man i love eating takeout on the floor

fiveducks

Nothing screams “I’m out” like being 19 in January eating takeout in an empty living room in a shitty apartment. I should sell all my belongings.

• Retrospectives

art fight 2023 (first blood)

fiveducks

Hey! Been a while. Been a weird year.

I participated in Art Fight for the first time last month. Call it part of my “being less of a hermit” arc. Which is funny because I dropped Twitter and barely pay any attention to any other social media. (I did say less of a hermit.)

But enough about the downfall of the modern internet, I’m here to talk about Art Fight. Which also wound up having drama, funnily enough, though I didn’t pay much attention.

• Happenings

art goals 2023 (what do you mean it’s february?)

fiveducks

It’s overdue, but I think looking back at my art over the past year, where I stand now, and my goals might be the best way to help my viewpoint align with reality. Hopefully? No, probably not.

• Retrospectives

Four Becomes Five: My First Year in Art

mariteaux

I’ve been fooling with the idea of doing art since early 2021, but January 2022 was when I officially started. That’s when I drew some scrunkly Wyns for Caby and tried my best to sketch out a whole ton of the ideas I’ve had lying around for, I dunno, years at that point.

It’s taken a lot of nerves and a lot of personal growth to get here (plus practice), but I can pretty confidently say I’m getting somewhere with it now. For the big one year (give or take a month), I’m gonna show off five (or maybe more?) drawings from throughout 2022 and mix memories and art critique. Everyone gather in a circle now.

• Retrospectives

behind the scenes

devon

I actually meant to post this around… two months ago? Unfortunately some other factors caused a massive delay, but it’s time to finish this finally. Some pieces from Art Fight I wanted to talk about because I feel they are worth talking about.

• Happenings

fun with markers

devon

Turns out that I actually like alcohol markers, after all.

• Projects

art roundup: october! (the fear of being known)

fiveducks

Whoops, I haven’t actually posted anything here since August despite saying I’d be active-ish. I’ve been busy, I promise.

• Happenings

Protecting and Surviving Against the AI Art Menace

mariteaux

It’s a controversial topic. AI-generated art, “this does not exist” sites, and the possibility that robots with the ability to “draw” will make artists obsolete, or at least, ruin the market for gigging artists who need that attention to live and pay bills.

Thankfully, I see it more optimistically than most. It is a menace, and you should take action if it affects you–but don’t let it discourage you. If you’re browsing around DeviantART or suchlike, here’s how to spot it and how to combat it.

Since I’m mostly involved in character design and character art, that’s what I’ll be focusing on. Apply to your medium of landscapes or photography or suchlike as applicable.

• Essays

wi(s)p: five years in and one page up

fiveducks

As an average 20-something Canadian, you’ve got enough on your plate—rent’s going up, you can’t afford gas for that van you bought last summer, the ghost in your apartment insists on watching you pee, and you’re not 100% sure what to do now that you’ve dropped out of college. Twice.

• Projects

(not so) recent sketchbook drawings

devon

Finally! A sketchbook I enjoy filling and which is shaping out really great so far.

• Projects