cicadaking

[cicadaking]

Hi, big fan of your designs and exploration sketches! Not sure if it'd be ok to ask this but i need some advice from another creature designer. - What perspective you have on inspration? (When people use a feature that you happen to put one ,or more, of your most favored characters)

It's hard for me to be emltionally mature about it since my art and designs are like what makes myself feel valuable, and i'm not used to seeing this happen. I guess it means now i have a long way and my work has improved enough for that to happen. But i need to hear from someone else to put out this fire in me.

Thanks in advance, no pressure for answers, have a good one!

Thank you! I hope you are doing well, too. I apologize for the extremely late reply. I have been AWOL from my socials and the creature design sphere in general for most of the year.

Oftentimes I make things just because I want to see more of it in the world. [The other half of the time I'm exploring what my options are as far as how to execute the same concept in as many different ways as I can think of.] So when my art inspires others to make something in a similar vein then I feel like I've succeeded in some regard. I've successfully communicated what I find appealing about a particular concept/interpritation, and did so in a way that made someone a fan of it too.

If an artist is "directly inspired" by a design then I think it is courteous for them to acknowledge that because doing so borrows on another person's work/unique perspective. [Defining "direct inspiration" as taking an aspect of a design and using it in another without making much if any changes to it.] Regular ol inspiration does not neccesitate credit like direct inspiration does because it requires understanding the what and why and how a thing works in the context of the original design, then reiterates on it so that it serves the inspired design while maintaining the essence of the original.

e.g. Hidewing was inspired primarily by Kaibutsu from GDW, both in terms of character and design. Hidewing is a design that stands on its own, but you can [hopefully] see the connection when comparing the two.

That said, I think it's normal and good for artists to feel valuable because of the art they create. Despite what a lot of people believe, art is a learnable skill, and skills make you a valuable asset to others. What does it do for you, though? You could start by putting your eggs in different baskets. That is, learning several different skills and/or mastering ones you already possess. But I don't think that'd be addressing the real issue. The real issue is that you may have placed all, or a lot of, your sense of value in something that is external and therefor unstable. People can easily lose skills or the ability to do them, can be outdone by others, the world can change in a way that makes that skill a mere novelty, and so on. Extrinsic value is important but it isn't everything, people need a sense of intrinsic value, too. Emotional maturity comes easier to those who feel secure in themself, so it might do you well to develop a sense of value outside of how you can serve other people. It's much harder to lose your sense of self or for someone to be you better than you're yourself.

[cicadaking]

Just these three left!

Trying to get rid of these designs- FC;FS Paypal invoice only Comment or DM to claim You do NOT need a TH to buy any of them Update: Tussock Dragon has been claimed Lil Guy has been claimed

[cicadaking]

Trying to get rid of these designs- FC;FS Paypal invoice only Comment or DM to claim You do NOT need a TH to buy any of them Update: Tussock Dragon has been claimed Lil Guy has been claimed

[cicadaking]

Jade Horizons has been sold Storm Surge is still available

[cicadaking]

Skarmory evo because it deserves one [named Halbird]

[cicadaking]

Thunderhorn is still up for grabs -

First set of Smaugust adopts! Loosely themed after the four seasons, this one's Spring. I will also be completing small sketchpages [2-4 sketches] for each design as they're sold.

FC;FS Paypal invoice only Buyer gets transparent file[s] + alt forms [if applicable] Reply or DM to claim

1. THUNDERHORN - 75USD 2. LEOPARD LILY - 75USD SOLD 3. SWAMP BASILISK - 65USD SOLD 4. MEADOW MAIDEN - 75USD ON HOLD

[cicadaking]

Finished sketch page for the pumpkin gutz dragon

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Completed sketchpage for the Turkeybeest

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Sketch page for burning leaves

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Finished sketch page for the Snowball dragon

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Finished sketch page for the Heatwave Dragon

[cicadaking]

Fourth and final set! Winter themed, obviously. I will also be completing small sketchpages [3-4 sketches] for each design as they're sold.

FC;FS Paypal invoice only Buyer gets transparent file[s] + alt versions [if applicable] Reply or DM to claim

1. ICE FLOE - SOLD 2. SNOWBALL - SOLD 3. POLARIS - SOLD 4. EVERGREEN INFERNO - SOLD

[cicadaking]

Did a few dino designs because I was bored.

[cicadaking]

Third set! Fall themed this time. I will also be completing small sketchpages [3-4 sketches] for each design as it sells.

FC;FS Paypal invoice only Buyer will get transparent file[s] + alt versions [if applicable] Reply or DM to claim

1. TURKEYBEEST - 75USD SOLD 2. SHEET GHOST - 75USD 3. BURNING LEAVES - 75USD SOLD 4. PUMPKIN GUTS - 95USD SOLD

[cicadaking]

Finished sketchpage for the Drought dragon

[cicadaking]

Finished sketchpage for the Leopard Lily dragon

[cicadaking]

Second set! This one's Summer themed. I will also be completing small sketchpages [3-4 sketches] for each design as they are sold.

FC;FS Paypal invoice only Buyer gets transparent + alt version file[s] [if applicable] Reply or DM to claim

1. JUNGLE KING - 75USD SOLD 2. PACIFIC ARCADE - 75USD SOLD 3. HEATWAVE - 75USD SOLD 4. DROUGHT - 75USD SOLD