… I mean, from an artist’s perspective. I just cannot follow any artist on Tumblr, because instead of seeing an art gallery, I see only a large, unordered scrapbook. If particularly unlucky, the art will be borrowed under a few hundred pages of irrelevant stuff.

So, people who follow artists on Tumblr: how do you even do it?

I realize that several of my older pictures were scanned in a criminally small size. I realize that some are even really badly scanned.

I’ve decided to fix that as much and as soon as I can. Starting with this one, which I updated today.

… and it’s funny how people forget that I have a Wacom Graphire 4 tablet, whose plastic outer shell is perfectly washable. It’s always fun to watch the shocked reactions.

I dunno, just something silly I was thinking about.

A few days ago I got blasted by an artist for daring to say that I was not a fan of one — one — detail in his picture, while acknowledging that it was only a matter of taste. I also faved the picture and gave it four stars out of five on SoFurry.

That... didn't go over too well, and apparently the artist (and his boyfriend) took it as an attack on his skills, his ability, on his artistic style even! When I tried to defend my initial comment, I apparently earned a few more insults and a block, and an accusation that I would have acted the same way they did if someone had left a similar comment on one of my pictures. Then the whole conversation was promptly deleted.

So, let me get this straight: I will never, never react with hostility to a comment of yours stating a mere preference. You don't like how I draw paws? You don't like the way I draw muzzles? My gallery doesn't contain enough visible penises? As long as you don't outright insult me or my abilities, and as long as your words remain free of open hostility, I won't mind at all. Who knows, I might even enjoy discussing matters with you.

But one thing I will never do, contrary to the aforementioned artist, is to go through your gallery and insult you and your artistic abilities just because you didn't agree 100% with my tastes and stylistic choices.

… I have begun my last year as a twenty-something.

Time to celebrate this like an adult, by going to work for up to 11 hours.

Gaaaaaah, FA, will you ever implement name changes? (no, wait, consider that a rethorical question)

I just registered an account under the name I would actually prefer to have ( erkhyan) to prevent someone from grabbing it. Part of me would like to go the whole way and migrate entirely to that new account. But another part, a much bigger and much louder one, doesn't want to go through the task of re-watching everyone I'm already watching on this account, or even more difficult: getting my current watchers to follow.

Oh well. We'll see, one day.

Just quoting a tweet by  tiberiusrings…

TiberiusRings wrote:Why do so many guys in furry porn pictures look like they’re snerking/angry/mad/mean? Pretty sure that’s not the face you make during sex!

Dear furry artists: yeah, why?

… those that exist because people like Weasyl, and those that exist because of FA drama.

Mine is of the first kind, and I’ve had it for a while, though I didn’t upload anything there in all that time. It becomes too hard to follow you guys everywhere with all the exodus drama on such or such site.

https://www.weasyl.com/profile/erkhyan

… after over five years and a half of waiting, it would be about time, right?

But yeah. Contrary to all the other similar journals out there, neither of us can offer commissions: he’s not the creative type, and I’ve been stuck in a stress-induced art block that left me unable to draw more than a few lines a month. Considering that, at the rates I used to offer, I’d need to draw at least a hundred fully colored pictures to get anywhere near the amount needed… yeah, not a solution.

You know what? Money and international borders suck.

[/rant over]

… you read the latest Star Wars novel (Mercy Kill, by Aaron Allston) and you can’t help but find serious overtones of a gay relationship between the Thakwaash (anthro horse) and the Gamorrean (anthro pig) characters.

Allston being Allston, I’m pretty sure he added the ambiguity on purpose.

That moment when you discover that an almost extinct language 8500 miles away uses the same exact word as your own native language to designate the same thing…

According to Wikipedia, “Rano” designates a freshwater lake in the Rapa Nui language (spoken on Easter Island).

The same word, “Rano”, designates either water or a body of water in most dialects of the Malagasy language (spoken in Madagascar).

---

_{This moment of utter geekiness was brought to you by HOLY COW IT’S 2am!}

Let me share with you an example of what my Journals inbox usually looks like on this site:

LIVESTREAMING!
Streaming
Commissions closed
Commissions open! [Closed]
Streaming!
Look at this video!
Commission slots [Closed]
CLOSED FOR COMMISSIONS
Anyone interested in a commission [closed]
Taking 3 commission slots (all taken! thanks!)
Streaming soon
Sketch commissions (closed!)
Auction!
…

As you can see, it’s always full of interesting info and great (missed) opportunities.

“… it’s too big, I can’t possibly handle that!”

So says my FA inbox after several artists I watch have simultaneously gone on a several-days-long uploading rampage.

What to expect on Valentines Day:

– half a dozen posts from couples enjoying Valentines Day

– four dozen bitter, bile-filled Valentines-bashing posts, or posts from people who’re so in love with their careers that they won’t shut up about how human relationships are an unwelcome distraction.

To all those who had a nice V-Day: I’m glad for you. To those who don’t care for V-Day but didn’t say a thing about it: thank you. To the whine-haters: FUCK YOU.

Within the last 48 hours:

1) My dog, Blotchie, had been feeling unwell for days, and I tried hard to make someone in my family bring him to the vet (since the vet only opens during my work hours, and no employer here will ever accept "sick dog" as a valid excuse to skip work). All I got in response was a shrug and an assurance that it was something minor that'd be over all on its own.

It wasn't.

On Sunday morning, his state worsened suddenly. He stopped eating and drinking despite our efforts and hid in the garage. I finally managed to convince my parents and brother to try and bring him to the vet first time in the morning.

Too late. All the vet could do what to put him down.

And since the diagnosis is "deliberate poisoning", my neighbors had better hope that I never get poisoned grain anywhere near their chicken (since there are no laws I can use against them).

---

2) We bore the full brunt of Intense Tropical Cyclone Giovanna. It was a tense night and day, but all in all our house only suffered light damage and no one was hurt, though we spent most of the day recuperating those lost hours of sleep. Also, being in the eye of a storm is a damn impressive sight.

I’m not one to change my ARC (Animal Representational Character, for those allergic to the word “fursona”) on a whim. Proof: I’m still using my first one after over five years. Still, I recently had an idea for a complete redesign…

I just can’t imagine going through with it though. I dunno, maybe I’m too attached to the current one, despite liking the redesign at least as much.

https://youtu.be/n7qiIoI1KO4

… et puis j'ai ri.

Real name: Njara Rakotomasisoa
Species: Ring-tailed mongoose (anthro)
Pseudonym: Controller
Special ability: Able to take full control of any mechanical or electronic device within his line of sight (only one device at a time, large and/or complicated devices necessitating much more effort than smaller, simpler ones)

Biography
Njara was born in Madagascar, to a family that was formerly part of the Merina nobility. Initially a very easily influenced mind, he fell in with other kids in his parents’ circle of friends, and particularly with one ring-tailed lemur named Rija. Rija was about four years older than Njara and was relatively popular among the youth in his town. Unknown to most people, Rija had adopted an extreme version of his parents’ xenophobia, thinking that only species native to Madagascar had a right to live in the country. A generally assertive character, Rija found Njara’s optimism and idealism refreshing, and their friendship soon deepened enough to turn into a friends-with-benefits situation (neither of them being willing to actually let it become a romantic relationship, mostly due to adherence to traditional, patriarchal beliefs about what should be considered a valid relationship).

Unquestioning of his best friend’s actions, Njara followed him when he joined the criminal, xenophobic organization Taninay Inty (“This is our land”). Though going against the law made him uneasy, Njara was usually placated by knowing that they only stole and damaged property while taking care not to actually hurt anyone. Shortly after joining the organization, Njara discovered his supernatural abilities. Under Rija’s advice, he put those to the organization’s use, making their actions even more efficient and more spectacular. When using his powers, Njara took the pseudonym of “Controller”, taking inspiration from the other super-powered individuals he’d heard about who maintained their criminal or heroic identities separate from their real ones.

After a pair of years, realizing that the organization was slowly but irremediably losing its “do not hurt” stance, Njara sought to distance himself from it. Rija was unhappy with his decision, but Njara managed to make him understand that his membership in the organization had been more a matter of thrill-seeking and loyalty towards a friend than actual ideology. After that, the lemur agreed to help Njara erase all traces of his criminal deeds and return to normal society. Njara tried to get Rija to follow him, but the lemur argued that he could still try to change the organization’s increasingly violent ways from within.

Unfortunately for Njara, shortly before his plan to get away was put in action, the chapter of the organization he was part of was betrayed. The Malagasy army, aided by French soldiers, raided the compound they’d found refuge in. During the shootout that ensued, Njara and Rija tried their best to evade capture. While Rija succeeded, Njara was shot in the leg and captured.

After his arrest, Njara managed to hide his identity as Controller to the authorities. Still, as a member of Taninay Inty, he could not avoid the three-year jail sentence that was handed down to him. Sent to the infamous Antanimora jail, he went through the most difficult part of his life, a period that cost him what was left of his innocence, severely affected his ability to trust others, and (thanks to poor treatment of his wound) led to the loss of his leg.

After finally being released, Njara realized that he had lost almost everything he cared for: his family had disowned him when he went to jail, Rija had vanished without leaving a trace, and his handicap combined with his status as an ex-convict had ruined most of his attempts to get to a normal life.

Refusing to give up, the young mongoose tried to live through informal jobs: never quite legal, never quite against the law. He fixed TVs and computers, repaired cell phones here and there, putting his abilities to use to earn enough money to cover the huge bill for taking care of his still-wounded leg.

Njara met Tony this way, after having fixed cell phones and various other fixtures for the mutt’s colleagues. Tony’s genuinely caring character led him to take an interest in helping the visibly struggling mongoose. Though reluctant at first, Njara slowly warmed up to him. With time, the two became good friends, even though Njara was still wary of getting too close. As a rule in their friendship, Tony had to promise to never ask Njara about how he became a crippled ex-convict.

Eventually, and despite Njara’s trust and intimacy issues, they grew close enough that, without ever saying the words, they did consider themselves a couple. Tony paid for Njara’s leg to be properly treated and fitted with a prosthesis, while the mongoose developed enough confidence and marketing skills to open his own repair shop.

Roughly two years after the beginning of their relationship, Njara still hasn’t revealed anything about his past to Tony. The mutt doesn’t seem to mind, being apparently okay with Njara deciding to start a new life and not look behind anymore.

One thing that gets Njara worried though, is that Taninay Inty recently re-emerged in the news, as a full-fledged terrorist organization this time.

I live on the wrong side of the digital divide. For all of the music and film majors, Madagascar fell off the map 25 years ago. They haven’t bothered releasing anything here in as long, and thanks to the prices they practice, it wouldn’t do them much good if they did. Who the hell would go watch a movie for the prices of 8 lunches, or a DVD for the price of two weeks of food?

Madagascar’s whole entertainment industry is based off bootlegging. Saw a movie on TV? 19 chances out of 20 it was ripped off a commercial DVD. Saw a TV show you liked? Megaupload probably played a role in that.

You could argue that some of us earn enough money to go online and buy things we want legally. Except, that’s an option that only exists for multi-tens-of-millionaires (I’m technically a multimillionaire here and still can’t afford one of them damn cards). The vast majority of us cannot afford the price of an international bank card, the #1 requirement for being able to participate in online transactions.

So, some of us would like to be able to enjoy music and movies legally, but can’t. Until Madagascar becomes a true market and not just a pretty name on a cartoon franchise, expect any sympathy for industry majors to be doused with a healthy dose of pragmatism.

>> http://www.furaffinity.net/view/7233644/ <<

Watch this. No, seriously. Watch this. Expect a cuteness overload though.

I once had an idea while listening to my favorite music — some of these songs inspired vignettes to me, short stories. I thought that it would be nice to draw these vignettes someday, but between my usual stress and my art block, I didn't think I could do it.

But then I had to walk home today. Lots of time to think. And that idea expanded and became an art project. One that I wish I could draw, or pay someone to draw.

See, I realized that several of these songs could be pieced together to tell a whole story. So I imagined a couple of characters of mine I hadn't used in a while (named Marc and Jules, in case you wondered). The project would tell the story of their lives, together or separately, using a series of pictures. Each picture would be associated with one song that tells exactly what's happening to the character(s) at that time.

See? Ambitious, isn't it? Well, I hope I'll be able to get it done someday. Either by myself, or by someone else. Damn my inability to pay for commissions.

I already have a preliminary list of the songs I'd like to use and, since none of them are in English (seven in French and one in Italian), I intend to translate the lyrics. Maybe I can find someone to help sometime.

’Twas the Night before Christmas, and Santa’s Workshop at the North Pole was bristling with activity.

Santa was red with anger, his famous jovial behavior gone. Nothing had gone right. An elf had misplaced the naughty list. Another had accidentally inserted a defect into a line of much-sought toys. The reindeer were ill, having eaten out without authorization.

And in the middle of all that, a cheery, teeny angel came up to Santa. “Santa, look what I got you! A nice, big Christmas tree! Where do you want me to put it?”

Having long lost any trace of patience left, Santa just glared angrily at the angel.

A mere few seconds later, the tradition of sticking a figurine of a little angel atop a Christmas tree was born.

I’m really curious. What’s the point of putting a 18+ text warning on your thumbnail, if said thumbnail already happens to be a close-up of the parts of the picture that make it 18+?

My first fursona, years before I even heard the names "fursona" and "furry fandom" for the first time, was an otter. More specifically, a clone of Dean Wilson from Animalympics, only with more clothes and much less surferspeak.

Not long after that, I switched to a generic fox. Blame Robinhood for that one. Ironically (for those who’re aware of the stereotypes), he was a straight, not-sex-driven fox.

Years later, when I finally got to create a proper fursona, I took the opposite way compared to the usual. I first drew him, then I decided which species he was, based on his looks and my own background.

Thus, I ended with a fox/wolf/lynx hybrid (mirroring my three different ethnicities) who sometimes gets mistaken for other species altogether (mirroring my habit of being mistaken for other unrelated ethnicities). The other details about him that were based on myself are his strong myopia and need for glasses, his general body shape, his fur color (my skin is three tones clearer than most people here), his discreet but present fangs (I have those too), his goatee, and his big ears. And, yes, his sexual orientation, obviously.

As for my fursona’s name, he didn’t have one at first, and I used "Dar’Han" as a handle online. Dar is a different character of mine though (one of those characters we like to torture because we’re so attached to them), so I needed a different name for myself. I remembered a name I had created for Dar’s backstory: "Erkhyan", initially Dar’s father. The character of Erkhyan having been replaced with another character with a different name, I could take up that name without a problem. Plus, it has a nice symbolic meaning: as Dar’s creator and the writer of his story, I’m technically a father to him.

There are artists you just can’t enjoy because, for every nice picture they produce, they post several drama magnet journals and at least one "insult your fans" journal. In short, professional trolls that get a pass due to their ability to draw huge dicks ramming tight asses.

And nope, I’m not talking about  west here. As far as I know (s)he does not draw porn, and that one incident was an isolated one whose repercussions will hopefully die down soon as people on both sides learn their lessons.

The person I’m talking about does it all the freaking time.