RANDOM JULY UPDATE
Hey! It's been a while, huh? At least on the blog/site.
I've been keeping myself busy lately with commission work and IRL stuff, so there wasn't much to add here rather than just post new drawings. As you remember, this year sucked and all, but I'm feeling hopeful for the latter half of the year!
I've been sick for the first couple of weeks in this month and that sucked! I'm better now, but that left me kind of art blocked for that timeframe. However, it seems like it's all coming back in full force, because for the first time since I decided to put San Canes in indefinite hiatus, I started to have story ideas again! As a matter of fact, let's talk about them!
SOLSTICE
Starting with the one I have the least to say about, Solstice: New Age is still going in my mind, and I'm having some ideas of how it's gonna play out. For the time being, it's gonna be a webcomic! I don't want to say much about plot and characters yet (since it's still in the early development stages), but it's going places I tell ya'.
UNTITLED SLICE OF LIFE STORY
You probably saw me draw two human boys doing human boy things. Those are Kevin and Dante! Two OCs I've had in the back of my mind for a couple of years, without a real story to tell. That ends now! I suddenly started developing their story without realizing it, I started caring for their hometown, their friends and family, some changes to the story I initially teased in my Instagram, etc.
Ideally, I want to write a webcomic, a multi-series graphic novel perhaps. However, I also wanted these characters to be easier for me to make silly stuff with, not worry too much about a big plot surrounding them, so I'll take my time. These characters are personal to me, so I hope you like them when I start going more public with what I'm writing.
Given that their story is less plot-driven and more just about characters going through life, perhaps I'll make it a comic strip/4koma style thing, like Doghaus by Moowsie (go read it, it's a fun time!).
THE SONIC FIC
You guys are not READY for the Sonic fic.
...
Alright, let me explain.
"The Sonic fic" is what I call my yet-unnamed Sonic fanfiction series. It's gonna be a written project that will tell a full Sonic reboot story, with big changes to characters, worldbuilding, and stories. One of my main goals with it is to write a coherent narrative using elements from the Sonic games, yet not adapting them 1:1. I also want to write it in a way both fans and non-fans enjoy it.
I've been wanting to write a Sonic story in the vein of something like Avatar or Teen Titans since I was a little kid, and regardless of how much I could use my time to do something more "productive" or "monetizable", I HAVE to write this. I WANT to write this. It may be cringe, pretentious, or childish? Perhaps. But my soul will rest easy, and I'll have something to brag about.
The story is surprisingly far as planning goes, but I'm still willing to just wing it and improvise if a good idea jumps in. Even if it's not successful, or if it gets buried in a sea of fancy yaoi Sonadow fics, I'll be at my happiest if I get as much as three people excited for more.
Or maybe some Sonic purist on Twitter will find it, put me on blast for mischaracterizing Sonic's personality with a snippet of his bio on Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island's Japanese manual for the Sega Saturn, and I'll be that week's lolcow on there. I don't know. We'll see when we get there.
TL;DR
I'm finally doing something with my creative endeavors, and for once in my life, I don't feel like I'm fishing for internet clout or something. I'm having way more fun working on niche things that make me happy, instead of caring too much about posting times, posting something every week, popular characters I have to draw before they get forgotten, etc.
If you're a young/beginner artist reading this, it's not that wanting to get more followers or engagement on your art is a bad thing. For many of us, art is our job, and we kinda depend on commission work, which usually comes after we gain some traction on social media. However, it shouldn't be your main goal. Insincerity shows. It shows through that character you don't really care for, but you drew anyways to get likes. It shows through that sexualized sketch of your OC you didn't feel comfortable doing, but did because other artists get showered in praise for.
Art is the most personal thing you can make. Please, draw and write about whatever niche interest you have! Who cares if it's for a dead fandom? Maybe you'll get at most twenty likes, but you just gave those twenty people so much joy! Who cares if your OC isn't "sexy" enough for the algorithm to promote you? You might have a good hand at designing characters regardless, and your quality as an artist doesn't depend on how many eyes are there to see it!
The best way to be a successful artist online is to be true to yourself. One day, you'll feel rewarded by doing art you wanted to make, because you'll have a loyal following enjoying your stuff. You may find new friends, learn new things, be someone's inspiration.
Well, that got sappy. I'm sorry to report none of the projects are working on have release dates, not even an "expect news by this month," or something like that. Knowing me I might post a full on comic anywhere between next month and 2032, so unless I say that something new is coming, don't keep yourselves waiting.
Also, no, the Sonic games ranking isn't cancelled. I have the whole list planned and I'm gonna finish it.
Hope you guys have a nice August!