blake kathryn
d e v o n
Three Goblin Art
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DEAR READER
Andulka
Stranger Things
we're not kids anymore.
if i look back, i am lost
tumblr dot com
KIROKAZE
i don't do bad sauce passes
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pixel skylines
Mike Driver
One Nice Bug Per Day
Kiana Khansmith
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taylor price
Origami Around
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@tkwmatsu
Where to Find Me and My Work Now
I’ve made a small website for my works.
It’s an art gallery and blog where I’ll keep adding new pieces at my own pace.
Tumblr feels much quieter these days, but if you still visit here, thank you.
You can find me (and my new works) over there. 🎨🐢 https://torigoyamon.com/
Summer 2025 Activity Report: Character Facial Sculpting Course
Last term, I took Anatomy for Production at CGMA, a course focused on full-body anatomy sculpting in ZBrush. This term, I continued my studies with Character Facial Sculpting, which explored the anatomy of the head and face. For thumbnail's sake, here's the final result:
Weeks 1–4
We began with an écorché study from the head down to the shoulders, learning artistic anatomy in depth. One of the highlights for me was understanding the structure of facial muscles and fat layers in detail... it completely changed how I observe the human face.
(Sorry in advance for the slightly graphic image below, but it’s a crucial part of the process!)
Weeks 5–10
In the second half of the course, we applied what we’d learned to sculpt a portrait of a person of our choice. I chose South Indian actor Arjun Sarja, someone I wanted to sculpt for a long time... all the reference materials I’d collected over the years finally put to use.
We also covered retopology in Maya, hair creation with XGen, and skin texturing and coloration, so the workload was quite intense but rewarding.
Week 5: Rough blocking
Week 6: Retopology in Maya (actually the most challenging part!)
Week 7: Sculpt refinement
Week 8: Polypaint and texturing
Week 9: Hair creation with XGen, I went with a short hairstyle since long hair can be quite demanding.
Week 10: Final rendering
Before the final render, I made a few adjustments to improve the likeness and gave him a shirt because the bare torso looked a bit awkward.
I think I managed to capture a fair bit of Arjun’s personality and presence :D (I also posted a turntable video on ArtStation if you’d like to see the full result!)
An unexpected turn of events
Near the end of the term, we were hit by unexpected news ...CGMA’s parent company had closed CGMA. It seems there had been issues behind the scenes ever since the company was acquired about two years ago.
Fortunately, the servers stayed online long enough for us to complete the course, thanks to our instructor’s dedication (most likely unpaid). Because of that, I was able to finish the class, though it was a bittersweet ending.
Instructors this term: Lectures – Dmitrij Leppee Instructor – Mario Cortez
Usually, I’d feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of a course like this...but this time, it’s sadness. I’ve been taking CGMA courses for several years now, and the sudden closure feels like losing a creative home. (Also… really hoping we get our refunds for the next term soon!)
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Thank you for reading this far! It’s been a challenging but fulfilling journey, and this October marks exactly one year since I started 3D sculpting. I’ll keep pushing forward and continue improving. Thank you for your continued support!
Jizo: To the unseen child
In Japanese Buddhism, Jizo (Sanskrit: Kṣitigarbha) is a bodhisattva believed to protect children, including the souls of the unborn and the deceased.
↑Look closely...
Learning that Jizo originates from the Vedic earth goddess Prithvi, I gave him/them subtle feminine features.
While this may not be my flashiest work, I’ve always wanted to create something personal...something that holds sorrow, longing, ache, and a sense of hope.
Fudō Myōō: The Immovable
Part 2 of my "Emissaries of Mercy" Series. Here's my reimagining of Fudō Myōō (Skrt. Achala = The Immovable), protector of the Dharma in Esoteric Buddhism.
I wanted to sculpt him not only as a wrathful deity, but as one who suffers, for those who resist being saved. He pulls, not to bind, but to bring back. And he will not let go.
His wrath protects—but look closely, and you’ll find his sorrow.
This was actually my first time exploring UV mapping and texturing on Substance Painter. Looking forward to doing more painting on the sculptures!
Bodhisattva Sculpt: Water-Moon Avalokitesvara
This is my latest ZBrush sculpt of the Water-Moon Avalokitesvara (水月観音菩薩), reimagined in a moment of quiet reflection during a mythical journey westward.
Inspired by both Far Eastern and Gandharan Buddhist art, this piece is my attempt to bridge traditions across time and geography.
As I wrote this, I found myself looking at a world map, amazed at just how far philosophy can travel. Here are some studies of existing Buddhist artworks I did before working on the sculpture. I hope you like these too :)
Sleep and Departure
Here’s my latest project, an original figure sculpting inspired by Greek mythology.
Forgotten by the living, quietly awaited by those ready to rest. He greets the soul...here, a drifting moth—with a hand not to take, but to guide. Not feared, but remembered.
As usual, I also have additional renders on my portfolio site if you'd like to see alternative shots or a close-up of the adorable moth. https://cara.app/post/cedf24f7-f218-480e-be31-b880f48f1d6a
Still, I carry you (Mermay 2025)
Here's the Zbrush sculpture I created for the Mermay challenge.
A merfolk who once loved a human now carries their memory in silence. ”Still, I carry you. I'll keep swimming, holding your memory close to my heart. ”
I have some additional renders on my portfolio site, including full-body views! https://cara.app/post/d279b031-7f77-44c4-8f82-c30b97c35648
Podcast S3: Ep1 Three Pieces of Art about Death
Art is Life
* The thumbnail for this episode is my study of painting ` Death and the Maiden` (1908) by Marianne Stokes.
Hello, this is Nisreen! Welcome to the first episode of Season Three of my podcast. It’s lovely to speak with you again.
The other day, I was searching online for a definition of art. Even though I identify as an artist, it’s difficult to define art because it depends so much on cultural context. One theory presented in an Encyclopaedia Britannica article resonated with me, though. It states, quote unquote, “Artists past and present keep alive for us humankind’s natural potential for beauty and power and help future generations to examine the fundamental mysteries of life and death, which we both fear and desire to know.”
Today, I’d like to talk about three pieces of art that explore these mysteries in profound ways: one painting, one manga, and one piece of literature. I hope you enjoy it!
Death and the Maiden
The Heart of Thomas
Death in Venice
Please find the script and related links on my blog.
Journal Entry #10 Less Fuss, More Focus
It’s been over two months since I started therapy, and I think I fuss less now over things I can’t control -- like how my works are perceived by others. Whether someone likes it or not is entirely up to them, and that’s something I have little control over. It took some effort to make that mindset stick at first, but it feels much easier now.
I also have a lot more energy to focus on the things I can control.
Like watching lectures and working on assignments. This term, I’m taking the Anatomy for Production course, which focuses on figure sculpting in ZBrush. We’re almost halfway through the term.
Honing technical skills is one part of it, but making sure I apply what I've learned in my work is another. I’m also working on a personal piece on the side. It’s great how the things I learn in class have instant application.
I like incorporating symbolic props into my storytelling (Sculpting the skull turned out to be surprisingly fun!). Making sure the theme reads clearly is another thing I can actively work on.
Hopefully, I can finish it before the end of May because... May :)
Journal Entry #9 Ramba Ral, Don’t Leave Me
I sculpted Ramba Ral, a Zeon pilot from the original Mobile Suit Gundam series. Here are a few more render variations from different angles on Cara.
The man kisses his lady love every time before taking off in his trademark MS-07B Gouf… This "ikeoji" is a guerrilla warfare expert and a total sweetheart. It’s so unfair. He can’t just leave like that—Episode 19 completely broke my heart.
I've been watching the original series to prepare for the latest Gundam GQuuuuuuX (which takes place in an AU based on the First Series), and now I completely understand why this franchise has been going on for nearly half a century. THE FIRST SERIES IS SO GOOD. And now I’m getting sad as I near the end... I’ve only got two episodes left.
Journal Entry #8 Daily Head Sculpts: Progress, Plateaus, and Plans
I still had a week before CG Master Academy’s Spring Term started, so I spent some time sculpting one head a day from scratch and imagination.
The goal was to establish smooth workflow, good proportions and believable anatomy...and I’d say I achieved that!
Day1
Day 2 (Starting to see some improvement)
Day3
Day 4 …and then I got bored.
Yep, I think I’ve hit a plateau. This feels like about as far as I can go on my own for now. I probably need to be in some kind of feedback loop—ideally with a mentor—if I want to keep pushing forward. I’ll be taking the head anatomy course this summer, so hopefully that’ll be the opportunity I need.
At one point, I did give likeness sculpting a try, but it still feels a bit too advanced for my current skill level. Hopefully, I’ll get the chance to work on that in the future as well. Here's my attempted portrait sculpting of Arjun (sorry for abandoning you midway, Arjun).
Journal Entry #7 Incorporating Practice with Fun
I really struggled with sculpting eyes in my first sculpture project. So this time, I decided to practice sculpting Alucard. I also figured out a way to make the eyelashes work! It’s a subtle touch, but I’m genuinely happy with how it turned out.
It took me a while to realize that not everything has to be perfect or polished. At this stage, I feel it's better to sculpt 50 rough heads than focus all my time on just one perfectly rendered sculpture (learned that the hard way in 2D art).
(I somehow managed to break the meshes on some parts...)
Mammalian Bonding
I am deeply honoured and grateful to receive a Merit Award from Upward Gallery! This piece aims to capture moments of connection across species, exploring the unspoken bonds that transcend barriers between humans and animals.
"I want to be a dragon."
Journal Entry #6 Reclaiming the Joy of Art
My ZBrush sculpture is finally complete, so I thought I’d share the renders here.
This is Jai, my OC—a man too intense for life, too haunting to ever truly fade. Even in death, he reaches for the one who was always his (Here’s the overview Carrd of their story).
I also have a few more render variations from different angles, including a backside view on Cara. Creating something that matters to me—perhaps only to me—has helped me deprogram the need for external validation and reclaim the joy of making art. That joy belongs to me now. Despite running into technical issues, I never grew tired of sculpting Jai. For the first time in months or even years, I can honestly say I enjoyed making art.
Therapy is making progress too, I'm learning to recognize unwanted thought patterns and replace them with something constructive. I think my well-being and the way I approach my work are very co-related.
Journal Entry #5 Finding Inspiration in Dance
Artists like me - if I’m even qualified to call myself that - make a series of conscious decisions to create something. It doesn’t just come from nowhere naturally.
Maybe it did when I was a child, back when imagination felt endless. But as an adult, making art requires a different approach, at least for me.
Lately, I’ve been gathering ideas and sketches for a sculpting project featuring one of my OCs.
I've been studying figure drawing through dances from around the world to expand my visual vocabulary on poses and body movement. The first thing that came to mind was Flamenco, particularly a form called Soleá. This style of dance embodies not just passion and power - the hallmarks of Flamenco - but also pain, sorrow, rage, desperation and death (which are all exactly the themes I want to explore).
These are some figure sketches I made from an outstanding performance by the legend, Antonio Gades. The music probably leans more towards the cheerful Alegrías side (please correct me if I'm wrong on this), but you get the gist. I almost forgot how much I love watching people dance. I’ve been a bit out of practice lately... But honestly, I don’t even need an excuse like working on a project to sketch dancers.
Journal Entry #4 Having Realistic Expectations
I figured the best way to get out of burnout is to draw something you truly enjoy. So here we are...Alucard from Castlevania: Nocturne. It was fun drawing him.
Probably not ready to jump right back into polished drawings or fully-rendered paintings just yet, but hopefully, I’ll get there eventually...
On a side note, my natural art style is considered somewhat outdated in my country, but it seems to work well within certain niche genres (like Gothic or Dark Fantasy, which I love). Maybe it's time to stop forcing myself to 'modernize' or cater to trends, and just let my style evolve naturally.
Suppose I want to allow myself to create whatever however I want truly. In that case, I’ll also have to let go of certain expectations... like growing a massive audience (let alone monetizing what I do) which is not art's primary purpose anyway. It’s a hard pill to take, especially when you struggle with low self-worth. But I’m working very hard with my CBT sessions to rely less on external validation.
