It's been kind of a while and I'm working on Solas stuff once more.

After about fiveish drawings that just didn't get there for me, I think I'm on to one right now.

The next big project is going to be converting one of the designs to an isometric sprite. I've never been especially well disciplined in this regard, but I think I can do it. I'll keep steps posted as I move forward. With the help of AI, I'm pretty sure I can do this. There's several indie devs that inspire me; I can do this. I just need to make something exist. So right now, we're starting simple.

...but before I can even do that, I have to get used to drawing Solas again. I'm leaning toward the blue tabardy one, but omitting some of the details. It's actually not that bad to animate, and it's nice and bright unlike the black one.

Still, slow burn on this. Not like I have a bunch of free time.

9000 page hits. 50 submissions. 180 favs.

I really just pitch this stuff into the void, IS2G.

So it seems I need to rethink my strategy to tags because I can't find my most recent Solas drawing when I type in slime.

Y'know, it's not that I hate the holidays exactly, it's that I hate how everyone loses their mind and what feels like should be my time OFF gets filled with obligations.

And I don't mind all of those, but I do mind some of them. For instance, going to church for Christmas. I've heard the Christmas story from probably fifteen different pastors. I don't really subscribe to the notion that listening to someone talk bolsters my faith in any sense because I've already thought through all that and worked out what I want and expect from having faith, why I have any, etc. But I get dragged off to that service every year.

I could go on the church rant here, but I won't. It's also the obligation of how I spend time. We had a discussion-mom misses my absolute least favorite part of our family Christmas experience-sitting around for three hours talking and drinking coffee. I hate coffee. I'm an introvert, and for me it was always 3 hours of sitting there trying to get a word in edgewise and being cut off every time.

I don't hate the holidays, I hate the nonsense.

There used to be comments on things. Or actual views on art.

In the last two years, my pieces pretty much max out at 70 views. Now whatever you want to say about that is fine, but I used to post things to around 400 views and the quality was much worse. There were enough faves that it didn't seem like I was just showing it to empty space.

I mostly do this for fun and to meet people, share interests, and do the occasional commission for a little extra money... but it's just sad now. Sad and so empty.

Y'know. I just love making characters. Both their personalities and their designs. And lately, I've been really working with reference to make my character designs better.

I just... I dunno. It's hard to find reference for male characters I want to make, even using the various photoshop tricks to twist proportions and such. Like right now, I'm trying to make a borzoi character, and building the pose with reference has just been hellish so far.

It's a challenge at the moment. I think I'm leveling up my Artist Eye at the moment-y'know, that part in the drawing process that sees things and then interprets them so you CAN draw them. If I had to guess, that's the most stunted part in my skill set, and it shows in kind of annoying ways.

Ah well.

I can't be sure it's the same group of people, but almost all of my images I've posted of late have 32 views on 'em, so I'm guessing it's the same people.

I just wanted to say thank you for checking them out. I appreciate it a ton.

So I think I'm gonna' try to do one journal a month. And try to keep the damn things short and to the point. You're welcome! [Insert Maui]

If you're interested, I'm taking commissions! They run $60 for a black n' white sketch to around $200 for full color, full render work. Multiple characters will change the price, backgrounds may change the price-depends on intricacy and all the like. Message me for full details.

Moving on!

I have a few things to post this month that are going to be interested. More work for our Fae Fox Fren, but also more work in general. Some personal things-one of which is looking really hot IMO, and something for another commissioner.

Hey everyone! I'm SolasSlyM3 and on top of being a slimy fox thing, I stream games, do art, and will talk to anyone!

I'm looking forward to getting some more commissions rolling and putting up quality art going forward! I'll be doing a solid mix of scifi and fantasy with an aesthetic that's not quite anime, but definitely not western animation! I'll be throwin' up some silly stuff as well!

I'm also scrapping an old account and user name, so you might see a few things from  LazarCotoron on here, but don't worry-they're mine. It's just time to drop that old user name once and for all! ...it's good to remember your past, but there is a time to make an effort to leave it in the past, and now is that time and place!