CSVidal Draws

Art blog of CSVidal '93 | ♀ | Portugal When will my motivation return from war?

[csvidaldraws]

Notice

This blog is currently inactive. I am still on Tumblr, though, and will keep using my sideblogs.

For my art, writing, and games, you can find me using the links below.

Website * Instagram * TikTok * Threads

[csvidaldraws]

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This was meant to be a commission, but since the commissioner sent me a fake payment notice, I have appropriately titled this piece "Scammers".

If you get commissioned by some Instagram account named CallunChilds, beware.

[csvidaldraws]

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Trying out a lineless style. The guy's hair is inspired by pictures of bioluminescent jellyfish. Have you seen some before? Personally, I find them beautiful.

[csvidaldraws]

What websites/platforms can artists even use anymore? Honestly, I feel like there aren't any where one can try to build a following.

Tumblr is sort of dead for artists. Completely dead if you are not a fandom artist. I'm lucky to get two or three likes on a post.

DeviantART is dead, period.

Twitter I never used because of the terrible layout, word limitation and lack of customization...and now it's also dead.

Instagram was the best bet before they changed the algorithm and app to only care about already popular posts and video formats. Now it's dying for artists.

ArtStation was never welcoming to anything that isn't high-end digital concept art.

I have never been able to build a following anywhere, and now I feel like there aren't even places to try and do it anymore.

And I have been trying for so many years. I used to think I couldn't get followers because my art wasn't good, but nothing changed as I improved. I have tried changing the way I use tags, engaging with other content, minding my pages' aesthetics, whatever the guides say. Nothing has ever worked.

It has made me resent making art. My art skills are better than they have ever been but I struggle to even finish one piece a month because I am so jaded. I discard all ideas before I even pick up a pencil because the concept is not "interesting" enough, not complete enough, not enough to stand out on any social media.

And before someone sees this and tells me to "just make art for myself" - I do. That's why I haven't 'sold out' to drawing popular fandoms I have no interest in. That advice is still naive because one can't make a living without a following. And is it really so hard to believe art is meant to be shared?

...I won't even get into the depressive spiral one can get into when considering the rise of AI art. After all, this was meant to be a question and it turned into a whole rant. Will people see it? Probably not. In case anyone does...feel free to rant along. I am sure I am not the only one living this.

[csvidaldraws]

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Aesthetic portraits based on my favorite drawing motifs, part two - halos. 💫

[csvidaldraws]

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I'm making aesthetic portraits based on my favorite drawing motifs. First one is creepy eyes. 👀

[csvidaldraws]

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Designed a character inspired by the pokémon Banette. Banette is a discarded doll that becomes a spirit out of spite, and seeks the child who abandoned it.

[csvidaldraws]

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Khloros.

[csvidaldraws]

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I'm so tired of trying to think of interesting illustration concepts and end up drawing nothing, and I have finally snapped. I'll just draw cute boys with flower crowns and whatever else I like most. Trying to get out of the comfort zone is overrated. Just drawing is better.

[csvidaldraws]

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This cute angel guy and I wish you a merry Christmas!

[csvidaldraws]

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Red-themed portrait of my original character, Alexis.

[csvidaldraws]

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[csvidaldraws]

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Portrait of a new character.

[csvidaldraws]

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A “Star Wars”/”KOTOR”-themed illustration of Revan, inspired by that TikTok trend with the song "Hell's Coming With Me".

You can see the animated sequence version with matching music on my TikTok page. Tumblr was not cooperating on the video uploading front, lol.

[csvidaldraws]

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I am once again drawing Ashe Trevelyan, my character from “Dragon Age: Inquisition”, because she is the best. Her freckly skin is very fun to paint. That armor is NOT a joy to draw, though, and this was the result of the third time I had to restart the final drawing from scratch. I should have gone with her casual outfit, but it wouldn't look as striking. Decisions.

[csvidaldraws]

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Designing new outfits for my characters so they look better in black-and-white art is an interesting exercise. Soft, comfy clothes for Nathaniel.

[csvidaldraws]

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Since it’s May and the #mermay challenge is currently going on, here's a merman version of an ocean-themed character I designed a while ago.