"if the cast of Castoff were ambushed by photographers, what would their first reaction be?"

originally created June 5, 2023 ✦ republished February 8, 2025

(Originally posted on Instagram. This retroactive post is adapted from the Instagram posts of the final artwork and the WIPs.)

IT'S DONE!!!!!!!!!!

A good note for mouth and body expressions is: symmetrical, small, and straight are stiff, even the slightest extra tilt or adjustment can make something look more interesting. So I’mma try applying that next time.

WIP 1:

To think, I almost thought drawing other people's characters' hair wasn't gonna be hard this time. Foolish me....... 😭

Anywhoes, Arianna and Rori (so far! 😉) from an ASTOUNDING web comic called "Castoff" that you MUST read 📖📖📖📖📖

Ugh, my brain and eyes feel like they're going to crumble from focusing so hard when I'm tired.......🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤 Hey, at least school's basically done!

I went through HELL erasing and redrawing Rori's hair over and over and over again.......

WIP 2:

Did you read it yet????????? It's a good comic, right??????????????? Go subscribe to its RSS feed and vote for it and buy the author's merch and everything!!!!!!

Today was more redrawing hair over and over 😃😃😃 And also weird fingers 🖐🏼🖐🏼🖐🏼 Now I just gotta finish one more character, then sign this thing........ What I'm astonished by is the fact that Frankie actually felt EASIER to draw, despite the fact that I had to retry his expression and keep redrawing his pupils smaller and smaller. Expressions were definitely difficult for both Frankie and Marina, because the ones I had in my head aren't very exaggerated or lively or anything, and it felt like drawing a simple smile just looked too stilted and generic, so I had to revise them. I hope I drew Marina well, some details still feel off......

And in other news: Lately it's been feeling like I've been preoccupied with my thoughts, lost in my head; like simply going outside or walking around the house feels awkward because I'm afraid I'll start doing stupid things based on the stuff I'm imagining in my mind. Have I ever felt this way before, aside from when I was a stupid child? I don't know.....maybe I'm looking too much into it, and this state of mind will change on its own if I simply ignore it......

There's also a feeling like I've been being irresponsible. I already feel like it's summer break and I wanna just forget about school, despite the fact that I still have to do finals. It feels as if I've been neglecting this stuff, skipping assignments, being slow to get ready in the morning......and it feels like there's a sense deep down of "this is only gonna cost me". I've even been thinking things like "I hate driving", or complaining about all the college-related stuff I ought to have gotten to already but haven't. And have I been indulging myself too much?? I don't know, all of this just feels off.......

My stream of thought is petering off at this point, so I'mma just be grateful for the nice warm sunny weather we're finally getting, and wrap this post up. I should investigate what this uncomfortable feeling is......