Some references, sketches, and color tests.
Art process
Final piece!
I came up with this artwork while listening to "Time in a Tree" by Raleigh Ritchie (Jacob Anderson). He often mentioned in interviews that he uses music to handle his anxiety. Maybe this was the approach he picked during that time, as it's been a while since his last release. Nonetheless, the lyrics consistently resonate with me, offering comfort, reflection, or even motivation, maybe even more than when they were first released.
For a bit over a year, I've been looking into whether I have ADHD. I haven't gotten an official diagnosis yet, but having one matters to me for various reasons. Even if I don't get it, diving deep into the topic has made me take it seriously and work on accepting myself. Now, I value my methods more.
I get that straying a bit or not strictly following set methods isn't a disaster. These days, I'm more into finding tools that help me be productive in a healthy way.
Every time I hear the line "I wanna be ten again," even though Raleigh's frustration is clear in the song's context, I also feel that and get motivation from it.
For quite a while, I thought I wasn't performing my best, and that feeling has come back recently. But now, I'm proud of what I achieve. These days, I've become more humble, aiming for 70% rather than a perfect 10. If I hit that, great. If not, I know it's still good in its own way.
And that's it for my TED Talk on mental health, where I should've talked about art!
As for the art process, I don't have much to say. It was fun, as this style is comfy all around - from the outlines to the lively colors, to not striving for artistic perfection, and paying attention to detail, with each element holding meaning for me.
In the end, the main part of the whole artistic process is more about the idea than the actual doing.
To wrap things up, I'm excited about sharing more of these personal projects down the road, depending on my schedule, haha!
If you read this whole thing, thanks for your time.
— NH
