It’s been an eventful and emotional month! Here’s a quick rundown on everything you might’ve missed in February.
Like last month’s Studio Hangout, you can get the quick highlights of this studio hangout from reading this post or watch the full video above or on my YouTube which also has chapters and closed captions. A transcript is also attached to this post.
(Are you guys liking this format? Let me know in the comments!) Read more
Not going to lie, friends. I wasn’t supposed to be working on this art. I had very serious intentions to work on character art samples for private commissions, but job hunt stress and the world at large have been overwhelming me to a frankly unhealthy degree.
So I gave myself permission to indulge in my happy place – tabletop RPG art! Specifically, the Exalted Discord Fan Artist server I’m in had a Valentine’s Day couples art trade event I couldn’t resist taking part in. Not only did I get to make cool art for a cool person, but I also got to challenge myself with backgrounds, multiple figures, and a specific storytelling goal.
My gunslinger, Koh, was paired up with AnnaCory’s Gale, to which Anna suggested the perfect date for Gale might be quietly reading together or a more mischievious night on the town. I thought “why not both?”
I chose to render the two on a date inside of a noble’s heretical library, the perfect place for a picnic and a good laugh at the noble’s secret stash of bawdy Scarlet Empress books and knicknacks. Meanwhile, Koh’s bodyguard, who was likely told to stay home, looks on, glad the boss is having fun.
Here’s a timelapse of the piece so y’all can appreciate how much it drastically changed along the way:
https://youtu.be/Tc_SM-Lkcc8?si=ZJjg2zKE8Ea25rr_
I knew I had to make something extra special for this particular trade because Anna has done such amazing art of my characters in the past. Look at these gorgeous portraits she’s done of my brainchildren!
Anna also took part in the Valentines challenge and created this gorgeous piece featuring her character, Satica, and another of my characters, Mask of Golden Lies. I just love the little ghosts and the entire moody atmosphere! She’s shared a timelapse of this piece here.
So perhaps this wasn’t as on task as I thought I’d be in February, but fun and not going insane was had instead. What more could one ask for?
I hope you all enjoyed this extreme artistic diversion!
<3 Ang
After much toil, I am happy to report that I’ve finally gotten many of your digital goodies up in my Patreon’s digital shop! I’ve been striving to do this for a long time ever since Patreon added this feature to give you guys an easier way to access your rewards, as well as an easier way to support me if you’re on a tighter budget without having to go off-site to my Patreon’s Backerkit.
Now, those of you supporting me at any tier with digital rewards can treat the shop like a rewards archive where you can easily find and download what you need at no extra cost, while those of you who are on free or lower tiers who would rather pay a one-time fee for downloadables can support me by buying the ones you’re most interested in.
As a reminder, I’ve made many different and useful tutorials that you can now find in the digital shop! Find everything from a tutorial on my research and watercolor painting process for Lady of February to a tutorial on how I create my leather masks that comes bundled with a starter mask pattern for you to practice with.
Again, those of you who are on tiers with access to my Premium Tutorials should see these items listed as FREE in the shop to download at your leisure.
As of now, I have made all of my coloring packs and Premium Tutorials available in the digital shop. Here’s what’s coming next as I gradually upload all of my past digital rewards and brainstorm on new items to offer:
New coloring packs combining some of my older pages
PDFs of my most popular Patrons-only articles
PDF Sketchbooks of the Exalted Art Challenge, Kushiel’s Legacy works, etc.
Wallpaper Packs for all devices
Are there any other digital items you’d like to see me offer? Let me know! I’m always working to improve the experience for you guys here.
<3 Ang
I’m trying something new with my monthly updates by doing a video blog and AMA wrap-up instead! You can watch the vid (which includes subtitles), read the attached transcript, or just scroll through the text of this article for the quick TL;DR version.
All in all, it’s been a quiet month while I’ve worked on invisible tasks, like studies and exercises as I prepare to learn a new medium (Acrylics!) before I continue on with the Cassiel’s Servant cover. I also have plans to start offering private commissions next month. Keep reading for all the details!
The Boy With the Seven Word Name (Image Gallery + Hades Art Style Tutorial)
Kalara & Golden Lies Reference Sheets (Full Gallery + Character Bios)
Gestures & Studies from January’s Streams
Applying for conventions after a 5 year long hiatus
Started off strong with streaming Art and Game Nights! (Check out my Stream Schedule for when to tune in.)
Started teaching myself how to use acrylic paints
Private Commissions Opening in FEB! I’ve paused work on the CASSIEL’S SERVANT cover till I can sort samples out. Patrons & newsletter subscribers will get first dibs on my commission queue!
I’ll be painting some acrylic studies of Kushiel’s Legacy characters for practice.
Streaming continues on Tuesdays (Art Streams) and Thursdays (Game Nights). I’ll be doing style studies and animal studies this month, as well as playing the rest of Telltale’s The Expanse.
Q: How to stay inspired when things are tough?
My response at this timestamp.
Q: It will take me too long to learn how to draw, write, etc. How can I learn quickly enough? Can’t I just use AI?
A: My response at this timestamp.
Miss a stream? Catch up here:
Well, friends, I’ve been ungovernable for years when it comes to making a stream schedule. Here’s my attempt to bring order to the chaos by scheduling some recurring events! I’m going to try to obey it as long as I can, though sessions may run long or short, depending on each day’s activities. Let us try this great experiment starting next week on Tuesday, Jan 14th!
Art Day
For Art Day streams, here are a few things I have in mind:
Gesture sketching, master copies, etc.
Inking, coloring, concept sketching, etc.
Sketchbook doodling
Character creator card deck draws (IE. Using Fatum, Reckless Deck, etc. to make concepts that we can draw together!)
Game Day
For Game Day streams, I’ll be playing games I find artistically inspiring that I want to share, starting with Venba, a beautifully illustrated cooking game telling the story of an Indian mom’s journey to Canada with her family during the 1980’s that I’ve been very curious about. I wanted to start with something chill that wouldn’t take us 30 streams to get through.
While this game is a cozy one, I’ll probably be playing everything from artsy horror to artsy platformers, so prepare yourself for different genres of varying levels of macabre!
Hangouts/AMA’s
I’ve had folks here say they miss the times I used to hangout on Google Hangouts and chat about my month while answering questions from the audience and fans. I want to return to those halcyon days now that we have better tech than Google Hangouts! (Do you all remember when Google Hangouts used to eat itself about an hour in lol).
Everyone can leave questions during the stream in the chat, but I’ll be prioritizing questions from Patrons directly via the Patrons-only AMA section of my Discord server and via a monthly questions Patrons-only post I’ll share here.
Where to Watch
I’ll be using the Streamlabs Ultra tool to multi-stream to my Twitch and my YouTube so tune in on your fave platform!
Let’s go! I’ll be keeping a schedule on my Twitch and Discord server’s events in case you forget when to tune in. I’ll also try to poke people on social media when I go live too.
See you there!
<3 Ang
2024 was a tough time for my husband and I. As of the writing of this post, my husband is still looking for work in IT after being laid off last February (nearly a year ago, now), which has totally re-shaped the trajectory of our plans.
I have spent the last few years of my life working on my independent projects and selling merch directly to my fans with the added security of his income and the blessed succor that Patreon provides us. Unfortunately, art merch sales were down 60% for me in 2024 and everything, from social media to the job market, seemed to be imploding all at once. Without my husband’s income, this was the worst time for me to have a down year.
And have a down year, I did. 2024 really made me want to quit art entirely…
…but I’m still here, finally pulling my boots back on to get back on the horse!
For 2025, I’m working towards re-entering the freelance arena and have been busy brushing up my Illustration portfolio page and client list and planning out what new paintings I need to be making to attract more commercial client work.
(I’m creating multiple self-contained portfolio pages tailored for each client using Adobe Portfolio. This one’s for my Illustration/Cover portfolio. I guess Adobe’s still good for something since I still can’t ween myself off of Photoshop.)
With my Birthstone Goddesses and their lingering loose ends finished, I’m free to pursue other things I’ve always wanted to do, like break into the TTRPG and book cover industries with my art. Fantasy Art has always been where my heart is and I’m hopeful my passion will shine through this year!
To be honest, with one car between my husband and I, I’ve got no choice but to pursue remote work so he can have our car available for any prospective jobs that might call him back.
Challenge accepted, Universe! Sink or art!
I also hope to return to conventions for the additional income stability, despite avoiding them for 5 years now because of our health risks. We both feel more comfortable with available treatments for viruses and hope that we can at least be in the artist alley of DragonCon, Multiverse, and Momocon this year, if I can pass jury!
The convention arena has certainly changed in the years since my last show in 2019, so time to knock the rust from my people skills and from the convention hustle.
I have said for years now that I wanted to get more face time with folks by hopping onto my Twitch to draw and share my love of gaming with you all. I can never seem to get myself on a schedule. However, a friend generously paid for my Streamlabs Ultra sub, so now I’m obligated to give it a proper whirl!
The goal is to stream twice a week, the first stream to be art-themed (doing exercises, studies, sketching, inking, etc.) and the second stream being for games that I find artistically inspiring and want to share with you all. Anything you guys miss will be shared to my main YouTube channel.
Stay tuned later this week for a proper stream schedule post once I get it all sorted out!
Re-dedicating to freelance client work begins this week with cleaning and revamping the art studio which has sat full of overflow basement boxes and clutter. I’m taking the time to clean it out, do an inventory of supplies, and seriously start using the space to focus on traditional painting techniques!
One of my personal/professional goals this year is to learn how to mix color pencil and light washes of acrylic so I can take advantage of acrylics’ archival qualities over watercolors lightfastness issues. Plus, that lovely textural tactileness I enjoy about working with and looking at color pencil art.
I haven’t used color pencils in years and am looking forward to meeting this old friend again. I don’t fully know how to paint with acrylics, so I’m looking forward to learning something new as well! I was also gifted a lovely goauche set some time ago I want to test out. It’s time to get messy!
(One of my old color pencil on metallic cardstock pieces from 2006.)
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I truly hope 2025 will be a better year for us and for the world. We could all use a break, I’d wager!
<3 Ang
It’s that time of year again to take stock of all the inspiration 2024 has brought! I always enjoy doing this because it’s easy to get caught up in the ‘guilt’ of not creating enough. This year was an important one for me because I finally escaped the long grasp of long-term projects and started on a grand new adventure drawing more of the Geek-stuff, Fantasy novels, and TTRPG art that I enjoy!
Check out the video for the full month-by-month tour of what I worked on this year. It was impossible to fit every piece of art I made in 2024 into this format, especially for busy months like October where I created multiple pieces, so I’ve chosen my favorites. I’ve also included subtitles on the file for those who need them.
For those who just want to scroll through the art at their own pace, check out the rest of this entry for a quick rundown of each piece featured for each month of the year!
There was lots of Exalted TTRPG and Cassiel’s Servant art this year! It’s been my happy place to explore all these wonderful Fantasy worlds and get involved with more narrative, character-driven art.
JAN – The Marrionette Dancing on Bloody Sinew
This character belongs to Paint-Lady.
FEB – The Cultivar of Bloody Sunsets
This character belongs to Kessinder.
MAR – Stained Glass Tarot – X of Swords
This is a detail of the larger piece I can’t share just yet! It will be fully revealed once we’re closer to the release of the Stained Glass Tarot project, which you can follow here.
APR – Blue Eye Meets Silver Devil
Featuring Mizu from Blue Eye Samurai, an amazing show you all need to watch! Crossing over with Koh, my character, Kalara, in disguise.
MAY – Shame
Shame belongs to therestlesshands.
JUN – Swan Ledaal
Swan belongs to annacory-blog.
JUL – Elua – Your Heaven is Bloodless
Inspired by Cassiel’s Servant, the novel by Jacqueline Carey. See more about this piece and the narrated video I created for it here.
AUG – Joscelin Costume Concepts
Also inspired by Cassiel’s Servant, I created several more sheets for this character you can see here.
SEP – Spice War Comic
This is actually a work-in-progress that I’ll return to later. Anjali and Rachna (on the right) belong to the Exalted comic by irregularcircle, while Kalara and Night Locust on the left are mine and my husband’s Exalted characters..
OCT – Kalara 3e Cover
Part of the Exalted Art Challenge from this year’s event, which you can see the full entries for here.
NOV – Cassiel’s Servant Cover Sketches
A selection of the thumbnail sketches for the Cassiel’s Servant cover I’ve been working on. See more here.
DEC – Reference Sheet: Kalara Vadras
This is only one of two in-progress sheets created for Kalara. See both sheets, plus a whole additional character not shown here.
Shame’s piece from May was my fave piece of this year! Drawing this piece was the first step in a new tarot-inspired style I want to nurture for my art moving forward. It captures the perfect blend of graphic and painterly.
What was your favorite piece of mine from this year? What do you want to see more of from me in 2025? Do you have any ambitious creative goals for 2025? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Here’s to another year of inspiration and remembering our great art loves!
Ang
Every year, I like to share how much of a difference that you, my dear Patrons, have made in my life. My earnings here may seem like only a trifling amount to most folks, but when you’re a one-person biz/artist, that little amount can be used for a lot!
Your support has meant so much especially during this tough year when my husband and I have had a rough time with industry layoffs. I also wanted to pay homage to all the invisible ways your support is used that may not otherwise be known to most.
Here’s a list of all the things that your Patronage has helped me with this year, with referral links to where you can find them, should they help you or others out as well.
One of the most subtle, but amazing upgrades you guys helped me to afford this year! When we first moved in to our new house (and first home) a couple of years back, the move went in a hurry and my would-be studio space was turned into the catch-all overflow storage of the house. It was a paralyzing space to try and work in!
Every other month or so, I’ve been snagging shelving like this one to help me organize my space and especially my art and frames, which will get damaged if I stack it the wrong way. It’s helped give me peace of mind in my workspace!
(I’ll have to do a full studio tour with a breakdown of my studio makeover in a later entry once the makeover is more complete!)
This year, I’ve started taking steps to leave Adobe’s ecosystem due to its predatory practices, which has been a challenge for me because it’s meant taking the time to learn all-new software. I’ve chosen DaVinci Resolve as a free option for editing my videos. I was finally able to take the step to upgrade it during all the good sales this holiday season thanks to your support. Having the premium version gives me access to more transitions, the auto-captioning tool, and more!
One of the more invisible things I do with your support. In this economy with so much competition in the online space, it’s been helpful to be able to afford ads on Etsy and Facebook, especially during my big art/product launches. Ads are always a gamble though because they’re not guaranteed to work, so not being scared to spend that money really helps me out!
As soon as I saw the articulation on this model, I knew I had to have it! Hands are some of the most difficult things to draw, especially at odd angles. This is going to prove so useful. These models often go out of stock so I’m happy I was able to snap it up before it got rare and expensive!
Much like the hand model, these lil guys help me understand foreshortening I can’t otherwise find in reference packs. I have the TOA Heavy Industries Synthetic 1/12th type. I’ve used 3D programs to help me figure out poses before, but I prefer to set up my poses more quickly with a physical figure I can quickly manipulate.
(The artists models and posable hand in action!)
Finally, one of the most useful tools in my repertiore that extra funds facilitates. I always prefer to have a real model to work from because anatomy is difficult and quality reference photos are worth their weight in gold.
Thankfully, we have amazing stock providers like Grafit, Satine Zillah, Obscura 29, and Mels Mneyan, who are my go-tos with amazing reference packs and affordable prices! Gone are the days where I’d have to pay for limited run stock from istock or similar services. Most of these packs come with extremely artist-friendly unlimited licensing for one user.
(A concept art pose pack from Grafit with really handy character poses.)
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Thanks so much for those of you who continue to support me here! A little goes a long way and it means a lot when you choose to continue your support when there’s so much stress and uncertainty in the world right now.
Here’s to another year of art, creativity, and feeling the love!
Thanks from the bottom of my heart,
<3 Ang
I celebrated my 43rd birthday this past Nov 7th! Another jog around the sun has made me more contemplative than ever.
To be quite honest, it’s been a rough year for my husband and I. Things have been extra stressful ever since my husband was laid off in February of this year. We thought surely he’d pick up work within a few of months, but the extreme layoffs in upper level tech have meant crickets for job opportunities.
This reality has made the future of my art career an uncertain one. We simply cannot survive off of my income and savings alone, with the art industry looking as bleak as ever for so many reasons (AI art, inflation, layoffs, the list goes on). I’ve returned to accepting freelance work and am trying to return to working conventions, but I’ve also met crickets so far and shows take the risky investment of table fees, not to mention the health risks that made me quit cons in the first place.
The long of the short of it is that if by the end of this year, if our situation doesn’t change, I’ll be re-assessing this career path (after 10+ years of working at it) and likely pivoting into a different industry altogether.
This place may become even more quiet as my pace slows down to accomodate my schedule as I study to earn my A+ cert and move into more consistent helpdesk work that I can do remotely since we share one car.
January 2025 will be the deadline for me to decide what to do as we near the annivesary of a whole year of unemployment for my husband. If anyone is looking for Technical Account Managers or Sys Admins, drop me a DM!
We have a couple of months before that dreaded deadline…so let us hope against hope that things start looking up!
A Little Bit of Happiness
Thankfully this post isn’t all doom and gloom. On my birthday, I was so blessed that even with all this extreme stress, my family went the extra mile to help me feel special with a ramen lunch at a new place that just opened up nearby, cookies and cream mousse cake, an art book, and a video game I had been looking forward to for years (Dragon Age Veilguard!).
Even with all of this going on, I’m so lucky and loved! Where there is ramen, there is always room for happiness.
(I made my old Shadowrun character, Aurora, into a sarcastic Elf who loves to smash things. It’s been therapuetic to play her right now.)
As hopeless as the post no doubt sounds, I’m never going to stop making art. There are too many stories I want to tell and cool characters I want to draw! Hopefully, I can keep on sharing that journey with you all, even at a glacial pace.
No matter what happens in this next year of life, I want to thank everyone, old and new, who has stuck with me here or moved through my life at various times to give me hope and succor. The little bits of support have meant the world!
Much love, friends. Stay inspired and keep up hope! There are still good things and people in this world.
<3 Ang
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