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Got tagged by @tissitpoispaita for the "put your playlist on shuffle and post 10 songs" meme (thank you! Glad I can participate in the rituals again). I don't have a playlist currently, my main way to listen to music is going to youtube and finding what I want. So I went through my history, disregarded the autoplayed songs/artists, and put one song for each artist which I deliberately sought out.

TOOL - Lateralus

Juno Reactor - God is God

Ai vist lo lop (Occitan folk song, band uncredited, probably Hollóének Hungarica)

Kent - Kärleken väntar

Biggie Smalls feat. Thomas the Tank Engine

Pathologic (Classic) OST - Utroba Night (Stone Yard)

Turisas - To Holmgard and Beyond

Heroes of Might and Magic 4 - Combat Theme IV

Path of Exile soundtrack - The Grand Arena

The place promised in our early days OST - 16 solitude

Tagging @starfally @blackrabbitrun @momiji-no-monogatari @yuuago @superdark33 @menhavingagoodtime @lcatala @vakavanhasaatana (pretty sure at least a couple of you will resent being tagged but this is part of the fun isn't it :D I'm thinking of you have a great day!)

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So true. I got pretty discouraged to make art since AI got popular because it seems like a lot of people don't care how an image was created as long as it looks pretty for 3 seconds while they scroll. I have acquaintances who are perfectly happy to use AI art for their personal projects or for fun even though I explained to them the generators make money by exploiting artists. I don't insist anymore, since it would feel rude, but it hurts to see them post AI art. Even success as an artist online doesn't necessarily do much. My latest post here has over 700 notes at the moment on account of being for a huge fandom, but under 10 people of the ones who interacted with it followed me or liked other things in my gallery, and about the same amount said anything in the tags. Nobody commented and I didn't get any commission requests out of it. Now, this isn't to say you *always* have to comment when you like art online, I certainly don't either. It was just a demonstration of how even apparent success on social media can lead to very little satisfaction or benefit for artists. Part of it is probably also the (good) problem that we are spoiled by having so many wonderful images immediately available, from contemporary and old artists, so the time and energy we invest in appreciating any one of them is going to be smaller than if there was less access. I don't necessarily want that part to change. But having to share people's attention with AI art made out of our works sampled without consent or compensation really sucks.

I think the best way to fight this AI shit is just to support actual creators. The cat's out of the bag with AI; our data's going to be taken and used without our consent whether we like it or not, so maybe we should put efforts into holding up those who create their own stuff. Comment/interact on people's writings and art. Make it worth them posting; make it clear that what the people are interested in isn't generated stuff, but things that people have actually done themselves. It's a drop in the ocean, but showing creators that it's them that deserve the support at least serves to cut off a tiny bit of oxygen to these AI hogs - and make a difference to creatives who are trying against hope to share with a community.

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was looking through some older art and I found this Keyleth sketch I made years ago when I was actively listening to Critical Role. I decided to post it unpolished because I like this sharp and dynamic energy that usually gets lost as I process the art more.

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apparently this needs to be said

woke up to dozens of likes on my art for the first time in months... they were all from one person and I was really happy about it until I realized they’re a terf. So just to be clear: I have trans partners and friends and I am agender. For the most part we are all happy and doing great. So running into terf takes online is. Not sure how to put it. Maybe like having a nice life living in the jungle because you adapted things to work for your current context, and then finding people arguing with the deepest seriousness that “obviously no humans can live in the jungle”. I feel bad but mostly for terfs who don’t realise that 1. they’re wasting their time 2. they sound ridiculous to people who know trans people irl and are not bigoted towards them and 3. they are depriving themselves of the friendship of a small but interesting part of the population that skews very insightful and fun. May those of you who have the ability to realise you fell in with a bad crowd wake up sooner rather than later.  I’m not interested in educating (or god forbid, debating) anyone but I did want to make it clear where I stand. 

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True! As a neurodivergent artist who has gone through times when I literally couldn’t buy enough food (I’m doing alright now don’t worry) I hate the way some well-meaning people frame everything through a survival mode lens. Even when I was doing really badly (and maybe especially then) I valued being goofy online and being able to make someone smile with the stuff I draw, and didn't want everything to revolve around "promoting" my work. Please remember that access to chill online places and friendly, non-monetized interaction is a de-stress method that’s still widely accessible even to many disadvantaged people. Don’t slap it out of people’s hands, don’t blame them for not spending their every waking hour taking care of someone else’s needs, it’s not fair or healthy to expect that. Or at least don’t do it in my name. 

"likes do nothing"

wrong

"they literally only send a notification to the op"

first of all this is also wrong; they send a notification to the op and the person whose blog you saw it on

but nitpicking aside, yes? That's what they do? That's what they're there for? They let you know that someone liked your post?

what they don't do, unlike similar functions on other sites, is make it more likely that other people will see your post. And like if you're an artist (of whatever kind) who is mostly or only on tumblr to promote your work, and your only goal is to get it in front of as many people as possible, then yeah, maybe likes do nothing for you

(note: I regularly buy stuff from artists on here, and I reblog commissions posts and shop updates and stuff when I see them. I am not the enemy here!)

but like, not every feature on every website is going to be useful to every user, and that's okay! If I make a mildly amusing text post, and I see "skrinklyscrungus and 5 other users liked your post", then I know I made six strangers on the internet laugh! If I reblog a picture of a rainbow-colored dinosaurs and all my gay dinosaur-loving mutuals like it, then I am hanging out with my friends and looking at cool shit together!

and that is what I am mostly here for.

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you’re seriously ok with talking about hp???

Yeah, I don't avoid talking about things that are problematic. Half of my gallery is fanart of a webcomic that now leaves a bitter taste in my mouth when I think about it due to some Choices on the part of its author. This still doesn't cancel all the positive things that have come out of that fandom for me, including meeting some of the most important people in my life. I don't want to stop talking about that positive part, and I'm sure there are people like this in other unfortunate fandoms as well. Also, mentioning something is not the same thing as supporting it or its author (to be clear: fuck JK). You don't get moral cooties just from intellectually touching the "wrong" thing.

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Commission for @ilthit which made me really ponder what a parrot god looks like

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you art is rad and pretty 💞

no u!!

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What is your Hogwarts house?

So, I never was into HP but I am very into random quizzes so I took several Hogwarts houses ones before it was kinda iffy and I got gryffindor every time. Guess I'm basic??

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Some cozy APH Romania and Bulgaria for @yuuago :)

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commissions open!

Time to open commissions again because I borrowed money from a friend who is now struggling and I would like to give it back asap! As usual, I like to keep my pricing simple, so I offer only two types of commissions: 1. a 30$ tier, where you tell me what to draw, in the amount of detail you want, and you get a drawing that might be a bit experimental/rough around the edges, no edits included.

Examples: 

8 out of 10 spots available

---------------- 2. a 50$ tier where you get to see the sketch and ask for any changes, and then also ask for small changes on the final version if needed Examples: 

6 spots available Stuff that applies to both: - they can be either traditional or digital, let me know if you have a preference! - everything will be in colour with some amount of background, unless you prefer otherwise and let me know - three characters maximum - you must provide reference for the characters (even if inexact) or a description of them - I like having a lot of info to work with, don't be shy to share - no real people as themselves (actors in character is fine) - payment through paypal once I'm done - I'll say no to prompts that are a particularly bad match for my current skills, sorry (this rarely happens but just putting it out there)   - nsfw can be discussed (fees will be higher) - I usually post the drawings here crediting you as the commissioner and character owner (if this applies) - if you don't want me to, let me know - I do my best to finish the art within a couple of weeks but I have adhd and this can cause delays (that being said, right now I'm very motivated to finish in time). Please let me know if your commission is especially time sensitive! - if you have any questions at all, please ask!

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Illustration for @theotherjax of a scene in their beautifully written fic. I’m very lucky to have a job that involves fun reading among other things! 

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@harbingers-cat ‘s Rowan and Seagull gave me an opportunity to paint a rainy forest, it’s good for the soul

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I wanted to finish the set with a grumpy Artemy but this idea came up instead so uh.. you’re welcome 

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here have a frustrated Danko too since you all liked Klara so much

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grumpy klara for when nothing goes your way 

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Phosphophyllite for @momiji-no-monogatari who is a great friend :)