What body types do you have the easiest time drawing? Hardest?

[beebutterbee]

Most of my friends have short stories written, and they’re like very dark horror so I think they’re too nsfw (not sexy times you know, but just like really harrowing stories) to link to in the forums lol. We are all pretty early in our careers so they’ve mostly published to fiction journals and magazine… BUT the one I can share is an illustrator of various graphic novels, she’s Robyn Smith. I think you’d actually enjoy her work! She’s a Jamaican illustrator. She illustrated The Wash Day Diaries.

Most of my friends are writers or illustrators, but I often feel sort of derpy because I’m so unknown but it’s because I haven’t shown my work out there yet. So yes, let’s reach for the stars !!

[Leyelle]

The Wash Day Diaries does sound like something I'd be interested in, I'll have to look it up. And don't feel bad about being unknown rn, it takes everybody time to get their work out there and it's crazy hard to gain traction as well. I understand how you feel though, cuz it can be hard when you feel like you're so far behind people your age or the people you know. But hey, at least you have a community with similar goals around you. That can be encouraging even if it is also discouraging sometimes, it sort of depends on the day I guess.

I think the important thing to remember is that everybody's journey is different, but where you start in the end doesn't matter once you reach where you were meant to be, it just makes a better story. Sort of like your hero training arc. It's always more exciting to read a story where the story has to work hard to achieve their goals than the one where the reach the end super quickly right? It'll just inspire more stories, I think. That's the reminder i used to comfort myself whenever I was upset about being in the 6th grade at 17. Even the moments that embarrass us or make us feel ashamed can inspire beauty.

edit: I looked it up online and saw several people's videos talking about your friend's book. Not too shabby. Somehow you've managed to guess my taste pretty well, cuz I am very passionate about representations of my diaspora's in media, so this looks promising.

[beebutterbee]

Omg yes I def like the idea that we’re still in our training arc Although it sounds like you’ve been able to get published before, even with the short stories that’s still really good! Don’t downplay your successes. I say that but I do the exact opposite for myself Guess I still got to build up my own confidence!

[Leyelle]

Aye, confidence is a fickle thing sometimes. But I know getting published has seriously helped my confidence a lot.

My writing is kind of how I prove to myself that I'm not stupid or slow despite what perceptions the world might have of me. If I can succeed at this alongside the people who have gone to college for it, or are years and decades older than me, then I clearly know how to do something. I don't have a GED but I have a prize certificate that says I know what I'm doing, and that says something, i think

Guess I still got to build up my own confidence!

Honey, yes. Take yourself seriously or no one will.

Your art is incredible, the fact that you haven't achieved your goals just yet doesn't mean you're any less skilled

[beebutterbee]

Heck yeah, from the impression I get from you here you’re actually very thoughtful. I’m sorry the world has perceive you so negatively sometimes, that sucks. I feel that though too But yes! I’m building up myself and I think it’s actually only helped my art improve.

Your art is incredible, the fact that you haven't achieved your goals just yet doesn't mean you're any less skilled

And thank you

[Leyelle]

I’m sorry the world has perceive you so negatively sometimes, that sucks.

It's really just a general perception rather than a personal one. Illiteracy and such are quite common in my country, so I actually have never known anyone to be bullied for it in person around here. The unfortunate thing is that people who haven't proceeded far in school or have very limited education don't have a very good image that the world represents, in global media and such, and a lot of companies are unwilling to hire us too. Very often these things have nothing to do with our literal intelligence and everything to do with having nobody to teach us. I hope I can help the world to change it's perception and realize that a lack of education or certification is not synonymous with a lack of intelligence.

. I feel that though too But yes! I’m building up myself and I think it’s actually only helped my art improve.

I'm sorry you've gone through the same thing/similar. it's awful.

I've legit avoided listing my education almost everywhere, because if I don't say it, then people might not even think about it, but if I do write it, then it automatically "looks bad." But there are a whole lot of jobs I can't even apply to as a writer because I don't have a college degree, which really makes very little sense to me lol.

I do think it has improved my art though. My prize-winning story "Rain Dance" is actually largely about the struggle of under-education we deal with in this country, and my feeling inadequate is what inspires me to work so hard at strengthening the skill I DO have at the thing I CAN understand so I can have some way to prove myself, to the world and myself. It makes it's way into my other longer stories too in little ways, but never as explicitly as I expressed it in "Rain Dance."

In what way do you think your struggles have improved your art, if you're okay with sharing?

[beebutterbee]

I hope I can help the world to change it's perception and realize that a lack of education or certification is not synonymous with a lack of intelligence.

This is really important, a lot of my family members never finished high school and my abuela is actually completely illiterate (in Spanish and she doesn’t speak much English in general so she can’t write much of it either) but she knows way more about cooking then I can try to learn, I particularly suck at baking and she has that down to a science.

For me it’s a little different though, I almost failed highschool specially because I couldn’t focus enough to finish the endless homework I really don’t think a letter grade is telling of someone’s actual intelligence. People are so much more. I didn’t complete college but I attempted to but because of my psychosis relapsing I failed pretty badly for three semesters for missing assignments/class time again then dropped out. I tend to leave that out of my resumes too.

I think we definitely rise above our circumstances, whatever they might be. For me I used my illness as a source of writing material through really surreal settings. I think making the characters go through development and improving themselves subconsciously made me do the same thing. I feel like I go through the world a lot more gently now, but I struggled a lot for a long time with really intense episodes from the schizophrenia. I don’t think it is the struggle that improved my art per se, but the way I dealt with it that helped me grow.

I used to think I was a horrible artist but then I unlearned the perfectionism and my art is still wonky sometimes but I think overall it’s gotten so much better, because I’m not mentally limiting myself. Before I would literally draw a single line of a face and if I thought it was even slightly off I would scrap it. It was hard to improve with the constant inner criticism too.

Watering my mind’s garden helped more than tearing everything apart, because if I were to tear everything completely away, there would be nothing left to tend to. Being kind and understanding to myself has helped me grow as an artist and person. Sending care too

[Leyelle]

but she knows way more about cooking then I can try to learn, I particularly suck at baking and she has that down to a science.

yeah, there are lots of different kinds of intelligence. reading, math, etc, are all skills. nobody knows them inherently, you have to learn them. you aren't any more 'stupid' for not knowing them then you are for not knowing anything else you haven't been able to take the time to learn. and it also takes time, some people simply don't take to certain skills easily or quickly.

I don’t think it is the struggle that improved my art per se, but the way I dealt with it that helped me grow.

that makes a lot of sense. Some things don't improve our lives, but the way we learn to deal with them does.

Sorry to be dark for a second. Skip this if you like, tw//

I dealt with s****l abuse as a kid, and I certainly don't think it improved my life at all, but it has taught me to see people as people and to realize that everyone can change and be forgiven no matter who they are and what they've done. This greatly improved my outlook on the world and helped me to become a more loving, understanding, and compassionate person. I've been treated horribly FOR what happened to me, and that also taught me a lesson. Ironically, the person who hurt me so badly has changed drastically for the better and is a good friend of mine, while the people who should have protected me, used what I endured as a weapon for emotional abuse. I learned there is nothing that can't be forgiven, and that no one is born a 'villain' neither do they have to stay there. I think this greatly influenced my writing, because even when I write villains I want them to be human, not a bunch of people painted as soulless demons for people to blindly hate.

I used to think I was a horrible artist but then I unlearned the perfectionism and my art is still wonky sometimes but I think overall it’s gotten so much better, because I’m not mentally limiting myself. Before I would literally draw a single line of a face and if I thought it was even slightly off I would scrap it. It was hard to improve with the constant inner criticism too.

Yikes, but that's very relatable. I think I still struggle a lot with perfectionism, especially when the world can see me, so I think it's awesome that you're able to embrace imperfections in your art and learn to except them. I think it's what makes a surreal world for a story a cool idea because anything can be anything and things are allowed to be a little wacky.

Might have to steal your idea and try something like that some time, just as a sort of art-therapy thing, because I'm so not great at art right now that it stresses me out a ton lol.

Watering my mind’s garden helped more than tearing everything apart, because if I were to tear everything completely away, there would be nothing left to tend to.

definitely. We have to care for ourselves, CAREfully. Even when there are ways we need to improve, weeding and pruning has to be done with consideration for the plants, not just hacking everything to pieces.

[beebutterbee]

yeah, there are lots of different kinds of intelligence

Very true. I think people can get really stuck in wanting to be up top on this invented hierarchy, when really that just further divides people and does nothing good for anyone (well maybe an ego boost but is that really healthy, you know?)

Sorry to be dark for a second. Skip this if you like, tw//

I’m sorry this happened to you. Thank for sharing a piece of your story though, I know how difficult it can be. I also endured CSA growing up and SA as a young adult too, so I know where you’re coming from. I don’t think anybody should have to go through that, but for me it did change how I view the world, and I definitely think I decided to grow more compassionate towards others despite it. It’s a big reason I started writing was to escape the reality of that. I’m safe now but for a long time I wasn’t. But now I really do see writing as this tool to help heal.

I do tend to write really horrible villains, but I also go into depth on their psychology, because I want to show them as a person too. Even a lot of the characters hope these antagonists will change for the better but sometimes they just never will —people can be really messed up in both fiction irl. But sometimes people do change. But for my own safety I just caught off all those people from my life.

Might have to steal your idea and try something like that some time

But on a lighter note, yes!!! Make ur own wacky story. I think it’s a great idea. I think a big reason I’ve enjoyed butter bee so much is that I set up no expectation for it. I don’t expect it to be popular ever but I enjoy making and having a place to be goofy and imperfect has been really good for me. I was surprised when I started noticing my normal art was getting better and the process actually relaxing. MS Paint is my hero!!

[Leyelle]

Thank for sharing a piece of your story though, I know how difficult it can be. I also endured CSA growing up and SA as a young adult too, so I know where you’re coming from.

I'm so sorry you had to go through this and sending lots of love. It's a really devastating thing to experience, and it can make you feel really worthless and alone (neither of which are true, for anyone reading this.) I hope you are healing and can find complete healing and wholeness after what you went through.

It’s a big reason I started writing was to escape the reality of that.

Similarly, I think I used writing to process this. I didn't want to talk to anybody about it, and when I did, it came back to bite me, so writing was the refuge. Even now, I'm always hesitant to share because I don't want to make people uncomfortable.

I do tend to write really horrible villains, but I also go into depth on their psychology, because I want to show them as a person too. Even a lot of the characters hope these antagonists will change for the better but sometimes they just never will

Yeah, a lot of my villains are honestly horrible people, but similarly to what you said, I want to show the humanity of them, even if what they do is horrible and entirely unjustified.

But on a lighter note, yes!!! Make ur own wacky story. I think it’s a great idea.

I'm seriously considering it. It might be a place to put all my character designs I don't know what to do with, and my crazy weird animal amalgams like antler chihuahuas and leaf squirrels lol.

[beebutterbee]

Thank you I’m hoping you’re finding healing too it really is a devastating thing. I hope anybody reading all this finds an outlet to heal too if they’re struggling with anything.

But yes I fully support goofy silly art endeavors, I think it’s good for the soul lol. I know I’m going to continue drawing peppa pig looking horses

[kyupol]

I love drawing sexy girls so easy to draw...

[Leyelle]

But yes I fully support goofy silly art endeavors, I think it’s good for the soul lol. I know I’m going to continue drawing peppa pig looking horses

The world needs more goofiness lol. So is "Butter Bee Chronicles" a surrealism comedy then? or just reaaally out of pocket?

[beebutterbee]

Exactly, and I think surrealist comedy is great description actually!

[Leyelle]

Just dropping this here to say.

Drawing children can be really fun. Embrace their cuteness and quirkiness. Ayla put her shirt on backward and is wearing too many patterns at once.

[ButterflyEmpress]

Most of my characters or young adult women so that's the easiest to draw. They tend to lean towards average sized even when I'm not trying too.

Masculine faces can be difficult. They're often drawn with smaller eyes than feminine faces, but in real life eye size isn't gendered, which makes it confusing.

There's probably a whole list I could put here, but there's a lot a shapes I haven't tried yet, so I don't know if I'm good or bad at them.

[Leyelle]

They tend to lean towards average sized even when I'm not trying too.

you mean even when you want to draw taller/shorter ocs, or thinner/plumper ocs?

[upsidedowncomics]

It's easy to draw curvier and voluptuous characters.

Even though one of my main characters is skinny, I still find drawing her proportions difficult since she's skinny and short.

[Leyelle]

short ocs, i don't struggle with much, but skinny is hard for me lol. Curvy and/or plus-sized girls are definitely easiest for me,

[Leyelle]

More plus sized girlies