How to Find Your Style - For Drawing and Writing

Something that is super cool is how advice I come up with for writing or drawing separately will work for the other one as well. Like, this post was meant for drawing specifically, but the more I thought about it, the more I was like- this will work for writing as well...

SO! Onto the post and the advice and the stuff you want to hear!
Unless you like hearing my random thoughts...

Okay, so if you're like me, you will most likely look at other people's art and be like- AAGGH!!! They have the most amazing style ever. I love how they draw their eyes or how this author writes descriptions and dialogue, or whatever it is.

I definitely struggle with wanting every style of drawing ever made to be my style.

CREDIT TO BURDGE BUG

LIKE, LOOK AT BURDGE BUG'S ART STYLE AND JUST AGHHAGDHGDHGFHSGAHG

GIMME.

But then...

WOW! Look at this cartoon-y style that some awesome artist did (whom I do not know.XD)! I WANNA DRAW LIKE THAT TOO! LOOK AT ITTTT!! 

CREDIT TO MIRANDA YEO

*squeal*

BUT THEN LOOK AT THIS SUPER SIMPLE STYLE THAT JUST KILLS ME, LIKE CAN I HAVE THAT, TOO?!?!?

And when it comes to authors and writers, it's the same way! You love how they've crafted the story and the characters, and all that jazz, but what can you do about getting it to be your style as well?

A few years ago, I started to really get back into drawing a lot more, and I began to draw Disney characters. I loved Elsa and Anna and Frozen in general, so I started drawing them because I loved the characters. Soon I was drawing a ton of Disney characters to sell at a local craft fair (bad idea, kids. Turns out COPYRIGHTS ARE A THING, SO YEAH.)

I really grew a style from drawing all of these Disney characters, and it's still prevalent in my style nowadays, even though it has certainly evolved. And that's a good thing!

So, my advice short and simple is to, erm, I guess...copy...?

Although it sounds bad, it is my advice, but don't COPY copy, just take the things you love from your favorite artists and implement it into your own art! When you are inspired by a person's style, and you let it influence how you draw/write/create, you grow and evolve your style into something that is even more you. Although it's someone else's style, it's something YOU love personally, so it sort of is your style as well. And when you're an artist in any sense of the word, you will make things your own and won't lose your uniqueness. :)

So, that's my advice, take it if you will, but it's something that definitely helps me! I sort of stalk things then try to do it on my own and I create something special to myself. It's really fun to do, even if you don't ever draw in that style again. :)

I guess I'll wrap up my post now...Never been very good with that...So...Bye! :D

-Emma-

Oh, you're sooOOooOoOo right, Spell Check. OF COURSE "dialogue" isn't a real word. The entire world has been getting it wrong all this time.

P.S. I feel like when I go back to read my advice posts, I can't understand a word I'm saying. Hopefully you all can. XD

Last Day of NaNo, Did I Make It to 50k????

THE ANSWER IS YESSSS!

I'm not even going to draw it out in anyway to add suspense. That sounds like something that a person would do if they cared, BUT I DON'T BECAUSE I FINISHED!!!

During October, I kept on thinking- Oh, I can totally do 50k! and- There is no way.

BUT I PROVED MYSELF RIIIGHT! AND WRONG!XD

I'm so happy! It's great, I have no idea how I even wrote so much. Like, it took me a year to write around 80k, so what in the world? How did it take me only a month to write 50k! AGHHH!!!

I am so happy.

-Emma-

Did you win NaNo?

P.S. Now to go keep on writing because I am no way near to finishing my book. That will probably be my goal for next year, to actually FINISH it.XD

NaNo Week #2 - Could I Write Any Less? + Hijacked by Jaclynn

Hi everyone!

Week two of NaNo is over, and WE ARE HALFWAY THROUGH!!! AGGGHHH!!!

Check out how my second week went!:)

 

Day Eight!

1,376

Not a ton of words on Monday, but I started late.;) This was the day that I made my last post, so I don't really have much to report.

 

Day Nine!

0

Y'all, I have no idea what the heck happened. I think I basically just decided I didn't wanna, and so I didn't.XD But unfortunately, this was not the only day of the week I did not write...O.O It was Election Day, I was anxious, and I'm pretty sure it was way too late to write, plus I didn't want to write...XD

But despite me not writing a word, I found out what Jaclynn and I were doing for the rest of our lives-

So, if we drop off from all of existence, check the sewers.

Day Ten!

1,905

I had to skip out on work this day because I was sick. But it was epic when I found out that this one kid missed me. (I work at my church's childcare.;D) Considering writing, it was an okay day! I got over my daily word count, which is always a plus! But this whole week I've been feeling like- Oh, hey, I'm really ahead. I don't need to write.

PAH!XD

Jaclynn and I talked about how we held pens, and I swore I would draw Jaclynn whatever she wanted me to if she wrote 700 words, which she didn't.XD SO I'M OFF THE HOOK!XD

 

Day Eleven!

2,290

I reached 40% and 20k words! It was epic!XD But I didn't get to write when I wanted to that day, and was in torture a lot because I wanted to write, but could only write on my phone!XD I hate writing on my phone, but ended up doing it. I texted Jaclynn a ton about NaNo and helped her figure out some more conflict for her story as well! We also attempted to text solely in emojis as conversation, which worked...sorta...

I'm pretty positive this month I have texted Jaclynn saying- WRITE!!! -approximately one million-jillion times.XD

 

Day Twelve!

0

Haaaa... I don't know why I didn't wri-

I mean, like, that day wasn't that busy-

*clears throat*

Well...

I did get to spend some time with my oldest sister and decide I want to do something new with my hair, something like--



And yes, something that is only a bit longer cut than that. I am very nervous to even consider cutting my hair short, BUT I NEED SOMETHING NEW. AND PINK. AND YEAH.

(I am such a hermit Cookie.... O_O )

(I was just hijacked by Dee.)
(No. No she wasn't. AT ALL. O_O )

(I've never typed that face ever before, Dee)
(SO WHAT?!)

(She's sleeping over right now. She's literally typing over me.)
(I'm not sleeping right now, you liar.)

(That's totally what I meant. We are sitting on my bed whilst I make this post. She's just staring at the screen. Weirdo.)
(You never say the word "whilst" so why can't you make this FACE: O_O )

(I TYPE "WHILST" A LOT)

Okay. Now it's time for DEE TO STOP.XD XD

(DAAAAAA!!!)

 

Day Thirteen!

(She's trying to find out what she did this day by scrolling through our texts, so I might as well type, ammirite? XD
HI DIDDLY DEE - A HERMIT'S LIFE FOR ME!)

 

0

I literally only watched YouTube today... Hm... I think I need to rethink my life choices.
(*evil glare* YES, YOU DO. WRITE.)

(YOU WRITE, YOU JERK)

(*extremely long offended gasp that goes on for a millennium* HOW DARE YOU?!)

(You didn't even gasp.)

(My mouth was hanging open for a while. It's called a silent gasp, Cookie... -_- )

I actually DID do something today! I did a facial mask with my sister, Kendra, and watched a movie. But that's not writing...:0

 

Day Fourteen!

3,845

I ACTUALLY WROTE A LOT TODAY! XD

*glares at Dee*

(Well, whoopdy doo! -_- ) XD

Maybe it was the fact that I had cranberry bliss bars to help me through. And hot cocoa. And many other sweets.

And here's a picture of me texting Jaclynn whilst (SEE WHILST) not writing.XD

(she was texting me cause I was sad. Nice Cookie Doodle Pop of Dack-A-Woodle-World.... :) XD )

Yes. Yes, I was.

AND NOW 'TIS TUESDAY AND I HAVE NOT WRITTEN. THAT IS WHAT ME AND DEE SHALT DO NOW IF WE CAN FOCUS.

(*groooaaaannnn* ME NO WANNA)

 

Oh, I  forgot Monday. I wrote 615 words and reached my half way point! YAYYYYY!!!XD So, yeah.

 

NOW ONTO WRITING!

-Emma-

with the help of an unwanted Donut.
(*waves* :D )

Have you reached halfway through your book yet?:)

NaNo Week #1 - Colds and Wishing It Was Cold

Hi everyone!

NaNo has officially been going on for a whole week. I can't believe it!! November is going to go by so dang fast! Like, seriously, it's already a week in. *shudders*

But you don't want to hear about my constant gawking of how fast time flies, you wanna know how I'm doing with NaNo!

I think...

If you're reading this then you must be...

Day One!

2,157

Other then the fact that I had such a hard time falling asleep on the night of Halloween, which means being really tired, DAY ONE WENT WELL! Tuesday's one of the busier days of the week, but I managed to write lots in between activities. Especially the biggest activity---

THE LODESTAR LAUNCH PARTY!!XD It was so awesome, but my sister, my mom, and I had to wait in line to get Shannon Messenger to sign our book for two whole hours. STILL, IT WAS FUN! And I got the book, so...XD LOL!

Plus, I got a supply of the best soda ever--

Yes, so good.XD

So, although lots of people started off their days with like 10k or something crazy, I only got my daily word count in!

Day Two!

1,998

Getting up early and having to go to work is definitely not going to help get you in the writing zone, AND I didn't get to FaceTime Jaclynn when I was writing, so this may or may not have been my face when she rejected my FaceTime invitation-

Then again, she could FaceTime later, and I said no because I was done writing for the day.XD

AND CAN I JUST SAY HOW HARD IT IS TO WRITE WHEN YOU HAVE LODESTAR RIGHT NEXT TO YOU WITH ALL OF ITS AWESOMENESS?!?!?!?

Day Three!

2,104

Today was the day of two things- READING SO MUCH and pure I DON'T WANNA WRITE.

Later on, I FaceTimed Jaclynn as I drank my soda, but wasn't writing. I had a legit sad face going on while I sat on the bottom steps of my house's staircase, yet once I asked Jaclynn to take a screen shot, I couldn't keep a straight face. This was the closest I got-

Yup. Me on the stairs. But some way or another, I managed to write over my daily word count!

Guys, I'm just saying that it would be a lot easier for me to feel up to writing if it was cold. SERIOUSLY. IT'S GONNA BE IN THE NINETIES TOMORROW.

Day Four!

2,549

I'm pretty sure I made it to my inciting incident in my story on Friday, so words just FLEW OUT OF ME! It was awesome and is definitely the best feeling as a writer. I watched Pirates of the Caribbean "At World's End" (SO SAD BUT VERY INSPIRING) as well!XD Even though I did write a lot, something else happened. I finished Keeper.

You have no idea how scared I was. GUYYYSSS!!! THE CLIFF HANGER!!!O.O

Day Five!6,212

This was the most epic writing day!!! I am pretty positive it's the most I've ever written in one day! I was so close to writing 5k when I was winding down my writing time, so I decided to keep on writing for a while, and then BAM! It was bed time, and I was like 100 words away from 6k. So, I furiously finished the 6k on my phone as I got ready for bed. AND I MADE IT! It was so awesome to do the math and find out that I had written so many words!

Day Six!

14

HAHAHAHAHA. I only wrote two sentence yesterday.

*clears throat*

I got home from a long rehearsal at 4:00 pm though, so I guess I had an okay excuse, yet I still didn't write. I was just so drained from writing so many words the day before! I'm still recovering.XD And things are getting a bit complicated with my character's emotions, meaning I am having a harder time figuring out what they are going to do next. Haaa...I need to figure it out.XD

I'm not gonna lie, I spent the vast majority of the rest of my day doing this.

I have, like, no self-control.

I could also use the excuse that I AM SICK AND HAVE A COLD. Which usually I wouldn't be that upset about, but I JUST HAD ONE LITERALLY THREE WEEKS AGO!!!

*cries*

I need to get better...:(

BUT ANYHOO...I don't have a word count for today, because I haven't started writing, but I hope to get lots of words in and get over my rough patch of story.;)

All in all, I have reached the grand total of  15,034 words! I am at the 30% goal!!! YAYYY!!XD

So, my fellow NaNoers, how is NaNo going for you? What's your grand total of a word count?:)

-Emma-

DISNEY FAN ART!

Hi everyone!:D

I KNOW I MUST BRING IT UP IN EVERY POST, BUT TOMORROW IS NANO AND I CANNOT EVEN

*explodes into fire*

But as much as I would love to just fill up a whole post with fangirling, that's not what this post is about- unless, maybe it is?;)

Recently, I've been drawing lots of Disney characters, and I wanna show them to you!:D

I drew Rapunzel, which was so fun, despite how long she took me! But she was totally worth it!:D The shading is mutually super fun and super boring.XD

Yesterday, I drew Moana! Although her expression isn't perfect, I really like this drawing!:D Her pose was really fun! And once again, shading was long and hard, but cool to do.;) FYI- the picture I did this based off of was set around sunset, that's why there are orange tints all over her.;) 

This was just a quick sketch of Honey Lemon, the character said to be most like me by Jaclynn and myself.XD I don't know if we mean looks or personality... LOL!

NICK WILDE!XD AWWWW!! He's so cute... I just love Nick, I wanna squeeze him!!!XD LOL! 

And the final drawing in this roundup is a baby Dory! I did this one really quickly to appease Jaclynn, since she wanted me to do her. Surprisingly, she was kind of difficult.

*sigh*

I need to master basic shapes...

***

I hope you enjoyed seeing these drawings, I had lots of fun doing them! It's been so long since I've drawn lots of Disney characters!:)

-Emma-

What's your favorite Disney character/movie?

Writers:

What are your last minute NaNo plans?:) Are you excited?

Cherry Pop and Read - October Edition

Hi everyone!
UGGGHHHHH!!! NANO IS COMING SOON, AND I CANNOT WAIT, YET I DON'T WANT IT TO COME.

*composes self to do this post*

So...I know I didn't do this last month, OOPS!XD

If y'all are "in the know", then you know that the Ahsoka book came out this month! I've been reading it, OF COURSE!XD

Guys. Just look at this amazing cover. I loveeee it. It's a pretty good book, and I'm almost done with it, I plan to make a book review on it once I finish it.:D

I have also found this magical drink that is black cherry cream soda. LIKE IT IS AMAZING!!! O0O It tastes sooo good. *drools*
It's definitely my new favorite drink right now. I need this to be stocked up in my fridge for NaNo...;)***

So what are you reading as of late? What about drinking?:)

-Emma-

Recreating... #3

Hiya, loyal followers and people that don't follow my blog, but stalk loyally...

I've got a new recreations for you!!

*applause* *confetti* *uhhhh...more...celebration...?*

I love doing these, it's so cool to see what I can do better now (and what has remained the same)! Let's get straight on into this recreation!

This is the character that I have wished to recreate. Now, looking at her, you might think that "Oh, from the expression on her face, she looks a little mischievous, but mostly pretty and nice."

Well, when I drew this a year or two ago, I hadn't meant for that...at all...I was drawing her to be a villain! But you can't see that, which is the reasoning behind me redrawing her.

I mean, look at her epic black magic and red tipped wings and tell me she doesn't have potential to be a pretty awesome villain?;)

I didn't have the chance to take a picture as I was drawing the new version because it was nighttime, and I didn't want the pictures to be all dark and yellow and-- *throws up*

So, without further ado, here is the brand new, recreated version of this villain---

Just looking at this drawing, I see so many things I've changed with! First off, look at how her expression is a lot clearer with her evil intent (although she's still beautiful and doesn't look maniacal...;)), but the main thing I see that's different with my technique and style is the realism I have now!

In my original drawing, my woman is a bobble head! And the way her body is angled is awkward...XD It's just so cool to look back and see what's changed... *sigh* I know I've said that before! LOL!

There were some things that I changed concerning the drawing, such as I got rid of the blue in her hair and outfit (I'm still not totally sure if that was a good thing or not), I tweaked her pose a bit, and I also changed her outfit somewhat. I think I like it a lot more than the original.;)

But what's your opinions? Do you like the original or the recreated version better?:)

-Emma-

P.S. Since the book I'm working on for NaNo has winged characters in it, this woman totally inspired a new story in that same world I made for NaNo....XD But I am much too far along in planning and NaNo is much too close for me to change anything... LOL!XD