💎 It took me a week to draw this

Gem #70 3 things I learned from it

Bonjour my little demon,

Whether you just joined or have been here from the beginning, thank you so much for reading 🖤.

This week was full of challenges, and I realized that overcoming an art block is easier said than done. But even in the struggle, I can feel myself improving—and that feels pretty great.

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ANNOUNCEMENT: Secret 72‑hour Patreon window opens soon

To thank my early supporters, I’m launching my Patreon in a secret window with surprise gifts and a $9/month founder offer (instead of $15).

Limited invites. First come, first served.

Waitlist gets early access.

👉 Join the waiting list now

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TODAY’S GEM

This week, I had one obsession.

One idea I couldn’t let go of.

One image that kept haunting me, no matter how many times I sketched, erased, or tried to move on.

And it all started with a tiny cat spirit.

A few weeks ago, I told you how she came to me during an art block and how I started this project to break through it.

But now? I want to take it to the next level.

So I spent the past two weeks working on her.
I staged my first photoshoot.
Edited together custom references.
Sketched the character again. And again. And again.

Until finally… something clicked.

It took five days to land on a final sketch. And through the frustration, it taught me three big lessons:

1. When you stop experimenting and try again, your body resists. You waste hours second-guessing everything.

2. Once you let go and start having fun, it gets easier.

3. Starting over is never a failure—it’s the artist’s privilege.

🖤 I’ve learned so much from just this one piece—and honestly, I can’t wait to share it all inside my upcoming Patreon. The more I move forward in my practice, the more it feels like the right thing to do.

Especially with so many of you already on the waitlist.

Next step for the cat spirit?
A fully rendered graphite portrait.
And maybe… an oil painting?

Let’s see if I can mesmerize you next week.

Voilà, that’s all for me.
Bisou,
Léa.

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