Hello! My name is Julian

I'm working on making a sort of bumbus overlay as well as just practicing the subeta style. I want to make sure what I'm doing isn't against any rules! I'm hoping to apply to be an artist, so I want to make sure I follow all the rules correctly.

1.) I am currently referencing the pose of the official art VERY heavily/tracing, but redoing all the lines, shading, etc myself. I'm slightly changing anatomy and small details to fit into my style. I want this to look like the current official art, but in my own style. Is this okay for an overylay?

2.) How can I improve my style to look more like subeta style? I really love how the angelic neela is done, so I aspire to give that quality of work. Again I'm applying to be an artist, so I'm trying to improve my shading to be more cohesive to the site.

Thank you guys for any help, I've never posted on the forums before and I'm a tiny bit shy! :-)

edit: removed images, questions have been answered!

Hey there! It's fine to trace the site art for an overlay. They're usually referred to as edits though, even if you redraw them completely, and if you ever decide to take commissions for them or upload as a custom, it is important to make that distinction so that no one feels that they're being misled. You can also only sell edits here on Subeta- not through Tumblr, Deviantart, etc.

I wouldn't recommend applying to staff with anything that might be traced even the tiniest bit, because they need to see what you're capable of yourself and not left questioning which parts are yours and which parts aren't. Also, it really shouldn't be displayed anywhere public until you're given a definite no or yes/it gets uploaded to the site, because they have a NDA.

It looks like at least half, if not most of the lineart was done on your own, and it's pretty good! There's a few places on the closest wing with some inconsistent spots and some areas mostly on the head and neck fluff that look a little sharp or pixelated. I think the biggest thing is the shading, which is normal, since Subeta's shading and highlighting style can be unique in some ways. Your shading style seems naturally softer and Subeta uses a definite cell-shading method to make details really pop when they're resized. They include highlights in places that don't always make sense for the same reason (ex: next to the lineart on the shadowed parts of the legs). It's also good to follow the light source for smaller details too, like the light reflecting on the eyes.

From what I can tell, you're off to a good start, so best of luck with your app! If it doesn't work out, you may still want to consider taking commissions for overlays or edits here in the forums. c: You might do really well!

Also, I'm sorry if I over-explained anything- I'm not sure how familiar you are with the some of the site's rules and formalities so I erred on the side of caution.

Ahh I see! I had no idea edits were a thing since I'm still new.

I actually made art thats not an overlay/completely original, but I'm using it for the application exclusively. Would I be able to post that and get a critique?

But! I really wanted to use this practice piece as an overlay because I still adore the pose! So I'm happy I'll get to use it for my pet. Thank you so much for explaining, I really needed all of it ^u^

I don't think it breaks any rules since you haven't agreed to the NDA or anything yet, it's just not ideal since I'm not sure they can really use any of it? You may want to double check with Rah on that on the announcement board though and see what their preferences are on that sort of thing.

Aww I'm glad you enjoyed making this one! Bumbus are a lot of fun to draw.