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Art Gallery General Chat Thread

Blanc said:
I'm sorry it's such a rough spot for you right now. It's really depressing to be barred from creation because of a mental block. Do you think it's a lack of motivation or ideas? Or something else entirely?
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combo of not having motivation and not liking the things i made.
 
Sorry! Meant to reply to this earlier but time got away from me.

toastghost said:
combo of not having motivation and not liking the things i made.
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Getting motivation is understandably tricky.. maybe watch or read something that inspires you to create so you get motivated?

As for the second thing… I think it’s not secret that we artists are often are harshest critics, and we see all the flaws in our work no one else does. Often, I don’t like my art either, but I’ve found a way to keep myself from spiraling downward is to find things in a piece I did well. Even if you don’t like a piece, find something within it you think you excelled at, like “oh, the hands turned out nice” or “I like the shading in this spot…” find your little victories and places you’ve improved! I found this helps in baby steps to feel better about your art. I hope it helps you!

I extend this tip to everyone here as well. Don’t let self-deprecation keep you down from creating what you love, guys!
 
What's the best way to get someone to stop pestering people for free art? Everything I try to do isn't working! And I really can't ban her due to her being a friend of the gang.

And man I regret redirecting her here, I hope she doesn't start pestering any of you guys
 
thought I replied here but I didn't!

Echoing Yume, yes, if someone is not listening that you are not taking requests no matter what, you may regrettably have to put your foot down the hard way.

Speaking on the topic of offering art for free and commissions, I would like to offer some tips regarding the latter half of the topic in my own experience as an artist who has worked with clients online! Again, please keep in mind reading this that everything I am mentioning is in regards to your pursuits off-site, as we don't allow users to take on commissions here due to quite a plethora of reasons. Please do not advertise your commissions here either, or anywhere on the site. I am merely opening an avenue for discussion to help out my fellow artists. Keep in mind I'm no veteran at this stuff, but I have been at it for quite a long time now, so I think I know a thing or two.

With that said, always, ALWAYS make a TOS for your work. Trust me, this will save you a lot of headache down the road. Just stating what you do and don't draw is not enough! Your TOS is your safeguard as an artist, it's a line you draw in the sand, be it in a legal sense or just to weed out unsavory customers as fast as possible. Unsure what to exactly put here? An example of things to put in your TOS includes:

If you offer refunds under particular circumstances.
How long works usually take you, and if at some point the client can request a refund.
If you offer commercial work (and commercial prices) at your own discretion.
How many edits to the work you allow a client to have (this saves you time, and not left in circles with a single client)
What are the limits to using your art, if any (ex. personal use)
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And so on, there are many more (or less!) things you can include if need be. I also recommend having a public Trello visible to your clients, so if you have taken on various slots, they know where they sit in your work queue and how you're progressing. Saves you some trouble of having to give too many updates! With that out of the way, your next question is probably how you should price your art? This question is ever present even as you grow as an artist, and I have some tips regarding this in hopes of helping stop a trend I see online.

We artists have an endless habit of underselling our work, it's because art (of any form) is an underappreciated job, especially in the age of rising AI art competing with real artists now. I urge you, absolutely do NOT undersell your work just to make any sale at all. You and your art are worth more than you think, and you will feel the effects if you end up letting yourself work for peanuts. If you're afraid of not getting any clients at all, reach out to some friends, they may commission you at first out of no more than the goodness in their hearts, but they will help you build a portfolio and help you spread your work around. Just give it some time, you will get clients.

So... with that said, how do you go about pricing your art? Look around at some other artists around your skill level, see what they're charging, ask your fellow artist friends, ask non-artist friends for an honest answer of what they would pay for your work. Don't take anyone's response as gospel, but use all of these factors to find a mean for what you believe your work should sit at for each different type of work you offer--should you offer different ones (such as chibi and non). Once you've settled on a price-- see how many clients you get with the price you've decided on in the open. Getting too many clients? This is actually not what you want! Many have the false belief that a revolving door of clients is a good thing-- and to some degree it is, however, usually this means that you are charging too little for the quality of art you're providing! You should not ever be working yourself to the bone, you should have a price that allows you to work comfortably, at a pace suited for you. So, well, at this point, if you are swamped with clients and realizing you're charging too little, close your commissions after you finish a batch and reopen them later with higher prices. Eventually, you'll reach a happy medium.

There's much more I could say on the topic or just the nature of being an artist in the industry online, but well, I'll leave the rest to only necessary discussion or if anyone has any particular questions. I want to make a space where we help each other grow in our crafts and pump a little more confidence into our systems. This was a tangent, but, I hope it helped out some of you a little! I may consider making a tips and resources thread in the future.

For now, let's get back to discussing art! Wahoo.
 
Well, I scribbled last night. Specifically a character from a fantasy-ish thing I work on for fun. ...Or kind of two characters. Uhhh...

The character in question has a split personality due to a little run-in with a psyche-shattering eldritch nightmare. So the scribble was his volatile half teasing his straight-laced half, as the former is prone to do.

Hopefully will scribble more this weekend.
 
Whole lotta nothin' over here tbh. I've been meaning to draw up an illustration to go alongside my Halloween one-shot entry (yes I'm thinking about that instead of actually writing the damn thing... shush) — but I'm really struggling with ideas for its composition.

I'll probably just try to paint a particular scene from it, but it's proving hard to do that while also simultaneously thinking about how to show off the overall vibe of the story, and how to incorporate all of the most important thematic/visual elements from it. :hmm:
 
was playing randomizer X for a tourneylocke, and fished up a female snorunt, and then mind went ham and before I knew it I had doodled a jellyfish mermaid Froslass


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The Froslass mermaid looks amazing!!:bulbaLove:

I was drawing a little today... I'm finally working on something I plan to finish again? (I leave way too much of my work unfinished...)

I was also thinking a lot about my art style recently. Some time ago, I saw a video in which the artist talked about how she simplified her art style because she was busy with school, and it made me realise that I just don't have the time (and maybe even patience) to create these complex watercolour paintings I would like... I have poor time management, so doing anything else than just grabbing a pencil/pen I have lying around right in a given moment and drawing for a few minutes is not an option for me? Like, I don't think I have the time to prepare and then tidy up all the things I'd need for painting (and most importantly, I do not want to put a cup of water on my desk as my pet bird likes to drink anything she can, or she would knock it over or something...) The point I want to get over is that while they say "art style is not an excuse", but maybe it's not a bad thing to have an excuse for your art style? If that makes sense... ^_^;

So, that was for the technical (or something) side of an art style, and I was thinking about the stylistic side as well, and... I just feel like continuing typing - it has been on my mind for some time and art-things is not something I have anyone to talk to about, so... I hope it's O.K. to share?

Up until recently, I was thinking about stylisation of my art as something that should be leaning towards this "stereotypical" anime/manga art style, as that is the kind of media I consume, not much, but definitely the most, and majority (actually, all, probably) of artists whose art I look at online stylise their art in this way. (By "stereotypical" anime/manga art style I mean... the most commonly used one, especially by anime and manga that want to get an anime adaptation? I do not have a better word to describe it. See some isekai for reference?) I saw art stylisation as either this, cartoon (also, the most common cartoon art style of course) and realism/semi-realism, and I saw the first mentioned as my only option. Until I learned about the existence of SANDA, a manga by Paru Itagaki (same author as BEASTARS) and I was charmed by its art style. I don't think I've seen something like it before! It completely twisted the way I thought about art stylisation. Before, I somewhat knew what I enjoy in an art style, but it hadn't come to my mind to think about it outside of this "stereotypical anime art style" leaning territory. But then I was able to realise that the art I enjoyed the most recently were the illustrations in my history textbook, mediaeval illustrations and wood engravings,
1695505337697.png

Commenius' Orbis Pictus

It was also useful to me to think about what got me into art. I don't know whether I recall it correctly as it was ages ago, like for many people, but I think that if I did something art-related before this is not that important as I do not remember it. It was Čtyřlístek (no English title, but the series has some movies that use the name "The Lucky Four" or something), we had at home one volume of it which is the only one from the series I ever recall reading, and it had crayon scribbles in it, by toddler me : ) So, that's what I officially consider my "how I got into art story", and I considered drawing comic my "art goal" even before I fished this in my memory, so considering my "art goal" and "artist origins" helped me to shape this idea of what my art style should look like (whoah, it would be a bit more difficult if I got into art thanks to anime like I've heard many people say : ) So, considering medium, time spent on a drawing, and the atmosphere of the piece the artist creates (which can vary from piece to piece, just like the style), I came to realise are all important aspects of an art style.

I usually write posts longer than one sentence in the Grammarly online editor, and think about and plan longer posts like this one for a couple of days but this was completely unplanned. My first "authentical" post lol. I'm sorry for if it's a mess. It's midnight also, soooo.... Goodnight!
 
toastghost said:
I'm failing fine art already somehow :sadsola:
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Don't be too hard on yourself about this, believe it or not, I got pretty bad grades in art class in highschool too. Mine was mostly because my teacher was spiteful I drew 'anime' and graded anything I drew in my style badly on purpose. Art is subjective, so if you are really doing the best you can, I'm very certain it's no fault of yours.
Orchid said:
I've been meaning to draw up an illustration to go alongside my Halloween one-shot entry (yes I'm thinking about that instead of actually writing the damn thing... shush) — but I'm really struggling with ideas for its composition.
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if you do, I definitely will!! You inspire me Oki, so it'd be fun if we kinda tag teamed by drawing for our fics!! I also haven't started mine, still grasping what I want to do...
endlessBravado said:
I'm not very motivated... going through a massive artblock because of bach-related stress and overall lack of ideas :/ It'll get better eventually though :')
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You can do it!! Art block sucks a lot... the best advice I can give is to dive into some new media or an experimental style. :( I hope the stress doesn't hold you hostage anymore soon...
YumeTsuki said:
before I knew it I had doodled a jellyfish mermaid Froslass
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Oh my god the design is beautiful! I love her genuinely!! I'd love to see you do different kinds of elemental Froslass if you're ever feeling down to do that, it would be so insane!! I never thought about doing types based on where randomizers put mons, that's so clever.
Viridian Beedrill said:
Seriously though, I'm really flattered someone wants to see them! I'm kind of nervous, but I guess I'll post them in my art thread...
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I'll have to run over and check that then!!! I'm excited to see!!
Hydrogenium said:
Like, I don't think I have the time to prepare and then tidy up all the things I'd need for painting
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I completely understand this feel. I think that with traditional art, there's a lot of unspoken hurdles like this such as setting up supplies and the like. I think most people I've met consider the entire process of setting up and working slowly, (of trad art/painting) relaxing for them, but I disagree personally. I really like to jump right into my art, I don't like to do much prep, sometimes even forcing myself to gather references can be a chore LOL.
Hydrogenium said:
The point I want to get over is that while they say "art style is not an excuse", but maybe it's not a bad thing to have an excuse for your art style? If that makes sense... ^_^;
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If it makes you feel any better, as someone who's been drawing for well, a while, no matter your art style, the more you draw and practice the faster you will get. I found a graph somewhere someone made about 'the art learning/progress curve' I wish I could dig up, but it was basically like... there will be an incline where you improve, but your speed will slow down, but as you get used to your improvement you will speed up again and so on so forth. Of course at times this can be hard for us to tell, but I trust the process. I don't think any blame is on your art! No need for an excuse at all.
Hydrogenium said:
I was charmed by its art style. I don't think I've seen something like it before! It completely twisted the way I thought about art stylisation.
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There's a special place in Arceus' domain for people like you, seriously. I love unconventional art styles and I'm feeling you on that so hardcore right now. In a similar vein, there are some artists I follow who just draw this insanely stylized type of work that's almost, I can't describe it other than it walks a line between looking unprofessional yet so beautifully professional at the same time because of that. Like the sketchy lines just breathing life into the piece. The best example I can give right now are pieces by the artist BreadDestroyer. Stuff like this is so charming and insane how artists can bend the boundaries of art and like, still have it look so put together. It's something I wish I could achieve more in my art.
Hydrogenium said:
So, that's what I officially consider my "how I got into art story", and I considered drawing comic my "art goal" even before I fished this in my memory, so considering my "art goal" and "artist origins" helped me to shape this idea of what my art style should look like (whoah, it would be a bit more difficult if I got into art thanks to anime like I've heard many people say : ) So, considering medium, time spent on a drawing, and the atmosphere of the piece the artist creates (which can vary from piece to piece, just like the style), I came to realise are all important aspects of an art style.
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Beautifully put, Hydro! You're exactly right! A lot goes into a style, stuff we don't even consider consciously at the times we're creating. I think if you can find time (safely away from your bird) you should still give watercolors a shot and see how you feel going forward. The fun thing about art styles is that they grow, evolve and change, so no matter the medium you work in I can guarantee you will find your feet. Draw what you really, REALLY want to draw, I know this sounds cheesy but I'm saying this with my whole chest. When I was younger, I was never fully happy with my art because I was hiding away the parts of myself I was ashamed of (stuff I wanted to draw, but lacked the confidence/too embarrassed), draw that stuff anyway any time you can. Art feels its best when its showcasing your most authentic you. Every part of your style and the process will shine through so long as you commit to your truth so to speak. Sorry to get all mushy and wordy here, I'm passionate about this stuff and really liked your post!! I hope it all made sense.
Hydrogenium said:
My first "authentical" post lol. I'm sorry for if it's a mess.
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No, no genuinely thank you for sharing! Truth be told I've wanted to chat with you for a while since you always leave such sweet reacts on my art thread but I was too shy and kept chickening out, LOL... T_T So I'm really happy to hear from you now and how connected you are with your art, it's so cool (and learning about that series that helped inspire you, culture exchange is so good I love information too much.) I hope to see more of your art too!! Many hugs

I'm debating opening up art trade requests for myself over in our art trade thread too, if I'm being honest... Hmmm... Maybe after I get more personal pieces/comms out of the way and anyone's interested.
 
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