Early Valentines Art Dump - Holiday art, Misc. art, Fan art, the whole lot

With Lunar New Years two weeks ago, and Valentines this week, and the interim between the two holidays. I have been kept busy with life and all that it entails, though not to spare some time for drawing.

Even if it is made haphazardly to meet a quota, and not at all because I miscalculated the dates of my deadline. At the very least I learned from that lesson, and managed to prep myself to avoid the same pitfalls.

Case in point, this Year of the Snake poster I made when I learned how much sooner Lunar New Years is than it was last year. That was on me, and while I am not proud of the final product, there is solace that I at least did something, rather than just letting it pass and beat myself over it. It's a habit and attitude I am working on enforcing.

Holiday Art

2025 - Year of the Snake

Learning from that lesson, I began to plot ahead of the next Holiday deadline. Which just happens to be Valentines Day. Frankly throwing me a bone with an easy prompt.

Easy enough for me to draft up and finish two pieces involving both of my avatars, Rabbit and Laurel.

Rabbit - Dapper suitor

Laurel - Love letter

Although there was a hitch in the process of making them, as I drafted their sketch on my laptop using Clip Studio Paint before switching to Procreate on my Ipad.

Old habits die hard, even if it's necessary for me to finish it ahead of time.

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Miscellaneous Art

It is good to be able to adapt and switch devices depending on the situation, they each have their perks and especially if one method is compromised by technical issues. Which is exactly what happened that prompted me to turn on my ol' tablet.

I am still trying to get a hang of it, enough to produce a few piece of art I am pretty darn happy with. And with the new year, I am planning to build a portfolio of my current art style. Like this little piece here of an old character of mine, old as around the start of the 2010's.

Originally an anthropomorphic rabbit, then hare, I made when I was terribly mistaken in what I thought a furry was. 12 year old me wrongly assumed it was a community centered around love for anthro animal characters in cartoons, which might not be too far off.

But I don't want to shoot myself in my own foot again, so I'll leave it be and clamp my trap.

Yorksies

As well as a few minor pieces on the Ipad, like this piece revolving the characters from a pet series of mine -.Attraction, in their winter apparel. As it has been quite a while since I drew them.

Attraction - Winter Stroll

And this quaint little piece of a character in a fan project based on a Visual Novel Series, having been occupying my mind for some time now. A feel-good doodle to fuzzy the heart.

Spring Blossom - Akihito Fujii

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Fan Art

It is a bigger batch than any of my previous Art Dump Posts that I should save some pieces for future uploads. But not before I rant about this final series of art for an Original Character set in the world of Kimetsu no Yaiba/Demon Slayer.

A character made while watching the anime series, as my jelly thinker just can't enjoy a piece of media without wanting to create something in imitation or inspired by it.

Though not the first character I made - that goes to a demon I based off a thought: what if a Demon cannot eat human and, unlike Nezuko who can replenish energy through sleep.

I did made a sketch of the demon, Masujirō/Masujirou Karasawa [唐澤 益次郎] to get an idea for what I would do with him besides as a vessel for a concept.

A Repulsive Demon

Well sure enough, not even before I could lift him out of the sketch phase, I already came up with a story surrounding him and his involuntary repulsion to human flesh.

Which then sprang into an anthology of short stories set in the Demon Slayer world. Focusing on several Original Characters, with an overarching arc to tie them together.

And it just so happens to revolve around a Demon so weak from a defect in his transformation, he could barely regenerate his insides after emptying it out at the taste of flesh, let alone develop a Blood Demon Art.

The anthology itself follows closely on a particular demon slayer, with standalone entries dedicated to the cast of characters they will meet.

As indicative by the list of unfinished projects regarding my pattern of behavior. I have not actually written anything beyond a loose outline of the stories. But... I did made art for said character the anthology centers around,

Chr Sheet - Hitomi Kashima [鹿島 仁美]

Osmanthus

Aromatic Trance

Understated Relief

Based on a nostalgic love for the Osmanthus flower, and the discovery of a type of Workplace Harassment coined for Japanese office spaces, shortened as Sume Hara [すみはら] and translates to Smell Harassment. Forming the basis of this character and her Breathing Style.

Which has direct influence from the visuals of Lady Tamayo's Blood Demon Art in the anime. The Breathing Style [Fragrance / Scent Breathing 香の呼吸] takes after the sense enhancement of the Flower Breathing Style, specifically smell and touch instead of sight, and the disorientation and confusion inducing techniques of the Mist Breathing Style.

Fragrance Breathing itself is an instinct based style that focuses on letting the body move and act on its own, with unexpected and intended strikes mixed in.

The techniques having several basis from the practice of Kōdō [香道], the art of appreciating incense; techniques from Drunken Kung Fu. And butchery, rather the tale of a butcher whose knife remains sharp for years, owed to their skills to disassemble animal carcass by slicing through the space between bones and joints.

Forms of the Breathing Style takes direct influence from The Ten Virtues of Kō [香の十徳]. So far with seven out of the ten forms named and fully detailed, which I will list below.

[And apologizes for the Japanese translations, my understanding of the language is beginner level despite my best efforts.]

- Fragrance/Scent Breathing

First Form - Refining Senses / 感覚の洗練

[Kankaku no Senren]

In a sweeping motion at the draw of the sword, the blade hits the modified sheath to ignite sparks for lighting incenses.

Covering the target’s surrounding area using the tip of the blade to mark and trail possible vantage points.

Striking first to initiate combat as the user makes theyirway through each vantage point for precise, deep slashes while disorienting targets as they close distance.

[Envisioned as flowers bushes blooming from the marks, each mark is trampled with petals flying.]

Second Form - Purifying Scent/浄心香

[Jōshinka / Joushinka]

An instinct-based, defense fighting style focusing on using as little energy as possible while the body acts on its own.

Mainly light parries, deflect, misguiding attacks using the blade and body, clearing the mind and letting the body act.

Used as pre amble similar to samurais burning incenses before battle. A failsafe when the first form is compromised.

[Light fumes with wilted petals and dark specks of soot trails from the blade and the user as if dispelling impurities from the body.]

Third Form - Intoxicant Purge/毒の粛清

[Doku no Shukusei]

A heavily impact reliant, and close quarter style of fighting utilizing a reinforced hilt as a blunt tool to quickly stun enemies. Long enough to manuver the blade for slicing.

A supportive tenchique for allies by mapping out a pattern in vital chi spots, then using the hilt to draw out and physically expel poison with rapid blunt hits.

[Visualized by wisps of dark fumes radiating from the spots of concentrated poison in allies, or vulnerable areas of a target.]

Fourth Form - Soothing Fragrance / 慰撫な香り

[Ibuna Kaori]  

A trance like state. Using expert control of the blade while the body relaxes, as if falling asleep in motion. Leaving no pressure or hold on the handle to allow easy maneuver until the exact moment, where grip and posture are tightened for surprise stabs and slashes.

Meant to disorient and confuse enemies with a facade of losing consciousness.

[Seen as a gentle haze of incense smoke, dust and wilting petals swept up by the movements of the blade when it cuts through.]

Fifth Form - Healing Cleanse / 癒しの浄化

[Iyashi no Jōka / Iyashi no Jouka]

A circular style of slashing meant to clear or dispel the surrounding with intensely impactful movements.

Clearings dense air and dispelling other effects, to make way for fresh incense planted in strategic spots, while removing 'demonic holds' from fallen allies by creating great distance from enemy.

[Envisions the healing scent of clear grass fields and dew after the night and dark smoke of the field is sheared and slashed away, reminiscent of the grass cutter sword legend.]

Sixth Form - Floral Daze Trance / 眩の花舞

[Mabayu no hanama]

Incorporating the fighting style of Drunkun Kung-Fu using feint attacks while blinding targets with incense ash. Putting those disoriented by the scent with close-quarters, rapid and intense and immediate movements, into a daze while guiding any attacks away using the blade.

[Executed in the motion of dancing or wafting through a flower field in morning mist.]

Seventh Form - Suffocating Aroma / 窒息の香り

[Chissoku no Kaori]

An overpowering scent that chokes and blinds those in the vicinity, using tense movement to burst capsules of condensed spices and flowers of dried wisteria, osmanthus, cinnamon, and soot.

Overwhelming a target with rounding attacks that cause contortion, relying on quick slices in the joints at the moment of twisting, focusing on near-dismemberment of the joint with clean precision to guide the body parts to twist on itself.

[Manifesting as a heavy haze made of spraying blood vapours blooming into flowers from specks of settling spices.]

Boy. Did I took my time to ramble enough for an entire separate post. And that's going off topic without getting into my thoughts while making the art.

As I try to imitate the art style of the anime, the watercolor illustration, and manga, to varying degrees of accuracy.

I am proud of it even if it doesn't look like how I hoped it would be. And glad to dip my toes in using screen tones, and drawing in the monochrome style from mangas.

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Overall, its a pretty big haul of art for this particular post. There are fears of impending art block and burn out from this output, but only time will tell.

Most importantly, I am glad I drew them and glad to be able to showcase them in this post for anyone who might stumble upon it.

Which, if you are that someone... thank you for making it this far down. And thank you for being here and taking a glimpse of my rather disorganized mind.