Copic Marker and Watercolour Sunflower and Cat Caricature

1/14/2023

Sunflower Cat Caricature Gifts

I chose an artwork that I'd created as a 45-minute, Watercolour Story for YouTube, and I created a Fun, Cat Caricature on top of that Watercolour, using mainly, Copic Marker Pens.

Is the Copic Marker Pen Artwork Industry Tainted by an Artists who Sexualise Women and Girls?

Drawing women and girls as sexy is not something I wish to see, nor would I create it. I'm from an era where sex was something done in private between consenting adults, and not something thrust in your face on the internet, in the form of child-like bodies and faces with fully developed breasts, plus sexualising makeup and hairstyling. I'm pleased that there is a public backlash against such images, at least to the mainstream level of society, In particular, there has been a criticism of artwork showing oversized head and eyes, depicting sexualised children. I think I'm best sticking to creating fantasy cats. That does no harm.

I respect that, while the movement toward sexualising children grows, in it's crudest form, and is the reason why I have canceled by Patreon account, because so many adult only content artists use that platform for a porn interpretation of what I'm describing here, and I wish not to be associated with them by using that same platform.

If you choose to draw women sexy, that’s fine! But, I don't like seeing it. I would prefer to paint caricature cats and try to not offend people, or harm young people's minds as to what is a natural body image for a woman.

I recently tried to influence another artist to steer away from her chosen infantising, and impossible proportions for a young woman in her art, not by criticising her art, but by sharing that there is a public movement away from shush illustrations of women and girls. Below were my comments.

I too think your art is beautiful.
Maybe you are suffering from the same criticism of this treatment of women as Disney has received. I looked it up and I found this on the Internet, of a common criticism of Disney's work: For years, Disney’s female characters (and especially Disney princesses) were hyper-sexualized (tiny waists, big busts, heavy make-up), from their animation to their look-alike toy products.

Now, that is not a criticism of your work, far from it. You are a talented artist and a master of your medium. I'm just sharing a growing criticism from many people for depiction big breasts on small frames, be they photo-shopped or I too think your art is beautiful, and you are an amazing talent. I do have one suggestion, (which isn't a criticism of you) as to why you might lose some subscribers. This doesn't mean you should change from what you do. Maybe you are suffering from the same criticism of the depiction of fantasy young women as Disney has received. I looked it up and I found this on the Internet, of a common criticism of Disney's work: "For years, Disney’s female characters (and especially Disney princesses) were hyper-sexualized (tiny waists, big busts, heavy make-up), from their animation to their look-alike toy products."

Now, that is not a criticism of your work, far from it. You are a talented artist and a master of your medium. I'm just sharing a growing concern being voiced by many people. I am not suggesting that you change your style. I'm just stating, many women's' and parents' groups are campaigning against it, and that will have an effect on how many people enjoy your work. We cannot expect everyone to love the subject matter we paint, and even art styles fluctuate in fashion.

If you even attempted to change, you would most likely lose more of your existing fans, (so I'm not recommending you do) with absolutely no guarantee of gaining fans from the group who seek realism, especially where a woman's image is shown. I'm just striving to find a possible explanation for you of why, aside from the long break you took, you might not be experiencing channel growth.

I really do wish you well. Everyone with talent who works hard, like you, deserves success.
I know you have good work ethics and don't disrespect women with your art, your image is a fantasy female and isn't meant to represent an impossible beauty standard for a woman to aspire to, any more than a Disney Princess is a real woman. I'm just reminding you that Disney has lost a lot of support in the recent decade. Society changes around us, which does affect our business.

We need to be more than artists on YouTube to succeed, the best artists have always been ready and willing to respond to positive changes in society.

Ryn Shell.