nondev

You know those people that barely leave their rooms and only seem comfortable with making online friends? Those extreme internet people that need to let the world know about the number of times they took a crap today?
SPOT ON that’s me, only backwards. I’m a lurker at best. I’m totally cool with real life and I’d love to spend my whole life THERE in the real world. Only it’s not that good an idea for an “artist” to abandon the opportunities that come with online marketing. Right? But I don’t want networking to feel like a chore. Right now, it does. As soon as I have work to do, I have an excuse to run off for months and feel free from the burdens of social networking. I don’t want this to be about marketing alone. I honestly want to feel excited about browsing and interacting and joining discussions!
I’d love to, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to do this. Somehow, it doesn’t seem to work for me. I feel people are so distant and I can't have the kind of contact I find in real life. Perhaps I only need some patience, practice and inspiration?
Tell me about the positive aspects of your experience on socializing online as an artist/art enthusiast. Did you make new friends? Got in contact with artists you admire? Took part in nice events you remember fondly? I’m interested in relationships and good memories, not “usefulness”. I know Internet can give me anything I’d ever need, but I want to start seeing it as a place full of real people, not just information.
I did make friends online years ago and it was great. I wish I could be more constant and actually be there with them, but I need to get rid of this stupid social media anxiety. 
Feel free to send me a note about this if you prefer that kind of communication!

Sooo
I'm starting to get serious about the networking thing. I published my first post on Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr today! You have no idea how long I've been procrastinating. It terrified me.  
Feel free to follow me on these accounts and please, share yours! I'll be happy to follow you back.
I appreciate all sorts of tips and tricks about these social networks, really. I'm a noob  

Find me on:
Instagram - a place for pictures of the traditional stuff I'm working on, live shots from my sketchbooks and inspiring places I visit. Expect occasional slice of life pics
Twitter - here I'll post my art and share anything I find useful and/or interesting. Art related, of course
Tumblr - finished pieces, wips and doodles (both traditional and digital) and some reblogging of inspiring art by others
Blogger - my "quest blog". Through a small set of self-imposed rules, it used to help me draw more and overcome my fear of exposure. That was two years ago. Slowly, it worked. Now I use it to post experiments and my thought process - yep, it can get wordy. It has couple pages for finished art too

Of course I'm going to post more into each of these during the week. One step at a time
Where do you like to promote and share your art the most?
Thank you for your attention!

Here's another thing that scares the crap out me: sharing something really great that's happened to me. I'm especially secretive about good news, which is stupid.
So yeah, something I failed to announce until now is that I'm currently living in Burbank, Los Angeles, since January 9^{th .}
Why? As I finished Nemo Academy, I received a scholarship. It consisted of the opportunity to attend Stephen Silver's Drawing Academy in Burbank for two months and the chance to make an artbook my Academy will print and showcase at conventions. That's what I'm working on at the moment!
So here I am. Burbank is lovely, green, quiet and an animation hot spot. It sure feels weird to walk around and see Nickelodeon and Disney buildings. The owner of my little, cozy apartment is the sweetest lady. I've visited Hollywood, Santa Monica and some parts of Burbank and downtown LA, and I'm only waiting for my best buddy to join me next week to explore more!

I'm attending the Character Design course and the Caricature Figure Drawing course. It's been amazing so far! If you live nearby, I definitely recommend them. I was a newbie at stylization: I was never especially interested in cartoony styles, but at the same time I always wanted to play with proportions and push shapes. It's been three weeks and I have improved immensely!
Stephen's input is doing a world of good to my quest for serenity and confidence. He's very interested in mindset and self-limitations. He thinks both happiness and fear are choices. I agree. 

I definitely recommend the experience to those interested in animation. And to those who just want learn how to put more life into their characters, of course.

That's it for today. I'm off to my inbox, so much good art to comment on~
Take care

I'm going to do something thats scares the crap out of me. Now. Here goes:
I had the pleasure of being interviewed by iwbageek. You can read the interview HERE

There. That was it.
You know, this didn't exactly happen a few days ago. Long story short, I'm horribly crippled by my fear of exposure. Not a good mindset for an artist, right? I'm terrified of coming off as a braggart when I show my stuff or share things about myself. Like my first interview here. When I get praised I feel like a cheater that's getting something undeserved. I'm stupidly afraid that my skill level could be seen as insufficient and doomed to stay that way. This needs to stop, and I'm actively working on understanding the source of this anxiety and overcome it.
Plus, in this case, it would be just nice of me to point you to the site so you can visit it! They feature artists, so go discover them Thank you again, Ryan. 

I'm going to face my fears this week. I'm starting a Tumblr and a Twitter account. I'm going to feature art from artists I love and never had the guts to contact.
I'm a silly little coward but I'll grow out of it.
Feel free to share similar experiences/states of mind. Let's encourage each other

So, I'm deep in the countryside right now. I log in with my painfully slow cellphone/router to submit something, which is always a scary process to me. And...
What a monstruous income of unexpected feedback mess-
Oh.
Thank you so much for the Daily Deviation! It's so... sudden! And wonderful
I'll reply to everyone as soon as I get back home in a few days. 
...seriously, you made my day! 

Now, might as well ask a question.
Here's something I've been meaning to ask for a while but I'm oddly shy online and I need to be on an adrenaline rush to do anything here.
We all have favourite subjects. And we all know some themes arouse more interest than others. 
How much does acknowledging this influence you?
Have you ever been afraid to embrace subjects you like but are unpopular outside very specific fandoms or niches? Like unattractive people. Old people. Bugs. Anthropomorphic animals.
Or: Do you avoid "overused" subjects or feel guilty about drawing/painting them?. 
Do you think the choice of subject matter influences the value of the art? Or the value of the artist?
I need input on this. I really want to discuss this and hear what others have to say. I might use the DA forum too.
Thanks for your attention. Have a great day!