added entry to drawing challenge

src/routes/blog/2026/0205.md

@@ -247,3 +247,34 @@ I used a little test drawing (in the top left) to roughly sketch out the perspec
 Afterwards, I didn't really know what to do because I'm kind of getting bored of drawing the same heads with no changes really, and I don't know how to properly draw something else either. I watched another one of mikeymegamega's videos, this one on [basic shapes](https://youtu.be/gMjpAYASbC8), so I drew some *forms*. Of course the cube reminded me of a much more familiar cube.
 
 mikeymegamega's "Beginner Drawing Tutorial" series continues with videos on shading and perspective; I'm not sure whether I'll watch them soon, because they don't feel right for me currently. Something something too advanced, also not the direction I want to head right now. They did remind me of school, however. I remember that in art class, we often had to do things like draw a scene in a vanishing point perspective, or try to copy our own eye or something. Retrospectively... I felt very underprepared for that. I hardly knew how to draw, so trying these things, while fun, wasn't exactly ideal. I do recall others struggling with the perspective in particular and finding the challenge frustrating rather than enjoyable. Who knows whether that influenced their perspective on creating art.
+
+## Day 12: Close Your Eyes
+
+<span class="date-marker">2026-02-17, 22:32</span>
+
+So I bought this book today.
+
+<SubtitledImage
+    image="12-book.webp"
+    altText="The book 'Manga zeichnen leicht gemacht' by HIkaru Hayashi. It's a German version and it depicts three manga-style girls on its cover."
+    subtitle="this one" />
+
+I went to a flea market store (yes that's not a mistake; an indoor flea market-like business) with friends earlier today, and I discovered this book on drawing manga characters. It's issue 5 in its series and focusses on 'bishoujo' characters, which the book also refers to as 'beautiful girls'. I'll be honest – I felt a bit awkward picking up this book, especially since some of its contents are kind of... horny-coded. Not unlike mikeymegamega's videos, I suppose. But there are a lot of cool references and tips in this book, like on dimensions of body and face parts, positioning and its respective effects, etc. I initially put the book back down, but after like 10 minutes of thinking that I'd kinda like to take the book with me, I finally bought it. Finding *this* book, a guide for a style I personally want to go for, in the middle of a drawing challenge? It can't have been coincidence.
+
+<SubtitledImage
+    image="12.webp"
+    altText="Three drawings of manga-style girls, all with closed eyes. The top left one has shorter hair and a content facial expression. The top right one is drawn from a side profile view and is shouting. The bottom drawing is of one with long tied-up hair."
+    subtitle="I like the top two ones; the right one shouting, and the left one completely content"
+    alignment="right" />
+
+I had a look through more than half the book and found some drawings I wanted to try and copy. Of course, I used the technique (singular) I had previously learned to accomplish this, and it worked out quite decently.
+
+I still struggle with perspective, that's for sure. The bottom one isn't quite looking in the direction I intended her to, though she still looks ok. I quite like the top left one. There's a bit of authenticity in the drawing with the construction lines, which I oddly like. I also drew the top right one just because it looked fun and I wanted to try it. I like the exaggerated emotions you can depict in this artstyle; not something I'm *quite* ready to experiment with yet – I am still lacking lots of basics – but I copied this one just to get a feel for it.
+
+Honestly? I think the heads I draw look pretty alright. I think if I keep practicing just the heads, it'll get boring, so I may try to do bodies/torsos next, just to keep things interesting. Combine torsos and heads to match their sizing. I feel like I'm slowly getting the hang of both drawing and finding resources for drawing.
+
+Oh, and hair. Hair is a big challenge. mikeymegamega has a video on that; I may watch that tomorrow. I think hair can make the drawings look SO much more interesting, so I'm both afraid (due to its difficulty (I assume)) and excited for it.
+
+On a related note, sometimes I look at the framed picture of Snatcher from A Hat in Time on my desk and I think to myself that I'd like to draw him. Now I'm thinking that I'd like to draw him in this manga style.
+
+I would fucking love that.