I gotta be honest. I don't like dA FAQs much. They're usually full of shit nobody ever actually asked, and seem to serve a primary purpose of making someone look like people ask them questions.
Well, people do ask me questions. I like questions. Questions are cool. I also like to help, when I can! Questions facilitate that. Lately, people have been asking me the same questions repeatedly. I'm not annoyed! They have no way of knowing someone has already asked these questions. I'm not the type to kvetch over people paying good-natured attention to me. HOWEVER, I would like to save you the trouble of asking, and save me the trouble of answering the same questions over and over. If you want to ask me questions that aren't listed here, That's what Formspring is for.
FAQ
Q: What are your pet peeves?
A:
-When people assume that 'if you practice A, you must hate the idea of, B, C, or D'.
-An inability to grasp nuanced arguments; black-and-white thinking
-Tiny Anime Feet Syndrome (feet are the size of the hands or smaller; at an extremely low level of detail, and shaped like bricks)
-Art that has long, self-indulgent commentary by the artist that tries to tell me how I should feel about the image
-The idea that you can be a jerk about something just because you're on the Internet, because somehow being online absolves you of all personal responsibility and moral obligation to be a good person
-When I am a jerk on the Internet
-Poorly drawn suits; especially given that they require minimal research to do well, and that it is so, so easy to find reference. Short jackets and badly drawn lapels are probably the worst (and most common) offenders
-For some reason, when people draw dress shirts with ties they leave this gap at the top where the two parts of the collar meet, draw the tie on way too loose, and show too much of the tie wrapping around under the collar - and this is not even when it's supposed to be a sloppy character. Bros, there is a button at the collar that holds it closed, and dress shirt collars are stiff enough that they don't flap everywhere, ESPECIALLY if they have stays (little plastic bits that make the collar stiff). If I'm supposed to think that this is 'sharp', I shouldn't be seeing any loose, soft collars, no gaps in the collar above the tie, and very little of the tie going under the collar.
-Being in denial about Anime Long Midface
-People not appreciating their 'fans'; and the concept of 'fans' to a lesser degree. It's presumptuous to assume that anyone who comments on your work likes it a lot, and even more presumptuous to assume that any of those people care about it enough (or about you) to be 'fans'.
-Military personnel as ideological pawns in a Red State vs. Blue State culture war. We are individuals and have our own political beliefs; do not use feel-good stock footage of us and our families in a jingoistic attempt to grant your side moral authority. You are taking people's genuine OMG MOM MADE IT BACK FROM IRAQISTAN FROM WITHOUT DYING moments and turning them into partisan grandstanding. Fuck you.
Q: Will you give me a critique?
A: Probably! I may not be able to get to it immediately, so please let me know if you have urgent needs. I can be reached by note here on dA, or via my email at metaphorfists @ gmail dot com.
Q: Can I give you a critique?
A: I don't see why not! If I have requested critique on a piece, it is open season and I really want that kind of feedback. Even if I haven't requested it, that doesn't mean you can't give it! You can give it at any time. The only difference is that I may not be able to make as much use of it, as the piece is either finished, or is not in a finished enough state to be 'right', and I already know that it is full of lazy mistakes (sketches, doodles, etc.) Sometimes I'll request critique on finished pieces because I'm worried I've really messed something up.
Q: What scares you the most?
A: Failure. The possibility that I may never overcome my flaws. Intravenous pain meds. General anesthetic.
Q: What advice do you have for young artists/artists in general?
A:
I can't get to the library/store, what are some drawing resources you'd recommend?
Professional vs. hobby illustrator
Books and inspiration
When is it 'cheating' to use digital tools?
What do you do when you don't feel inspired?
How did you learn to draw so 'realistically'?
What's the best balance between realism and personal style?
What if I want to get better at anatomy, but can't go to life-drawing classes right now?
Three Corny Tish-Tips For A Successful Life
How did you get so good at drawing men?
Q: What is Modus Operandi about/when will we see it?
A: Mana asks, 'what inspired MO?'
Modus Operandi is a vaguely sci-fi drama with a heavily political bent. It is a lot of thinky-thinky stuff and also some blowing shit up with telekinetic math-o-vision stuff. You could also say that it is about the balance of public power (the say you have in the lives of others) versus personal power (the say you have in your own life), and how illusory the whole lot can be, no matter how powerful everyone says you are. You could also say, 'it's complicated and I'm not sure how to distill it effectively into a single subject'. You'll just have to wait and see, I think!
MO should launch October/November-ish, unless I turn out not to be good enough to produce work of sufficient quality.
Q: What kind of art education do you have/what art school did you go to?
A: I have had as much art class as most other kids. I took art class in middle school, but haven't taken it since. I have not been to art school; the closest I got was living incognito in the Ringling College of Art and Design dorms. Life is a mystery.
skin by CypherVisor
~♥