i guess somewhat of a ramble before i go to bed

anybody who’s known me in my early stages of posting art online (we’re talking like…maybe 2002-2003 era sans the two or so people who’ve known me since 2001) knows that i used to have like the least amount of confidence that i would ever develop something recognizable. I was stuck in this bullshit anime ripoff phase that i know a lot of artists influenced by anime often found themselves wading in for their early art years as well, but i guess i took it hard since i managed to latch onto some artists who were roughly my age at the time and were levels above me and instead of letting it motivate me, i let it crush me most of the time

Around 2003 i discovered entervoid.com and got really dazzled by the sheer amount of talent that was concentrated in this one nurturing site where comics artists (a few who are now comics bigshots and rightfully so) just shared critique and did comics and art and it was just great and i stuck around for a damn long time (and need to get my ass back into the fray and making more comics, but i digress) and made many wonderful friends and inspirations there as well

i then started discovering corey lewis’ art around like…2004 or 2005 and really did everything i could to break out of this stiff mesh of dragonball z and outlaw star style i found myself cramped in, and it was rough for a damn long time. But i managed to latch onto different artistic influences as well, namely artists such as Hiroyuki Imaishi, Felipe Smith, Eiichiro oda, and the several amazing friends i have made over the years who pushed and inspired me and just managed to be such amazing friends and influences to me, and continue to do so (i would namedrop but i’m running on fumes right now and on the verge of passing out, but i love you all!)

i don’t think it was until about early or mid 2009 that i managed to really think i had finally achieved a style of my own. Granted my various influences are evident in whatever mesh of styles i experimented with in the past amalgamated themselves into presently, but it’s still something recognizable. It’s taken me a really damn long time and i’m still trying to improve with everything i draw, but dammit it just feels really good that someone can see a picture of mine and be able to recognize it as a work of mine

i’ve still got a long way to go to reach a lot of my artistic dreams but at least i was able to grab onto one of them early on

i don’t know if i planned to just keep rambling or add words of encouragement or if this post even means anything more than a self-jerkoff but i guess i just feel like its something i need to see and acknowledge when i get into fits of artistic frustration 

i guess this can be counted as a lesson in always trying different styles and being patient with developing your style but i’m no lecturer so i dunno. it’s probably moreso a thanks to everyone who’s ever managed to touch the creative part of my brain and force me into finally having something that’s distinctively mine