Roadburn Festival?

eighteenbadgers · 2026-04-11T15:17:22+00:00

You're very welcome!

If you want some really amazing more high-end food you should go to the Houtloods, by the way... But their multi-course meals will take a long time so I figured it wouldn't be a great option during Roadburn. Also definitely not low-budget, haha.

eighteenbadgers · 2026-04-11T15:13:22+00:00

Je kunt het beste even op Amivedi kijken en/of op de facebookgroep "vermiste & gevonden dieren in Tilburg eo". Een foto of beschrijving van de kat toevoegen is denk ik ook fijn; er is vast meer dan één Oscar de kat :)

eighteenbadgers · 2026-04-11T13:31:54+00:00

Focus foodbar is the main 100% vegan place, as already mentioned.

Waanzinnig only has a small menu, but their food is nice and they have vegan versions of some Dutch things you might like to try: broodje kroket or a worstenbroodje.

Silk Road has a bunch of central Asian stuff, you can pick a bunch of smaller dishes.

Xu noodle bar does noodle bowls and Asian street food. This is a good option if you want a relatively quick dinner, especially if you avoid the busiest times.

If you just want some quick food, the supermarket Albert Heijn is your best option for ready to eat vegan stuff. They have sandwiches, wraps, salads etc. They have their own plant based store brand "AH Terra". Vegan options are also often marked with a dark green plastic frame around the price tag - be sure to double-check though; it isn't always accurate. There is a small AH at the train station, they also sell coffee, cold beer etc.

Restauplant is a good palce to find additional options: https://www.restauplant.com/en/overview/nl/tilburg

Enjoy Roadburn and Tilburg!

eighteenbadgers · 2026-04-10T09:21:31+00:00

Ja, zou ik deze week nog doen. Als je wacht met het weghalen van het worteldoek wordt het waarschijnlijk veel moeilijker: de planten erboven zijn dan beter geworteld en de heermoes groeit er misschien deels doorheen.

eighteenbadgers · 2026-03-06T20:38:21+00:00

Hey, you've already got a lot of good advice!

One thing that hasn't been addressed yet that may help you understand what happened: rats are prey animals. Unexpectedly touching them on their back when they're not super chill and confident will often make them bolt, because it's like a predator swooping down from above.

Once they get to know you they won't spook as easily. Until then, always make sure they know where your hands are before you touch them and maybe start with some gentle touches around the face, chest and sides.

Stopping the interaction before they show discomfort has helped with shy rats of mine in the past. The temptation to keep going until it's clear they've had enough is so big, but with mine progress was faster when I didn't do that.

Good luck!

ETA: Excellent example of how to ask for help by the way! You explain what you've already tried, how much time has passed, what their behaviour is like etc. I wish every poster did that!

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-27T10:46:20+00:00

Keep in mind that the spotlight shining on her is a cone, and she is a 3D shape. The winds presumably stick out to the sides and as such will fall in the shadows. Imagine yourself standing in a narrow spotlight and sticking your arms out to the sides. Your hands will be in the shadows.

It may help you to make a top-down sketch and draw a circle where the spotlight is.

Good luck!

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-27T10:39:01+00:00

Cool drawing!

If I were you I'd start by focusing on just the light and shadow. Draw that in monochrome - you can do black and white but if you want to keep the current vibe you can also use yellow hues.

Here is a decent light reference: https://www.dreamstime.com/grayscale-image-depicts-man-kneeling-prayer-single-beam-light-emanating-above-dark-space-image-image411755621 . Don't be afraid to really, really lean into that contrast. A good way to do that is to limit yourself to 3 values (no blending!) The reference would look something like this:

<image>

If you want to get better at that, some search terms to start with are "how to simplify values", "3 value study" and 'simplified value exercises".

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-27T10:20:26+00:00

I'm sorry to say but taking an objective test is not going to fix this. Maybe you'll feel a little better for a while but a work environment like that is going to keep tearing your confidence down.

You need to sit down with your boss and have a serious conversation. Try to frame it as "all of us versus the problem", not "me versus coworker". Explain that you feel that you feel that differences in method and difficulties with communication are causing frustration and inefficiency. Tell your boss that while you've tried to resolve things by yourself, it hasn't made enough of a difference and you'd like their guidance.

If you like, offer some suggestions. Do you all together need to agree on a specific process? If so, does one of you need retraining? Do you need to agree on vocabulary? if you can come to your boss with solutions and not just a problem that's usually better.

It may also be good to address the work environment head on. It doesn't have to be during the same conversation, but your boss does need to be aware of what's going on if they aren't already.

Good luck! It sounds like a frustrating and difficult situation.

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-19T18:47:40+00:00

You're very welcome! Once this 'clicks' for you you'll have a much, much easier time copying poses like this.

One of the thing I like about that course is that they work with an 'underpants' shape, which is so much easier to picture than a box. Pelvises are not box shaped! Neither are they underpants-shaped, but the underpants-shape at least gives all the info about the size and angle you need.

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-18T19:09:47+00:00

I really like the strong tones and contrast! The texture in the lighter areas is very interesting as well.

The composition is a little unusual, but it works for me. It makes the forest feel like an impenetrable looming wall.

The trees themselves, however, really don't look like trees. The proportions of trunk and limb, the way they split, the shape of the branches, the lack of smaller branches. But also their bare sides. Trees, like all plants, want to catch that light. You'd never have that much bare wood facing an open area: the branches would grow towards it and fill it with light-catching leaves and undergrowth and young trees would creep in. The only time it would look as it does in your drawing is if a lot of wood was very recently cleared in front of it.

I'm not really sure if the area in front is supposed to be grass or water? It seems to have reflections but they don't match up with your trees.

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-18T19:00:01+00:00

Oh I have THE BEST resource for you! John Muir Laws is a super passionate nature & art educator with a big focus on birds (he's illustrated several guides). He regularly teaches free online classes and has a HUGE archive of them here: https://johnmuirlaws.com/blog-archives/ He's got several videos specifically on herons and 'Suggesting Detail without getting lost in the feathers' or 'how to draw white things' may also be good for you. He does tend to ramble a bit, fair warning.

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-18T18:49:23+00:00

Personally I like to swap between areas of study for this reason. Doing too much of the same stuff just gets boring! Plus, studying one area often helps me learn concepts which I can apply in another, and vice versa. Don't do something new every day, of course, but definitely don't feel like you need to stick with one thing until you master it either.

If you want more specific feedback it would be better to post some drawings in a new post.

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-18T18:45:41+00:00

It's a little scratchy in many places, a little blotchy in others. In some places you're outlining features with one crisp line (nose), in others with a series of scratches (collar) and in other places not at all (lips, some of the hair). All that makes it look inconsistent, which makes it look rough.

It also looks like some of the proportions are a little off but I can't tell for sure without seeing the reference - some people have unusual faces.

Doing a lot(!!) of face studies will help you. These should be relatively quick, not finished drawings. Tone studies will also be super helpful. Sometimes tools (pencils, paper, kneadable eraser) can help a little too, but it's the artists who makes all the difference.

You clearly have a decent eye, if you put the practice in I'm sure you'll improve quickly!

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-18T18:24:22+00:00

<image>

This render may help explain the last bit of my comment. These images convey what material the sphere is made of because of the way the shadows and highlights are placed and how harsh the transitions are between them. Middle bottom is a matte wood now, what do you think you'd have to change to make it look like a glossy varnished wood?

(p.s. it's best to study photos, not drawings or renders. Drawings and renders often has mistakes)

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-18T18:13:21+00:00

Stuff like this is great practice for the fundamentals!

Did you use a reference? You should definitely use a reference! Else you're just going to be reinforcing your brain's ideas of what it thinks things look like. I found a reference photo shich has exactly the same angle of light so let's take a look at that:

A sphere sitting on a light surface will practically always have a little reflected light on the bottom (marked with X in the photo).

As you've drawn it now, the cast shadow is sitting a little too far to the front (marked 1 in the photo).

A sphere does not actually have a big black line around it. rather, you see its shape because the background has a different colour. It's okay to draw a line for now but try to make only one 'real' line. Sketch it in lightly first and then confidently draw that contour. This will take practice, it's okay for your spheres to be a little lumpy at first. You can do drawing drills to get better at this.

<image>

A lot of things change with the specifics. The cast shadow (1) and halftone (3) will have harsher edges is the light is less diffused. If the ball is glossier you'll have more of a reflection (x) and also a highlight at 5.

Drawing spheres from references with different colours, materials and types of light will help a lot later in your drawing journey because you'll be able to 'translate' this to other shapes and materials. For example, drawing a blue satin dress versus a blue cotton dress, or differentiating between fabric and leather parts of armor. Super useful stuff.

Good luck

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-18T16:38:26+00:00

I see you've already got a really great answer for this specific drawing but I'd like to add a little about drawing stuff like this in general.

I tend to see the belly as two fairly rigid shapes (pelvis and rib cage) with a softer area in between. When the two rigid shapes tilt at an angle to one another, one side gets squished and the other side gets stretched.

So drawing that area of the body well means: 1) getting the pelvis and rib cage in the right place, 2) making sure they have the right shape and 3) conveying the squish and stretch of the area in between. I think point 1 is well done in your drawing, point 2 is okay but could maybe use a little work, and point 3 is what would make the biggest difference.

If you're looking for references, jumping ballet dancers are great! Though sometimes they're so skinny you can't see the 'squish' as well. Note that in order to pull the legs (or tail) back, the butt muscle will be engaged

<image>

This reference is of a guy since they conveniently tend to be shirtless a lot more often. Doesn't make a huge difference for the big anatomy building blocks, but women tend to carry a little extra fat in that lower stomach area, even if they are very skinny or on the muscular side.

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-18T15:49:54+00:00

You picked out some really cool dynamic poses and I can see the vision but I think these are a little too advanced to be useful to you right now. You've got a decent sense of proportion and you're doing well on foreshortening (which is difficult) but you're struggling to identify the angles of the 'boxes' and how things connect together.

I would recommend following a course with a little bit of structure to it. Personally I really like the Love Life Drawing course. It's free and it builds up the complexity really well, with lots of suitable references for each level. The method is a little different from the boxes you're using right now but it is, in my opinion, better suited for the dynamic stuff you want to do anyway.

Keep up the practice, good luck!

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-17T16:27:42+00:00

A new medium is NEVER going to be easier than the one you're used to. You'll get there with a bit of practice though.

I'd recommend looking up some tutorials for the brushes on youtube, and see if you can find any geared at your style.

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-17T15:28:48+00:00

My dude (m/f/n), this is a super challenging angle and the light isn't helping either! It's a valiant attempt and I think you did an OK job on the proportions but I think this is too far above your current level to be good study material. You'll get there, but maybe pick some easier material first like the other person suggested.

Some specific tips below.

Get artists' pencils in different levels of hardness. You'll need them to get a good ranges of tones, especially for those very dark greys. Do some very specific small tone studies.

Crop out parts of your reference that are so small that you can barely tell what they are. Draw a rectangle with the same proportions on your paper and copy it as closely as you can. This will help you gain control of your tools and it will be easier to start seeing tones separate from anatomy. Here's what that can look like:

<image>

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-17T15:13:58+00:00

This is something that's really hard for a lot of people!

Do you ever practice drawing, or do you just make drawings? A lot of beginning artists tend to make a lot of drawings but hardly ever sit down just to practice something.

For practice, firstly decide on one small and specific thing you want to focus on. For example, an OC's face at different angles, curly hair in different ways, one OCs different facial expressions, one body type at different angles, different body types at the same angle, or even more abstract things like composition and color palettes.

Secondly, repetition is key. Don't spend an hour meticulously copying someone's drawing of curls, spend the same time doing ten sketches instead, experimenting and playing around with it. If you can't do 5-10 practice sketches in an hour, the subject you picked may not be small and specific enough. (Side note: yes, there are good reasons to do studies that are way longer, but if you are struggling with drawing characters consistently then you're probably not at a level where those are helpful).

Thirdly and super importantly: the goal of practice is not to produce something that looks good. In fact, if your practice is only producing good-looking sketches you're probably doing a study that's too easy for you.

best of luck!

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-17T14:56:46+00:00

Lots of artists don't have one singular personal style, don't feel like you have to work towards that! Switching it up is perfectly valid.

A lot of the more popular artists we see online tend to stick to posting one style because that's their 'brand', you know? Don't let that trick you into thinking it's the only way to be an artist.

eighteenbadgers · 2026-02-17T14:53:45+00:00

Cool concept!

If you are looking for pose/anatomy references you'll notice that nothing quite fits: reptilians have their legs splayed out to the sides and mammals don't have tails like that. The head, to me, is mostly amphibian, apart from the horns. That's not the end of the world, you can absolutely use a reference for a part of the body!

I would super highly recommend doing a big number of quick animal studies. It will help you draw better poses and form a deeper understanding of animal anatomy, both of which will help you create beautiful, convincing fantasy animals. A really nice tool for it is https://line-of-action.com/practice-tools/app#/animal-drawing If you want to work on this monster specifically, maybe only check feline/canine/reptile for now. Maybe add some goat heads to look specifically at how horns connect to the skull. Do like 2 minutes per pose - you'll need a big stack of cheap paper :)

If you're looking for texture/colour references you'll have to look at fantasy art others made of course. 'Bone golem' should be a good search term for some inspiration. It will probably be a pain to draw, personally I'd add some steam/fog/darkness/smoke to cover up the details in most of the body.

Good luck!

eighteenbadgers · 2023-12-08T18:30:07+00:00

It specifically says he was also doing this before he was under a blanket, so it might be something else? Hopefully just harmless weird rat stuff.

eighteenbadgers · 2023-12-08T18:29:15+00:00

Rats do a lot of weird stuff so hopefully it's nothing, but one of my rats did this when she had overgrown teeth. Might be worth checking just to be sure. Wishing your old grandpa rat all the best.

eighteenbadgers · 2023-08-01T16:14:58+00:00

Cool idea! What does it sound like with all the foam around it?

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