*Bzzt Bzzt!*

Armin here with exciting news!

It may have taken much longer than its creators may have intended but the very first entry in the new Maiden in Disguise universe is finished and up for sale.

I also have it on good authority that fans of Hardcore Leveling Warrior, Solo Leveling, Sword Art Online, will find this fresh take on gender bender isekai manga quite enjoyable.

Let me tell you all about it!

What is Gender Bender?

For those of you who are new to the Realms that contain anime and all its various tropes (Generally, Realms Athus 5 through 14), “gender bender” — though it does roll off the tongue oh-so-easily — may be a little bit of a strange concept.

Basically, gender bender manga are stories where the main character switches gender! Sometimes it’s accidental, like when being reincarnated into a different world after being hit by a truck (why is it always a truck?). Or, it’s a misunderstanding, like when other characters don’t realize their friend’s outward appearance doesn’t match who they actually are.

As you might expect, this genre tends to be fun, light-hearted, and full of the good-natured, slice of life shenanigans that arise from the delightfully awkward situations of all involved. And, more often than not, they lead to some very wholesome romance! (*wink wink*)

What is Isekai?

Oh yes! While we’re at it — What in Eotera is this “Isekai”? Thankfully, Isekai exists not just in your Realm of Athus 8, but on Athus 12, too! Oddly enough. Ah, here I go again, digressing, as usual.

Anway, “Isekai” comes from Athus 8’s Terran Japanese word 異世界 which means “different world, parallel universe, or alternate dimension.” And yes, it is pronounced exactly as we’ve been saying in Terran English.

Isekai manga is an extremely broad genre that often goes hand-in-hand (or, tentacle-in-tentacle; we don’t discriminate here) with quite a few others — like adventure, harem, combat, and horror. Whether it’s reincarnation via an automobile induced demise, getting trapped in an online video game, or stepping through a closet that’s a portal to a land ruled by a divine lion, you’ll find realities unlike your own just tantalizing you to get lost in them.

It’s no wonder isekai graphic novels are some of the most popular stories in existence at the moment! If you haven’t read one yet, it’s about time you did.

Maiden in Disguise — Gender Bender Isekai Manga with TWO Stories in One!

Maiden in Disguise: New Game is not your typical graphic novel!

Without giving anything away, perhaps the most unique thing about our favorite new story is how the main plot follows the adventures of two completely different characters in two completely different worlds, but who are still essentially the same person.

And best of all?

There are quite a few other things that are different about Maiden in Disguise.

A Manga with a Surprising Twist . . . with a twist!

Right from the beginning, Maiden in Disguise gets its first twist right out of the way. It’s no secret that the world-famous icon Elrynd Aggronar, the strongest character in the most highly watched and played VRMMORPG on Eotera (Luminarion: Legend of Worlds), is actually played by an individual named Elianna Adelaide.

After deciding to reveal herself to the world after years of hiding behind her enigmatic digital alter-ego, her debut into the spotlight of the real world of her reality leads to some unforeseen consequences. Especially as shadowy forces in both worlds conspire to potentially nefarious ends.

And, unbeknownst to her, perhaps she wasn’t very clear to the public on exactly who she really is . . .

Weak MC vs. Overpowered MC

Isekai manga stories generally follow one of two tropes:

1. Either the Main Character (MC) is overpowered from the get-go, easily accomplishing all their aspirations and cutting through swathes of enemies with barely any effort from day one.
2. Or, they start off extremely weak and have to fight tooth-and-nail (or, fang-and-claw; we don’t discriminate here) to get to their overpowered state by the end of the story. This can be more thematically satisfying than the latter, but can end up feeling anticlimactic as the MC easily overcomes their final obstacle because, well, they’re overpowered by then.

However, Maiden in Disguise: New Game asks:

“Why not both?”

Elianna Adelaide and Elrynd Aggronar are polar opposites. One is weak in her world and the other is strong in his. But, is that really all there is?

That’s the fun of a story! You’ll just have to read to find out.

Besides, as far as we’re aware, this is the only gender bender isekai manga out there that has the main character constantly living life on both ends of the gender spectrum.

How is the Maiden in Disguise manga similar to Hardcore Leveling Warrior?

In the Webtoon Hardcore Leveling Warrior, Ethan Gong is a downtrodden and luckless individual in the real world who is best known in the game Lucid Adventure as the cocky and invincible character of the same name as the story. As Hardcore Leveling Warrior, he stands peerless above all, snickering with his ever-present sneer at all beneath him, until an unfortunate event sends him straight back to level 1.

Maiden in Disguise draws a lot of inspiration from this popular Webtoon, what with how Elrynd also shows no mercy to the noobs who seek to dethrone him from his #1 spot and there being a simultaneous game/real world story. Elrynd and Ethan would probably make for good friends, except, you know, they wouldn’t.

However, in Hardcore Leveling Warrior’s Lucid Adventure game, all characters stay consistently unilateral in their gender across both worlds. Plus, while the game is exceedingly popular, its in-world events aren’t exactly widely observed by the outside world.

Plus, Maiden in Disguise: New Game aims to be considerably less dark than Hardcore Leveling Warrior can get at times, while still preserving tons of awesome action scenes (or so I’ve been told).

How is the Maiden in Disguise manga similar to Solo Leveling?

The overpowered MC trope is best experienced only after witnessing how that character reached that peak after tons of hardship and suffering. And Solo Leveling’s Sung Jinwoo is one of the best characters to enjoy that adventure, as he goes from the weakest E-rank Hunter barely clearing Gates to the planet-decimating OP MC that makes even Nation Ranked Hunters quiver in fear.

Unfortunately, once Sung Jinwoo reaches a certain level of power, he quickly becomes too powerful and basically all of his battles become, in a word . . . boring. Oh, don’t get us wrong. The fights are exciting, beautifully drawn, and Sun Jinwoo is hotter than any man has the right to be, but combat manga loses a certain amount of thrill when battles are extremely one-sided. No matter how gorgeous the fight scenes are illustrated.

Maiden in Disguise: New Game aims to be a gender bender manga with OP MC that is never quite that OP, if you catch my drift.

Luminarion: Legend of Worlds, the MMORPG game in Maiden in Disguise is one in which even the most powerful of characters (*cough* Elrynd *cough*) are ever invincible. And, a little cleverness by even some of the weakest of players can go a long way.

How is the Maiden in Disguise manga similar to Sword Art Online?

Sword Art Online (SAO) is arguably not an isekai — depending who you talk to — yet it’s the anime that largely popularized the genre in the modern Athus 8 Realm. And, it’s also the one that made the concept of being stuck in a video game world or reincarnated into one super vogue (sorry, .hack//Sign).

If you don’t already know, the Sword Art Online story follows Kazuto Kirigaya, AKA Kirito, as he logs into the game synonymous with the anime’s name. Shortly after many other players log in, they quickly learn from the game’s enigmatic creator that they are now stuck in the world of Aincrad until the final level of the game is beaten. And, of course, that they’ll die in the real world if they are killed in the game world, or if they are disconnected from the game for any reason.

It gets pretty heavy sometimes, for sure.

Maiden in Disguise has definitely got the like-real-life VRMMORPG thing. And while both stories do an excellent job of blending the separate lives of the characters in each of the worlds together, Maiden in Disguise does its best to be much less traumatic, while still maintaining high stakes via other means.

Plus, Elrynd Aggronar is, in our completely biased opinion, much more of a convincing badass character than Kirito. Sad, black-haired loners need to move aside for the cocky and jacked dragonman about to take over!

Where to buy Maiden in Disguise: New Game

If you’re looking for a new gender bender isekai manga to read, you’ll definitely find lots of enjoyable tropes being satisfied with just the right amount of unexpected subversions.

Our professional recommendation on where to get Maiden in Disguise: New Game on Realm Athus 8? (That’s where your Earth is, if you’ve forgotten where you exist in the Vast Realms of the Multiverse).

You can buy the book here:

https://promos.eotera.com/

However, you’re not quite ready to buy the actual book yet, you can read the manga as it becomes available for free on our Manga Page.

The post Maiden in Disguise — Gender Bender Isekai Manga with a Surprising Twist appeared first on EOTERA.

Unprecedented times are upon us all.

If you’re like many of the other individuals otherwise affected by the outbreak of COVID-19/Coronavirus around the world, but can still breathe normally (or breathing at all), you’re likely one of the luckier ones. My prayers are with everyone, especially those in Italy, and back home in the United States.

There are people literally dying right now from something we seem to have little likelihood to control any time soon. Things are probably only going to get worse, before they get better, over the next few weeks. It’s scary to say the least. And, unless you’re one of the brave souls on the frontlines fighting this disease, you and I have one priority. Just one thing to be as helpful as possible:

Stay the heck home.

The trouble is, of course, that now many of our jobs and businesses are in dire threat of going belly-up because of no one leaving their homes, and because of mandates forcing non-essential businesses to close.

What are we to do, then?

Well, probably because of the effects of pervasively runaway capitalism, many of us feel that we aren’t valuable unless we’re being productive in some shape or manner. Or, something like that. I try not to think about it much. Gives me anxiety.

So, my point is that many of you are stuck at home, and probably wondering how you can be as productive as possible. Especially if you’ve waiting to have more time on your hands to focus on personal projects.

Well, this may not have been how you were hoping to finally have all that time, but . . . here we are.

Might as well make the best of it, yeah?

I went ahead and wrote a quick article on How to Stay Productive During Quarantine for my sponsor, Wacom, on their website:

You can read it HERE.

Just as well, I went ahead and made a quick infographic for you all, which summarizes the main points: (feel free to download it)

Being productive during quarantine is important, but so is the overall health of our global community.

Please, please, please stay safe, and stay strange.

God bless you all.

The post How to Stay Productive During Quarantine: 5 Tips appeared first on EOTERA.

You may have heard about all of the things going on because of the CV (No, not “curriculum vitae”)

I wanted to give an update on our situation and all. And, though the title is a bit of an exaggeration, it’s also not far from the truth. But I mean, there are people who have actually had their lives ruined because of the corona virus. It is a bit scary, but all things considered, we are safe and prepared for it if anything escalates any further.

Here is what is currently happening in Japan because of the corona virus. Yes, Schools are closed for the entire month of March. And yes, people are freaking out about the toilet paper. But, the “world will run out of TP” thing is a myth. Stop buying more then you need. It does more damage to the economy when you freak out. Most TP is not even made in China, so chill.

The best thing to do right now is to stay calm and avoid the general mass of people. You can still go outside. Just try not to get on a plane/bus or go to big parties. Be sure to keep clean and don’t beath in people’s coughing.

However, if things had gone to plan, my husband and I would be on Ishigaki Island, which is the most southern, secluded, and tropical of all of Japan’s Okinawa Islands, snorkeling and getting way too sunburnt. But, alas, we had to cancel everything for our (and everyone’s) safety.

But, either way, time passes and now I am one year older! 25 years old now.

It’s crazy to think about all of the dreams that I thought I would have had accomplished by now. It’s a strange feeling, but I suppose most everyone feels this way around this age. We all just figured in our late teens that mid-20s would just be . . . different. Hard to describe, really.

Either way, I am reassured that I at least am not dwelling on things and just sitting still.

Perhaps my biggest determination right now, besides the GIGANTIC project of relaunching my current comic series, is beginning the storyboard of my next series. This story is what was my FIRST inspiration when it came to becoming a manga/comic creator, and it is the closest thing to my heart. It came before Maiden in Disguise, though it happens afterwards chronologically. And, I promised myself so many years back that I would at least begin working on it when I turn 25.

So, I will!

In at least as much (or, as little) as is realistically possible; to see it slowly come to reality as all things do.

Last year was a big one, though! From my first ever successful Kickstarter, to publishing another book, stepping out of my comfort zone with YouTube, to moving to Japan. It was stressful, but awesome! ????

Despite the year starting off with some unexpected pains and mishaps (I literally fainted at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve), there’s nothing that’s going to stop me. And, though my optimism is easily dashed at times, I’m doing my darnedest to keep my hopes up that all of the work we’re doing right now will pay off later this year.

Love you all so much, Family, Friends and Fans alike. You all mean so much to me. ???? 

Please keep safe and Stay Strange,

-Bitsy

The post The Japan Corona Virus Ruined my Birthday appeared first on EOTERA.

So in the town my husband and I live in rural Japan there is a cake shop just up the main road. Bonbon Maman has beautiful delicious sweets and kind people. The owner, Mari-San, helps me with my Japanese sometimes and is very sweet.

Over Christmas, we exchanged some little gifts, but this Valentine’s Day unexpectedly she gave us some of the expensive imported chocolates from France! ???? It was Sooo yummy!

I was so touched she would do something like that for us I got to work on this piece of art as soon as I got home!

I introduce to you the one and only, very first, Bonbon Maman Mascot character????????????

???????? I’m going to print it out in a picture frame as well as an apron and give them both to Mari-san soon! Stay tuned on TikTok to see her reaction!????

The post BonBon Maman appeared first on EOTERA.

As you may or may not know, my husband and I are 2 part creation team dreaming of big things from our tinny lil town in southern Japan.

It has been a challenge to gain the momentum needed to make a living off of Eotera, but as long as we don’t give up we will be seen one day! As a kid/teen I always wanted to do something important, to change the world for the better. To really help people. I believe our stories can and will do this! (✿◠‿◠)/☆

Right now my husband Aaron (AKA Asistaint Bean) works full time as an English teacher, helping me with my stories on the weekends and evenings. While I stay home to do the best I can to pump out comic pages, illustrations, and commissions. My wish is that one day I can support him just like he has supported me over the years.

Being small, shy, and award I have always had a hard time communicating with other people. Often I would imagine myself as an alien floating far far away from the boxes others happily live in. I was always alone in my own worlds, off on some grand adventure this mundane planet could never give. I still often have a hard time really connecting with people and fell overlooked online and in real life. 

But I know now that I am not alone, there ARE people out there like me. Few and far between, other aliens walk this earth. 

Eotera is for all, yes. But it’s for them first and foremost. The forgotten, the overlooked, the lost, the wanderers, and the wonderers. 

Embrace your oddities, and let’s be Stranger(s) together. <3

I truly hope you stick around, donations or no, I want you here. Big dreams come true every day, and with your love and support soon it will be our turn. All of ours.

Stay Strange,

Bitsy

The post A Bit About Us appeared first on EOTERA.

I’ve been remarkably silent on here for the past few months. And, well, my only excuse is that these past few months have been the most hectic of my entire life thus far.

But, in a very good way! Yes, a good way indeed.

If you’ve been following me since around this time last year, you know that I’ve been working double (may triple) time on my Visitor Guide to Eotera, and it’s finally, finally . . . finally finished! Like, completely. Also, like 3 months ago now (* heh heh*).

Here it is:

Assistant Bean was instrumental in fleshing out all the small details, and it truly would not have become what it is if it wasn’t for him. So, make sure you send him your accolades. We’re super proud of it to the say the least, and we hope you like it very much.

Also, much in the same vein, the third book in my ongoing Maiden in Disguise comic series is published too! Lookie LoooOOOOOoookie:

Doesn’t that look absolutely amazing all put together like that?

The collection is starting to come together. I can’t wait to see what it all looks like once MiD is completed. Which, I’m suspecting will be around 15-20 volumes.

And, finally, what may be the biggest news of all:

I’VE MOVED TO JAPAN.

Yup. All the way across the planet.

It’s been crazy.

Even though I’ve been relocated for almost two weeks now, pretty much the last 2 months have been nothing but preparing for this move. And, now that I am actually settled and back to work, I finally feel like I can post updates again. I even had to put Maiden in Disguise on a bit of hiatus to keep up with life’s demands.

Thankfully, it’s been posting on auto here, but after next week it’ll be in symmetry with all of my online portals. So, it’ll be good having everything caught up now.

Additionally, I also launched a new YouTube channel to document me and my husbands misadventures throughout this magical country. It’s called Japan in Tandem! (Hokie, I know). But, we’re having fun, and it’s super enjoyable to create content like this. Here’s my debut video, documenting my travels around Tokyo and dealing with Social Anxiety in the world’s biggest city:

Well, that’s all for now.

Thanks for sticking around, Strangers.

See you soon!

The post BIG Announcements & Updates: Eotera, Book 3, and Japan appeared first on EOTERA.

As of this past month, I’ve been drawing exclusively with Wacom products for just over five years now.

And, now that I’m a Sponsored Creator, I figured this would be a good time to give you all 5 Reasons Why I love their products. Yes, I may be a bit biased, but I assure you that bias is very well-founded.

Here is what I have experienced:

Long Lasting, High Quality Products

If you’re going to be drawing on something for hours upon days, upon weeks, upon months, upon years, over and over and over on a single screen . . . You’re going to want something built with durability in mind.

In all those years I’ve used my original Cintiq, I’ve never once had a single issue with it. Neither the software nor the hardware have given me a single hiccup, which has allowed me to focus on creating, rather than worrying about the integrity of my product.

Exceptionally Well-Designed Pen

Over the years, I’ve tried out a few other products, and something that constantly puts Wacom above these others is their trademark pen.

Designed to minimize hand fatigue to practically zero, you’ll never feel any sort of cramping or excessive tightness even if you’re a full-time (or greater than full-time) artist. With their updated Pro Pen 2 now actually having its weight centered at the tip, the ergonomics have only gotten better.

While some other brands out there have decent software/hardware combos, most of the time you simply feel like you’re using a bulky stylus, which just doesn’t feel good at all. I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to be holding something for a cumulative total of years, I want it to be comfortable.

Powerful Screen Displays

Many digital artists, when they first begin their journeys, are usually stuck using simpler drawing pads that lack a display. What this means is you have an mouse-pad looking thing that attaches to your computer, which allows you to use a special pen to draw with more precision and detail. Wacom makes an excellent version of this called the Intuos, which is perfect for those looking to try their hand at digital art. But, there are plenty of artists (many much more accomplished than myself!), who actually prefer this set up.

However, what I find makes Wacom the BEST is the powerful screen displays of their upper level products like the Cintiq, Cintiq Pro, and Mobile Studios.

Immaculately designed for exceptionally fine work and detailed designing, the sensitivity of these screen displays offers a connection to your work unparalleled in just about any avenue. And, like I’ve already mentioned, the durability of this screen is top-notch, which means if you take care of it, it’ll never dull or lose its smooth surface.

Friendly People

This one is less about the product, and more about the individuals at Wacom themselves. I’ve always firmly believed that a company, no matter how good their products may be, is only as solid as the stand-up people who work there. Thankfully, over the past couple years, I’ve been able to build up a personal relationship with a few of them at the Portland Wacom Experience Center. To say their friendly and supportive would be an understatement.

Plus, their online and phone support will always be helpful with any issues you may experience, which will be minimal anyway.

New Features You Want and Need

Lastly, Wacom is a company who exclusively focuses on digital artistry. As such, their products reflect their mission and singular purpose. They’re not worried about adding unnecessary frills simply to make extra sales by appealing to everyone. What they’re going to do is make a product that is exactly what the digital artist, both aspiring and professional, actually want and need.

If you’ve been a loyal user of Wacom, you know exactly what I mean.

—

Are you looking to begin your journey as a digital artist or webcomic creator? Or, do you need an upgrade to your current set up?

Check out what Wacom has to offer on their website:

https://wacom.com/en-us

They frequently have sales going on where you can save $100s, and they ship out their products quite quickly so you can get started ASAP. Plus, their newest release of the Wacom Cintiq 16 is a perfectly affordable, entry level pen display for those needing the next level item for their career.

I hope this was helpful and informative to you.

Until next time . . .

Stay strange, strangers!

The post 5 Reasons Why Wacom is the BEST appeared first on EOTERA.

Wacom has really outdone themselves this time around.

When I first started my journey as a digital artist 5 years ago, I remember saving up 100% of my paychecks from my first job at RadioShack for over six months in order to pay for my first drawing tablet, the Cintiq Companion Pro 13 HD.

Thankfully, I still lived with mom at the time (this was right after graduating high school, leave me alone haha), so this was much more achievable. Clocking in at a price tag of $1,200, it was definitely a bit of a doozy when it came to dropping some change on product. Which is still definitely a very real barrier of entry for those looking to get their foot in the door with digital art pen displays.

Which is also exactly why the new Cintiq 16 is such a game changer.

At almost less than half of the cost of my original tablet, an aspiring artist can finally say goodbye to their pen tablets and begin using actual pen displays:

Speaking of the display, that’s what I first noticed about this new tablet.

There’s just something about a product being bigger and sleeker that makes it very much feel like a legitimate upgrade. Although the Cintiq 16 is only 3 inches bigger than my original tablet, it seems so, so much larger, which also allows me to feel more connected to my work. Plus, if you’re the kind of individual who doesn’t exactly have the best posture in the world, that gigantic screen is going to have you less hunched over for hours on end, and therefore feeling less tight and constricted by the end of the day.

The stand!

Oh my goodness, the stand. I could almost go so far as to say that the stand made for the Wacom Cintiq 16 is my favorite thing ever. Most stands tend to fall into one of two categories: Either it is solidly attached, but doesn’t adjust much, or it adjusts a bunch, but feels a bit flimsy. This has the best of both, with none of the bad! This stand goes from a very comfortable slant good for those working on lower tables while seated, to nearly ninety degrees for those who prefer more standing positions. And, like I said, it takes up very little space overall since it’s attached to the tablet itself.

Additionally, I don’t know whether this was intentional or not, but with the stand attached, the cords for the Cintiq attaching to your computer fit perfectly behind it, making it a very efficient, minimalistic design.

As soon as I started playing around with the tablet itself though, what I noticed next was the improved Pro Pen 2. Wacom has taken the time to take what was already a solid, well-made pen and somehow made it feel even more comfortable and smooth. I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to be holding something for over 8 hours a day, I’m going to want it to feel like it was made for my hand. Which is exactly what this feels like. With its weight centered at the tip, you’ll notice how it keeps the fatigue in your hand non-existent, even with hours upon hours of daily art practice.

Literally the only complaint I can give, is that the new Cintiq 16 does not come with any programmable buttons. This is something I’m quite used to having from my original display, but is also something you can easily overcome, especially if you work with a laptop computer. Ctrl+Z, anyone? Anyone? You know what I mean.

Overall, I would say the Cintiq 16 is the perfect option for the highly committed beginner who has a clear vision for how he or she wants to progress.

Its design is with this individual in mind, mainly because you honestly will never truly “outgrow” this product. Pen tablets are great for those who are simply dabbling in the craft, but having the tangible and instantaneous reactiveness of a display is what helps continuously inspire greater and greater aspirations. Once you’ve got this Cintiq in your hands, you will notice right away how having such a high-level tool already gets you itching to make better art.

If you want to see what I mean, why not watch the attached video above?

In it, Assistant Bean and I walk you through many of the features of this tablet, as well as give you an interesting perspective to glean from.

Have you ever wanted to see how a new product compares between a professional and a beginner? That’s what we help you see and understand, as each perspective has its unique value.

I’ve only had it for less than a week already, yet I’m already excited to see how this fresh device accelerates my abilities and production.

Want one for yourself?

Make it yours here:

https://wacom.com/en-us/products/pen-displays/wacom-cintiq

For the same price as a plane ticket across the country, you can start making your digital art career dreams a reality.

Let me know if you need any help.

Until then . . .

Stay strange, strangers.

The post The New Wacom Cintiq 16: The Perfect Pen Display for Dedicated Beginners appeared first on EOTERA.

I’ve got some really big, great news to share with you all:

I’m now a Sponsored Creator with Wacom, the largest producer of digital artistry tablets in the world!

As part of my recent sponsorship with them, they sent me a brand new Cintiq 16″ tablet to use and review. I have yet to actually use it yet, as Assistant Bean and I have been finishing up the Visitor Guide to Eotera this last week, but I did make an excited Unboxing Video:

Give it a watch to see what’s inside!

And, look forward to some more Wacom-specific content in the near future.

Want to get one of your own Wacom Cintiq tablets?

Check out Wacom’s products here:

https://www.wacom.com/en-us/products/pen-displays/wacom-cintiq-pro-16

At only around $650, it’s quite the steal of a deal for the above-entry-level artist.

The post Big News: Wacom Sponsorship & Cintiq Unboxing Video appeared first on EOTERA.

If you’ve been reading some of my blogs here, you may remember how I talked last year about the fact that I can’t draw. If you don’t remember, I’m not going to talk too much about it here, but you can see what I mean from this previous blog, pointedly titled:

I’m Bad at Drawing

But, to summarize, I’ve never had what you would call a “natural talent” when it comes to making shapes, colors, and lines come together to create pictures in what could be conceivably be called art. Oh sure, if you were the encouraging type of person, you would say my first attempts at drawing people “weren’t that bad.” But, you would be forgiven for thinking “they’re not very good, though.” Because it was true! It’s not something I’m ashamed of. Here’s something I drew back in 2009 when I was a 14 year old high school freshman, and first truly began my journey as an artist:

See what I mean? Not very good, eh?

Thankfully though, I did actually have some very encouraging people in my life, who supported my desires to improve as an artist. But, if you haven’t learned this already, progress tends to come much, much slower than any of us would prefer. It took me awhile to learn this, and it was frustrating to say the least. The sooner you can accept this fact, the more content you will be with all the learning you will need to do.

Fast forward five years to 2014, when I had finally saved up to purchase my first digital tablet (A Cintiq from Wacom), and began venturing into digital artistry:

Wow! That’s a bit of a jump, right?

Though, also still amateur looking. Don’t get me wrong, I may sound harsh on myself, but I also tend to be my own harshest critic.

And, believe it or not, I am still quite happy with this piece for one huge reason. It was the first piece of art of this sort that I was legitimately proud of, and didn’t feel afraid of showing people. It really was my pride and joy for awhile.

However, it most definitely was not the final product I was looking for.

As I stated already, progress takes much, much longer than we’d hope. And, it would be another 5 years later to the present day until I had a style that consistently satisfied me, my own harshest critic:

That’s quite a bit better, yeah?

Yeah, I think it is.

Well, that’s all I wanted to share with you today, honestly.

If you’ve recently just begun your journey of becoming a Splendid Artist™, don’t you dare ever, ever, ever, ever give up! It may seem super hokey, but that’s really all it takes. Ok, it’s 90% of what it takes (not an exact percentage.) You’ve still need to practice! Unless you’re some ridiculous prodigy, or something . . .

I wish you the best.

Stay strange, Strangers!

The post 10 Year Art Progress appeared first on EOTERA.