So earlier in art class today, someone drew a characters hands in their pockets and mentioned that hands are really like the ultimate end boss of art, and most of us wholeheartedly agreed. So then, our teacher went ahead and free handed like a handful of hands on the board, earning a woah from a couple of students. So the one from earlier mentioned how it barely took the teacher ten seconds to do what I can’t do in three hours. And you know what he responded?

“It didn’t take me ten seconds, it took me forty years.”

And you know, that stuck with me somehow. Because yeah. Drawing a hand didn’t take him fourth years. But learning and practicing to draw a hand in ten seconds did. And I think there’s something to learn there but it’s so warm and my brain is fried so I can’t formulate the actual morale of the lesson.

Saying "I'm not going to draw this thing because I don't know how to draw this thing" is really shooting yourself in the foot, because you've now cut yourself off from an opportunity to grow.

I had a friend in college who was an absolutely amazing artist. I loved seeing his work! One time I said something to the effect of "I could never do that."

He told me something that, as an artist, I resonate with. He said art isn't about natural talent; it's a learned skill. When you tell an artist their level of skill is impossible for you to reach, you're assuming their level of skill is a natural gifting they have, and it discredits the hundreds to thousands of hours of hard work they've put into getting where they are today, and you're cutting yourself off from trying to reach that point yourself.

I don't remember where I heard this but I wish I could, because it stuck with me:

Talent is THE RATE at which you learn things, not whether or not you can learn certain skills at all.

And that suddenly clicked for me. I have been very talented with a lot of things in my life and once I realized that I had basically been getting XP multipliers on my normal life experiences, it suddenly felt so much less awful to realize that I did not have the same advantage with other skills I struggle with, and that's okay. I might even have some debuffs on those, and that's okay. It's still all gaining as long as I keep working on it!!

Can't afford art school?

After seeing post like this 👇

And this gem 👇

As well as countless of others from the AI generator community. Just talking about how "inaccessible art" is, I decided why not show how wrong these guys are while also helping anyone who actually wants to learn.

Here is the first one ART TEACHERS! There are plenty online and in places like youtube.

📺Here is my list:

Second part BOOKS, I have collected some books that have helped me and might help others.

📚Here is my list:

📝As for Supplies, I recommend starting out cheap, buying Pencils and art paper at dollar tree or 5 below. If you want to go fancy Michaels is always a good place for traditional supplies. They also get in some good sales and discounts. For digital art, I recommend not starting with a screen art drawing tablet as they are usually more expensive.

For the Best art Tablet I recommend either Xp-pen, Bamboo or Huion. Some can range from about 40$ to the thousands.

💻As for art programs here is a list of Free to pay.

NOTE: Some of these can work on almost any computer like Clip and Sai but others will require a bit stronger computer like Blender. Please check their sites for if your computer is compatible.

So do with this information as you will but as you can tell there are ways to learn how to become an artist, without breaking the bank. The only thing that might be stopping YOU from using any of these things, is YOU.

I have made time to learn to draw and many artist have too. Either in-between working two jobs or taking care of your family and a job or regular school and chores. YOU just have to take the time or use some time management, it really doesn't take long to practice for like an hour or less. YOU also don't have to do it every day, just once or three times a week is fine.

Hope this was helpful and have a great day.

Boosting this in case any of the programs and books suggested are useful.

All the photos on this tumblr ad the animal photo reference site I run is another resource available for artists to use!

As long as you’re not using AI to create your art, you can reference / trace / draw / recombine / make any sort of art you want, with any of the photos, for free.

I would play the shit out of this.

Please support this game! I've been following it forever and the developers obviously put a lot of love into finally repping my people as Not Just Generic Bad Guys To Be Slaughtered in QuickTime Events, but the unabashed horse girls we truly are. I really love how outspoken she is about representing proper care and compassion for these animals in the industry too.

Found it! Reblogging to kickstart when I’m at my laptop.

(Source)

Important addition

The higgs boson discovery was made possible by AI sifting through data that was estimated to take humans 500 years to go through and with less accuracy.

AI/ML is a tool like any other. It's not a miracle fix for everything, just like how it isn't an evil entity

Getting my big font because I've said this before and I'm getting angy about it:

You need to stop saying "AI" when you mean "generative AI".

You need to stop inferring "generative AI" when you just see "AI".

You are throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

it sees you

[transcript: Cameron Klein, seated: I’m not going to launch those ships. Captain’s orders. Brock Rumlow, draws firearm: Move away from your station. Klein closes his eyes. Sharon Carter crosses the room, her weapon raised to aim at Rumlow: Like he said… Captain’s orders. Uniformed security teams (presumably Hydra) and jacket-and-button-up office workers all draw weapons in a stand-off. Rumlow: You picked the wrong side, Agent [Carter]. Carter: Depends on where you’re standing.

/end transcript]

I want to share this analysis of this scene from cakeisnotpie

Because we are seeing that right now with the world situation and the fight against the Orange Fucker and Muskrat. All kinds of people gumming up the works, including people within the government itself, saying “no, I’m not doing that.” and many of them will be fired or removed. But people are digging in their heels for the small moment of mercy it will grant us.

May everyone with the power to resist find the will and courage to do so. Be like Cameron.

Oh.

OH.

I’m crying @comicgeekscomicgeek because I needed to hear this right now. To see my own words, to know that someone read the thought I shouted into the void and remembered. Thank you for being my Sharon Carter and reminding me that I do have a choice.. there’s always a choice.

So, Cap’s orders, I’m not taking my pronouns out of my email signature or pulling Nimona from my class. I can’t change anything, but I can plant myself like a tree, let my students take shelter behind me, and say, “no, you move.”

Things suck right now but Sheryl has some good words for us all.

Seeing Sheryl said it wasn't dead because of us was a bitter pill but I'm glad she said it. Cause she's right, Dragon Age isn't dead. If we still love it, create with it, and put our energy into it, it isn't dead. If EA takes DA off the shelf again it will definitely be different, but what the devs brought us and what we put into it won't change.

posted on Kate Bornstein's substack

The people of my small city have largely decided to stop tipping their delivery drivers just as the winter weather is at its most inhospitable, and so I come to you, hat in hand, to ask for your patronage. I will draw most things but am especially fond of character illustrations!

Some samples of my work:

Click here for more samples, prices, and how to order a commission from me!

Dear Bioware, when I said to my friend that I wanted to know the truth about what happened at Red Crossings prior to DA:I’s release, I didn’t mean it was alright for you to rip my heart out with some Starcrossed Lovers and a huge misunderstanding.