(This discussion is so interesting to have with other artists, apologies for hijacking your comment thread, amberdreams.)
it's really easy to default in one's work
*nods*
Also, another factor is which fandoms you're really into. In the past, I was into Smallville, Merlin and Teen Wolf, where my favourite characters to draw were all white, so my fanart at that time didn't reflect much ethnic diversity.
Over the last year or so, I've been into shows like Avatar and Korra, and Marvel/DC movies, with more ethnically diverse characters that I love, so my faves to draw have also reflected that.
It's only when I had to figure out for the first time how to sketch features like Asian eyes or Black hair that I realised how limited my own artwork had been up to that point, since for myself as an Indian, the only thing that changed in terms of figuring out how to draw defining features was with the skin colouring.
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Somewhat related to the topic, I remember making a conscious effort to switch from creating all m/m fanart all the time, to including both male and female characters as subject matter, whether paired or by themselves. Nowadays it just comes naturally, but at the time, I had to make a conscious effort for inclusion of different genders in my own fanart. So to me, there's nothing wrong with making deliberate efforts at diversity, until eventually it becomes the norm.
no subject
it's really easy to default in one's work
*nods*
Also, another factor is which fandoms you're really into. In the past, I was into Smallville, Merlin and Teen Wolf, where my favourite characters to draw were all white, so my fanart at that time didn't reflect much ethnic diversity.
Over the last year or so, I've been into shows like Avatar and Korra, and Marvel/DC movies, with more ethnically diverse characters that I love, so my faves to draw have also reflected that.
It's only when I had to figure out for the first time how to sketch features like Asian eyes or Black hair that I realised how limited my own artwork had been up to that point, since for myself as an Indian, the only thing that changed in terms of figuring out how to draw defining features was with the skin colouring.
-----
Somewhat related to the topic, I remember making a conscious effort to switch from creating all m/m fanart all the time, to including both male and female characters as subject matter, whether paired or by themselves. Nowadays it just comes naturally, but at the time, I had to make a conscious effort for inclusion of different genders in my own fanart. So to me, there's nothing wrong with making deliberate efforts at diversity, until eventually it becomes the norm.