"Nothing is Wrong Right Now" August 2023

Not really wanting to do anything right now. But managed art. Bad head space. I hate that pieces I love most come out of these storms.

general relativity for babies

There is one consistent thing about my podcasting: Whenever I get back to work with a show, I start off with saying we're back to posting weekly, post once, and then don't post again for a year.

TOMORROW IS HALLOWEEN!!!

Haven't worked on the tablet in a week or two. Feeling discouraged each time I pick it up or crack open Word. This wave is hitting hard and I'm just trying to ride it out until the waters calm.

We will come out on the otherside, just have to focus on maintaining what I've got.

Scissor Wizard and Paper Wizard

It’s probably fine to leave them alone together.

My friend (who speaks English as a second language) wanted to express being able to write better than drawing, and this is how I’m describing my art skills from now on.

Titanosaurus vs Mothra but secretly they’re friends.

Toying around. First time trying to draw anything Art Nouveau. There's a lot more I need to understand about the style, but as I haven't drawn anything in a week, I wanted to just make something fun real fast before I bite into the style fully. Plus I'm still trying to lock in the style I want my avatar to have long term. Feels good to be creating again after a week of familial obligations and general physical ickiness.

Time to do more.

Oregon by Elliot Hawkey

Ghost Song - Mid game Mini-review, No Spoilers

Enjoying Ghost Song so far. It's not really bringing anything new to the genre, but is a nice cozy addition to the current matured Metroidvania pie. Atmospheric and grim, beautifully gross, and a wonderful soundscape.

But I think that's it's strength and weakness, the setting.

Maybe it's because of where I am in the story, but there feels like little rhyme or reason for the way of the spaces. A lot of chaotic and beautiful biomes thrown in here and there. It feels more like climbing through a Starbound generated world than a character unto itself.

Which is fine, but fine isn't pathbreaking.

Hints of what Lorian can be are ever present; delivered in an eerie and wonderful score and creepy soundscape, told via harrowing dialogue in not voiced text, and presented in muted moments where the Deadsuit looks on in childlike wonder.

I'm going to happily push towards the end of the story, but I'm getting a sense that the setting isn't going to reveal it's secrets. For all the struggling characters sharing their stories, I'm getting the vibe I'm not going to get the revelations the game wants to hint towards.

Not so quick character sketch.

Just the sketch portion tonight. I may or may not try coloring it. This was more to start playing with shapes and shading, and not just draw body parts.

I realize I should have tried sketching from a different screen shot now, so I could have practiced with hands some more.

Feeling in a funk. I think I understand why. It's the high then low of creative output for me. I felt quite jazzed over the good stuff I've been doing this past month, and then came a crescendo with starting the sketch studies this week. And then the crash comes, a wave of grim tidings that barge in with the spark diming a little.

A silly thing, really. It's unreasonable to expect that creative high to last, and lows will occur. That's the nature of the world, waves. But my mind does a quick deep dive after the waves peak, rather than slowly recede.

I'm cognizant enough now that I can see it coming better than I could before, and so I'm aiming to combat it. Managed to get to bed early last night, get up early, and start tackling the house. I figure some cleaning therapy is a good alternative than miring in my own gloom. Exert control over my space, even though physically I can only do a little, and focus on the now. Worry about that creative spark in a bit.

This is just a little break before I get back to it. Don't want to overexert myself and have to prematurely stop.

Hands Study

Studying hands. Expect more body parts over the coming weeks!

In Moonlit Eaves

With the increase to the time I'm spending doing studies, I occasionally like to step back into some of my favorite types of sketches. This piece was an effort to try and get more practice and skill with the usage of different brushes in Procreate. I completely adore drawing white pen on a dark background like this, the shadowy feel of the whole thing just feels right. I'm sure somewhere in my past there's an art piece I've forgotten that instilled the love of this form factor, but for now I'll keep creating my own until I can bring that memory to life.

The past few months has been a treat in terms of bringing this part of my creativity forward. I desperately want to do more, want to create the pieces I see in my head, but I know my hands and eyes aren't there yet. So, more practicing, occasional pokes at trying to make one of the dreams in my head, and then more practicing. It's the only way I'll get better.

Looking back on October.

We had some really neat art last month with the Discord server's Drawlloween event. While I was quite happy with a lot of the pieces I did, this one is still my favorite. It's probably the least colorful, and certainly one of the least complex pieces, but I think that's why I love it.

The topic was four-legged friend, and while I guess it's implied to draw Halloween themed items, I couldn't help but dither to a few other concepts. This is the avatar of Hypnogram, a friend who embodies a cute four-legged fox.