LilaeaBluecoat

Don't mind me, just having a little whine.

So.
I just uploaded a piece of crap hot mess into my scraps.
Total failure, but at least some proof to myself that I haven't done absolutely zilch  these past few months.

I'm really not completely sure where my motivation went. Of course at first I actually had about 0 time due to the pup, but when that let up,  it somehow became hard for me to pluck up the patience and courage to just sit down and art.

After a bit of soul-searching, I've come to the conclusion that it has at least a wee bit to do with my exhibit and the results thereof. Or more accurately; non-results.
Oh sure, I got a ton of really nice comments and compliments, but I think that, somewhere in the back of my mind, I'd had hoped to at least get a commission out of it. Even if only to off-set the cost of the framing and such.
But no such thing happened. People expressed interest, but nothing came of it in the end.

Now I know there could be TONS of good reasons for that nót to happen (not in the least that this was nót a venue where people usually come to seek out an artist to commission), but apparently, somewhere in that head of mine, that little voice of insecurity spoke up: "Praise is nice, but if people don't want to buy from you in the end, how truthful was that praise?"

Yes. I am an insecure person.
How could you tell?

So I'm just writing it down. Not to ask for sympathy, but to just have said it and hopefully that will help to let it go. Because I know it's silly.

Here's what I'm still wanting to do this year (and I better get cracking then at my pace!) in no particular order:

- A reference of 2 shoes.
- A reference of a cute dog.
- At least one charcoal piece.
- At least one colored pencil piece (possibly a landscape - sort of).
- At least one pastel piece.
- A mixed media piece, better than the one in my scraps now.

And somewhere in between of course some graphite as to not completely lose my skills in that.

I might just steer clear from portraits for a while, or at least fan-art. For the time being, I seem to lose interest in my subject too fast to finish the piece unless I'm a huge fan myself, and that doesn't happen all that much. Of course I'll still make an exception for an exceptionally fantastic photo!

These coming few days I'll go on a fav-ing spree, since I'm once again behind on all your art as well. Please forgive me if I don't comment on everything, I'll do better again in the foreseeable future!

All of the great art below can be found in the lovely group . If you find something you like in here (and you're bound to!), please visit the artist and leave a comment and/or a fav! If you're feeling especially enthusiastic of this feature, a fav for this journal would be great, so that more people may see it!

Here are the results of my call for thumbs! Thanks everyone for participating!


Of course, there were also prizes involved here.
I was fully willing and expecting to give away at least twp Premium Memberships, but alas, I did not have enough participants for that (or for even one, to be honest ).
However, I thought "what the heck" and decided to give out 2 anyway.
So you all had a good chance to win something!
I dumped all your numbers (corresponding with the order in which people commented, excluding those who had indicated they'd rather not get a prize) into random.org and it generated two numbers. Those two numbers belonged to.....

*drum roll*

SamanthaJordaan and Vishw!!!
Congratulations guys!!!!!!!!!

I hope they will enjoy their prize and I hope everyone will enjoy this feature! You all entered some amazing works!

EDIT: Deadline extended with a week, because I want moaoaoaoaoar people to participate!!! Come on guys! Gimme your thumbs through the 7th of March!!!

Hi Guys!

So this month I have an anniversary to celebrate. Two years since I began drawing!
It has been such a great experience, not in the least because of all the wonderful people I've met through it and all the great feedback I've received here!
Because of that, I want to do a little give-away.

For every 20 people that participate in this, I will randomly (through random.org) give away a one-month-premium membership! If 40 participate, I'll give away 2, and so on, and so forth.
Also if, say, 30 people participate, I'll give away 1 premium membership for a month ánd half of the points that another premium would cost (since 10 is half of 20).
Participating is easy!

The Rules

1. You must be a watcher!

2. Leave a comment with 2 thumb codes.
   - One from a favorite piece you have done yourself &
   - One from a favorite piece of yours done by somebody else (NOT me)

3. Comments submitted until the end of this month are eligible. I will announce the winners on the 1st of March in a new journal. PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR WIN AT THAT TIME!

I know some of my watchers are a little shy about featuring their own work, but please do participate in this! If not for yourself, do it for the other artist you're also featuring, or for everyone else that participates! After all, the more people that play along, the more chances there are to win for everyone!
If you do take part in this, but don't want a prize for whatever reason, please state so in your comment. Your entry will then count towards the total participants, but I will leave your name out of the draw if you so wish.

I was really hoping to finish my WIP for this month (since it's rather stupid to not have drawing for one's anniversary month me thinks), but I don't think I'm gonna make it unless I rush like a fool. Don't want to do that...
Such a short month, too!!

Anyway, get busy commenting!!!

Just had my first run-in with unauthorized reposting of my drawing. (Should I feel flattered now?)
It was my Water-Drops.


In fact, they had downloaded my drawing from FaceBook, edited it (brushing away the lower right part of the drawing which included my watermark) and re-uploaded it to FaceBook!
There was credit there, but the fact that they ánd never asked, ánd (even WORSE) just simply altered my drawing pisses me the hell off!!

I seem to remember a few of you also had run-ins with this one? See here: www.facebook.com/pages/KARAKAL…

They took down the photo quickly after I left comments about it, but still. What, did they think I wasn't going to notice they just digitally brushed away a quarter of the drawing to be solid black all of a sudden plús my watermark?!?!?

RRAAAAWWWWWWWWRRR!!!