For now the best way 2D artists can show their art is 'real' is to also show the process involved, ideally in video form, since AI can't replicate that (at least as far as I've seen). EDIT: Looks like I was wrong. :(
I feel that PMing people directly for something like this can be considered as "bothering" them. Yes some people will gladly reply, but the ones who don't, will still likely read the message and go through with the decision of not replying, regardless of how nice the message was. They might feel guilty for ignoring…
is blender where you are going to do the final rendering? it totally is fine if it is but as you said "a game i am making" i suggest you put the mesh into the engine and work with the shaders in there. unless you plan is to replicate whatever you do in blender in your target engine, which is totally fine.