#one day I'll draw an actual complete picture instead of a sketch :(((

[a-weird-cryptid]

Chapter four: Passion/Motivation

I acknowledge that passion and motivation are two different things. But they really go hand in hand. Being passionate about art for me means that you're really enjoying art as a concept and you have a strong desire to create some yourself. Motivation though, is one factors that can keep you from actually doing something and it can make it really difficult to get a passion or keep it.

I'm not saying that you necessarily have to be passionate about your work as an artist. But you must admit that there's a huge difference between people who just do quick sketches and doodles without thinking much or caring much about it and those who spend hours in "flow" because of how passionate they are.

"Flow" being a state that many of us probably experienced before without even realizing it. It's the kind of feeling that makes you forget about your surroundings, completely emersed in what you're doing. It makes you feel extremely energized, motivated and focused, as well as fully involved and passionate about the task you're doing. Personally, I see it as the best feeling in the world. Especially because how productive you get once you're in that state.

I already mentioned some things before, such as not dragging yourself down and taking some breaks.

So what can you do as an artist who can't find the motivation to draw? As an artist who struggles a lot with mental health and finding motivation to do literally anything, I found a few things to cope in a healthy way with it.

Advice:

Another thing I should add here is that you should always do things at your own paste. If you need more time to learn how to draw something than others, that's alright. No artist has been born as such. They all overcame at least some of those "art obstacles" in order to get to where they are. Every artists basically starts from zero. Slowly building their way up.

It's alright to set yourself some small goals and things you want to achieve. In fact, for some this will be extremely motivating. But for others, this will only make it harder to actually do them.

When I'm in that situation, I'll try to focus on something else first, before getting back to the drawing I'm working on. If I realized that drawing something makes me only frustrated, I'll try out something else instead.

You can also try to give yourself some small rewards for everything you've achieved that day. Including, but not limited to drawing something. Did you doodle something small today? That great! Have a treat! Especially if it's something you really like such as chocolate. Because over time, you'll associate drawing with something joyful such as the thing you reward yourself with.

Get as comfortable as possible. Change your clothes, if must. Play music in the background, if you like. Draw on a place you always feel safe and comfortable in, such as your bed or a cozy couch. Set the light bright enough so you can see what you're doing without difficulties, but dimmed enough so it doesn't blind you. Make yourself some tea or coffee and place some snacks near you. Light some candles and turn on some fairy lights to get in the mood. Those are just some of the things that I really like to do to make it easier to motivate myself.

Looking up some motivational or inspirational videos and pictures can also help a lot to find the motivation and eventually passion you want to have.

Or, similar to that, you can also try to comfort you with something you enjoy. Like listening to music, watching your fav show, meeting your friends, talking to your family, etc.

And most importantly:

If nothing else helps always ask for help. It's ok to have a bad day in which you don't feel motivated to do any of your hobbies, including drawing. Even if they usually make you feel joy. But if you realize that, even if you do them, you can't enjoy them for whatever reason and it becomes harder and harder to motivate yourself to do anything, for an extremely long time, I'd recommend talking to relatives, friends or even a doctor. A mental health professional, to be more precise. It might be that you struggle so much to motivate yourself because of some underlying issue. Such as stress, grief, anxiety, depression or similar. In those cases, asking for the help that you deserve is the best next step you can and should do, as soon as possible.

Your mental health matters. And so do you. Always remember that you're not alone and they're countless of other people struggling to motivate themselves to do something as well.

And you should never feel ashamed of not wanting to go through such struggles by yourself, wanting to have somebody by your side and/or getting support.

You deserve to get help. You deserve to reach out for it. You deserve to ask for it.

You deserve happiness. You deserve to be safe and alright. You deserve to be emotional and rant about the things that are bothering you. You deserve so much more than being afraid, ashamed and feeling depressed. You deserve to be loved and comforted.

And you deserve to get motivated and passionate again.

If anyone wants to talk about something that is bothering them, I'm always open to listen and give some advice, if you want. I enjoy helping people and if it makes you feel better, I will feel so too. Because I care about you. And I know that you're a great person who deserves to life and take up space.

And maybe, just maybe, you'll be just as motivated and passionate about drawing as you were before in the end.

Feel free to add anything based of your own experience and struggles. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Summary:

Don't drag yourself down

Take breaks

Always do things at your own paste

Set yourself some small goals

Focus on something else first, before getting back to the drawing

Try to give yourself some small rewards

Get as comfortable as possible

Look up some motivational or inspirational videos and pictures

try to comfort you with something you enjoy

If nothing else helps: always ask for help, because you deserve better

Introduction

Chapter 1: Practice

Chapter 2: Time

Chapter 3: Inspiration

For more original series, as well as reviews, discussions and similar, check out my master list of series.

#art obstacles and how to overcome them #art tips #mental health #mentalheathawareness #motivateyourself #motivation #passion

[bakugoukatsuki-rising]

I'm. The new covers, op. The new covers. Gosh. Both of them hold so much symbolism. And technically they both are canon, they are both original ideas that could perfectly be valid. Horikoshi simply found something better. But anyways, I'm going to go ahead and ramble about it because Im- Op, prepare for a long ask! Hope you like it!

So!

On the one where Katsuki's the one in the picture, he's not on his knees like he is in the other two covers. Instead, he has his face down, body forward, one hand on one leg, the other one holding out for something...He's bowing. Bowing in Japanese culture is a pretty big deal. Hes not just tilting his head a bit, his head and body are on full on commitment.

Such a tilted bow means a LOT, specially from THIS guy, Mr dont let anyone walk in front of me. Even more when hes not just bowing, but accepting such an open display of given help, Mr shonen anime lone wolf. Accepting something he always has trouble admitting to. Accepting the past, accepting the wrongs. Accepting Izukus help means so much, and that's what these three covers have in common.

His hand is sctretching out. He's ready to say yes to that hand out in the air.

(Ps. I wonder if he's watching his own reflection on the water in this panel, as well?)

Hes in middle of the picture with those childhood friend at the back, which means audience. It means letting people see what hes done, what he's sorry for. He is being open and exposed and vulnerable. That's no fighting stance.

Remember guys, in case you haven't noticed before, Horikoshi puts lots of metaphorical value in his manga and on his covers. Sometimes you've got to dig in deep and think to get the bigger picture. And in this case, the bigger picture screams regret and wanting to make things right from the start.

This cover occurs in the past, at the moment where everything started, and Katsuki fully remembers this. Katwuki has thought of this, is thinking about this. He's had eye bags for gods sake, he's clearly troubled by all of what it means.

These three covers are the visual explanation of what's going on inside Katsuki's head, because this is clearly focused on him and his perspective.

(Ps. Rivers symbolise the massage of time. If that doesnt add to everything else, I dont know what to tell you.)

So! Next!

Wow, if this isnt one of my favourite things ever. Okay. Christ.

I have two options here. Scratch that, three options. Scream into the void, scream into this post, or actually make a good presentation of my inner turmoil. I'll have to go by the third option. (Haha. Just like horikoshi did. Dont # me, I'm funny in my head.)

This cover melted my insides, froze them all over, and hit me with them like a hammer.

I know they're kids, but let me get this straight-so kids seriously look at their friends with these looks in their eyes and think "ah, yes. This is my very good friend. This gentle smile and kind look I'm giving him as if he was my whole world? Well, hes just a very good friend."

I looked at my childhood crush this way, I dont know what to tell you.

Anyway, let's actually jump to the information at hand.

This panel seems like it's making a reference to what Katsuki wishes could have been. And if that's not absolutely soul-crushing...this cover is Katsuki's feelings, guys. These are probably his very thoughts. This scene has gone through Katsuki's head at some point.

We've got Izuku in his stuck up pose all over again, in just an awkward angle. It's like katsuki isnt looking AT this katsuki right now, but at the spot where the actual past Katsuki, at some point, was. As if this Isuku is frozen in time. Dont believe too much in this paragraph, I still have my doubts about that, but I feel it's a possibility. Izukus eyes seem to be focused on the water, while Katsuki is just the tiniest bit back, reaching for Izukus hand. And gosh.

I dont think I've ever seen older NOR child Katsuki have this look plasted into his face before. He's...sheepish. Kindly, awkwardly sheepish. No hate, no anger, no shame, no nothing. His face is clear and sweet and has this "Whoops. You got me. But thanks." kind of expression on.

The hand behind his head, just the tiniest but embarassed? That little smile? It's all so soft.

Rambling about softness though- I really liked the hand scene in this particular panel. If you close up your view, you realise that theres no effort to pull anyone out of nowhere. In this panel, they are simply holding hands in frozen time for no purpose at all.

Katsuki has his hand around Izuku...simply holding there.

Again, because the angle is awkward, it's kind of messy, but you get the point.

It's all simply beautiful. Horikoshi clean likes give me life.

And lastly. The actual cover.

I screeched so hard when I saw this. My first instinct when seeing this for the first time was to straight up go trigger happy fingers and write about it to my friends. Christ.

Everything is so...SOft. horikoshi made a good decision by mixing both previous drawings in one. We have parts of the two covers in one, which is amazing. In this one, Katsuki isnt alone, as Izuku's there too. But we dont have the audience either. Probably because the main focus on this panel is no one else except them two.

Again, Katsuki looks like he's bowing, but instead of looking all the way down, he's in the middle. Not looking at Izuku nor looking at the ground, like it shows in the previous covers. Instead, Horikoshi found a middle ground. He's looking at his hand. At the gesture.

Hes not holding hands quite yet, but his hand is there. At arms reach. Not close enough but there. Wanting.

Theres so much regret and again, softness.

Again, like you Op said a bit bad, the angle is off here. This is present Katsuki remembering his past. The angle is off because this Izuku isnt holding out for our Katsuki. This is a memory. A wish. Katsuki's wish.

(Ps. Izukus trousers drenched in the rivers water. This detail was so nice. It's a subtle action that describes Izukus characterization so much. Izuku went in the river with Katsuki in mind, not caring if he got his clothes soaked in the process too. For Izuku, only Katsuki was there. And for Katsuki, only Izuku is.

As a plus, I can't believe the cover of this is literally called Bakugou Katsuki rising. They named the entire thing after that one chapter. Actually, I very much, totally believe it. It's the moment so many people have been waiting for, after all. The moment so many scenes have been amounting for, little by little.

*dreamy sigh*

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this little thing, I had to get it out of my system and dont want to bother my dear friends anymore than needed.

Have a good day, OP! I'll stay updated!

You kinda just...took my heart and curb stomped it, not gonna lie. Your observations are so beautiful and so accurate. The sketch with little Bakugou taking Izuku’s hand is so...raw, and yeah, that expression is definitely one of love. Those eyes, the way he is HOLDING Izuku’s hand, not TAKING it. He isn’t taking it to stand up, he is literally just...holding it. 

That isn’t the way you take someone’s hand when you’re trying to pull yourself up. It’s an awkward angle and just...wouldn’t work right. No, he is literally just holding his hand, and that’s exactly what Bakugou wishes he did all that time ago. He wishes that he not only took Deku’s hand, but held onto it. Held it as if it were something precious, something to be cared for and protected. 

These are Bakugou’s true feelings expressed in these drawings, and I think Horikoshi released them on purpose, to show us more of what he wanted Bakugou to be feelings through all of this. Since after all, we know that Bakugou expresses himself in action, not so much words. And because Horikoshi is an absolute genius, he thought to give us these other glimpses in how he feels through these actions. 

And the other sketch with him bowing his body to Izuku, and the way the log looks like it’s on his back with his ‘friends’ on top of it. 

The pressure of needing to be the coolest, the strongest, the best. Those kids put that kind of pressure on him, even if they never realized it. They encouraged his behavior and fed his ego, and it never allowed him to see how he was wrong. But now he is realizing it, and he is bowing himself in light of that acknowledgement. He is lowering his head and putting his pride away, so he can get back what he lost all those years ago; the opportunity to take Izuku’s hand.

To take the hand of the only one of those kids that ever loved him unconditionally. Who never pressured him or expected him to be invincible. Who saw all of his flaws and was completely prepared to support him despite all of it. The only one. 

I’m just a mess over all of this, and I am so incredibly thankful to Horikoshi for creating this beautiful relationship. AND IN A SHOUNEN MANGA, NONETHELESS!!  

Thank you friend, for your beautiful thoughts. I think they’re spot on, and I am so emotional all over again because of this. 

#bnha spoilers #bnha #mha #bkbk #bakudeku #midoriya izuku #bakugou katsuki #kacchan #deku #bnha meta #bnha analysis #blackiee-is-heree #asks #basketball idiot #basketball idiot replies

[sugarysketches]

.:2021 Art Summary:.

Ngl, I completely forgot I drew some of these this year FTGYHUJN 2021 Felt like three years in one, but it also feels weird that it's already over, ah well. I forgot to put my name on this but that doesn't rlly matter.

January I was actually planning on making this into a speedpaint, but I kept putting it off... and then I had to factory reset my PC, and lost the recording, oops. I don't rlly have anything to say about the picture itself, it's still good, all of the outfits are based on various things I drew Seb in before, I drew the entire thing while listening to Neil Cicierega.

February I apparently didn't post this one here? Weird, could've sworn I did. Anyways, I like this one too, though I don't rlly like the texture in the shading much anymore. The background is actually based on the way NomNomNami does hers, I might try doing it again some day tfygh.

March Another thing I didn't post here oops. This one's ok, still don't like that shading much, but otherwise it's cute. I don't remember anything particularly interesting about this one, other than the entire reason I drew it was bc I don't draw these two characters very often. OH, I did get a new tablet a short while after making this! and XP Pen... one of those fancy screen tablets.... I have never mentioned this to anyone.

April This started off as just a random doodle I decided to clean up and finish. I really like this one, it's so soft and round.... Also weirdly enough, after drawing this I realized I really like watermelon flavored stuff.

May This wasn't originally my pick for the May slot, but then one I did want to put here didn't fit, so I went with pink Fafnir instead. That's fine though, pink Fafnir is still good, I like the clouds in this one... Shoutout to ~Positive⭐Dance Time~

June Most of this month was taken by me drawing refs for characters, and drawing other people's characters for trades on TH. I had a few not ref pieces, but I like this one the best :3c I didn't like the shading when I first made it, but looking at it now I think it's really nice tbh.

July This month was also taken up mostly by character refs and other for other people, but this piece was honestly the highlight of the month for me.... I like it a lot, I think it's one of the best things I've drawn honestly. It makes me really happy <:3

August Speaking of things that make me happy, cats. I rlly like cat people man, they make me so happy trgfed That's the entire reason I drew this, entirely self indulgent, and I still love it TFGYBHUJ I'll have more cat people art in the future...

September This picture was actually originally based on a screenshot from I believe AC Pocket Camp, though I can't find the original image anymore. Anyways, this one's also still very good, I like drawing the food; and Yamilla's expression is a mood.

October Tbh I was torn on two different pics for this spot, with very different tones, but I decided to go with this one bc.... Idk, I just wanted to, anyways Stella is good and I rlly wanna try a ChupaChups Sparkling Water one day Shoutout to Shadow Shadow

November Tbh there's actually a pic in November that I liked more than this, but it's uh.... not Tumblr friendly, so I'm not putting it here RFTGVH This one's still good though! I actually originally sketched it in pencil before finishing it on comp.

December This picture's not super interesting, but it's special bc it's the first pic I did in a while for a speedpaint! Bc I rlly wanted to make speedpaints again after having not done that in like... almost a year? I think? So yeah, Helena says hi.

#Artists on Tumblr #Art summary #2021 Art Summary #putting links bc I'm posting this mroe for myself than for anyone else lol