My deviantART Story

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It all started a few years ago, with a single piece of art. 
Project WE Promotional Art 7 by yuumei
I can remember having seen digital art before, but it never really impacted me. The fact that it wasn't real, on paper, and I couldn't touch it, made it somehow distant to me. Yet, for whatever reason, this piece was different to me. I can still remember staring at it from the screen of my computer, not being able to grasp how someone was able to make art that flawless, pretty and beautiful. And how a person was able to express that much emotion with just a few brush strokes. Call me stupid, or naive. But I just couldn't "get" it.

I think it was that piece of art that gave me a reason to try. Or more, a direction that I wanted to go in.
Before that time I was like a clueless wanderer. I've been writing a story for years. But I was basically lost in a maze of what I wanted or what I could do when it came to drawing stuff. My lack of skill and fear of failure got me trapped to the point that it got me paralyzed to try anything new.
the Hounds of Tindalos by jameswolf

Admitted. My first attempts to submit drawings to DeviantArt weren't a huge success. But looking back realistically, I guess nobody's first attempts are.
I submitted some stuff. But like most people, lacked getting the proper response. And ended up feeling even more alone and distanced from the great artists that I admired from a distance. And soon enough I started to realize that if I wanted to get something done, I needed to change my approach, because otherwise I would never get seen by people.
Random by LeiLain

I started looking for sketches, instead of finished works. Sketches that were still done by skilled people, but showed enough lines to actually show hits and bits of how it was done. 
This, along with countless anatomy books and tutorials helped me pushing forward in the direction I wanted to do. 
Strike by yuumeiSD: Mr.winter by CosmicSpectrumm
-14o712- by AmdhusciasWarm Cold by Ninjin-nezumi

From that point on, I basically picked up my pencil and started drawing. The key was not to give up. Even despite the first results looking miserable, my handicap being a terrible hindrance in the process, and the fact that there were day that I absolutely despised myself. Eventually it did pay off. Even though improvement was only slow... I did get better.
Sketchdump November 2012 - 02 by DamaiMikazSketchdump April 2013 by DamaiMikaz

...even at digital art. A medium that I always deemed impossible for me due to my handicap
Those Hollow Eyes by DamaiMikaz

And along with my art, grew my confidence. 
It's funny how time passes so slowly that things like improvement often go unnoticed. But improvement in art wasn't by far the only skill that went unnoticed. Along with my art, grew my ability to write in English (I'm not a native English person -- for those who didn't know yet) and my ability to communicate with people on the website. It didn't only impact who I was as an artist, but also who I was on the site. Having to confidence to write in another language, even despite mistakes, meant being able to help others. And while doing so, making some friends for life.
Unconditional Love by kaiser-mony

Wanting to do something back for the community, I started helping people out. Writing about the one thing that I was probably good at at that time. And the one thing I probably actually knew something about (due to my previous job experience). Internet & Marketing. I've always hated that depressed feeling that hung around the lesser noticed artists in such great community. The feeling that they were not good enough to get noticed. Probably because that's what I've felt so many times before myself, even though I knew the statistics.


I wanted to empower people. To tell them that they were in fact good enough. That they were totally fine the way they were, but that the goals they aimed for were just too damn unrealistic.
I wanted them to know the truth about how hard it is to promote things on the current day internet. The facts about the internet marketing that I work with every day. In the hopes that knowing that would at least put their distorted image about their own art into perspective.
Above all Limits by Razurichan

But thinking of myself of nothing more than just an average artist, I was unaware of the effect it had on the community.
I was unprepared. It blew me away. It captivated me. Fascinated me, because I am a curious person by nature. 
Northern Lights by KuldarLeement

But sometimes deeply scared me as well. Because after all, we artists are emotional beings...
coming true - 6x6inch by agnes-cecile

DeviantArt is 14 years old, but I've only been here for 7 years. Yet it feels like I've been there for ages.
I've met so many people.
Seen so much art.
And learned so much.

What I've learned through all those years?

That nothing comes naturally. 
That art means you have to fight monsters -- your inner demons -- to overcome them and become a stronger person.
The Werewolf by Niconoff

That's about being persistent. About about not giving up, even though situations might seem hopeless and it hurts.


That it's about having the courage to take that leap. 
MtG: Gift of Orzhova by algenpfleger

About giving shape to the chaos in your mind
Crowned with chaos by DamaiMikaz

And who knows, in a a few years, when you look back at all this from a distance. And you realize how far you've gotten, you know that it was all worth it.
MUSHISHI by zhongbiao



This was my journey so far.
Start building yours today! 
© 2014 - 2024 DamaiMikaz
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Sketchda's avatar
Enjoyed reading! Thank you :)