Category: Blog Posts

Studio Hangout MAR 2025 – TTRPG Portraits & Artist AMA [Video + Monthly Digest]

Where did March go??? Here’s the skinny on the happenings, new art, etc. for this month. You can watch the video above (which has captions and chapter breaks in the desc on YouTube) for my full update. This post contains an abbreviated summary if you’re short on time and a transcript of the full video attached to this post.

Personal Updates

It’s been a rough month! I’ve been attempting to keep up with writing and art, but found myself overwhelmed trying to juggle art/writing classes, a regular biweekly stream schedule, and swapping my sleep schedule to a new night-time routine (as endorsed by Brandon Sanderson).

This month, I’ve also taken the time to do our taxes and was faced with the exact numerical value of how my business has been impacted by social media and AI flooding Etsy’s marketplace in the past year (60% down in sales, to be precise).

The art community is suffering existentionally right now, so I have to thank you all once more for your continued support during these trying times! It’s been a struggle to create with all this noise around us. Making art goes, slowly, but surely!

New Art

I only have a couple of things to share this month because of existential dread brain and taking time to do taxes reasons.

  • Yorigasu, a celestial agent from Exalted. (Top)

  • Artorias Portrait (Bottom Right) – A D&D character portrait currently in-progress (which was shared for the first time on stream). Watch the full vid for more about each character.

  • Writing Class Homework – A little different than the art I share, but hopefully an interesting glimpse, regardless! Here’s a quick look at the brainstorming homework I’m doing for my writing class with Maggie Steitvater. A longer explanation is in the video as well as a story pitch of what I’m working on.

Ask Me Anything Questions

Check the time stamps for the answers to these questions.

  • 22:25 – (From Aaron R.) – What’s a piece of yours that surprised you?

  • 24:53 – (From Lindowyn) – What is the most satisfying piece that you’ve done?

  • 27:13 – (From Lindowyn) – What is your favorite medium?

Announcements

  • Art Streams are on hold until further notice!  I’ve been overwhelmed and sleep-deprived and needed more time to focus on re-balancing my schedule. Art streams will return once I’ve been able to settle into a healthier schedule for myself! Game Streams (featuring the game Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden) is still a go for Thursdays, 8pm EST.

  • Coming in April! – Creating private character art commission samples is my current priority. Then, I hope to return to focusing mainly on writing, with a couple of days a week spent on art as soon as the samples are out in the wild. I’m hoping taking these private commissions can help refill our life savings after our bad year last year. They will be released to my Patrons and newsletter subscribers before the public.

    —-

    Catch you next month.
    Wishing you all inspiration!

    <3 Angela S.

New Art! Exalted Character of the Month: Yorigasu, Chosen of Battles

It’s been a month of adjusting to a new schedule! I’ve been attempting to return to our original plan of me writing more, with art being a smaller part of my day.

However, it’s been difficult trying to fit all the art I want to do into the smaller time I have for drawing, which has also been split with trying to get commission samples done and maintain a streaming schedule, which has started to fall apart already.

Plus the mental overwhelm of US politics and my current identity crisis as I move away from being a more active artist.

Still, I always make time for the Exalted Character of the Month challenge and while I said I wouldn’t share much of this type of work here because I wanted to keep it tidily confined to The Uncrucified’s Ko-fi, I find myself with little else to share while other art takes me longer to do.

So enjoy the corvid bird warrior, Yorigasu, Chosen of Battles, Sidereal Exalted, who belongs to Lobsopdoy.

 Watch a timelapse of this piece here. Created in Procreate.

Lobsopdoy’s reference image:

I was very intimidated by the bird anatomy, as I have less experience drawing animals, but I do appreciate the challenge because corvids are awesome! How’d I do?

I hope I’ll have more art to share soon, but commission samples have been slow-going and I just haven’t been in a good head space this month. Hopefully I can shake it off and get back in the art battle soon!

Once the commission samples are done, I’m returning to focus on my Cassiel’s Servant work. For now, ENJOY BIRB!

<3 Ang

Studio Hangout FEB 2025 – Valentine’s Art, Good News, & Artist AMA [Video + Monthly Digest]

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!)

Happenings & Announcements

  • Good and Bad Anniversaries – Within a single week, my husband and I celebrated the one year anniversary of him being laid off (boo!), our 8th wedding anniversary (yay!), and finally him starting a new job a couple of days later (double huzzah)! Thank goodness! Times have been really rough during this year and we’re so glad it’s over. The constant mental strain was becoming too much for the both of us.

  • Finding Connection – Games and art streams have been fun and helped me feel connected as I’ve pulled away from most social media. I only post on Bluesky these days with personal posts on Facebook to Friends and Followers. (Feel free to give my personal account a Follow on FB as I only Friend other artists and people I know IRL or through work/projects).

  • Convention Rejections – I’ve been rejected by at least 3 thus far, but I don’t feel too sad. With Bird Flu, regular Flu, and Covid around, it’s still a major health risk to my husband and myself. With our finances stabilizing, I am not being forced to rely on convention income as much.

  • The New-Old Plan! – Regaining financial stability with my husband’s job means I can return to our original plan – Me focusing on writing novels while using Patreon to support and practice my art skills.

  • Private Commissions Incoming – Private commission offerings are still coming to my Patrons/newsletter subscribers to help us refill our drained life savings, but likely on a limited slot basis.

  • New Patreon Digital Shop Opening – A new Rewards Archive/Digital Shop has been added to my Patreon. Check it out for ALL of my tutorials and coloring packs in one place, with more to come!

New Art in February

A very complex Valentine’s couples piece for February took over the muse this month while I was stressing about everything! It’s been a mentally rough time and I needed the escapism of drawing a bookshelf for 39 hours. Cheaper than therapy I guess!

Livestream Studies

I had a fun time studying things out of my comfort zone like objects, animals, and environments.

New Vids in February

Streams in February

Ask Me Anything

These are the short answers. The long, rambling full answers are in the video at the timestamps. Patrons get first dibs on questions, so be sure to keep an eye out for when I’m taking questions at this post and in the Patrons-only section of my Discord (which is open to everyone, but has a special section just for Patrons).

Q: (From Aaron R.). How did you begin your art journey?

Answer at 24:40:  I was always a weird kid writing and illustrating fantasy and horror stories about undead prom queens and unicorns. The actual journey began when as a young 8 year old, I noticed Trina Schart Hymen listed as an illustrator on Saint George and the Dragon and had the revelation that a real person made the art for others to see in a book and wanted to put my art in books as stories too. The rest is history!

Q:  (From Aaron R.) What’s something you’d love to go back and tell yourself to do differently in your art if you could go back to yourself at the beginning of your career?

Answer at 27:20:  I would tell myself not to do cheap commissions.  Focus on portfolio work.  When the real world hits and you have less time, you’ll regret not focusing sooner and having a body of work to share that’s more uniquely useful and yours.  Dedicate to my personal projects sooner.

Q:  (From Lindowyn) What has helped you combat overwhelm and art block during highly stressful times?

Answer at 29:52:  Art Challenges are my solution for breaking through art blocks!  As examples, see my Exalted Art Challenge or 30 Day Monster Girl Challenge, to name a few. Getting my brain into a task-oriented mode that lets me focus on solving simpler creative problems instead of the world’s problems or my own art block. It gives me an ‘easy’ low bar for success and feeling accomplished and often ends up in a tidy body of work I can use for sketchbooks.

Coming in MAR

Upcoming Streams

  • ART STREAMs at Tuesday at 2pm EST – Drawing: Arcane Master Copying + Style Replication,  Lighting Characters Homework

  • GAME STREAMs at Thursdays at 8pm EST – Playing:  Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

    —

    I think that’s everything! Thanks for everyone who’s been hanging out for me during my streams or leaving a kind word in the comments. It’s really helped me out during these dark times. Now, things are finally starting to look up!

    <3 Ang

New Art! My Exalted Valentine + Art Feature of AnnaCory’s Art

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_

Art Feature: Anna Cory Kulikova

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

New Patreon Shop & Rewards Archive

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.

What’s On Offer

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.

Coming Soon to the Patreon Digital Shop 

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

Suggestions?

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

New Patreon Shop & Rewards Archive

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.

What’s On Offer

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.

Coming Soon to the Patreon Digital Shop 

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

Suggestions?

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

Jan 2025 [Vlog+Transcript] – New Streaming Schedule, New Art, & Upcoming Private Commissions

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!

New Art & More

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

January Happenings

  • 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

Coming Up in February

  • 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.

AMA Questions

  • 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.

Stream Recordings

Miss a stream? Catch up here:

New Art! The Boy With the Seven Word Name + Hades Style Mini Tutorial

My first new art for 2025! 🎉 Trying out the Hades style for an Exalted Secret Santa gift for comedygoldatragedy on tumblr.

The most skilled swordsman to ever live, die, and live again. The Undead Boy King and Dusk Caste Abyssal, son of the First and Forsaken Lion. The wielder of Varan’s Ruin. He is The Boy with the Seven Word Name.

Inspired by the Exalted TTRPG setting from Onyx Path Publishing.

Watch a timelapse:

The original reference of this character by comedygoldatragedy.
A miniature tutorial walking through my thought process on drawing in Jen Zee’s Hades style. Click the image to see a bigger version.

My 2025 Streaming Schedule – Tune In for Art & Gaming!

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