Inconsistency or just growing pains

[LCT_m_a_d]

Firstly, I should preface this by saying this by acknowledging thst I'm grateful that my series is doing very well in terms of reader support considering how little content I've put out. This isnt about "not getting enough feedback". In fact my concern is sort of the opposite.

My goal with this series was to leverage the one empowering and consistent feedback I receive in general "You give really thoughtful/helpful advice". So I kinda figured my art was only going to be meaningful if I took advantage of that. And surprisingly people actually seem to support the project.

The problem is that my drawing skills as a whole feel super-inconsistent. But people tell me now they like how the art style transitions from tooney to more solid as the story progress.

This feels definitively like my first ever relatively successful art project, and now Im kinda not sure what I should be doing or learning...(aside from "just keep drawing and improving").

Is my art transition normal (im experimenting with semirealism and that seems too dangerous)
Is my style best when inconsistent and transitional?
Is the original idea purpose being lost in lucky tactics?
Am I supposed to be developing from certain things that are consistently right? (Im doing ok, but need to do better)
Am I developing skills but not putting them together?
Am I just missing something?

If it helps, my goal isnt to make art for a living or get a job at a comic studio. I just really wanna make art that has a powerful and empowering impact.

[LCT_m_a_d]

The series in question is

Exit_Success! | Tapas

[rajillustration]

TBH I thought the art transition was part of the telling of the story, and completely on purpose. The two styles are so similar except in color that it's hard to even say they're two different styles. It just looks like the same character in different lighting.

[LCT_m_a_d]

Yeah... purely accidental, I should be grateful it worked out that way this time considering the script.

The fact that the character looks like the same helps a lot.

[spadedigsbutts]

Tbh I see even the best artists struggle with their “style”. A lot of it has to do how artists are hard on themselves, as well as how Improvement tends to be...wonky. The best way I’ve seen it be described is that your eye and your hand are never developed at the same time ie technical skill with your technique might not always be at the same level as your own critical eye for identifying key fundamentals (anatomy, color etc.) and vice versa. As long as you keep drawing there should be improvement but if you’re really not feeling it and it’s been a while then just return to basics and do some studies. That’s the advice I’ve usually gotten when I’ve had experiences similar to yours...hope this helps!

[revisionstudios]

This may come off as totally rude, and I apologize in advance, but I see no difference in your style from page 1 to page 3.

Maybe it's because the harsh shadows are covering it up, but really I see nothing discernibly different. Just like someone else said, there's harsher lighting, and that's really not a style change. Even the way you painted the shadows are the same.

And frankly, you're not going to see a real shift until you've done tens or hundreds of pages.

As for these:

Is my art transition normal (im experimenting with semirealism and that seems too dangerous)

... What about it is dangerous?
But also, there's really no "normal". Artists shift and change as they gain different influences or direct themselves in different ways, and there's no right or wrong answer here.

Is my style best when inconsistent and transitional?

I think this is a matter of preference. Overall, it's cool to always see people improving and experimenting, which inherently comes with some inconsistency. But there are a lot of really successful artists that have nurtured a way of communicating in their art and they build a living off of drawing very consistently because it's what they're known for. Neither is bad, it's more about your priorities as an artist.

Am I supposed to be developing from certain things that are consistently right? (Im doing ok, but need to do better)
Am I developing skills but not putting them together?
Am I just missing something?

I'm honestly not sure how to answer these. I think you're digging a little too deep into the philosophy or what the shift "means" rather than just exploring it organically. Try not to overthink it so much!

[LCT_m_a_d]

Thanks, I didn't find it rude in any way. For the purpose of the question it's re-assuring that the style adjusted more than changed the direction.

I know most of these questions are heavy but I figured since it's better to reach out to the community rather than needless struggle over nagging thoughts and worries.

[revisionstudios]

Oh, I don't have a problem with heavy questions at all. I guess they sounded more like anxiety questions, which in my personal experience, can ultimately drive me mad instead of being helpful. I totally understand wanting to talk about it though.

But no, I don't think your style suddenly changed direction.

I don't have enough exposure to your work to know if you're missing something or not developing certain skills, but if you need a direction to go in, I would say visual readability. Sometimes it takes me a few seconds to figure out what I'm looking at, when it should be immediate. I would suggest implementing more hard edges and contrast, maybe get away from using the air brush quite so much!

[LCT_m_a_d]

Yeah the clarity has always been one of my Achilles heels (dozens of instagram posts), I tried to go much harder on page 3 with the edges and use negative space better but it's just been something I've never gotten right.