Bases/Commissions (⭒☆ F.A.Q ☆⭒)

Using references? With individual pieces I often use photo references for the pose structure which I then might edit/alter a little or heavily in the sketch stage. In general exploration, style and skill growth I look at everything around me constantly from photos and nature to others works, inspiring artists and experimenting lots.

Drawing fast? Drawing often just felines for 3-10 hours all day everyday for many years has improved my visual sense and subconscious, methodical movements. I've also found what works for me such as tools, processes and strategies which has improved my own efficiency. This combined with the fact that I rarely do anything outside of art allows for continous production of content.

Finding motivation? It runs out very quickly for me too; inspiration and motivation gets us started but it's discipline and habit that gets us to persist and build sustaining workflow. Like anything in life it has to be built and is hard to advice on. I'm a workaholic who's driven by completing tasks, loves creating as well as disregard my own health and life outside of art. My excessive work ethics should not be strived for.

"Finding" ones artstyle? Imo you always have a style and it continues to change, develop and improve as long as you keep drawing. I've continued practising, exploring and most improtantly done it out of joy, what feels right and works for me. I look at artists whose work I admire, visually study things around me and implement techniques I find along the way. Growing up I didn't focus on a "perfect" or unique artstyle but instead drew what I drew and aspired to keep improving on shapes, rendering, anatomy and so on instead. As those elements improves so does ones artstyle. I also enjoy wildy stylising things, do chibis, googly eyes etc for fun when I have the opportunity; no need to have just one singular style.

Design process? Like any visual design-genres there are methods, knowledge and studies around it (color/shape theory etc). Story characters usually start with a base idea in my head, I like to sketch around shapes to build a silhouette and convey their personality.

Only after that does colors become relevant and are tediously experimented with. As a rule of thumb I have one major, often more muted, hue with ranging brightness and saturation covering the majority of the character. Then one or two more hues, often more saturated that "pops" in smaller places such as eyes and accessories.