!! (and the cause of my artblock)

Doodles of Jack Hall n Cliff done in my funkier style, it's also a reminder that I should draw n write them more often.

My pfp of teen Dutch, which is even though a months old drawing, will definitely stick with me cause I love it so much, it's become iconic to me. It makes me laugh as it constantly becomes pixelated on my dash ssbwksbssj he's dumb n furious ok

Now this drawing,, it's Annabelle comforting Dutch and it makes me think about her a lot. I love her so much and find it such a shame that we couldn't get to know her, or basically any information other than her death. :(

Same genre with the 4th drawing, rare and punches you in the gut (same here). I have no idea how this Beatrice Morgan concept got into my head but I find itendearing and sad. It also makes me think a lot, heck, precanon in general makes me do so, that's why I love it so much. Real proud of this one as well!

11. Favorite comment you've ever received on your work?

I love every nice comment n thought that reaches my work but the one that had the hugest influence on me was my grandma's review on my Beatrice Morgan drawing. As someone who doesn't know rdr2, she told me Beatrice holdin Arthur like that looks like Mother Mary. The drawin now stands on her shelf in their living room held in a frame. :)

6. Which artists inspire you right now?

Hmmm you got me there cause the majority of my inspiration's subconscious, both when it comes to art n fanfiction. Wait a sec but I literally got my moots here what am I talkin about-

@dweebpheles legit makes you create! Create! Create! Her concepts are super cool n interesting, they get me in the mood to doodle whenever I see em

@scruffyduffy's styles are just splendid n fit Kieran damn well, she also inspired me to draw my fav as many times as I want cause it comes from the heart

I'm glad these fellers do traditional art, they bring so much out of it.

Concept-wise, YOU, @htyhtiasmmsibijt, help a lot, both with inspiration to write and draw cause your precanon fics bring the kind of joy that makes a person keep doing it. I love how you write Dutch, I find comfort in it.

[earthnashes]

How do you get over art block?

Welp! This is a very tricky question because there’s really no right or wrong way to do it, but I think it helps to maybe trying to identify the source of your art block. What I typically try to do, is identify my own artblock based on two archetypes: the Skill artblock, or the Creative artblock.

-Skill Artblock is when your eyes have leveled up in their understanding in how they see art, they are always the first to grasp said understanding before anything else. You are able to see mistakes you previously weren’t, you’re able to grasp concepts you had trouble with in the past, and you’re able to decipher how to break things down for easier drawing. Problem is, you’re drawing hand, your muscle memory, has yet to reach enough experience points to put it down on paper. Everything you draw seems wrong in some way or shape or form; it could be how you draw hair, or maybe how you draw hands, the anatomy, the way you paint shadows. Whatever it is, you feel like you’re doing something wrong, and that leads to being unable to get out something satisfying to you in your art, no matter how much you’re actually inspired to make something. 

With this sort of artblock, I think it’s the perfect time to simply create what you want, whatever’s “wrong” with your art be damned. Who cares if that hand is wonky? Draw what you want, let that creativity go crazy! It’s probably a point where you have a fuckton of ideas but can’t seem to get them down on paper in a way you think is correct, so get them down on paper anyway. May as well, right?

-And then there’s the Creative Artblock. This sort of artblock is when you’re satisfied with the way you draw, at least for the most part, but for some reason you can’t think of anything to draw. No headcanons are coming to you, no scenes or instances you think could be interesting, nothing seems good enough in your head. It’s just a dried up well. SO! A good way to combat this sort of artblock is... art studies. It’s a good time to just sit down and do stuff that doesn’t take your brain working hard for creation purposes: if you’re doing a study, it takes away the step where you have to think of what to draw because it’s already in front of you. Just draw what you’re looking at. This is a great way to learn more about your craft and expand on your skill without just sitting on your ass and pouting at that blank blank sheet in front of you. Draw what you see, not what you think.

Ironically, doing this helps balance out the other: if you get a Creative artblock, doing art studies and such helps combat Skill Artblock. In the same breath, putting your ideas to paper despite feeling like something about your art isn’t up to snuff helps with Creative Artblock because you’re drawing what comes to your head, skill level be damned.

-It is very possible to get both at the same time though, and that typically means you’ve reached a point of Burnout. Burnout is something you’d like to try to avoid but sometimes it happens regardless of what you do. If this is what you’re experiencing, the best way I’ve found to combat it is... well. Taking a break. Burnout means you’re exhausted in some way, usually mentally, and trying to push through the burnout honestly just makes it worse in the long run. It might help in that very moment, but when it comes back, it hits harder. 

So take a break. Step away from art entirely if you have to. Do anything else you enjoy: listen to music, play video games, watch a movie; what personally helps me when I get this way is still doing something artful that isn’t actually drawing. That’s why I fuckin love my guitar; I’m learning a different artform, I still get to be creative, but in a completely different way. If you’ve never tried traditional painting, try it! Try sculpting, or knitting, or sewing, or whatever else you’ve always wanted to try but never found the time to. If you wanna try to stay on top of your craft despite unable to engage in it, listen to art tutorials and art advice on youtube, read them, read “Art Of” books and take in the process someone else takes to make their artwork. Rest is good, but active rest is arguably better, since it’s still expanding your understanding and knowledge on something without you making your exhaustion worse.

Hopefully this is helpful!

[fanfic-chan]

Ok this was completely unintentional because I was just trying to do some practice doodles to get back into the swing of drawing after having artblock but like??? This actually turned out pretty good?? I didn't really have a plan for this originally but I low-key wanna finish it now. New oc maybe? Ooh ooh ooh! What if I made her into a haikyuu oc? I don't actually have one for that fandom yet so that could be cool!!

[elsanna-shenanigans]

April Contest Submission #3: Prism of White

Words: ca. 5,200 Setting: Modern AU Lemon: No CW: none

Light filtered through the window casting the room in a golden glow. Papers lay crumpled and torn on the coffee table and the floor beneath. Anna tossed her sketchbook on the table and threw her pencil next to it. Weeks passed and she still didn’t have another good idea for her next art piece. Her hands grasped a pillow on the couch beside her. Her freckled face buried in the soft cushion, a muffled groan joining the white-noise of the television in the background.

Art had been a passion of hers ever since her stubby toddler fingers first grasped that pack of cheap crayons. Her parents laid scrap paper out in front of her at the kitchen table. The adults left the room shortly after thinking little Anna would be occupied for a little more than five minutes.  Overjoyed with all the colors in the box, now strewn over the table some rolling to the floor, little Anna picked up the green and began to scribble in swirls and loops like any child does. Her mother came back ten minutes later to check on her and grab a cup of afternoon coffee. A gasp tore from her throat and her blue eyes widened at the site. The walls had been little Anna’s first canvas.

She laughed at the memory, the sound muffled by the pillow still pressed against her face. The scolding she received after that event lost to the feeling of joy at the colors swirling around her. Back then art had been carefree and fun. Now the blank pages in her sketchbook mocked her with that textured whiteness.

Twenty-one years of sketching, painting, throwing color on canvas’ of varying degrees, making a life out of it. A dream come true. One that would have been impossible if not from the support of her friends and family. One person in particular. Elsa.

Little Elsa could light up Anna’s world by merely stepping into the room. She used to be so very timid and quiet, often opting to hide in the corner with a book than engage with the other kids her age. Anna managed to pull her into their little games anyway.

As the two grew older their interests diverged slightly. They both found joy in the arts, joining in theater at school for fun, playing and listening to music (although their tastes differed vastly at times), and studying the history behind all forms of art. A bond formed and kept them close even when one started painting and sketching while the other used words to color with.

A writer’s search history and an artist’s eye left plenty for friends to laugh and grow concerned about.

Anna lifted her head from the pillow feeling someone fiddle with her twin braids. She smiled already knowing who it was behind her.

“What are you so distressed about?” Elsa hummed out sweetly. Her  eyes swept over the paper littered around and the discarded sketchbook. “Can’t think of a good idea?”

Anna groaned again and buried her head back in the pillow. Her reply came muffled and she knew Elsa wouldn’t be able to understand a word of it. This problem she had wasn’t that much of a big deal. Anna knew that. Every artist had periods where they couldn’t draw. An artblock as she so affectionately called it. But this felt different. She had ideas. The vision of what she wanted to draw sat crystal clear in her mind’s eye, but when she picked up the pencil each stroke on the page felt weighted. She knew what she wanted to put on the paper. She hated each stroke she made and the finished result. Weeks of this and the stress of not creating made her head spin. The ride she had been on had stopped with her sitting upside down unable to do anything.

The couch dipped beside her as Elsa sat down. Pale hands pulled the pillow Anna was secretly hoping would suffocate her until freckled cheeks and a pouty lip were visible. Anna whined and reached out for the cushion. Elsa held it out of reach ignoring the dark spot where Anna drooled on it.

“Ah-Ah,” Elsa wagged her finger. Anna’s shoulder slumped forward in despair. “You can get the pillow back and resume your little, um , whatever you were doing after you tell me what’s wrong.”

Sea-green eyes lowered to the open sketchbook, a frown settled on her lips. “I - I hate everything I make and it’s driving me crazy.”

Elsa set the pillow aside and shuffled closer to Anna. She gave her knee a reassuring squeeze and gently asked, “Is it one of your artblocks?”

Anna shook her head, braids swaying. “No, this is different. I know what I want to draw, I have the motivation to draw, but I can’t seem to like what I make. I hate the finished result, even if it looks how I wanted.” Her eyes glistened with frustrated tears, “It’s been like this for weeks and I’m going insane trying to fix it.”

Elsa cupped her cheek, running her thumb soothingly over the skin. Anna nuzzled into her palm, eyes fluttering shut at the coolness of her skin. “Anna,” she opened her eyes to see an amused smirk dancing on pink lips, a glint of humor dancing in blue eyes, “is this your first burnout?”

Her whole body stilled at the question. Burnout had been something she knew her artist friends over the internet talked about. How it could hit someone suddenly or slowly creep on through the years. The former could usually be seen coming and dealt with by short breaks, but the latter often crippled careers as it snuck in through the cracks undetected and infected everything slowly like a poison. Anna gasped lightly at the realization.

The ride she had been on for the majority of her adult life (granted it had only been 3 years since she graduated high school) was fast paced and constantly moving. She did not stop or get off, only urging it to move faster and faster. The need to create and improve outweighed any thought or concern the stress her body and mind were put under. She ignored all the signs, the warnings people told her to look for and now the stress had crushed her.

“What am I gonna do?” Her voice came out broken and unsure. Burnout was a completely foreign field for her. There was no map for her, no field guide to help her navigate through this problem. People mention taking breaks and stepping away from art for awhile to recharge, but that seemed impossible. How could Anna stop creating, when all she wanted to do was create?

“Is this new project for a client?” Elsa noticed the distress on Anna’s face and dropped her hand down from her cheek to grasp shaking ones.

“No, it’s one I plan to sell, or have prints made for my shop.”

Elsa nodded, “Okay. And do you have any client work lined up for the month?”

Anna answered in the negative. She had started a new system for her works where certain months she decided not to take on any client work. It was an attempt not to be too overwhelmed working on custom pieces that allowed her the freedom to work on her own as well. The system worked fairly well until this burnout happened. At least it happened now instead of when she had to work on pieces for clients.

“Okay, okay we can definitely work with this,” she breathed out a plan already forming in her mind. She knew Anna wouldn’t take a break willingly, that wasn’t her style. She would draw and paint until her hands fell off and even then she’d learn to use her feet instead. Nothing would stop her, not even the end of the world. The complete opposite of Elsa who procrastinated her own projects till motivation was high or the deadline approached. She often wondered how they never drove each other crazy doing things so differently. Instead of finding a reason she just blamed it on love. It was better not to question it anyway.

“Anna,” she turned and faced the younger woman determinedly, prepared for protestation, “do you trust me?”

Anna cocked an eyebrow and smirked. “Of course I do, silly. It’s part of why I married you.”

Elsa smiled and held her tongue to keep from commenting. That experience would be one she would never forget. She at her wife, eyes bright and said,

“Then you’ll understand what I’m about to do.”

Anna’s gut twisted in apprehension. She trusted Elsa with her life, but the twinkle in pale blue eyes told her not all of this would be a pleasant experience.

—-

“Anna, what color is the sky?”

From her position in the passenger seat of the car Anna scowled, her eyes screwed shut in a desperate attempt to fall back asleep. Elsa refused to let her in on the plan the day before, only telling her to pack a days worth of clothes and food and then promptly took all her art supplies and locked them inside a large chest. She never quite figured out why they had a large empty chest lying around and when she asked Elsa the older girl shrugged saying something about secrets.

“What.” Anna grumbled confused at the question and irritated at being woken up at three in the morning and rushed out of the house.

Elsa glanced at her from the driver’s seat. “What color is the sky?” She turned her attention back to the road, very much awake and relaxed. The half empty cup of coffee sitting in the cup holder helped.

“What kind of question is that? The sky is blue!” Anna twisted over and leaned her head on the window, arms folded across her chest.  Elsa still had yet to tell her where they were going and only mentioned a three hour car ride. That left plenty of time for her to catch up on sleep if her wife would let her.

“No, not - “ Elsa laughed at herself, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I meant what color is the sky right now?”

Anna cracked one eye open and grimaced at the passing street light that blinded her. “Black,” she stated matter-of-factly. Elsa hummed a smile on her face. She let Anna sleep the rest of the way, picking up and sipping her coffee. The low songs of the radio filling the silence in a quiet peace. She didn’t care for the station, but it was one of Anna’s favorites. The little things would make the difference on this trip.

Barely any time had passed, that’s what it felt like to Anna anyway, before a hand on her shoulder gently shook her awake. “What is it now,” she sighed tiredly and shuffled further into the car door. When she agreed to whatever Elsa had planned, losing sleep hadn’t even crossed her mind. She knew she was being unfair to her wife. Elsa only wanted to help. The stress of her burnout had taken its toll without consent and Anna wanted nothing more than to curl up in a corner and sulk. Sleep was the closest she could get right now, but the woman driving had other plans.

“What color is the sky now,” she asked eagerly. Her pale hand fell away and gripped the steering wheel again.

Anna squinted at the light outside. The night had faded to be greeted by the light of the sun just peeking over the horizon. Reds and oranges bled into pale blue as the orb of yellow and white ascended slowly. Any other day the she might have appreciated seeing the sunrise, she might have stared at the way the light shone and glistened along Elsa’s skin, bathing her in rays of gold. But it only annoyed her at having the same question asked in place of sleep. Still she answered,

“Red.”

Her eyes closed again with the plan to catch more sleep. Elsa didn’t bother her after that. She sipped her fresh cup of coffee, having stopped for gas before the sunrise. Anna grumbled under her breath adjusting to get comfortable in her seat again. Pink lips turned up at the corner in amusement. Anna may be grumpy beyond belief this morning and she knew it was her doing. The outcome of this trip will be worth it. Elsa knew it, could feel it in her bones. She could only hope Anna didn’t throw her in the lake as payback when they got there.

Elsa smirked watching, pulling out a pair of sunglasses and slipping them on. The day was only beginning. The coffee singed her tongue as she took another sip.

If Anna did throw her in the lake, she made sure to have plenty of jokes ready.

Gravel crunched under the tires as the car pulled off the main road. The road itself wasn’t too bad in terms of a drive. Anna woke up quietly glancing around at the trees and greenery around them. She said nothing to tell Elsa she was awake and continued to stare out the window. The sight felt familiar, she knew this place but couldn’t quite care enough to place it. Sleep still clouded mind and even if it was Wednesday she liked to sleep in late and stay up late instead. This whole early to bed and early to rise business wasn’t for her.

A light chuckle from her left told Anna all she needed to know. “There’s hot chocolate for you since you’re not the biggest fan of coffee.” Elsa never took her eyes off the road and merely motioned to the cup holder between them.

“Thanks.” Anna took the cup nearly dropping it. No protective sleeve saved her from burning fingers, not even the paper cup itself. “Geez, why’s it so hot!” She glared at her sister.

“Didn’t know how long you were going to stay asleep so I asked them to make it extra hot.”

“Extra hot,” Anna guffawed, “This cup feels like it came straight out of Orodruin itself! You could have got me a protective sleeve for it or something!”

“I didn’t know how long you were going to sleep!” Anna folded her arms at Elsa’s response, “Besides, you always get annoyed at the sleeves opting to burn your fingers anyway.”

“Yes, but the cups are never that hot!”

Elsa only smiled.

The car slowed and stopped with a slight jolt. Anna hadn’t touched her drink again still waiting for it to cool down from Mount Doom level temperatures. She figured out why this place had seemed so familiar. Her parents used to take her camping out here toward the end of summer, always running around the lake and sometimes taking a ferry over to the small island.

“I grabbed us a backcountry permit if you wanted to stay away from the normal campsites.” Elsa held up the piece of paper before tucking it into her jacket pocket. Anna hummed her agreement and stretched in her seat.

“I’m gonna find the bathroom then we can hike to wherever.” She ducked out of the car, breathing in the fresh air. A warm feeling of nostalgia washed over her at the familiar sight. She hadn’t come back to this park in years. Anna walked across the parking lot toward the public restroom. Coming back to the lake hadn’t even crossed her mind. It’s almost sad really. To forget about a place she once loved so deeply, have it take up a corner of her mind as a memory she kept but never thought about.

She turned the faucet off and shook stray water drops from her hands, wiping the remaining wetness on her jeans. Anna never trusted the automatic air dryers.

When she arrived back to the car, Anna bit back a bark of laughter. Elsa had strapped each and every pack and bag to herself and looked overloaded, but all too eager like a puppy. She smiled broadly at Anna and handed her the much cooler cup, “Come on, let’s go! I know of the perfect spot!”

Anna took the cup, her shoulders shaking as she held in her laughter.

“Wait, Elsa. Let me carry some things.” Elsa paused mid-step and tilted her head. All the coffee had gone to her brain in the most adorable way. “How did you even manage to hold all the bags, even mine?” Anna pointedly looked at the deep green duffle bag with a bright orange patch on the side.

“I played a lot of tetris as a kid.” She shrugged but gave Anna two of the bags anyway.

Anna adjusted the strap of a bag on her shoulder. “Alright, now show me this perfect spot.”

The blonde grinned and grabbed Anna’s hand practically dragging her along toward the trail and into the bush. Anna could only keep up and pray her hot chocolate didn’t spill.

—-

Anna had to admit the spot Elsa had picked was perfect. A little spot hidden behind dense shrubbery. Well off the path and if someone did make it this far the thorn bushes were certainly a discouragement. She knew she’d be picking the sharp thorns out of her clothes for a while and if it weren’t for the view and the feeling of peace she’d make Elsa do it without a second thought. Anna’s had her second thought and is still intent on making Elsa do the work.

“Nice view, right?” Elsa wiped the dirt off her hands stepping over to Anna. She had finished setting up the tent and decided to see what was keeping her wife. The view itself looked over the entirety of the lake and the mountains surrounding it.  The trees swayed in the breeze.

“It’s beautiful.” Anna tucked a piece of hair back into place. Elsa stepped up beside her. They stared at the scene in silence. A sense of peace forming around them. Anna closed her eyes listening to the birds singing in the trees and the wind rustling the branches. The smell of the air and the sun on her skin eased the tension in her shoulders she didn’t realize had been there. Anna felt free like she could step off the overlook and just fly. Elsa smiled at the content look on her face.

“Anna,” the red-head hummed and turned to face her, “what color is the sky?”

The question had her sighing exasperatedly. How many times would she ask that damned question. It didn’t make sense. She had answered it twice already. Inhaling deeply, Anna decided not to let this ruin the moment. She looked up at the sky, fluffy clouds dotting the expansive space.

“Blue. It’s blue.”

Elsa made no comment. Anna would have yelled at her but the pure love in pale blue eyes killed the thought before it formed. She found herself smiling back and shaking her head lightly. “You’re lucky I love you so much.”

Elsa chuckled, “I know. Now come on, let’s go exploring a bit.”

Anna followed eagerly. Exploring she could do.

—-

Night life in the forest seemed impossibly loud compared to the day. Anna didn’t mind much. She found the noise comforting in a way. All the little life coming out with the safety of darkness. Comfortable now that the sun has gone and they can hide in the shadows of the night. She could understand it. The night offered a sort of peace the day could not. She loved the sun, loved the hustle and bustle of day life, but the night hit differently. She closed her eyes, a soft smile on her lips. The day’s activities replayed in her mind’s eye.

After running around, revisiting old trails and memories and making some new ones, the two women sat around a little fire. Anna made Elsa pick out all the thorns and burrs while she roasted marshmallows. While Elsa didn’t agree with s’mores before dinner she let it slide this once.

They relaxed after that, Anna rigged a stick with fishing gear and went fishing. She didn’t catch anything. She came back soaking wet and Elsa only raised a brow. She changed into some dry clothes and sat by the fire to get warm. Elsa turned from her book then, a cheeky grin on her face and said,

“You know I love it when you -” Anna smacked her before she should finish.

Now they lay peacefully staring up at the stars.

“Anna,” Elsa started in the quiet. Anna hummed in acknowledgment before her mind jump started back to nearly every quiet moment previously,

“You better not ask me what color the sky is or I swear to god you will find yourself at the bottom of the lake!”

The crickets chirped.

“What hue doth the heavens above appears to thine viewing orbs?”

Anna laughed. She laughed loud and hard. She knew Elsa would find a way to rephrase the question the second she threatened her, but she never expected her to phrase it like that. She rolled onto her side and clutched her stomach from the force of her laughter. “I-I can’t -” she wheezed, tears pricking the corners of her eyes, “I can’t breath.”

“You should have let me ask the question normal then.” The cheekiness in her voice had Anna swatting blindly behind her. Her hand connected with nothing but air.

“Fine, this is the last time I’m answering that stupid question,” Anna finally said after she stopped laughing and caught her breath. She rolled back to look at the sky and exhaled deeply a smile on her face, “Black, the sky is black.”

“Wrong.”

Anna propped herself up on her elbow. Wrong. The first response back to her answers and it was to tell her, Anna, that she answered wrong.

“What, how can I be wrong? Are you seeing the same sky I’m seeing?” Anna grit her teeth ready to fully argue her point.

“No, no calm down, feisty pants. Right now you could argue it’s black, or a very deep blue.”

“Then how am I wrong?!”

Elsa kept her gaze on the sky. “I asked you three four times today what color the sky was. Only two of the answers were the same. Can you explain that?” “The sky changes colors, you numpty.”

“So what color is the sky then if it changes?”

Anna didn’t have an answer to that. Elsa turned to face her, the moonlight making her blue eyes glow in the night.

“What color do you say the sky is then,” Anna asked, moving closer to Elsa. The night breeze had a bit of a chill, but she didn’t feel like getting a jacket. Her arm brushed against her wife’s.

“If you asked me what color the sky is, anytime of day or night, I’d tell you it’s white. I know it’s crazy, but think about it. In general people say the sky is blue, but it’s not always blue. You said it yourself, the sky changes colors, so why is it blue then?” She raised a hand and traced along various constellations as she spoke. “Is it because that’s the color we see it as mostly. Blue during the day? The history behind it is actually fascinating, but I won’t go into that. But the sky can be any color depending on when you look. Black, dark blue, orange and red, yellow and pink, purple and light blue, even green. The sky isn’t just one color or one shade. It’s all of them all the time, we just only see what the light shows us. That’s why I say it’s white. White reflects all colors, the sky cycles through the colors based on a bunch of scientific stuff that I’m a bit too tired to get into. I didn’t really prepare to get into that bit anyway.” she laughed at herself.

Anna lay in silence. She never really thought about it like that.

“But why white, why not black?”

Elsa sucked in a small breath before answering, “Black is the absence of colors. If the sky was black that’s all we’d see. A black hole sucking the colors away and leaving nothing behind but darkness. That’s why it’s white and not black.”

“Geez, that took a depressing turn.”

Elsa hummed and entwined her fingers with Anna’s. “Think of it as a prism. The sun shines through and casts the colors fresh and new through the day.”

“A blank canvas.” Anna found herself mumbling aloud. A blank canvas to be painted each day in the same ways that vastly differed if you looked hard enough. The subtle hues shifting day to day, the contrast of reds and oranges against purples and blues. All of it spinning endlessly in a cycle, a prism of color splattered across a canvas of white that never is seen as white.

The two remained watching the stars for a bit longer. The little dots of color splattered across the dark sky. Almost a reverse of my freckles. Anna mused to herself. The crisp air raised goosebumps on her arms.

Anna went to sleep that night, snuggled in her wife’s arms, feeling so refreshed and full of love she thought it might overflow. And it did. Her emotions flowed over in little drops that ran down her cheeks and she whispered over and over how much she loved Elsa. In turn with each ‘I love you’ a kiss was placed on her head, her cheek, her lips, and her body squeezed a bit tighter.

The white sky, painted with the color of night, left them to rest peacefully. The moon watching over them.

The trunk slammed shut and all the bags and trash were loaded in. Not nearly as neatly as before but as long as it wasn’t falling out Anna didn’t care. She awoke buzzing with renewed energy ready and eager to get back to work. Her burnout long forgotten. The three hour car ride didn’t seem so long even though Anna sat wide awake the entire trip. Elsa would probably need a day to recover from the amount of talking Anna did in that small time. Maybe a new book and quiet day in a coffee shop or a day spent curled up in her bed with nothing but mindless games to entertain herself with. Anna made a note to thank Elsa for forcing her out for a day, whatever she wanted.

Anna went to work the moment she stepped through the doorway. Pencil marks flew across the page in hurried fashion almost as if the vision would fade before she could get it down. Supplies were strewn out over the kitchen table and counter tops as Anna fell into what Elsa called ‘The detonation zone’. It was a mess, but also the time and place where Anna seemed to get the most work done.

Guess I’m not cooking. Elsa thought and picked up the phone. She was kinda in the mood for pizza anyway.

Pale blue eyes watched from where she leaned against the wall as the blur of auburn worked in a frenzy. Her movements were both hurried and agonizingly slow to preserve the details in a way only Anna managed to do. A mesmerizing sight she could watch for hours if not for the delivery man ringing her doorbell.

She made sure Anna knew of the food sitting in the living room.

“Okay, thank you!” Came the reply from the kitchen. Elsa chuckled and shook her head taking her own slice or two of pizza. She disappeared into their shared room for the rest of the evening. The one day trip seemed to have worked in Anna’s favor. Elsa made the mental note to schedule more day trips once in a while.

Time ticked by and Anna didn’t even notice. The pizza had gone cold and the sunlight faded away. The brush in her hand was set in the water cup for the last time.

“There.” Anna sat back finished. She smiled at the creation in front of her leaving it to dry as her stomach made known it’s need for food. The clock read late into the night, or early into the morning, depending on how you look at it. Maybe setting an alarm for food and breaks would be a good idea in the future. She decided it’d be worth a shot if only to save her from a stiff back at the end of the day.

Her paint stained hands grabbed a cold slice of pizza and promptly inhaled it followed by three more. The kitchen sat in a disastrous mess and the urge to put off cleaning up until the morning hit hard. Anna considered cleaning up the worst part about doing art. Elsa would likely clean up for her in the morning since she always woke up first. Anna knew that and decided not to let that happen. As much as Elsa said she didn’t mind and that’s what she signed up for by marrying her, Anna wouldn’t have it. Not after what she’d done for her the past day, or really since they first-started dating.

Anna turned the faucet on, warm water cleaning her stained hands, and she began the cleanup.

It wasn’t until around four in the morning that she finally headed to bed. The bedroom door creaked softly. Elsa snored softly, curled on her side snuggling a pillow. The sight made Anna fall in love with her all over again. Anna would never get tired of seeing her wife in such a peaceful and vulnerable state. Gently, she climbed into bed beside her.

“I love you.” she whispered and kissed Elsa’s cheek. Elsa let go of the pillow at the contact and fully snuggled against her wife. Anna wrapped her arms around her and kissed her softly again.

“I love you so much.”

Elsa woke to gentle rays of sun dancing across her face. Untangling herself from Anna she stepped outside of the room. She paused halfway closing the door and looked on fondly at the sleeping mess of her wife.

The kitchen was spotless, save for the canvas resting on the table. Even the sink was clean, supplies neatly drying on the rack where they were supposed to be. A smile graced her lips.

The coffee pot sputtered to life as it began brewing. It was only nine o’clock and Anna likely wouldn’t be up for another few hours. Being your own bosses had their perks. The brown liquid steamed as she poured it into a plain ceramic mug. The rich scent very much welcome this morning.

Anna would always scold her for drinking too much coffee. The thought brought another smile to her face. She really loved Anna and all that came with her.

Coffee in hand Elsa approached the canvas on the kitchen table. She made sure to stay for enough back that if something drastic happened her coffee would not stain the creation. She rounded the table and the sight made her pause. The colors and detail splattered across it showed just how much that camping trip had meant to her.

“Oh Anna,” her eyes lined with overflowing emotions as she took in the painting. “You’re still full of surprises.”

[arollingriver]

My 2020 Summary of Art!

I was the most inspired in April and May, and got started with my new work rythm around October. 2020 was a terrible year overall, even for me, and yet an amazing year for my art... And I’ll write my own contemplations under the cut!~

cw: mental health themes, mention of suicide

I dropped my artschool in February. ♥

I’d started going to this new, expensive school in September 2019. The first few lessons were extremely useful, and taught me better ways to approach drawing, but it quickly went downhill. My health was at its worst, I couldn’t stand it anymore-- I didn’t even realize that I was starting to have suicidal thoughts again, when they’d had completely stopped since I’d started seeing my therapist. I was struggling, and the school’s administration was no help. If anything, they only made matters worse. I kept forcing myself though, as myself and my family had paid a lot of money for me to go to this school... But I simultaneously started to realize the teachers were straight-up bad. They were all artists, but almost none of them were actual teachers. They treated their adult students like kids while simultaneously yelling at them for not being more mature, and most of their lessons had no actual value other than to make us practice in a rush.

Not too long after I stopped going, and when I was done going through the immense guilt of having wasted everyone’s money, I realized I didn’t necessarily want to die. So that was my introduction to this year.

I participated in two Danganronpa-styled RPs around February/March that weren’t all that, but inspired me to create a season 2 for my own RP. Despite my difficulties with the french Danganronpa RP community, I managed to find and build a group of understanding, and interested people who participated in my RP and were, a large majority of them at least, very kind to me. Thanks to that, I was able to create a space to explore my main story (WIP! I would like to publish it eventually!) and some OCs, old and new. This inspired me to draw them... more and more... oh, and Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan: The Run came out, making me realize that muscular bodies cool look great AND were extremely fun to draw.

As my OCs were a team of highly-trained secret agents, this was the perfect opportunity, and I was inspired to draw more and more. From that point on, I realized I was having fun drawing, and most importantly, that I was satisfied with what I drew, and I continued to draw both my OCs, and any and all fanart I was inspired to create.

I felt a little bit of an artblock by the middle of the year, but in retrospect, it made a lot of sense. I’d suddenly drawn so much the few months before, of course I would eventually burn out. It still felt important to me to continue going forward with my art though, so... I focused on what I needed, explored different methods, and still drew a few good pieces. 2020 is the first year ever in which my Summary of art isn’t missing a month.

Around October, I started to take my new work rythm seriously. One day I’ll write for my current main project, @murderfabrication, and the next I will either draw or rest. Because of that, I found myself drawing almost every two days. Between October and December, I was even able to draw Danganronpa sprites and a Danganronpa-styled illustration for pleasure (and Murder Fabrication ofc) again, when that had become a chore in 2019.

This year is the year I enjoyed drawing. Something always felt off before, because I had no idea what I was doing, but that’s over. I’m still not great, but... some of my art is good. It just is. Hell, I even drew a few profiles this year-- that’s how confident I am. I started drawing in a sketched style because I realized that was what I enjoyed the most and, oddly, that allowed me to get better at sketching to the point that when I do lineart now I actually... don’t... need to do lineart. My sketches are now so confident and solid now that I barely ever need to edit them for the final result... when I’d been known for my terribly messy sketches for years.

Yeah...

I don’t expect anything out of 2021. I always hope for the worst, so I’ll either turn out to be right, or pleasantly surprised. But I’ll continue to work the way I’ve been working these last few months (this very week doesn’t count - I’m on break!), and I hope to be able to draw more things I like.

If you like my artstyle in any capacity... Please look through my art this year on this blog. I’m really proud of it.

[fris-sucks]

I ADORE your art! I love your loose yet defined lineart and don't even get me started on your colours (the bakugou ones? Fantastic) I am very new to digital drawing and i have yet to figure out how to not draw over lines so imagine how frustrated i am right now funnily enough i am also stuck in a major artblock so nothing is working right now. But you are a true inspiration and aspiration. Thank you!

Aw, thank youu~! You do know how to make someones’s day, this message really made me feel all warm inside <3! And I get you with the art block and getting frustrated, I had a huge break from drawing and now that I’m getting back into it, I have no idea what I’m doing half the time, to be completely honest..But I’m getting there and messages like yours are really helpful and inspiring, too, so thanks! Let’s both get better at the arts and colours and stuff, yee!

[tiaffu]

Jan 27 2022

I woke up at one or something but couldn't make myself get out of bed until like four thirty. Lately it's been harder to get out of bed than normal when I'm feeling like shit

gotta work on that

Yesterday I managed to get out of bed and go walk for like three or four hours even though it was raining and cold, but today I just woke up and scrolled tiktok and insta for three hours before deciding I should go join society. It was mostly because Q texted at like 4:15 to say he hoped I was having a good day and I hadn't left my covers yet...

Art is still really hard for some reason. I don't think it's artblock anymore I think I've just lost the excitement I used to have when I was like 18.

I worked on this All Day (after 5pm) and I'm really not happy with it at all. It doesn't feel like there's any love it.

I don't know how to find the excitement I used to have, mostly because nothing feels exciting anymore. Everything feels like a task I have to complete if I want to go to sleep.

Mom asked today what I want to do after college and this was the first time in a long time where I didn't have an answer.

What do I want to do?

I want to move away. Q and I were joking about moving away together when we hung out last week and it felt really nice to entertain the thought even though I knew he wasn't being serious.

(right?)

Maybe my resolution this year can be to find a goal I can be happy with?

[00-v2]

Happy New Years!

Hey guys, it’s Vy!

It is still New Year’s Eve where I live, so not quite the new year yet, but I’d like to reflect on this year before it’s over.

2017 really went by in a flash! At times it felt like 2017’s reign of terror would never end — but the year has gone by in a flash! One moment it was May, and the next thing I know, it’s already New Year’s Eve.

Admittedly, 2017, like most people have already observed, was pretty rough. Life gets in the way, some things happen that are out of your control — not so smooth of a year.

But, this year will probably go down as one of my most prominent years in my life — it’s been a while since I’ve been so productive! As odd as it sounds, Ensemble Stars has been the reason for my spike in motivation.

Ensemble Stars was the sole reason why I dragged myself out of my 3 year long artblock — it made me happy.

I hadn’t been able to complete anything and actually be somewhat happy about what I had made for a long time. Now, I’m actually driven enough to make full compositions and go beyond just the sketch.

I’ve grown a lot beyond just art, I’ve met new people and made new friends — I’ve learned, I’ve grown so much in this one year — I can honestly say that I am in a better place than I have been in past years.

I’m content! I’m happy with my life!

Here’s to a new year, let’s make it a good one!

[hip-young-beamslinger]

This is actually a askbox meme but nothing happens in my askbox so I just fill it in by myself!

First things first, did you have a good year? My year has been ridiculously hectic. I lost my job in October and found a new one at the beginning of December.

How old did you turn this year? 36

Do you feel your age? No, I always dress and act like a 20 something, until someone calls me ma’am and then I realize I’m getting close to 40.

Did your appearance change in anyway? I lost a significant amount of weight so I became slimmer.

Post your favorite selfie. No. My selfies are all pictures of my cats.

If you traveled, where did you go? I’ve been to Stockholm last summer to meet up with @poppyapples​ and her friends. Also went to Dusseldorf to sell things at the DoKoMi convention.

Which fashion trends did you love? I am not really up to date with fashion to be honest. I just wear the things I like. But if sneakers underneath a skirt were fashion. I like that.

Which fashion trends did you hate? TORN PANTS. Why paying a shitton for pants that are completely ripped to shreds?!

What was your favorite article of clothing this year? Post a pic if possible? https://www.monki.com/en_eur/clothing/dresses/product.oversize-sweater-dress-grey.0502358002.html

What song sums up this year for you? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IV4V01fnPA

What album came out and has been on heavy rotation since then? Not one, really.

What was your favorite movie of the year? I enjoyed Thor Ragnarok a lot. 

Did an actor/actress catch your attention for the first time this year? It does not matter what year it is, Richard Madden always catches my  attention. 

Favorite new TV show? Stranger Things. It’s really unique for me that I like it the way I do. Horror is a genre I mostly stay away from as far as possible.

Which new ship/fandom has taken over a lot of your time, attention, and tears? None, really.

What food did you try for the first time? Hmm, probably a variety of fruits. I’m really into fruits lately. I have always disliked pineapple. Yet, when freshly sliced it’s absolutely delicious.

Did you make any big permanent changes this year? Yep, started working for a big Spanish bank and decided on moving out of Sittard.

What was one nice thing you did for someone else? Um, I’m going to do something particularly nice during Christmas.

What was one nice thing you did for yourself? I treated myself well throughout the year.

Did you develop a new obsession? Shoes.

Did you vote? Yes. It had no effect. We still have the same asshole party leading the government.

Did you move? No, but I will in 2018

Did you get a job? Yes. My old one ceased to exist.

Did you get a pet? Yes! I got a third cat! A little guy named Belly.

Do you regret not doing anything? Nah, I don’t really do regretting.

Do you regret doing something? I don’t think so either.

Have you done anything that scared you? Deciding to move back to Utrecht and sell my house in Sittard. It’s pretty scary because finding a place in Utrecht is virtually impossible if you’re not rich or just very poor. 

Did anyone/thing make you so mad it stayed with you for days? I got pretty worked up about a disagreement I had with a co-worker of mine. A small dumb error on my side triggered a huge angry rant at me and she even involved her daughter. I am still baffled by that, the child had nothing to do with it tbh.

Did you lose anyone close to you? No, thank god I haven’t.

Did you fall in love? No, not really

Did you fall out of love? Nope.

Did you start a new relationship? Yes, with my new kitten, Belly. 

Did you go through a break up? Nope. No exes, no trouble.

Did you have to cut ties to someone? Not willingly since they are a good friend of mine. But they give priority to their work and that is fine. But I don’t feel like putting any effort in the friendship anymore. Every time I invite her to hang out she cancels.

Who was important to you this year but wasn’t important last year? I think that is a bit difficult to specify. 

Who wasn’t as important to you this year as they were last year? Everyone is important in their own way.

If you could have a do over on one thing you did, would you take it? Yeah, I think I would’ve done a do over regarding my old work. I got really worked up over the smallest things. In the end they weren’t my problem to begin with.

What was the best moment of the year for you? I think finding my new job. It’s a good job with a good pay.

What was the worst? Losing my old job and how sudden this was.

Did anything happen that you were sure would change you as a person but it really didn’t? That’s a tough one. I’ve had therapy for over a year and I rounded this up and I thought I’d be a new Mari. But in the end there was nothing wrong with me to begin with.

Did anything happen to you that you were sure wouldn’t change you as a person but it did? Losing my job. I suddenly realised that all the problems I thought for myself weren’t my problems.

What are you most proud of accomplishing? Slowly but surely battling my artblock.

What have you learned about yourself this year that you didn’t know in the years prior? That my artwork isn’t the worst out there. I’m still intimidated by my fellow artists, but I managed to overcome a lot.

Did your opinion of anyone change for the better? Yes, definitely. There was a fellow artist I labeled a bit of a bitch, but eventually she’s just really nice. Stop judging Mari.

Did your opinion of anyone change for worse? Yes. It is a long story.

If you make resolutions, did you complete them this year? No.

If you make resolutions, what will your resolutions be for the coming year? Lose some weight and do more fitness.

If you could go on an adventure during the remaining days of the year, where would you go and what would you do?  Who would you go this? Go to Japan with @bluemonkeywriting and travel around.

What do you wish for others for the coming year? Many cats. Fluffy ones.

What do you wish for yourself? A new house. That I am able to get a mortgage.

[espeneldritch]

@softmushroombaby don't be discouraged, this is a regular part of the learning process, a well documented event called a learning plateau! Long post beware! But pretty much it's a natural function, and distinguishing what kind of plateau you've reached can really help with working your way through minimally frustrated.

Neurologically speaking we can learn only so much before we have a dry spell from improvement, this is true for all tasks but is doubly so for creative processes due to the many skills involved. While many are small things (like building hand-eye coordination or guessing values) and can wave in and out of active improvement, it generally doesn't stop you from creating.

The exception of course is when you've gone through a process of quick improvement and your motivation plateaus or, as you described your inspiration plateaus.

I mention this because these are the mechanisms behind artblock, and I often see my friends get frustrated because of it. It's easy to figure out which integeral skill has plateaued by analyzing how you feel.

If nothing you create looks right or you suddenly have a bunch of inspiration but no will to act on it: it's motivational. Your artistic eye improved faster than your reflexes and your brain hasn't compiled the two. Relax, try to paint loosely. A zoomed out canvas and fast brush strokes. Build on your colours, your gestures. It doesn't need to look good, your brain is just craving a new perspective while it moves working memory further back and prunes your approach. Try something crazy. Have fun. These can produce surprisingly good experimental pieces. Don't beat yourself up and don't throw anything away while you feel low motivation, you might miss the looseness once you get back.

Don't know what to draw, art lacks direction, liking sketches a frustrating amount more than finished work: this is an inspirational plateau, your brain is in overdrive, making massive leaps in creativity but your artistic eye isn't built up. These are the times where it's fun and actually most beneficial to do photostudies. Force yourself to go back to the fundementals, lay out a set of exercises to complete. Often times people wonder how anyone could ever want to do those boring anatomy studies, or texture tests. This is when you'll want to do them, because once you get going your hitched creativity will finally be forced into a project. You'll be surprised how much of your "art homework" turns into creative ideas. Your brain is craving some structure to build inside of, to catch up your skills with your hitched creativity. It's there, there just isn't enough substance to get it going yet. Keep drawing. It'll come back to you!

TL; DR

Learning plateaus are a natural part of the improvement process and mean you're growing as an artist. Don't turn away from your art because of these, just change your focus slightly. Plateaus will happen less the better you get, because improvement is less intense. Be kind to yourselves, try to work with your brain!

You know what, heres a question you would've never expected: How was your day?

(Really needed this, thanks.) I haven’t really been inspired for a couple of days. I’ve been drawing less and less and can’t really be proud of anything anymore. I’m not proud because most of what I’m drawing is me just bullshitting through anything I think of to try and get my creativity going. Most of what I’ve been drawing that you see these past few days are drawn very long ago. Where i could answer 4-6 asks all in one day.

I’ve only been drawing 2 doodles a day now. Days seem to be going too fast. And even then I’m not proud of those two. The inspiration fairy is just— boom! Gone! She took the kids, karen! She came and go! Did the good ol’ ding dong bitch. She fucked me up and didn’t even call back. Being hit by the inspiration fairy is difficult now.

So I took a break for a day. Which was yesterday. Got to talk with my best friend more. I usually don’t talk to anyone when drawing, because when I multitask, i lose my focus and i would start getting anxious, mad and lash out at small things. Even then my replies to her would be careless and short and I don’t want that for her. No one’s happy with that.

I haven’t held a pen all day. I broke my daily streak and I took a day off. I don’t know what to do. I want to be creative again but drawing doesn’t feel so fun with out me ol’ inspiration. Should i draw today?

[goddesstrolls-archive]

I’m still not completely out of my artblock yet, either >>’’’’’’