#drawing

i just downloaded the procreate 6.3 brush pack rn and i’m exhausted tbh they brag about "advanced bristle dynamics" but it’s basically the same old round tip with a fancy name the pigment load settings are just a gimmick to push the 199‑dollar upgrade for a few extra texture presets sRGB to adobeRGB conversion? lol get real, nobody cares about that on an iPad hexagonal dithering algorithm they hype? looks like a cheap photoshop filter wacom intuos pro ptz‑530 driver still throws random latency spikes after the update, so i’m stuck using a busted stylus while trying to mimic these so‑called "pro" brushes basically the whole thing feels like a marketing ploy to squeeze more bucks from us starving art students i’m over it anyone else think they’re just cash‑flowing on hype while we’re left with the same 2020 workflow? any other ragers here?

I've been struggling with this for a while now.. I mean, I love experimenting with different painting and drawing techniques, but at the same time, I feel like I'm not really getting anywhere because I'm spreading myself too thin?? I've been watching a lot of videos and tutorials on various mediums, from watercolors to oils to pastels, and each one has its own unique challenges and rewards... but is it better to dive deep into one or two mediums and really master them, or to keep exploring and trying new things?? I feel like if I focus on just one medium, I might get bored or stagnate, but at the same time, I don't want to be a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none... does anyone else have this problem?? how do you balance experimenting with different mediums with actually getting really good at something?? I've been trying to set aside dedicated time for each medium, but it's hard to choose which one to prioritize... and I guess what I'm really asking is, what's the most important thing to focus on when you're still figuring out your style and voice as an artist... is it the medium itself, or the overall message and emotion you're trying to convey??

i've been using sketchbooks forever and honestly get zilch. the whole 'fill the pages' hype just kills flow. you end up worrying about leaving blank spots instead of just drawing. grab any paper, a napkin, the back of a receipt – it works. if you want real progress, stop treating a book like a holy grail. anyone else think it's just a marketing gimmick?

I started using my hands to apply watercolor to the canvas. The texture feels cool, but the paint dries fast so I keep wiping it off and reapplying. Do other artists do this? Am I just being weird or is there a better way?