Honestly, as someone who likes to draw themselves, this is really inspiring. Especially now that I've started to shift from being confident in what I make, but it not being really very good at all, to making some pretty good-looking drawings, but always feeling like it's not good enough... I love how honest you are about your art, it helps me a lot :)

Comparison kills every joy. Drawing for the sake of drawing helps. Really like the redraw!

4:30 I'd like to say- find something that makes you excited to draw it, and give it your all regardless of skill! For a long time I struggled a lot with jealousy and comparing myself (including with this channel, lololol) but this year I got really invested in something absolutely ridiculous... Cowboy movies from the 60s! Which sounds crazy but it's carried me through producing so much more work and studying images much more and working on more exciting work! Just look for what makes you happy and excited to sit down and draw, and practice and study will do the rest :-)

This video feels like an artist sitting next to me at a warm fire explaining their art journey, it feels honest and sincere. I don't know how to explain it but I used to be so head over heels in love with drawing (even though I felt I was so bad at it haha) growing up, but when I got into high school I completely stopped. I'm still in high school, and I'm still not improving. I guess it's just nice to see that someone as talented as you encountered a similar hurdle in high school and still eventually improved and got out of it, gives me faith that I'll get out of this rut as well. Thank you for sharing your journey and I hope you continue to grow!

I'm not an artist, I'm an amateur writer, but your words still helped. Thank you :) Also amazing video! You are genuinely a brilliantly gifted artist and videographer and I can't wait to see how you improve your craft. Thank you for sharing this with us.

That paper slam at 2:03 legitimately jump scared me lmao

you are incredibly talented! it’s always a joy to see you uploaded

michelle, you're absolutely incredible! so easy to see artists we admire so much like you who seem so far ahead and forget that they too had to put in the work to get where you're at. such a beautiful video - thank you for all that you share :")

I mostly draw characters, from both my own original stories and fanart of pre-existing characters that I love. I think that's where I find joy in drawing. Because I'm so invested in these people and their stories, it's really fun for me when I get the chance to explore who they are by drawing them in different scenes. Each drawing is a moment in time for them, and can reveal more about their character, making them more real. With this approach, I think it's easier to avoid worrying about comparing your skill to other artists, because it's not about how well you drew this character, it's about how the drawing represents my understanding of them and how it shares that perspective with others.

When it comes to comparing to other's works, I've found one way that helps me is giving one compliment to the art you admire. By doing so, I'm acknowledging that there is something I like but does not degrade my own work, as I have my own set of experiences and skills, as well as improvements. For example, when I came across this channel a few months ago, I found myself drawn to the flowiness and use of clear strokes of rough textures inspiring as well as the cinematography to your videos that create such a personal form of storytelling only you have. I've been only draw a bit more serious this last year and I find myself really enjoying every new improvement I make by analyzing other's works and what make them stand out. I hoped this helps in some way and I wish the best of luck to anyone who is struggling with perfectionism in the creative process, which I am still dealing with. You can do it :D

I love your voice!

Really thank you for sharing your progress, just right now I'm struggling with my art and i feel that every day worse, and seeing your journey make me feel I´m not alone in this and figure at that feeling unconfortable with our habilities is normal and not mean we have to abandon our goals. I really admaire your art so I hope you do well on your journey.

Your honesty is so appealing. I really appreciate hearing an artist I admire has the same doubts, but kept going and got to this place.

Not only do I love your work, which is so inspiring and beautiful! But I absolutely adore your voice!! It’s so beautiful. Thank you so much for this video. It gives me hope about my own ‘journey’ with art. 🌟

those brushes are sick, im pretty unlucky as far as finding decent brushes goes, would you consider making a video showing off your brushes?

Lowkey it's nice to see you restart a picture, redo elements and showing the amount of time you spend on it. I draw in a bubble a bit and feel super unproductive with the hours I spend on stuff.

I followed you for a long time but never watched this video. I'm 26 and my artistic curiosity was always shut down by my elders when ias a teen because if I wasnt good at first at things, it wasnt worth it. Now I really want to start drawing but I'm scared. However, watching this I got the inspiration and motivation to start. Thank you. I love your work

What amazed me so much looking at your drawings through out the years is that you did try a huge massive variety of styles and they are all spectacular. I really admire you for that! Note: So glad you read The Book Thief too:")

this whole video feels so warm and intimate, as if i am reading a diary of a dear person. it helped me calm about my worries for a few and motivated me to draw again since a long time.

I love the time you take out to explain your process. Your advice is genuinely insightful and helpful, and not overly generalized. Thank you.

I know you said you almost didn’t make the video bc you didn’t like the outcome of your redraw, but honestly that is the most relatable, honest and inspiring part. I think many school taught artists, me included, can relate to how you used to be so focused on the technical master copies and accuracy because it was impressive but also its important to learn the basics. After the basics are learned master copies are very restricting and don’t leave room for much growth in the direction of expressive character art that you’ve now shifted your focus too bc of animation. I also appreciate that you decided to switch to digital for the redraw after hitting a brick wall 😅, your main medium is digital bc of animation and it was rewarding to see how much your approach to art has changed. I feel as if a part of my traditional technical skills has dropped, it feels as if I’ve lost the ability I once had, or more so, i don’t have it in me to do 20 hour realistic master copies anymore. (Do musicians ever loose the ability to play the technical fundamentals? I guess that’s comparing apples to oranges. ) I do still greatly appreciate how traditional art looks and feels compared to digital so I try to switch and practice periodically. I do Digital art on procreate on my iPad and it is definitely the most efficient and portable way for me now to do art. But imo it doesn’t match the look and feel of traditional drawing and painting. I do want my skills in traditional and digital art to improve in tandem with each other. Great video btw! It has gotten me to think about my own artist growth and journey, and it is humbling to hear that “progress is not linear” Also Your use of multiple textural brushes in a single drawing is something I envy and wish to figure out how to do well in my own drawings. I have the most trouble with procreate texture brushes, I feel if I tried to replicate what you do with textures mine would look like a mess of streaks and grain. You are incredibly talented! I thoroughly enjoy your videos, they are so educational and also incredibly high quality and visually appealing!!!!

I really love your videos and the fact that you show both things you are proud of in your work and things you want to improve, it feels more realistic and relatable!

Oh i loved this! The way you edit is beautiful and your narration is so self-reflective but also kind to yourself. Halfway through the video when you started showing your timeline of progress I suddenly felt a bit discouraged with my own art. But I think I want to take your approach as an inspiration and be kind to myself too. Thank you for sharing your experiences and making yourself vulnerable in a way. I think that's beautiful.

OMG IT'S A VIDEO FROM LEMONCHOLY! lol okay all jokes aside it's so mad cool to see your growth, happy new year!!

Your words make my heart full of joyfulness and hope for my future as an artist 🥺❤️ really really thanks so much

you’re such a big inspiration 🥺 thank u for sharing your wisdom with us all !!

I just want to say how much I love your art. It’s so expressive and lively that your drawings look like their ready to jump out of the screen! When I draw I love listening to music and creating something based on what I’m feeling from the audio.

listening to you not only gives me hope for my own art but also for my life because little things like how a redraws turn out really effect me. seeing you push through that logically while still being forgiving towards yourself reminds me that its gonna be okay, the feeling of dread will eventually pass and later on ill feel more accomplished for not just erasing my work :)

amazing amazing i think we all have a fear of failing even me sometimes im scared to make mark on my paper even til this day , but im sill trying to get over that fear, a fear of trying new mediums a fear of posting my art online what people might think, a fear of waking up and not being able to draw anymore.

Thank you! I really enjoy what I’ve seen of your videos.

Thank you so much for sharing your process, it makes me think a lot about how I've been approaching my own process while creating!

Think the process more than the outcome! And don't be afraid to make mistakes Keep doing your art, the only way you know how to!

I enjoy your videos. They are well thought out and the final result is (for lack of a better, less cheesy word) elegant. Each video makes me look at art in a new light. I can't wait to see more in 2021.

Priceless.Sharing your experience ,thoughts on your art and the editing make this video perfect.I found it really interesting to hear your reactions. Thank you!And happy new year

sheesh.. this gave me goosebumbs *-* love your stuff and the Process you've gon thrugh, truly inspiring!

I have never been more inspired to draw than by the end of watching this video. It makes me want to just make something fun and expressive and makes me want to experiment with brushes and shapes, and just to DRAW. So thank you for finishing and posting this video even if you didn't want to at certain points

Man that was real awesome to see, thanks for this!

You’re one of my favorite artists and I admire you a lot

so glad u decided to make this video after all. Thanks for sharing , super inspiring

It is great to see the progress you have made year by year. Excellent.

I love your art so much, and the way your videos are edited is so perfect, you're one of my biggest inspirations!!

You have inspired me so much for so many things. Thank you so much

honestly, your art really motivates me! seeing you put so much passions and thought brings so much energy to me & jus. pushes an urge in me to pick up a pen & go absolutely wild!!!!! it's very inspiring!!!!!!!!!!!! yeahhh!!!!!!!!!

You are such an inspiration to me! This was so cool to watch as the process grows!!

I’m 20 and I don’t feel satisfied with what I can do. I know it’s a journey and everyone have their own pace of developing but I feel like I’m left behind in everything. I can’t shake that feeling off that I will never get better and be stuck here as I always am. same old me…always here…always like this….

I don't know what to say other than your videos are so good and thank you for making them 🥺👏 I appreciated your thoughts on comparing yourself to other artists as well. The pressure to be "perfect" can even stop me from practicing effectively, but hearing your encouragement helped me 🙂

Such an inspiring video!!! I’m at a similar point, where I’m really learning to push my drawings and use my imagination more. It was real helpful to see how your art has evolved and continued evolving!!!

can you give tips on how to start pushing your limits? not just copy things. i think i'm scared to try things because i don't know how to. should i try to study other's work or assign myself topics to explore?

Im in high school and I'm also not very enthusiastic about art, but I'm also trying to push myself into drawing with more emotion. Your art and how you feel about it really resonates with me, and I just feel good another artist feels the same way

Thank you so much for this video, as a 14 year old that is currently struggling with some of the stuff you mentioned, this is really useful and inspiring. Thank you again

A much needed video. Thank you 🤍

i adore you and this channel, love hearing ur insight and stoked for more vids :)

This video meant more to me than I can express. I am a law student who is confused with what she wants with life. I have loved Art for so long but, have constantly abandoned it for more academical options but, I feel lost without it. I have altogether stopped working on my art for three years now. The phase you talked about in your college is probably what I am going through now, but, I am not sure if I'll be able to rekindle my art exposition like you did. I wish to draw the way you do, with so much heart. I love you work. Thank you for this.

My idea to cope is thinking that I really really don't need to be the best at what i do, we artists are here to have fun not compete with someone else but ourselves. Comparing myself from my past self has improved my own opinion of my art and I'm loving it

Perfectionism is a double edged sword; the same need to get perfectly accurate lines or proportions also scares us from experimenting. Fear kills art. But fear also invigorates it.

I love all your videos and your art style. I’ve kind of lost my motivation to draw for a while, but seeing your work and process is very inspiring! :)

Wonderful! I pretty much agree with it all! And I think as a teacher as well as a fellow artist, the failures have always taught me more, and it's important for people to see that it's always a bit of a struggle or straggle.

I appreciate that you decided to upload this video Michelle 🤗 love you ❤️

Thank you its hard to make expressive art for me but hearing this helped a lot

i love you for being so true❤ I feel more comfortable doodling now😊

yeah, this is definitely my favorite channel now

Beautiful work as always!! :D

Thank you so much for this video

You have the best deep voice ever it clams me!✨

Just remember you are the goku of your story. Others greatness is an example of where you can be. Have confidence, have fun and don't get to attached to making a good drawing. Practice to understand your subject. And remember the mental aspect of art is just as important as the physical. This is all stuff that helped me out.🥰🙏🏼

When feeling discouraged, I will always grab an old sketchbook and compare the drawings with the current sketchbook that I’m working on. I’d then see how much I improved and that there’s always a room for improvement for my raw art style. I get discouraged of how so many artists have amazing ways of telling stories or creating a narrative through their established art styles and techniques and I, on the other hand could never be at their level. The thing is, there are no levels. All of us artists have our own journey, ways of telling stories, and timeline. Just flip onto the next page and continue with what you have or where you are cuz there’s no instant magic. Our idols worked hard and disciplined themselves. We should do that too~ Edit: I got to the end of the video, no it wasn’t cheesy cuz i used the same word~

thank you for doing this

Besides talent, I really like your vocabulary and choice of words :)

so happy I found your channel.

I draw on sticky notes a little doodle of what cheers me up (like "me" clinging on Bruno's back singing 'we don't talk about bruno no no no', or hugging my baby cousins because they're just that fantastic) The smaller the page the happier I feel, less stress, less focus on information and more into the dialogue that I'll give each person on those sticky notes Sometimes I draw tiny birds just to have them say a lot of internet slangs 🤡 This... This always made me feel grateful and better... Compared to an average person I express little moment verbally AND visually... Plus a tiny good memory always does the trick!

i came from your calarts film, mind-blown, inspired and very jealous, and this really makes me want to get better realism and anatomy aaa

Thank you for sharing this.

Your art is amazing! And your videos as well! Also your voice is good, it's like asmr!

Amazing like ❤️ your work you embody the word artistic expression

I love this so much

I hope you upload more on 2021 i really love your art 🤗🤗

I was looking through your social media, desesperately finding a way to relate to past you in some kind of way. Before seeing this video to me was as if you were some kind of prodigy that was gifted from the beggining. Now I see myself in past you and i get hopefully may be one day I´ll improve to some other type of greatness. SO thank you for not deleting this vid. PD: Audrey Hepburn is one of my fav actress in all time.

Everybody can create unique art and this helps me not think about all the artist who draw better way better than me because we all have unique ways to approaching art :) and that's what makes art interesting to me (different worlds to explore, different emotions and experiences)

I feel like ultimately, it's a positive ending. Like you said, it doesn't always turn out great, but we can still learn, improve, and it's ok to strugle. Personally this was a year where i felt like i couldn't improve, but in the end i did improve, i did learn, i feel like i have become although not waay better, i think i improved, and that's enough for me. It's not always easy, and that's ok ! I just wanna ad that i found your Song of Achilles video and i love it so much, as an aspiring Character Designer and animator, you are inspirational !

I screamed YESS when you said that 2:46 lol I have been drawing traditionally my whole life and i always said that. Now I’m waiting for my Wacom and im excited about it because i know i can learn and experiment more without worrying about materials and time wasting that exist in the process of traditional drawing Even though Im 21 years old right now and i drew traditional for the last 8 years or so

I love this video

i love ur videos : )

Awesome drawing

3:30 Honestly I don’t compare myself to the other artists, I just like to draw stuff, I don’t want to be better than somebody it’s not a competition, I would be proud of them instead.

I decided that I only challenge myself. I don’t compare myself anymore with others but with myself one second ago.

❤️❤️❤️

You’re such an interesting person!!

Amazing video

You are so incredibly talented! U make me doubt my ability to get into art school

Ahhh your voice! :)

hey i really love this video and your art in general but the vulnerability in this one really stood out!!!!!!! i think the best way to look at past art is to think of it as a child with candy. you wouldn't take away that lollipop from the child because that's just being an asshole. but now maybe you wouldn't even want the lollipop because your tastes have developed and you now love cucumbers!!! that doesn't mean that one taste is more valid than the other. it just means you are developing but you still needed to eat all those lollipops to understand you didn't even really like them!!! i don't know if this analogy is working but that's how i like to reflect on my own work. after following your art for a while it's clear that being at calarts has definitely improved your design sense but i think the most invaluable part of your work is your thoughtfulness because technical skill sure looks cool and all but being able to include subtlety through design resonates longer than a bowl of nicely rendered oranges (tho fine art has its own beauty to it) anyways I'm very sorry for rambling here but this video jus inspired my to finally put these thoughts into words!!!!!

Even if the finished piece’s likeness wasn’t completely accurate, she ended up looking quite a bit like Judy Garland, which is still a win. (Hopefully this isn’t coming off rude or anything, I adore how the drawing turned out.)

your explanation is really clear and helpful! just wondering do you actively stop to think about these narrated thoughts whilst drawing or does it just come naturally to you?

you are super good at this. i was wondering how old you are to check how much i have no excuse for not being better than you despite being younger.

Your voice reminds me of a female version of Bob Ross. It was a very relaxed tone. I also paint and draw too and I put my work on instagram. But it doesn't hurt to watch more tutorials like yours to do better.

I keep wanting to delete my art because I keep thinking that I haven't improved at all. It's shit and sometimes I wanna give up but when I seek the past of artist in any art form, I see the struggle and the very thing I don't have 'perseverance'. I'm still experimenting on a lot of stuff jumping from different art forms hoping I'll excel in something but maybe I just need something I can commit to.

I've just barely started to feel good about my art myself.

i love the Audrey drawings…but maybe i’m a *teensie* bit bias

-6:37 (*warning, incoming rant don't read if you don't want to.) I am struggling. I have been and I am trying to get over my trauma from Art. I have always loved Art and I have fought against my parents all throughout my high-school days for me to get to have into my choice in my college course. Being from a poor country the options I have were limited and very expensive. But I got in. I was very happy and excited, finally my dream has come true. Or so I originally thought. My life from then on continued to rapidly spiral out of control. Seeing all those people, amazing people and their amazing art, I really, really thought I could shine along with them. But my family life was crumbling along with my pride and since my college was far away from my hometown I had no friends due to my social awkwardness. It was very lonely and depressing. I was in a very dark place. I hardly ever ate a proper meal, I always got late. In exams and in passing my art. Worst of all Art became something I dreaded and that really hurt me the most. For Art was my life, my story. And that was gone. I soon found myself getting sick all the time.

Atelier at 12? damn, ngl I'm super jealous that's a privilege