Hey everyone, it’s Tim here, and welcome back!

This is T. R. Truelove—and today we’re talking inspiration, originality, and how to handle critics along the way.

Inspiration is Everywhere

Hey, it’s Tim with you again, and today’s topic is something close to my heart—artistic inspiration.

I love talking about inspiration because, truthfully, it’s everywhere. It can hit you like a lightning bolt or creep in slowly over time. If you’ve ever created anything—even just a doodle in a notebook—you know exactly what I’m talking about. Inspiration can come from literally anything.<

Sometimes it’s nature. Sometimes it’s people. It might be the curve of a car, the shape of a tree, the rhythm of a song, the way someone carries themselves, or even a random piece of clothing that makes you think, “That belongs to a character.”

For me, it’s all of that—and more.

The Fear of Creating Original Characters

Because let’s be real: putting something new out there, especially something personal, is terrifying. It’s like standing on stage naked and just hoping nobody throws tomatoes.

One of the scariest things I ever did as an artist was create an original character from scratch. It’s easy to draw someone else’s popular character and add your style—that’s a safe space. It’s like a band playing cover songs. They sound good, but they didn’t write the song.

And don’t get me wrong—cover songs or fan art are great ways to build skill. But it’s not the same as putting your stuff into the world.

Original characters are different. They’re vulnerable. They come from a personal place—whether it’s a reflection of who you are, who you want to be, or someone you admire. When you put that out there and someone criticizes it… that can hurt. A lot.

Understanding Criticism

And that brings me to a major part of today’s topic: criticism.

It’s something every artist deals with, and while it doesn’t necessarily get easier, it does get clearer.

There’s a massive difference between constructive criticism and a personal opinion.

If someone just says, “This looks like crap,” that’s not useful. That’s noise. That’s someone projecting something from their own life. But if they say, “Hey, the composition feels unbalanced,” or “What if you tried a different color scheme?”—now that’s helpful. That’s something you can actually work with.

Criticism in a Professional Setting

The key is knowing how to filter that feedback.

If I design something for a brand and someone says, “That doesn’t feel on-brand,” I can go back, check the guidelines, and make it better. That’s constructive.

But if someone says, “I just don’t like it,”—okay, cool. Noted. Moving on.

And that same mindset has to apply when you’re creating original content—especially characters.

Because here’s the truth: there’s a little piece of you in everything you create. When someone attacks that, it feels personal. But it’s not always meant to be. You have to learn to separate what’s helpful from what’s just noise.

My Personal Inspirations

I take a lot of inspiration from people. Now, I’m not much of a social butterfly. I don’t love crowds. But I do love the human form—especially female anatomy.

I know that might sound cliché—a guy drawing women—but for me, it’s more than that. I’m drawn to curves, to expression, to movement. I think the female form is more interesting in art. There’s more versatility, softness, and strength wrapped in subtlety. It absolutely shows in my work.

Influences from Art, Comics, and Disney

J. Scott Campbell is one of my big influences. I’ve followed him for over 15 years on DeviantArt. His philosophy was simple: “I draw girls because I like to.” And that really stuck with me. Don’t be ashamed of what you like. Own it.

Movies like Frozen and Tangled have incredible character designs. You know Elsa when you see her. That’s what we’re all chasing, right? That level of recognition.

No, we might not have Disney’s budget to plaster characters on lunchboxes everywhere—but we can strive for designs so distinctive people know them instantly.

Photography as Inspiration

Even AI Sparks Ideas

Recently, even some AI-generated images caught my eye—not because I think AI is an artist, but because they sparked something in me. They reminded me of classic anime styles I grew up loving, and I thought, “Man, I want to explore that look in my own way.”

That’s the point. You don’t have to copy. Inspiration isn’t theft. It’s a springboard—a spark. It’s what makes your version possible.

The Courage to Share Your Work

But if you can push past the fear and listen to the right voices, you’ll find your groove.

Your work matters. The world needs it.

Closing

Tim is a husband, father, artist, and the creator of The Legend of Nero universe.

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