I myself have become numb to most all porn, and dont get any enjoyment from it, i do view such for the artistic skills and when one does catch my eye and i genuinly like it alot it is usually cause of a tender moment in it, or has humor.

But what i feel doesnt matter anymore, i just do what keeps a roof over my head.

You draw porn more for just commissions though, like those scat pictures and bunny pictures, you weren't getting paid for those..

being numb to sex is a horrible thing, it's supposed to be the most beautiful thing two people can share, and seeing it cheapened is like, guh..

Lol, ok one of the scat ones wasnt a joke it was to gtt that out of my head lol. But yeah i feel kind of empty inside, numb to sex does suck big time, but then not like i have someone at my side to work through that i am just a hermit who sold his soul.

You can't always have someone at your side to walk you through something, though. We're given challenges in life so we can overcome them and become better people as a result, and it's more difficult on your own, but that doesn't mean throw in the towel. I mean, you keep saying you don't LIKE drawing porn, and don't like what you do, so why do you do it then? (we're not talking about the paid stuff)

Well i figured i already fell it doesnt matter anymore. Yeah i know, it's MY problem which is why i dont do journal after journal of EMO crap about how alone i feel, i just draw.

Nobody is ever too far gone that they can't turn back

True, i just dont feel what i want matters.

It does matter, and it goes back to the quality VS quantity argument, of would you rather have a handful of people who understand you, or a ton of people giving you hits that leave no comments and have no idea who you are?

If only it could be that simple, nevermind i am just sounding like some whiny turd. I will be quiet now.

You dun have to be quiet, it really is that simple =)

Ditto on what Charrio says, PRON that I do look at at I use more or less for anatomy and stance reference for some drawings I've done.

What about in the case of drawings here though I mean? I'm not talking about photographic porn in this case

Drawing here I look at both pornish and not for the artistic value. Hence the lovely pic of Zinrina you did for me awhile back, very artistic and wonderful.

That's not really porn though *scratches her chin* lol but you answered the question in the first sentence, that you look at it for a porn value and the enjoyment of art

That's a "hard" question (augh bad joke, sorry XD )

Still images don't arouse me to the point of orgasm, well...to be frankalicia, not much does (sadly). There are times where there has to be a story to the porn, to interest me while at other times I just wanna get to the point, so to speak.
I'm more attracted to erotica and images where the characters appear to be more in love than sex crazy horny.
The porn has to be drawn well too. There's nothing like deformed people having sex to get your coffee brewing.
I don't like an image that constantly focuses on "cock in hole" because too much browsing of the meat curtains turns my stomach.
Now, if the characters were partially clothed, in uniform and have some sort of gas mask/swat helmet on...then I can look at that all day 8D

In the future, hopefully I will be making more erotic art.

*dies from the punnage!*

The orgasm point is a good one. Does JUST visual stimulation really bring -anyone- to orgasm? or do people just use it for fodder to start the whole process as a way to get themselves aroused? I would personally think that blatant bits showing in an image would be a turn off, unless say, it was a series of images where you could see the lead up of loving character interaction TO that point, where then there was an image with actual penetration or whatever. Or if there was a story written and that was an illustration. But just looking at a shot of someones junk whipped out, yeeaahh XD

See, if you did draw erotica, I know you would make it sensual..LOL, and for the uniform part, ghost rider in a military outfit maybe?!

Maybe those newest to sexual maturity may respond easier to sexual imagery. It's been a while for me since sex was new, lol.
I think I agree that some may use it as their mood starter, then finish up with masturbation or intercourse.
I know that when I see women get naked in movies, I get really angry for some reason, but not so when it is drawn. I make so sense XD

lol, I almost forgot about the Ghost Rider porn. 8D I had an excellent idea for the pose and chains but the lack of penis and fire might make me bend the rules a bit.

Now THAT is a good point. If you have a case where someone is absolutely brand-spankin' new to sex, fresh off the conveyor belt, I can see where images of intercourse could get a guys gravy boat going, but yeah, lol I guess to people like you and me who've had sex so much we're like, "Oh, a penis, okay what else is new..*click*"

And you've already proven your integrity that you care more about being desired for who you are than just having someones bones to jump. Insecurity about that true love and adoration being there is why things have been so hard on you lately, too =(

And maybe you get angry because the women who get naked in dang movies aren't realistic in the slightest bit?

I personaly dont get off to furry porn. I just cant. it makes me laugh. Pretty much what i do is when people draw sexeh pictures of me and white, i picture ourselves AS HUMANS in whatever situation we are put in, but i do not imagine our characters....thats just weird for me.

I prefer more romancy stuff to the hardcore drawin's

See, I couldn't really imagine a furry situation in a real life sense. I mean, since my art style is more anime-ish, I picture my characters in a cartoon way. But for people who think of themselves as literal furries, I mean how would they even kiss, and with all that fur that would get rubbed against the grain, that'd be like, ick, and just, o.o..too many things. I can't even think of furry in anything but a cartoon way, all those photo manips of dog heads on human bodies freak me out, lol

Porn at all doesn't do anything for me XD I think thats why I can draw it so much. I totally prefer mushiness, or sensual intimacy, over OMGCOCKINYOURFACE.

Sensual intimacy! That's the phrase to describe what I mean by romance! But yeah, lol, how do you feel about having your art used as fap material for people in the fandom? especially ones that were made specifically for your fun, like the m/m and f/f conversions of you and Kyou? (I still laugh every time I think that it's not just your man named kyou, isn't the lizard named that, too?)

I dont like the thought at all x-x But it's to be expected, so I try not to think about it :x It does really irritate me, though, when people flat out say they're gonna get off to my pictures, or do the ever annoying OMGYIFFPLZ *fapfapfap* bullshit.

And LOL, yeah, our Iguana is named Kyoujin, too >D Kyou's got a bit of an ego, I think >D

If someone faps the night away to my art, I'd rather not know XD

Iiinn their mom's basement, the tiny basement, the fandom faps tonight...Oooo-get-away oo-get-away oo-get-away oo-get-away.. On the website, the fur porn website, the smut art gives me a fright XD

Damnit, you just ruined that song for me... D:

aww geez... now I have that song in my head!!!

*blinks* Hey your on FA! Great to see you here and...*reads message* well damn, a thousand fanboys have just lost their wood.

I hope your happy! But seriously great to see you here lol.

^__^ Yup, I'm here, taking up space lol
XD
The fanboys are welcome to their wood, I just don't want to know what they do with it. lol
Much love for the fans, especially the boys because they have meat swords.

I like story, concepts, that sort of thing. SImple money shots don't interest me but I can enjoy the picture still. ^_^

: / money shots can be fun so long as there's good, erotic concepts involved. American style porn just sucks, and not in a good way! Sucking penis is wonderful! But not how 'they' do it. >.<

Photographic porn I actually find absolutely disgusting. Especially since you KNOW that the people in the images are likely total strangers, and just, yeah, ergh. Yes oral is wonderful, but not seeing the zoomed in, overexposed lighting shot of some dudes taint XD

Romance != porn.

In my experience, those are two entirely different things... Yes, I love romance. Yes, I like porn. No, I do not combine the two.

The porn that I like is usually bondage-oriented in some fashion... ok, so almost always. The romantic stuff I like, almost never.

That brings up a whole new set of things, then. What makes bondage sexual to you? Most people don't consider BDSM to be sexual on its most base level

Ehh, it's related to the whole submission/domination thing... personally there's a lot about 'BDSM' that I don't care for, but I do like bondage specifically. If you really want to know more about it, I'd be happy to discuss sometime in IM or something, but I'd rather not post about it here.

I would disagree there. The whole reason that bondage and sub/dom play is so intense is that it emulates a feeling of power. For people who are stuck in situations with stupid bosses, dumb co-workers that they don't have the power to do anything about, and then they come home, and tie their lover to the bed and make them whimper, it's fulfilling, metaphysically, a void that they perceive in their life. THAT's why it's so intense. Look at the people who you see in those situations, typically. You don't see a CEO wanting to be a 'top' in a relationship. Most of the time, he wants the reins taken away. He's tired of making the tough calls, and when he gets told what to do, it fills a void that he perceives.
Men (as a rule for this context) love to tie up their lovers because it gives them a hormonal rush of testosterone. "I am powerful, I am in charge, I can take care of things."
I'll admit that I WOULD like to restrain my lover (assuming that I had one. ;) ) because I love to listen/see them squirm and moan as I caress them. It can be very intense, because the nature of sex lends itself to pleasure returning pleasure. When the partner can't return the pleasure, it frustrates things, slightly. It can be very good, or very bad depending on the partner, of course. But, as a rule, anyone that I would take to bed, would be the type of person that would take it in the good way.

Which point are you disagreeing with? Confusion there

Quote: Most people don't consider BDSM to be sexual on its most base level
That's what I'm disagreeing with.

Hm. Every BDSM person I've ever been involved with agree with me. I've only been into the scene hardcore for four years, but in those four years I've rubbed elbows with people who own the professional dungeons here, people who tour the US doing teaching sessions and shows and met hundreds of people who taught ME that first and foremost it's not sexual

Well in that case, you might very well be right, assuming a certain population's perspective. Example: "Most of the people IN the BDSM community don't look at it as primarily sexual." I could very well believe that. Because, for them, it's natural. It's not an altered existence. Hell, for them, I would be very shocked to find either one of two things:
A) They're around "sex" so much that it's not arousing to them in general. OR
B) The more plain, vanilla sexual practices are what get them going.

It's not A or B, Core BDSM is about catharsis

Pardon my Spock impersonation, but... Fascinating.

Yep

I normally only like the softcore pin up stuff anymore for Furry stuff. Real life porn, it's gotta be hardcore, but for Furries I tend toward softcore.

Was it always that way, or did you get desynthesized over time to softcore realism?

I think it was how I got into porn. It started as art photo nudes from the 1970s and early 80s (my father's Time-Life Photography books) and underwear ads. My fantasies were usually rather explicit, but not that bad.

The around 1997 we got the Internet... Mostly it lead to me discovering fetishes I liked, but had never known of (including Furries).

The reason for hardcore has more to do with the fact I enjoy audio as much, if not more, than the video. I still enjoy nudes greatly, but I rarely get off to them.

Audio does have a great tie in to impulsory senses, and women sure do know how to make those sounds count for all their worth, lol

Artistic nudes from that era have always intrigued me (on a level other than as pornography) but the down side to older shots like that is how, uh, ungroomed the women are in certain places..

Regarding this, usually, I prefer something that's in one of two 'genre'. The fantastic/stylized, or the 'two lovers in an intimate moment'. Fantastic/stylized, I prefer as a solo picture. But I don't really even look at those things as 'porn'. It's simply art. Erotic art, agreed, but art.

Um going to send you a PM with a real detailed answer for ya concerning me. My post just got way too public personal.

Gotcha

Though to be fair since others are sharing so much in the open. I do have this to say and add to the public discussion.

What I like shifts with my mood. Some days romance is the better fire starter, others I want plot what plot type artwork and erotica.

The only time I've ever seen porn was when I was living at my ex-roommates house. While I will admit I did get a hard on from looking at the oral, I never really found porn enticing. I like romance first and foremost, and I see none of that in porn. Now I also admit that I at times indulge myself in the obvious foot fetish vids (mostly foot worship vids) and I get the most pleasure out of those. But when I do watch those, I imagine myself doing it to a girl I like romantically. I always think romantic thoughts when I watch those because I want to do it to my future girlfriend (provided I do find one and provided she be cool with me doing it). I don't know if that answers your question though.

I would think that any girlfriend you acquire will be all right with your interest in that way, because if you were to clash on a point like that and she says it's gross or something, I doubt she would be appealing enough to BECOME your girlfriend, you know?

For me, unless its either animated or something along thoes lines, it doesn't really do much for me anymore. Most of the time for it to do anything for me, i have to make up some kind of story for it. It might not have anything to do with the story of the people in the picture. Even if its harsh or something like that, it still needs a story of some sort. And most of the time the ones someone comes up with can be wildly off base. But yeah, thats my explination.

But also you have to figure that sill picture images probably dont do a whole lot for people now-a-days because its plastered all over the news, and everywhere you go. Adverts, billboards, stuff like that. While it may not be blatent smut, its still close enough to it to get people to realize what they are hinting at, yet tasteful enough to get by censorships.

You raise an interesting point. Media desynthesization. It's true that blatant nudity has become more broadcasted in the media, and that the USA is the only country that has a border where we skirt the edge between flat out porn and covering up the bits. Other countries will either not show anything at all with skin involved, or you'll have places like Kopenhagen Germany, the porn capital of the world, where you've got zoom ins of male bits hanging in the subways and on billboards and such. Now some people say seeing the form so much numbs them and makes them have to escalate the porn they watch. Other people say that seeing everything but the bits drives them to be more interested in what they're not seeing and makes them more sensitive to porn. It's so different with everyone.

Now you said you make up stories for images if there's none listed, do you do this via great depth of background like character history, or do you just mentally envision a scenario in which that came to happen? I.E. "Pizza delivery dude here!" lol

Something like that. Even if i don't know the chars or their background, i'll make up some reason why they are doing what they are doing. Even if its way off base. Like if the girl is grimaceing, it could be the encounter was not all that willing, or it could be her partner was bigger than she expected, blah blah blah. It just depends. Most of the time even if the artist provides a story, i don't use that. The mind can come up with almost infinate possibilities for a senario and its fun sometimes making up new ones that really didn't happen.

Well, i must confess that periodically i go lookingfor porn to turn myself on and then unwind, but I also like characters' development and storylines (right now I'm readying another book about Rommel that doesn't have any sex in it...) But right now I'd love to see Sahrra working in her garden - i'll never greow tired of asking for that, hunny1-D

Lol, why do you want to see that so much?

Indeedy I do, you beautiful mommy!-***

You and I have talked about this somewhat,Sharra....Honestly,I was never a hardcore porn fancier,and it's gotten worse seemingly these days...I've found 99.9% of today's porn to be unwatchable/unreadable dreck...the girls mostly look like burnt-out Hookers,and the guys look like carjackers.....I'd have to say my taste runs mostly to cheescake and pinup...as I've said before,Women are the original works of art....A friend recently gave me a beautiful book as a gift...THE GREAT AMERICAN PINUP BOOK....It's chock full of the greatest classic pinup and glamour art from the 1900s through the '50s and '60s....This is ART,and I feel it'd be a monumental insult to the creators of these masterpieces to lump them in with porn....and anyone who is even remotely familiar with ACE AND QUEENIE should be able to tell I am a hopeless,romantic softie at heart.....I'm thankful that I've gotten an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the way I portray A & Q's deep.deep love for each other,and how genuinely happy they are in their relationship....I make no bones about,or apologies for the fact that they have a VERY healthy sex life,but I will admit that doing a sex scene in a comic that is NOT a porn comic can be extremely challenging to say the least...I'm still sort of trying to find a balance...I can tell you for sure that I am NOT a fan of extra-extreme closeups of genitalia or gobs and gobs of bodily fluids being sprayed in every direction.....In my humble opinion,the all-time greatest adult comic,furry or otherwise is still Reed Waller's OMAHA......So,yes,Romance for me...and I feel it's crucial if you're going to portray what I call the sacred act of Love,with a capital 'L'....Am I making sense here,or am I just babbling? :p

You make complete sense. And you shouldn't ever be insecure about the relationship Alex and Denise have, the epitome of a healthy and loving relationship is also having an active sex life, and it's not for the perverse reasons but the right ones, so no apologies are ever necessary, you shouldn't even think so. I'll have to look up that Omaha thing to see what you're talking about

I personally look at romance, but FA is not the site for
Pron is quite a better seller than romance here, and it's pretty hard to catch the guy's attention just with a love scene without a dick involved.
Me? I'll re-use one of your sentence :I submerge myself in a story world of characters to fill a void, I don't have romance in real life, and that could explain why my pics are often emotionnal. It's the love connection of the characters I'm looking for, better than the cliche F*ck'em all.
Bah... I'm french, that could explain that too X3

Hm, I don't think it's completely true that an erotic image without bits showing is incapable of being arousing, when I drew this image http://www.furaffinity.net/view/302512/ a while back, I recieved a great deal of notes from people telling me just it was MORE exciting an image to be viewed for the fact that the details were covered up. The phrase leaves room for the imagination can be applied, I think, and if the bits AREN'T showing, then you're more apt to imagine the scenario and where it goes from there, whereas if you have porn that's just like, bam, penetration, the mind doesn't think about it much because the highest escalation of intimacy is already right there, you know?

But yes, I agree that without the love, there's nothing to the image. And your drawings are ALL emotional and deep, that's why I love your art, Frenchie ;D

I agree, we don't need to show bits or dick in order to make the image exciting.
I just hope that then a generic watcher see Douche dans un arbre or Un amour blanc et pur he's excited. I don't think that those pics are exciting, they're intimate (I hope so!).
"Leaves room for the imagination". Really good sentence. I'll mark those words.

It's funny... Whenever I come across a new artist, I scroll through their recent pictures like "Oh yey! Maybe I found someone who doesn't draw furrypr0n!" And sure enough, AUGH. Some 3 foot long red rocket knocks me back and I leave their gallery. Which is a shame cuz there are a lot of really nice artists out there, who I feel like if they didn't draw porn, I would have a lot more respect for them
I'm just not down with the furryporn. I can appreciate people drawing nudes or whatever, just because sometime's that's part of art. Even some sexy pinup pictures I can understand. The super tentacle dog sex with bondage and pee though? Just... ick. no. yargh.
I woke up like 10 minutes ago so fogive me if my wording makes no sense. =(

3 foot long red rocket! LOL! Oh man, I'm going to be choking from hearing that one for a long time, hahaha...*wipes forehead* XD

I agree with you though, when I find an artist that has a good style, skilled with their work, has depth to the image and there's an obvious story going on, I get excited and start looking through thier works, and bam, inevitably is the cheap shot that keeps me from watching their gallery. I don't put people on my watch list that upload porn, even if I'm friends with the artist. I just don't want that kind of stuff working its way into my mind by getting daily views of it, and imagery is more powerful than verbal suggestion. Once something is mentally rooted, it's very hard to forget it. There are some horror drawings I'll never be able to get out of my head as long as I live, lol..

Like you said though, nudes are something else altogether. The classical nude has always been regarded as the epitome of beauty, and the earliest and most famous artwork out there is the female form revealed. Without the tentacles..Did you know the earliest documented tentacle porn was drawn in the 1800's?

For me, I was exposed by my father to porn and female nudity young in my life, and then as I went on, my schooling in Fine arts exposed me to it further. Now, nudity just doesn't do it for me at all, unless it is hinting, teasing, or something like that. Just nudity is blah, and I would rather look at it from an artistic standpoint.

In most studies, men and porn, men don't need storylines when they are trying to get off to porn. Because they are visually stimulated they have an easier time just getting aroused by it and getting off to it. Women need more than just that, as they take time to build arousal, unlike men who are like lightswitches most of the time.

That is a huge generalization, and I fully am aware that it won't fit everyone, and most of those it doesn't fit will post here to tell me I am wrong. I am just posting what research and a lifetime of watching sexperts has shown me.

But going back to your question, if I am lacking romance in my life, I read a good book. Not a romance novel, but a normal novel that contains a romance story in it I enjoy. If I want to get off, I look at porn. Very rarely do I mix the two because if I just want to get off, I work at doing that.

In my experience, I've had both end of the spectrums. I've dealt with guys who, like you said, are literally like a light switch, and that's been the case every time I've talked with someone about how things work for them, except for ONE person, my ex functioned only if something was part of a loving, committed relationship.

So I'd have to agree with you there. And that whole light switch business can lead to alot of trouble, especially in the case of my other ex, who could not only get that way at the drop of a hat, but got that way for people other than myself = /

Ditto about the novels containing loving interludes.

I will say, after an experience today, that on the odd occation, I do run through a story in my head while I paw-off. I caught it happening and it was because the picture itself wasn't good enough to elicit anything without me coming up with something. There was no romance however, so it still plays into what I said earlier.

I look at all kinds, but the ones that I get a kick out of are romance pictures. <3

They make me get all giddy as into seeing what will happen next.

Lol, well then that answers that question! For those who do look at all kinds of porn, do they prefer romantic stuff, and that'd be a yes. Thank you for your comment hon!

Well, at risk of knocking myself off my pedastal...

I -am- very visual, so there are many pieces that feature characters that I don't know personally, in extremely compromising positions, that I find hot and like to look at (only if the art quality is good). Fappable? No. I've never gotten off to furry art. It would take a long series of high quality pics, illustrating a photoshoot or erotic scene to do that. Which kinda implies a need for a story doesn't it?

My characters have a background and my art featuring them togather is quite a bit more meaningful, though I admit to drawing things involving other characters that have no romance in them at all.

You have a very in depth and detail oriented mind that gravitates more towards stories and thought than it does insta-unf's. I like that about your own art and characters, even if you say you've done things that have no romance, your primary characters are still of great depth

For me its alittle of both.

I liek the money shots, but if I know there is no love behind it, its a turn off.

How can you determine the difference at a casual glance? Or do you only look at it from artists you know so that you have an idea of the back story behind it?

I somtimes I can't determin it by the casual glance, Mostly it is from artist that I know the characters well. Somtimes i can tell however. Those are the fun ones.

I'm gonna give this the short answer...I'm a little of both myself. If I want to masturbate then I'll go look for something to just fill up my mind for a brief period. But porn in general is only really entertaining when theres a solid line behind it. For example, if I just can't imagine too character's being togather say in like fanart or fanfiction then even money shots or insanely erotic concepts using them have no effect on me whatsoever.

Huh...not as short as I thought. But let me be clear, I don't feel like looking at furry art or normal porn or writing or drawing porn means that my rl love life is lacking in romance. There are some thoughts I just can't keep in my head and I share them with my husband. He may not understand it or like it but he knows I love him and they don't change that.

*huggle* I guess that means I'm riding the fence on this one Sharra honey. ^_^;;

I know what you mean about having your own specific fantasies not meaning you aren't fulfilled in other places, I think we all just have that secret part of ourselves that we KNOW is unrealistic and seperated from the world around us, like with your turtles, hehe

^___^

Someone pointed me here, so I might as well answer!
Personally I don't get porn, at all. I mean, I wouldn't sit there and watch real people having hot steamy sex that I will never have, why would I want to see a pic of it? Where's the love? Where's the romance? Heck, even if it's for someone to get their jollies from isn't getting a lover OUT of their clothes and getting them in the mood half the fun?
It seems to me that sex and porn are so dominant in the fandom that I have pretty much quit trying to be a part of it because there just isn't much else to be had. "Go to con, get porn pic, have sex with some stranger, go home and brag about it."
This is coming from a biker. Bikers are notorious for "Arriving. Rasing Hell. Leaving."
"We shall rape the horses and ride off on the women!"

Now yours is an original response! And one that I like. I'm with you in feeling that the lead up to sex is the thing that makes sex meaningful at all, so pornographic shots, it's anti-climatic, and there really is no point even from the standpoint of someone wanting to get off (Which I can't fathom using a picture in that capacity anyways)

And THAT is a VERY good point. Alot of the people in the fandom go to cons, have sex with strangers, and then leave. Now, I know of people personally who have had sex with NINE strangers in one day at a con. NINE people. Diseases and sluttiness aside, I seriously, SERIOUSLY wonder. Do these people having sex plan on living this lifestyle their whole lives, or are they eventually going to get married someday? If they get married, how would they explain their past? Wouldn't the only person who would understand be someone who lived the same way, and if so, then what the heck's going to keep those two people together if sex isn't something sacred to either of them?

Exactly, and all that is putting a stranglehold on the market, so those of us who want to enjoy something (Or produce something meaningful) is often left out in the cold.
I have had friends who make it a point to try and get with as many sex partners as possible at a con, and the thing is it is THAT behavior that makes people look at the fandom with disgust. Then when someone says something all the yiff mongers out there scream "FURSECUTION!" when MTV or someone airs something like the CSI episode. I'm, at this point, pretty much out of the fandom. I'm scared to show the art I have collected because people will think I'm going to molest their dog or something. I recently gave up on my project I was doing for the fandom as well. People who want to do nothing but stand at a con waving their wang at people who pass by hoping for a yiff are asking for the scorn of the world. Yet they don't accept it.

The entire thing winds up being a trap, if you ask me. I think that there are alot of people in the fandom out there that WOULD be more concerned about meaningful relationships, but when they get at a con where the mob mentality is do whatever you want and nobody's going to be your concious and call you out on it, then they wind up doing things they normally wouldn't. Environment, atmosphere, peers, and someone ready to spread their legs right there is a deadly combination when you have some people who have spent their entire lives without affection or romance, and then they wind up settling for what they can get since it's there. And it's a downward slope, once you've had casual sex once, people can do either one of two things:

1. They can feel bad about it, in which case they can never do it again, but they'll have to admit to themselves they made a mistake and either move on or live with the guilt. Most people don't WANT to say "hey I made a mistake," because for some idiot reason pride forbids it, so usually you wind up with scenario

2. Which is, in order to not have to admit to themselves it's a mistake, they keep doing it and living it in that lifestyle. If they continue, then it's obviously not a mistake because it's just who they are, right? YOU CAN'T HATE ME, THIS IS WHO I AM....no, it isn't, it's who you've BECOME.

Ah, well. I understand your reticence to be associated with the fandom. I personally don't care, anyone who knows me knows my character (not fursona, I mean personal character, lol) so they know I'm not into that.

I think if people were less afraid to stand up for themselves, that this wouldn't happen as much. But nobody wants to feel like they don't belong in a group, so they let themselves become sheep and get involved in things even when they wouldn't have on their own. Ah well. All it would take is a few people to say "I'm not going to do it," and less people would be afraid to be individuals.

Though standing up for yourself can be a mistake in the fandom as well. I was practically booed out of Confurence 12 because I "Choke slammed" a fanboy. I was talking at length with Terrie Smith, who I had convinced to do a commission and one of her other fans thought that MUST mean I am a friend of Terrie's and that I should be able to get them an original Little Paw pic. They expressed this desire by humping my leg in an elevator, where I responded by bouncing him off the side hard enough to stall the elevator. Because I view my opinions and express them I have been considered to be a "Bad bad man."
I also realize due to the lack of porn MY characters will never get a second look.
At one point the perversions in furry fandom was so bad they had protest cons like Zonie Con. That didn't last long and it caused a lot of furries to leave the fandom, some charming stories went along with them.
The fandom has made a few, including myself, to feel like fools. (Boy do I EVER feel like a fool)
I can't imagine these furverts having a family and if they do ever have a family I am afraid what their children will come out like.

Well! This is a tough one to answer, girl...
I tend to Watch those who I admire for their skills with anatomy and if nothing else what they can do with color (I not so good with the photoshopping) If someone writes something awesome, I read it but I may not comment on it only because A. Many times my long thought out comment never gets a reply back... B. Artists/writers don't take suggestions very well. A critique quickly translates into "YOU SUCK!!" and I really don't want to be anyone's enemy. I tend to Fav things though but even then that gets my ass in a sling..

As for my XXX Ultra-Porn material... I've noticed that that's what draws the fans. For awhile I had once thought drawing the fans through porn and once I've established a good sized audience, I could leak out some storylines but that seems to turn off the viewers. I could submit three pics back-to-back, two XXX-pieces with a G-rated sandwiched in between them, and I guarantee the porn will get over 100 views/20 comments while the G-rated will barely get 20/5.
So I turned to drawing straight up porn or fan art. I'm still an outsider to this mysterious circle of friends within the fandom but the more comments and page views and favs at least makes me FEEL like I belong somewhere.

I agree that people are too quick to be defensive when they recieve constructive criticism or gentle critique on ideas that they could have done or added to pieces. If they're going to try to do art or writing for a living, people need to loosen up more because unless you can take criticism, ya ain't gonna make it in the industry for long. Or at all. I like both good and bad critique from people, because either way it means they've been paying attention, and took the time out of their day to write me something thoughtful and to give my art actual regard, you know?

And as to using porn to attract viewers, the fans that watch people mainly for porn don't leave good comments anyways. They'll generally leave comments about "oh that's hot" or something to do with the subject matter, but how often has a sexual piece gotten a real critique?

To me, the comments don't matter as much as my enjoyment when I draw a piece. If I'm going to do something I hate, it's not going to turn out good anyways, so I stick with what I love, and if someone else loves it too, great! That means I found someone I can relate to. If not, who cares? lol

True. My DA side is proof of that. After I quit doing pin ups and stuck mainly to photos and stories, nobody stuck around really.
Some feedback at least for me is better than nothing. Sad aren't I? lol!

Well, since you can't get any from your wife except negative feedback, who's the person that's supposed to be closest to you and meet all your needs, I can understand that

...
Zoinks yo! I wasn't TRYING to go there, LOL!

But as for her outlook on the crap I draw I understand it's not her cup of tea and I've come to accept that.
Ever since I went to my first Market Hall convention back in the late '80s and realized there was actually a market for the stuff I drew I wanted to be a part of it.

Romance is far more entertaining than smut. I like imagination and creativity. Something that lets you become absorbed and play with it in your mind.

Yes, that's what I think too. An image where you not only can imagine what led up to it, but where it will go from there becomes an instant impression, the sort of images that aren't like a dead photograph, but a dynamic pose and angle to really make it look like if you blink, they'll move

That and there's a passion, a caring between the people in the picture. That can make all the difference.

Both...

For me, personally, romance can add to it. And honestly, the tease tends to be far sexier than just a blatant display. I think not enough people understand this in their porn. As you mentioned above, a series of pics that lead up to nudity can be INCREDIBLY sexy. And a sense of romance can give a picture more to it than "hey, here's an attractive body and face." So yeah... nudity = okay. Well thought out nudity/almost nudity = great.

To be honest porn does nothing for me... I tend to look at the skill (or lack there of) of the artist and the thought put into the situations... I find the stories interesting.

Now I don't feel as alone in the fandom. Mind if I point to this journal in my FA?

By all means, with my blessing = D

I told you. You were not alone in how you felt.

Well initially I thought there were like... 4 other people in the fandom. Turns out there's a few others.

Yes indeed.

But then how much y'wanna bet that no one else who is watchin' me will say anythin'?

I wouldn't bet on it.

Heh, how much would ya have been willin' ta bet? heh. I knew most of them wouldn't, a lot of them rely a lot on porn art. (Most because it's the only way they can make any money at it)

I be willing to bet $30.00.

Heh, well I don't bet, I always seem to lose. Still, most people would have commented by now if they were going to. Which is kinda sad, there's a lot of good points here to be read.

I have a mate IRL I love with all my heart, and we've been together 5 years this Tuesday. We met online, in Furcadia if you can beleive it. And we've lived together in the same house for about a year now.

Him and I both look at porn on here for a few reasons 1) Technical Skills 2) Inspiration 3) "Personal" Moments 4) Habit 5) Expressing/Exploring our Bisexual sides.

We are both very sexually driven people. Not OBSESSED per say, but we just fully enjoy sexual atmospheres and looking at different positions etc... I myself don't find many men atractive any more; I am bisexual, but I prefer women. And yiff is the best way to explore my sexual feelings about women, since I have no one at hand in real life to experiment with (not that Im ready for that anyway.) and I've grown to dislike the sluts often portrayed in human porn. My mate is the same about men.

True, sex is one of the most passionate things two people can share. But there is a big difference between sex and making love. Sex is mindless pleasure, where as making love is an extension of one's feelings for another. That is why a women preferring female and a guy perferring male can have such a loving, passionate relationship as him and I do.

... *Looks at the paragraph she just typed* o_O I didn't mean to go on and on, really. I love the subject of your journal, it really makes you think, I guess I just thought too much out loud. ^_^;

Hope ya don't mind me commenting so late. Ogre linked me here.

I've found that porn is my own personal curse. I like it a lot, but I can't justify looking at it. That'd involve changing my faith or, worse yet, God's laws. That's not something I'm prepared to do just for a few moments of masturbation, however pleasant.

I admit, I do like the stuff that's just brainless and hot, without much back story. I have a very healthy sex drive, and not too many friends, so you can imagine what life is like for me. Being dragged naked over a cheese grater mostly. I've gone back and forth over the years, deleting porn collections on my harddrive as soon as the guilt is too much. FA hasn't exactly made things any easier, as there's usually about 50 porn pics for every clean and/or romantic one. Maybe more.

*sigh* I want more in life, yet I suspect I can't really get that without some painful growth. Not even sure I wanna get into erotica, because although it's generally more interesting than straight porn (porn and plot go together pretty much like acid and skin...) it pretty much serves the same purpose. Besides, it all tends to remind me of how lonely I am these days, and that can lead to depression, which I don't really need. Plus, sometimes I "cure" depression by looking at porn... which starts the whole damn thing over again.

I'll probably leave FA over this. It's not worth the aggravation and the risk of a relapse. And sorry for the drama dump. Bit of a personal subject for me, I guess. Don't intend to leave the fandom either, but if it keeps me away from God, I don't think the world will miss one more furry fan...

You have no idea how bored i am with rape porn. Everyday i look at it it's always "AH STOP STOP *SLAPSLAPSLAP*". Man, where'd all the love at? >:|

Not with Jon Arbuckle, boy I tell you what!