My deviantART Story

So, let's talk about me for a second here. My story of my duration on dA. It didn't even start on this account, it started way back in September of 2007. Back when I was a okay artist and a complete Sonic The Hedgehog fanatic. I spent 5 years or less of my time on dA drawing Sonic FCs, RPing and sometimes an occasional original art piece. I made a lot of great friends, some of which I am still buddies with, some I can even call family.

I did start to notice after a while though, that trying to submit original art and break out of the Sonic Fandom was going to be trickier, no one followed me just for my art. They followed me for Sonic Art. Especially when I had the occasional request or commission open. Frustrated and feeling rather alone, I decided I need to start anew. "Fandoms would only get you so far" I told myself, it was time I started a new account, with a new name and new identity. A place where people can look at my original artwork and say "Hey, I like that! Draw more!" and to not be held back because of this limited restrictions known as Fandoms.

Don't get me wrong, Fandoms can be great too but when it comes to creating artwork and things... only for Fandoms, that's when I got issues with it. And... to be perfectly fair, I learned a lot about creating art through the Sonic Fandom, I learned new ways to colour, how to use photoshop and other art software, helped me learn how to write more original stories seeing as the Sonic Fandom was filled with very mediocre and overdone story-lines. But all in all, it was still stuck in that universe.

And I guess that's why I eventually deleted my old account, it was of now use to me anymore, no matter how many people still went to it and left nice comments about my old work. The time was now. And that's where ScorchingSketches came from, a brand new name and place to put whatever I liked. I started joining new groups about comics, taking part in OCTs, making all sorts of cool friends along the way. If it weren't for Panels-and-Gutter, I would've never met so many cool people, some of which are the closest friends I have now, my Ohana.

Going from OCT to OCT, only ever getting into two, I learned a lot about deadlines and webcomics, writing stories and interesting characters and actually developing my own stories with some of those characters. I finally figured out what I wanted to do for a living that involved art forms, thanks to dA and the friends I've made there. After a time I did change my name to 0tacoon, as there was another change I wanted to make, more internal. The name was coined off my love for Metal Gear Solid (Otacon) and Raccoons. I did well for a while, I made new friends-- some of which were idols of mine, like whoa. I had received a Daily Deviation out of nowhere and suddenly had a flood of new people to share my work with!

I was on a high, getting my art featured in a few small kickstarters, an Exhibit, and just being appreciated.

But like all good things, sometimes they had to come to an end. I hit a point where I thought good ol deviantART was doing anything for me or my career as an artist. And then... I left. For a little a while, thinking over things, posting art elsewhere. I started feeling lonelier and lonelier, cut off from a huge community. Old groups I joined, shut down. OCTs over with. Life taking over so I couldn't draw as much.

It all just stopped. Then after a long time, I found something to be a part of again. A new community on deviantART, a new group that I could contribute to and feel like I had a place there. Reconnecting with old friends, drawing new kinds of art and characters, it was like a rebirth all over again. Third time's the charm right? Or wait has it been fourth times now? EITHER WAY, I made it this far and I plan on making it farther!
Now a part of the Cardians group, I feel like I can continue moving forward in some direction, and hopefully it will branch off into others.

5 Featured Pieces:

The Great Crevasse, was one of first times I started world building for my original story (that started from an OCT) PYRE, and it wouldn't be the last, I made a few others and had quite a few more planned and sketched out. It is also still one of the few where I put a lot of time into the backgrounds for these pieces, something I had lacked skill in before.

This Hotline Miami fan art was made with a lot of heart and love for the 80s aesthetic. I always loved the mix of dark and vibrant colours of the electro 80s art and films. I really wanted to fit all those elements into this image and I think I did a fairly good job, I also learned a lot of cool effects in photoshop because of it~
 
My first DD I had ever received, was for a commission I did for my friend RedFishing, whom I met in a awesome murder mystery OCT. I had been tasked with drawing her two characters in an action scene, it took a lot of effort to figure out the poses and angles, but as soon as I did... I knew it would be something fun and special to me. And it still is! One of the first times in a long time where I actually put more effort into my backgrounds, and it showed! After that point, I did my best to try and put as much effort into them as I did for my characters.

An art trade I did with my bestie Shabello, she didn't give a light challenge either, and she never will. Because if there is one thing I could count from her, was to give me a challenge and push myself to do better and better. I'll always appreciate her for that. This one was particular difficult to start because even tho I played a lot of Merc Kings with her and my other friend, I could get the tone or angles down. It was one of the harder pieces in recent memory to complete-- but that's what I liked about it. It was something I could look at and take pride, in knowing I had got it done!

This... this is my baby. This is what pushed me to do better and become as professional as possible, it started out as a simple image, just for kicks. I was really inspired by Hyper Light Drifter's artstyle and colours I couldn't help but try and make a fan art piece for it... little did I know it would soon become extremely popular and get put in the art book!? No way, my mind said. But it's happening and I still look at it and wonder... "how the heck did I draw that again?"
I still don't quite know, but I will always love it and can't find faults in it. I must need new glasses.

So I guess that wraps things up~ Thank you dA for always somehow making me come back and continue pushing forward, and to all my friends who gave an extra shove. ;D Happy 14th!

Jeff, that devious raccoon.