More style experiments (and rambling)

I've been enjoying trying to capture some nostalgic feelings with these experiments. And my portfolio now isn't just middle aged lesbians on plain backgrounds lmao which was slightly the reason I chose to experiment using these kids instead of my usual OC's. I'm also pretty pleased with these two in comparison to the last ones I did, I feel like this more animation style background +inked character works better for me than trying to ink things that...for me don't have lines? Something about being a painter means that putting outlines around things comes so unnaturally. I've  learned how to do it with figures, I guess I've always used sketchy outlines for characters, but for backgrounds I've always been super impressionist-ey. Maybe thats a skill I'll pick up eventually, but I think for now this works. (thank you to Hari for trying to help me choose my battles)

I'm also begrudgingly using some colour layer effects to save time here. I worry that if I rely on them too much I'll not learn how colour works on its own (like, how to colourpick a greenish forest character palette without help) ...However. they are really fast, easy, and also look good...and I should really use all the tools available even if it makes me feel a bit of a fake (untrue etc).

There's definitely some part of my brain that just latches onto something, and I get a ridiculous drive to see it through. I dropped everything I was working on and kind of bulldozed through until I got something I liked alright. I guess its useful but also its kind of like being possessed... one of the neurodivergent A's, I assume, but god knows which.

Interestingly trying to draw characters out of nowhere *really* didnt work for me, I had to invent a vague setting and their personalities before I felt like I could bring them to life. Before it felt like 'yes but what pose would this non-character do, what are they like, why are they here, what clothes would they wear and why' etc and it left me feeling super overwhelmed and also under-invested haha. Even just something simple- 'this character is middle class, shy and likes taking photos, is 12ish, in the 80's'  or 'this character doesn't want to grow up, hates rules, and is always getting dirty' helped me so much.

I took the floaty forest photo myself, and I really loved it so I had to try and use it. I think the photo is still...lovelier, more ethereal. but thats fine! I need to also learn that I can't capture nature perfectly and its still worth doing since nobody else sees what I see anyway (except for you. looking at the photo)

Anyway, back to work, thanks for reading!