My Year through Art

[dephigravity]

What a year this has been. I am not gonna sugarcoat it, this year turned out far more difficult than I would have imagined, but I will be brief and not dwell.

I remain unemployed and reclusive, because well frankly, I gave into my own anxiety and depression. I'm working on that! But it did allow me more time for fandom endeavors and whatnot, so not a total waste.

I lost my precious Gracie, but found my animal soul mate in Parker.

My interest in SPN (J2) has come back, but my interest in Teen Wolf is on life support.

I started up a few communities/challenges, and abandoned others. And for better or worse ventured further into tumblr...

I essentially gave up writing in favor of art. (Seriously, I did not write a single fic-- not even a drabble-- this past year.)

Speaking of that, here have an end of the year art meme-- totally stolen from cassiopeia7.



Retrospective year in fanart meme (2013)

Total number of completed fanarts: 22
Total piece count: 40 (plus quite a few unfinished or unposted doodles)

January


Mornin' Sunshine
for riyku
insmallpackages
(1)


Heavenly Creature
Artwork for oomnydevvotchka's fic We've All Got Our Junk
twreversebang
(1)


February


Ho'olu komo la kaua
j2_everafter
(1)


That Voodoo That You Do (GIF)
teenwolf_bingo
(1)


And They Call It Puppy Love
Artwork for dugindeep's fic And They Call It Puppy Love
j2_everafter
(7)


March


yeah, but there is a "me"
for untitleddemo
(1)


April


Blue and Evil
A "real life" Tattoo Commission
(1)


Some Sorta Fairytale
(1)


May


En Sabah Nur
(1)


Beacon Hills BFFs
Banner Artwork I made for teenwolf_fanart
(1)


Sloth Chibi
for tebtosca
(1)


June


Jensen Pride and the Color Guard
for j2_crack
(7)


July


Sacrilege
Artwork for xdarkdesires fic Sacrilege
spn_j2_bigbang
(5)


August


McCallateer
Banner Art I made for tw_everafter
(1)


September


Last Beta Standing
(1)


October


Derek Gale
(1)


November


Supernatural Ink
for kink_bingo
(1)


And I Say Hello (GIF)
(3)


Kevin Tran: Prophet of Our Lord
(1)


Team Arrow
For misura
fandomaid
(1)


December


Captain Frank Irving (GIF)
For akadougal
fandomaid
(1)


Mancer Scott
Prompt for twreversebang
(1)

Overall Thoughts:

Looking back, did you draw more fanart than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted?
More than I thought I would, I guess. Going through the year, I always feel like I am not all that productive. But every time I compile it in one of these memes, I'm like DAAAAAMN!

What pairing/genre/fandom did you art for that you would never have predicted in January?
Um, I did another Sterek chibi, which I never planned to do... and I did Arrow and Sleepy Hollow Chibis which is new for me.

What's your own favorite fanart of the year?
Can I say two? I'mma say two. The Real Me (angel!jensen) from my Big Bang and Last Beta Standing.

Did you take any fanart risks this year?
I dramatically altered my chibi style and forced myself to learn how to animate GIFs. I also forced myself how to properly do line art completely in Photoshop and have been experimenting with brushes and coloring techniques.

Do you have any fanart goals for the new year?
I would like to learn not to be so dependent on reference pictures and develop my own 'style' for non chibi pieces. I feel like my art can be very inconsistent from one piece to the next. Also to not give a fuck about people's opinions on how I make art and the techniques I and others use.
I also need to continue experimenting with brushes and techniques, I've gotten so used to only using the default brushes in PS that I forget there are other media brushes and that I have a huge ass folder of downloaded brushes.

I'd also really like to figure out how the hell to use Corel Painter. I vaguely know how to use the dumbed down version, but have never put in the time to figure out how to use Painter 12 since it came with my new tablet.


From my past year of arting, what was...

My best fanart of this year: The Real Me. It felt like the first real piece that I put everything I had into it, including a fully rendered background.

My most popular fanart of this year:
Captain Frank Irving, hands down. While it didn't get a lot of recognition on LJ or deviantArt, on tumblr it EXPLODED-- in large part because of Orlando Jones reblogging and retweeting it. It was my first (and only piece) to break 1,000 notes.

Second place goes to And I Say Hello. I feel like I came into my own with this new chibi style, and apparently fandom thought so too. It did pretty dang good on LJ and became my first piece to get over 200 notes on tumblr, think it's around 750 now. I usually get between 5 and 40 notes to a piece on tumblr, so I was absolutely awestruck when this happened-- plus anytime I can get to two pages of comments on LJ is a good day. :)

Fanart of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion:
Some Sorta Fairytale... usually people eat this sort of stuff up, but this piece seemed to just fall flat all around.

And maybe it's because I stick too close to the ref pic, but both traditional art pieces I did this year, barely got any reaction to at all. /butthurt artist

Most fun story to art for:
Both And They Call It Puppy Love and Sacrilege! I always love collaborating with people, but it was truly a blast working with these lovely ladies. So much that I claimed dugindeep for another story-- which I should probably start drawing something for... /o\

Fanart with the single sexiest moment:
Supernatural Ink. I haven't done much NSFW art lately, and this is the closest I've done to it this year. What can I say, TATTOO'D AND PIERCED!JENSEN!

Most "holy crap, that's wrong, even for you" fanart:
Well I did put Derek in ruby slippers and Stiles in a prom dress...

Hardest story to art for:
I'm not going to call anyone out specifically, but it is really hard doing a collaboration when there is no communication... especially if you never see a draft.

Biggest disappointment:
Hmm, I had to drop out of quite a few things this year, or just never got around to finishing/starting things. I dropped out of tw_everafter, twreversebang, spn_j2_xmas and had to offer a refund on a commission piece because I just couldn't work with it.

I would probably have to go with everafter, I had a billion ideas for character banners to pimp the comm, some of which I REALLY liked and one I started... but the challenge never really took off so I doubt I will bother go forward with any of them. I also did have a flat colored draft for mermaid!Isaac but real life just got in the way. I'm really bummed that the challenge turned out to be DOA, I was hoping it would have been a huge success.

About reversebang: to quote The Polar Express," [twreversebang] just doesn't work out for me."

Biggest surprise:
Apparently animated GIFs are my niche.

Fanarting goals for 2013:
I have many! Even though I tend to have a love/hate relationship with fandom and motivation, I just can't see myself not doing anything. My love for J2 seems to be rekindled, and my love for Teen Wolf is dwindling... so you might see a lot more J2 and me experimenting with other fandoms (especially in chibi form.)

I say this every year, but I need to learn how to balance challenges with art I do for myself. Compiling this list, there are far more "for" arts than there are "just cuz" pieces... which isn't a bad thing. But you might see more "look, I drew Mysterious Cities of Gold or JLA chibis!" this year. I say 'might' because I am fully aware that I have a faulty on/off switch when it comes to challenges. GOTTA DRAW THEM ALL!

I also need to learn to be less critical of myself, and learn to enjoy doing art. Even though I am a self affirmed comment/note whore, not everything is about the comments or notes that I receive. I REALLY need to understand this. And like I said before, just because someone tries to discredit techniques I and others use in our art process, doesn't mean they speak for everyone. If I am happy with it, and others enjoy what I did, that should be all that matters. Fuck the rest. (soooo easier said than done.)

And lastly, even though I get butthurt over traditional art, I really want to experiment with it. I bought a brand new set of Prismacolor colored pencils back in the fall that I have been terrified to use. Babysteps!

Comments

[cassiopeia7.livejournal.com]

I'm still in love with the doggy cupcakes . . . and ghost!Jared. Beautiful work, just beautiful!

My love for J2 seems to be rekindled

\o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ !!!!

... just because someone tries to discredit techniques I and others use in our art process, doesn't mean they speak for everyone. If I am happy with it, and others enjoy what I did, that should be all that matters. Fuck the rest.

Re the first sentence: Who's discrediting what, now? Digital art? Drawing is drawing, whether with a pencil on paper or a stylus on a tablet. Dude, tell those morons where to get off and carry on arting. HOWEVER you choose to do it. Re the second sentence: YEAH, BABY!! That's the spirit! *may be a bit militant about arting*

even though I get butthurt over traditional art, I really want to experiment with it. I bought a brand new set of Prismacolor colored pencils back in the fall that I have been terrified to use.

Conventional arting is painless! The pencils, they are calling to you. DOOOOO EEEET. :D

[dephigravity.livejournal.com]

:D Yay J2!

As for the discrediting thing, it covers a whole lot of ground. Especially on tumblr, I have seen a lot of complaining about traditional art vs digital art and which is more valid. Same thing with Fan art vs original art.

But the main thing I was meaning is the usage of references, tracing, and paint overs, etc. There is this very vocal sect on tumblr and deviantArt (and somewhat on LJ) that essentially vilifies the use of reference pictures in any form, especially if it isn't transformative enough for their liking. T

Those same people dismiss the use of tracing as a tool as full on cheating. Many fanartists, including myself and some VERY WELL KNOWN artists both fan and professional, use tracing in various forms. I've never denied that I have used it to better learn likeness, proportions, and help with backgrounds-- hell I have a book from a DC comic artist that shows his process of taking pictures of buildings and structures and using tracing to create templates for backgrounds... on a professional level! But these people act as though people that incorporate any degree of tracing is equal to sacrificing children or puppies.

I've never done paint overs, but I saw a post by petite_madame about how people easily people dismiss them as cheating. She admitted that she tried it once and she couldn't figure it out and it was far more difficult than she thought it would be. I can totally see that, trying to do painting as I do in Photoshop is hard enough for me, I can't imagine trying to get it to look photo-realistic... I have watched time lapsed videos of this, and I can tell you now... that is something I CANNOT DO! I tip my hat to those that can.

For the record, I also can't manip to save my life... seriously, you should look at the J2! Sound of Music abominations I put on Twitter. Anyway what I am getting to is that it bugs me that these people are so elitist and act so entitled when it comes to how we create our art. I am not cheating by using digital art, using refs, or even if I trace a nose here and there... I am simply using one of the very many tools and techniques in any artist's toolbox. I truly admire artist's that can draw from memory or 100% freehand, but it doesn't make any less of an artist if I can't.

I just don't understand why fanartists are held to such a degree of scrutinization. And tumblr is the breeding ground of malcontent, over-exaggerated over-entitled opinions, and rage. /climbs off soapbox

As for the traditional art thing, I do draw with pencils, but I am ABSOLUTELTY terrified of fucking it up by coloring it... the back button is so much more forgiving than an eraser, :|

[cassiopeia7.livejournal.com]

the usage of references, tracing, and paint overs, etc. There is this very vocal sect on tumblr and deviantArt (and somewhat on LJ) that essentially vilifies the use of reference pictures in any form

I don't understand "paint overs" at ALL, so cannot speak of them. But references? How is an artist expected to draw a likeness, a city skyline, a vehicle, without using a reference, be it the real thing or a photograph? Geez, even if I draw myself, I'm going to be looking at a mirror or picture -- and I already know exactly what I look like. Sure, I can draw Sam or Dean or Baby from memory -- but I really prefer to use a photo reference, because memory only goes so far. And tracing? If I have a rough sketch and don't wish to lose the "feel" of it when I do the final linework, do I trace my original work? Hells, yeah, I do. Last year, I had to draw a guy holding a sniper rifle. Do I know anything about sniper rifles? Nope. So I found a good photo of said rifle, traced a simple outline to get the proportions right, then drew my interpretation of a sniper rifle over the traced outline. But I guess that's "cheating," too. Heck, even Norman Rockwell traced. And sometimes I wonder if the complaining parties understand art at all.

especially if it isn't transformative enough for their liking.

. . . then they should pick up a pencil / stylus and do their own darn art.

I just don't understand why fanartists are held to such a degree of scrutinization. And tumblr is the breeding ground of malcontent, over-exaggerated over-entitled opinions, and rage.

LOL, no comment. It's fandom. But this is exactly why I have little to do with tumblr. Constructive criticism is one thing -- a welcomed thing! -- but the bitchy, entitled comments? Who needs 'em?

I do draw with pencils, but I am ABSOLUTELTY terrified of fucking it up by coloring it... the back button is so much more forgiving than an eraser, :|

Oh, dude, welcome to my world. Ink and marker do not erase. At ALL. And when you've been working for hours, are 95% done with something and THEN mess up and the only way to fix the problem is to start from scratch? Yeah, ouch. There's usually very bad language involved. It's just something us conventional folk get used to. And I most certainly DO envy y'all digital folk your back buttons when things go wrong.

[cassiopeia7.livejournal.com]

. . . and because I apparently cannot shut up tonight, regarding photomanips, have you seen bflyw or lightthesparks's work? It's gorgeous and most definitely ART.

[wendy.livejournal.com]

You are amazing! ♥

[dephigravity.livejournal.com]

Aw, you are too kind. ♥

[dephigravity.livejournal.com]

This EXACTLY! I can draw a more cartoonized picture of Jared or Jensen from memory, but if I am doing anything remotely realistic OUT COME THE REFERENCE PICS! And I have never understood the difference between drawing from a photograph or from a still life... and if photo copyright were such an issue for drawing, how do you justify the entire photomanipulation part of fandom. It does not make sense!

I'm beginning to think the anti ref/anti tracing people are just disgruntled art students. These people act as though any form of tracing is somehow illegal, and yet go to any art supply store, or art department in an advertising agency and they will have a variety of digital programs, tracing papers, and a selection of light tables. TO TRACE! Seriously, that's like saying an author using spellcheck on their computer is cheating... WE AREN'T IN SCHOOL ANYMORE, THERE IS NO CHEATING!

Like you, I have traced outlines of unfamiliar objects or things causing me problems and then filled in with my own interpretation and lines. Providing you aren't tracing someone else's art and passing it off on your own, what does it matter? We do this for fun and as a hobby, let us do our thing and quit being so damn entitled and demanding.

But this is exactly why I have little to do with tumblr. Constructive criticism is one thing -- a welcomed thing! -- but the bitchy, entitled comments? Who needs 'em?

Seriously, I have seen more people ripped to shreds for simply stating a fairly benign opinion or drawing 'the wrong thing' on tumblr, it is ridiculous. I remember when I first joined fandom, people talked about how open minded and welcoming it was. Now I think of all these people coming into fandom on tumblr, and it's like sending them into a landmine field.

I love an welcome concrit! Usually I only get it from betas. I have seen plenty of 'why did you have so and so bottom though, that's just wrong' or 'that's creepy' comments, however. >:|

re: ink and marker

I haven't worked with markers since high school, but I envy your ability to work with it. It is VERY unforgiving of mistakes but looks SO GOOD when finished. Many a picture have I ruined when trying to use water color and it made my ink smear. *sob*

[dephigravity.livejournal.com]

Good manips are AMAZING! And these two are most definitely artists! They could show the CW marketing team a thing or two about how to make a good poster, that's for damn sure.

[petite-madame.livejournal.com]

Hi ^^
(LJ send me an e-mail telling me I was mentioned here, so here I am)

Yes, people don't want to hear about photo paint-overs because for them it isn't "real art". I can understand that they feel cheated when someone paint over a picture and doesn't mention it (= try to pass it as free hand art) but I've never understood the hate towards artists like Nargynargy who have ALWAYS mentioned that they were painting over. They even did tutorials. Shut up and enjoy the pretty! xD

Photo paint overs are actually pretty difficult and far more harder than they look. Before trying to do one, I thought that it would be easy, that it wouldn't take long (a couple of brush strokes, a texture and...voilà!!) but...NO!! It's actually pretty hard and for me who is used to draw everything from scratch and have a complete control over the palette, the textures, the PS brushes, it was hard and I felt lost. My pain over looked horrible ><

I also agree with cassiopeia7 concerning referencing. I mean, seriously! When I draw Sean Bean as Sharpe, do you really think I can draw his 95th riffle uniform and his gun from the 19th century from memory? Amazing artists like Alex Ross use reference photos so I don't understand why people are SO mad about referencing!

Just my two cents, sorry for dropping by in the middle of the conversation ^^;;

[petite-madame.livejournal.com]

So you might see a lot more J2
And we are very happy about it!! ^^
There's never enough J2 artworks in this fandom :D

[dephigravity.livejournal.com]

Hey you! Not a problem, welcome to the convo!

I completely agree with you about paint overs! I personally have never tried it, but I have watched videos of people doing them or similar processes and I remain completely in awe! I don't think it is something I could ever get the hang of-- same goes for manips! Regardless of whether some people think it is a ~valid art form or not, it takes talent and a skill set that I do not possess. I dare people that say they just did a ~paint over to actually try one and make it look decent.

I also do not understand how people can be upset over the use of a reference photo, even if it is a well known image. If you want to use one, use it! Most of the time it is the only way you can learn likenesses or proportions. And if you need to learn anatomy guess what the best way to do it is? Referencing! Not everyone has a live model to pose for them when they want to draw a picture, and it isn't as simple as just taking a picture yourself to use as one.

To me the biggest issue with this whole thing is that people somehow feel 'cheated' if an artist doesn't cite every technique, process, or photo they use in creating an art because the viewer has assumed that art is only made by freehand. It comes off extremely entitled to me.

Maybe I am alone in thinking this, but the only time I get annoyed at an artist is when they full on deny using a technique. ie when an artist says they didn't use a reference pic and that they did it from memory when you can tell the exact image they used to reference from without any effort... that sort of thing bothers me.

I have absolutely no problem with an artist posting a piece without a laundry list of the tools they used to create the image. You don't go to a museum and see a Norman Rockwell painting and see artist notes saying where he traced here and there, or he used live models with an accompanying photograph of the image he referenced. You don't see asterisks on Art Masters portraits that detail their use of camera obscura.

While digital programs have made it easier for people to create fine pieces of art of multiple skill and quality levels, I fail to understand this idea that modern artists have to be completely transparent in their processes. Obviously there are cases where I draw the line, such as redrawing or tracing over someone's art and calling it your own, but for the most part I don't get why people can't just live an let live.

[dephigravity.livejournal.com]

J2 for everyone!

I look forward to what you have in store for the next year as well!

[j-r-hartley.livejournal.com]

June & November are brilliant! :D

Part of me is sorry you gave in to anxiety etc. but a larger part of me thinks that it has to happen for you to get back on track. I've been there many times over the years and it's a daily battle...one I'm sure you'll win in the end! :D

[dephigravity.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I sure hope you are right, because OY!