Looking through random files. A very realistic Buddy I painted one night in some sort of ... burst of energy IDK.
I can't remember when this was but my computer says it was from March so lets go with that. I just remember did it in a few hours before bed... that isn't me trying to flex or anything just a fact.

It didn't start as Buddy, it started as 'realistic anime wolf'. Then it kind of turned into big hyena, and all hyenas are MY BUDDY so now it's him. He has his cyborg eyes lit up, mostly because it looks better than 'human eyes' in this style. I last drew 'realistically' (with detailed fur and such) probably back in 2019 or so, but this time around I was trying an entirely different program (Krita) and I forgotten all my previous techniques so it was something experimental...

There's some things that could be improved but overall I like it.
He loses something when realistic like this, but he gains something too. I find there's a much more subtle cross between uncanny creepiness and kind of 'elegant', almost pretty when painting like this. Maybe I'll do it more.