Hey, look at that, I updated my blog and it didn't take me several months!
I was chatting with a few different friends on art stuff and the general conclusion I've drawn is that I've been overthinking my work lately and I just gotta dive in and enjoy it. That's the short version. Let me ramble on some more specific points here.
First off, I feel like I get slowed down a lot when I think too hard about the state of my abilities while working. I think a lot of folks do this to some dergee. Having that moment of "Wait, is this gonna be a pain in the ass to draw?" when you go to pick up the pen. I think it's natural, but I've been trying to not let those thoughts stop me. Instead of thinking "This is too hard, I might as well not even try," I'm trying to just say "Fuck it!" and dive in, and roll with the punches. I noticed that when I just let myself jump into the deep end, even if I flounder a bit here and there, I end up having a pretty good time.
Even on days where I feel like I don't have a specific goal, but I want to draw, I just try to let my consciousness stream onto the paper or tablet and see what happens. It's been getting easier lately. I've even managed to work out a comic arc in doing so! And even if there's a day where I truly can't get any art to come out, then I try not to get down on myself about it anymore. Some days just aren't art days and that's fine! I pick up some UFO 50 or hop in a voice chat with some friends instead. Maybe get a chore done. Just in general I've been trying to not let myself feel like I "didn't do anything" just because I didn't draw. That's just not true most of the time, and it's really unfair to myself!
Basically, I've been trying to be more of a "glass half-full" type of person when I address what I got done in a day. Not that I try to ignore it if I've been putting things off. Obviously I gotta get through my responsibilities, and I generally do. But that's the thing, if I'm getting those things done and I can't draw because of it, that isn't a bad thing. That just means I was productive in other parts of my life. And that's pretty great.
Another discussion I've had recently with a couple different people is about my comfort level with making NSFW art. I've had reservations on the matter for a number of reasons, but mainly I think I'd just been hung up on the idea of putting people off. Of course, I've gotten encouragement from my friends, several of whom with public NSFW accounts of their own. And they usually tell me that pretty much any sane person online isn't gonna care. And they're probably right to some degree. But I dread the hypothetical weirdos who would get on my case for drawing NSFW at all, as if that somehow makes me evil. But also...I'm a grown-ass adult! I'm not forcing anyone to look at my work that doesn't want to! It ain't worth trying to cage myself just because of a few whiny bad eggs who really have no power over me. If they have an issue with me drawing a boob or a swear then they can unfollow or block me or whatever!
Also let's be real here. If you're on this site then you're already well aware that I draw a lot of mature-leaning stuff. I've drawn like 3 comics where one of the main characters is at least half naked. I've drawn characters doing blood rituals and getting wasted and swearing like sailors. All of my accounts blatantly point out that my work can contain mature themes. I'm giving people plenty of warnings, and if I were to ramp things up, I would take utmost care to section that stuff off so anyone who doesn't wanna see it doesn't have to. If people still have a problem after all of that? Well, then that's on them, LOL.
At any rate, I know I have some stuff on here that toes the line, but I wanna keep this space a bit more tasteful. "PG-13" is probably a bit too gentle a term...I guess it's more like "Rated R-lite" if I had to label what this site is? Point is, I'm not gonna be putting any smut on here anytime soon. And for crying out loud, if you find someone posting raunchy art elsewhere on the World Wide Web that looks similar to mine... be a good sport. Don't bother them about it, and don't come to me about it either. Capiche?
Alrighty, ramble over. Catch ya later!
--mel