You mean the cheerilee thing? I jacked that thing all kinds of up. I was aware of how to do water before I tried it and it was much harder then I had guessed. I have no idea how to shade, I'm learning, but I still have no idea.
See, I think you're your own worst critic. All your ideas about "right" ways to do thing are based in a preconception that there is some perfect level of amazing life-like (or cartoon-like, in this case, being relative to the source material) way to depict your chosen subject. But there is no "right" way to do water or shading, there are only different ways that people will or won't observe as taking certain amounts of skill. That shouldn't discourage you from learning new things or new ways to do old things, but I don't think you should grade yourself on being good relative to your source material, especially in this day and age when making a vector can easily re-create a cartoon and taking a picture can easily capture real life. That fact, right there, is the entire basis for modern and post-modern art. My advice, form one artist to another (though my art is of a different sort, I've taken a number of classes that have emphasized this), is when you hone your craft you need to decide for yourself what your ideal composition is with each piece, and then always be critical of that definition. Being critical of the individual piece can be helpful, but being critical of your ideal definition of art will always bring new insight.
My idea of "right" was what I wanted to do. I call it wrong because I was forced to do it the way it was done, I actually mean forced. I ran out of time to do anything else with it. It's not like I hate it, I liked the idea and the challenge of the perspective. The shading is really me just kinda guessing at what it would be, people seem to like it but I don't, I'm sure over time I'll get it where I want it to be. I don't want you to think that I hate everything I've done or that I dislike them. I just see issue with the Cheerilee one, I thought Luna was better. Yet others disagree, that's fine and all and them liking it has made me attempt more perspective I wouldn't have.
I just don't live in a region particulary common to have events or scenes where I would be comfortable and happy. maybe if I went to Birmingham more, but that's like an hour by train, and is expensive. just nothing in my region.
So, you can give up. Which is fine. Or you can pass on the sanctioned events and take risks. Go to places people don't normally go. Go on walks. Stop in stores, but just browse. It's only a waste of time if you get nothing out of it, and if you're friendly and personable (which isn't reliant on whether or not you identify as introverted or extroverted) you'll likely meet someone often. Past that point, you just keep trying until you bump into someone you like. And then, don't stop. I just think it's important to challenge your perspective and criticisms in addition to challenging your skills. As long as you're doing that, I'll always find something interesting or complimentary to say about your work. And I'm glad you like your stuff; learning to like your own art is very rewarding.
You mean my perspective of my own art? Cause it's better then it has been in forever. I can at least do something without raging or quitting. Though I almost did in February, but that's a whole thing no one cares about. You may not ever see the majority of my art though, a lot of it is NSFW. SFW stuff it a lot more challenging for me to come up with. So I just have to hope I can edit any work I do for here and DA.
I do go out to shops on walks, browse, but my tastes are different from the usual out on the high street girl, and to be honest that's not the kind of person I would want to attract. Spoiler: undefined while I will be trying to intrest at buckcon, it will be slim. odds are ill just try that brony dating site and move on.
While this does make a lot of sense, I can't help but feel like this kind of puts people such as myself - who only really find joy in activities that are best done in solitude - up ****'s creek without a paddle.
Well, in a way it does. You sort of need to enjoy doing something with the person you date, otherwise you wouldn't be associating with them at all. You would just be two people who sit in the same room and only ever make small talk. You might love activites in solitude the most, but there are probably some things you could learn to love with someone else; that's the inevitability of relationships.
Man, am I going to feel the booze in the morning... But what an awesome night! I even got a cake~! :3
