@anon1: …. like… bestiality? ◕ ﹏ ◕

@anon2: Oh my gosh!  Oh sweetie, I think it’s clear you are already much nicer!  Thank you so much for leaving such a kind, uplifting message in my ask box!  Thank you darling!

@milky-mint:  I really miss you too! Your new hair looks so cute by the way.  I can’t wait until next saturday’s club meeting. Maybe we should hit up a bar some time and sing korean songs drunkenly?

@tokwap: Ohhh wow!! Thank you *catches rainbow vomit in a locket made of love*  That means so much to me.  I realize I have a long way to go in terms of both of these areas, but I value your encouragement so much!

@Dreampod:  HEY! HEY TUMBLR! I have a bug to report! It seems the love note I sent dreampod somehow ended up in my inbox, but as if it were sent from her??

@sad-robots-and-scary-monsters: WHOA!  Oh my gosh! Thank you!  I am flabbergasted and so deeply flattered that you somehow remembered these pitiful characters!  I realize how plain the comic was/is and I feel so grateful to have had such a thoughtful and astute reader like you!  Thank you so very much.

@anon3: Oh!  First of all, thank you dearly for the long-time watch!  I’m so glad I haven’t yet chased you away, thank you for sticking with me.  I think… motivation for me comes and goes.  Sometimes I feel very stuck and upset with how I’m drawing.  I don’t have a great method for getting out of artblock or finding that extra motivation, sometimes it just has to run its course.  I will say, surrounding yourself with other people who draw around you a lot has worked for me in the past.  Like… almost to guilt trip me into drawing more? hahaha And if you feel stuck, try drawing in a different way (buy a new sketchbook/new tools, or start doodling on quick online programs)  drawing at Tegaki has gotten me out of art blocks before and gave me some fresh motivation.  I’m sorry if this was an unhelpful answer, if so.  please let me know if it was missing something, I’ll try and clarify!;;

@Bananabo:  No!  Don’t die!  I still gotta love you more! *clutches you to my breast*

@Cozma: Oh my gosh!  Flawless is not something I should hear myself/my art described as!! *tugs collar*  You flatter me deeply with your generous comments!  I have a long way to go and a lot of room for improvement in both personal and artistic realms.  But I will do my best so as not to disappoint you, dear.  ; v ; 

@anon4:   I’m so sorry I forgot to respond to this until after I already published the replies.  My apologies! >   <  I do use photo reference once in a while, but when I do, I make sure to only draw from pictures of myself on photobooth unless doing a technical study that I won’t post online. I try to use the reference very loosely, just to get my bearings right, not to draw directly from.  Usually I open the photo once, give it a cursory glance, and then close it to get drawing.

For instance, this is a sketch that I am working on now: 

And here is the source image.

It’s not a perfect likeness by any means, so I would recommend not sticking to references, more to just look them over a bit and get to a jumping-off point.  Please don’t feel tethered to references.