I do not do a lot of digital drawing. Not sure, why…but it doesn’t happen much. It is probably something I should do more, as I thing I would do well with it with some development. I just don’t enjoy it as much.
This sketch is one that I really enjoyed doing, and was quite proud of the improvement it represented in my light and shadow game at the time. It is also one that made me feel shitty about my art.
The reason for that is the inspiration for it was an artist I know (not close but we speak when we run into each other) and when I made a point to show it to them… they basically ghost rejected it outright and typed out a reply that basically said they didn’t have time to look at it, when a simple thumbs up could have been dismissive in the normal disinterested friend way.
I don’t know if it was the perceived cultural appropriation (which is never where I come from, my drawing of cultures is fascination and interest), a feeling of insult because I didn’t focus on the woman’s facial features enough (they are egotistical about their looks, but the point of the sketch was symbolic of holding onto their cultural strengths which they proudly do and my own study of light work because it was a weak point for me), or some other thing that I have missed entirely.
Even knowing it may have just been a completely innocuous thing that my own sensitive nature blew up….it didn’t matter. It stayed my drawing for a minute afterword, and stopped progress in an area that I had made big gains in.
Don’t feel bad for me in that. Note it, and keep it in mind when an artist of any skill level shows you their work. Even our sketches are representative of ourselves and we are exposing our REAL selves to you when we share…. please respond accordingly.
