#sometimes it’s hard to not feel discouraged

[paruecake]

Another installment of my Studio Ghibli redraw practice.

#art #fanart #studio ghibli #spirited away #redraw #my art #.png #chihiro #man it took me so long just to do the lines T_T #just cause i kept fucking up her head shape #sometimes it’s hard to not feel discouraged #esp when it feels like i should just be faster/better #i know that stuff comes with time and practice #but rn it’s frustrating sometimes #i just want to be better

[clownsuu]

Ay. An offer; one doodle of lovelie for the price of answering my question 🦅

Eh? Eh?— Anyways my question is; what’s an art tip you can give that really helped you? Anything special when drawing or do you just have a hand of god?

(Btw your one of my favorite artists and I love seeing your work homie, number 1 inspo fr. Keep on cookin 🦅💞)

WAHHH THEY LOOK SO SCRUNGLYYYY (despite his many, m a n y crimes)

#Also art tips? #One of them is don't follow some of my footsteps they are unhealthy LMAOOOO #Like me pushing through despite my artblock? Very unhealthy it can lead to a unhealthy relationship with art #Ya deserve breaks when your mind and body tells you you need it! Art should be a comforting experience! #No matter how long it takes smhh #I remember my partner had a really bad art block for like a year but they are still going strong with their art! Never feel discouraged! #Also another one is sometimes a messier lighter sketch is better for more dynamic pieces #If ya work too hard on your base it can lead to your piece feeling flat and too stiff #Go crazy go stupid! You might be surprised with what you can accomplish! #Don't be afraid to go outta your comfort zone with art stuff! You might find details you quite enjoy! HUZZAH! #Also also I fuggin love the liddol beetle doodles on the side of her LMAO SO TEENSY TINY #I'M SO HAPPY YA GAMERS ENJOY MY DUM LIDDOL ARTS IM JUST A LIL GUY BDJDJDJDJD;;;;

[gateskp]

I'm thinking of yeeting some of my writing onto Tumblr...I really want to share my stories with people, and I don't know how to do that.

My dream has always been to be published and see my stories in book format on shelves in stores, but that dream has been dying a slow painful death. The traditional publishing industry is just...such a mess. It's caused me so much pain over the years that it makes me want to quit. Somehow I haven't yet, but the thought of seeing my books on shelves is a distant dream that I've come to realise just might never happen.

I wish I had friends to share my stories with. But every time I send a manuscript to someone who says they're interested in beta reading, they ghost me. And that hurts just as much, if not more, because I beta read everything they send me. It's happened multiple times, for multiple stories. I've just stopped sharing because of that. I don't even know if they realise how discouraging their ghosting is. I know life happens, but at least say that and back out of the commitment.

Idk, maybe these are just ramblings, I'm trying to figure stuff out. But if I posted stories, would anyone read them? I just...really want to share my words.

#writing #storytelling #idk what to tag this as #ramblings #sometimes i feel really alone #but tumblr has been making me feel less alone #idk how to explain it #short story #novel writing #i'm a writer who's trying to rediscover their joy #and i'm getting there but it's still hard #when you're surrounded by people who aren't supportive and encouraging #even if they're not actively discouraging it sucks

[yutaleks]

Hi aleks, sometimes I feel like, no one wants to connect on this social media site? Idk. The like to rb ratio is depressing. I mean, I’m grateful that people are liking my posts. But like. I wanna hear what they think too, ya know?

not sure if you are a writer im guessing from the wording of this ask that you are. but I think it's a bit hard these days to get the level of interaction that you may be asking for

depending on what fandom youre in or what character youre posting about or what trope youre writing etc etc the size of the audience will change. like I already know in my mind if im writing something that is more geared towards stereotypical heteronormative relationships that will get much more interaction than something that is subversive. or if im writing a fic for a popular character that will get much more interactions than a not so popular one.

But at the same time, coming from someone who used to write for a very popular character, I have to say that the grass is not always greener? As in, I think there is a difference between quantity and quality of interactions. If im writing something that I know a core base of people who follow me will like, I know I will most likely get at least some sort of interaction from people who typically enjoy that content. I find that interaction to be more meaningful, especially if it's something I enjoy talking about. vs, if I write something with a bigger 'audience', perhaps there will be more reblogs but the back and forth interaction does not happen. that person will read the fic, reblog or leave a comment, and then be on their way. It does not create this relationship where you end up having a back and forth conversation or becoming mutuals or anything like that (at least, in my experience).

Like if I post a fic that EYE enjoy, and I get ten comments from lovely people, that means more to me than a hundred interactions on a fic I didn't put my whole dick into. ya know?

idk where im going with this. I guess I wanna say if you are passionate about something, and you receive even a few bits of feedback, that will feel so much more rewarding than trying to 'chase' the feedback by writing things you think others will enjoy. and I think too that people will be able to tell when you are writing something that you feel passionate about.

im of the opinion that you can't force people to reblog and interact with your work. ive seen every excuse under the sun for why people wont reblog. but I think if someone feels as passionate about something as you do, they will overcome whatever shyness they feel to come tell you that they appreciate what you are doing

#idk if what I said makes any sense but #I think coming into Tumblr as a writer its okay to want a better rb to like ratio but don't feel discouraged #there is a lot stacked against you right now #no one that I know uses the tags anymore cause they are full of spam #so sometimes the fics that appear on the dashboard are just mutuals reblogging each other. and as a newbie those circles are hard to get in #so someone with no writer mutuals and no following... their posts wont be seen by anyone with significant pull/reach #I would say that I think 'bigger' writers on here should at least try every once and a while to peek into the tags and boost writers #that are new / starting out and making genuine efforts to write #I wont explain but I think when you've been on here long enough you can tell who is posting in the tags for 'Tumblr clout' and who I postin #fic bc they genuinely are passionate about it #but I know most writers on here only read whatever they see on their dash #if people actually stopped spamming the tags with nonsense and the tags were more useable I think we would all use them more... ironic #anyway. I personally always try to reblog fics with comments and check the tags every once and a while for fics to read #I think that is best practice for writers but I know not everyone does that... #in the same vein #i think if you put effort into being a good reader consistently. writers with larger followings will notice / want to be mutuals and help #boost your writing to the dashboard #writing fic is a community that takes genuine effort to grow #TLDR: be a good reader and reblog fics and interact with writers. write things that come from your heart. interactions will follow with tim #*time #long post #ϟ asking aleksandria

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

#im just gonna complain abt it here bc i just have to accept that i can't irl bc no one else gets it #its hard to b a dyslexic grad student. u have to read so much. and its good. lots of reading is good. u just have to contend with a soul #crushing amout of discouragement at the fact u just kinda cant read while ur peers r like sure i can read this in class and have things to #say abt it. if u make me read in my head in class i literally cannot fucking tell u what i just read. not a god damn thing and if i try to #let my computer read to me i cant fucking pay attention for long enough so i just have to accept that from here on out ill have to #physically read papers aloud which i hate so much. its the only way i can fucking understand things and it still makes me feel dumb bc ill #somehow still space out while reading and have to reread like 4 times before i understand wtf is being said. it takes forever and it takes #energy and i dont like talking very much and it also restricts me to only being able to read at home which is frustrating #and im like i need to stop my brain from distracting myself with things that dont matter and my counselor is like: ur ocd is trying to make #work ur whole life and im like yeah thats how i got it. its the only way i can keep swimming with the non dyslexics #so its like wtf do i do? i kinda have to take the hit and make work my whole life rn. morn the loss of other things for a while #i dunno im still a bummer rn. like im probably coming off as more an asocial freak than normal bc its hard to talk ans maintain conversation #rn. but whatever. sometimes things just suck and theres nothing u can do abt it but accept it and move on. ill learn lots of things with all #the reading i have to do and that's never a bad thing ...no matter how much i dont give a fuck abt animals #like jesus. i could not even begin to give a fuck about like 95% of mammals. fish r cool tho. plants too #but microbes is where its at. i dont understand y ppl dont understand how cool they r. oh well ill just have to tell them #if i can find my fucking enthusiasm. ugh i have to make one of my classes read a paper and i have to work with someone abt find it. she #works with like rabbits. i refuse to assign a mammal paper. i fucking refuse. we will do plants or microbes or fucking paleontology #i will fight her on this. ugh. light filtering or orchid speciation would b perfect. annoying #at least i get to work with some culturs this week #unrelated

[fruitsyrups]

ive crossed over into an alternate dimension where side profiles are somehow sometimes easier to draw than other angles. bodies in side profile however... nooo thank you...

#ok the back of the head is hard but the facial features proportions kind of feel easier to figure out . maybe. #weird #n e way im happy with the way i draw faces mostly maybe 50 percent of the time but im so not caught up on drawing bodies #like to the point it just looks bizarre #decent proportional face with like at least some understanding of structure/form even if it's not much #and then the stiffest clunkiest body you ever did see #or i can go the other way around and have an ok body. like decently fluid / proportional. but no face #theres some kind of disconnect. cant have both at once #thats only a sometimes thing though anyways. faces are generally easier #tried to do a teeny bit of gesture drawing yesterday but i was feeling sooo lazy and impatient so only 3 of them turned out ok ish #im pretty sure i post more often talking about art than i actually post art #i dont post most of the things i draw #i like to have my little secrets... #secrets in question are just literally anything that isnt adventure time art #actually looking through my art folder is crazy cause like if i saw this 3 years ago (i was really bad at drawing 3 years ago) i would. idk #drop dead or something #but now its like yeah same old same old. lots of problems. need to work on those. #but its nice to step back and be like woagh holy shit. massive improvement #earlier i was trying to dfraw a character and it wasn't coming out right but instead of getting frustrated and discouraged #it was more like i had this feeling of . idk. excitement to get better at drawing? #i dont know if this is just a temporary mood or maybe im turning over a new leaf. new optimistic mindset about art #<- watch that 'new mindset' totally disappear when i have a slightly more prolonged period of art struggle. lol

[stabbylambchop]

Hey uh

anyone here on Art Fight this year or-

Cuz I'm on there, same name and everything. I'm on Team Vampires.

You can like, add me or whatever...I mean, if you want...

I haven't interacted with anyone on here or even really drawn in a couple months, sweet pulsating spider-christ ...

#I KNOW I KNOW I CAN JUST. DO THE THING. BUT I ALSO CAN'T. YKNOW???? #I DON'T KNOW WHERE MY MIND HAS BEEN I DON'T #I'M STILL STRUGGLING WITH HEALTH Y'ALL #and sometimes instead of bouncing back and forth from feeling stable enough to do things and absolute dog shit i just- #-'welp i guess I'll just not do anything! that'll solve all of my problems! I'll get better if i don't do things and just rest and space out #-'WOW I CAN JUST BE ISOLATED AND PATHETIC IN MY ROOM ALL DAY COOL' #like...I EVEN GOT MY PAIN MEDS BACK! AND I QUALIFIED FOR A HIGHER DOSE WHICH IS A MIRACLE BC THIS IS FLORIDA!! #but like. idk. #and it's not like i don't care at all!!! I've missed you guys like fuck!!!! i just feel like I'm so far behind and everyone is on another- #-plane of existence at this point! and the longer it goes the more guilty i feel coming back bc i feel ashamed and lazy... #but i know you guys don't give a shit about at all. and I'm sorry for assuming and being so hard on myself #but also my fandoms are all over the place rn so uh. I'm so sorry LOL #but seriously anyone on art fight?? i really need to get back drawing but it's daunting... #especially since my guess 2 or 3 years were kickass by the last 2 literally no one but my wife interacted with me #one friendly fire from my partner. in two fights. after putting HOURS OF EFFORT THRU CHRONIC PAIN AND ILLNESS into all of those pieces... #i know I didn't draw a fuckton but i just got so discouraged and sad after awhile. and some never even got any attackee comments. #it all felt so damn pointless #but I'm nothing if not a survivor #as Zapp Brannigan once said; 'the spirit is willing but the flesh is spongy and bruised' #I'm a hot fuckin mess but even if i barely get any interaction at all again i can at least say i didn't give up- #and put in effort and love like always. no half-assing with art fight unless it's just me and my wife or a friend doin stupid friendly fires #BUT ANYWAY I STILL WANNA FUCK SLASHERS. IF ANYTHING THERE'S STILL THAT. IT'S STILL ME.

[samuraisharkie]

due to Life Shit I kind of stopped drawing much about a year or two after I graduated high school bc I just kind of didn’t have the time or mental/emotional/physical capacity to fit it in, despite art being something I really want to be a part of my career. It kind of makes me sick to realize how much muscle memory I lost just from that time (I had only about a year and a half total of absolutely no art but that was enough. doesn’t help that during that time I seriously injured my hands) considering I’ve been drawing my entire life. I really wish things had not gone that way and that I could have kept going, but expectations were on me to do something else and any time I sat down to draw was treated as wasting time. There’s also something weird about recovering from severe trauma that kind of adjusts how you engage with a hobby you used as a coping mechanism, which Art very much was. I almost never drew vent art, but I used it to focus on something and make myself happy and proud of work I actually could do, and once I was out of the environments that funneled me into drawing (being forced to go to church, school, anything involving sitting down for a long period of time) I found less time to actually have an excuse. Someone bought me a single college course of art classes right out of high school, and I think that was where I COULD have had the opportunity to really get started if I had actually had the money to continue and the college hadn’t been so far away. After that course ended I didn’t have that excuse anymore. I used to draw in DeviantArt and Discord art groups, but those began to fall apart and soon I didn’t have that option either. After that I doodled but didn’t really create Full Pieces unless some friend asked it of me, and it was never a commission bc I’d never trained myself to get that sort of shit done without taking too long, so I’d always do it for free. So even that wasn’t a big motivator eventually. Now that I’m struggling for work after becoming more physically disabled after COVID, all that time I could have spent honing my art skills so I could do SOMETHING with my art really is weighting down on me. I have the option to do freelance work, illustrations, pet commissions, even things like cards and cookies. I’ve seen these avenues open up for me gradually, but I’ve lost the skills I built up that I need to actually make something I’m proud of. I’ve taken to tracing old art to try and remember my thought process and my “style”… but my memory was bad BEFORE the covid, and it’s worse now, and my brain fog makes it hard to focus even if I could get back on the train of thought. I don’t remember the construction that would be in my mind’s eye. I barely can keep a clear vision in my mind’s eye anymore, worryingly. I never had a crystal clear imagination, it was always sort of abstract, but I could see the lines, I could construct a scene. Now I have to focus hard to get any sort of detail clear in my head. It’s like if you tried to look directly into someone’s face in a dream, or put in a prompt in neural blender. So I have to adjust to performing the entire thought process physically, slowly and tediously trying to figure out what I’m imagining before I can really get started. Those old art tutorials for constructing shapes and bodies and such just aren’t coming naturally anymore so I have to dredge deep into my mind to remember which advice helped “click” the best and knowing it might not do it this second time around. It’s like if you forgot how to ride a bike. It was something natural to you, you could even get started haphazardly and distracted and still be able to tell where you were going and not fall over or trip on yourself, but now it’s like you have to focus on each step and it constantly feels like it’s taking everything you have to not crash. I’m glad I can start drawing again, but it hurts that something so huge in my life has been turned into this. I’ve ranted about it before it’s just easier to notice when you’re not sketching out people’s pets or doing super stylized doodles.

#I didn’t know you could max out a ‘text block’ on tumblr also. my indication to stop LOL #long post #vent #kind of. I’m not like super angsty abt it I’m just sad that I have to spend more time remembering #instead of actually accomplishing anything with my dreams. I’m 26 and there’s 18 year olds living my fucking dream yknow #I know you don’t have a certain age requirement for art but I also know you never stop improving #and being set back before I was even proud enough to set prices for my work is kind of devastating #I just love art. I want to be an animator or something involve with creative concepts. #I want to make things I’m proud of. but what used to come easily now feels like chewing nails #the metal ones not the cartilidge. anyway #I know I’m kind of hard on myself but it’s hard not to be when you’re surrounded by people with such talent #and it feels like you’re running behind when you see people getting to their dreams so much sooner than you. #I know it’ll happen but it hurts sometimes remembering what I used to imagine id be doing at this age #and realizing past me probably had more of a chance at these careers than I do right now bc of brain damage and physical and mental issues #it’s not confirmed if I have brain damage but like. I can tell something is different. #it’s not like they’d be able to diagnose it by now or even that it’d change anything #I just have to keep going and keep trying. it’s just discouraging and frustrating #I wish I could summon all the memories from my brain back up so I could feel happier about my art #I’m happy to have the chance to start drawing again don’t get me wrong. I still like to draw. it’s just. #I can tell the difference between how it was and how it is now and it makes me mourn #ough I wish I still had a therapist lmao. Deb get the fuck back here you traitor.

[camptw1nk]

I wish tumblr was. Easier

#it just feels very. hard to kinda get things going sometimes #mostly its pretty easy on kurt but i can not emphasize enough that my other blogs are not inactive bc i dont want to do things #i log on to every blog i have every day and i try to reach out to people but. really only a small handful interact #and that handful follows me everywhere and is always trying and thats very nice!! i appreciate it a LOT!!! #but when a blog is at over 100 followers and u struggle to get more than 5 people to talk to you its. discouraging #esp bc so many people will also just. not read a single thing ab ur muse #there are people who have approached me who didn't know jason had powers. when that is. plastered everywhere #and that also happened when he had the url expheiriment and his graphics were entirely fire themed #like idk i have so many muses that i love and i try so hard with but no ones as excited as i am #and thats fine i dont expect them to get excited ab every muse its just. idk it feels like so much work to go on my other blogs #bc i show up and try to get interactions and a couple people send memes in but those memes wont always lead to more #i keep going to multimuse blogs so that i dont. have so many blogs that are ignored and i can tell myself im active and people care but #its usually only the same handful of muses that people care about #so ill make a solo blog for a passion muse but they're not one of the ones people were there for so it goes nowhere #idk im just. im very tired of tumblr but i dont want to leave you know #i just. idk i want to feel more like this is a fun little hobby and i can enjoy it but i dont. know how to do that #negative cw

[watery-melon-baller]

Sometimes you just feel pointless amirite gays

#I want to create things #But that in itself is so discouraging #because you're just so bad at everything you do and it feels insurmountable when looking at how much better other people are than you #And I know sure the two cakes post #But really NO ONE is ever going to like the stuff I make #Or what I put out into the world #or just me as a person #in general #sure I make stuff for the internet for personal fullfillment #but I also do it because I want to be acknowledged and praised and liked #but I'm not good enough to make things worthy of being liked #I don't have motivation nor skills #and I should stop comparing myself to others but damn is that hard sometimes #And that's today's edition of thoughts that should go in my personal journal #and/or to my therapist #(lol I don't have a therapist) #going to the internet instead

[batqueers]

bo was being suicidal and an asshole again so it and holly got into it now they’re having a screaming match and i’m just so so tired

#-swag #i think i should work with some of the other guys to make a therapist appointment and take our meds but sometimes bo just. goes and un-does #it all and it’s just hard to watch and live with and discouraging #it’s just so hard living here sometimes #and kind of lonely #but i don’t want to spiral about that. not tonight #i feel too young for that right now

[causticsunshine]

.

#found out i’ve more or less cut off my one old friend after i hadn’t seen them online for ages #and another friend is completely leaving behind the phase of their life we met during which i get i understand #but it still makes me sad all around #i feel like i’m really bad at online friendships like i want to engage w people more and build relationships but am always afraid by trying #i’m being too annoying or too try hard #so i try and then if i don’t get anything right away or super consistently i assume that person dislikes me and i get discouraged #or i think i’m pretty good friends w someone online and in turns out they don’t feel the same way about me #and then there’s the case sometimes where i take time back from social media or am just overwhelmed and by not constantly talking to #someone they assume i don’t like them and i have to prove that’s not the case like every time i go a little quiet #it’s silly to be so upset about this regardless of the special circumstances but it’s happened so often over the years #that i’m more or less convinced most of the time that i’m just not someone people want to be friends with. idk. #alex talks

[time-teller]

Vent in tags! Im sorry mutuals!!

#vent #it's probably a combination of 5am thought + no sleep + winter but #going through the same crisis of 'im too white and not hispanic enough' #sometimes i feel like i've been whitewashed for growing up here and consuming media that more often than not places emphasis on white chara #cters and that i've internalized part of that and havent realized #doesnt help how my mom is with certain people :grimacing: #unrelated but sometimes i also feel weird about how im so used to liking what my friends like and becoming more invested in that media #an example being souls games. but when i try to show them stuff that i like they dont vibe with it as much #and then i feel like a clown. and ik everyone's entitled to their opinion blah blah etc. but it feels a bit discouraging if i'm always part #icipating in people i care about's interests but them not doing the same w me. #rambling now but i dont want to listen to people arm chair diagnosing strangers on the internet however #sometimes i worry about being narcissistic or just being too full of myself and 'me me me' #imposter syndrom or whatever but i feel like im putting up a front and people dont really get that i can be really selfish #but i dont want to sound like a bad person bc im trying to work on it but self improvement is hard #i hate winter. summer has enough daylight for me to not fall into these thought loops

[knight-intraining]

It's really annoying to me when people act like you shouldn't ask for attention or validation as a need.

Or when you give them an opportunity to reciprocate something nice you did for them, and they just don't.

Like, it was nice for you when you got the attention and validation, right? Well I want it too because it's a normal human need and I'm human. So like, maybe you could help me get it, yeah? Like I did for you.

#I know kindness isn't transactional #but it's like if you want X you should X #and I do but it never gets returned! #and sometimes it makes a gal want to stop doing stuff for other ppl #I mean not really but it is discouraging #like Come On it is not that hard #and ppl will be like wow that's so nice you're so nice #and it's like you do know that you can be that person too you know #when am I going to have ppl do stuff for me? #goddamn I am so sick of having to organize shit for myself #I've been doing it forever #and just ONCE I want someone to do something for me without me having to buy the thing or give them the thing #and honestly sometimes it's annoying to have to say I want the thing too #do you want the thing? well guess what I do too - did that ever cross your mind? #I asked my colleague to tell the kids about my birthday and that they might need a reminder #now mind you I bought a card and gift card for this colleague - got the kids tk sign a card for him and sing to him #and he just acted weird about it #it's like everyone wants to feel special on their birthday! I'm not weird for wanting that okay? #I love my kids but sometimes I feel like they don't appreciate me #the job is a lot of goddamn work ok? #and the amount of time and money I spend #just to buy my own director's gift #and not get anything from anyone on my birthday #not even the colleague I gave the gift card to #or the one I took to lunch last year or the one I gave a free coffee to #I hate feeling like kindness is transactional but it's starting to feel like what do I have to do to get someone to do something nice for m #holy fuck! #I even said - just a signed card is fine - it's not like I was asking for the kids to spend all this time and money on me #a $ card they took 2 seconds to sign #and apparently that's asking too much

[aurischolar]

a couple days ago i was struggling thru p7n and died twice to mechs i didn’t notice in time and i was like haha oopsies! my bad! but then when we all had to spread out i. i accidentally walked off the map. and i was so embarrassed that the following night i had anxiety dreams about messing up raids for everyone 😭

#being a casual is hard and sometimes u feel discouraged #but it’s always ok to log tf on and suck at video games. i just have to remember that #veer pro tips

[autball]

We. Can. Hear. You.

It’s AAC Awareness Month! AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) is more than just high tech devices like the one depicted here. It includes picture books/cards, sign language, writing it down, Spelling to Communicate - basically anything that conveys a message that is not speech. 

And anyone can use it! If you are non-speaking, unreliably speaking, not-yet speaking, or just find words hard sometimes, then AAC is for you. There is no “non-speaking enough” threshold you have to meet - if it makes your life easier, go ahead and use it.

AAC is empowering. People routinely talk about autistic kids and adults like they’re not even in the room, even when they CAN speak. (Which, if you’re someone who does this, STOP IT RIGHT NOW.) This parent could have assured this asshole professional person that her son could understand til they were blue in the face, and they wouldn’t have been believed if he hadn’t been able to communicate it for himself. 

Communication is a right. Don’t let anyone try to discourage AAC on the basis of it hindering speech or “being the easy way out” or whatever other nonsense they come up with. AAC *enhances* communication, and everyone deserves the ability to communicate their needs, tell you their thoughts and feelings, share their hopes and dreams, and tell people to fuck off when needed. 😉

(Image description in Alt Text.)

#autism #autistic #actually autistic #aac #aac awareness month #nonspeaking #nonspeakingdoesnotequalnonthinking #autistic funny