I'm honestly making this journal moreso for me than others, but I do feel a sense of duty and obligation to say this out loud, if not purely for transparency and honesty's sake.
I'm going to make some obvious statements in this Journal, but it'll feel better to finally have them out in the open, once and for all.

I can't draw fast anymore.
Truth is, I'm struggling to draw at all.
It's... a feeling, considering my entire career was established on my ability to be able to produce multiple artworks in a speedy manner.

I've been trying for months, and months, and months to regain my prior arting abilities. (Meaning, being able to draw for long consistent hours.)
It's not happening. In fact, the attempts are actively making my (drawing) arm situation even worse.
Each drawing session (when I'm trying to be speedy [i.e. my "usual" self]) has been gradually shrinking more and more. I can just barely, on a good day, draw for 2 hours. Before that horrid lightning bolt of white-hot pain shoots down my arm. (Part of me is suspecting potential nerve damage due to the nature of the pain - no confirmation though, and unlikely to get it.)
The pain, when it hits, is bad enough to scare me off drawing for several days at a time. I can doodle, and sketch, and loosely otherwise fuck around relatively okay... but the moment it comes to a piece that requires dedicated attention and quality standards (meaning, colored pieces, not easy scribbly sketches) I'm instantly on a time-limit. A time limit I have minimal control or say over, and it seems to be getting worse.

So... I'm throwing in the towel. You win, body. If this is what it takes to be able to keep drawing, so be it.

I am henceforth, officially and unquestionably, a SLOW ARTIST.
I no longer promise speed or efficiency, because I physically can no longer offer it.
I understand this is going to be a dealbreaker for some, and that's completely understandable. I sincerely hope you're able to find another artist who is able to deliver speedy, quality works.
That artist just will not, can not, be me anymore.

Henceforth, due to the fact I want to be able to keep making art without physically breaking myself, I will be approaching all artworks (paid or not) with a leisurely pace. Not out of laziness, but prevention.
This will result in me re-assessing my current commission prices and how I price them, as well as how I will generally take commissions/make openings. I have no solid details on these yet, but I will be as open and transparent about any decisions I make at the time I make them.

Well, ah... that's pretty much about the sum of it. :"D
Thank you if you've read this far, and I hope you're having a wonderful day/night!
Remember to drink water today! Until the next Journal! o/

What's the most attractive thing about art to you?
Is it [the] artist[s] style? Technical skill? Emotion/expression? Pose? Proportions? Colors? New/innovative concepts and ideas?

And tagging onto that, how does that tie in with which artists you choose to follow? If at all?
(And why?)

I'm very curious to read your answers! 👀🧐

I'm just putting this Journal up as a precaution.
If there ever comes a day where I need to provide my ID to access the internet, I will be disappearing until either: I've found a way around it, or, it's reversed.
Because, bluntly: fuck that. No, I'm not kowtowing to nanny state bullshit.

Now, do I think this will actually come to pass? Nah, not really. But with how stupid everything's gone... well, that's what this journal is for.

No other update otherwise. Just wanna make sure no one's left wondering in the worst case scenario.
Hope you're all having a great day/night!

I'm not deleting anything! Nor am I intending to; don't worry!!
It's all just going to be put in scraps, and current folders will be either deleted or reorganized.
Why am I doing this? Well, simply, I'd like a fresh start! I'd like to rebuild my gallery again into something that's more... me?
Don't worry, commissions pay my bills, so I'm still going to be doing those for a while longer at least.
I am, however, also going to be intentionally investing significantly more into personal and passion projects. I'm excited for it!