Online mutuals, more specifically art mutuals are people you follow and who follow you back. There’s a mutual appreciation for one another’s work, and this is the mere thing that elevates your relationship with a person from follower to semi-friend. 

I say “semi-friend” because by all social standards, you and your mutuals are usually far from friends. You’ve probably only had one or two conversations—all of which have been started by some form of compliment on yours or their latest post. They are always kept short, usually only one to two messages exchanged between the two of you total, but their compliment means more than the average comment. 

See, since your “friendship” is a result of your mutual respect for one another, your mutuals are also your inspirations. Whether you followed them first or they followed you, the discovery of each other’s work was enough to compel you and them to hit follow—something rather difficult when there are millions of art accounts out there. Maybe you shared a common interest in an anime or comic, or possibly you have no idea who the characters they draw are, but you like their style. Whatever the case, their work was influential, and their compliments feel like those that come from your peers—the acquaintances that truly understand your struggles and can pick up on your proudest accomplishments. 

That is my best comparison—mutuals feel like the classmates you are equal parts intimidated and in awe of, and the type of people you desperately want to become friends with despite your fear that you’re not cool enough to be their friend. With almost all of my mutuals, I’m still stunned to have earned that title with them —they’re all so skilled—but there are a few that I’m truly always blown away by and truly appreciative of. 

Mandarin Orange 

Wildly, I’ve known this mutual for almost three years now, since the start of my art Instagram account. We’ve hopped from fandom to fandom together, coincidentally rekindling our camaraderie after my Hunter x Hunter obsession started. They’re not all that active, but the few conversations and the projects we’ve worked on together have revealed them to be charmingly scatterbrained but strongly determined. Their comics always remind me of my love for the medium and their fun colors, most prominently their use of mandarin orange, embody the warmth they are able to capture within their work. Above all, Mandarin Orange’s work reminds me to always push themes of kindness and love in my work, because it makes both the artist and the audience a little bit warmer. 

Friendly Lavender 

This mutual is probably one of my closest. We’ve not only worked on projects together, but have also exchanged gifts. Friendly Lavender is so kind—we’ve had validating conversations about our culture and our identities, as we share similar heritage and other personal experiences. I’ve always admired their ability to uplift other artists, as well as the way  that they capture personal experiences and make them relatable to a wider audience. Their work has helped me feel a bit more connected to not only them but to my community and, on more than one occasion, their work has encouraged me to continue on as myself.

Off-white Canvas 

Off-white Canvas is one of the mutuals I’m constantly stunned and honored to be mutuals with. Their comic work is a big inspiration to me, as is their line work and overall style. From our interactions, I’ve learned that they’re helpful and cordial, but most importantly, they’re dedicated. On a project that I organized, they told me that they’d create a comic, and I was shocked when they sent me something that was well over 10 pages. Most of the other comics from the project, including my own, were only around the 4 page mark, but they had sent in almost 4x that. Their trademark use of an off-white canvas (opposed to the default white canvas color) reminds me of the meticulous love and care they put into their work. It reminds me of the extra Easter-egg detail they always remember to add. I’m honored to watch them grow as an artist. Along with all the inspiration I receive from their work, they remind me never to feel locked into my style—to always be experimental and explorative in my work. 

Dusty Rose

Dusty Rose, in my mind, kind of occupies a little brother character. Dusty Rose, like me and many of my mutual friends, still has a lot to learn, but they are so refreshingly invigorated to do so. I’ve seen them improve leaps and bounds and am rather jealous of their energy and seemingly constant drive to draw. They are very polite and so kind—Dusty Rose has granted me some of the most considerate comments I’ve ever received. We haven’t gotten the chance to work on any projects together but have exchanged art gifts—and I cherish the art they’ve made for me and the work they made in general. Seeing their art on my feed always brightens my day, and I’m very glad the magical ways of TikTok’s For You page brought us together. 

Finally, some honorable mentions. Thank you to my mutual who always messages me to reassure me that a new project or sketch I’m working on is a great idea (you are a big motivation for me to continue). Thank you to the mutual who spent almost an hour extra after our project’s bonding event just drawing silly things on a shared canvas—you made my day. Thank you to the mutual who offered to help me figure out how shipping works for my shop.I’m sorry that I was too embarrassed to take you up on your offer. Lastly, thank you to the mutual who’s always the first to comment after I post something I’m scared will get no comments. 

The role of my art mutuals in my life has only increased in the past year or so, but I’m so grateful for all that they have given me. My interactions with them always brighten my day, but being surrounded by a larger art community pushes me to grow. I’m excited to keep improving alongside them and working on projects together, but most of all, I’m excited to see how our semi-friendships will grow.