#skullsmoking

1) Find your niche. Don’t let popular media or styles determine it for you.

I spent maybe two years forcing myself to be an anime artist. Forcing myself to do lineart. And tbh, I loath doing either style now. It takes some time to figure it out, some longer than others, but once you find what you have the most fun with, you’ll skyrocket as an artist. I didn’t enjoy doing lineart. But I absolutely love painting, colors, and realism. When I discovered that, I could truly enjoy specializing in it. I eagerly await the day I can afford oil paints.

2) Don’t rely on motivation/inspiration. Create a schedule to keep you accountable.

These two things are as reliable as M’aiq the Liar. Set up a schedule for yourself. For some people, they aspire to draw one thing every day. Be it a 10 min doodle, or something that took 2 hours. (obviously if you’re sick, don’t force yourself. You know how far you can push yourself). For me, I do weekly bird illustrations on my art blog to keep my realism skills sharp. Granted, long-term illness and portfolio submissions have kept me from working on it these past few months. But it’s something I’ve set up for myself so I can continue to practice something I enjoy, and something I’m good at. Painting birds.

As far as askblogging goes, it’s ultimately just a hobby compared to portfolio work so I don’t have a super set schedule for that as far as “get this plot point done b/f this date” or something.

3) Go back to the basics.

This post I made on my other askblog about a month back sums this point up tbh. I’m a firm believer that someone’s progress as an artist will be a lot slower unless they become familiar with the foundations of compost ion and design.

4) Surround yourself with people that are going to encourage you to push yourself. 

If you’re around lazy people, you’ll pick up their habits. If you’re around writers, you’ll probably pick up on writing techniques. If you’re around aspiring artists, you’ll pick up on their motivation and, dare I say, determination.

One thing that I realized recently is that the main reason any of my stories have humor in them is because a close friend of mine rubbed off on me as far as his humor goes. In the same way, my storytelling rubbed off on him and we both are pushing each other to go beyond our comfort zone. And tbh that’s freakin’ mindblowing.

5) Experiment!

It’s always fun to try out new brushes or a new kind of media. If you limit yourself to one specific style or platform of art, you could find yourself stagnating fast. See them pastels? Give em a whirl! You might love em, hate em, you never know until you try.

If you’re in a slump or artblock, messing with something new can get your creative juices flowing again.

6) Classic advice you’ve heard since forever now compacted in a refined package only $9.99

Practice on a regular basis.

Reference reference REFERENCE

Do it like Shia Labouf

Don’t compare yourself to people that have taken like 10 million years of art school u a smol sprout k. u adorable n smol and one day you’ll be big and strong artist. eat your milk and drink your veggies

don’t shade with black or somethin but actually you can shade with it depending on the mood and environment of the pic it up to you bruh

but really tho do try different colors for shading it’s fun as heck

it’s nearly midnight i can’t think of anything else atm 

♡(•ө•) Now run free and make mama bird proud  (•ө•)♡