#also the website linked is my new shop!!!

[las-lus]

Firefox Extensions

I've decided to make a list of my personal Firefox extensions in case anyone is looking for a recommendation list! I also add some User Scripts recommendations at the end!

Security Reasons:

uBlock Origin is a must. Blocks ads (including YouTube ads) and trackers and warns you if you click in any malicious link!

Privacy Badger is very similar to uBlock, as it blocks trackers as well, but it's more focused, so I like to use both to be safer!

Duck Duck Go Privacy Essentials is another tracker blocker, but with a layer of protection to your emails and searches. If you aren't using Duck Duck Go instead of Google for your day-to-day searches, I highly recommend it! It's like if Google didn't suck.

Shinigami Eyes isn't perfect, but lets me know if someone has been tagged as “anti-trans” by other people. I trust it on big sources like news websites or famous figures, and use it as a warning on smaller blogs/people.

Making my life Easier:

Auto Tab Discard deletes the memory of tabs I haven't touched in a while, but keeps them visually there so I can remember that they exist.

Xkit Re-written, as I'm sure most of you know, enhances Tumblr browser but a lot!

Djvu Viewer is criminally underrated! Djvu is an alternative to PDF files, which, if you didn't know, are owned by ADOBE. Instead of downloading PDFs, you could download them as DJVU and keep the internet free! (For an offline experience, I recommend Okular for reading). This is really useful if you download academy textbooks. Dvju is also lighter than PDF so they demand less of your computer.

Search By Image is literally what is says on the tin. Really useful if you want to find the source of art!

Ruffle is a flash emulator! If you miss flash games, just download this badboy and go have fun on neopets again.

Unpay Wall is only really useful if you read research papers, but it WILL save your life if you do.

No AI google Search keeps Ai out of your Google!!

The Wayback Machine has an extension so you can a) easily find archived websites and b) archive a website very fast!

Tabliss makes my firefox a bit slower, but it makes every new tab prettier and keep a to-do list so I can always check it! good for my adhd!

Mouse's Neopets Tools. If you followed my tip on #5 and decided to go back to neopets, this will help you a bit.

If you're not afraid of little code:

TamperMonkey is the best extension for user scripts! You don't need to know how to make a script, there are THOUSANDS available! HERE are some ao3 scripts!

GreaseMonkey is if you want to try your hand on writing your own scripts! Code isn't that hard, and making something silly for yourself is a great way to start.

WebScraper extracts data from websites if you want. I used this to create an organized Marked for Later AO3 file by changing this tutorial a bit!

That's it! Feel free to recommend more!

If you're really unfamiliar with terms like trackers or scripts, I'll try to explain it in quick words under here.

Trackers are all your data that websites can legally take from your online activity. This includes what you look for when online shopping, where you are and what time you use your internet, so companies can sell you better and more targeted ads. You don't want that, obviously, fuck ads and fuck companies making money selling YOUR data. Cookies are the most well known form of trackers, but not the only one! Tracker blockers will stop websites from collecting everything that is not essential for your use of their platform! They also make your browser faster because you're not wasting memory running the trackers.

You can test how easy (or hard!) it's to track your browser habits here!

User Scripts Are codes you can add to websites to make them better for you! All websites are coded in HTML, CSS or Java, which mean your browser is running their code in order for you to access them. Which MEANS you can edit the version of the code you're running! You can add or remove features, make the website more accessible or even improve them. As they are free and made by and for users, don't trust them implicitally!

Some examples of user scripts:

This one shows you coupons for various shopping websites without making you pay for it. This one adds a download button for youtube. This one makes it easier to read webcomics.

The good thing about user scripts is that if you dislike them, you can disable them and never think about them again! They are really easy to use and it's a shame people usually never even hear of User Scripts.

To end this, I'll say: don't be afraid of learning a bit of code! It's fun! It can make you feel dumb, but that's a universal experience, learning a new thing can shake you up a bit. But being comfortable checking a page's source code or editing a bit of HTML to make a website more accessible to you can make your life SO MUCH easier! I have a few links HERE if you want!

[datcravat]

Ghost Trick Enamel Pins back in stock, they will be limited this time too! They are made with lots of love to feed the hungry ghost trick fans. I hope you like them!!

[fingertipsmp3]

The last like 12 hours have been one disaster after another tbh and I think I am mostly to blame

[ceropegia]

Images of Boophis kirki and Boophis picardi by Alice Petzold, a co-author on the paper describing some new treefrog species from Madagascar - B. kirki, B. picardi, B. siskoi, B. janewayae, B. archeri, B. pikei and B. burnhamae. "One group of treefrogs, the Boophis marojezensis complex, emit otherworldly whistling sounds reminiscent of sounds of technical equipment in the fictional “Star Trek” universe." Pics found at the first author's website: https://www.mvences.de/ and another author's website http://www.markscherz.com/archives/5786 The last link also has four audio files for the trekfrog calls. Not as expressive and varied as the sound effects in Star Trek in my opinion but a good excuse for honouring the captains with some new trekfrogs.

Alice shows off her art on https://www.instagram.com/alice.petzold.art/ and sells it on https://www.etsy.com/shop/AlicePetzoldArt

The paper is:

Vences, M., J. Köhler, C.R. Hutter, M. Preick, A. Petzold, A. Rakotoarison, F.M. Ratsoavina, F. Glaw & M.D. Scherz (2024): Communicator whistles: A Trek through the taxonomy of the Boophis marojezensis complex reveals seven new, morphologically cryptic treefrogs from Madagascar (Amphibia: Anura: Mantellidae). – Vertebrate Zoology 74: 643-681.

[qqueenofhades]

I don't know why I thought it was a good idea to argue with people about the worthlessness of voting third party. They just keep insisting that the influence is worth it, and that I was a coward for daring to suggest that we don't HAVE any other options than Democratic. I even cited how voting third party likely played a part in Al Gore losing ffs.

There's no "likely" about it, Ralph Nader DID directly cost Gore the election. He ran explicitly on the same "both parties are the same, so leftists/liberals should vote for me instead" rhetoric that we are still seeing among the Online Left, and it was successful: he got, for example, over 97,000 votes in Florida. Bush won Florida (and thus the presidency) by a miniscule 537 votes, after the fuckery of Bush v. Gore and SCOTUS ordering the recount stopped in Bush's favor. If the tiniest percentage of those Nader voters had gone for Gore, we would have had a president who was arguing in favor of tackling climate change in the year 2000. We would have been incredibly ahead of the curve. We would, in all likelihood, have a president who took the CIA's warnings of an impending al-Qaeda attack in the US seriously. We would not have had the disastrous Afghanistan and Iraq invasions and the "War on Terror," the rampant Islamophobia, "No Child Left Behind," the 2008 economic crash, and everything else that Dubya and his band of bloodthirsty neocons inflicted on us in the early aughties. Look, I try not to look back too much, but having Gore instead of Bush as president would have reshaped the entire timeline we're living in to such an unfathomably better degree that every moron thinking of voting third party For The Protest should be sat down and forced to learn this history intimately. Of course, they already saw it happen in real time in 2016, but they didn't care about that either.

The good news is: there are plenty of persuadable voters out there, and you can do work to reach them and convince them to vote for Democrats! They're just not online, because all the Online Leftists are terminally brain-poisoned against voting anyway and trying to argue with them is generally a waste of time. Instead, what you should do is take a gander at the following links:

This is the one-stop shop page for volunteering to get Democrats elected. You can do in-person and remote work, there are tons of different ways to get involved (i.e. you don't have to go directly out and knock doors if that's not something you're comfortable with), and your local Democratic party will welcome the volunteer help. There is also a page for finding your state party website:

I went there, clicked on my state, opened the webpage, and there was a "Volunteer" link right in the header, with an easy and quick form to fill out to register your interest and explain the kinds of work you would be interested in doing. You can canvass directly, you can manage data on the back end, you can phone bank, you can send texts and postcards to voters who may need an extra nudge, you can otherwise work with your state party in lots of ways, and it will be so much more productive and make you feel so much better than arguing with online idiots who will never, ever change their minds. What you can do is reach out to voters in your own community, in your own state, and have conversations with people who actually ARE willing to listen, but might need a little more educating on the facts, what's at stake, the truth about this election, and the danger that Trump poses. All of this will convert into critically important Democratic votes, and you can actually put your desire to make a difference into action. So yeah. I would 100% suggest you do it this way instead. Good luck.

[ariaste]

I'm super excited for your new book, quick question though... I recently saw something about an author not getting much $ from amazon because of the way revenue/profit was allocated when the book was on sale. What are the best 3 ways to buy your book in terms of revenue for you? I'm assuming Amazon isn't great? What about B&N? small local book stores? From the link you shared? A different method?

That is an AWESOME question and extremely thoughtful! I will give the short answer and the long answer. Short answer for RUNNING CLOSE TO THE WIND specifically:

Buy the hardback from Allstora (GREAT) or my Bookshop.org affiliate store (still good) or Barnes & Noble (I won't get any extra money, but it's good for other reasons, see below) or your local indie bookstore (we love supporting small businesses)

Buy the ebook from wherever is best for you! Right now I make pretty much the same amount of money regardless of platform.

Remember to recommend it to your local library in hardback, ebook, and audiobook form. (I still make money when libraries buy my books, and libraries help new readers discover my books)

For readers outside of America: You should be able to get it everywhere, and buying it from any retailer is great! I recommend a local indie bookstore.

Longer answer for all of my books:

Right, so I do both indie publishing and traditional publishing, so this is where things get weird:

Allstora is amazing for authors. For physical copies of my books, I get between 10% and 40% of the sale price on top of the royalties i get from my publisher. It is sincerely a game-changer. Buying my books from from my Bookshop.org store, linked above, is also pretty good -- it gets me a little boost of 10% of the profits of any books you buy through my affiliate link. Pretty cool. Buying books from Barnes & Noble is good for different reasons, because while I do not get any extra money beyond my royalties, B&N is very good at reporting their preorder numbers to my publisher, which is useful data for them to know for things like how much of a marketing budget to give my books. As for buying from indie bookstores, that speaks for itself: They are the backbone of our literary society and supporting them is just a morally good thing to do. (For international readers looking to get the hardbacks: Whichever retailer you usually use is great! There's no clear frontrunner right now that gives me more benefit than any other)

For ebooks of my traditionally published books (A Conspiracy of Truths, A Choir of Lies, Finding Faeries, A Taste of Gold and Iron, and now Running Close to the wind), again, buying them anywhere is currently fine. I hear Allstora might be working on getting ebook functionality in the future, in which case that will become the answer :) For ebooks of my self-published works, however, get them from my Patreon shop. I walk away with about $8 off an $8.99 sale. It's incredibly good.

Again, recommending my books to your local library (there's usually an online form on their website) is hugely helpful because that's FREE for you and STILL MONEY for me! :D And libraries are awesome, so.

You can also sign up for my newsletter or join my Discord server to get notifications of special events when you can buy autographed books directly from me! This gets me even more money than Allstora, but I only run these events a couple times a year for special occasions.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for asking this question! I hope this helped!

[redeyerhaenyra]

perv neighbor basil smut im begging u

Perv!Neighbour Basil finds your camgirl account

Summary: Basil is your neighbour, and after having formed a parasocial relationship with you, he finds your camgirl account. Things get.. a little out of hand.

Warnings: Oh man this one is filthy- Stalking, Parasocial relationships, m masturbation, cum tribute, professional sex work, cumming untouched, jealously, crying, like alot of crying, sextoy use, f reader

Notes: Myself and @ominoose have been bouncing this headcanon around in the dms for a bit and I finally have the opportunity to write it! I hope you like it baby tysm for requesting xx I really got carried away like this is SO LONG my goodness- This can be read as a part 2 to this fic but can also be enjoyed standalone x

Basil has been watching you for a while

You're his neighbour, you moved in to the flat opposite him a couple months ago, and the only verbal interaction you'd had with him was a polite introduction through his letterbox when he wouldn't open the door

You hadn't seen him at all, physically. He'd seen you though.

Oh had he seen you

His heart swelled every morning and evening he'd watch you leave and come home from work, nights out, trips to the shop, ect

His relationship to you, practically non-existent as it were, at least from your perspective, was... complicated

Half of Basil understood you two were already dating, loyal to one another. The other half of him understood that that was a fantasy, and he often found himself caught between the two realities

Poor Basil so desperately wants the untruth to become the truth. He wants to kiss you, profess his love, have it be your hand tugging him off instead of his own every night

But since the... accident, he wouldn't dare let you see him. You'd never accept him- no one would. He was a monster

Poor baby, so insecure 😔

Eventually, jerking off whilst peering at you through the letterbox whenever you enter or exit your home isn't enough. He needs to see you, properly. Stare at your beautiful face and take in all it's contours and shapes without having to have you do the same to him

And so.. he goes online.

He knows your name- you'd told him when you'd tried to be a nice neighbour and say hi, and so with a little sleuthing, he finds your Instagram

Basil spends hours pouring through your every photo, getting wildly jealous and crying (yes he cries poor baby) when he sees photos with other men, and roughly pulling on his cock until its red and raw, having cum so many times over his thighs and chest.

He becomes even more obsessed, his need to see you covered in his cum in some way or another becomes an vital as eating and drinking

He starts printing out your photos and cumming on them- considers laminating them so he can wipe them clean and go all over again

But then what about keeping them covered? Forever staining you with his seed? He can't pick

One day, when he's going about his ritual of jerking it to your insta, he finds a new link in your bio;

"18+ site! Adult only content! Click here❤️"

That perks his interest

Sure he's not stranger to porn, or camgirls, what with all the time he spends alone watching porn, but you? He'd never have assumed.

Basil's heart races, and his dick twitches beneath his sweats

Tentatively, he clicks on the link

Your website looks professional, all properly set up

The first thing he sees is a trailer video- and oh boy

He literally cannot stop the sudden, untouched orgasm flooding through him when he sees the sneak peak you've put together of your content

He's so loud moaning and whining, tears well up again in his eyes becuase he's so sensitive but he needs more

This teaser video of you playing with your nipples and rubbing your tiny pussy through your panties isn't enough

And so, Basil goes to your subscription page. Immediately gets the highest sub deal, he doesn't care if he can't afford it. He needs you so much he'd bankrupt himself if he had to

The benefits of this subscription are many; He gets access to your work DM, he gets two video calls with you a week, and he gets to request some content from you.

Basil couldn't not be happier, he even forgts about his facial insecurity when a few minutes later he sees a message from you pop up on his notifs;

"Hi baby! Thankyou so so much for becoming one of my top donors! It really does mean the world x"

He forces himself to respond, anxiety creeping up his shoulder;

"Yeah np love your work."

Jesus he didn't mean to come off so dickish

You quell his feelings of worry with a smiley emoji, and ask him "So, what's with the username? "Lightningface"?"

He gulps. "I just like lightning is all."

"It is such a pretty phenomenon."

Pretty.. you'd called it pretty. The thing that had maimed him, his deformity... might you have called that pretty too?

"Soooo you're due to request some content from me! What would you like?"

And honestly, Basil isn't sure

Anything you'd give him, he'd take

"I don't mind."

"Are you sure? It is your request that you've paid me for, you can ask for whatever you like!"

Basil really thinks for a moment. A real head scratcher.

"Can you say my name?"

Basil doesn't realise how possessive he sounds

"Sure can!"

"Can it be my irl name?"

"Of course! What is it?"

The man holds his breath as he responds; "Basil. Like the herb."

"Omg!!! That's such a cute name!"

He giggles to himself, you're so fucking adorable he loves you so much

You tell him you'll make his request into a segment during your next livestream

He's jealous, he doesn't want you performing for anyone else.. but like I said, he'll take what he can get

Most of the time until his segment of your livestream he spends crying and jerking off in a strange cycle.

You're his, you shouldn't be showing off.. he feels like you've betrayed him. But at the same time you're the most beautiful thing he's ever seen

Poor Basil is so conflicted

Finally, however, his request segment begins

You smile sweetly at the camera, and wave

"So, next up, I have a request from one of my top donors, he has such a cute name! Said he didn't mind what I did so I think i'm gonna surprise him~"

You reach to the side, pulling forth a clear silicone dildo

It's big. Basil gulps, could you take it? What if it hurt you?

You place it beneath you on your bed and slowly tease it between your folds, having already discarded all your clothes at this point

Basil chokes, his worn out cock stirring to life again

And then.. oh then..

You moan out his name, slowly sinking yourself onto the sextoy

Basil moans with you, and figures you must have an expensive microphone because the sounds coming from the screen are all but blasphemous

He loses himself to the rhythmic squelching of your cunt and your moans of his names

He cums so quickly, and there's so much of it, all over his chest

Poor baby whimpers, trying desperately to coax his poor dick back to life, not wanting to have finished so quickly

He wanted to last longer for you..

Luckily you finish not too long after him, he wants to swallow all of your sounds with his mouth

He's never seen such perfection

Glistening with sweat and panting, satisfied, you address the camera for the final time that night;

"I hope you enjoyed Basil, again thankyou so much for donating, I love you all so much, goodnight!"

You end the stream, Basil is plunged back into the dark loneliness of his flat

He sits for a few moments, taking in what just happened..

He soon finds himself looking at wedding rings online

[vanessagillings]

I love your art so much!!! I've also been starting to paint with gouache, and I'd love to know a little more about your process! What kind of paints do you use, do you sketch first or start with paint, do you paint in layers over several day or all at once?

Hi and thank you! I hope you don't mind me answering this publicly and apologies for length, but:

MY ART PROCESS!

Supplies: I use winsor and newton gouache and arches cold press paper blocks, usually 140 lbs (the lime green ones) and sometimes 300 lbs (the teal green ones). Even though this paper comes pre-stretched in blocks, I actually take the sheets off and stretch them myself because I've found arches' glue isn't as strong as it used to be. This is how you get watercolor paper to lay flat! I recommend youtubing some videos on how to do it -- there's a lot of great tutorials out there. Also, I use princeton brushes, and kraft paper tape and these boards to stretch my paper. (these aren't affiliate links, I just shop at blick)

A word about art supplies: these are the exact tools I use but everyone uses supplies differently and two people with the exact same supplies might get different results! A lot of it is about what works for you and what you like, so I always suggest that gouache/watercolor beginners just buy a few tubes from a couple of different paint companies and some small pieces of paper from different manufacturers to see what you like. Just changing one ingredient in the above has created massively different results for me, but maybe that'll end up being something you'd like! The first step in learning a new medium imo is to play. Just have fun!

ALSO: gouache isn't super light permanent, check your tubes for which ones hold up to sunlight. Here is winsor and newton's color chart explaining which ones will fade when exposed to sunlight -- all manufacturers will give you this. I only use the colors rated A and AA, and I still frame my pieces with UV glass just to be safe. Not all gouache is re-wettable, but winsor and newton is. I just put it in my palettes and refill my palettes if it runs low. AND SOME PAINT IS TOXIC. A lot of paints have cadmium and cobalt in them. I don't use any of the toxic colors, but if you do, make sure you don't eat while working and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. This information is also usually available on manufacturer's websites. As more people are rejecting cadmium paint, you'll see more tubes labeled things like cadmium-free yellow. This is why. More artists should be aware that their tools can be dangerous. You don't need that many tubes of paint to begin, just a warm and cool red, warm and cool yellow, warm and cool blue, white and black. I have around 50 colors and use 20 regularly. I always mix all my colors myself, and never use straight tube paint. Most of my colors have about 5-6 different tube colors mixed together. If you use re-wettable paint a tube of paint will last you years; even as a professional I only buy new paints every 5 years or so.

Process: I ALWAYS start with a sketch first. Not everyone has to, but because I do illustration work -- where sometimes a client gets input on a drawing -- I always do a lot of preliminary work before I even begin to paint. At this point, even my personal work usually involves the exact same process:

I start with a 3" or so thumbnail that I scan (left; I traced it quickly digtally for clarity to myself here) and then either clean up digitally or print out and clean up traditionally with tracing paper (right):

Then I scan the cleaned sketch in and color rough it digitally (left, this was for a gallery show, so no one had to approve my color roughs, so it's messy!) then I transfer my sketch to my paper (with either carbon transfer paper or a light table), stretch my paper, and paint (right):

I obviously changed my mind about the color of the ribbon in the trees, ha, and made everything a lot more vibrant. The benefit again of gallery work is no pre-approval!

You are correct, I paint in a series of washes, going from lightest to darkest, where I apply the same color beneath all shapes that are the same warmth (cools under all upcoming cools, warms under all upcoming warms). I paint a piece usually in one or two days, depending on complexity. I didn't take pictures of the above painting, but here's a different painting to show you a little bit what I mean:

I painted the peach color under everything (and twice for skin tones), and the gray color of the sky under everything that would be grayish (the rocks, trees, her pants, her skirt, and coat). I do this to stop me from getting darker lines where two different colors butt up against each other, and also for color harmony. I have step by step photos of this in my process stories highlight on my instagram; also check my FAQ and tip highlights for more info on all this stuff. Most pieces take around 25-30 washes before I start adding in the details (sometimes I add in face details early though because if I mess those up it's not worth finishing the rest of the painting! 😅)

All this might seem like a lot of work (...it is) but I do it so that I can show clients previews of the final piece and so I don't have to repaint the finals. I also used to pre-test all of my washes on scrap paper like this:

I still recommend doing this if you're just beginning! But at this point I only do it when testing techniques because I know my paints really well. (the above was my test for the pine boughs in this piece)

Painting by far is the longest part of the process, so I do more work up front to not have to do it twice. Every piece takes about 6-24 hrs of actual work time to produce. Stretching watercolor paper takes about 24 hrs to dry, and because I sell most of my originals in galleries, they need to be flawless, so planning ahead is useful and in the end saves me time.

And to conclude this novel of an explanation, don't be overwhelmed by all the information I've given you! I put it here so that people at various stages of their artistic journey can maybe find something useful in it. But seriously, the first step to learning how to paint whether it's traditionally or digitally is just to have fun. Try it out, see what's working and what isn't, and then try to solve specific issues that you're struggling with. I've been doing this for a loooooong time at this point, but here's my first watercolor piece from when I was re-teaching myself how to paint traditionally nine years ago:

Obviously, I was destined for greatness. Ha, yeah, no. If you scroll back through my tumblr archive, you can see me learning how to use these paints in real time. And keep in mind that I'd been working digitally for years before then, and years before that where I didn't post my work online at all.

So for anyone who needs to hear it: there's no such thing as talent, just hard work, patience, and trying again and again and again...and sometimes again. What I do is a skill and anyone can learn it. Sometimes, progress is slow. I'm 38. I only really feel like my art was half-way decent starting a few years ago, but I've been making art my entire life, and I went to art school at 18. 20 years later I'm kind of figuring it out.

The best advice I can give, whether it's about art or not, is find the thing you love so much that you'll keep at it even when you suck at it, because most skills you'll suck at to begin with -- and perhaps for a long time. I sucked at art for yeeeaaaaarrrrs. On top of the usual learning curve, I struggled with fine motor control and dexterity. But I loved it so much I kept trying every time I failed. If I can do it, so can all of you, no matter what stage of art you're at now, and no matter how old you are.

Anyway, thank you to those still reading this deep in. I wish you all the best on your artistic journey. Art can kick your butt sometimes, but it's also pretty dang rewarding 💛

[kavohh707]

Some advertising, because calendar sale season starts and so this is a little interlude to promote my calendars. This year I've got two new calendars. There is one crow calendar as addition to the ones already available, but this one is only baby crows, because I have so many cute baby and teenager crow pictures and unfortunately that one is currently only available in the US, but I am trying to get another version of it available in other countries soon. The second one is birds from the Algarve in Portugal, so lots of different beautiful birds from my trip in February. This one seems to be only available in Europe. Don't ask me why, the publisher decides it.

Beside those two new calendars, all my other calendars will be republished for 2025, so there is one with barn swallows, two with birds (and some seals and hares) from the North Sea coast and of course crows. Some pictures are also available as Puzzles as canvas prints.

This is the link to my site on the website of the publisher which offers some links to different shopping possibilities, but sometimes those links don't work, but luckily each calendar has a EAN / ISBN number, which makes it possible to search for them in different online shops or to ask your local book shop to order the calendar. But again, some might not available in some locations as the publisher decides what to sell where.

[kristinagehrmann]

Freelance strategies that have saved my butt!

Some of them I wish someone had told me when I was a newbie illustrator, some I have used from the start and they're still proving effective. Hope they're helpful <3

1. Decide on a clockout time at the workday's end. Whether 5pm or any other, relax & do nothing more work-related til next day. It sounds counterintuitive, but if your times are random/too long, this will boost productivity & decrease stress! In German it's called Feierabend.

2. Overestimate your deadlines. Especially as a new illustrator it can be hard to accurately tell a client how long a project will take, so make a habit of estimating generously. Don't take on more than one "rush gig" at a time.

3. Don't apologise if you did nothing wrong. Instead, "Thank you for your understanding." (e.g. if you have to reject an unattractive project) is both effective and polite.

4. Have a professional website with an easily accessible email address. It helped me get work long before anyone knew me on social media, even when my skill level was lower than now. From an art director's perspective: www.muddycolors.com/2021/09/why-y...

5. communication is key! Whenever anything is unclear in a client's brief, ASK. When you won't be able to meet a deadline, TELL them. Have clear quote & contract templates ready. Don't have any? Ask a fellow freelancer (like me!) Example for a quote: x.com/KristinaDraws... (99% of project conflicts are due to insufficient communication, this includes vague terms and/or nonexistent contracts!)

6. Your can also ask your fellow pros for pricing information in specific markets. Chances are it's already written down someplace (GAG handbook, blog article...) & they can link you to it. Being specific increases your chances of getting good answers. Pro illustrators have a sincere interest in you knowing & charging good prices - a rising tide lifts all boats!

7. Identify your most productive time of the day. This is when you do your best work. For me it's morning to noon. So I tend to do other chores (grocery shopping, exercise) in the afternoon when I'm more "head tired".

8. To stay hydrated (important!), make it a habit to always keep a drink on your desk. For me that's usually a mug of tea. Hot tea feels good too, bc 90% of the year it's chilly at my desk. I'm also a serious believer in a high fiber diet.

9. Something that has LITERALLY saved my butt: an orthopedic seat cushion (from Bonmedico, bought at Amazon) where the spine can basically "hang free" when you sit. This will turn every desk chair into a healthy one! Be smart and don't use it as an excuse for sitting even longer than you already do, but it does make long periods of sitting to work so, so much easier.

[ezrazone]

(image drawn by ezra d.m., featured in a terrified child played by jeremy strong) im ezra im a jewish cultural worker primarily in comics and a big time sicko (medically disenfranchised advocator and aggravator of the “post-pandemic” fantasy) from the usamerican midwest. i believe in global solidarity with palestinians and all people against the american empire. i block transmisogynists and zionists on sight. i am helping the campaign by @save-mohamed-family get more traction right now. mohamed is my dear friend and i am greatly concerned for the wellbeing of his family as they survive genocide. please consider donating, sharing, and making your own promotional posts to assist mohamed and his family. published comics by me available to read for free: a terrified child played by jeremy strong, 2023, self (limited in stock, new print edition coming 2025) primavera or how i broke up with my mother, 2023, self (in stock) penistown motel, 2022, self (out of print) i dream of tom from succession, 2022, self (in stock) my shop is under construction, thank you for your patience. you can always inquire via ask box about print editions of my work. i am also currently trading copies of my comics for the price of shipping with evidence of donations to my personal friend mohamed's campaign.

recorded workshop offerings free to watch: experimental mini-comics for all!, 2024, three remote lectures hosted thanks to the minnesota state arts board creative individuals FY2024 grant

live performances: a terrified child played by jeremy strong LIVE, 2024, with music composed and performed by may klug as a part of her FALSIES cabaret at the southern theater in minneapolis (recording coming) reviews of my work: believing and understanding: hagai palevsky on a terrified child played by jeremy strong by ezra david mattes and the crafting of the new self, 2023 on SOLRAD aquifers of color: a review of a terrified child played by jeremy strong by c.s. garcía martínez, 2023 for the cartoonist cooperative journal literary criticism of work by other artists: everyone's wearing white at the end: ezra david mattes on EDEN II by k. wroten, 2024 on SOLRAD links: instagram website letterboxd ao3

i am a communist first and an artist second. i frequently share my thoughts here on intellectual property abolition especially as it relates to our current understanding of transformative works here on the fandom website. all of my work is free to read, remix, and to create new works inspired by and improving upon my interpretation of symbols that cannot possibly belong to anyone in any sense other than via capitalism's self-perpetuating mechanisms of artificial scarcity and exploitation.

[thatdisasterauthor]

✨Release day!!!✨

My new book, The Pits, is officially out in the world today! 🥳 The book is written AND illustrated by me.

Thank you so much to everyone who has already bought, reviewed, recommended, and loved this little book of mine.

I still have a few of the shiny special Kickstarter editions available in my shop, plus some of the Kickstarter cover paperbacks. I've also got the ebook up there, if you'd like to buy it directly from me!

Plus, if you head to my website you can read the whole first chapter for free right here!

You can also buy it from all sorts of other online shops (I've got a hand dandy list of links to different shops here) or request it at your local library.

Check out the book trailer (illustrated and animated by me!) below, and the blurb below that.

No one goes into the Pits. No one understands the magic of the Pits. For those who try, there are consequences. - When Clarabella's girlfriend Emilia goes missing Clarabella tracks down the only person who can help: her outlaw older sibling Royal, who she hasn’t seen in three years. Royal knows more about the strange magic of the world than anyone, more than they should. Magic Clarabella doesn’t believe in. Not until the path to find Emilia leads deep into the mysterious and magical Pits that stretch along the spine of the continent, forcing her to rethink everything she ever believed. But once Clarabella, Royal, and Royal's gang enter they discover Royal can no longer leave. Now Clarabella has to choose who she loves enough to save: Royal, or Emilia?

Buy the book now!

[teacupcollector]

Perennial Lovers (Simon 'Ghost' Riley x Reader) (Tattoo Artist AU)

Modern Warfare II Masterlist

A/N: This is my longest fic 4.4k words... A/N: This is a birthday present for my mutual @sant-riley please check them out!

A/N: MDNI Summary: Getting a tattoo was something you have always wanted to do. So when you saw that 'The 141 Cowboys Tattoo Shop' was open to walk in you immediately made your way there. You meet a tattoo artist who picks up on your nervousness and his relaxation methods are interesting, but you like them all the same.

Never have you been so nervous. Not only were you getting your first tattoo, it is also a very big piece. You saved about two-thousand dollars just in case. Now as for finding tattoo parlors, that was a different story. You don't mean to be a snob, but it is going on your body so you have a right to be picky. When you went searching online for any websites the only one that stood out to you was linked to a Facebook.

It only had eight reviews, but all were five stars. Some reviews went into detail work, cleanliness, as well as customer service. It was called 'The 141 Cowboys Tattoo Shop' when you scrolled through their albums you liked a particular artists style. He was proficient in black and gray realism work, but as you looked through it he did add splashes of color where it was needed. You decided to give them a call to set up an appointment. Fortunately they were doing walk-ins this weekend and told you to come on down.

So here you are standing in front a little hole in the wall trying and willing yourself to go in. You step in and there is a little jingle at the door.

"Be there in a minute!" You hear a deep Scottish accent reverberate from behind a wall.

You stand by the door for a moment before you hear a jogging of footsteps come around the corner.

"Hello Lass what can I do for you?" A man with a Mohawk, tight blue jeans and an Army green shirt that is a bit tight on the chest asks.

"I-I am here for a tattoo? Uh... I called on the phone..."  His face lights up in recognition.

"Ah yeah! Rudy mentioned you would be coming. Come over here and we can start a consultation." He says with a smile as he guides you to a small seating area.

It has a book case with different books. Such as religious symbols and what they mean, a couple comic books, a few books on the history of tattoos and where the different art styles come from, etc. There is a big flat screen TV on an entertainment center with an assortment of movies underneath for you to watch. The seats in question was a long leather couch that looked slightly worn, but in a good away, and in front of it was a small coffee table that was made out of red wood, and when you get closer to it you can actually see there is a bullet lodged inside. You sit down and he rushes to the book case to grab so binders off of the bookcase and set it down in front of you, before sitting next you on the couch.

"So whatcha lookin' ta get? I'm Soap by the way." He says as he holds out his hand.

You shake it with a smile. "I uh... I am wanting a black and gray tattoo? Kind of realistic? Oh! Here I'll pull up what I want."

Soap get's a strained look on his face, but it relaxes once he sees what you pull up. "I'd kind of like a rendition of 'The Hasanlu Lovers?' I am willing to work with you on it. It doesn't have to be exact..." You say as your voice slowly dwindles.

"Sorry Lass, but I am more of a new school artist. I can get someone who could do this justice." He says as he stands up.

"I'll be right back." He walks around the table and into the studio area.

You hear some murmuring before you hear two sets of foot steps come your away. When you look up you see a big hunk of a man. He is tall with broad shoulders. Wearing a black t-shirt that are a bit tight on the arms and chest 'What is it with these men and not wearing the right size shirt?' He was wearing black jeans as well. His arms were veiny his left one has a partial sleeve on his forearm. The most noticeable feature was the mask he was wearing.

"Shit is there a mask mandate? I can go ge-" "No No! It's fine. He wears it just because." Soap says and he gets a scoff from the man beside him.

"This is Ghost he does Black and Gray as well as realism. I think he will be a better fit for you." Soap says before handing you the binder that says "Ghost."

You flip through really quick before smiling. "Yeah I saw these on Facebook! I really like your work!" You say with a smile.

There is a grunt in response as he sits down next to you, but a little farther then you deem necessary. because you want him on top of you You hand over your phone so he can look.

"Anythin' you want to add to it?" He asks you and you draw a blank all you could think of was his eyes. He looked at you like he wanted to eat you alive, but you couldn't tell if that intimidated you, or turned you on... Or both.

"I uh... I'm not really sure..." You mumble shyly.

"I'll draw somethin' up real quick and see what you like." He says and you smile and nod.

He stands up and goes into the studio portion and grabs a tablet, before coming back and sitting down. "Might take me a bit... You're my first customer of the day.... So you might want to go grab something to eat." He says not looking up from  his work.

"Go sign a paper at the front and we'll call you." He says as he gestures to the desk near the entrance of the shop.

You nod before walking up to the desk. Soap happened to be working back there and his face brightens when he notices you.

"Hello! Did you change your mind?" He jokes and you shake your head.

"No Ghost said he will be a bit so he told me to come to the front and sign a paper with my phone number on it!" You say excited.

Soap smiles back at you before pulling out a clip board. "He normally doesn't take clients that fast. He is very picky on who he tattoos."

You looked at him confused before beginning to sign the sheet. There were three sections. one for your name, two for your phone number, and three for the artist you want. You quickly fill out the sheet before setting it on the counter. Soap gives you a nod before going back and filling the snacks that were underneath the counter. You walk out and decide to get something to eat as well as bring back some food for Ghost. You hope he likes what you chose.

It's been about an hour when you get a call.

"Hello?" You answer.

"Hey, just want to say I am finished with the concept art, I forgot to talk to you about where you want to put it." Who you now know as Ghost responds.

"Oh Yeah I'll head right down!" You say.

You hear a grunt in response before the line goes dead. You quickly get the rest of your food as well as his and get it 'to go' then you make your way to the tattoo parlor. As you walk in you notice that there is more people in the shop. Customers getting consultations, Someone working behind the counter, people watching the TV, and finally people getting to work on Tattoos.

You notice Ghost standing in the threshold of the sitting area and the studio. He motions for you to come over.

"Alright I have three sketches." He says as he opens his tablet.

"One is just normal, because you said you weren't sure if you wanted anything. The second is of them in a coffin, and the third is what I assume to me the masculine skeleton putting a rose in the female skeletons "hair" I will add a pop of color in the flower if you don't want a full black and gray piece. I didn't know if you wanted to go morbid with this or not."

You stare at it for a moment and hum to yourself. "They all look so good... I am torn between these two." You say pointing back and forth between the flower and the coffin one.

"I... I don't mean to be pushy or anything, but could I suggest something?" You ask.

"'s your body. You choose what goes on it." He says.

"I was wondering if we could maybe mix these two together? Maybe instead of an actual coffin it could be a uh... A picture frame in the shape of a coffin?" Ghost is silent for a moment.

"Where would you wan' it?" He asks.

"I was going to say my hip, but now I am thinking on the front of my thigh." You say.

"It's a pretty big piece... This your first tattoo?" He asks and you nod your head.

"Pretty bold you are." His voice has a more gravelly undertone as his Manchester accent comes out.

"Well. I will put us in a room instead of the studio... You wore a skirt. Don't need you flashin' all the customers." He says as he leads you to a small room.

It has a tattoo chair, a TV, some speakers and a computer, for what you assume would be for music and finally a printer.

"I'm gonna get drawn' you can stay in here. Need let the boys know that I'm using this room." He says as he walks out.

You hear more murmuring before he enters again. this time with some equipment like inks, a bag with what you can assume is his tattoo gun, and some needles. He sits down at the desk and begins drawing.

"Turn on the TV or browse your phone if ya wan'..." He says.

"Thank you..." You say as you begin to browse on your phone.

About thirty minutes later he gestures for you to come look. "This look good?" He asks.

As you look at it you see a coffin shaped picture frame that was all black. It had a dark gray border on the inside of it. Then there is another cut out where the lovers are laying. There is a mixture of black and many shades of grey all mixed through out this piece. You noticed that there are tears falling down their cheeks as well. Finally the flower which was a beautiful light blue.

"I didn't want a cliche red rose so I went with a Perennial Blue Flax flower. An' don't take my word for it, but I think it would go with the theme because Perennial flowers last longer and come back even after they die... Thought it could go with the "Love lasts beyond death." Which I assume is what you wanted..." He says.

You are in absolute awe. "This... This is absolutely beautiful! This is exactly what I want!" You say and you couldn't tell but his left eye crinkled slightly so you can assume that he was giving a half smile under his mask.

"Alright then. Lets get started." He says as he gestures to the chair. "Stand there so I can put the stencil on you okay?

You nod and walk over to the chair. He begins to wrap the handle of his tattoo gun while the stencil begins to print. He then looks at you.

"I need you to lift your skirt for me." He rasps and you immediately turn red.

You move your skirt up the leg you want to tattoo. He takes the stencil out of the printer and moves next to you. He sits down on a rolley chair and he looks at your thigh. He then takes out a shaving razor.

"Shit sorry! I should have shaved be-" "Doesn't bother me, don't worry 'bout it..." He says before taking a wipe and wiping away any of the loose hairs. He takes care in wiping your thigh a little longer then appropriate, but then again it wasn't like you were enjoying it.

He places the stencil on your thigh before motioning to a mirror. "That look right to you?" He asks and you smile and nod.

"Then lay down for me?" He says his tone seeming more rough then before.

You lay down and lift your  skirt again and make sure to try your best in covering your other leg to at least have some form of protection.

"You ready?" He asks. "I am gonna be putting my hands on you, if you get uncomfortable at any time let me know. It is important that you stay relaxed and not move. You got that?"

You nod with an audible "yes" before he turns on the tattoo gun and gets to work.

You would think you would notice the pain of the needle penetrating your skin first, but in reality you notice the vibration. At least where the vibration was place.

"Gonna start with your inner thigh okay? Have a couple of stretch marks that I want to be gentle with." He says as he rotates your leg to have your knee facing outward.

His arm and hand are placed in between your legs and you feel the vibration of his hand against your mound. You let out a short gasp which causes him to look up but then he continues his work. Luckily he starts working his way down your thigh so you get a moment to compose yourself.  It is about fifteen minutes before he is back at your inner thigh.

"Gotta do some shading now." He says as he ads water to some of the inks to get a variety of gray coloring.

He dips the needles in before he begins to move his hand back and forth. It goes from his knuckles to the handle that is protruding from his grip that rub against your core. You try your best not to jerk but the pain of the needle with his movements are so addicting you can't help but squirm around. The hand that was placed on your outer thigh begins to caress the skin underneath it.

"Gotta stay still for me okay?" He grunts as he continues.

You nod, but bite your lip. Each stroke of the needle causes his hand to move against you in just the right way. You are hoping your underwear aren't soaked through, because you were sure he would be able to feel your wetness if it was. On occasion you would catch him glimpsing at the crease where your leg meets your body. You were hoping he wasn't uncomfortable. You were especially worried about the puddle that will be left after you get up from this chair.

He begins to move his hand up your thigh and to the crease of your leg. He then slides his middle and ring finger underneath the band of your underwear.

"Need to move this a bit 'cause it is in the way." He says.

His pointer finger and thumb begin to slowly massage the crease of your leg which makes you sigh with delight.

"Actually gorgeous I think it might be best if you remove your panties all together." He says, his voice dropping impossibly lower as he removes the tattoo gun from your leg and turning around. "If your comfortable..."

"No it's okay don't worry about it!" You say as you shimmy your underwear down. You his in pain when you accidentally rub the cloth against your raw leg.

You flip your skirt down half way and use your hand to cup your core over your skirt so you wouldn't accidentally flash him after putting your underwear behind your back since your purse is on the other side of the room. "You can turn around now." You says. You are trying your best to sound confident in yourself.

He turns back around and rolls back over to where he was previously. He places his left hand on your outer thigh and begins to work again. The vibrations seem to be more intense now that your hand is there. You bite your lip in an attempt to quiet you whimpers of pleasure.

"Come on love... You need to relax..." He says as he begins to massage your thigh in an effort to relax you. But unfortunately that does the complete opposite.

"Need ya to spread your legs for me..." He says.

You can't tell if you were imagining it or if he said it in a suggestive way, but his left had creeps down your thigh and to the crease of your knee.

"What can I do to relax you? You were being such a good girl before you started squirming around..." He says.

The look in his eyes were lustful. Like he was taking you apart and putting you back together in his mind.

"You can't help..." You mumble.

"Is it something to do with the mess you made on my chair?" He asks with what you assume to be a smirk.

You cover your face which makes him chuckle. You hear the machine turn off and the sound of him setting the gun down on the table before his left hand returns to the inside of your knee.

"C'mon baby... Spread 'em for me." He says as he guides your legs open.

Now that your hand isn't on your skirt to hold it down your cunt was on full display. You shiver at the cool air hitting it. He uses his right hand to flip the skirt all the way up.

"She's just drippin' isn't she?" He asks and you squeak in embarrassment.

"Gotta be quiet gorgeous, that's how relaxing works. Bein' nice and quiet..." He says as he scoots forward in his chair, propping your leg against his shoulder.

He moves your hands from your face only to put them over your eyes.

"Keep 'em closed..." He says as he slides his face mask down and kisses the inside of your knee.

"You don't need to see to relax..." He murmurs against your skin.

"Tell me what to you like more?" He grunts as he kisses up your thigh.

"The pain..." He says as he grips the outside of your thigh just bellow the tattoo. He uses his hand to stretch the skin slightly to put the emphases of what he means by pain. "Or the vibrations against your pussy?" He asks as he is about midway up your thigh.

You try your best to keep your eyes shut, but you refuse to open your mouth in fear that you wouldn't have control of what comes out. You feel his teeth sink into your inner thigh and you yelp.

"Gonna need you to answer me gorgeous..." He whispers and you whine.

"Both... I like both!" "Gotta be quieter then that... Don't need anybody else to hear." He says as he continues to kiss up your thigh.

You want to look down and see his face, but you were worried that if you did he would stop. He finally get the the crease of your leg next to your mound, but instead of going to where you need him most he moves up your V-line and bites down there. You let out a soft moan.

"So if I were to turn my machine back on... And press the handle of my tattoo gun against your pretty cunt... 'nd maybe nibble on you a bit... You'd like that?" He asks as his mouth travels back down to the crease of your leg.

You nod your head with a small "Mhm!"

He leans over and kisses your clit. "Now that wouldn't be sanitary... So you are going to have to deal with my fingers..." He says and before giving your clit an open mouth kiss.

It is as if the moment he tasted you he wanted more, because he immediately stood up from his chair and buried his face in your pussy. You muffled your moan by biting down on your palm as he put your leg over his shoulder. He pulls back for a moment and begins to nibble on your outer labia. No man has ever done that before, but now you are pretty sure you have a biting kink. He nibbles downwards before nestling himself in your cunt. His tongue probes your slit as he moves his head back and forth. The feeling of his nose against your clit makes you jump.

"Taste so good..." He murmurs into you before he massages his tongue into your slit. You feel your walls clamp down on his tongue.

He continues to shake his head back and forth slowly, his nose brushing your clit almost perfectly.

"Faster... P-Please!" You try your best to keep your voice down by putting pauses in between words.

He seems to follow your instructions as his head moves faster. The sounds that he was making into your pussy was almost enough to make you cum on the spot.

You remove one of your hands and lace it into his hair. It was soft and short, almost perfect grabbing length. "Keep your eyes closed." You hear him say.

You follow his order and begin to arch your hips up and grind against his face. You groan in frustration when he uses his right arm to pin your hips to the now very wet chair. So you take to clamping your thighs around his head instead. You hear him hum in delight.

He takes his left hand and pries your leg from his head and moves his hand in between your legs. He pulls away from your core. A small pop coming from your slit as he removes his tongue. He inhales quickly before latching his mouth onto your clit.

"Oh god!" You say as you feel the small gentle flicks of his tongue against your nub.

You feel him slip a finger into you only to add another a second later. He starts off by spreading his fingers in a scissoring motion before actually moving them. He times the flicks of his tongue with the thrusts of his fingers. You hear your pants getting louder and louder, Your eyes hurt from how hard your are closing them, and you are so close to your release.

"Please, please, please, please! Ghost please!" You cry before smacking a hand over your mouth.

Your chest is heaving and your shirt that you were today is clinging against your body due to sweat. The room smells of sex. All you want to do is look down and see what he looks like between your legs, but again you know he will stop if you do. As this is going through your head he curls his fingers upwards and your yelp again.

"There it is..." He grunts before clamping down on your clit again.

He thrusts his fingers One. Two. Three times before you come apart. Your core tightens around his fingers ad your entire body tenses up. The curling of your toes are painful. You taste blood in your mouth from biting your lip so hard. You hear him release your clit with a pop.

"That's a good girl... Come on... Let it all out." He says as he helps you through your release.

You let out a small sob as your body begins to relax. You hear the sound of a water bottle opening and the sound of a paper towel being torn before you feel a cold rag against your cunt You shiver and try to keep your eyes closed to the best of your ability. You hear silence for a few more minutes before he speaks.

"You can open your eyes now." You open your eyes to see a now disheveled haired and masked Ghost.

"Can you stand up for me pretty girl?" He asks and you nod slowly.

He helps you stand up before he kneels on the ground and wipes your tattooed thigh. "I'm gonna need you to come in for a second session... You alright with that?" He asks softly.

Now that you think of it you look down to see only the shading of the coffin is done and inside the line work of the skeletons are empty.

"Y-Yeah that's good... Uh what do I owe you for this session?" You ask out of breath.

He wraps your leg and stands up. "$400." He says as moved to the other side of the chair and begins wiping it down.

"Only $400? T-This is a 1.5K tattoo at least!" You exclaim, but it only comes out as a small wheeze.

"Deal with it. The total for this session is $400... The next might be worth more due to the small details." He grunts.

He walks over to some cabinet and gets out some disinfectant before spraying and wiping it down a second time. You stand there for a moment dumbfounded.

"Come on..." He says as he tosses the used paper towels away and opens the door to the room.

When you walk out you can hear the sound of loud bagpipes echoing across the studio. Ghost leads you to the counter where he puts in the total of $400 into the register. You pull out that and an extra $50 but he immediately pushes that back toward you.

"No tip..." He says before glancing down to your skirt and back up again.

You feel your face flush. He reaches over the counter to a card holder and he grabs a card that has a skull and his name plastered in graffiti letters.

"My number's on here. Call me when your free." He grunts.

"For the tattoo?" You ask as you take the card.

"Or somethin' else if you're interested." He says before shutting the register and reaching under the counter and grabbing you a water bottle.

"Drive safe Gorgeous." he says as he walks away and back into the room.

You quickly take your card and your water bottle and thankfully you grabbed your purse and dash out of the shop. You get your keys out and get in your car before taking off down the road. You then realize once you are halfway home that you left your underwear at the shop...

[hello-vampire-kitty]

Servamp online kuji: how to get the merchandise

There are new Servamp merchandise that can be obtained through online kuji (lottery)

(h)ttps://kujibikido.com/lp/servamp/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=twi

Tumblr has a problem with links, remove the () from the adress to go on the kuji website.

I'll try to provide some help if you would like to obtain them, based on my experience ordering stuff from Japan.

To start off, the kuji will start on December 1st and will last until December 29th (Japan time).

One draw costs 770 yen.

Estimated shipping time: Ships around early March to early April 2024

Alright, so how kuji works is that you have categories, this one having from A-D and another one called S. Each category has different merchandise and you cannot choose the item you want, so if you wanted an item with a specific character within the category and you don't get it on the first draw, you'll have to try again until you get it.

From what I have seen on the official website, if you only get the S category, you can select between these two framed artworks.

Category A- Acrylic stands

Category B- Half tapestries

Category C- Acrylic charms

Category D- Can badges

Okay, so like I mentioned, it's been a while since I bought things from Japan and only once did I get stuff from kuji.

If you never bought from Japan before, you're gonna have to look into a proxy or forwarding service. They're middlemen basically that will ship items where you live because most shops in Japan do not have international shipping.

A proxy service is where you will have everything handled by the service, from buying until shipping your items.

This method is for those who are not confident to handle part of the processes themselves because they don't understand Japanese.

Proxy might also be the only option if for some reason, you want to order stuff within Japan to be delivered to the middleman's warehouse, however your debit/credits cards might be rejected. (not many online stores offer Paypal or Google Pay. Animate Japan has Paypal, I got Servamp merchandise from there).

So if you try various cards and none of them will work, then you have to use proxy service because some shops might reject foreign cards.

If there are stuff that you want from online stores that sell second-hand items (such as Mercari) or you want something from auctions, you have to use proxy because you need someone in Japan to discuss with the sellers.

You need to look into services and see which ones will be best for you, based on their handling fees and what things they can do on your behalf, like the stuff like I mentioned above.

So, I summarized the proxy service and there's another one called forwarding service that I mainly used in order to reduce costs, because shipping isn't cheap...

The main difference about forwarding service is that you handle the buying part. You make the necessary accounts on the websites where the merchandise is sold, maybe even have to reply to messages...

If choose this option, when you create accounts on websites, you have to use the shipping adress provided by the forwarding service.

Once you set up the accounts and succeed in making purchases, the items will be delivered to the warehouse in Japan, to the middle-man.

So, this is the option if you want to save a bit of money. You can't do auctions or buy from second-hand shops because they are bit more complicated and you would need the help of someone living in Japan.

I hope this helps! You gotta look into these services and see their offers. Wish you good luck if you will try getting the merchandise!

[coolbeesbro]

Hello everybody!

These prints and designs are currently limited quantity only through Ko-Fi! I'm unsure if my shop posts are being suppressed by Tumblr's algorithm because they don't want to support posts that take people to another website, so I'm making another one without a link in hopes that this might get to more people (link is in pinned post).

All prints are done on thick photo paper and come in both regular gloss finish as well as a glossy holographic finish! They also come in a transparent sleeve to ensure they get to you unscratched and add another layer of water damage protection while in transit!

All orders are shipped and delivered within 5 business days, and although it states I only ship to locations in the US, send me a message and we can work on setting up an order and figuring out delivery prices for all out of country orders no problem! In that instance it may take more than 5 days to get to you, but tracking numbers will be sent out so you can keep track of where your order is in transit. If there are ever any problems with damage that happens to products in transit, so long as I get a pic of the damage I will either send out a new order or give you a full refund if you would prefer!

Every order goes to helping support an independent trans artist! It allows me to spoil my cats and dog, make sure they're up to date on all yearly medical expenses (and emergencies), and makes sure my senior dog gets the expensive prescription vet food as well as the anxiety medication that he needs.

If you can't place an order but still want to support me while I work on more free artwork and writing, please consider sharing this post so more people can see it! Shares help a lot more than you might think!

Thank you all so much!

[canonkiller]

the essentials

✨ fresh art only tag (#my art)

💫 shop and subscribe on Ko-fi (canonkiller)

🌟 website with everything else (canonkiller.com)

non-art + ask posts tagged with #not art; reblogs (things made for me + boosting friends) tagged with #not (my) art.

Canon

27

he/they 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

♿ legally blind wheelchair user

main blog is / interacts from @androdragynous

Drawing mostly: my characters and friend's characters (the bulk of it), ttrpg, anthro/furry, dragons, fan art of 19th century fairy tale King Lindworm. Not really currently "in" any fandoms, but everything I've posted through the past years is tagged.

SFW for Tumblr guidelines, other links are on my site (canonkiller.com)

Asks, replies, comments + tag comments all welcome! I love seeing reactions :3

All of my info (including commissions, bases and designs I sell, 18+ account info, and other sites I'm at) is always available on my website, canonkiller.com !

Tag Directory:

#my art - new art posts

#not art - my text posts

#not (my) art - reblogs of other people's art

#self reblog - look at my posts boy

#victory lap - look at my posts boy, personal favs edition

#my ocs - my own characters (also tagged with their names)