As I'm settling down to tackle a study of a bunch of cute hyenas. I figured now is as good a time as any to give a general update.

I'm having an identity crisis with my art, and I no longer really know what I want to do with it or where to go. There is a lot I do know I want to achieve, but with so few hours in the day, it often feels like I'm grasping at too much. There's some deeply personal things I want to draw, but then there are art fundamental pieces I want to do to practice that I never gave myself time to do.

Naturally, I've put it down as a vote on my patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/friday-poll-78480600

Last month I had them vote on which art fundamental to focus on, and Light and Value won in a landslide. Which has made it more of an imperative that I evolve from my superflat art style, and I'm pushing myself to head towards a richer blend of realism and the more stylistic habit I have. It's going to be a slow transition, and I'm going to be more patient and forgiving towards myself. I'm not going to promise quotes of X amount of work by Y amount of time, the past three years has taught me that's folly and I simply don't work like that. Every day I have new problems to take care of in my personal, family, and work lives. I don't think I'm going to have anything substational to show for the foreseeable future, its going to be a lot of boring groundwork. The exception is the korps video-game which is going to be a two-year commitment, and I'm unlikely to show anything except to a handful of beta-testers I trust.

Apart from the outstanding queue that I'm making painstakingly slow progress on, I no longer consider myself a commission artist. I have a part-time day job, and am going into part-time study, ontop of various other obligations and responsibilities in my life. Art hasn't been fun for me in a long time, and its not from a lack of motivation. When it comes to money and art, I've decided the best approach that works for me is tips and donations from people who like what I draw and want to see more regardless of what it is, or to offer suggestions on what I should do next. Suggestions that are abstract enough my mind can fill in the details a hundred different ways. After all, anything specific is really what commissions where about after all.

if you like what I've done, and want to encourage me. You can donate, also I recommend leaving a comment with the 'Title' of the illustration I did so I know to draw more of what you like or leaving a suggestion for future drawinmgs if I haven't tackled it before.

My Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/aberdorkunited

Some artist friends have supported me already by recommending me books, videos, and tools I can use. Others offered to give me live tutoring by streaming on discord. I have plenty of resources I want to make headway in, and I am also making some myself. I went around towns and cities since last month's poll to take snapshots of statues with different lighting from the day's passing, as well as hitting up museums to do the same. Everything just feels weird, and its like I'm a student again but its the first time I've felt I'm really applying myself to get better. Commission Clients also in their utter generosity that I'm thankful for, have encouraged me to maintain some hobbies, so I've stuck with learning new languages - Scots Gaelic, and French - and I've picked up chess after signing up to make a chess.com account. If you know me on telegram and discord feel free to ask me about either, as I've a study group for the first, and can link you my profile for the second to play against.