A collection of articles, short essays, poetry, and thought pieces.
I am also currently writing a book. I will post more about this over time, but for now you can read some snippets here.
Current tags: Art Resources | Art | Poetry | Chatter
Poetry Before 2020
So I have a poetry blog I stopped updating sometime in 2020. The last poem I posted is about COVID. I've written more since then, but I never bothered to update it because, well, I felt like no one ever read them. I do want to post them, though I don't know if I should post them there? Here? Both? I'm not sure. I certainly have no intent of re-posting the older ones. In any case, here is a link to the old blog: https://shannonbuchananpoetry.blogspot.com/ It's a lot of poems about guys, and sticky feelings, and other such nonsense. I went through them and hid the poorer ones in drafts, made some edits to others. Though if I can allow myself a moment sans humility, it's better than average - dare I say good even. A professor of poetry even told me as such.
Drawing Reflections in Mirrors Using Perspective
Let's start with a mirror in one-point perspective. Easy enough. Draw a rectangle, using an arbitrary point on the horizon.
Reflected Light Part 2: Metal and Reflective Surfaces
So after I wrote my Mini Overview on reflected light, I received this question:
Mini Tutorial on Reflected Light
This is originally based on an overview I did in an art based Discord server that I later converted to a Bluesky thread and that I am now recreating here as a blog style post. Fun!
A Look Into Drawing Braids
So to begin with, there are lots of tutorials on drawing braids. I don't want to retread territory that has already been covered with this thread. Like my previous overviews, I prefer to address concepts and how to think about things rather than creating a step by step guide (like these ones here).
Notes on drawing curls, horns, springs, and spirals
From your resident curly girl.
Why You Should Always Sketch on a Toned Surface
Hello my little voidlings, today I will be talking about why
Art Theory: Every How-To-Draw Guide Gets Gender Differences WRONG
Now onto:
Behind the Scenes: "Nixie" Step by Step
Well this took much too long for me to get to creating this guide. I unexpectedly had a lot dumped on my plate and I guess it got like, hidden behind a stack of papers or something.
Behind the Scenes: "Fossegrim" Layer Breakdown
For this image I ended up going with a slightly different method than I normally do. I had originally intended something similar to my "Springs" image (building it up out of a base color in a manner more similar to traditional painting), but instead I ended up working largely in blue tinted black and white and then adding color after the tonal ranges had been established. It's similar to the way color is added to old photographs. I wasn't unfamiliar with this technique - some artists use it exclusively - but I'd personally never done it to any great extent. I'm actually really pleased with how it turned out in the end though.
How To: Chalk Pastel and Watercolor Pencil for Models
I received a Frame Arms Girl Magatsuki Kikka as a gift, so decided to use her as a demonstration of how you can get some really wonderful shading and effects without using an airbrush - or any sort of paint at all.
How To: Acrylic Liquid Pour Paintings AKA Flip Cup Paintings
Some time ago I made this guide as part of a Secret Santa exchange I did. Now I am sharing it with everyone else!
Art Theory: The Torso is a Clawfoot Bathtub
Due to the popular demand of like... a couple people, I will be going over how THE HUMAN TORSO IS LIKE A CLAWFOOT BATHTUB.
Step-By-Step: Plague Doctor Mask
Today I present to you a step by step detailing the making of the plague doctor mask I used in two photo shoots back in college, a series of metal prints and my thesis work.
Volks "The Bang" Model Build Gallery
This entry was originally uploaded to Imgur in 2019. I am now posting it here so I can keep all my information in one place and so that people can more easily find and access it.
Behind the scenes: "Truant" step by step
Truant actually began his life a bit earlier than the sketching process - or before I even knew I was making a piece. You see, I hadn't actually intended to make one at all, I'd simply wanted to make a generic male body in Design Doll that I could summon up at later dates and make adjustments to, since the ones people usually upload to their database are seldom to my liking and the ones I had floating around from previous works needed some polishing (if there is interest, I can write a longer post about Design Doll and how I use it). So I polished one up and, for no real reason, decided to pose it prior to saving it.