Cogwork-Enjoyer

Holbein Artist’s Gouache.

I did bump up the saturation a teeny bit in editing, as the phone camera I used seemed to have had a hard time picking up all of the colors in the different greys.

You can see the lack of color here:

It almost looks like the phone greyscales it on purpose!!! Is that possible?? Maybe it really is a skill issue on my part.

Doodle-Sketches:

The pen sketches.

I start with a concept I want to draw, for this one it was "two miremites, one watches as the other is sick," Keeping in mind certain things I really want to emphasize- like the liquid in its abdomen, the staggering stance, and the bile dripping from its mouth as it recovers after being sick (I also really wanted to draw a bug mouth). I don't show all the doodles here, but there are many, I keep making more until I like them.

Pencil Sketch/Inking

The pencil sketch is next, and then the lining. The lining will just get painted over anyway, so I really try not to worry about it being perfect.

THE PAINTING PART!!!

The part that takes the longest. I use these two paintbrushes and these five paints, and also two water cups, one for cleaning off the brush and one for clean water. I like to paint for 2-3 hour sessions with breaks in between sessions over the course of a few days to a week. If I have to go to work, though, I can usually only fit in about an hour or so per day.

The general order is to work with thinner, more watery paint to start, and then adding more paint in layers until the level of detail is what you want. Like tuning an instrument, or focusing a microscope! Note- it is really important to let the paint fully dry between layers.

I start with vague shading and colors with thin paint and the larger. Next, I use slightly thicker paint to make the dark areas darker, and to tweak the colors if I need to. Every single painting goes through a really horrifying muddy stage! But its never over, I switch to my little brush and start adding the texture. Alternating between thinner and thicker paint to draw the texture lines, adjusting any colors as I go. Ideally, The darkest outlines and the bright white sparkles come last.

It is a very back-and-forth process, with many adjustments and re-adjustments. I'd like to be able to become more efficient in the process. As of now, I make many little mistakes as I go, and then I end up over or under-correcting, which lengthens the process significantly. I'd like to become better at getting the colors and values and shading done right the first time. That'll take a lot of practice. Oh, I'd also like to work with different perspectives, and more dynamic poses, but again, that takes practice. And time. Oh! Also also, I'd like to get better at writing.

In a way, I am most limited by time and energy, ha! There is so much to be done, and never enough time (or energy) to do it! I wish I could spend all of my time drawing or painting or creating in some way, but I have a full time job and a mortal body to maintain!

Loy needs an updated ref but here they be~

The lyrics hit a bit too close to home.

I know, I say that a lot about the songs I listen to and my OCs BUT LISTEN... LISTEN

Hitch fighting the Daydreamer, who is basically the core of ALL of his issues and a fight he set himself to finally do and end things once for good is him not just facing his fears but the ongoing rotten past of his family caused inherited ability of Daydreamer.

Hitch is set on being the last in the line.

And the fact that his story is him going from wish to just end his life to finding reasons to be around and not falling alone to his troubles and dangers but accepting help of others and carrying on just kind of boils down to this final moment.