EARLY ACCESS // skin (Patreon)

I wanted to make some skin studies with this one, and more specifically skin that has a lot of blemishes on it. I’ve had acne since a very young age, and because of it I was put on hormonal birth control when I was just 12. Last year, after almost 25 years of taking birth control pills, I decided I was going to stop taking it because I felt like it had a lot of negative side effects, including for my mental health.

I’m really glad that I quit, but my acne has returned and sometimes it’s really challenging. I can’t help but feel a sense of shame when my skin breaks out, even though it’s just genetic for me: I inherited it from my dad. Strangely enough, I would never judge anybody else for having blemished or imperfect skin. I don’t think it takes away from anybody’s beauty. But it’s hard to apply that mindset to myself. So I drew this artwork to try and process some of these emotions. I hope you like these!