My previous article was about my art and instagram account. Starting from a few weeks ago, I took a break from uploading my art to study for the AP exams and even went viral with an AP exam meme: https://www.instagram.com/p/C6mTO-fLAPD/ .
After my final (and hardest) AP exam, I decided to treat myself with some art. Usually, I create quick cartoon sketches whenever inspiration strikes.
I drew this the day after AP bio to celebrate my hard work, but I decided that it would make a better graduation post. I also consider this one of my better sketches. I spent a considerable amount of time correcting the pose to look natural. The block letters aren’t exactly master calligraphy, but I like the cute, nostalgic Dollar Tree vibes. Remember the times when everything at dollar tree didn’t cost $1.50?
I also wanted to create something special and substantive to end my year on a high note-maybe an epic sunset to represent peace and finality. I could experiment and figure out the lighting like I usually do, but I decided to watch my first art tutorial in a long time. I felt a bit guilty whenever I used art tutorials because it felt like I was copying someone else and my work wasn’t as good as the video, but I decided to give it a go. I found a video teaching you how to paint a red sunset with dramatic clouds that I liked.
At first, my art didn’t look good. The clouds didn’t blend in with the sky; they looked like random patches of grey. When I drew the sun, the stark yellow and white looked jarring. However, after some blending and highlights, I took a step back and gasped. My sun looked like it was glowing! My clouds were on fire! It suddenly looked good! 
Of course, my work wasn’t as realistic or precise as the tutorial video, but I was proud with the result. With enough practice and a good understanding of the techniques, I could draw such epic pictures without the tutorials. I still have a long way to go, but hopefully, that day will come.
