#WarriorNunInktober Series Part 3
A personal challenge that led to growth to hours trying to find inspiration. The dedication that each person put into the work for #WarriorNunInktober is remarkable and commendable. It’s only fitting that we feature 3 creators in Part 3 of the series, @4reology @codeopod @visxeral.
Name/Twitter Handle: Kiel / 4reology
OCS: A little about yourself
(The way I suddenly forgot everything about myself 😭) Hello! I’m a non-binary Filipino who makes art that ranges from sad to gay. When I’m not doing that, I’m in the darkness of my room crying over my codes trying to become a programmer.
OCS: How did you discover Warrior Nun?
I was trying to fill the empty The Wilds shaped hole in my heart after its cancellation when the friends I made out of that fandom dragged me into watching Warrior Nun out of their own anticipation of Season 2 coming out very soon. They were Warrior Nun fans first, and I sat in a discord VC with them streaming the 1st season until I eventually got to witness Beatrice’s coming out scene. I’ve just been hooked and have not stopped thinking about the show since then. A month or two later, I’d watch the 2nd season the minute it drops (and immediately rewatch it) with the same group of people and know that Warrior Nun is gonna be one of those shows that’s just gonna stay with me, no matter the outcome.
OCS: What made you want to fight to save the show?
Coming from a fandom with a canceled show, and so many other shows that I didn’t even get to be a fan of before finding out they’d been canceled, hearing about Warrior Nun’s own cancelation got me devastated but not surprised. I am so tired of hearing the same news and losing characters that I’ve felt so deeply connected with over and over again that I almost just turned around and quit watching women/sapphic-lead shows altogether. But seeing the impact of the campaign to save Warrior Nun has brought a fresh wave of hope that our shows wouldn’t even need saving in the future anymore. Fighting to save Warrior Nun felt like a step towards that future for me.
OCS: How did you discover WarriorNunInktober and a few of the reasons why you wanted to participate?
WarriorNunInktober entries were all over my Twitter feed the second October started, but I initially decided not to participate as I’m currently working on my thesis. I can only make quick sketches during breaks to get some practice in, as I was also figuring out how to adapt my old traditional style from my editorial cartooning days into digital art. But you see, I’m not really capable of getting myself to do something just to do it. There’s always gotta be an interest or an end product I’m trying to achieve, so I’m only really able to put some practice in when there are competitions or I’m making full art pieces. Trying to sketch during my breaks wasn’t working out so two weeks into October, I decided to trick my brain into practicing by joining the challenge and using the prompts for my art studies.
- kiel. (@4reology) October 12, 2023
- kiel. (@4reology) October 15, 2023
OCS: How did you find inspiration for some of the drawings?
Since WarriorNunInktober was going to serve as some sort of a study roadmap for me, I set up a goal each week to inspire and focus my drawings on. First week was about laying out my art style: figuring out my strong and weak points, when and where to do or not do certain things, and getting used to cross hatching digitally, so I drew just whatever reminded me of the current prompt. Second week is about sketching dynamic poses more quickly and accurately, so I had to find some of the sickest action shots in the show in relation to the prompt, and draw that. I’m failing this week though, because they’re supposed to be quick sketches but I couldn’t help but make a full drawing because our nuns (and not nun) are just so awesome. Week 3 and 4 is for studying perspectives and values, and Warrior Nun is just the perfect show to practice with as it’s rich on beautiful cinematic stills.
OCS: On average how long does one drawing take?
I can’t exactly tell you how many hours I typically take on a single drawing because time slips around me just like that. I could be sitting in front of my drawing for 8 hours having only completed the sketch for a supposedly simple piece. Sometimes it’s because I keep getting distracted, and sometimes it’s because I’m being too much of a perfectionist, fearing the next stroke.
OCS: How many hours do you think you spent drawing for the WarriorNunInktober event?
In relation to the answer above, I was hoping to break my current snail pace of an art process with the help of WarriorNunInktober by allowing myself only an hour or two for each prompt. It has forced me to let go of my perfectionism and in turn has made my drawings feel much more natural.
OCS: What was your favorite day prompt?
Day 5 “Dance” mainly because there are so many meaningful dancing moments in the show. Ava in season 1 when she first got resurrected, when Avatrice danced with each other in season 2, when we got to see Beatrice so unburdened for the first time. But what I drew and my favorite out of all of them was not technically a dance but felt like one: Beatrice performing hand combat on the streets with Ava in season 2. Something about that Beatrice is just so elegant.
OCS: What was the hardest prompt or drawing?
It would also be “dance” for me. Despite drawing for as long as I can remember, I’ve still got a lot to learn and here’s a not-so-secret: there’s always one thing that every artist absolutely despises drawing and makes them cry. For most it’s hands, or features, or animals. For me it’s clothes. Especially clothes on a person fighting in the dark. I remember drawing the prompt so terribly the first time I had to take a break and play Valorant instead just to feel a different type of suffering lmao
OCS: What is your favorite drawing you submitted?
I haven’t technically submitted it yet but for week 2 I’m making a piece of combined prompts (day 9-13) and it’s been my favorite so far. I somehow ended up with quite a meaningful piece that shows our sister warriors together and who they are individually. It’s not done, but spoilers:
OCS: Were you surprised by the fandom’s reaction to your art?
Yes. I was not expecting any traction on any of my posts for a number of reasons: because I started late, because my drawings would mainly just be sketches, because I’m drawing with a style that I’m still unfamiliar with in a digital medium, because the goal of the WarriorNunInktober challenge for me was to force myself not to overthink every single line and just allow myself to suck. Still, people liked my entries and some even told me they loved my art style. Getting told your drawings look good, and getting told your style looks good are two completely different praises that make an artist feel different types of pride. The latter have been a first for me.
OCS: If people would like more information about your art, where can they go?
I’m currently on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Ko-fi, Threads, and Bluesky, all under ‘4reology’ linked here. But my Tumblr is probably the best place to go to for all my art.
OCS: Any positive message you would like to send to the fandom?
I want to say thank you to all the Warrior Nun fans that keep the show alive despite its cancellation. The fans that still continuously talk about it, posting stills and pointing out little things, making theories. The fans that make art like me, bringing people’s imaginations to life, showing alternate scenes and versions of the characters we didn’t get to see on screen. The fans that write amazing fics that allow us to enjoy our favorite characters again and again in different universes, offering us resolutions that Netflix failed to give us. As much as Simon and co. initially brought life to this show, it is you who keeps giving it life, and I’m just so grateful and hope that you never stop. Never let go. Never let the bad things taint what you loved, the good things, the good people, the good feelings the show has brought you. You are a big part of what makes Warrior Nun not ‘just a show.’
Name/Twitter Handle: Codeopod (Cody) 24, queer American
OCS: How did you discover Warrior Nun?
Tiktok
OCS: What made you want to fight to save the show?
Sick of the same fates for all sapphic content
OCS: How did you discover #WarriorNunInktober and a few of the reasons why you wanted to participate?
I saw it in the artist circles on twitter and I had been wanting to do a writing excersize
OCS: Did the prompts or drawings inspire your writing for #WarriorNunInktober?
Mainly the prompts since I wrote them ahead of time
- Cody (@codeopod) October 6, 2023
OCS: What was your favorite day prompt?
Necklace
OCS: What is your favorite drawing you saw or wrote about?
The tattoo style thread is amazing by @ledasostoa
OCS: If people would like more information about your writing, where can they go?
My twitter or ao3 (both Codeopod)
OCS: Any positive message you would like to send to the fandom?
It won’t always be like this, we will win somehow
Name/Twitter Handle @visxeral
OCS: How did you discover Warrior Nun?
I saw it in passing on tumblr, then accidentally read a fic about it knowing nothing and then came back a couple months later when I heard season 2 was premiering.
OCS: What made you want to fight to save the show?
I love lesbians and I hate seeing sapphic shows get canceled. Ava and Beatrice’s story just hits different, I don’t know if I found it at the right time right place but it really just stuck with me.
OCS: How did you discover WarriorNunInktober and a few of the reasons why you wanted to participate?
I did Inktober last year and I wanted to do it again this year to really see how far I came and I stumbled on WarriorNunInktober from @e_l_skye and decided to draw things for the fandom.
OCS: How did you find inspiration for some of the drawings?
Honestly it was a bunch of looking on pinterest and looking at the prompt and thinking I want to do something different. I want to draw something that is creative to me and push myself to do more.
OCS: On average how long does one drawing take?
Honestly I don’t remember but atleast 5-7 hours. Maybe a good 1-2 hours to find inspiration and the rest to sketch and color.
- Marianne (@visxeral) October 4, 2023
- Marianne (@visxeral) October 6, 2023
OCS: How many hours do you think you spent drawing for the WarriorNunInktober event?
Maybe like 55-77 hours? On average each piece took me like 5-7 hrs and I only did 11 prompts.
OCS: What was your favorite day prompt?
I’m torn between blindfold and wings because they’re both pieces I equally like.
OCS: What was the hardest prompt or drawing?
Honestly all of them cuz it was very hard finding the time and inspiration for a drawing. I remember the whole month of October was me just basically going to work -> to the gym -> and frantically coming home to make dinner and then spend the rest of my night drawing.
OCS: What is your favorite drawing you submitted?
I have to say the wings prompt just because I really like the lighting and shadows on the anatomy.
OCS: Were you surprised by the fandom’s reaction to your art?
I would say yeah, I don’t consider my art to be great, I have my moments but seeing that other people think that it was good surprised me. Plus I still struggle to capture like-ness with faces.
OCS: If people would like more information about your art, where can they go?
I’m not really active active on these social media platforms but I’m on twitter obviously, Instagram: Kalisto3659