my thoughts on my first artfight ever

After vaguely knowing about it for years, I finally participated in artfight for the first time in 2026.
I, actually, made my account back in 2024. Why I didn't join either then or in 2025 is beyond me. I had first made the account for storing some OC's refrences that I never really uploaded.
So, what changed? I started seeing artfight stuff back in June and thought I has alrealy missed it again. It got me kinda sad, I have wanted to participate before but I always ended up missing it. Then halfway through June I actually checked and. It was in July.
The shame alone was enough of a push to participate.
So I studied hard (watched like, two yuotube videos), I decorated my profile, uploaded my characters last minute, and set out to DRAW!

My goals for 2026

Before starting, decided that my expectations should be zero. Below zero if possible. I was going to draw what I could, and I wouldn't worry whether I got attacks or revenges.
I really didn't know at all how the event "feels like" and what are the expectations for either the characters' profiles or the attacks. I decided to not worry too much. I made sure all my characters have more than one image as a refrence; and regarding attacks, I'd just use my own sense of completion. If I say it's finished enough then it's finised enough.
In terms of attacks, I set out to do at least like, ten or so. No pressure but also to have a goal to look forward to. In whatever format I'd be most comfortable with.
so, how did I do?

The fruits of my labor

I made 27 attacks in total.
I developed a whole new style for drawing digital. I found several features of the program I've used for years. I combined traditional and digital for some of my drawings. I spent an entire week on an oil painting. I even made a plushie.
I had. SO. MUCH. FUN.
At some point I decided I wanted a battle ratio of 80% and I ALMOST HAD IT. I managed until the literal last day, when I got revenged twice. Still, I'm happy with my 77%, specially when it means I got MORE GREAT ART!
The event barely ended, we don't even have the results yet and I'm already hyped for next year!
I got to push myself and experiment, I got to play it safely when I wanted to. But most importantly:
I got to meet so many amazing characters. Cool and fun and creepy and all in between. Amazing backstories, impecable vibes, great art all around! Technically, I'm the one making a gift by attacking, but the real gift was getting to draw (and paint and sew) all these awesome, creative & colorful OCs!
The community is so vibrant and diverse. Even if I stuck to what I know and like best, there really is just about everthing and everyone! And while I'm still too shy to say I made new friends, all my interactions have been great!
I just had so much fun! This July has been amazing and I'm alredy waiting for the next one!

On that note:

Ok, what's next?

Now that I know how the event goes, I have several things I want to change about my profile. And I already started on some things.
I want to overhaul the characters I already uploaded (I alredy started by archiving Timmy, he'll need the most changes x-x), then upload a lot more characters.
I want to upload everyone from Freddy's page, all enochs have designs, even ones I haven't even mentioned in that page yet! Since they all come from the same story (and are, tecnically, the same person) I want a standard ref sheet for the lot of them. I made a potential background and I'd need to make some props for character info in there. And then, draw them all again. All what, 15 of them? It's been a minute since I counted.
Felix, Nube and Lisa also come from their own world, so I'd love to give them their own standarized ref sheet. Alongside, you know, actually uploading Nube and Lisa as their own characters.
There's another, separate story I've been plaing around in my head (and in my doodles) for a while now, and it just might have enough characters by next year in order to give it the same treatment, but it depends on how much time & energy I got left from the previos two points.
I would also like to add some of the recurring characters I made in my copyright-free October challenge from this past 6 years. I'd just be uploading the drawings I already made, so it wouldn't be too difficult. But all that depends on how much space in my page the enochs will be taking, I don't want to have too many characters either.
Maybe I'll even add some of my weird demons or a sona. As if I needed more things to draw.
Good thing I have a whole year right?

TLDR

Artfight has been a lot of fun, and I can't wait to join the fight again!