Vikings!
New Year! New Challenge! Don't miss on opportunity to lvl up your painting skills!
For the month of January we will be participating in the HeavyJan challenge on our Discord server: discord.gg/rKZpA7q8kk
What are the rules?:
• For the month of January you will be painting in an app called Heavy Paint or Webby Paint. It's clunky , weird and with minimal tool set. That is exactly what you need to be able to practice your brushwork , and relay on your fundamentals of color, value and form.
• Every day we'll have 3 references to draw from. It is going to be a still life, a landscape and a keyframe from the movies. You can paint one of them, or you can choose any other reference you like. The main idea is that we cover a wast variety of topics so you practice something that will actually benefit your portfolio.
This challenge will be a DAILY ongoing thing for the entire month of January. So if you where looking to start your new year with a bang and finally try out Heavy Paint. This is the opportunity to do so!
When does the challenge start?
• January 1st at 11:00 AM
What are the benefits of this challenge?
• If you survive the entire 31 days. Or even 15 days. You'll have a better understanding of color relationships, value, form and shapes.
Plus you'll have daily content to post to your social media for growth. And don't forget the good company that you'll have painting with you everyday in our ⚔ HARD WORKING MORTALS voice chat in Discord.
If you want to join and find out more details , read this forum here: discord.com/channels/986695610495295489/1189679214…
Skol!
Misha and the Team
P.s Cover Art By Gabriel Gomez
Be a rebel.
A rebellious spirit is the key to defeating sadness, injustice, and the overwhelming pressure of this world. It's the key to winning our artistic war.
People will see it in you and ask: "What keeps this mad human going? Why is it glowing, creating, and not suffering among us depressed miserable mortals? Can anyone stop this beast of an artist?"
No! No one can. Unless you let them.
Prove the world wrong, in spite of all of the sadness and difficulty, in spite of all of the doubt and fear, in spite of evil people and their wrongdoings.
You are unstoppable.
Stay sabotaging, stay glowing, and be that little firebug lighting up the hearts and spreading the happiness and creativity around you. Not because it's easy. But because you refuse to bow down to this evil world and it's the right thing to do.
Be a rebel of happiness...be a rebel for creativity.
You got this ma little firebug big brain Vikings (-:
P.s Check out this song. Turn it on. Dance in your living room. And just keep creating. You are not alone, we are all in this together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCk1f...
P.s.s You are already awesome as you are! Remember that!
A long time ago Sailors had an ancient tradition:
Before they went on a dangerous voyage into the sea, they would gather and raise their drinks, and then one by one they would name one thing they regret the most in their life.
And after everyone is done...they would raise their cups once more and say "No regrets!" and sail into the sea.
You have a dream. You have a calling. You have the want and need to create.
Be fearless about it, so when you are going to be on your death bed you won't regret anything.
Money comes and goes, and people's approval comes and goes...But you are left alone with your decisions at the end of it all...
So I beg you, let's live our lives just like those sailors. With no regrets and love for what we do (-:
Keep creating Vikings!
I've seen many talented people rise and then fail to make it as full-time creatives.
So many quit and gave up.
And the saddest part is that it's not a lack of talent or creativity that killed their futures.
But lack of these 3 things:
Meaning. Grit. And soft skills.
Please hear me out:
Most people think this:
If only I could afford "bla bla bla" then I would finally get the tools to achieve "bla bla bla".
Or.
If only this life situation could change for me, then surely I would get the thing that I want most.
And the truth is...
No. It's not lack of tools or resources holding you back.
It's the lack of Meaning.
Because if you know your "Why". Things become obstacles to overcome.
Pain becomes justified.
And the struggle becomes an interesting challenge. Or a puzzle to solve.
Many of you will say...
Yeah...But!
And this is the problem. We have too many "Yeah butts".
And If your excuses become greater than the pursuit of Meaning and avoidance of pain.
You're in trouble.
Meaning is like air.
What happens when we stop breathing?
We die...
And creative people without the pursuit of Meaning are like fish on the ground.
Wiggling pointlessly, gasping for air, trying to survive in a hostile environment that wasn't created for them.
Are you that fish?
Then you need to answer these questions:
If I had unlimited money. And my situation was ideal. What would I do with my life?
How would I bless people and make their life better?
When I die. How can I leave this world a better place?
If you answered this, great. If you didn't. You need to find the answers.
Because...
That is your "Why".
Now you will know why you need to make money to keep doing what you love.
You will try to find a way out of any situation to keep pursuing what you love.
And most importantly you will do it not only for yourself. But for others.
Because if you don't...
You already know the answer...
Now...This is just one of three points.
If this post gets 5 comments and likes, I'll write about the next skill - Grit (-:
Can we do that? If yes, I’ll link it below.
I’m counting on you Vikings!
You don't need to wait for happiness. It's right here, under your nose (-:
Both eyes, both arms, and a stylus in your hand.
What else do you need?
"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with very much" (Luke 16:10)
Oh man, the endless loop of pursuing "happiness".
An interesting quest that we all try to complete. But it's not a destination, it's a state of mind. If you can't find joy right here right now, even if you get your dream tomorrow, nothing will change.
That hunger for better, cooler, more prestigious will just transfer to your new state of being. Like cockroaches who live in your couch. You can move houses, but you will bring them with you if you won't through away the couch hehe
It is very hard to be grateful for what we have. Always loved this definition of happiness:
Happiness is - when things are worse, and then back to normal.
I always need to remind myself of that.
Despite my plans and ambitions, why pursue them if I can't enjoy life right here right now in a brief but important moment.
Yeah...Anyways, just some morning thoughts (-: Save and share if you want more good juju like this hehe
👉🏻What makes you happy? Share your good juju in the comments, who knows, it might help another artist out (-:
Did you talk about your art project today? Lets me know what you cooking in the comments hehe
New animation from VFA team (-:
Paintover I did for this Paintover Monday Episode 2 (-:
You can see the full process here: https://youtu.be/pUVEMESizR0
Destroy that like button like a true Viking hehe Support is appreciated (-:
5 recent tweets of mine that might help you create and go on.
Hope you find this useful (-:
Follow for daily good juju: twitter.com/MishaOplev
Tell me if this sounds familiar:
You get up. Ready to kill the day. Inspirational juju is flowing.
But than...
Doom scrolling happens...and a train wreck of a day follows.
Here is a 5-step system that helped me:
Step 1. The sabotage.
Wifi modem should be off when you wake up.
Ideally, turn it off 2 hours before you go to bed.
Almost all artists are on the ADHD spectrum. We need that dopamine.
DO NOT GIVE IT TO YOUR BRAIN!
Yet.
Instead, you do this...
Step 2. The cold exposure.
Go to 10 - 15 min hot shower.
Turn the cold water on. Wait for it to cool down.
1...2...3
With a Viking roar, you start dancing under the cold water.
This will up your dopamine levels for the entire day.
More on that later...
Step 3. The victory plan.
Let's imagine you survived the cold shower.
Your dopamine levels are at an optimal state now.
But. They are slowly decreasing.
Use this window of focus and alertness to write down your tasks for today.
3 tasks max.
Now the important part...
Step 4. The UNO switcheroo trick.
Look at your victory plan.
And whatever you wrote last.
That's your first task.
Go in reverse order. Least favorite tasks to most favorite ones.
This way you won't procrastinate on important tasks, dreading what is coming.
And finally...
Step 5. Release the Kra...Dopamine I mean...
Turn wifi on.
Reward your brain for doing the hard tasks first.
We are trying to turn this into a habit.
I bet you won't procrastinate after this.
Since hard tasks are behind, and exciting ones are ahead.
Rinse and repeat.
In short: Win the morning - Win the day.
• Eliminate distractions.
• Boost dopamine with a cold shower.
• Write down Victory Plan.
• Tackle hard tasks first, and enjoyable last.
• Reward yourself.
This system really helps me with my consistent painting to this day (-:
I write tips like this on my Twitter: twitter.com/MishaOplev
And Instagram: www.instagram.com/mishmadoodls/
Hey hey Vikings! We started our new discord activity: Paint Over Mondays!
If you would like to participate, check out our discord: discord.gg/B9Sj2Gck
Also, check out this Monday's episode (-:
And thank you for all of your incredible support!
Community of Art Vikings making Visdev education accessible to all.
We help people create and keep creating!