Guys, please, tell me...
WUT DA FUK?!?!
http://youtu.be/qFVr9N4q4JY

This is the best music video ever.

*pelvic thrust*pelvic thrust*camel toe*THRUST!*

I typed up a really long journal post just now, but changed my mind. I think it's good enough to just say I took some time away to take care of some stuff I was dealing with and while I'm still dealing with crap I am going to start poking my head around more, update more often and maybe start making some more art.

I have a commissions queue to work through and will begin working through it again.

I've missed you guys and want to stay in touch with my buddies. =)

So I've been pretty quiet, and that probably won't change too much. I'm overwhelmed by the internet and keep finding my delicate sensibilities simply can't handle it, but I'm going to try to be a bit more active then I have been. I do have some new art to post, but not much. =(

I went to RF last minute and spent it with  ebryn and  hazard and  hawaiianstile and had a great time. I did end up with a table, which I hadn't expected and did get a few commissions, which I also hadn't expected and helped me to actually buy some food, pay for parking, gas and a movie (The Owls movie which was like a visual joygams that just keeps on giving). I'm glad I made it, I met some cool people and found out a lot of artist live pretty close to me. I was aggravated as usually with how socially awkward and shy I am in large crowds and around new people and how freaking nervous I was the entire time, but what can ya do? I had fun and hopefully everyone else did also.

The most fun was Sat night when all of us went out and saw the Owls movie and then went to the art jam, drew a bit and me and Keono jammed out with my drum and his yukalalie. *fistshakes at the 5 hour energy drink, sugar overdose, no sleep and little food for turning her into a shaky mess* Good times. =3

I'm still a freakin zombie and haven't had a full night's sleep, but that will be remedied in a few moments. That was a really nice weekend, so worth being all sleepy over.

Well hey, I can do that for ya!

I am currently handling the con book creation for the first official Campfire Tails convention for this wonderful year of 2010. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Campfire Tails is an outdoor adventure convention for anthropomorphic lovers who like to take in the sun and fun while enjoying the beautiful nature that the lush Pacific Northwest has to offer. Our registration is only $40 and includes your tent site, admittance to the convention and all activities PLUS A delicious hot dinner! If your a patron you get a complimentary breakfast and Sponsors get all three meals taken care of, on the house. We have a beautiful location, lots of room and wonderful company with plenty of fun. If you would like to learn more please check us out! http://campfiretails.org/

As of right now submissions for the 2010 Campfire Tails con book are open to all interested visual artist and skilled workers. Anyone can submit works and there is no limit to the number of submissions. We've already received a few great submissions but there is plenty of room for more. Unfortunately this year we are not including works of literature in the con book but we are interested in possibly using writing for next year so please keep us in mind literary artists!

The official guidelines and requirements for submitting your art can
be found here: http://forum.campfiretails.org/2010-general-discussion/con-book-art-submissions/

If you are interested in attending Campfire Tails in the future then I highly recommend you sign up for the forums as the valuable information everyone needs for the convention will be gathered and posted there--and sign up is free and quick. You do not need to sign up for the forum to submit art for the con book however.

Also for artists wanting to submit their art, as well as any artisan
or skilled worker wanting to advertise their trade, submitting art and
advertisements for placement into the 2010 Campfire Tails con book is
100% free. All you have to do is submit your art or graphics in the
appropriate formats and sizes and include the needed information.
For artwork there is no limit on submissions so if you have cool ideas you want to see in the con book then submit them! There will be a selection process however so not all submissions received are guaranteed publication.

Currently the deadline for submission will be midnight on Sunday, July 18th. There is a possibility for an extension if the printing company can quote me a faster production time at a reasonable cost.

Remember to read the guidelines and requirements for submission here: http://forum.campfiretails.org/2010.....t-submissions/

I hope to see more of you fuzzies submitting your wonderful work!

*blows off the dust on her journal*

Dear god I've lost touch with the internet. I don't even know what's going on... with the ENTIRE PLANET.

I've been running around like a head with it's chicken cut off . (Thanks for that one Xeen) School is kicking my ass, but good news is, I'm almost done with this semester and that is one huge time chunk I'll win back in a few weeks. At that point I'll be back to commissions to get them finished and then I'll be preparing for cons in my free time this summer. That's right, I'm taking a freaking summer OFF. No classes (.. well, maybe math. I'll see.). I'll work a temp job most likely, to pay bills, but this summer I would like dearly to have an internship and focus soley on art making.

Once I clear out my queue I need to work on quite a few personal things so I won't be highly active around here but I'll be peeking in from time to time, so feel free to leave notes and messages as I'll check to get them. For the most part I can't keep up with submissions. I have1464 new submissions currently. D= *horror*
I will try my best, I wants to keep up with all the shinies!

Anywho, just stopping in to dust off the account, say "Hello, I'm still alive and not dead under a pile of TO-DO's" and I'll be getting back to commissions within a few weeks after finals are over. That's it!

Go forth furries! Live long and prostrate!

-Tiggress

*blows off the dust on her journal*

Dear god I've lost touch with the internet. I don't even know what's going on...

If you have a commission with me or just want to know what's up, then this journal is for you!

I'm thinking about refunding some of the commissions on my queue. I have to take a break from commissions, for an unknown amount of time and that means I need to clear my queue. My life is getting increasingly more and more busy/hectic. I though this summer would be school and work free and open for me but I had an internship opportunity arise. This is no doubt an amazingly, wonderfully good thing but this means I have to put all other plans on hold. I have to start construction on a prototype for an animatronic puppet costume so I can have a strong portfolio to bring to the design company that may be offering the internship. If I get the internship then that means I have to figure out plans for moving to Portland for the summer. I'm also the art director for Campfire Tails ( http://campfiretails.org/ ) AND I'm in the process of researching and organizing an art business with Couger. Not to mention full time school. I'm tapped out and stretched to my limit and I'm starting to come loose around the edges. I've been an emotional wreck the last few months and my sanity and ability to deal with my situation is holding on by mere threads.

So, given all of this I just can not provide a reasonable turn around time for commissions in queue. I hate, hate, HATE to take on a job I can not finish, but trial and (mostly) error through my past has taught me that it's worse to drag a job on that isn't getting finished in a reasonable amount of time. At this point with school and all of these other activities I am finding it hard to do my commissioned work and I am unhealthily stressed by all the intensive work and deadlines that are piling up around me, but more over I'm stressed by my inability to perform as professionally with commissions as my ethics demand. I cannot say with assurance how long it will take me to clear my current commissions queue. This is why ethically I only think it fair to offer any and every person in my current commissions queue the chance to have their money refunded if they wish. I WILL, I repeat, I WILL be finishing every single commission on my queue. No one will be left without the art they paid for, however if you choose to stay on my queue I can not promise a deadline and I can not with honesty and assurance give a prediction of completion time. I will only be able to work as freedom permits and this may mean a significant wait time. I am working on commissions with my free time, but there simply is not much of it. If you do want a refund and I've already started work on your commission I will email or note you a progress shot. You can choose to keep the work to it's current progress and get a partial refund, or you can get a full refund in which case I will keep the original for myself and may finish and/or sell it at a later date (or I may not, depending on the nature of the commission). We can discuss the details if you have any questions or concerns.

I know at times I'm confusing, so if any of this is confusing or doesn't make sense, please feel free to ask.
My Current Queue is listed below, if you're on it, this applies to you. If I don't hear anything from you I will simply assume you want me to complete your commission. If you want a refund you'll have to let me know.

1. Hafoc - Character Illustration - “Hew’ (In Progress - Sketching)
2. Xeen - Character Illustration - “Winged Cat Beast” (In Progress - Sketching)
3. Exkhaniber - Character Illustration - “Shockwave” (In Progress - Coloring)
4. Frost Bight - Character Ref Sheet - “Frost Bight” (In Progress - Sketching)
5. Frost Bight - Character Illustration - “Frost Bight” (Pending - In Queue)
6. Kira - Sketch - “Surprise” ((Pending - In Queue)
7. RAQ - Convention Badge - “Blue Eyes” (Pending - In Queue)
8. Fur-Wolf - Convention Badge - “Fur-Wolf” (Pending - In Queue)
9. Hafoc - Sketchbook Illustration (Pending)
10. Malin - Durpy Badge - “Firing My Lazor” (Pending - In Queue)
11. Wild Child - Durpy Badge - “Lion Raver” (Pending - In Queue
12. Trigger Wolf - Durpy Badge - “Trigger Wolf” (Pending - In Queue)


After my Queue is cleared I'm going to disappear for a while. I'm still available on IM's and email, although email is still flakey. I will check into FA every so often but will not be very active in posting so you can still leave notes, just don't expect a speedy response. I may increase my posting on my ArtSpots gallery ( http://ebonstripes.artspots.com/ ). I'm still planning on attending cons (Rainfurrest and FC primarily) as a dealer, however I believe I'll only be offering prints, originals, showing in the art show and accepting small commissions for the period of the con. No take-homes. I haven't decided on this quite yet. I'll let you know.

I know that being out of sight will put me out of mind, but I hope that I might be able to come back with full force and get back into taking commissions. For now, I'll have to respectfully bow out and leave that work to the big guys.

I apologize for any inconvenience and hope that this can provide a decent option for anyone who'd like a speedy resolution to being in queue.

Thanks for being awesome guys. I'm gunna miss the hell out of you all.

God I work so slow nowadays. I swear I used to be so much faster. I feel like I'm putting a lot more work and effort into my commissions, but jebus christmas it just seems to take me ages. I guess I only mention it because I have a problem with it. I know I've asked you guys in the past how long you're willing to wait on a commission and I was very strongly shocked by just how long most of you are willing to wait.

I have an unreasonably harsh expectation when it comes to time of projects and I often disappoint myself. I don't know if anyone's ever complained. I know there have been a few commissions that have taken over a year. That to me makes me angry, at myself. I would HATE to wait that long. Part of my hesitation with taking commissions right now is directly related to my work ethic and my increasing inability to perform to the standards I've set within. I don't know if it's just the increasing demands and stress of my life, or my frustration with trying to set myself up to do this consistently for an extra income source, but whatever the reason, I just find myself tied up in knots and stressed out.

Gah, whatever I eventually come to, I hope it can involve a nice balance where I can be professional in my craft and services but also enjoy what I do. For now I'm just farther convinced that I need to take a break after I clear my queue and step back and examine things and take a little time back for myself. I'm hoping you guys are still able to enjoy the art I make and I hope I'll be able to make art that people enjoy. One of these days I'll figure things out enough that I can quit worrying over them. =)

I don't know where I'd be without good people to fall upon, lean against and talk to. I'm not as strong as I'd like to be, but every day I get a little closer, and not without your help. Thank you to everyone who's there when I need you, even when I know I need too much.

___________________________________________________________________________

I recognize today as Easter. I hold no opinions as to the beliefs of anyone else on this day and I make no assumptions as to it's meaning. The meaning I take is mine alone and I hope that regardless of what today means to you, that it will at least mean a pleasant day of which you are alive and loved, and know it.

Happy Easter All.

1. Hafoc - Character Illustration - “Hew’ (In Progress - Sketching)
2. Xeen - Character Illustration - “Winged Cat Beast” (In Progress - Sketching)
3. Exkhaniber - Character Illustration - “Shockwave” (In Progress - Coloring)
4. RoadKillOnRt3 - 2 Character Illustration - Ghost and Road kill (Completed)
5. Frost Bight - Character Ref Sheet - “Frost Bight” (In Progress - Sketching)
6. Frost Bight - Character Illustration - “Frost Bight” (Pending - In Queue)
7. Kira - Sketch - “Surprise” ((Pending - In Queue)
8. RAQ - Convention Badge - “Blue Eyes” (Pending - In Queue)
9. Fur-Wolf - Convention Badge - “Fur-Wolf” (Pending - In Queue)
10. Hafoc - Sketchbook Illustration (Pending)
11. Malin - Durpy Badge - “Firing My Lazor” (Pending - In Queue)
12. Wild Child - Durpy Badge - “Lion Raver” (Pending - In Queue
13. Trigger Wolf - Durpy Badge - “Trigger Wolf” (Pending - In Queue)

Commission with be started again after the end of this first week and my primary work times will be Fridays and Saturdays (as permitted).

If you have any question or think I forgot something, please let me know!
Thanks guys. =)

No updates at this moment but Just letting people know I'm back from my week long art school trip to NYC and I had a great time. It was a wonderful class and I've taken home a lot of valuable new information, contacts, opportunities and memories.

I'll update again when I have something worth reporting!

(Anyone who had my number can call or text me. I'll be quiet around here for a little bit while I get into the swing of things with the new semester, settle into my new schedule and start working on organizing the house. Also, twitter. That's another way to keep up!)

Also, commission with be started again after the end of this first week and my primary work times will be Fridays and Saturdays (as permitted).

Stay happy guys!

It keeps popping up. I love it when people ask me questions, so I'm doing it.

http://www.formspring.me/AlikuraTiggress

Go ahead, ask me anything.

Hey guys, first off I'm saying thank you to everyone reading this. If you're reading this, you're probably watching me, and if you're watching me, I think I can safely say it's because there's something about my art you like to keep an eye on. For that, I thank you, I'm flattered to know people might actually enjoy staring at my scribblings and I'm honored to think some of you like suffering through my ramblings enough to continue to come back to read more. I don't know what you might see in me and my work, but I'm moved to think you see something there. =)

Pretty much the rest of this journal is me openly sharing with you some of my thoughts and ideas regarding my art here on FA and commissions.

So then, new art, as promised last here. Here you go! Browse the gallery. There's a few new pieces. You might notice a certain shift in style with some of my recent work and I just wanted to take a moment here to talk about that as I've been musing over it for quite some time now.

I've been having a serious love/hate relationship with art lately and some of you might have gleaned this from past journals. Lately I've been feeling more of the hate then then love. I hate working on art. I hate uploading it. I hate waiting nervously to see if people will like it or not. I hate the way I feel a few days after doing art when I look at it and notice EVERY SINGLE FLAW. I hate sitting down to a blank paper and feeling overwhelmed with the threat of horrible failure and the pressure and expectation of great success. I have not loved art for me, myself and I and for the joy of what it brings me... in years. I have been on a mission to change this the past year. By trial and error I believe I'm finding my way.

One of my issues is trying to please everyone else. Since I've joined the whole furry social networking art galleries I've found my art has stagnated. I've drawn nothing but what I've thought someone else would enjoy for the last 8 years. The great majority of everything I've done has been with the hopes of pleasing someone else.

I've changed what I draw. I've changed when I draw. I've changed why I draw. I've changed how I feel about every aspect of every part of this process, and it ends more times then naught, with a bigger empty feeling inside then every before.

The biggest issue here is the "why I draw" aspect and that's what I've identified and what I am tackling the hardest.

I feel that thus far my work has been sub-par because my motivation and focus has been external instead of internal. My work is lacking because I as an artist am lacking. I feel like I have this huge well of potential and I don't even begin to tap into it. The more I do silly simple things because I think they will sell better, get better attention, better reviews, more views, more comments, more friends, ETC, the more I lose myself as an artist and the more my work suffers for it. That is the dangerous culprit I face. It's a very slippery slope of verification and gratification, but my focus is misplaced on the external forms instead of the internal. This had left the internal mechanisms for "why I create art" empty, lacking, neglected. No good!

I feel like I have a greater potential then what I see myself doing now and I watch others growing around me and I feel my own growth has been stunted for some time. The more I talk to other artists, the more I sense this is the essence of an artistic and motivated spirit. We all see the artists around us and marvel at the elements of their work that impress and surpass us and in response we raise our internal bar of expectations and results a little higher. We see what can be done and we push ourselves toward this elevated potential.

This is where I'm at.
I really feel like I've been running in 2nd gear for a very long time. I'm ready to throttle it up and see what I can do. I want challenges, new experiences, new tools, fresh knowledge and a greater sense of ability. So far I've pushed myself in little baby steps. Nothing too scary or too hard, sharpening my talons so to speak. I've got a long way to go. I've going to start doing those progression memes. The ones where you take some of your best works of art for each year and start a time line of progression. I'm super excited to see where mine goes. I hope to blow myself away, and you guys as well. I aim to impress (mostly myself).

I do a lot of silly drawing and goofy things here and there and I'll continue to do them because they are extremely fun stress relievers, but overall, I won't upload them anymore. I use them too often for attention, fearing my lack of activity here means my watchers will suddenly fade away or un-watch me simply because they see so little of my art they can't remember why they watched me to begin with. D=
But oh well, if that is the truth, then I guess I'm going to have far lass watchers in the near future. My upload rate is going to be drastically reduced... as if it could be reduced much farther from it's current level of "once in a blue moon." XD

With the exception of WIP pieces and things I just HAVE to show off, I will only be uploading completed, portfolio worthy pieces and completed commissions into my galleries (including scraps). The rest of the silly fodder will go here: (for pg-13) http://ebonstripes.artspots.com/gallery/1611
or here (for R+) http://www.furaffinity.net/scraps/aserettc/

And one of these days, maybe over summer, I will clean out my gallery here and get rid of the old and misplaced crap!

As for commissions, these are my thoughts:
From here on out I take commissions ONLY under two circumstances:
1) At conventions where I'm a dealer.
OR
2)Limited number, first come first served slots for pre-priced open-ended commissions. AKA, I say $5 single character colored sketches, then someone gives me $5 as well as reference links to a character and once sentence describing the "feeling" (possibly pose or action) they want. The rest is up to me. I get the most bored with commissions that are highly restrictive, so I'm not going to do them. =)
The trade off, a low cost, but I get to do what I want.

Also, I do away will ALL completion deadlines. I can't keep to them. I'll give estimates for completion, but can no longer promise a deadline. This may sound shady, but it allows me to reasonably deal with my every day life. Shit happens, and for me being as involved in as many RL activities and responsibilities as I am, shit seems to happen on a horrifically frequent basis. However, if I do small commissions only and limited numbers, it shouldn't be a problem.
This wouldn't be retroactive. This would apply to commissions from here on out.

Those are my thoughts on the matter.
I have to find a way to enjoy doing art like I used to. These are my ideas and steps thus far.

Don't worry if you're confused. It's not as complicated as it sounds, and at this point I'm just sharing my thoughts, feelings and ideas.

Don't hesitate to give feedback. All feedback is used, if even just to determine what not to do. ^.^

Thank you again to the brave who actually suffer through these ramblings and then leave a few words. I really do appreciate it and and unspeakably grateful. And thanks to all my friends who are there always and offer me an ear and thoughts in a regular basis, even if I don't reply, your comments get through to me and I appreciate them, and you!

New art most likely coming tonight. Maybe coming tomorrow. =) There will be:
Foxes
Tigers
Yotes
Dragons
Skunks
and maybe more

I have been a busy bee (when not dying from school or hellish flu bugs). I am taking a pause on commissions until Monday. I'll be working until Friday, and then I'm off to NYC for a week. I'll let you guys know when I'll get back to commissions once I'm back from my trip!

And there's a rumor that I might have a dealer's table at Rainfurrest. We'll see!

That is all.

Stay happy!

Update for about a week:

So I'm back from my 3 day stomach-flu-induced hell!
I was so, so very sick. I have not been this sick in a very long time. I almost went to the emergency room fearing I had caught a bug my body was not going to be able to beat.

[TMI] I do not usually throw up when I'm sick. I hate everything about vomiting and I will hold it back even when the urge is overwhelming. I've thrown up perhaps 3 or 4 times in my life, due to illness only, but I threw up from this flu. That's a huge sign, not to mention needing to be no more then 5 min from the bathroom at all times for other reasons. =( You remember that South Park Episode, right? (No, I didn't have a nose bleed, although one morning I thought I tasted blood at the back of my throat.) http://www.southparkstudios.com/cli.....067/?tag=vomit
[/TMI]

I had a fever for hours the first nigh and the fever would come and go the second day and night. I slept horribly and was delirious for most of it. My entire body ached and I felt like I had tried to fight a speeding train. The second day I was almost ready to go to the hospital. I lost a lot of fluids and was really worried about dehydration. But, and I swear to god people, Kimchee, wonderful fermented pro-biotic carrying Kimchee the second day helped me like no other... not to mention my body's massive flu-evacuation techniques. DX

It took until the next day, but I no longer felt like I was dying, just horribly ill. Today (the forth day) I am back and feeling mostly better. Just a lot of fatigue, slowness of breath, a bit of dizziness and I am extremely tired. Not to mention my guts are still trying to get better. I'm taking some pro-biotic pills which are helping get my guts back in order.

It sucks, but I' am so glad this flu didn't come a few days earlier. No one wants to be sick on their birthday.

So missing all weekend meant three days of not getting shit done. Next week is finals with school, so I am horribly far behind. I'm a little worried actually. I have two exams I need to catch up on studying for and a final art piece for my Emerging Tech class and now I'm really feeling the heat.

I tried working on commissions the first day I was sick but was too stupid with the flu to get any work done. I'm going to have to pause on commissions until finals week. After that, I will have to pause on commissions again for a week as I will be participating in a workshop that takes me to NYC. I'll be gone for about 8 days. When I get back, I will immediately be starting Spring term classes...

Do you people see the sort of shit I put myself through? Have you ever heard of the word vacation? Sanity break? Take a breather? Yeah I don't know what the fuck these strange words mean. All of that changes this summer however. I am taking summer off from school... I think. Well, ok, I might do one or two classes. We'll see.

So I would love to recover from this flu fully, but instead I have to dive back in headfirst to the tiring hell of trying to cram 10 pounds of To-Do's in a 5 pound paper-thin bag.

It's a miracle I have ANY hair left on my head. I'd be completely within my bounds to tear it all out in a fit of frustrated rage and agony.

P.S.
Right, and the "Nuke. Nuke. Nuke. *Cry*" of the title was in relation to me needing to nuke the 400+ new submissions and 600+ new journals. I really am fed up with the lazy design of the watch system on FA. Separate the areas that can be watched and allow for direct selection and removal of various journals and/OR submissions. I do not want to see every person's journal I watch. I do not want to see most people's scrap submissions and sometimes I only watch people for their journals, not their submissions.

My birthday's in 3 days on the 4th. I have no real plans as of yet, but I am going to do something for myself, just for me, something I enjoy. Art. I'm pausing all commissions on Thursday and I'm going to dedicate the day to a piece of art or expression I enjoy... then I'm going out to party. =3

Holy shit 26. 30 is sneaking up on me! I'm such an old fart!

I've created a sketch theme challenge over on my account.
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/1235060/

The goal of this challenge is to offer me (and other artists) a chance to get loosened up and focus more on the gesture and emotive content of artwork as opposed to all the technical details. This is meant to focus the artistic eye on the message and the feelings of our work, the flow of energy and the potency of expression. What are you trying to say and how well can you get people to SENSE or feel that message? There is no age limit, content limit, style or medium limit. All skill levels are welcome and all styles of art of encouraged!

Please join me! I'll be starting tonight and will post all result in that journal as well as my gallery over on

I'm working on watercolor paintings which take a while to dry in between applications so I'm sorta bored and lately I've been browsing twitter while bored so why not come tweet with me? I need more fun people to follow!

I'm "AlikuraTiggress". My tweets are Private so leave me a note when you request to follow me so I'll know who you are and I'll add you! If I don't add you, it's only because I don't know who you are or we've never talked before, so tell me who the heck you are!

I've been making a little progress through the cold but now that I'm 90% I'll be getting back to work. ^.^ Thanks for all your well-wishes guys *hugs* It really helps me ot read them.

Stay happy!
--Tiggy

Withing a span of an hour during last night's livestream I went from fine to omfg sick. Now I'm suffering a horribly congested, drippy painful head, nose throat and sinuses and a very topsy turvy stomach. I have to go to class to drop off my half of our group's project, but then I'm going back home and resting. Today is for resting. I'll work on commissions if I have the strength.

I need soup. =(

from

SO HERES HOW IT WORKS:
1.OPEN YOUR MUSIC PLAYER
2.PUT IT ON SHUFFLE
3.PRESS PLAY
4.FOR EVERY QUESTION TYPE THE SONG THATS PLAYING
5.WHEN YOU GET TO A NEW QUESTION CHANGE THE SONG
6.DONT LIE!!
7.TAG PEOPLE

Opening credits: Ronald Jenkees - Clutter
A multifaceted introduction. A slow precarious beat with a bit of tension hinting at the interesting events to come and a foreshadowing title to top it off!

Waking up: Blackalicious - If I May
Chill beat with a heavy lyrics. “Come along and reap. I need my song. We're climbin' over. Beneath the sea. March on. Time is almost gone. It's all in me. No maybe.” Apparently I’m waking up to face the day-to-day struggle to survive.

First Day of School: MUSE - Ruled By Secrecy
So oppressively emo. Yeah.. that’s the first day of school alright!

Falling in Love: Lady Gaga - Just Dane
They way to my heart is through the dance floor boys. Nothing matters when the beat is heavy and my body’s moving.

Fight Song: Kafani feat. Keak Da Sneakm - Fast Like A Nascar
Dance off! Dance off! Check these wicked moves yo! You just got served, whaaaaaat?

Breaking Up: Flogging Molly - The Spoken Wheel
This was a bittersweet breakup. We knew it had to end this way, but damn it, why? WHY? If only you had listened to me.

Prom: MUSE - Stockholm Syndrome
My prom was apparently awesome and full of dark eyeliner, punky thigh-length ruffled skirts and torn jeans. Kick ass.

Life: Flogging Molly - The Rare Ould Times
My life is apparently a made-for-TV movie full of emotional flashbacks that cut away to scenes of the present that typically involve fighting, heavy drinking, head banging and some kind of silent cry for help.

Making Babies: Symphony X - Domination
Yes please.

Mental Breakdown: Daddy Yankee - Que Paso?
Crap, apparently when I loose my mind I start talking in tongues and some heavy hip-hop starts playing. This will end badly.

Driving: Clint Mansell - Stay With Me
A slow drive through a dark deserted road at night. Am I driving towards, or driving away? Who knows, but whatever it is, it’s going to end in tears.

Flashback: Kamelot - Blucher
Oh crap, this flashback is epic. It’s a battle, a GLORIOUS BATTLE full of power chords, dark skies, full moons, thunder and lighting, extreme close-ups of pensive faces…. and maybe even a dragon.

Getting Back Together: Mindless Self Indulgence - Molly
Of course we’re getting back together man, bitches love me… throughout the projects.

Wedding: Flogging Molly - Salty Dog
My kinda guy!

Birth of a Child: The Black Eyed Peas - Fly Away
They grow up so fast, before you know it the chicks have left the nest.

Final Battle: Lady Gaga - Money Honey
I knew it would come to this. Money is the root of all evil, but it’s worth fighting over!

Death Scene: Roni Size - Watching Windows [Ed Rush & Optical Remix]
This must be one of those deaths that somehow leads to other interesting happenings which eventually leads to the karma-ridden death of my killer.

Funeral: Yeal Naim - Pachad
This is such a somber melancholy song with little hints of pleasant sunshine. The funeral must be taking place on a beach somewhere, where the sunlight can chase off the gloom. Very appropriate.

End Credits: Wolf mother - Pleased To Meet You
Perfect exit.

I won't tag. Do this if you want to, or not.

(Posted on my  ciphert account as well.)

I've been finding out slowly each day that there is a shackled and chained Dadaist in my inner artistic soul. And as is such for many of the Dadaist of old, I am compelled to write a Manifesto of the artistic soul and purpose. I want to better explore the meaningful desires, passions, motivations, perceptions, experiences and dialogues I have with myself on some thus far restricted level.

I'm not gong to create a manifestos right now as I've not actually thought it through and things like this really should take time, thought and investment before being flung about, but I think I need to compile one nonetheless. What I am going to do for now is list the traits, desires and motivations I find every day that will lead to the formation and realization of my own personal art Manifesto.

I'm sorry for the hoity toity art talk, but when I express ideas like this, it comes out this way, it just feels right and allows me to express the thoughts and ideas in the most expressive way. I have a varied palate of vocabulary and I'm not about to limit myself in choice of medium on this issue. =)

This is going to be an on-going journal. I'm going to add to it, alter it, and think on it until I've come to some kind of understanding that leads me to being confident in creating a manifesto that I can proudly stand by.

So then, here goes:

*) I want to learn it all so that I may have the tools, the ability and the strength to express anything I am approached with.

*) I want to experience everything I can emotionally so that I may better understand how to express the experiences.

*) I want to alter my state of mind and perception so that I may better intake and formulate my experience of the world

*) I want to grow closer to others so that I might better understand what the experiences of life have ad continue to be like for others

*) I feel that the most expressive and meaningful works come from the most simplistic of places and motivations

*) I do not believe art is a restrictive commodity. All are welcome to it. All participate in it. Every contribution shapes the environment in which the next shall be conceived.

*) Artists are human being first and gods never.

*) To stop a person for only a moment, to engage a thought for a fraction of a second, to engender an emotion for only an instance, is the purest and truest accomplishment of artistic expression.

*) Rules are indeed made to be broken. Without night there can not be an appreciations of day and without opposition there would be no appreciation for the structure of power. Each thing defines and supports the other. There is something to be desired in following a prescribed course, but there is something even more valuable in understanding that prescription of action to such a degree that you can break free of it's singularity to find an alternate path that still allows for the same harmonious existence as before.

*) Fear is a sign of accomplishment to come. We don't fear what we already know. We don't fear what's comfortable. We don't fear what's conquered. We fear the new, the uncertain, the untamed, the unpredictable. We fear newness, we fear a lack of control, we fear potential failure, but these things are all signs of challenges to be overcome and surpassed. There is nothing in the expressive, emotive and preceptive realms of art that will kill you and for certain what doesn't kill you here will only make you stronger.

I'm there again.

I am feeling very overwhelmed right now. I lost my job. I'm at a point with my art in which I am having doubts about my ability to do this professionally. I feel the quality of my work is often times sub-par. I'm trying to pull my head together right now and figure things out. What do I want to do? Where do I want to go? What am I looking for? How am I going to find it?

These are all little signs. It's time to take a few steps back, clear my head and meditate. Gotta give myself some time to relax and catch my breath.

Obviously being out of work means I need money. That pulls me towards doing commissions, but right now I feel so drained on the idea. Is this just a normal occurrence for after a convention? Should I expect this to happen after every con I deal at?

I have enough money to get through roughly a month and a half without an income. After that I'll need to either find a job or find odd jobs or for hire work to get me through. Family will help out a bit also.

For now I'm closing for all commissions until I get a little rest and a little motivation. I’m going to clear out my current queue and I don’t want to consider opening back up for commissions requests until it’s empty. I’m only going to open for commissions if I really, really need the money. I’m going to do more art for myself so that I can enjoy it a bit more and just try to relax and distress from the last two months.

OH! I’m also going to get back to ArtSpots and start doing the sketchers and the critiques and challenges. I really miss that. As well as my old sketching and realism and painting studies. I miss doing all of that. So if any of you are over on ArtSpots.com, come find me! http://ebonstripes.artspots.com/

Stay Happy Guys!

I'm too depressed to respond to the last journal and I want to get it off my page. I'll respond tomorrow. I think True Blood, some Gin and Tonic and a good night's sleep will help me feel better for the morning. For now, please answer these few questions about my art! I like to know what you guys think.

Taken from

PRO:
1)I like when you draw _______________________.
2)I wish you drew more _______________________.
3)I wish you drew more fanart of these series/characters:______________________.
4)I wish you did more original art of these characters:_________________________.
5)I love how you draw ________________________.
6)If you were to do a comic of/about _______________________ I would be soooo happy!:
7)If I could get you to draw anything I'd get you to draw ___________________.
8)My favorite part of your work is __________________________.

CON:
9)I hate when you draw _________________.
10)I wish you drew less ___________________.
11)Stop drawing ________________!

OTHER:
13)When I think of your art I think ______________________.
14)If I had to describe your work I'd say ______________________.

And on a side note, I broke down and joined Twitter. Once I found out you only need SMS service to use it mobile, I just couldn't resist. You guys can follow my tweets here!
https://twitter.com/AlikuraTiggress

I still have to figure out how to get it so that I can get updates about other people's tweets on my phone. But I think it's neat to be able to do this so hopefully I'll figure it out soon!

Back to commissions and hopefully feeling better. Thanks for your kind words, encouragement and support guys. This is why I love you all. <3<3<3