Saw this one going around recently and it looked fun! I can't remember the last time I've done a journal meme. 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!)

Off the top of my head, five main ones that I used for a few years each and many miscellaneous ones for other sites unrelated to art or for things like sketch accounts. I used to be pretty notorious for always wanting to change my username when I was younger so who knows the full number!

What does your current username mean?

UHH I wish I did have something cool to say about it but it's honestly just one of those made-up ones. My usernames tend to be portmanteaus of my online alias at the time. Wereniss is kind of similar - a relic of it's time maybe - although I don't necessarily go by a particular alias online these days so it's just... Wereniss!

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

Good old reliable MS Paint. I used it for YEARS before I slowly migrated to Paint Tool Sai. I delved briefly into using Photoshop Essentials way back in the day, and GIMP, but they never clicked with me. I still used Paint for a very long time even when Sai became my main program. I use Procreate for all of my personal work these days.

Where did you first start posting your art?

I want to say deviantART but I actually think that would be a lie. There used to be an old Viva Pinata fan community with a forum that I posted on a lot. dA followed shortly after that!

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

Pokemon! I think it still influences my art a lot even today. I basically grew up drawing Pokemon and that's something that hasn't stopped yet! Following on from the previous question, I obviously drew a lot of Viva Pinata characters when I was younger too. And my Neopets... Hamtaro was also a big one for me. Basically, cute animals. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

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

I feel like I go through different art phases every other week. Sometimes I only want to doodle flat cartoons that take ten minutes and other days I want to render realistic pieces that take me hours. I don't really think I've gone through any massive style changes over the years. I try to mix up my mediums a lot in my sketchbooks and keep things fresh, otherwise I get bored! But I try to keep things on the flux consistently. If anything, I've always been going through my cute animal art phase and I don't think I can escape that.

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

It's really hard for me to pick out any particular artists because I have a lot of influences that come and go based on what I want to see! But for the lazy answer, I think it's pretty obvious that Pokemon played a huge part in my artistic journey, especially in my character designs. Otherwise, I just really like capturing certain moods and obviously nature is and always has been a huge source of inspiration for me.

What/who inspired you to be an artist?

Probably my more skilled peers when I was younger honestly! I've always loved drawing for as long as I can remember, but what really drove me to want to start improving was seeing the really cool things the people around me were making and thinking "I wanna be able to do that too..."! Having online spaces where I could be exposed to SO many artists and styles fuelled my tiny brain to no end.

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

My iPad and Procreate! I like to keep a sketchbook on hand for doodling too, which helps get ideas flowing. I just really love the accessibility of having a portable device for drawing digitally, it's sped up my workflow and increased my output so much since I got it.

What improvements have you made recently?

I've made an effort this year to stop expecting everything I make to come out perfect, and just enjoy the process. It's something I've always had trouble with as I'm sure most artists do, but I feel this year my relationship with my art is probably the best it's ever been. Less pressure, more fun! Especially when I have to be creative for my job - it allows my personal work to be a detox from my professional work.

What steps would you like to take in the future?

Just keep having fun! And continue to improve and learn, because there's always learning to be done. :>