back on Gaia Online

Welp... I'm back on Gaia Online.

Gaia Online is an English-language, anime-themed social networking and forums-based website.
I've been a member since 06/21/2005.  (It was founded 02/2003.)  I like using the art forums to give me excuses to redraw OC's (other characters) and member avatars.  I haven't been on there for a couple of years, but this Coronastorm combined with poor fung shui is leaving me with a bit of a creative block, so I'm back.

I have a bunch of old art crap on my DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/lilmisshoppi

So here's what happens:

  1. Gaia Online member, or "Gaian", asks me to draw an avatar or their character.
  2. I draw their request in my own style, however I want. Usually it involves sketching on paper, then taking a photo or scan, uploading it on the net, and sharing it with said Gaian.
  3. Sometimes I receive something in return, like game currency (Gaian Gold or Platinum), game items, or just a "thanks" and/or occasional praise.
So exciting, right?  Anyway... since the pet portraits thing has kinda dried up for the moment, no one wants to buy the paintings I already have, and I'm generally kinda frustrated with trying to feel like a "real artist" or turning it into some sort of career, I'm saying eff it and just drawing these cute characters for practice.

First I did my own avatar:
(That's what a Gaia Online avatar looks like; I did not make that art. I simply styled my avatar using Gaia Online's avatar creator.)  Then I drew it and painted it hastily in Photoshop (before I could find my Wacom tablet or the accompanying pen). 


(My version.) After creating that sketched art, I posted the sample on my art thread/forum on Gaia Online, and attracted the attention of other Gaians who requested I draw their characters.  

So next up was Sassmaster Host:
(Above: I don't know who the artist was for Sassmaster Host's colorful mermaid character. I was asked to redraw it in my own style as a freebie.)


Voila: my version, hand-drawn then painted in Photoshop.

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