What Has Happened So Far and What Lies Ahead

Dear Supporters,

I hope this message finds you well. This is Sakuramaru.

First and foremost, I would like to sincerely apologize for not being able to update my content for such a long time. Thanks to your generous support, I have been able to continue my activities, but I deeply regret that I have failed to meet your expectations, and for that, I truly apologize.

Please allow me to share a brief update regarding my current situation.

For the past two years, I have faced significant difficulties with something that used to come naturally to me—drawing. I have thought a great deal about the cause, and I believe that I may have become overwhelmed by the pressure to produce high-quality, finished artworks.

Caught in this negative cycle, I found it increasingly difficult to engage in the act of drawing itself. I tried various methods to improve my situation, such as creating a more conducive environment for focus, addressing my back pain, and even taking breaks to do other things, but unfortunately, I was unable to find a way out of this struggle.

However, at the beginning of this month, I decided to try something I had been interested in for a while: one-hour drawing sessions (Wandro).

This practice involves completing a drawing within an hour, where you must plan the composition, sketch, line, and color within the set time limit.

For me, someone who had been used to spending many hours on a single piece with no clear endpoint, the challenge of setting a goal and working backwards to meet that goal was something new and incredibly stimulating.

Through this, I also came to realize that I had been lacking sufficient experience in completing my drawings.

As drawing became increasingly difficult, I found myself with fewer opportunities to experience the satisfaction of finishing a piece. This, I believe, contributed to the increasing difficulty of drawing itself.

By practicing one-hour drawings, even if the results are not perfect, I’ve been able to gain more frequent experiences of completing artwork, and I feel that the confidence I had lost is slowly starting to return.

To my surprise, I managed to post six pieces this month! (Though some are not fully finished and may not be considered complete, I am still proud of them.)

I have posted them on Bluesky, and if you’re interested, I would be truly grateful if you would take a look.

https://bsky.app/profile/sakuramaru123.bsky.social

After having struggled for so long, I do not believe that this practice alone will solve everything, but I can certainly feel that the pressure of drawing has significantly decreased, and for that, I am very thankful.

Moving forward, I plan to continue accumulating experiences of completing my drawings and steadily regaining my confidence.

In the coming year, I hope to approach my creative work with a more relaxed mindset, ensuring that the expectations I set for myself are not too overwhelming.

Since I am not yet fully back to creating at my previous pace, I would be incredibly grateful if you could continue supporting me only when I have updates to share.

I kindly ask for your continued understanding and support, and I would be deeply appreciative if you would watch over me with warmth and patience.

Sincerely,

Sakuramaru