cami blog

art discussion: balance and artistic context

(04/12/25)-(06/05/25)

nowadays, i feel like something is missing with art and character design. i feel that the lack of artistic context drains the true meaning of art and self-expression- especially with aesthetics in internet-culture currently thriving today at large. although this enables the act of appreciating art for its beauty, i feel that we have lost the concept of personal style. there is also a notable rise of people trying to fit into a specific style- as if it has a name similar to aesthetics (e.g the -core genre). ther e is so much overcategorization and a lack of recognition for nuanced art styles. attributes don't necessarily have to be labelled but recognized as a mere aspect of one's artistic context. my art style as of now isn't exactly 'anime' but more inspired, solely due to how i've been influenced with anime all my childhood-- but i don't call it anime. artistically and subconsciously it is an aspect of my style.
artistic context is a very understated term. when the artist applies themselves into their creation, it automatically makes the artwork more unique than the rest. [and yes, i do acknowledge that there are other ways of making an artwork one-of-a-kind, but for this topic specifically:] from the act of separating the art from the artist, we tend to see the artwork in an aesthetic lens.

on the internet, as of now, there is this urge to define yourselves and state your own identity; such as those pretty pinterest boards that appear in your personalized feed, or those quizzes that help you identify what 'aesthetic' you are. even if the urge to find yourself has been fulfilled- through what the algorithm has shown you, it's like putting yourself into another box- after you have already been broken free. i adore Anna Howard's podcast series (Wild Geese) of delving into your own identity, and this is one of the readings she included in the episode, 'how to fall down a curiosity rabbit hole & reconnect to your creativity'_[1]: "They entertain these strange, unjustifiable, seemingly arbitrary endeavors that no [Al] would ever think to combine."_[2]

there is a lack of style that clashes, things that we will never think will go so well together until we see them collide. [Al] can never replicate details. it can never mimic artistic context. and even if it could, it'll only be counterproductive, simply because it cannot experience.
and that the key reason to be more than what an [Al] gives you is to be "confusing"_[2.1], it is to avoid being easily summarized into one sentence, to be multi-faceted.

https://www.tumblr.com/ribbon-veins/766691952501637120/i-want-to-create-art-with-more-thought-into-them

references

• [1] how to fall down a curiosity rabbit hole & reconnect to your creativity, Anna Howard, 2025
[2] be more confusing, actually, Michelle Pellizzon Lipsitz, 2025
• [2.1] ditto, titular

april

art journal: manga/comic process

(04/19/25)

i learnt a lot with drawing panels for comics/manga. but i thought of many things to consider and improve. these notes are for me, but if some seem to speak to you, do not be afraid to add these to your usual process!

i'll be noting this from layers

• sketch: should be more blocky so that the lineart could refine the expression and pose.


• lineart: consider turning off anti-aliasing to match the texture and panels. the whole purpose is to refine and make the form clear, not complicated (unless it is for whole-page panels)
  use splatterbrush or airbrush on 8-bit layer for blush/dark tones ect.


• 'coloring': fill the character with white/panel color, clip with a folder then shade with half tones. varying from black, dark/light grey to white. everything should have no anti-aliasing.
  if the background/lighting is bright, don't be afraid to twist the characters palette to match the lighting (e.g a dark-haired character should be colored with light grey or white if they are surrounded by a bright background)


• backgrounds: [i haven't made any physical/real-world backgrounds yet but] the main focus is the character and the tone of the story. should only be shown in one panel. unless the world is important to the plot, do not overcomplicate it.

here's the 'meta'-type layers aswell + overall way to layer everything:

• panel lines: consider making the panels textured like the default lineart. they don't always have to be straight lines, break or twist the panels if it adds impact. but also be considerate of its readability.
• page background: i'd avoid using built-in tool gradients. (it doesn't match with my lineart imo) use an airbrush/watercolor brush instead.
• fx: turn off anti-aliasing and make it match the lineart texture.
  for the glossy-airy effects, don't be afraid to add texture. especially for those shoujo-aah bubbles
  sometimes you can put the actual background behind the panels too
• dialogue formatting: should be about 11px-15px, vary depending on panel size itself
  change the shape of the bubble to put emphasis emotion-- dropshadow for important dialogue


• lastly: the way i do my layering should be:
  
  
  1. panel lines
  2. characters CLIPPED
  • lineart
  • half tones CLIPPED v
  • fill
  3. panel fill
     • background
  4. page background
  
  'characters' is clipped as a folder onto 'panel fill' (unless the effect is for the character to 'pop out' of panel)
  
  'fx' layered over 'panel lines' OR 'page background' (optional)
  'dialogue formatting' should be over 'panel lines'