I ask that you prepare yourself for some very old artwork. I wanted to present the wonderful people on Steemit a history of my artwork and see where I have come from. Please be warned: these are all mostly very ugly.
█ The Journey
I do not have much digital artwork pre-dating 2007, when I was first presented with a tablet. As soon as I had been gifted with a tablet to draw with, I had pretty much abandoned the pen & paper. I would of course doodle in notebooks and texts during class, but I stopped attempting to learn more about any traditional tools.
Year 2003
Ah yes, the horrid elementary school years. I was a huge manga fan back in my younger years. I took a lot of inspiration from Shaman King. There was one artwork where I attempted to draw a character from there. That is all I remember, LOL.
Year 2005
I unfortunately could not find anything from 2004. I probably read too much manga to really care about drawing. This was an original character I was developing for my own comic, now forgotten. He was based off a real friend I knew.
Year 2006
Remember how I said I did not have a tablet until 2007? Yes, that is true. This artwork from 2006 was all done with a mouse and Photoshop (pen tool). This was when I first had access to Photoshop and was playing around with the program. Someone had taught me how to use the pen tool, and I experimented with it. It took many hours, but I was really proud of myself back then. This character is a guy; I was very much into yaoi as a child. *cough*
Year 2007
I'm not sure if there are any other digital artwork from 2007, so I chose one that I noticed. This was my last traditional artwork in which I colored. It was a fan art of a comic series from an artist whom I sincerely admired for years.
Year 2008
About 6 months into using a tablet, I finally figured out how to really use it. I was at a stage where I would look up tutorials for everything. So all those luminescent grass strokes and illuminating moon was from a graphics effect tutorial I found. This was used for an English assignment haha.
Year 2009
I remember the exact moment when I first discovered the program Paint Tool SAI. A friend had gifted me a copy and I heard so many raving reviews about it that I was SO excited to test it out. SAI is known for its ability to imitate a "watercolor" effect and have better pen pressure than Photoshop. I experimented a lot with colors and blending. I looked up custom brushes that other artists used, and played around with those as well.
Year 2010
Getting more and more familiar with SAI, I began to experiment to try to make a "watercolor" effect. I always found watercolor, washed out, and other blended styles of art so beautiful. This is where I tested it out the most. I also began to use thinner lines for my inking and more details in the hair. I shifted away from the "cute" look and to a more "mature" look.
Year 2011
More color testing here! I went back to my cute style this year, and tried to understand more about clothes. I thought more folds meant that the clothing would look more realistic. (That is not always true!)
Year 2012
I remember that this year was dedicated to learning more about the "soft" coloring styles and shading. I wanted to truly make my artwork seem blended well, and overall softer. I spent the most time probably on the hair and skirt, trying to figure out how to shade them so that it looked best.
Year 2012
This is another artwork from the same year, 2012, but a few months later. I chose this one because I shift away from lots of "shine" and "highlights" that you see in the previous picture. Here I cut back and used a more simpler shading, but while keeping it soft looking.
Year 2013
This was made near the end of 2013. It was a time when I appreciated the more realistic art style a lot more. I was very influenced by Korean manga and seinen manga. I wanted to replicate their imagery in the face so I used different techniques (like varied inking in corners of clothes and hair). I also reverted back to including more "complicated" hair details, with more believable placement.
Year 2014
I seem so wishy-washy going back and forth from a cute art style to a mature art style, but as an artist, testing out different methods helps you grow! I went back to the simplistic idea but with much more blending, watercolor effects, and vibrant colors! I added shades of every color into this (as much as I could). For example, in the eye, you can see green, yellow, red, purple, blue, pink, etc. This is where I began my love for neon & vibrant colors!
Year 2015
I actually slowed down my art at this point. After 2014, I pretty much stopped drawing. That is... until the visual novel Amnesia: Memories came out by idea factory! I was absolutely ENAMORED with the art style that I bought 10 art books by their artist(s) (costed like $300, ouch), shipped directly from Japan. I rigorously studied the art style and tried to replicate as much as I could. I did this for about 2 months until I stopped art again.
Year 2016
It wasn't until Inktober (October) 2016 came around again that I picked up drawing once more. At the end of 2015, I stopped drawing at all. I hadn't touched my tablet in about 1 year. I focused on the "real world" and I was busy with juggling a job, school, and other activities. I had ZERO time for art. Then, I recently reconnected with a friend from high school who still kept up with her art, and she inspired me to go back to it.
Year 2017
Haha, now I have gone back to the cute style and tried to test more on the blending coloring style again! I have been really trying to improve my coloring and that is why the coloring here I am very proud of. Although it is not exactly where I want to be, I think it is closer to where I hope to be.
█ Conclusion
All the Anime Artwork you have seen in my blog was from October 2016 and forward. It was thanks to my friend that I got back into my art and started drawing again! I don't draw as much anymore (maybe once a month or so), but I am very thankful to her that I started drawing again.
I hope it was interesting to see my progress from when I first started drawing in 2003 until now! I would often stop for many months and come back to it again after watching YouTube videos or tutorials or speedpaints. 90% of the time, I would only "study" other people's styles for about 3~4 months and then try drawing from everything I could remember!
Yes, that is very nice progress right there! ^_^Can't wait for the 2023 one. ;)
Upvoted!
Why aren't you active anymore?
first sketch looks like ghost which was in The Ring movie.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!! I laughed so hard at this comment. XD
2007 has some MAJOR improvement from the last couple years, and then 2009 is SO cute!! Shes like Someone from Wario Ware, 2010 is one of my favorites it looks really sharp and clean, 2011 is like the cover from a manga, if you hadn't you should of been doing animation for someone at this point, 2012 is another one of my favorites, she is just adorable!! 2013 is the one where you think you can't get any better until you see 2014!! Soo impressive this character looks so lifelike she just draws you in!! 2015's great! And 2016 is soo cool, it's like you're animator for CLAMP. And 2017 is just artsy bliss, she's like the best yugioh card I've ever seen in my life. She's better than Injection Fairy Lilly + Dark Magician Girl put together. You are such an awesome talented artist, thank you for sharing this work! I'm going to upvote, resteem this, and follow you. PLEASE show us more!! 😝
The style doesn't change?/ do you have something different? ,, don't let me wrong good job
Ah yes! After 2010, I didn't draw very often (I had entered college). I think I drew maybe 3-6 times a year from 2010 to 2017. I did not draw often, so my style the past 7 years probably look very similar.
This is so awesome! Classic examples of humble beginnings! I don't draw but I am really into Gunpla, I'll do my own version of a time lapse art post, but featuring gunpla! Hope you can draw Gundams or any mecha as well!
Aww, thank you! When I look back I sometimes think, "I only got this far in 14 years?" HAHA! But I agree, I definitely do think I've still improved much. ^^
And so awesome!! I had a friend who was really into Gunpla and I tried it once. All the sand paper-ing and cutting and sticker-ing... it was so intense! Kudos to you for keeping up with a hobby like that. :D
Also, saw that you're new! Welcome to Steemit. ^^
I also tried digital art for a time, progressed to animation through after effects. Sadly because of my current job. I never got to practice them :( hope you drop by my blogs when I start my Gunpla reviews! Keep up the good work! The world needs awesome artist's like you! :D
daisuki desuka .
like it as a personal
please follow me too . i'm anime lovers
I really wish I could do digital painting like you. ^ ^ upvoted <3
Awww, thank you so much! You are so, so sweet. ^^
Wow! It's really cool to see a timelapse like this. A big jump from 2006 - 2007 - 2008!
I agree, only doing one style doesn't give you the most success/improvement always. Switch things around and try to learn as much as you can in all sorts of different ones!
All your work is extraordinary. Please never stop again :D
Here's to many more improvements in 2017 and beyond ^^
@linebacker this is one of the sweetest comments I have ever seen. Thank you so much for such a thoughtful, kind, and heartwarming reply!
YOU ARE EXTRAORDINARY AND AMAZING AND CONSTANTLY IMPROVING! I see your works (like the rose and jolteon!! Wow!). :') <3
YES! MORE IMPROVEMENTS !!
Quite phenomenal @pinqo ~ great talent !
Thank you very much, kind sir @lanceman :D
Great to see how you evolved! Well done :>
Thank you so much sjennon! I'd love to see one from you too. ^^
Haha let's see if I can collect some
Giiiirl congratulations on the curie upvote! Awesoooome. 💕😊 On the other hand, you're very lucky to have saved your drawings from childhood. I think I got mine accidentally thrown away. 😭 It's amazing seeing your growth as an artist. Keep it uuuup! ❤️️
Thanks for sharing this ...
Follow @steemupvotes
interesting
Nice drawing :D @pinqo
Follow me back :D
Awesome work don't stop your journey.
This is super amazing! :) It's never about talent... everyone can be an artist, and constant practice can really make us improve!! I super love this post.. Thanks for sharing @pinqo!
awesome!
Wow really inspiring stuff! Up voted and followed you! I'm a digital artist please check out my stuff, got some of it on my blog!
So glad you stuck to it Pinqo. Its heartening to see the results exponentially improve as you persevered. "Perseverance, the secret of all triumphs" Victor Hugo
Yeah you are doing just fine and are on track to being master level sooner than you think. Keep on keepen on pinqo - I'll keep an eye out for your traditional studies. Supper happy to see a nice sized vote on this.
Funny , wait till you see what diagrams I would conjure up in telling our African anime 😂😂😂😂lol.
Cool one though.
Let me know if you are interested in seeing them.
@klynic
Amazing art work.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful journey.
OMG sasuke kun you're so sexy kawaii! Lol Good stuff. Keep them coming!
Very good work! I enjoyed to see everything over the years.
Always amazing to see the progression of an artist! Thank you so much for sharing with us!
I've also gone through periods of drawing all the time, then stopping for months or years, then picking it back up. Sometimes we just don't see it as a priority, sometimes the inspiration just isn't there, but having just picked it up again, I feel like it's an important part of who I am and fostering creativity should be a priority! At least once in a while. I hope we both keep going!
You really did improve over the years. Kudos on the patience and all the hard work you went through. Keep up the good work I'm definitely following. Check out my recent similar post if you like :)
This is amazing! I love seeing artist's journeys like this. Seeing their progress and what have you. I should do one of these for my artwork too! I grew up on anime and Sailor Moon is what inspired me to start drawing in the first place! My style nowadays isn't quite anime like but pop culture, anime, cartoons etc are a huge influence on me still! Great job! :D I'm going to follow you!
Wow pinqo! That was amazing!! From the begining I thought "alright this must be someone begining their art journey and shoeing the progress" but when I saw you go from pen + paper to using SAI I was blown away!! I stopped drawing for a long time myself and today i came across a water painting tutorial that peeked my interest, now reading your story, it's like I feel my heart sing "I have to try it again!" Thank you for sharing your story ♡
:D @pinqo I am sharing this is so yunk, I love it. :) I see your effort and hard work here, please dont stop drawing. This is so beautiful, do you read webcomics?
Like line weebtoon?
I though we were going to meet on the weekend I guess you are too busy.
Awesome post! I'm proud of you! ;)
Fuuuu- It stinks that you kept having to quit art for various reasons!
I quit for a while a few years ago. Went back to it out of depression over having lost my normal job.
It's kinda tough, but I hope to be able to make art my full-time job some day!
Also I wouldn't worry so much about trying to stick to just one art style! My style flies all over the place, just based on my mood, or what I've been watching/reading/playing recently, or when I get bored it'll change drastically... Just do whatever seems the most fun at the time! x')
Your art is so pretty, I'd love if you kept it up! But if you don't want to/aren't able to, don't feel bad about it :')
Honestly a little confused on what your plans are LOL
I'm dense //SHOT//
Wow! Amazing work! I can truly see how advanced you're art has gotten over the past few years.
Wow! This is incredible. What a transformation in art!
Wow it is amazing to see how you improved your skill and style!!! Thanks for sharing your story!
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Congratulation on your progress, it may be a long and hard path but you made it!
Wow! Really amazing! Hope you don't mind if I do my journey too! Huge fan of you!
I love how you did one for each year! You've made so much progress! :D
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