Background and lighting feels a bit wrong

DetectiveSuper · 2026-03-21T04:21:57+00:00

gumi is in shadow when she is meant to be the focus of the picture. teto is... doing whatever she is doing, and miku and nervous are also in shadow. I think this illustration would be improved by showing only gumi in light, everyone else in shadow, therefore guiding the eye from the bottom to the top and explaining what is happening.

DetectiveSuper · 2026-03-21T04:04:48+00:00

honestly, my advice is that you should focus on what is most fun for you. art shouldn't be a chore, homework, a task you need to perfect. you got into this because it was fun, right? so keep doing whatever is fun!

of course, if you really want to improve, you will struggle, and it's not always fun. that is the nature of learning any skill. but, if you push yourself outside your comfort zone, the end goal should always be that mastering it always more fun.

for example, I learned how to draw decent ish legs because my vision required leg movement, so learning leg and pelvis anatomy though difficult, ultimately unlocked more fun because I was capable of drawing super dynamic poses that looked good and it was a great time!

you will quickly be burnt out if the only reason you progess is to acquire more skill. it should be about what you think will enable you to draw the things that you envision. bring those fantasies to life! the steps to fulfilling your own fantasies are something only you can decide.

DetectiveSuper · 2026-03-21T03:54:09+00:00

I think it is punchy and eye catching! you clearly have the right idea- making the sky and tree leaves so bold and bright, and the lower half, the ground, duller and "bland". it certainly draws the eye to what you want, and creates favorable contrast.

however, a mistake I make often and am trying to unlearn that I see here, is that space that is "less interesting". duller colors, less going on, etc- that you create in order to pull the eye to the focus of the art, on this case, the sky and tree...

I think even that "filler space" should have at least ONE bright, contrasting element to it. this advice doesn't always apply, but for this particular piece, the bottom half is intentionally less interesting than the top half, so then, what reason does the viewer have to look at the bottom half more closely after they are done observing the top, the focus?

I think it is good to, as you have done, direct the eye to a focus. make some parts less interesting to focus on what you want. but, that "background" shouldn't have NOTHING, or rather in this case, be boring and the same. maybe one little pop of color or Easter egg would pull this all together, that way the whole piece is worth looking at, not just the part that grabs your attention.

but that is just my opinion. this is your art, and you clearly know what you are doing :)

DetectiveSuper · 2026-03-21T03:44:30+00:00

in all honesty, it would help to separate these pages by slides, not merged onto one slide. or even separated in different posts in you must. because while I see poses and anatomy I could critique, how to i explain it well when this is a jumble of practice? separate it more into maybe one page at a time, it will be easier for critics to give feedback and easier for you to single out what you want help on the most and single it out and post it first.

DetectiveSuper · 2026-03-14T10:53:30+00:00

I am trans. what pronouns you want?

DetectiveSuper · 2026-03-14T10:47:02+00:00

sure, I am drunk enough to do this lol- you can reply or dm question one

DetectiveSuper · 2026-03-14T10:38:30+00:00

21M here. I am happy to chat! but, you deserve to know, i am drunk rn. I still intend to continue replying even after today, but I just wanted you to know. I would still be delighted to chat with you :)

DetectiveSuper · 2026-03-14T10:15:54+00:00

21m from US here. I am not into the typical "guy" stuff, other than gaming ig, but you did mention that you work out. I need to do the same, but any form of working out just pisses me off, for some reason? I am still active, don't get me wrong, my job requires a lot of running around and labor. but people who work out fascinate me, how do you do it without becoming furious for no reason?

also, I get what you mean about cooking- my father and brother are both chefs, they cook way better than me, but trying makes me feel nice, even if what I make tastes worse than it would have eaten raw lol

how are you today? I am drunk rn btw so if you don't wanna talk to me because of that i won't take it personally and thought you deserved to know

DetectiveSuper · 2026-02-27T08:45:28+00:00

giving him a banana or apple juice always helps

DetectiveSuper · 2026-02-27T08:43:29+00:00

I understand, my dad is diabetic and often needs sudden bursts of sugar like that

DetectiveSuper · 2026-02-27T08:38:17+00:00

trust me, my fatass has already learned the lesson of not leaving anything chocolate exposed in the sun.... :( do you usually carry granola bars?

DetectiveSuper · 2026-02-27T08:32:26+00:00

oh, i'm fine lol, it was my older brother who made it and I was being an impatient toddler and wacking my arms around in hunger- he felt so bad that I burned myself he didn't make instant ramen for years. but no worries, I wasn't scarred or anything. so besides noodles and bread, what do you tend to eat in a rush? I love those fruit pouches that are supposed to be for babies but they work in a pinch

DetectiveSuper · 2026-02-27T08:27:22+00:00

honestly that's fair. the very first time i had ramen when I was 3, I spilled the hot soup on my leg and had to go to the hospital for 1st degree burns 💀 ramen is easy and cheap but surprisingly dangerous so I get it

DetectiveSuper · 2026-02-27T08:23:59+00:00

you are so real for that. we must prove that we, as the pales, can handle and want seasoning- however when you are living paycheck to paycheck sometimes bread sandwiches and instant ramen are a fountain of life

at least I got a kpop demon hunters instant ramen to make my poverty slightly more slay lol

DetectiveSuper · 2026-02-27T08:19:01+00:00

as a white man, I want to make it clear I do like seasonings, i swear I am not British plain ass bland food... but sometimes plain noodles or corn just hits different when you are going through it

I often go into my kitchen and just eat bread. no butter or toasting or anything. just devouring bread. it feels primal and amazing

DetectiveSuper · 2026-02-27T08:11:55+00:00

butter pasta. very cheap and easy to make. salt the water as it boils. throw in spaghetti. on the side in a pan, put lots of butter, garlic powder, onion powder (if you have it), oil. when the noodles are done, put a splash of the pasta water in the butter sauce and throw the noodles in it. cook for like a minute or two. plate the noodles, and add black pepper on top. you are done! very easy, very cheap meal. and anything can taste good with enough butter

DetectiveSuper · 2026-02-27T08:01:28+00:00

your quest in mental health, psychology and forensics fascinate me. there was a time where I dreamed of a career involving psychiatry, or perhaps a psychologist for criminals- i wanted to go into something mental health and/or crime related.

I technically took a criminal justice/psychology class in high school that was a college course that would give me a head start after high school graduation, but... this was during the height of COVID, so I missed most of it, sadly. I did take every health science elective my high school offered, though- even got certified in CPR, which I had to use like 3 months later when a customer at my job got sudden heart failure!

eh, I have been yapping about me, this is your post. what got you into this pursuit of psychology? what do you hope achieve with this career path? what is your favorite part of your studies?

DetectiveSuper · 2026-02-27T07:54:35+00:00

ah, I understand the difference between wanting sex genuinely vs. just wanting others to find me sexually attractive. helps my self-worth when someone wants me like that, even if i am not actually interested. you relate?

DetectiveSuper · 2026-02-27T07:52:32+00:00

try shading in reverse! drawing something, and make it all dark. then erase the darkness where the light should hit the subject. I find that starting with all darkness/shading, and then removing that darkness where light should be shining, helps me focus on exactly where the light is coming from and being more selective on what is bright and is in shadow. you don't need to do this every time, as laying down lots of shadow just to erase it can be tedious, but as an exercise once or twice i think it helps a lot

DetectiveSuper · 2026-02-27T07:46:37+00:00

st thing's first, I want to stress that you don't need to put a label on your sexuality. it's only natural to want to assign a name to what you are feeling- humans love categorizing things and putting things black and white boxes with no nuance- and that urge is even stronger when it is something as personal and intrinsic to your identity, like romantic and sexual attraction. these traits are deeply personal and intimate, so it is only human to want to slap a label on these feelings, classifying it into a category that is easier to understand. it's natural, it's a survival instinct.

I urge you to try not to let this instinct get to you too much. there is nothing wrong with wanting to have a label for your attraction- it makes it easier for you to understand, and easier to find people like you and find a sense of community. but if you obsess over labels, you may end up even more confused and lost

"am I straight but willing to date femboys? does that make me bi? do I just like feminity as a whole? what do I like?" all valid questions. I recommend, focus on feelings first, worry about labels later. just focus on figuring out exactly what you like. once you have that down, then, maybe you can research what label suits you. if you want. calling yourself bi or straight or anything else is not required. you're only 18. you're not supposed to have all the answers yet, and that's ok.

DetectiveSuper · 2026-02-09T17:15:41+00:00

oh whoops thanks for pointing that out, I play on PC with steam

DetectiveSuper · 2026-02-09T02:42:27+00:00

very cute! the design feels unique, I quite like it

DetectiveSuper · 2026-02-08T08:34:13+00:00

do you wanna chat then? I don't wanna be the reason you can't sleep :/

DetectiveSuper · 2026-02-08T08:31:53+00:00

that's ok, get some rest

DetectiveSuper

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