MDZS x ISAT part 1: In Stars and Necromancy.

(Part 2)

Welcome to my blog! Where i mainly post about my future leo; Orion! (Even though that's a nickname, lol)

I also have a future donnie design, who has been named (with the very generous help of @sinestrosmind) Akari! Or Aki for short :]

(I have a patreon if you're interested)

In the future i hope I'll post short comics that i myself draw, and gifs, animatics, anything really :] i just want to create, but i only started seriously learning to draw about a year ago, so it'll take a while before i do the things i need actual patience for lmao <3

I also occasionally post some Semi-Feral Polaroids content! It's a lovely shared AU @so-called-yokai and i put together where Orion and their gorgeous oc Eshra are romantically involved :]

I'm rather socially awkward due to ADHD, Autism, and social anxiety, so i can't promise that I'll respond to comments

Just know that i appreciate it a whole lot when you take time out of your day to tell me something!

I'm new to Tumblr ( I have only had it since the summer of 2023 ish). So bear with me as i learn how to use it!

I will post here very rarely (i can disappear for like 6 months at a time, that is a promise) but the rise fandom has motivated me to get better and draw again (hyperfixations go brr)

(i basically only draw Orion and Eshra but y'know-) oh, and i don't fuck with t-cest, that's nasty. I'm also not very invested in ships other than Semi-Feral Polaroids, so don't expect that from me

I made my own au a while back! I'm still fleshing it out and all, but i named it "slightly feral future leo (with ghosts)" or "sffl(wg)" for short. It's a very self indulgent "peepaw ended up in the past for no specific reason" au and it doesn't really have much plot yet, but i just like drawing cute turtle scenarios (a lot of the Leo's snoozing since they deserve a nap) or sometimes I'll draw some angst, (I'm very into angst, but I'm bad at drawing it lol)

Keep in mind that I've been very inspired by other creators and their au's when i created this one, most of it is cherry picked from others creations but i still like it. Even if some very well thought out and emotional concepts have been plucked and haphazardly shoved into my mess of an au, i just want to avoid as much confusion as possible by writing this long ass post ngl

I've decided to let people ask me things now. However, if you have any art requests whatsoever, just know that i only draw when I'm inspired and really, REALLY feel like it! I do still appreciate asks about my au if you're interested, though! (Art requests that i don't draw or can't draw might be saved for later and drawn in the future, btw. though it's not guaranteed)

If you couldn't already tell, i write a lot! I love describing things and telling some stories with drawings, so be prepared for some wordy and long ass posts, lol!

I also have a uh, rather neglected side blog (@a-cryptid-chose-you), it consists of literally anything except my scribblings

Now, have an amazing day you wonderful creature! (whatever you may be)

❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 🩵 💜 🤎

[This was a submission by @meadow-hearthfire but tumblr doesn't like publishing submissions for some reason 🤡]

Mitch, would you give this video a watch or at least a listen? Emily Artful offers some artist advice in it.

Oh, and before you check out her content, I gotta offer a content warning: Emily Artful is a mom of two kids, so a few of her videos contain pregnancy and some feature her kids, including a vlog of after she just had her first kid. As of submitting this to you, her oldest (nicknamed "Bini") is about five years old and her youngest (nicknamed "Wiggy") is about two.

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A Note From K.E.W.K.:

>This is a great video. I feel her SO MUCH! I have definitely undertaken HUGE projects that I vastly underestimated the timeframe/workload for and it ended up biting me in the ass. (I think it's something that all artists do tbh) 😓

>Those of you who have been around the blog for a while probably know about my yearly goretober undertaking. Its a self-indulgent passion project and an enormous labor of love that I'm overall pretty proud of, but no matter how hard I work during those times or how well everything turns out, I'm always left super burnt out at the end and HATE what I've created because it never lives up to the unrealistic expectations I had for the project, which leads to me beating myself up about how it should have been better (despite me knowing that I sincerely gave it my all). I have cried during every goretober event (managed to make it until the 26th this year!🥇) and have reached points mid-event where I wanted to say 'fuck it' and stop before it was finished, but I've managed to push through each time because, even if it didn't turn out perfect, I knew it was worth finishing (even if the home stretch was fueled by spite lol). After it's done, I always need to take a big step back, and then I revisit it with a fresh perspective when I'm ready. Even though it might not have ended up like I wanted, I usually end up appreciating my work for what it turned out to be once those negative feelings have calmed a little. After all, the audience can't see the vision in your head, just the work you put out there, so they'll just enjoy it for what it is! ^^

>I also really like that she says that it's okay to feel those negative feelings about projects that 'failed'. Being told/ telling yourself to cheer up and not feel down about something never actually helps you feel better, it just makes you feel bad about feeling bad, which makes it very hard to stop feeling bad! It's much better to feel your feelings so you can process them instead of burying them, even if it's hard at the time. It's also good to remember that, whenever you do something, there is always a chance of 'failure', and the best way to handle that is to look at it as an opportunity to learn what went wrong so you can do better next time. A master had failed more times than a novice has tried (that's the only way to become a master!) ✅

>DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR '''''BAD'''' ART!! EVER!!! You will look back on it someday and be able to say, 'wow, I sure have come a long way! c:' and you would be surprised how much it might mean to other people. I have boxes of sketch books dating back to when I was a tween, and it's absolutely crazy to see how much improvement I've made over the past 15 years. Hell, I look back at the art I made 3 years ago and think the same thing! But, I don't delete those drawings because I did my very best on them at the time, and despite the flaws I see in them now, they mean a lot to other people, which means a lot to me 🤗💖💖💖

Thanks so much for sharing this with me, Meadow! I really appreciate it :D

For the artists asks!😍

4, 8, 11, 13, 16, 26, 30

Thank you!

hi!! thanks for sending :D

4. Do you have a DeviantArt, personal website, or art blog? i have a DeviantArt but it has been inactive for a decade LOL the closest thing to an 'art page' are my instagram accounts (@/bunettie and @/sumbacky)

11. How many art-related blogs do you follow? not very many. i followed a couple of art-only blogs before rejoining tumblr last year but they're inactive haha despite the tagging system tumblr hasn't got the greatest reputation for posting art so oop

13. Do you prefer to keep your art personal, or do you like drawing things for other people? this will probably come off as mean but i started out drawing for myself and continue to do so tbh - i consider my art to be very self-indulgent and selfish(?). i'm kind of a hedonistic person by nature so that checks out. as most of you know, ship art is my favourite thing to draw and i guess i just needed a place to project all my feelings onto (some of those feelings being personal). and people happen to enjoy some of my stuff which is really nice and validating but i've never consciously thought, 'this is for other people' while i'm drawing. maybe it'll slip in a few times though, and i'll draw something i wouldn't usually draw just to get outta my comfort zone.

16. Do you draw more today than you did in the past, or do you draw less? a lot less now. teen me had a lot of free time and motivation lmaooo need her back :(

26. For digital artists: what program(s) do you use? clip studio paint!

30. What inspires you to not just make art, but to be a better artist? back to Q13, an urge/desire to manifest self-indulgent things in my head usually motivates me. i like seeing them recreated on paper and having and honing the ability to do that brings me joy :)

again, thank you so much for the questions :D <3

(KAME-HAME-FORGET-ABOUT-IT!)

To Hifumi, Twogami, and anyone else willing to answer,

Lately, I've dealt with a lot of issues regarding my own self worth. I've had some pretty awful gender dysphoria lately. I've barely been able to shower in the mornings because of it.

Every single piece of art I make, whether that be fanfiction, a drawing, and even posts I make feel really insignificant. I never feel like I make something that I feel like sharing, and when I do finally share it, it gets so few notes and so little attention. I don't feel like anything I make is good or important.

It doesn't help that I've felt really lonely lately, too. Even though I'm going to school and see people I like, I kept in touch with so few people l that I just feel left out. Everyone already has an s/o, or a friend group they're a part of, and I don't have anyone...

Listen here, anon. You and what you make has a lot of worth, if you spend your time and put your effort into something you enjoy doing, it has value. I can see how things like that can make you feel bad with what you’re going through lately, gender dysphoria can make you feel like you’re not doing enough or that you as a person just aren’t complete in a sense. It’s a tough path to go through, I know that but it can’t be allowed to drag you down! The first step to loving your body is taking care of it, showering is one of the big factors in that. Your body may make you feel  uncomfortable now but you have to remind yourself, your body doesn’t define what you are, no matter what anyone else tells you, your gender is only for you to decide and judge. No one else’s opinion on it matters, what makes you feel happy and comfortable is where it’s at.

It’s alright to feel lonely, loneliness is a basic human feeling even if it’s not a pleasing one.. Even if it’s a small group of people, they still keep in touch with you back for a reason, they surely care about you and like you as a person. You don’t need a significant other or specific friend group right away, exploring with different types of people will help you make a better decision of what kind of people you feel safest and most happy with, taking your time is valid. Even if it feels hard at first, when it’s done you will feel so much better anon. I’m sure there’s many people out there who love and care about you, even if you feel like you have no one, there are people who will be there for you when you need it. I assure you, you will find them someday. 

So please do start taking care of yourself and try to clear your head, keep doing what you love, you will get through this!

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Twogami explained everything outstandingly, but I still have some advice for you too! Like Twogami said, your body doesn’t define you! As you may know, I believe your flesh and bones appearance means nothing, it’s the inside that really counts! Of course, you should still be trying to keep your body healthy as well. I know showers can be really difficult when it comes to dysphoria, but maybe it’d help to think of it more as a necessity to do. I don’t know about you, but keeping a schedule for that kind of thing really helps. What keeps me sticking to said schedule is that I know if I don’t stick to it I’ll be disappointed in myself, but you could have different motivations for doing so. You don’t have to rush it either, just do what you think you can handle!

I know it really sucks when you post a fanfiction or a piece of art and it doesn’t do so well, but I think you should really try to remember that getting a lot of views and such is really up to luck most of the time. So even if a post doesn’t do so well, it’s not your fault. It may also be really hard to not compare yourself with others, but it’s good to remember that numbers mean nothing! Sometimes things just happen to get more popular. Sometimes the best pieces of art are the most underrated too! Even if you end up writing or drawing very self indulgent pieces, that’s alright too. It’s good to just write something purely for yourself! I mean, if you’re always writing for other people’s sake, it’s not very fun or motivating to write, don’t you think? It shouldn’t matter how popular a piece gets, but how much it means to you personally.

As for feeling lonely, it’s completely valid to have those feelings! I know it’s easy to compare yourself when you see others who have significant others and stuff, but everyone moves at a different pace! There’s no rush to find a significant other, just do what you’re comfortable with! Whether it be slowly trying to talk to more people, or simply trying to spend more time with current friends, it’s still progress. Even if it does take some time, I’m sure you’ll find a wonderful bunch of friends! You can’t give up just yet, dear Anon!

I've been struggling with motivation lately, after so much of my work gets ignored. I know a lot of online artistic success is due to tagging, consistent posting, and other such problems in addition to a heavy dose of luck, so I'm hoping to fix what I can and see if that makes me more visible. Do you have any tips for tagging or posting at certain times? What variables can I control better?

Hi there, Brie! 

I’m very sorry, but this is going to be very difficult answer for you to hear.

Every so often I get a message in my inbox with the time old “How do I be popular?” and my heart breaks every time. I don’t know how to be popular. I don’t know what people will like, and I certainly can’t predict moods and receptions to ideas. There are entire companies and careers dedicated to making their best guess, and some of them figure out formulas that work, but it’s still nebulous and uncertain at all times. 

You are asking yourself the wrong questions, and you are especially asking me the wrong question. If your goal as an artist is to be popular or to get a lot of messages and notes, you will never be content. 

To actually answer the question you sent me: most of Tumblr’s userbase are teenagers, who are most active at night. Post in the morning and reblog it around 9-10 pm. Draw fanart of popular things. Buy advertising to boost your content. But none of this will actually guarantee that people will be responsive to what you’re making. 

Here’s what you actually need to do:

detatch yourself from the emotional investment of getting a lot of notifications on social media (easier said than done)

focus on improving your draftsmanship

follow artists you admire, study how they make their content, when they post it, and how they interact with fans, do studies of their work

recenter yourself on your craft, make quality content production your priority

share this journey of improvement and discovery with others so that people can identify with you and become invested 

Desperately appealing to people does not and will not work. I know you’re having a lot of trouble with motivation right now, and that’s the real problem here you need to address. You need to get back to the spirit of what it is that you’re making and why you want to make anything before you will see any kind of improvement in your craft or the public response to it. Ask yourself what you really love. Find out what makes you inspired. Feel no shame for your interests. People will respond to and feed off of your enthusiasm, so try to learn what you are enthusiastic about. 

Your real problem right now is motivation. Lots of responses to your work is validating, but it will not give you motivation to make more art. Trust me. There are thousands of different pieces of advice you can find about getting your motivation back, and I encourage you to research as much as you can. Here’s my bit of advice, though:

When you stop treating inspiration as the only reason to make art, and start treating art like work, a job you have to show up every day for, you have started down the path of becoming a professional. Motivation is not a feeling, it’s a choice you make and carry out. 

Here is my advice: find the thing in your artwork you are unsatisfied with. Is it your proportions? Do you have a hard time drawing hands? Do one study of that specific thing every day. Start small: like 15 minutes of drawing a couple feet, or 10 minutes doing gesture drawings on some site. Post these things - people like seeing your process and those rough drawings. When you build the habit enough that you find yourself doing it consistently, increase the time you spend on these things. A 30 minute study of a wolf, or an illustration of something you have a hard time drawing. Draw self indulgent fanart. It will get easier and easier. 

Frankly, it will be a long time before you see any kind of response to what you’re doing, if at all. That’s the reality of it. But if you want to pay your bills using your craft, you have to shut off social media and actually focus on your craft. Treating it like a job is how you get a job. If you live for online interactions, maybe a Social Media Manager position is a better career path for you. 

Looking at your art, you have a very clear handle on color theory and your costume designs are really, really good. The skill and potential is obviously there, you clearly have the makings of a great artist. You have the tools and the eye, so there’s no reason why you can’t make it. It’s just going to take a lot of work and time, if you’re game. You’re going to have to do it every day, no matter how uninspired you are. But I think you can do it. 

Look, this is something I’m struggling with, too. My next job starts in two weeks, and I haven’t been making something every day like I should. I feel really hypocritical writing this answer to you. That means, no matter how long you do this, no matter how much you accomplish, this is something you will always be struggling with, that every artist struggles with. Now is the time you develop the skills to address this problem, and once you master that, you will be unstoppable. 

I hope this helped. Good luck in your artistic journey, and keep me updated.