It was awhile since my last journal! A lot of shit happened, mostly good then bad. A lot of new people met and experiences experienced.

Getting closer to 1 year milestone of doing social pages I wanted to talk about art more: how it changed for me, how I "improved" and what I done for it. These aspect mean a lot for me because they usually bound to me trough how I feel about myself as a person and stuff I gone trough in previous months if not years. I don't like the feeling of my art feeling stale for me as I, understandably, don't wanna burn out of it, so getting to know how the learning process works can be really helpful.

Disclaimer, I don't sell the solution - I just share my experiences. What worked for me might not work for you! There is nothing wrong with not understanding my stances, because I could say the same about yours, but they meant to be shared because the collective knowledge might lead us if not for truth, but the database of ideas to choose from. Let's begin.

Everything looks the same...

Before discovering myself as furry artist the art routine was always the same: open Krita, doodle thing by using that one brush I found cool 2 years ago and close it 30 minute later... Not really fun workflow, right? Me repeating one thing all over again once in awhile and not really challenging myself. For years I was drawing like that and I clearly can see why I wasn't improving that much... Also no wonder I took multiple half year hiatuses, damn.

It's nothing wrong to do one thing, and work one way, and use that brush you like. Tbh, if you want to master something, you encouraged to do that! But give yourself room to wiggle in. Try coloring your thing for once, switch brush, learn about some program function, etc. etc.. If you incorporate it in your art routine you might find how many things you were missing on by just not trying new ways of expressing yourself. Who knows where you can finally find your true self.

Scary mistakes

Trying new stuff can be terrifying. It especially true to people who decided to show their art on social media.

What they gonna think? What if this shit?? What if I am shitty artist???

You definitely not that shitty as you think and thats why. Learning is the process that comes from practice and if we hold that practice by our fears and anxieties we never gonna learn how to do a thing! It not only applies to art, but for every stuff you learn ranging from washing dishes to leading mutual aid organizations. Yes, things range in fear factor, but you definitely not dealing with dozens of people money aids and their personal security...

Let's think for a second, about mutual aid. If this area exist then it means people working there faced their fears and now practice how to be better in field they love work at. As you, who, hopefully, really like to draw furry porn...or something else... well! <3

But for art to be "well" you should definitely need to see mistakes down the road, soooo do them! Do as many as you please. I believe with time you can turn these mistakes in something that calls to you and people who enjoy your art.

"Build it 1st, you can make it pretty later"

From experience, I never called it fear of trying new things, but rather my laziness, but the principle the same. Thankfully for certain painful life circumstances I was faced with fear and breaking this barrier really lead me towards active search for what I can do with my life situation. Even if it just tiny bit it was worth of to me. Art came as a savior for a time and getting gentle pushes from my friends really lead me to doing something, rather then nothing.

What is it even for?

Answer yourself - why you draw? Give it multiple answers, try to think of something that resonates most with you. Didn't you notice that it actually really hard question to answer and I can assure you - you are not alone.

We as humans change once in awhile. Few years ago we are rebellious teens and now we are less rebellious hetero couple with 2 children to care about (can't be us in this economy or with our sexual orientation, but lets pretend). Our views on the world forever changing. Once bright world full of colors changed into grim dark agelord doomer one with all these wars and failed governments...or transforms to something else entirely...but still with wars and failed governments! That what makes us humans after all.

Does it mean we can't answer this question based on things above at all? We can always try, but I think it is the last thing you want to worry about, because they tend to touch on subject matter of finished work rather then something rough and unfinished. So I'll give you more compacted list, that might help you:

1) Do you draw what you love to draw?;
2) Do you enjoy the process of art?;
3) Do you like to share your work with other people and connect over it?

They are fairly simple and you can adjust easily to any of them. Hate drawing damn twinks and always liked to draw buff men? Go ahead. Don't like how brush works? Do research on this subject. Want to befriend that cool artist you inspired by? Try to improve, get their mentorship and bond in the process. Answer truly and may you find truths that personally suits you.

Make them friends, damnit!

Joking about that idol of an artist you have, you expect them to be something unreachable. Something that only "art elites" can talk to. But oh wow, they usually just...people. Of bone and blood, and usually same freakiness that you have. Getting in touch with multiple of them proved me that and now I share this knowledge with you.

Don't be an asshole. People find fast that you are there not for them as human beings, but walking counter of followers that maybe gonna repost your work to boost you. Show them your art, show them how much you like them big dicks and bulges, help them when they need you and don't expect anything in return. Treat them as humans and they will treat your art accordingly.

But this is comes to artist friends, what about people who only held pen for school essays before Word became a thing? Same. They give you same benefits as your fellow cool artists if not better sometimes. The more perspectives on life you have, the more cool art you gonna do, isn't it simple!

We are social creatures. We like to share what we done. And I believe that it really crucial to our journey as an artist and I believe your friends make your art better.

Rest. Rest. Rest

At last I want to touch something that not a lot of people can measure for themselves.

Resting is really crucial for our development, because stressed body just doesn't work at full capacity. It is really tempting to draw every day for 8 hours for maximum gains, but you do it at the cost of not only your sanity, but physical health.

Personally for me, rests were saviors of my art journey and sometimes even elevated the experience. I came back to better art after few weeks of rest and it just feels awesome to draw with regained fresh look! I don't know how to explain this, but I think its all because that hard work I done which lead to better neuron connections maybe?

So just do them. Living in world of high results in short times make nasty shit with our mind. Just slow down and witness your art getting better because of better focus you got from a good fucking chill time.

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In conclusion, I glad to say that your reached the bottom of this text! I hope it gonna be helpful to some, but even if not, I glad I wrote it down as it was mostly the processing of what actually felt like something of help to my pretty messed up brain. Maybe it help yours too! Just give it a damn try <3