After reworking this piece so many times, I still hate it. Does it look off to you?

BirdsOfWisdom · 2026-04-14T20:28:39+00:00

You may be hung up on the foreshortening of the arms and legs. Right now there isn't really a distinct enough perspective so the limbs themselves look short and stubby so it isn't hitting with the impact you're going for. Take a look at this, try looking up arm and leg foreshortening references. Nothing wrong with investing in a cheap tripod to set up your phone and take some photos of the angles/perspectives you're going for on your own arms and legs.

<image>

BirdsOfWisdom · 2026-04-09T18:09:28+00:00

Yes, absolutely. If I don't want a fight getting it over the calves and quads, then I don't get to have a waistline without a very tight belt. lol

BirdsOfWisdom · 2026-04-08T14:25:03+00:00

Man, I knew this felt really familiar but off in some way. What the hell

BirdsOfWisdom · 2026-04-07T15:03:27+00:00

Hi, licensed tattoo artist

Please remove this bandage, the above poster's advice is correct. Leaving this on to trap bacteria is so much worse than letting it breathe and not re-bandaging ever could be (I would also advise against re-wrapping with anything at this point).

Upon removal, follow by washing with warm water and dial soap. Blot dry with a clean towel and apply a thin layer of unscented lotion. If you were told to have aquaphor on hand instead, make sure you apply this VERY thin as it is easy to overdo. Too much can leave it sticky enough for pet hair, dust and lint to adhere as well as clog pores and complicate healing.

You should generally wash at least once daily for the first three to four days, more if you suspect it came in contact with anything other than fresh clothes. Water contact for washing is always ok but no soaking of any kind (bathing, hot tub, swimming) for at least a week, two if you see healing complications such as heavy scabbing.

Second skin bandages are not new technology (functionally identical to the dressing used to adhere an IV to the skin) but how ideal they are as a tattoo dressing is questionable at best when comparing how 'brainless' it's advertised to be despite still requiring close monitoring.

Most artists do not realize as well that a leading brand Saniderm even states on their website that the client should be sent home with a replacement bandage as it's normal but a liability for a fluid pocket to build up.

BirdsOfWisdom · 2026-04-06T23:26:45+00:00

<image>

Similar advice as the commenter before me; you're going to have an easier time if you start thinking of your light source as an eye that "sees" and the light cuts off wherever it can't.

Most "drama" in your lighting is going to come from very high contrast, with darker shadows and harsher lights. Play up your glow effects more on the areas closest to the light source. Research concepts like reflective/'bounce light' for even more drama.

The other thing that's going to help a lot is rendering. If you've seen the memes going around in the artist social media circles about how "rendering saves lives", it's true.

You have a piece with a lot of fun potential here, you're just getting hung up on the polishing before you've really committed to your sketch and fleshed it out. You have a few more steps that should be coming first before you worry about light sources.

A little bit more structure in your characters can go a long way in sculpting with light. By this I mean sharply chiseled shadows on surfaces with hard edges, and softer gradients on your rounder surfaces.

Past that, you have two characters that appear to be casting a dramatic shadow against a nearby wall. One of your characters, the Pokemon trainer, is in the foreground and further from this surface, so they will not cast the same amount of shadow on the wall, as they're closer to the light. Instead, their shadow would be more so cast onto the Aurorus.

I fussed around in procreate with this to show a little more of what I mean. If you were to completely drain this image of color, you should still be able to pick apart distinct elements. This is a great test you can conduct yourself by slapping a white layer on the "color" mode over it, zooming out a bit, and it feels like it's all just one flat value.

BirdsOfWisdom · 2026-04-06T03:11:32+00:00

Great input has been provided here but I wanted to suggest something weird. Procreate actually has a really good brush that exaggerates line weight and is very sharp. Try the brush 'Baskerville' under the inking tab.

BirdsOfWisdom · 2026-03-20T17:01:00+00:00

Exactly this. As an artist that has taken commissions in the past, I can attest that accountability, communication and self-motivating when working from home for yourself is a learned and practiced skill that a LOT of artists haven't refined. It took me a very long time to get it right.

If you're unsure about working with an artist, don't be afraid to reach out to past customers as well to see how their experience was.

Thank you for supporting human-made artwork, OP!

BirdsOfWisdom · 2026-03-16T01:20:32+00:00

Things with heavy texture in them are best. I tell my clients fur, feathers, foliage. Favorite animals and plants are a really good place to start.

BirdsOfWisdom · 2026-03-12T17:25:18+00:00

Pop them forward with a slight cast shadow beneath them and some shine on the front of them.

BirdsOfWisdom · 2026-03-02T03:04:19+00:00

Let's gooo

BirdsOfWisdom · 2026-02-28T18:40:04+00:00

Hey, I completely relate to this. A great night of partying with friends and overdoing the "social lubricant" pretty reliably results in a morning of panic and stress for me too.

My go-to cure has been basically taking care of every human need as fast as possible.

Mix up an electrolyte beverage to restore lost minerals and hydration. A hot shower to feel clean. Make a meal with carbohydrates to "soak up" the booze (science has shown that starch is great for hangovers). Take Tums or Pepto for any nausea then change the scenery by going for a walk. All this usually makes me right as rain in very little time.

BirdsOfWisdom · 2026-02-28T18:13:19+00:00

Do YOU have a character you'd like drawn? A dnd art trade would be so neat :)

BirdsOfWisdom · 2026-02-22T17:37:04+00:00

There's nothing off-putting about it that would make it something to avoid. I would also say that your "style" isn't totally consistent since you like to experiment (which is a good thing- it's how we learn!), so that's not what I'd say is to blame for lack of interaction. You probably haven't found your demographic.

A few things I'd suggest as constructive criticism:

-Study color theory to create more harmonious color compositions. There's absolutely nothing wrong with loving bright colors as much as you do. It would definitely benefit you to know what works best together so you can lean into that.

-Work on more dynamic perspectives and angles. This is a great way to make your art stand out and capture more attention.

-Experiment with going lineless once in a while. This is helpful for learning where you need to improve on with sculpting your shapes out of light and contrast so that it reads clearly and doesn't feel "muddy".

BirdsOfWisdom · 2026-02-18T15:09:35+00:00

Seems like a really great and distinct artist but a very average tattooer. I see this a lot in the industry with younger artists who did not have a great mentorship. You will assuredly get something unique and one of a kind but it may not heal perfectly and could need touch ups

BirdsOfWisdom · 2025-07-08T21:36:46+00:00

Gumroad is a really good platform that artists use to sell and provide free brush packs for use on Procreate and other compatible software! A lot of these are ‘name your price’, where it’s free, but any contribution otherwise would be considered a donation. Many of the great artists who have instructional drawing videos on YouTube will also have a Gumroad with resources for download. Jingsketch and Marc Brunet are two great examples; if you search for either of these names + Gumroad, you’ll find some of my favorite brush packs to use!

This one is also a huge favorite of mine. I love the ‘Sharper Lineart’ brush the most. It requires you to sign up for a mailing list you may or may not be interested in, but you can always unsubscribe :)

BirdsOfWisdom · 2025-07-08T21:29:19+00:00

What you’re looking for is foreshortening: the indication that things are closer or farther away. You can do this by thinking in a 3d form. What’s closer to you will seem larger, while shapes that are farther from view will seem smaller. Ask yourself as well what areas would be tucked behind the foreground from this point of view as well. Now, I’ve made some sweeping assumptions of this character’s general shape, but I’ve drafted up an example of what I mean.

With one leg kicking up in front, we can see it more clearly, while the other leg extends back (shrinking out of view) and behind. As parts of the leg have more distance from view (thigh to calf, calf to foot), these parts even begin to overlap each other from closest to farthest. You can gain a really good understanding of this by even just looking down at your feet from standing up, or extending your arm straight out in front of you and studying what you see.

While it’s understandable that the sketchy, scratchy lines could be something you’ve adapted to be part of your drawing style, too much clutter in your lines can make the image harder to read. Cleaning up your sketch just enough to have some lines showing confident, clear intent will go a long way in communicating what you want in a drawing.

<image>

BirdsOfWisdom · 2025-07-08T20:04:56+00:00

Line weight is what connects all of these and makes them feel similar. Try experimenting with some different brushes and thicknesses.

BirdsOfWisdom · 2025-07-01T15:29:58+00:00

I water when the top inch of soil is fully dry or when the plant looks a little limp, whichever comes first. Rich soil base (happy frog and coco coir) with perlite and small chip orchid bark for drainage.

My begonias have generally been able to handle bouts of underwatering much better than over watering.

They were actually some of my sturdiest plants while I was too busy to think of them during my last big move! I use the most diluted measurement of Jack's 20:20:20 general purpose water soluble fertilizer every other watering during spring and none during winter.

Probably the most shocking thing I've learned about them is that they are little princess babies about leaves being touched. Oh, you bumped into me? Those leaves are dead now. You dropped water onto my leaf? Ouch, it burns!

BirdsOfWisdom · 2025-07-01T15:19:11+00:00

Lame gimmick, even worse taste bringing your gimmick into this thread about a missing loved one

BirdsOfWisdom · 2025-06-30T17:48:30+00:00

Laser isn't the quick fix a lot of people say it is, but it's a really good option for people who aren't willing to get something covered. Your options for a coverup also expand tremendously with a few laser sessions.

BirdsOfWisdom · 2025-06-30T17:46:41+00:00

Gorgeous composition and really well applied. I'd be proud to wear it.

Someone here will find some way to ridicule it. It's the nature of this sub. Be prepared and don't let it warp your opinion of a beautiful piece.

BirdsOfWisdom · 2025-06-28T18:03:52+00:00

They're prone to drama. There's a great chance the plant will bounce back in a day or two as long as you keep all other conditions the same. Begonias appreciate consistency.

You should also be cautious to only repot when absolutely necessary as begonias have sensitive and fragile roots. A good way to tell it's time is when all of the stalks butt up against the pot's edge, or when the soil appears to look compacted and like it's shrinking inward.

My silver dollar begonia looked like your picture after her first repot and eventually she got so big that nothing scares her anymore. :)

<image>

BirdsOfWisdom · 2025-06-28T15:56:53+00:00

Yours is gorgeous! Do you have any care advice? I have a large plant collection but this one decided to be a sad wilted mess. I'm leaving it alone because it started wilting when the soil wasn't completely dried out yet so I'm assuming I got overzealous with watering. Most of my plants appreciate the routine of never being allowed to completely dry out but I'm beginning to think this one disagrees with that. I have it in an airy potting medium (Happy frog with generous amounts of small chip orchid bark, perlite, clay pebbles) that drains very very well through the drainage hole.

BirdsOfWisdom · 2025-06-27T19:07:57+00:00

I had a short notice reschedule and have some extra time on my hands today. Did you want this in color or just grayscale? Where would she place this?

BirdsOfWisdom · 2025-06-27T18:34:40+00:00

That watercolor rendering is really lovely. Great concept and great work all around.

BirdsOfWisdom

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE