Notes

Shape theory, and how it impacts art-style and character designs, intrigues me. It can change the way a person feels about a character, and the same character drawn in two different art styles may have completely different demeanors. Round shapes are seen are warm and friendly, sharp edges are aggressive and intimidating, and broadness can give off a feeling of comfort and protection. An art-style with soft edges may be seen as childlike, and conversely, an angular style may be seen as more avant-garde. With every character being drawn in different art-styles, it's curious how such a fundamental part of an artist's "brand" can impact their creations.
I want to try out drawing some of my characters in a wide variety of art-styles, to see how their innate designs and perceived traits may change from one style to the next.
---
When I was little, I didn't think I liked to read, as I was semi-raised on the mentality that people on the internet don't like to read. However, when I was around 12, I was introduced to something called "roleplaying". There would be forms made where people would make characters and write responses as if they were that character. Some of these responses were beautifully written and paragraphs long, with many sentences dedicated to their thoughts and feelings on the current situation. I looked up to these people who could write these novellas about their characters and read back as far as I could, basking in their immersion and writing expertise.
Not long after, I joined them in roleplaying, and as I did, participating and interacting in ongoing stories created by each other, I realized that I liked reading. More specifically, I liked the tales that came out of reading. Glimmers of characterization and fascinating concepts, they swirled in my mind and sparked my imagination. It made me realize my insatiable love of stories.
---
In my friend group and the online spaces I visit, everyone is very welcoming. They are friendly and compassionate, always willing to listen to others' problems, help them out, and invite them to be a part of the group. There is a wholehearted enthusiasm that drives everybody into doing what they love, making art, stories, or even silly little concepts to fuel each other's imaginations. When someone makes something, they praise and cherish what the person has done, and when someone is knocked down by life, they console and offer words of support to them. It doesn't matter whether someone is socially anxious or extremely busy, if there is passion in what a person loves to do, then it is pushed up one-hundred fold by the others. So long as people don't be mean and make rude comments towards each other, it is a safe place where people can be creative.
Even though I am only one person and not anywhere near outgoing as I am online, I want to try to give others a safe place where they can be comfortable, express their own thoughts, and get feedback and validation for everything that they do.
---
During the pandemic, I fell into a slump where I couldn't get any of my work done. Whether it be English, math, or art, I had no energy to do anything. This made me realize the importance an environment and routine has on whether or not people are able to accomplish their work. While I was fine completing both my homework and schoolwork when I was in a specialized location dedicated to learning and the routine of getting up, having breakfast, commuting to school, etc. However when the pandemic hit, my routine shattered and it was much harder to focus. I learned to appreciate centralized locations with specific learning environments that help get work done.
---
My school has a lot of programs and clubs dedicated to help students prepare for their next chapter in life. Whether that be through technical fields of study, clubs, or guidance counselors, the school does everything in its power to bring in resources for students with which to become familiar. In the college that I eventually attend, I wish to help others get the resources to grasp the experience needed to pursue their life goal. Whether that be through networking on different websites, asking professors for recommendations or advice, or perhaps something else, it would be give opportunities to others in the same way my school gave me.

=
=
=

My parents were always busy growing up, so I found my solace in video games. On the car ride to and from school, in after-school daycare, or when my mom brought me dinner with her friends I would play on my Nintendo DS, and when I was home, I would watch playthroughs of video games on my ipad. I barely had friends at school and none outside of it, and I was rarely brought anywhere outside, so it was my main source of entertainment. Sometime around fourth grade, I started copying pictures. Some of these pictures were from a My Little Pony book I had gotten, though others were Dokapon Kingdom classes printed out so I could copy during school. Rarely, I would try to make my own pokemon, with pitiful results.

Due to my lack of friends - and apparently me being bullied, something I have no recollection of - I moved schools for fifth grade. There, I made a friend, who I will call Arin, that introduced me to a website called Quotev. On it, I wrote a few stories that never went anywhere. However, it sparked my love for creating characters. Of course, throughout this same time, I was still drawing, repurposing the back of my math notebook's 3 ring binder as my first sketchbook. Since I would finish classwork quickly, the rest of my class time was spent daydreaming, doodling, and writing about my characters. I made many different "universes" of characters and stories during my first school year alone.

A few years later, I grew an interest in roleplaying. I joined a few groups on Quotev and instantly fell in love with it. People would create characters and write how they would react, detailing paragraphs upon paragraphs on the way they moved, acted, and thought. These groups provided the setting, plot, and roles that people would fulfill, and together, they would create their own story. Until the group died, of course, but there was always more. Roleplaying helped me improve my writing, character creation, and even drawing skills by leaps and bounds. It also sparked an interest in more unexpected topics, like psychology and biology, as I researched ways for my characters to feel more alive.

I applied to Bergen Tech for more practical reasons than prestigious ones, as my mom said we'd have to move if I didn't. Even so, I was ecstatic when I got in. Up until that point, I had little reference for how my art compared to others, with my friends, both online and offline, either older and much farther in their art journeys than me, or didn't have much knowledge about art. It was an eye-opening experience to be able to see art from other kids my age and made me more determined than ever to become better at art. Of course, even with a new school and more classwork than ever, I still roleplayed. In fact, during the pandemic, it was one of things that kept me invigorated even through falling grades and little motivation for homework.

After many years, I still love video games and want to give back to the thing that kept me company for so long when I was young, so I want to work in the video game industry one day. Even if I can't, I hope to help create stories that can give entertainment and joy to others, just as it had to me.
---
When I was little, I always loved video games. On the car ride to and from school, in after-school daycare, or when my mom brought me dinner with her friends I would play on my Nintendo DS, and when I was home, I would watch playthroughs of video games on my ipad. They were my main source of entertainment, and I had fun playing through them. Sometime around fourth grade, I started copying pictures. Some of these pictures were from a My Little Pony book I had gotten, though others were Dokapon Kingdom classes printed out so I could copy during school.

Before fifth grade, I moved schools. Here, I gained new friends and grew an interest in writing stories. I was still drawing, repurposing the back of my math notebook's 3 ring binder as my first sketchbook. Since I would finish classwork quickly, the rest of my class time was spent daydreaming, doodling, and writing about my characters. I made many different "universes" of characters and stories during my first school year alone. In later years, this interest only grew, with me greatly improving my writing, character creation, and even drawing skills in the process. It also sparked an interest in more unexpected topics, like psychology and biology, as I researched ways for my characters to feel more alive.

I applied to Bergen Tech for more practical reasons than prestigious ones, as my mom said we'd have to move if I didn't. Even so, I was ecstatic when I got in. Up until that point, I had little reference for how my art compared to others, with my friends either older and much farther in their art journeys than me, or didn't have much knowledge about art. It was an eye-opening experience to be able to see art from other kids my age and made me more determined than ever to become better at art. Of course, even with a new school and more classwork than ever, I still wrote. In fact, during the pandemic, it was one of things that kept me invigorated even through falling grades and little motivation for homework.

After many years, I still love video games and want to give back to the thing that kept me company for so long when I was young, so I want to work in the video game industry one day. Even if I can't, I hope to help create stories that can give entertainment and joy to others, just as it had to me.