Original by Smobs

RULES:
Answer each question in as much detail as you like. Skip anything you don't know or would prefer not to answer.

How many usernames have you had? (You don't have to share them!)

About 7, I think?Four, if we talk art-specific.

What does your current username mean?

Lind (german, [lɪn.d], "soft, mild, pliable, flexible", further an aberration of Linde, "linden tree"; also abberation of Lindwurm, lynt (old german) = snake, dragon) & Blut (german, [bluːt], "blood"). Aka "snakeblood", "dragonblood" "softblood"
Lindblut

The place my family originates from was known for their linden tree wood production (there even is a linden tree on the town's crest), I always felt strongly connected to the theme of snakes and dragons and I'm secretly a huge softie lol so there you go. A username with multiple, personal meanings.

What is the first program you used to make digital art?

MSPaint, used to do pixel art with the mouse before I got a tablet and moved on to OpenCanvas

Where did you first start posting your art?

Animexx.de, the german anime and manga fanart website... lmao. That place was notorious for it's drama and partially draconian upload rules (image too dark/bright? Scan edge?? REJEcTED!!). You also had no control over when your work was published bc a pair of adminstrative eyes would look over every piece befor letting it go through. Sometimes you'd upload art at 3 pm and it'd come through at 2 am when nobody is there so see it pass on the frontpage.
I also very briefly posted on Elfwood and then mainly focused on deviantART starting late 2004.

What is the first piece of media you drew fanart for?

Probably Donald Duck comics. Maybe TLK earlier, I rly don't remember. I didn't really get into fanart untilDigimon Season 2 hit and me and my cousin started drawing self-inserts which we shipped with the protagonists lmao. Typical Mary Sue stuff.
I went through a huge Mighty Ducks phase before that (the anthro ducks animation, btw, not the movies)

Who was your first self-insert/persona/fursona? What did they mean to you?

I had a Mighty Ducks anthro duck self-insert lmao. Her name was Shaddow (yes, with two d because I'm an idiot who thought that's how you spell it. I was so convinced about it that I even made my english teacher second-guess herself when I first corrected her on how to write that word LOL) and I shipped her with Nosedive.
After that came a Digimon, Pokemon and the Dragon Ball self-insert.
Those all were before I made Riku in 2002, who has been taking the spot of trusona ever since.

Who is your current self-insert/persona/fursona? How are they different to your first?

Big difference with Riku is that she's not tied to any fandom, or shipped with anyone. She just is as she is.

Also, because she's an animal character she doesn't have to change hair style or color any time I do. I take comfort in her having a stable design vs human iterations typically having to change their looks when I did.

What phases/styles has your art gone through? (e.g. Did you have an anime era, a cartoon style, a watercolour phase?)

Mickey Mouse comic style, TLK (super briefly), Pokemon (briefly), Digimon (briefly), Dragon Ball (EXCESSIVELY), Ranma 1/2 and Inu Yasha (briefly), Jennadelle's art style and from there on out I was kinda trying to do my own thing.
I'd say 2007-2011 is the phase where I tired to make my art more detailed and more realistic in looks before I went back to something more stylized.
I'm pretty good to pique the years of creation of my art going by art style alone, but idk how to describe each styles lol.

What/who do you think has influenced your art style the most?

Still Jennadelle. After coming from Mickey Mouse comics and couple of animes I was kind of starved for something different artistically. I never was into any of the franco belgian comics much (like Lucky Luke), and when I stumbled upon her art online with the dark themes and gritty worldbuilding paired with appealing "animal people" designs and wicked looking dragons I fell for it hook, line and sinker.
+15 years later, here I am. Still occasionally dabbling in these themes.

What/who inspired you to be an artist?

I just always enjoyed drawing, but I think it's fair to say that I wouldn't have had kept up the motivation to pursue it as a serious career had it not been for other "online artists" around me succeeding in making it their job, because aside from my ymother my immediate surrounding IRL wasn't particularly supportive about art as a career. (Because it was called and known to be a "breadless craft", aka something tht won't necessarily guarantee a stable income)
I think the biggest motivtor for me back then was seeing Jennadelle turn from online artists to fully blown illustrator and the prospect of becoming a game artist becoming more straightlined/achieveable in general vs being that obscure career where nobody rly knew how you'd get into it to begin with.

What tools are integral to your current workflow? (e.g. Programs, brushes, references.)

Traditional: rollerball pen for outlines, Lukas aquarelle colors, crayong, white gel pen
Digital: Wacom Intuos Pro, Photoshop

What improvements have you made recently?

I feel like I haven't improved in like 5 years or so, probably bc it's been idk how many years since I did any studies, oops.

What steps would you like to take in the future?

Maybe build my headworld Swtrift into something coherent that can be shared, possibly an adoptable/"closed" species, I have aspirations on becoming a vtuber content creator, too. Make a small VN game, too?
Too many plans, too little time :,)