If you approach me about the trade, I will expect you to do your piece first, as if I approach you, I will be happy to do my half first.
I only open commissions every few months, and offer limited slots. I only take commissions 'first come first serve' in response to my journal. I feel this is the most fair way, as I have too many commission requests to be able to do. When I know the date and time I will be be opening commissions, I post a journal letting everyone know. If you would like one, you must show up at the time specified and claim one by commenting on the 'Commissions open' journal. NO reservations. Only contact me about commissions to ask questions or for a quote.
Anywhere from a few days to a few months. I take between 5 and 10 commissions at a time. I work on commissions generally in the order they are paid for(of course if I get sudden inspiration to do one I won't hold back!). If you are the first on the list I will likely have it done very quickly, as this is my full time job. Likewise, if there are 9 people ahead of you it may be several weeks before I get to yours. Please keep in mind I am a human being and artwork is not something to be rushed. I assure you I am working as quickly as I can. My philosophy is quality over quantity, so bare in mind it will be much better if you do not rush me!
Once payment is made and you see that I'm working on your piece(there are progress bars for each one) you may at any point request a preview on my progress. I will send you the sketch/rough draft when I begin and if it is a big piece probably a few WIPs too.
For traditional pieces the time varies greatly, and I will include a rough timeline for you before payment is made. If you have a specific deadline, please do what you can to give me enough time prior, but I will work to the best of my abilities to get it done by the deadline! Also note that depending on where in the world you live, it may take a few weeks to get to you.
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Are there any restrictions to what you will draw?
I do not draw mature/adult artwork at this time, though I may draw artistic nudity. Moderate blood and violence are fine, I love monsters and snarly beasts! I usually will not draw strict fanart, but themed pieces are usually fine.
Example: I will draw your custom made video game characters (ie. Khajiits, argonians, worgens, etc). I will not draw Mickey Mouse or Pikachu, unless express written consent is acquired from the copyright holder(your responsibility). As far as what subjects I will draw, I will try any creature you throw at me! Just be advised I have more experience with wildlife and anthro art and less so with humans, machinery, etc. But I'll give it my best go!
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How do you paint Fur?I find that layering multiple tones using brushes in varying opacity, brush size, and strengths works best. Start by layering the basics and work to the fine details. Have lots of patience, there is no 'easy-way'!
My advice to you is to study and life-draw real live animals(go to the Zoo!), study videos and photos of wildlife, there's TONS of tutorials on dA!
I've made a few tutorials to help to explain the way I render images:
Check out my Resources folder for Tutorials, Free to use items, etc.
Check out my Youtube for Process Videos.
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How did you learn to draw?This is too broad a question to simply answer, but I get quite a lot of questions about it. Ever since I was very young I watched endless hours of National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, etc and sat down and tried to draw all the animals I learned about. I had a massive collection of animal movies, magazines, books, and textbooks which I referenced. I used to create biomes with examples of an entire ecosystem of made-up creatures. Sometimes I started drawing the skeleton, then the muscles, then the flesh/fur. Anatomy books and drawing books are fantastic and I highly recommend you get a collection of them. My biggest advice for beginners is to get a resource pool of references, not necessarily all in one genre, and draw anything and everything relentlessly. I definitely recommend starting out with a pencil and paper, and once you are comfortable with that, begin moving to digital or painting. And of course now there are endless amounts of tutorials readily available on DA! I also urge you to try every art medium you can get your paws on, seriously. Even if you suck at sculpture, try, you will gain experience from it. Experiment, practice, and don't give up!
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Do you roleplay?Unfortunately I no longer have the time to roleplay, but I did spend over a decade doing it.
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Will you help me with my artwork?I can't do this for everyone, but I am working on putting more tutorials up, and if you would like a specific tutorial I would be glad to try my best at helping you out! I will occasionally do redlines or critique, send me a message!
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Do you have any credentials?I am self taught in all aspects of art, however I do have a lot of experience. In school I took every art course available, and was graced with a fantastic teacher who did not really teach me as much as gave me all the resources I needed and encouraged me to explore the arts however I chose. I worked at a large art supply store for three years where I learned and researched every medium we had available. I was the fine arts aficionado there and answered questions for all the students and university teachers alike.
I had intended to go on to art school, and I was accepted to an art university, but circumstances at the time plus the subjects they were offering swayed me otherwise. Don't get me wrong, education is invaluable, but it wasn't what I wanted out of the industry.
• How do you pronounce 'Sidonie' / Where did you get the name from?
I pronounce it 'Sih-Doe-Nee' with a hard 'D' sound.
The name came from a vampire novel I read when I was thirteen, 'A Terrible Beauty' by Nancy Baker. At the time I really related with the character, and I do still love the character and the book.