In this little LeonieUpdate:

• Paw Paw illustration process
• personal update on:
  • notes on learning as a newbie,
  • narcissists & toxic positivity,
  • Mulan outlet, tips for angry women and game news
  • and other interesting finds!

Illustration process!

Sketch!

Lineart!

Don’t mess with Paw Paw! 🕯️🔥

Final illustration! I think I’m super done with Bowl of Mystery characters. I have at least 2-3 more pieces but I’ve scrapped them all because I didn’t like them. No more joy to be had so I had to let them go :’)

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Leonie Rambles time!

Social media blocking again

• back to allowing a daily 10 minutes (and using a distant device for occasional checks during breaks)! Otherwise I’m blocked from social media from my desktop
  • now that LightBoxExpo is over, I need to reduce my use and reestablish my social media boundaries from getting distracted by the deep hole and anxiety that is social media haha
  • hey I’m already distracted by discord :’)
• created a supplementary twitter @LeonieYueArt account so that peeps can be redirected to my main one :’)
  • I want to keep the “LeonieYueArt” twitter for myself in case it gets confusing when it’s the same for my other places
  • I feel weird having a secondary account, just to retweet my main one sometimes; gasp there’s two of me!! :0

The first 20 hours – how to learn anything by Josh Kaufman TEDxCSU (2013)

• how the 10000 hour rule or 10 year rule is silly when it’s more about working smarter. To summarise his steps for newbies:
  • 1) deconstruct the skill into manageable skills
    • deliberate practice the most important things first
  • 2) learn enough to self correct
    • get 3-5 resources to learn what you need to learn
    • not use it as ways to procrastinate and actually apply and practice it too
    • learn, self correct, edit and practice
  • 3) remove distractions and barriers
    • internet (uh oh!! Twitch, youtube and discord are my distractions I need to manage haha)
  • 4) practice at least 20 hours
    • here is where the frustration barrier and hurdle is and you can learn the thing at a basic level (is his theory)
• of course he did a cover of the Axis of Awesome 4 chords song [music video]!! I used to listen to that on loop ;P
• “the major barrier to skill acquisition/learning is emotional and not intellectual” because we’re afraid to fail and don’t believe in ourselves :’)
  • I think this point is the most important takeaway
• the other learning steps are quite generalised because in order to keep getting better, the journey keeps going with lots of frustrations, mistakes and confusion along the way. One needs to keep practicing to keep the knowledge and skills fresh. It’s an ongoing, dedicated, challenging commitment

Narcissists and Toxic Positivity

• goodness I was discussing toxic positivity a while ago and this video comes out a week later from her channel! Do people have narcissistic traits/are narcissistic if they’re too “positive”, refusing to let go of their magical, forced, positive world and invalidate the real world of others? Hmm.
• I’m not a fan of giving too many chances, forgiving others, “well intentions” and benefit of the doubt because it’s pointless if they keep doing it and don’t change ;/
• I do agree that it’s not being judgmental if they’ve demonstrated how disrespectful, selfish, dismissive, self-pitying and condescending they are through their actions and beliefs
• gosh these are hyper positive people who dismiss, minimise, invalidate the reality and complex range of real, negative, depressing, mixed emotions and struggles of adult life 🙁
• love and forgiveness isn’t the solution sometimes because it lets them get away with their way of life, entitlement, need for attention, blaming others and refusing to consider others’ pain, feelings, abuse and their own toxic behaviours. A huge lack of empathy 🙁
• she goes into it quite well; I guess the solution is just cut them out of your life. Why bother when you can’t change someone :0
• someone said narcissists tend towards the “helping” professions so they have an audience that accepts their point of view and that they feel superior above others. Hmm! :0
• Chart to Explain the difference between Support and Toxic Positivity & Toxic Positivity: The Dark Side of Positive Vibes
  • another chart that describes the difference between toxic positivity:
    • “just be happy!”
    • lots of empty inspiring, motivational quotes
    • shouting at someone when they’re in a bad place
    • “look at the bright side”
    • shame in feeling negative, for not “choosing” happiness
  • healthy empathy:
    • “this is hard. I believe in you.”
    • being present with someone when they’re in a bad place
    • accepting their feelings as they are, putting yourself in their shoes
    • allow them to feel safe expressing negativity, not feel isolated about it and it’s okay to feel hurt and negative feelings
    • listen, validate with unconditional support for them to eventually find their own way out
    • what’s important is realistic negativity, face your own truth and heal from it
    • make space for the people you see who are hurting, even if their pain/experience is different from yours
    • life can be both wonderful and/or horrific
    • demonstrate our humanity, maturity, intelligence, kindness and make us all accountable (and not become enablers of hurtful behaviour)
    • it’s okay to be judgemental after you get to know them (this is not about unfair assumptions and judgements before you know somebody)

My Mulan (2020) ramble outlet

• how it flopped everywhere as a movie and chinese people didn’t like the pandering
  • they’re already used to chinese actors in everything in their own films/entertainment so they don’t need english speaking “representation”,
  • they do not relate to the “hero’s journey/chosen one” western kind of storytelling
  • and they have plenty of reenactments of the story of Mulan (they don’t need more)
  • movie brought to light that they filmed near their concentration camps so China apparently banned all promotions on this film to keep it from their public eye
  • so this movie isn’t really for them
• not working with chinese creatives in the production was already a huge red flag
• movie pleased nobody, unsurprisingly. Glad it flopped ;P
• Honest Trailers for Mulan 2020
  • WHOA I didn’t realise that the actor for Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book was the Rouran villain!! Whoa!!
• Everything Culturally Wrong with Mulan 2020 (And how they could’ve been fixed) by Xiran Jay Zhao
  • the original person who viral live tweeted watching the live action Mulan made a youtube channel and more comprehensive video for this! And then advertised her book and her chinese history knowledge; she knows what she’s doing haha

Interesting finds!

• 5th Anniversary Alarm Clock Winter Dialogue (UNDERTALE spoilers)
• Basilisk by Ami Thompson
  • An old graduate animation I remember watching way back when! She’s now a successful artist (:
• Women in Blade Runner 2049
  • I haven’t even watched this movie but ooh the actress who plays Joi is from Knives Out!!
  • Wow it is super sexualised :0 Were there any male, non-binary or other kinds of objectification in this world? :S
  • Blade Runner – When Humans Lose Their Humanity by The Closer Look
  • one day I’ll watch this film and I’ll need to watch the original too; not sure when though :<
• Yay Mario’s Super Picross is added to Nintendo Switch Online!
• Playstation games (might watch the following games)
  • Final Fantasy XVI seems interesting but I don’t know who’s who :’)
  • Hogwarts Legacy
    • it looks so good as a game (I would watch the gameplay) but on principle against the original author of Harry Potter if you were to buy it, please donate even more to a gender support service or to a trans charity.
    • I feel so bad for the developers who worked hard on the game :<
  • Marvel’s Spider-Man; Miles Morales looks like playing an interactive movie at the start :0 Not sure if this is an expansion though
  • Deathloop just looks super replayable
  • Resident Evil Village – is Mia really dead here? :S
• Last week’s Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase (September 2020)
  • pretty good partner direct! Nothing I’m super interested in personally but many were happy (:
  • still find the Balan Wonderworld game scary with their character designs :’)
  • I’m waiting for reviews but I’m interested in Fitness Boxing 2 (haven’t played the first one and hoping they solve the detection issues better)
• A Long Time Coming (Short Film)
  • about Asian American immigrant parent/children relationships and how it’s not about forcibly “changing” each other’s minds and understanding where each other’s coming from (:
  • I’ll never get any form of helpful conversation with my own parents :’)
  • did a double take when random cantonese was thrown in haha
• Awaken Akira – amazing 3D animated tribute trailer
• Love on the Spectrum (review by autistic person)
  • not really representation as it feels forced and that autistic people are zoo animals and being talked down to :<
  • based on reviews, forcing them to date in a neurotypical way really irked me too
  • this is the neurotypical gaze show :/
  • how the show focuses on the autistic men and not as accepting of autistic women or show any other diverse kinds of autistic people
  • if there’s a season two, I hope they do better and make the show more for autistic people :<
• Tips for Angry Women and she recommends a book :0
  • how there’s a difference between assertiveness, passiveness and aggression
  • being emotionally resilient means less anxiety and depression
  • be passionate, eloquent and self aware
  • acknowledge if you’re feeling anger
  • be brave whenever it feels like people won’t like you and stop trying to please everyone
  • “nice” means it’s a nice thing to do for others at expense of your own needs versus “being kind” means putting your needs first and taking care of others too by setting and keeping clear boundaries
  • ask for help; especially when no one is helping you from loved ones, friends and get therapy
  • don’t suppress anger because it will come out in other ways. It’s okay
  • accept it if you’re unable to genuinely forgive someone. Only forgive if you’re willing to, the pain caused has resolved and you’re not forcing yourself to do so because you’re expected to.
  • plus a lot more good tips at her video! 😀

Thank you for reading!

I’m not really productive with art; I’m still in at constant state of grogginess 🙁

Digressing, please stay safe, may you be full of calm energy today and have a good week! Here’s a little cute video and a Jazz Cover of Undertale’s Snowdin Town by insaneinthrainmusic!

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