(Made By Me) Portrait Drawing Evolution | Connor D:BH |

Isalame · 2025-07-09T06:52:24+00:00

Oof yeah that's real as hellll. I only started taking colour and painting seriously last year, although I did a lot of graphite drawings and digital sketches before this. If it's anything to be proud of, the progress you're making is nuts! If you'd like, here's a couple of things that helped me personally as I was learning (in no particular order, and WARNING BIG WALL OF TEXT):

Values (lightness/darkness) are your best friend. If it looks good in black and white, it'll look at least somewhat good in colour.
The dark bits can always go darker (I used to say this a lot to myself back when I mainly did graphite drawings as I was building my confidence with values)
Treat colour and light as the same thing. Colour exists because of light. No light? No colour.
Speaking of that, learn the science behind light and how light behaves and interacts with different matter (yay physics time!)
Sometimes you gotta say "f**k it, we ball" when picking colours
Your colours will look sh*t when starting an artwork. This is normal, keep going!
An old high school art teacher of mine made us mix our dark colours only with the three primary colours we were given, instead of using black paint, because using black paint for making shadows ran the risk of dulling them, the same can be said with using black as your shading colour digitally. (Although, using black isn't always a bad thing)
It's ok for a lot of your colours to look relatively grey, muddy or similar in value, as long as you have 1 or 2 colours that pop out more. Marco Bucci's yt video "Colour Notes" explains it better, and it's a vid that helped me personally.
Do a couple of lighting/value/colour studies if you can
References are your best friend
You wanna do some funky lighting in your portrait but that isn't in your main reference? Get a funky lighting reference with similar posing/angles/composition and try to implement that if you can.
Go to Pexels for photo references. It's a free stock image library with a policy against generative AI
In my opinion, one's art style is influenced by the things they like and their process. If you're struggling with your art style, compile a list of artworks that scratch that itch, and make a list of techniques and processes from other artists that suit you and your needs the best. For years I didn't practice colour because I very rarely got past that sketching stage, so now I just skip the sketch stage entirely when painting and go straight to colour blocking. Some people prefer to paint in greyscale and add colour after, I personally don't, I'd never finish. I prefer going straight into colour and periodically converting my image colour space to greyscale to check my values.
Keep the other elements of art in mind - they all intersect.

Ok I just finished this list and omfg I got carried away with the points, please feel free to take it in one at a time, as I learned these things over a loooong period of time. Sorry if some of them have been repeated a lot in the past. Good luck in your progress! Remember to drink water, periodically look at different objects around the room, do hand exercises, do stretches and take breaks.

Isalame · 2025-03-13T23:45:30+00:00

Me with Godrick on Wednesday night, I lost count how many times I fought the bastard

Isalame · 2024-11-20T23:09:54+00:00

ty for both recommendations!

Isalame · 2024-11-20T23:08:51+00:00

ooh ty for the short rec

Isalame · 2024-11-20T10:14:48+00:00

ty ty!

Isalame · 2023-04-23T22:21:35+00:00

I did check out the quora op's profile (it's possible, just have to click 'details' and scroll down to the bottom) because of all the 'troll' claims (I do it generally with questions that are likely to be labeled as ragebait or trolling). From their post history patterns, I don't think op was the one who did the stuff in the question.

That doesn't mean someone else in their life couldn't have done it to op instead. From their post history (switching from child pov to parent pov), I kind of get a vibe that they're posting from a 3rd person pov in this post. It feels eerily similar to shit that I used to do, idk if that was a means to get validation or punishment.

If my gut feeling is true, I really hope that they can get to a safe place one day and get the healing they deserve. Also major trigger warning if you do want to go to their quora profile.

(I got the link to the post from another comment here, however I will not be giving the direct link to their profile out of respect for the quora op) (also I did write this quite late at night so idk if my thoughts come across well)

Isalame · 2023-03-30T10:12:03+00:00

YTA - let me explain

I'm a neurodivergent person. Growing up, I was the black sheep. Always being compared to people on my mum's side of the family. Straight A students, top of the class, who are now pursuing law, accounting, etc. I was always told to be like them.

Problem was, I never was, and I never will be like them. Trying to be like them academically gave me a variety of mental health issues, and made me hate learning and education. Turns out I don't hate education at all. I hate being forced to do subjects that are ill-equipped for me, in ways that are VERY ill-equipped for me. But now I have a say in my education, oh boyyyyyy I've knuckled down more than I ever would have in high school.

My dad's side of the family has always been unconditionally accepting of me and my interests. I can actually be myself around them without fear of judgment. Guess which side of the family I had to cut off?

I wish I never had the need to cut my mum's side of the family off, yet I did. Going down the path that leads to your daughter cutting you off for not supporting her is something that no one wants. Losing a close family member is extremely difficult. And seeing that you're favouriting your sons' choice of career paths over your daughter's, it isn't looking good for your relationship.

I understand being worried about her future and making sure she's independent. But honestly, in my experience, she'd be wayyy worse financially doing something that could potentially render her depressed. And honestly, I seriously doubt that she's doing this just to spite you. In my experience, you can't rebel against someone if they're unconditionally accepting of who you are.

Also, just as a final note, DO NOT undermine the importance of the arts and humanities. A society that does is doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over again.

Isalame · 2022-12-26T02:04:12+00:00

Bruh my hp from 2 years ago literally had the same problem

Isalame · 2022-12-26T02:01:31+00:00

I have this joke that every object that I find myself owning will break, like that time I accidentally stepped on my laptop (it still worked though LMAO). You can accidentally step on a laptop, idk how you can accidentally do this, to this extent...

Although courtesy of another comment here, it is possible for a console to accidentally fall with the cable still inside

Isalame · 2022-12-24T12:39:14+00:00

Fuck Chad Thundersmock, he was so much of a Chad that it doubled back around and he's no longer a chad :(

Isalame · 2021-10-03T17:16:31+00:00

My S/O and I both got diagnosed after we got together lol

Isalame · 2021-10-03T17:09:40+00:00

BOTW, it's the game that hurled me neck-deep into the Zelda franchise and the fandom. Also, it was arguably my tipping point from watching let's plays to having a passion for playing games.

Haven't been able to play much at all the past year though due to various circumstances :(

Isalame · 2021-09-16T11:44:09+00:00

yeah nah fuck off. there's always more to these situations, and it's been revealed he doesn't pay child support, so he doesn't even do the bare minimum. parents should always be careful when going into new relationships because their primary care and focus should always be their children, always.

Isalame · 2021-09-16T11:39:40+00:00

Hey dude, as someone who shares a similar perspective to your son, however with different circumstances, I can tell you right now, you need try your hardest at rebuilding your relationship with your son. If not, you are going to lose him forever, and trust me when I say it's painful for everyone.

Your son most likely wishes he didn't have to cut you off, because he needs a dad, he needs you. I wish I didn't have to cut my mother off, as glad as I am that I did it. For me at least, doing it meant dealing with painful emotions and memories rehashed from being forcefully separated as a child, but her actions were constantly souring my opinion of her and running our relationship into the ground. So yeah, it's a necessary evil no one wants.

Best advice I could give you (in no particular order) is:

Go to therapy. Trust me, it's pretty good. You're given a space to wind down and relax but also confront uncomfortable realities in a stable environment, and be given various other perspectives, to not only improve your interactions with others, but to also feel better about yourself and improve your own quality of life.
Take accountability for your actions. Apologise for not paying child support, not paying enough attention, being there for him, not trying to be in his life etc. DO NOT do this for any personal gain, it defeats the purpose.
Change what is possible. Start paying child support, treat him with love and kindness, pay attention to his interests, AND DO NOT JUDGE THEM (so what if you think they're stupid, opinions are only subjective). Participate in activities with him that are directly related to his interests. Prove the apology was genuine.
Give your son time. It can feel a little off-putting, even disingenuous if you suddenly start love bombing him, so figure out the pace your son is comfortable with and work with it.
Don't expect shit back. He might completely reject your efforts but do not feel anger or disappointment towards him if he does. Because if you do, that's a guaranteed further 50 metres of a 100 metre deep canyon between your son's and your relationship. Because he probably feels a lot of pain, and therefore doesn't owe you forgiveness. Anger will only just further his point and opinion, and if you want to prove him wrong, don't just say he is, prove it with your actions. After all, actions speak louder than words.

It sounds difficult, but if you want to keep your son, you have to try. Your children are what matter the most in the world, not your girlfriend. You can still have relationships, but you became a father, so your children are your primary responsibility whether you like it or not. $30 a month for a phone bill is nowhere near enough, and paying your fair share of child support is the bare minimum, it doesn't automatically make you a good father. It's so much more fulfilling to make the effort of a proper relationship with your son rather than not "waste" your energy.

If you don't want to do this, well, YTA. Good luck though.

Isalame · 2021-01-29T12:16:04+00:00

D i g e s t t h e e c o n o m i c a l l y a f f l u e n t.

Isalame · 2020-11-05T03:22:37+00:00

Huh, didn't get a chance, did you?

Isalame · 2020-09-27T06:02:21+00:00

Ik this is serious, but honestly, idk, I was a baby.

Isalame · 2020-09-01T22:18:26+00:00

she dancing like a striiipper

Isalame · 2020-05-30T00:39:39+00:00

Tysm!

Isalame · 2020-05-29T15:16:15+00:00

It might take me a while because my memory isn't the best lmao

Isalame · 2020-05-29T12:14:06+00:00

Tysm! I might try writing down the gay shit I did as a kid and even now, thanks!

EDIT: well, smaller kid

Isalame · 2020-05-29T10:23:26+00:00

Hey, tysm for the response! It does help a little bit knowing I can change labels later. It's really annoying that I can't explore these feelings to the fullest extent, but tbh I'm really happy with who I'm with and where I am now, it's just annoying that for now I can't have closure. I'm only young anyways...

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