FA+
Shop
My Online Haunts
Posted 12 months agoCurious to see where else I am on the internet?
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ellennatalie.bsky.social
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/ellennatalie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FurryExperience/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellennatalie87/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ellennatalie.bsky.social
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/ellennatalie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FurryExperience/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellennatalie87/
Time to Move Forward
Posted a year agoEvery time I thought about posting a new journal here, I would change my mind. Because posting a new journal would mean the previous one, from eight years ago, would no longer be on the front page.
And I like seeing that journal when I visit my Fur Affinity page. I remember writing it - feeling the optimism, happiness, excitement. I re-live those feelings each time I read it. For a long time, I needed that journal on my front page so I could easily find and remember those emotions when I had trouble feeling anything.
But it's been eight years. During that time I've built friendships, founds good mental health tools, and even written a few IRL journals I can look back through. And the next time I want to re-read that journal and remember Husband, I'll know where to look.
In the meantime, it's okay to post something new.
And I like seeing that journal when I visit my Fur Affinity page. I remember writing it - feeling the optimism, happiness, excitement. I re-live those feelings each time I read it. For a long time, I needed that journal on my front page so I could easily find and remember those emotions when I had trouble feeling anything.
But it's been eight years. During that time I've built friendships, founds good mental health tools, and even written a few IRL journals I can look back through. And the next time I want to re-read that journal and remember Husband, I'll know where to look.
In the meantime, it's okay to post something new.
Progress so Far
Posted 9 years agoFirst off, thank you guys so much, you are awesome as always!
I'm still getting supportive, encouraging messages from the last update about life outside of FE. Thanks for sharing your struggle and success stories, how much FE means to you, and your kind words. Been spending the past month seriously looking into what it would take to for art to be a full-time job in my life. Again, I'm hesitant to share about my personal life, (especially finances,) but I'm not the only one who wants to make a living doing what they love - and I hope sharing my experience will help others working towards the same goal.
--
The first thing Husband and I did, as basic as it sounds, is review our monthly budget. Regardless of where the money came from, we needed to know the bare minimum I had to bring in so we could cover our monthly bills. The total came to be three times what my art income currently is.
Next step was to figure out how much time I had to increase the art income to meet our budget. (In this case, determined by how long our savings would last.) The maximum amount of time I had to triple the art income was two months. Even with the tremendous amount of growth FE has had in the past year, that's still a very short amount of time to generate a very large increase.
Because of this, I'm approaching the dream of a full-time art job in a different way: I've started doing temp work for a local call center, and using the art income to make up the difference in pay. My goal is to increase the art income while decreasing the temp income - this way I can work towards being a full time artist on a schedule that won't risk losing our savings.
(By the way, this is why the wrong page got inked last week - Call center was severely understaffed, and temps were asked to work extra hours. I ended up working several 10 hour days in a row, only to be told I didn't have to that. Temp work is strange.)
So, this year I'll be trying out some new things and old favorites while working towards the dream of full-time artist. Keep your eyes open, and if there's a product or activity you'd like to see happen let me know!
As always, thanks for being awesome you guys. Here's to us all having a great 2016!
I'm still getting supportive, encouraging messages from the last update about life outside of FE. Thanks for sharing your struggle and success stories, how much FE means to you, and your kind words. Been spending the past month seriously looking into what it would take to for art to be a full-time job in my life. Again, I'm hesitant to share about my personal life, (especially finances,) but I'm not the only one who wants to make a living doing what they love - and I hope sharing my experience will help others working towards the same goal.
--
The first thing Husband and I did, as basic as it sounds, is review our monthly budget. Regardless of where the money came from, we needed to know the bare minimum I had to bring in so we could cover our monthly bills. The total came to be three times what my art income currently is.
Next step was to figure out how much time I had to increase the art income to meet our budget. (In this case, determined by how long our savings would last.) The maximum amount of time I had to triple the art income was two months. Even with the tremendous amount of growth FE has had in the past year, that's still a very short amount of time to generate a very large increase.
Because of this, I'm approaching the dream of a full-time art job in a different way: I've started doing temp work for a local call center, and using the art income to make up the difference in pay. My goal is to increase the art income while decreasing the temp income - this way I can work towards being a full time artist on a schedule that won't risk losing our savings.
(By the way, this is why the wrong page got inked last week - Call center was severely understaffed, and temps were asked to work extra hours. I ended up working several 10 hour days in a row, only to be told I didn't have to that. Temp work is strange.)
So, this year I'll be trying out some new things and old favorites while working towards the dream of full-time artist. Keep your eyes open, and if there's a product or activity you'd like to see happen let me know!
As always, thanks for being awesome you guys. Here's to us all having a great 2016!
The Good, The Bad, and The New Year
Posted 9 years agoBeen about six months since the Fan Comic Event, I should probably update this journal.
It's a long post, but I've had a lot to think about lately. I'll summarize in the comments at the bottom if you'd prefer not to navigate it all.
2015 was amazing. Just briefly looking over some of the highlights, so many things I wanted to do for so long happened within the last twelve months:
Got to see my family again after two years of moving around the country.
Published a collection of FE Comics
Published an FE Graphic Novel
Attended a Furry convention as a Dealer for the first time
Got FE books to be carried by a few retailers, including Rabbit Valley
Set up a crowdfunding campaign to fund future FE projects and help manage bills
None of those things listed would've happened if it wasn't for all your support. (Except seeing my family again. Maybe.) Whether you pledged on Patreon, bought a book, visited me at events, shared comic updates and announcements with your friends, or just kept coming back to the website when it updated -you helped make this an amazing year. Thank you so much! Reflecting on how far FE has come and how awesome you folks are is always an inspiration, especially after rough times like the last week.
I'm always hesitant to share details about my personal life online, especially not-so-great details. Everyone has problems, and I've always worked to make FE accounts a positive place on the internet. But when life events affect FE's updating schedule, like recently, I feel you're owed an explanation. This past week I was let go from my office job.
That may not sound like it's a serious problem. ("Aren't you making money from your art?") And you're right, thanks to all of you the situation's not nearly as bad as it could be. But it was a pretty big emotional blow. I really loved that job, the company itself, and the people I worked with over the years. Being told by people you trust and care about that you don't have a future together is a very specific kind of pain.
With my suddenly more open schedule and everyone talking this month about the new year and new beginnings, I've been taking time to figure out, "what next?" Like the hypothetical question in the previous paragraph says, FE is starting to generate a steady source of income. I could try increasing it, becoming a full-time artist. It's the goal I've been working towards. But it's also a big risk, especially now - not just for me, but for my family. Is chasing my dream worth sacrificing their security? I've been applying to office jobs similar to the one I had, but they're all a considerable commute away. Is having even less time for art than I did before worth ensuring our financial future? Is there a middle ground somewhere so I can have it all like every girl was promised growing up in the nineties?
These aren't questions that can be quickly or easily answered. I can't shake the feeling the choices I make in the next few months are going to have a ripple effect over what place art has in the rest of my life. I can at least take comfort knowing no matter what happens, art always will be part of my life. (For my funeral, I'm having a 24 crayon salute. Preferably on the wall.)
And I can take comfort that no matter what happens, I'm going to keep updating FE. I care about its' characters and enjoy all your fine company way too much to stop. Again, 2015 was an amazing year. 2016 is already shaping up to be an interesting one, as well - I hope navigating it will prove to be a good experience.
It's a long post, but I've had a lot to think about lately. I'll summarize in the comments at the bottom if you'd prefer not to navigate it all.
2015 was amazing. Just briefly looking over some of the highlights, so many things I wanted to do for so long happened within the last twelve months:
Got to see my family again after two years of moving around the country.
Published a collection of FE Comics
Published an FE Graphic Novel
Attended a Furry convention as a Dealer for the first time
Got FE books to be carried by a few retailers, including Rabbit Valley
Set up a crowdfunding campaign to fund future FE projects and help manage bills
None of those things listed would've happened if it wasn't for all your support. (Except seeing my family again. Maybe.) Whether you pledged on Patreon, bought a book, visited me at events, shared comic updates and announcements with your friends, or just kept coming back to the website when it updated -you helped make this an amazing year. Thank you so much! Reflecting on how far FE has come and how awesome you folks are is always an inspiration, especially after rough times like the last week.
I'm always hesitant to share details about my personal life online, especially not-so-great details. Everyone has problems, and I've always worked to make FE accounts a positive place on the internet. But when life events affect FE's updating schedule, like recently, I feel you're owed an explanation. This past week I was let go from my office job.
That may not sound like it's a serious problem. ("Aren't you making money from your art?") And you're right, thanks to all of you the situation's not nearly as bad as it could be. But it was a pretty big emotional blow. I really loved that job, the company itself, and the people I worked with over the years. Being told by people you trust and care about that you don't have a future together is a very specific kind of pain.
With my suddenly more open schedule and everyone talking this month about the new year and new beginnings, I've been taking time to figure out, "what next?" Like the hypothetical question in the previous paragraph says, FE is starting to generate a steady source of income. I could try increasing it, becoming a full-time artist. It's the goal I've been working towards. But it's also a big risk, especially now - not just for me, but for my family. Is chasing my dream worth sacrificing their security? I've been applying to office jobs similar to the one I had, but they're all a considerable commute away. Is having even less time for art than I did before worth ensuring our financial future? Is there a middle ground somewhere so I can have it all like every girl was promised growing up in the nineties?
These aren't questions that can be quickly or easily answered. I can't shake the feeling the choices I make in the next few months are going to have a ripple effect over what place art has in the rest of my life. I can at least take comfort knowing no matter what happens, art always will be part of my life. (For my funeral, I'm having a 24 crayon salute. Preferably on the wall.)
And I can take comfort that no matter what happens, I'm going to keep updating FE. I care about its' characters and enjoy all your fine company way too much to stop. Again, 2015 was an amazing year. 2016 is already shaping up to be an interesting one, as well - I hope navigating it will prove to be a good experience.
FE Fan Comic Event - Info and Rules
Posted 10 years agoThe FE Fan Comic Event is back!
The first couple weeks in September I'll be traveling, so once again I'm asking FE fans to show off their comic-making skills! For those who remember the rules from the previous event, they're mostly the same (with some minor tweaks to the dates), and for new readers who are interested in participating I've copied the details below.
Each comic submitted will be featured as the latest page on the website between August 31st through September 14th for an equal amount of time. How long that time is depends on how many submissions are received. All comics will be removed from the archives when FE updates resume, but will be re-uploaded as a FREE digital collection on the website's Wall of Awesome page.
HOW TO ENTER:
Create a comic featuring any members of the Furry Experience cast. This comic can be funny, sad, thoughtful, non-sequitur, whatever your mind can come up with! (Within the formatting rules below) Any material can be used, including pencils, digital art, markers, puppets, etc!*
Comics must be only 1-2 pages. Entries can be two-page short story, or two single page comics. Pages must be sized at 800 pixels wide, but can vary in length between 800-3000 pixels. All submissions must be in .JPEG or .PNG format. MAKE SURE YOUR COMIC IS ALREADY FORMATTED CORRECTLY WHEN SUBMITTING. I will not be able to make adjustments after you have submitted, and comics which are not formatted correctly will not be posted.
Because these comics will be complied into a free digital collection on the website after the event ends, it is recommended to include a small watermark or mention of copyright somewhere on your page. Your ownership of the comic will also be credited at the end of the collection. If you do not wish your comic to be included in the collection, or have a specific alias/website you wish to be mentioned when credited, you must indicate such in your submission. Otherwise, you will be credited via the name I can find associated with you.
DEADLINE TO ENTER IS MIDNIGHT, AUGUST 23RD (USA Central Time) This comic is on a tight schedule (usually) and that deadline cannot be extended. Plan your time accordingly! Submit all entries to my email at: natalie.ellen87 [at] gmail.com
After submitting your comic, please do not post it elsewhere online until after it has been revealed on the Furry Experience website. (We don't want to spoil the surprise!) After your comic has appeared on the FE website, you may upload it online wherever you like.
RULES! Failure to comply will disqualify your entry.
If you have original characters, they may make an appearance. But you MUST have complete ownership of your original characters. If you have any concerns or questions about your character, send me a note.
You will be given full ownership credit for your characters if it appears in your comic. Be aware that by submitting to this contest, you are giving permission for me to post the comic on the FE website and FE's social media accounts.
All designs MUST keep a Safe For Work, PG rating. In this event 'PG' is defined as something you're comfortable showing your family, boss, and children. If you have an idea but you're not sure it will be appropriate, note me a description. Pornographic material will automatically be disqualified.
If you choose to upload your comic elsewhere after it has appeared on the Furry Experience website, you must give credit for the FE characters and universe to the creator (myself) by linking back or mentioning where they come from.
This event's been a lot of fun in the past years, looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with!
*My offer to trade swag for FE puppets still stands.
The first couple weeks in September I'll be traveling, so once again I'm asking FE fans to show off their comic-making skills! For those who remember the rules from the previous event, they're mostly the same (with some minor tweaks to the dates), and for new readers who are interested in participating I've copied the details below.
Each comic submitted will be featured as the latest page on the website between August 31st through September 14th for an equal amount of time. How long that time is depends on how many submissions are received. All comics will be removed from the archives when FE updates resume, but will be re-uploaded as a FREE digital collection on the website's Wall of Awesome page.
HOW TO ENTER:
Create a comic featuring any members of the Furry Experience cast. This comic can be funny, sad, thoughtful, non-sequitur, whatever your mind can come up with! (Within the formatting rules below) Any material can be used, including pencils, digital art, markers, puppets, etc!*
Comics must be only 1-2 pages. Entries can be two-page short story, or two single page comics. Pages must be sized at 800 pixels wide, but can vary in length between 800-3000 pixels. All submissions must be in .JPEG or .PNG format. MAKE SURE YOUR COMIC IS ALREADY FORMATTED CORRECTLY WHEN SUBMITTING. I will not be able to make adjustments after you have submitted, and comics which are not formatted correctly will not be posted.
Because these comics will be complied into a free digital collection on the website after the event ends, it is recommended to include a small watermark or mention of copyright somewhere on your page. Your ownership of the comic will also be credited at the end of the collection. If you do not wish your comic to be included in the collection, or have a specific alias/website you wish to be mentioned when credited, you must indicate such in your submission. Otherwise, you will be credited via the name I can find associated with you.
DEADLINE TO ENTER IS MIDNIGHT, AUGUST 23RD (USA Central Time) This comic is on a tight schedule (usually) and that deadline cannot be extended. Plan your time accordingly! Submit all entries to my email at: natalie.ellen87 [at] gmail.com
After submitting your comic, please do not post it elsewhere online until after it has been revealed on the Furry Experience website. (We don't want to spoil the surprise!) After your comic has appeared on the FE website, you may upload it online wherever you like.
RULES! Failure to comply will disqualify your entry.
If you have original characters, they may make an appearance. But you MUST have complete ownership of your original characters. If you have any concerns or questions about your character, send me a note.
You will be given full ownership credit for your characters if it appears in your comic. Be aware that by submitting to this contest, you are giving permission for me to post the comic on the FE website and FE's social media accounts.
All designs MUST keep a Safe For Work, PG rating. In this event 'PG' is defined as something you're comfortable showing your family, boss, and children. If you have an idea but you're not sure it will be appropriate, note me a description. Pornographic material will automatically be disqualified.
If you choose to upload your comic elsewhere after it has appeared on the Furry Experience website, you must give credit for the FE characters and universe to the creator (myself) by linking back or mentioning where they come from.
This event's been a lot of fun in the past years, looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with!
*My offer to trade swag for FE puppets still stands.
FE on Patreon?
Posted 11 years agoI've noticed several people setting up automatic donation payments on Paypal to obtain the monthly wallpapers -and you guys are awesome for that! It's got me thinking about setting up a Patreon account, to help fund more FE ideas I've been wanting to try out. If you're not sure what Patreon is, here's a brief video explaining it:
Some of the Patreon rewards I've been considering includes creating exclusive avatars/icons, doing a monthly comic interview of FE characters, where donators can submit questions and even appear in the comic to ask their questions 'in person,' reserving a free copy of all future printed works, and creating a 'Wall of Awesome' section of the FE website where donators can be forever honored in name or sketched portrait.
What are your thoughts on Patreon? Is there a reward you'd be interested in seeing offered? Do you have experience donating to other Patreon campaigns?
Some of the Patreon rewards I've been considering includes creating exclusive avatars/icons, doing a monthly comic interview of FE characters, where donators can submit questions and even appear in the comic to ask their questions 'in person,' reserving a free copy of all future printed works, and creating a 'Wall of Awesome' section of the FE website where donators can be forever honored in name or sketched portrait.
What are your thoughts on Patreon? Is there a reward you'd be interested in seeing offered? Do you have experience donating to other Patreon campaigns?
Happy New June, Everyone!
Posted 11 years agoTraditionally, New Year's is when you're supposed to think about how far you've come and what you want to accomplish in the coming year. But for me, this thought process happens in June. This is because my birthday occurs in June, and something about getting a year older gets me antsy to work on projects that sitting on the backburner. Between these feelings and wanting to dive back into making art after moving, this June is officially the Month of Doing Stuff I've Wanted to Do For Awhile Now!
As that title suggests, this month I'm finishing projects that have been on the backburner for too long. Keep your eyes open for details of the promised Badge Event, and I will finally be making the first set of Boop Buttons! ( Don't know what buttons I'm talking about? The original idea sketches can be found here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/11844399/ )
Concerning comics, my goal is jumpstart progress on the side story Ice Queen, by having all 50+ pages pencilled by the end of the month. For those who've been waiting far too long for this story, you can read about its' progress and get sneak peaks at the artwork on the FE forums: http://furryexperience.forumotion.c.....ice-queen-blog
As always, thanks to you all for supporting FE and being awesome in general!
As that title suggests, this month I'm finishing projects that have been on the backburner for too long. Keep your eyes open for details of the promised Badge Event, and I will finally be making the first set of Boop Buttons! ( Don't know what buttons I'm talking about? The original idea sketches can be found here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/11844399/ )
Concerning comics, my goal is jumpstart progress on the side story Ice Queen, by having all 50+ pages pencilled by the end of the month. For those who've been waiting far too long for this story, you can read about its' progress and get sneak peaks at the artwork on the FE forums: http://furryexperience.forumotion.c.....ice-queen-blog
As always, thanks to you all for supporting FE and being awesome in general!
Why the Strange Schedule?
Posted 11 years agoYou may have noticed hiccups in the FE comic's updating schedule lately. I've been curious about this, as well. So I donned my cape, grabbed a trusty apple sidekick, and went searching for clues. Our search over the past couple months uncovered boxes being assembled, wall hangings being taken down, and a list of potential apartments and homes. Turns out I'm moving again.
As the end of our lease gets closer and more of a reality, comic updates may get a little strange-but I still want to try maining regular updates. Some projects are currently on hold, (Remember the badge event?) but others I'm trying to keep up progress on-such as the Ice Queen comic. (Updates can be read on the forum: http://furryexperience.forumotion.c.....ice-queen-blog )
Hopefully things won't go too awry during this move, but thanks in advance for your patience if they do.
As the end of our lease gets closer and more of a reality, comic updates may get a little strange-but I still want to try maining regular updates. Some projects are currently on hold, (Remember the badge event?) but others I'm trying to keep up progress on-such as the Ice Queen comic. (Updates can be read on the forum: http://furryexperience.forumotion.c.....ice-queen-blog )
Hopefully things won't go too awry during this move, but thanks in advance for your patience if they do.
Request Livestream this Weekend
Posted 12 years agoOn December 14th, 12pm - 3pm, I'll be promoting my Perky Goth comic at Mr. K's Bookstore by handing out free sketches! To practice, I'll be hosting a Request Livestream this Sunday at 4pm (Eastern Time) at this link: http://www.livestream.com/ellennatalie
The stream will last for at least a few hours. If you wish to participate it will be hosted the same way as last time: do NOT post your request in the comments or send me notes-such requests will be ignored. Instead, have a link with an image of your character ready to present in the livestream chat. To avoid spamming in the chat, post your link only ONCE in the chat unless asked otherwise. After each sketch, new links that have been posted (if there are any) will be added to those already collected, and the character to sketch will be chosen by singing lottery. I apologize in advance for this, but it seemed to be the only fair way.
Participants can have more than one request, but to ensure everyone has a fair chance of getting a sketch only one request can be submitted to the lottery at a time. Only after your request has won a lottery may you submit a new link for the next lottery.
As it’s been stated earlier, when selecting an image to present for the lottery keep in mind this stream is practice for creating quick, black and white sketches in a family-friendly store. Images that are provocative or fetish-related won’t be accepted. Trademarked characters and non-fur characters will be accepted. After the stream, all the sketches will be uploaded so you can download a digital copy of your favorites.
I’m testing the equipment/setup to make sure everything runs smoothly, so I apologize if anyone catches weird camera angles. See you guys Sunday!
The stream will last for at least a few hours. If you wish to participate it will be hosted the same way as last time: do NOT post your request in the comments or send me notes-such requests will be ignored. Instead, have a link with an image of your character ready to present in the livestream chat. To avoid spamming in the chat, post your link only ONCE in the chat unless asked otherwise. After each sketch, new links that have been posted (if there are any) will be added to those already collected, and the character to sketch will be chosen by singing lottery. I apologize in advance for this, but it seemed to be the only fair way.
Participants can have more than one request, but to ensure everyone has a fair chance of getting a sketch only one request can be submitted to the lottery at a time. Only after your request has won a lottery may you submit a new link for the next lottery.
As it’s been stated earlier, when selecting an image to present for the lottery keep in mind this stream is practice for creating quick, black and white sketches in a family-friendly store. Images that are provocative or fetish-related won’t be accepted. Trademarked characters and non-fur characters will be accepted. After the stream, all the sketches will be uploaded so you can download a digital copy of your favorites.
I’m testing the equipment/setup to make sure everything runs smoothly, so I apologize if anyone catches weird camera angles. See you guys Sunday!
So Much Cool Stuff Happening!
Posted 12 years agoBefore getting into the great stuff planned for this month, I wanted to thank all you guys concerning the last FE arc! It's always nerve-wracking to post comics with potential flame war topics like religion, but not once here or on any other of FE's social media accounts did I see people arguing or being negative to each other. Once again, you've proven how amazing the FE fans are~way to be awesome!
On to announcements-the December Donation Wallpaper has been posted, and can be purchased on the front page of the Furry Experience website! (www.furryexperience.com) For those who aren't aware, each month you can get an official FE wallpaper by donating $1 or more. Once the transaction is finished, simply click the prompt to return to the website. You'll be transferred to the page where you can download a folder with the wallpaper in a variety of sizes. The current wallpaper features Dawn and Brian trimming a tree, the way only they could. ;) If there's characters or sizes you'd like to see featured in future wallpaper collections, don't be afraid to request them!
Another big change to be excited about-I finally, FINALLY was able to purchase a personal laminator! This means commissions will be opening up again later this month, kicking off with a first-time-ever badge special! Keep following news updates for more details.
And the biggest event planned for this month, I'll be giving away free sketches at Mr. K's bookstore in the Johnson City location on the 14th, between 12pm-3pm. More details will be posted next week, but we all know how busy this season gets-so mark your calenders now! If you're not able be in Johnson City on that date, I'm also doing a livestream of requests this weekend for practice. I'll be posting the time and details tomorrow, so start finding your reference pictures!
TL;DR: December Donation Wallpaper is up, commissions are coming back, Livestream this weekend, Free sketches at Johnson City's Mr. K's on the 14th, and you are amazingly awesome.
On to announcements-the December Donation Wallpaper has been posted, and can be purchased on the front page of the Furry Experience website! (www.furryexperience.com) For those who aren't aware, each month you can get an official FE wallpaper by donating $1 or more. Once the transaction is finished, simply click the prompt to return to the website. You'll be transferred to the page where you can download a folder with the wallpaper in a variety of sizes. The current wallpaper features Dawn and Brian trimming a tree, the way only they could. ;) If there's characters or sizes you'd like to see featured in future wallpaper collections, don't be afraid to request them!
Another big change to be excited about-I finally, FINALLY was able to purchase a personal laminator! This means commissions will be opening up again later this month, kicking off with a first-time-ever badge special! Keep following news updates for more details.
And the biggest event planned for this month, I'll be giving away free sketches at Mr. K's bookstore in the Johnson City location on the 14th, between 12pm-3pm. More details will be posted next week, but we all know how busy this season gets-so mark your calenders now! If you're not able be in Johnson City on that date, I'm also doing a livestream of requests this weekend for practice. I'll be posting the time and details tomorrow, so start finding your reference pictures!
TL;DR: December Donation Wallpaper is up, commissions are coming back, Livestream this weekend, Free sketches at Johnson City's Mr. K's on the 14th, and you are amazingly awesome.
It's November Already?
Posted 12 years agoLast month seemed to go by super-fast. Hopefully everyone had a great October! Thanks to everyone who followed my updates in the October Game-it was an amazing challenge. I finally got to draw some comics that had been in my head for awhile, along with collections of work I thought I'd never have time for. My entire month's gallery (along with several other great artists' work) can be found at the official website: http://www.theoctgame.com/artist/view/17
Now that I've proven to myself I do have time for extra projects, a new feature has been added to the FE website~donation wallpapers! Each month, you can get a brand-new, official FE wallpaper simply by donating $1 or more. Once the transaction is finished, simply click the prompt to return to the website. You'll be transferred to the page where you can download a folder with the wallpaper in a variety of sizes. The current wallpaper is a creation from the October Game, and an example can be seen on the official FE webiste: www.furryexperience.com If there's characters you'd like to see featured in future wallpapers, don't be afraid to request them!
As always, you guys are all awesome~thanks for your continued support of Furry Experience!
Now that I've proven to myself I do have time for extra projects, a new feature has been added to the FE website~donation wallpapers! Each month, you can get a brand-new, official FE wallpaper simply by donating $1 or more. Once the transaction is finished, simply click the prompt to return to the website. You'll be transferred to the page where you can download a folder with the wallpaper in a variety of sizes. The current wallpaper is a creation from the October Game, and an example can be seen on the official FE webiste: www.furryexperience.com If there's characters you'd like to see featured in future wallpapers, don't be afraid to request them!
As always, you guys are all awesome~thanks for your continued support of Furry Experience!
October is Lotta Comics Month
Posted 12 years agoOctober is upon us! It's a time to celebrate the hard work of the summer season and prepare for the coming winter months. FE had a great, productive summer, and it's thanks to all your support~you guys are awesome as always, and I hope winter's going to be just as much fun!
Settling in Tennessee's been going good, so far. All of our boxes are unpacked, and we've been exploring the local comics community. One of these places is Atomik Comiks in Johnson City. They've got a wide selection of hard-to-find comics, and are now carrying issues of 'Perky Goth' on their shelves! If sales go well, they might be willing to carry my furry themed comics in the future. So if you're in the Tri-City area, check them out!
To celebrate this, and make room for new products, my Etsy store is having a clearance sale of artwork and comics on sale for 30% - 50% off their original price! If you've been eyeing a comic or art piece, it's your last chance to own it. The sale can be found at this link: http://www.komiku.etsy.com/
For upcoming print projects, the FE Side Story 'Ice Queen' is still in the works-the script is finished, and I'm working on character designs and thumbnails. Updates of progress are being posted to the FE Forums ( http://furryexperience.forumotion.c.....ice-queen-blog ) If there's in-progress work you'd like to see, now's a great time to request it!
There's also another comic project in the works, but it's top secret at the moment. All I can say is it's something that's been requested a lot, and after some experimentations and research I think it can finally be done. I don't want to get hopes up, so I'm not confirming anything until I'm certain this will work.
And if that wasn't enough comic news, this month I'm participating in the October Game with other local artists! It's a challenge to make one complete work of art a day, for the entire month of October. I'm using this challenge to draw a story I've been wanting to for a long time, doing one comic page a day: "The Golden Windowpanes." My gallery page in the game can be found at this website: http://www.theoctgame.com/artist/view/17
So to recap, this month will have Perky Goth in Atomik Comiks, clearance sale in the Etsy store, Working on Ice Queen, The Golden Windowpanes, and a top secret comic project on top of FE and Imperial G.E.L.F. updates. Will I survive? Only if we clap our hands and believe! ;)
Settling in Tennessee's been going good, so far. All of our boxes are unpacked, and we've been exploring the local comics community. One of these places is Atomik Comiks in Johnson City. They've got a wide selection of hard-to-find comics, and are now carrying issues of 'Perky Goth' on their shelves! If sales go well, they might be willing to carry my furry themed comics in the future. So if you're in the Tri-City area, check them out!
To celebrate this, and make room for new products, my Etsy store is having a clearance sale of artwork and comics on sale for 30% - 50% off their original price! If you've been eyeing a comic or art piece, it's your last chance to own it. The sale can be found at this link: http://www.komiku.etsy.com/
For upcoming print projects, the FE Side Story 'Ice Queen' is still in the works-the script is finished, and I'm working on character designs and thumbnails. Updates of progress are being posted to the FE Forums ( http://furryexperience.forumotion.c.....ice-queen-blog ) If there's in-progress work you'd like to see, now's a great time to request it!
There's also another comic project in the works, but it's top secret at the moment. All I can say is it's something that's been requested a lot, and after some experimentations and research I think it can finally be done. I don't want to get hopes up, so I'm not confirming anything until I'm certain this will work.
And if that wasn't enough comic news, this month I'm participating in the October Game with other local artists! It's a challenge to make one complete work of art a day, for the entire month of October. I'm using this challenge to draw a story I've been wanting to for a long time, doing one comic page a day: "The Golden Windowpanes." My gallery page in the game can be found at this website: http://www.theoctgame.com/artist/view/17
So to recap, this month will have Perky Goth in Atomik Comiks, clearance sale in the Etsy store, Working on Ice Queen, The Golden Windowpanes, and a top secret comic project on top of FE and Imperial G.E.L.F. updates. Will I survive? Only if we clap our hands and believe! ;)
Living in Simpler Times
Posted 12 years agoWe arrived in Tennessee last week, and now we're working on settling into our new home. There's actual cabinets and drawers in the bathroom! 0.0 What will I do with that space? Hope everyone enjoyed the FE Fan Comic Event while I was traveling! If you missed the event, not to worry-it's been uploaded onto the website's (www.furryexperience.com) side story page to read for free~
Since we didn't want to take separate cars across the country, my husband and I opted to have our belongings shipped in large moving crates. We had timed our arrival to our new home to coincide with the crate's delivery, but apparently the best laid plans of mice movers oft go astray. Upon our arrival, we found out the the crates had still not left Utah. Fortunately they're now on their way and should be arriving soon.
However, this puts a kink in my comic-making schedule, since the majority of my tools are still packed up. The solution to this-for the next while I'll be making comics completely on my laptop-as opposed to drawing the panels traditionally and scanning them in for inks and colors.
Since this requires me learning skills most digital artists mastered over ten years ago, the next few pages for FE will be a simple arc, showcasing the ambitions, fears and other quirks of one of the comic's most popular characters, Cat. Hopefully by it's completion I will have mastered digital sketching and have my art supplies back. :)
Since we didn't want to take separate cars across the country, my husband and I opted to have our belongings shipped in large moving crates. We had timed our arrival to our new home to coincide with the crate's delivery, but apparently the best laid plans of mice movers oft go astray. Upon our arrival, we found out the the crates had still not left Utah. Fortunately they're now on their way and should be arriving soon.
However, this puts a kink in my comic-making schedule, since the majority of my tools are still packed up. The solution to this-for the next while I'll be making comics completely on my laptop-as opposed to drawing the panels traditionally and scanning them in for inks and colors.
Since this requires me learning skills most digital artists mastered over ten years ago, the next few pages for FE will be a simple arc, showcasing the ambitions, fears and other quirks of one of the comic's most popular characters, Cat. Hopefully by it's completion I will have mastered digital sketching and have my art supplies back. :)
Thanks and Scheduling
Posted 12 years agoThanks for all the great submissions to this year's Fan Comic Event! This year will feature even more fun new perspectives of Ronnie, Cat, Dawn and their friends.
This next week will be three updates, featuring reader's questions about the FE world answered! Between the 12th-24th, the Fan Comics will be updated nearly daily while I'm moving to Tennessee. After the event, the comics will be added to the Side Story page to read for free anytime.
Again, thanks for everyone's support of Furry Experience. This comic has awesome fans, and I hope you enjoy the event!
This next week will be three updates, featuring reader's questions about the FE world answered! Between the 12th-24th, the Fan Comics will be updated nearly daily while I'm moving to Tennessee. After the event, the comics will be added to the Side Story page to read for free anytime.
Again, thanks for everyone's support of Furry Experience. This comic has awesome fans, and I hope you enjoy the event!
FE Fan Comic Event - Info and Rules
Posted 12 years agoBack for a second year, it's the FE Fan Comic Event!
Between August 12th-24th, I will be moving across the country. During this time, FE fans get the opportunity to show off their comic-making skills! Some requirements have been updated based on last year's experience, so if your interested in participating be sure to read over them.
Each comic submitted will be featured as the latest page on the website between August 12th-24th for an equal amount of time. How long that time is depends on how many submissions are received. All comics will be removed from the archives when the comic resumes on the 26th, but re-uploaded as a FREE digital collection in the Side Story section of the website.
HOW TO ENTER:
Create a comic featuring any number of the Furry Experience cast. This comic can be funny, sad, thoughtful, non-sequitor, whatever your mind can come up with! (As long as it follows the rules and format requirements listed below.) Any material can be used (again, as long as it follows rules and formatting) including pencils, digital art, markers, puppets, etc!*
Comics must be only 1-2 pages. Both two-page short stories or two single page comics will be permitted. Pages must be sized at 800 pixels wide, but can vary in length between 800-3000 pixels. All submissions must be in .JPEG or .PNG format. MAKE SURE YOUR COMIC IS ALREADY FORMATTED CORRECTLY WHEN SUBMITTING. I will not be able to make adjustments after you have submitted, and comics which are not formatted correctly will not be posted.
Because these comics will be complied into a free digital collection on the website after the event ends, you will be required to include a small watermark or mention of copyright somewhere on your page. Your ownership of the comic will also be credited at the end of the collection, as well. If you do not wish your comic to be included in the Side Story collection, or have a specific alias or website you wish to be mentioned when credited, you must indicate such in your submission. Otherwise, you will be credited via whichever name I can find associated with you.
DEADLINE TO ENTER IS MIDNIGHT, AUGUST 3RD (Mountain Standard Time.) This comic works on a tight schedule (most of the time) and that deadline cannot be extended. Plan your time accordingly! Submit all entries to my email at: natalie.ellen87 [at] gmail.com
After submitting your comic, please do not post it elsewhere online until after it has been revealed on the Furry Experience website. (We don't want to spoil the surprise!) After your comic has appeared on the FE website, you may upload it online as much as you like-but make sure you mention the contest it's for, or include a link to the webcomic/my DA or FA account. If the site you're posting on prohibits links-backs, a brief mention of Furry Experience will be fine.
RULES! Failure to comply will disqualify your entry.
Last year, the FE universe could not be altered-but this year, it can. If you want to change the setting, time, or anything else about the FE world, it's up for grabs-as long as it keeps the PG/SFW rating.
If you have original characters, they may make an appearance. But you MUST have complete ownership of your original characters. (No relatives of Renemon or personified pokemon, etc.) If you have any doubts or questions about your character, send me a note.
You will be given full ownership credit for your characters if it appears in your comic. Be aware that by submitting to this contest, you are giving permission for me to post the comic on the FE website as I see fit.
As mentioned before, all designs MUST keep a Safe For Work, PG rating-something you're comfortable showing your family, boss, and children. If you have an idea but you're not sure it will be appropriate, note me a description. Pornographic material will automatically be disqualified.
Also mentioned before, if you choose to upload your comic elsewhere after it has appeared on the Furry Experience website, you must give credit for the FE characters and universe to the creator (myself) by linking back or mentioning where they come from.
Last year's submissions were great, and I can't wait to see what comes up this year! Let's make some comics!
*I am still willing to trade swag for FE puppets.
Between August 12th-24th, I will be moving across the country. During this time, FE fans get the opportunity to show off their comic-making skills! Some requirements have been updated based on last year's experience, so if your interested in participating be sure to read over them.
Each comic submitted will be featured as the latest page on the website between August 12th-24th for an equal amount of time. How long that time is depends on how many submissions are received. All comics will be removed from the archives when the comic resumes on the 26th, but re-uploaded as a FREE digital collection in the Side Story section of the website.
HOW TO ENTER:
Create a comic featuring any number of the Furry Experience cast. This comic can be funny, sad, thoughtful, non-sequitor, whatever your mind can come up with! (As long as it follows the rules and format requirements listed below.) Any material can be used (again, as long as it follows rules and formatting) including pencils, digital art, markers, puppets, etc!*
Comics must be only 1-2 pages. Both two-page short stories or two single page comics will be permitted. Pages must be sized at 800 pixels wide, but can vary in length between 800-3000 pixels. All submissions must be in .JPEG or .PNG format. MAKE SURE YOUR COMIC IS ALREADY FORMATTED CORRECTLY WHEN SUBMITTING. I will not be able to make adjustments after you have submitted, and comics which are not formatted correctly will not be posted.
Because these comics will be complied into a free digital collection on the website after the event ends, you will be required to include a small watermark or mention of copyright somewhere on your page. Your ownership of the comic will also be credited at the end of the collection, as well. If you do not wish your comic to be included in the Side Story collection, or have a specific alias or website you wish to be mentioned when credited, you must indicate such in your submission. Otherwise, you will be credited via whichever name I can find associated with you.
DEADLINE TO ENTER IS MIDNIGHT, AUGUST 3RD (Mountain Standard Time.) This comic works on a tight schedule (most of the time) and that deadline cannot be extended. Plan your time accordingly! Submit all entries to my email at: natalie.ellen87 [at] gmail.com
After submitting your comic, please do not post it elsewhere online until after it has been revealed on the Furry Experience website. (We don't want to spoil the surprise!) After your comic has appeared on the FE website, you may upload it online as much as you like-but make sure you mention the contest it's for, or include a link to the webcomic/my DA or FA account. If the site you're posting on prohibits links-backs, a brief mention of Furry Experience will be fine.
RULES! Failure to comply will disqualify your entry.
Last year, the FE universe could not be altered-but this year, it can. If you want to change the setting, time, or anything else about the FE world, it's up for grabs-as long as it keeps the PG/SFW rating.
If you have original characters, they may make an appearance. But you MUST have complete ownership of your original characters. (No relatives of Renemon or personified pokemon, etc.) If you have any doubts or questions about your character, send me a note.
You will be given full ownership credit for your characters if it appears in your comic. Be aware that by submitting to this contest, you are giving permission for me to post the comic on the FE website as I see fit.
As mentioned before, all designs MUST keep a Safe For Work, PG rating-something you're comfortable showing your family, boss, and children. If you have an idea but you're not sure it will be appropriate, note me a description. Pornographic material will automatically be disqualified.
Also mentioned before, if you choose to upload your comic elsewhere after it has appeared on the Furry Experience website, you must give credit for the FE characters and universe to the creator (myself) by linking back or mentioning where they come from.
Last year's submissions were great, and I can't wait to see what comes up this year! Let's make some comics!
*I am still willing to trade swag for FE puppets.
Mystery Envelopes Are Coming
Posted 12 years agoFor those who may have missed earlier announcements, my husband and I moving across the country this August. Over the past couple months we've been getting rid of a lot of things that won't be moving with us-including artwork I've created over the past four years.
To help find new homes for the more completed works, starting Sunday I'll be hosting a Mystery Envelope Moving Sale over my FA account. Each day, a new collection of artwork will be posted in the gallery, available to purchase for $15 each. ($18 for orders shipping outside the US, shipping costs are included in prices.)
Why are these collections being called "Mystery Envelopes?" Because when posted, only two of the fifteen sheets will be shown in each collection-the rest will be a surprise when they arrive! Each envelope will have a diverse collection of colored works, inked pieces, and original sketches used in the comic pages. These pieces will come from various projects over the past four years, including Furry Experience, Black Dawn, Sin, and art classes.*
Payment details will be included with each post, but for now be aware that buying will be first come, first serve-so if you're interested in original artwork at a low cost, ($1 each!) keep your eyes on the gallery this week.
*Black Dawn and Sin are previous webcomic projects I've participated in. They can be found at these links:
http://black-dawn-chronicle.deviantart.com/
http://sincomic.smackjeeves.com/
To help find new homes for the more completed works, starting Sunday I'll be hosting a Mystery Envelope Moving Sale over my FA account. Each day, a new collection of artwork will be posted in the gallery, available to purchase for $15 each. ($18 for orders shipping outside the US, shipping costs are included in prices.)
Why are these collections being called "Mystery Envelopes?" Because when posted, only two of the fifteen sheets will be shown in each collection-the rest will be a surprise when they arrive! Each envelope will have a diverse collection of colored works, inked pieces, and original sketches used in the comic pages. These pieces will come from various projects over the past four years, including Furry Experience, Black Dawn, Sin, and art classes.*
Payment details will be included with each post, but for now be aware that buying will be first come, first serve-so if you're interested in original artwork at a low cost, ($1 each!) keep your eyes on the gallery this week.
*Black Dawn and Sin are previous webcomic projects I've participated in. They can be found at these links:
http://black-dawn-chronicle.deviantart.com/
http://sincomic.smackjeeves.com/
Big Changes and Upcoming Plans
Posted 12 years agoI've said this before, but thanks again for everyone's participation in the Free Comic Book Day events last month-it was a great experience, and hopefully next year's will be even more enjoyable! If you haven't downloaded the free wallpapers yet from the Facebook contest, the links to download them can be found at this submission: http://ellen-natalie.deviantart.com.....pers-374727724 (Or find it's FA counterpart in the gallery)
Another exciting thing that's happened since then-my husband was officially accepted into Grad school! I'm so proud of him-this is a goal he's worked towards for years. This also means in August, we'll be moving to his new school in Tennessee.
While I'm trying to not have this move delay commissions or comic updates, there unfortunately won't be a livestream for the next few months - since most of that equipment is being packed up. There will, however, be another Fan Comic Event in August. (Details will be posted in July, but those who like to work ahead can get started!)
Also, while packing I've come across large piles of artwork that will not be moving with us. If you've ever been interested owning original artwork from FE, keep your eyes open this month for collections of it available at a low price.
Hope your summer is filled with fun and exciting changes, and thanks for your continued support of FE ~ You're all awesome!
Another exciting thing that's happened since then-my husband was officially accepted into Grad school! I'm so proud of him-this is a goal he's worked towards for years. This also means in August, we'll be moving to his new school in Tennessee.
While I'm trying to not have this move delay commissions or comic updates, there unfortunately won't be a livestream for the next few months - since most of that equipment is being packed up. There will, however, be another Fan Comic Event in August. (Details will be posted in July, but those who like to work ahead can get started!)
Also, while packing I've come across large piles of artwork that will not be moving with us. If you've ever been interested owning original artwork from FE, keep your eyes open this month for collections of it available at a low price.
Hope your summer is filled with fun and exciting changes, and thanks for your continued support of FE ~ You're all awesome!
FCBD and Wallpaper Results
Posted 12 years agoSaturday was fantastic! I've said before FE has awesome fans, and it's been proven again. As mentioned in the last twitter post, so many people showed up I was drawing for about eight straight hours. Several of you drove in from all over, and waited patiently when a line started forming. I took as many pictures as I had time for, (wish I'd had time to photograph you all!) Which as been uploaded to this Facebook album.
I can't thank you guys enough for all your help with this event-those of you able to come down, attend the practice Livestream, and spreading the word through liking/sharing the cosplay flyers. Speaking of which, here's the results of the Desktop Wallpaper contest:
Storm Dawn: 26 total
Raven Ronnie: 25 total
Cardcaptor Cat: 22 total
Adventure Time Vikki: 15 total
So around the end of this month, a desktop wallpaper of Storm Dawn will be available to download for free! Unfortunately the goal of 500 followers wasn't met to get all the cosplays as wallpapers, but we did reach 375-exactly 3/4 of that goal. So, I'm also going to release a second free wallpaper, featuring all the cosplays.
So again, much thanks to everyone-FE has awesome fans!
I can't thank you guys enough for all your help with this event-those of you able to come down, attend the practice Livestream, and spreading the word through liking/sharing the cosplay flyers. Speaking of which, here's the results of the Desktop Wallpaper contest:
Storm Dawn: 26 total
Raven Ronnie: 25 total
Cardcaptor Cat: 22 total
Adventure Time Vikki: 15 total
So around the end of this month, a desktop wallpaper of Storm Dawn will be available to download for free! Unfortunately the goal of 500 followers wasn't met to get all the cosplays as wallpapers, but we did reach 375-exactly 3/4 of that goal. So, I'm also going to release a second free wallpaper, featuring all the cosplays.
So again, much thanks to everyone-FE has awesome fans!
Cosplay Desktop Update
Posted 12 years agoFor those curious about the cosplay totals so far on the FE Facebook page, here is how they're currently ranked by their total likes/shares:
Raven Ronnie - 24
Storm Dawn - 22
Cardcaptor Cat - 20
Adventure Time Vikki - 15
Your favorite not winning? There's still time! The cosplay with the most likes/shares by midnight, May 4th (MST) will be make into a free desktop wallpaper. Also remember, if this page reached 500 followers by that deadline, All the cosplay images will be made into free wallpapers.
Thanks to everyone's support in helping spread the word about FCBD ~ hope everyone's excited for May 4th!
Raven Ronnie - 24
Storm Dawn - 22
Cardcaptor Cat - 20
Adventure Time Vikki - 15
Your favorite not winning? There's still time! The cosplay with the most likes/shares by midnight, May 4th (MST) will be make into a free desktop wallpaper. Also remember, if this page reached 500 followers by that deadline, All the cosplay images will be made into free wallpapers.
Thanks to everyone's support in helping spread the word about FCBD ~ hope everyone's excited for May 4th!
Free Sketches Livestream Details for Tomorrow
Posted 12 years agoFor those following updates of the FCBD Requests Livestream, it will be starting April 20th (tomorrow) at 4pm (Mountain Standard Time) at this link: http://www.livestream.com/ellennatalie
I don’t have an exact schedule of how long it will go, but I’m planning on at least a few hours. For those who haven’t been following, I’m hosting a Free Requests Livestream tomorrow to get some practice in for handing out free sketches at Orem’s Dragon’s Keep store on May 4th. (I’m also hoping to make up for the Requests Livestream that never happened last year due to technical difficulties.)
If you wish to participate, do NOT post your request in the comments or send me notes-such requests will be ignored. Instead, have a link with an image of your character ready to present in the livestream chat. To avoid spamming in the chat, post your link only ONCE in the chat unless asked otherwise. After each sketch, new links that have been posted (if there are any) will be added to those already collected, and the character to sketch will be chosen by singing lottery. I apologize in advance for this, but it seemed to be the only fair way.
Participants can have more than one request, but to ensure everyone has a fair chance of getting a sketch only one request can be submitted to the lottery at a time. Only after your request has won a lottery may you submit a new link for the next lottery.
As it’s been stated earlier, when selecting an image to present for the lottery keep in mind this stream is practice for creating quick, black and white sketches in a family-friendly store. Images that are provocative or fetish-related won’t be accepted. Trademarked characters will be accepted. (Since I’ll probably get requests for them at the event-gotta practice!) After the stream, all the sketches will be uploaded so you can download a digital copy of your favorites.
I’m testing the equiptment/setups tonight to make sure everything runs smoothly, so I apologize if anyone catches weird camera angles. See you guys tomorrow!
I don’t have an exact schedule of how long it will go, but I’m planning on at least a few hours. For those who haven’t been following, I’m hosting a Free Requests Livestream tomorrow to get some practice in for handing out free sketches at Orem’s Dragon’s Keep store on May 4th. (I’m also hoping to make up for the Requests Livestream that never happened last year due to technical difficulties.)
If you wish to participate, do NOT post your request in the comments or send me notes-such requests will be ignored. Instead, have a link with an image of your character ready to present in the livestream chat. To avoid spamming in the chat, post your link only ONCE in the chat unless asked otherwise. After each sketch, new links that have been posted (if there are any) will be added to those already collected, and the character to sketch will be chosen by singing lottery. I apologize in advance for this, but it seemed to be the only fair way.
Participants can have more than one request, but to ensure everyone has a fair chance of getting a sketch only one request can be submitted to the lottery at a time. Only after your request has won a lottery may you submit a new link for the next lottery.
As it’s been stated earlier, when selecting an image to present for the lottery keep in mind this stream is practice for creating quick, black and white sketches in a family-friendly store. Images that are provocative or fetish-related won’t be accepted. Trademarked characters will be accepted. (Since I’ll probably get requests for them at the event-gotta practice!) After the stream, all the sketches will be uploaded so you can download a digital copy of your favorites.
I’m testing the equiptment/setups tonight to make sure everything runs smoothly, so I apologize if anyone catches weird camera angles. See you guys tomorrow!
Springtime - The Season of Free Art
Posted 12 years agoLooks like the calender and weather are finally in agreement-it’s springtime! Time to flex my drawing muscles and get to work~
Last month I announced about being invited to be at guest at the Dragon’s Keep Comic/Game shop in Orem, UT for Free Comic Book Day on May 4th. Stop by to pick up free comics from the shop and a free sketch drawn by me!
Can’t make it that day? No worries! I’ll be preparing for FCBD sketches by doing a requests livestream on April 20th. To find out who actually reads these announcements, do NOT post requests in the comments or send me a note-such requests will be ignored. Instead, have a link with an image of your character ready to present in the livestream chat, where requests will be chosen by lottery. As you’re selecting an image to present for the lottery, keep in mind this stream is practice for creating quick, black and white sketches in a family-friendly store. Images that are provocative or fetish-related won’t be accepted. Trademarked characters will be accepted. (Since I’ll probably get requests for them at the event-gotta practice!) After the stream, all the sketches will be uploaded so you can download a digital copy of your favorites. Details of the time will be announced as the 20th gets closer.
Can’t make FCBD or the livestream? You still have no reason to worry! Each Wednesday on the FE Facebook page I’m counting down the days to the event by posting an image of an FE character cosplaying as a comic book character. Be sure to ‘like’ and ‘share’ your favorite costumes and/or characters, because the costumed character with the highest total of shares and likes as of Midnight on May 6th (MST) will be made into a desktop wallpaper, free to download!
So that’s a free art livestream, free art on Free Comic Book Day, AND free art to be able to download for a wallpaper. Who else is looking forward to the next month?
Last month I announced about being invited to be at guest at the Dragon’s Keep Comic/Game shop in Orem, UT for Free Comic Book Day on May 4th. Stop by to pick up free comics from the shop and a free sketch drawn by me!
Can’t make it that day? No worries! I’ll be preparing for FCBD sketches by doing a requests livestream on April 20th. To find out who actually reads these announcements, do NOT post requests in the comments or send me a note-such requests will be ignored. Instead, have a link with an image of your character ready to present in the livestream chat, where requests will be chosen by lottery. As you’re selecting an image to present for the lottery, keep in mind this stream is practice for creating quick, black and white sketches in a family-friendly store. Images that are provocative or fetish-related won’t be accepted. Trademarked characters will be accepted. (Since I’ll probably get requests for them at the event-gotta practice!) After the stream, all the sketches will be uploaded so you can download a digital copy of your favorites. Details of the time will be announced as the 20th gets closer.
Can’t make FCBD or the livestream? You still have no reason to worry! Each Wednesday on the FE Facebook page I’m counting down the days to the event by posting an image of an FE character cosplaying as a comic book character. Be sure to ‘like’ and ‘share’ your favorite costumes and/or characters, because the costumed character with the highest total of shares and likes as of Midnight on May 6th (MST) will be made into a desktop wallpaper, free to download!
So that’s a free art livestream, free art on Free Comic Book Day, AND free art to be able to download for a wallpaper. Who else is looking forward to the next month?
Voting, Livestream and Free Art
Posted 12 years agoIt’s Springtime! I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited about warm sunshine greeting me in the morning. And there’s plenty to get excited about for Furry Experience, as well. For starters, after a long winter of writing it’s time to start drawing a new Side Story! For those not aware, Side Stories are additional, stand-alone FE stories available to purchase in print or on the website. While last year’s story (Brian’s Big Date) was kept a surprise, this year I’ll be posting in-progress artwork and notes on the FE forums as the Side Story is worked on. And what will the next Side Story be? You get to choose! A poll is up on the forums to decide which of the Side Stories written this winter will be made first.
Speaking of voting, I owe a sincere thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate FE for the Ursa Major Awards-I’m always amazed and in awe at how supportive fans of FE are. Unfortunately, FE did not get enough nominations to make the final five. But there’s always next year, and in the meantime there’s s still several great Anthro-themed works that can be reviewed and voted on-check them out!
Another great thing happening in the Spring is Free Comic Book Day, on May 4th! Don’t know what FCBD is? Basically, participating comic stores give away free comics. Awesome, right? What’s better than free comics? Free comics, AND free art! This year, my local comic/game store has invited me as a guest artist to help celebrate. Anyone who comes down to the Dragon’s Keep in Orem to pick up free comics can also pick up a free sketch by yours truly! (For as long as my supplies will last me-I’ll try to stock up. ) I’ll post updates with more details as I get them, but in the meantime here’s the main website to learn more about FCBD.
As part of preparation for this event, I need practice sketching/experimenting with the materials I’ll be able to bring. To help with this, I’ll be hosting a request-oriented livestream in April. (You know, the one I’ve been promising for months ^^; ) More details about this livestream, and how to submit requests for it will be posted at the start of April.
So as you can see, there’s lots to be excited about! Thanks again to everyone to takes the time to send kind notes, share FE with their friends, and even just taking a few minutes to read the updates each week. Like I’ve said many times before, FE has the best fans! You guys are awesome, and have earned a great spring season!
Speaking of voting, I owe a sincere thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate FE for the Ursa Major Awards-I’m always amazed and in awe at how supportive fans of FE are. Unfortunately, FE did not get enough nominations to make the final five. But there’s always next year, and in the meantime there’s s still several great Anthro-themed works that can be reviewed and voted on-check them out!
Another great thing happening in the Spring is Free Comic Book Day, on May 4th! Don’t know what FCBD is? Basically, participating comic stores give away free comics. Awesome, right? What’s better than free comics? Free comics, AND free art! This year, my local comic/game store has invited me as a guest artist to help celebrate. Anyone who comes down to the Dragon’s Keep in Orem to pick up free comics can also pick up a free sketch by yours truly! (For as long as my supplies will last me-I’ll try to stock up. ) I’ll post updates with more details as I get them, but in the meantime here’s the main website to learn more about FCBD.
As part of preparation for this event, I need practice sketching/experimenting with the materials I’ll be able to bring. To help with this, I’ll be hosting a request-oriented livestream in April. (You know, the one I’ve been promising for months ^^; ) More details about this livestream, and how to submit requests for it will be posted at the start of April.
So as you can see, there’s lots to be excited about! Thanks again to everyone to takes the time to send kind notes, share FE with their friends, and even just taking a few minutes to read the updates each week. Like I’ve said many times before, FE has the best fans! You guys are awesome, and have earned a great spring season!
Uh-oh. A Webcomic Evaluation Meme
Posted 12 years agoFound this on Zimeta's (Crazy awesome comic artist: http://zimeta.deviantart.com/) journal. How does Furry Experience hold up? (I'm working from a script with arcs planned pretty far in advance, so there's some spoilers hidden in here)
[] Your story takes place in high school
[] Your story's main characters are teenagers
[x] Your story has a love triangle
[] Your characters have to save the world
[] Your female characters are all sassy
[] Your male characters are all rebellious
[x] The main plot of your story involves who ends up with who (There's a few big arcs featured around romantic pairings, anyway.)
[] Your characters use magic
[x] You have more than five main characters (Six. Dangit.)
[] All of your characters end up with someone
[] Your comic is a BL/yuri/yaoi comic
[] You have a character who's straight, but gets confused and falls in love with a gay person
[] Your comic is about wolves
[] Your comic has a badguy who is bad with no explanation as to why he/she's bad
[x] Your comic has an overly promiscuous character
[1/2] You plug in fan-service wherever possible (Do ponies count?)
[] You're making your comic just to draw people making out/having sex
[] Your characters are human but have animal appendages (i.e. cat ears and a tail) for no reason
[] You're making a manga that reads right to left, even though you're not Japanese and it's in English
[] Your comic is a fan comic
[] All of your characters are good-looking
[x] Your comic involves forbidden love (I'm not sure I'd use the word 'forbidden,' 'cause it's not illegal. But for other reasons they will not be allowed to date.)
[] All of your characters have special weapons which they always carry around
[] You main character has a rival who he'/she eventually becomes friends/lovers with
[1/2] Your comic has see-though speech balloons (Not all the time-just thought balloons.)
[x] Your character meets the person he/she will fall in love with in the first chapter (I'm counting this as 'love at first sight' thing.)
[] Your comic involves the four elements as a magical theme (By your powers combined, I am CAPTAIN AVATAR!)
[] Your comic has a good girl who falls for a bad boy
[] All your characters are goth/dress darkly
[] Your comic has a human who falls in love with someone who's not human
[] Your comic has a main badguy, who your main character has to kill in the end
[x] Most of your panels don't have backgrounds (I'm working to change that. Sorta.)
[] You haven't considered a theme for your story
[] When you don't know what to do next, you just add filler that has nothing to do with anything
[] Your story is really confusing and people have told you so
[] Most of your characters are vulgar/swear all the time
[] Your first chapter is really confusing to draw people in
[] Within the first chapter, you've introduced ten or more characters
[x] You forget to carry though ideas you introduced early on in the comic (I should write a book. 'What I Wish I'd Known when starting a Webcomic.')
[] you beat people over the head with your opinions/beliefs and don't give consideration to the other side of the argument, and people have told you so on several occasions by debating with you.
Total = 7/40
If 10 or less, you're doing well. (Whoo-hoo!)
If 20 or more, you may want to consider changing things.
If inbetween 10 and 20, critique yourself and consider things for your next comic.
How good/unique/good is your comic?
[] You have a beginning, middle and end planned out before you start (For most arcs)
[x] Your comic has a theme/purpose (No matter who you are or what you believe, we all want respect, love and laughter.)
[x] Your comic's main characters are adults or kids (College students-technically adults!)
[] Your comic starts with your main character already married
[x] Your character doesn't meet his/her love interest in the first chapter (There's a few like that.)
[] One of your main characters has kids
[1/2] Your characters don't use magic (Except the White Board.)
[1/2] Your characters don't have individualized weapons they carry around all day (Except Crazy Mousetta.)
[x] Your story is fiction - it doesn't have fantasy elements like magic.
[x] Your characters have real flaws and feel like real people (only check if your readers have told you so) (And readers have told me so! ^^ )
[x] One of your characters has some sort of physical defect
[x] One of your characters has some sort of psychological defect (Also not coming-for a great, great while.)
[] Your comic has a bad guy who your main character wants to save
[] Your comic is NOT a romance comic (It's not always there, but it's a recurring theme.)
[x] You're not making a comic just to draw people making out/love
[] You don't have any filler in your comic (I post detours, but only because of scheduling conflicts-not because I don't know where the story is going.)
[] You have only a few main characters (Which apparently is 5 or less.)
[] Your story is simple as opposed to overly complex (depends on the arc)
[] Your main character does not have a love interest
[1/2] Your comic has solid speech balloons (Most of the time!)
[1/2] Most of your panels have backgrounds (When needed-usually establishing shots.)
[x] Your comic doesn't have a villain
[x] You have at least one fat person in your comic (So far he's only shown up once.)
[x] Your female characters are strong based on their personalities and faults rather than how good they are at beating people with a weapon (Except Crazy Mousetta.)
[x] All of your characters dress differently
[x] The world you've created is unique, and your readers have told you so (FE readers rock!)
[] Your comic is sci-fi
[] Your comic does NOT have a love triangle
[x] Your comic is about something you're passionate about/ you have a message
[1/2] Your comic does NOT involve forbidden love
[x] If your comic has gay characters, the fact that they're gay doesn't have to do with the main plot (I'm looking forward to this especially)
[1/2] Your story has twists (I try to be surprising, then people guess what happens)
[x] Your story has set-ups and pay-offs
[x] When your female characters talk to each other, they talk about things other than romance with boys
[x] Your comic has an old person (Parents are old, right?)
[x] If your main character is falling in love, he/she doesn't kiss the other person until far into the comic
[x] Your comic is NOT a fan comic
[x] Your main character is different at the end of the story than he/she is at the beginning (College has a way of doing that.)
[1/2] Your characters all have different facial structures/silhouettes; they're all unique from each other and your readers have told you so (silhouettes, yes-facial structures, debatable.)
[x] You put your beliefs/opinions into your comic, but you also show the other side of the argument as having its own merits. (It's required research into hot button issues I always tried to avoid before.)
25.5/40
If 10 or less, rethink your story
If 10 or more, you're doing well
If 20 or more, you're doing fantastic! (Double Whoo-hoo!)
[] Your story takes place in high school
[] Your story's main characters are teenagers
[x] Your story has a love triangle
[] Your characters have to save the world
[] Your female characters are all sassy
[] Your male characters are all rebellious
[x] The main plot of your story involves who ends up with who (There's a few big arcs featured around romantic pairings, anyway.)
[] Your characters use magic
[x] You have more than five main characters (Six. Dangit.)
[] All of your characters end up with someone
[] Your comic is a BL/yuri/yaoi comic
[] You have a character who's straight, but gets confused and falls in love with a gay person
[] Your comic is about wolves
[] Your comic has a badguy who is bad with no explanation as to why he/she's bad
[x] Your comic has an overly promiscuous character
[1/2] You plug in fan-service wherever possible (Do ponies count?)
[] You're making your comic just to draw people making out/having sex
[] Your characters are human but have animal appendages (i.e. cat ears and a tail) for no reason
[] You're making a manga that reads right to left, even though you're not Japanese and it's in English
[] Your comic is a fan comic
[] All of your characters are good-looking
[x] Your comic involves forbidden love (I'm not sure I'd use the word 'forbidden,' 'cause it's not illegal. But for other reasons they will not be allowed to date.)
[] All of your characters have special weapons which they always carry around
[] You main character has a rival who he'/she eventually becomes friends/lovers with
[1/2] Your comic has see-though speech balloons (Not all the time-just thought balloons.)
[x] Your character meets the person he/she will fall in love with in the first chapter (I'm counting this as 'love at first sight' thing.)
[] Your comic involves the four elements as a magical theme (By your powers combined, I am CAPTAIN AVATAR!)
[] Your comic has a good girl who falls for a bad boy
[] All your characters are goth/dress darkly
[] Your comic has a human who falls in love with someone who's not human
[] Your comic has a main badguy, who your main character has to kill in the end
[x] Most of your panels don't have backgrounds (I'm working to change that. Sorta.)
[] You haven't considered a theme for your story
[] When you don't know what to do next, you just add filler that has nothing to do with anything
[] Your story is really confusing and people have told you so
[] Most of your characters are vulgar/swear all the time
[] Your first chapter is really confusing to draw people in
[] Within the first chapter, you've introduced ten or more characters
[x] You forget to carry though ideas you introduced early on in the comic (I should write a book. 'What I Wish I'd Known when starting a Webcomic.')
[] you beat people over the head with your opinions/beliefs and don't give consideration to the other side of the argument, and people have told you so on several occasions by debating with you.
Total = 7/40
If 10 or less, you're doing well. (Whoo-hoo!)
If 20 or more, you may want to consider changing things.
If inbetween 10 and 20, critique yourself and consider things for your next comic.
How good/unique/good is your comic?
[] You have a beginning, middle and end planned out before you start (For most arcs)
[x] Your comic has a theme/purpose (No matter who you are or what you believe, we all want respect, love and laughter.)
[x] Your comic's main characters are adults or kids (College students-technically adults!)
[] Your comic starts with your main character already married
[x] Your character doesn't meet his/her love interest in the first chapter (There's a few like that.)
[] One of your main characters has kids
[1/2] Your characters don't use magic (Except the White Board.)
[1/2] Your characters don't have individualized weapons they carry around all day (Except Crazy Mousetta.)
[x] Your story is fiction - it doesn't have fantasy elements like magic.
[x] Your characters have real flaws and feel like real people (only check if your readers have told you so) (And readers have told me so! ^^ )
[x] One of your characters has some sort of physical defect
[x] One of your characters has some sort of psychological defect (Also not coming-for a great, great while.)
[] Your comic has a bad guy who your main character wants to save
[] Your comic is NOT a romance comic (It's not always there, but it's a recurring theme.)
[x] You're not making a comic just to draw people making out/love
[] You don't have any filler in your comic (I post detours, but only because of scheduling conflicts-not because I don't know where the story is going.)
[] You have only a few main characters (Which apparently is 5 or less.)
[] Your story is simple as opposed to overly complex (depends on the arc)
[] Your main character does not have a love interest
[1/2] Your comic has solid speech balloons (Most of the time!)
[1/2] Most of your panels have backgrounds (When needed-usually establishing shots.)
[x] Your comic doesn't have a villain
[x] You have at least one fat person in your comic (So far he's only shown up once.)
[x] Your female characters are strong based on their personalities and faults rather than how good they are at beating people with a weapon (Except Crazy Mousetta.)
[x] All of your characters dress differently
[x] The world you've created is unique, and your readers have told you so (FE readers rock!)
[] Your comic is sci-fi
[] Your comic does NOT have a love triangle
[x] Your comic is about something you're passionate about/ you have a message
[1/2] Your comic does NOT involve forbidden love
[x] If your comic has gay characters, the fact that they're gay doesn't have to do with the main plot (I'm looking forward to this especially)
[1/2] Your story has twists (I try to be surprising, then people guess what happens)
[x] Your story has set-ups and pay-offs
[x] When your female characters talk to each other, they talk about things other than romance with boys
[x] Your comic has an old person (Parents are old, right?)
[x] If your main character is falling in love, he/she doesn't kiss the other person until far into the comic
[x] Your comic is NOT a fan comic
[x] Your main character is different at the end of the story than he/she is at the beginning (College has a way of doing that.)
[1/2] Your characters all have different facial structures/silhouettes; they're all unique from each other and your readers have told you so (silhouettes, yes-facial structures, debatable.)
[x] You put your beliefs/opinions into your comic, but you also show the other side of the argument as having its own merits. (It's required research into hot button issues I always tried to avoid before.)
25.5/40
If 10 or less, rethink your story
If 10 or more, you're doing well
If 20 or more, you're doing fantastic! (Double Whoo-hoo!)
Updates, Voting and Valentines
Posted 12 years agoIt's a New Year! I've been getting excited writing this year's script for Furry Experience. It's full of new faces and places I've been looking forward to since day one. (We're FINALLY getting to the pirates this year! YES!) I hope everyone enjoys what's to come!
There's other fantastic things happening as well-FE has been added to the 'Recommended' list of the Ursa Major Awards, and in the running to be nominated for Best Graphic Story. Now, FE's been recommended before, and I'm always thrilled when it is. But 2012 was such a big year for FE, growing in audience size, character development, and artistic skills-I'm really hoping FE has the honor of being nominated. If you'd like to nominate FE, or just check out all the amazing Anthro work created in the last year, here's a link to their website:
http://www.ursamajorawards.org/nominations/
There's also another voting competition going on, but this time the winner is you! To help design some free Valentines for next month, the FE Forums is hosting a poll for characters you'd like featured for February 14th: http://furryexperience.forumotion.c.....g-for-feb-14th
I mentioned earlier about growth in artistic skills-while I'm always striving to put out the best work I can for FE, comparing my best from three years ago to today is quite a difference. While it's fantastic the FE comics are getting better, it means other parts of FE will also need to be updated. You may have already noticed the website banner updated, but also keep your eyes open for new character images, link-back banners, and Facebook pics. And if I accidentally crash something while updating these images, I sincerely apologize.
I always say it and I always mean it, Furry Experience has AWESOME fans! Thanks for supporting FE, and here's to an AMAZING new year!
There's other fantastic things happening as well-FE has been added to the 'Recommended' list of the Ursa Major Awards, and in the running to be nominated for Best Graphic Story. Now, FE's been recommended before, and I'm always thrilled when it is. But 2012 was such a big year for FE, growing in audience size, character development, and artistic skills-I'm really hoping FE has the honor of being nominated. If you'd like to nominate FE, or just check out all the amazing Anthro work created in the last year, here's a link to their website:
http://www.ursamajorawards.org/nominations/
There's also another voting competition going on, but this time the winner is you! To help design some free Valentines for next month, the FE Forums is hosting a poll for characters you'd like featured for February 14th: http://furryexperience.forumotion.c.....g-for-feb-14th
I mentioned earlier about growth in artistic skills-while I'm always striving to put out the best work I can for FE, comparing my best from three years ago to today is quite a difference. While it's fantastic the FE comics are getting better, it means other parts of FE will also need to be updated. You may have already noticed the website banner updated, but also keep your eyes open for new character images, link-back banners, and Facebook pics. And if I accidentally crash something while updating these images, I sincerely apologize.
I always say it and I always mean it, Furry Experience has AWESOME fans! Thanks for supporting FE, and here's to an AMAZING new year!
Yes/No Meme
Posted 13 years agoHaving trouble falling asleep, and my apartment's completely dry now-so I've been meaning to post a new journal. Found this meme that looked fun. (Feel free to skip if you are not a fan of list-of-question Memes.) Stole it from 
beaglederp
Kissed any one of your Facebook friends? - Yes (My husband. Technically, he set up the account for me after we married. Does that still count?)
Been arrested? - No
Kissed someone you didn't like? - Yes (On the cheek.)
Slept in until 5 PM? - No
Fallen asleep at work/school? - YES
Ran a red light? - Yes
Been suspended from school? - No
Experienced love at first sight? - Yes. (Wait, do cartoons count?)
Totaled your car in an accident? - No
Been fired from a job? - Yes
Fired somebody? - No
Sang karaoke? - Yes (It was our final in Japanese class.)
Pointed a gun at someone? - Yes (Totally on accident, during a gun safety review with my Dad.)
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? - Yes ("I'm not eating anymore cookies. Hey, where did this half-eaten cookie in my hand come from?")
Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? - No
Caught a snowflake on your tongue? - YES
Kissed in the rain? - No
Had a close brush with death (your own)? - Yes (Driving in the canyons during a snowstorm is TERRIFYING.)
Seen someone die? - Yes (Car accident. Didn't know them personally.)
Played spin-the-bottle? - No
Sang in the shower? - Yes
Smoked a cigar? - No
Sat on a rooftop? - Yes
Taken pictures of yourself naked? - No
Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes? - No (Pushed, no. Jumped in myself, on the other hand... >.> )
Skipped school? - Yes
Eaten a bug? - Yes (Apparently, we all eat spiders in our sleep.)
Sleepwalked? - No
Walked a moonlit beach? - Yes
Ridden a motorcycle? - Yes
Dumped someone? - Yes
Forgotten your anniversary? - Yes (I don't even know which anniversary is being referring to.)
Lied to avoid a ticket? - Yes ("I had no idea this area was considered a residential zone, officer...")
Ridden on a helicopter? - Yes
Shaved your head? - No
Blacked out from drinking? - No
Played a prank on someone? - Yes (And it was genius!)
Hit a home run? - No
Felt like killing someone? - Yes (I worked in retail.)
Cross-dressed? - No
Been falling-down drunk? - No
Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? - No (Unless they cried when I wasn't looking :( )
Eaten snake? - Yes (Dad ran it over, brought it home and cooked it on the grill.)
Marched/Protested? - No
Had Mexican jumping beans for pets? - No
Puked on an amusement ride? - No
Seriously & intentionally boycotted something? - Yes
Been in a band? - No
Knitted? - Yes (Knitted successfully? No.)
Been on TV? - Yes
Shot a gun? - Yes (It's a family activity.)
Skinny-dipped? - No
Caused someone to need stitches? - Yes (Myself counts, right? I really shouldn't have been laying down in front of that bike...)
Ridden a surfboard? - No
Drank straight from a liquor bottle? - No
Had surgery? - Yes (If oral surgery counts)
Streaked? - No
Taken by ambulance to hospital? - No
Passed out when not drinking? - Yes (Never lock your knees. Ever.)
Peed on a bush? - Yes (Spent 1/3 of my life camping.)
Donated Blood? - Yes
Grabbed electric fence? - No
Eaten alligator meat? - No
Eaten cheesecake? - Yes
Eaten kids' Halloween candy? - Yes
Killed an animal when not hunting? - No
Peed your pants in public? - No
Written graffiti? - Yes
Still love someone you shouldn't? - No
Think about the future? - Yes
Been in handcuffs? - Yes
Believe in love? - Yes
Sleep on a certain side of the bed? - Yes
Been to a furry convention? - No. (Hopefully that'll change next year.)
Own a fursuit? - No
Bungee-Jumped? - No
Stolen something? - Yes
Kissed someone, same gender? - No
Kissed someone, different gender? - Yes
Had sex in public? - No
Skipped a night? - Uh...wha?
Lied? - Yes
Created a Meme? - No
Been to another continent? - No (Hopefully that'll change, too.)
Been in a country without knowing the language? - No
Have seen a parent naked? - No
beaglederpKissed any one of your Facebook friends? - Yes (My husband. Technically, he set up the account for me after we married. Does that still count?)
Been arrested? - No
Kissed someone you didn't like? - Yes (On the cheek.)
Slept in until 5 PM? - No
Fallen asleep at work/school? - YES
Ran a red light? - Yes
Been suspended from school? - No
Experienced love at first sight? - Yes. (Wait, do cartoons count?)
Totaled your car in an accident? - No
Been fired from a job? - Yes
Fired somebody? - No
Sang karaoke? - Yes (It was our final in Japanese class.)
Pointed a gun at someone? - Yes (Totally on accident, during a gun safety review with my Dad.)
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? - Yes ("I'm not eating anymore cookies. Hey, where did this half-eaten cookie in my hand come from?")
Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? - No
Caught a snowflake on your tongue? - YES
Kissed in the rain? - No
Had a close brush with death (your own)? - Yes (Driving in the canyons during a snowstorm is TERRIFYING.)
Seen someone die? - Yes (Car accident. Didn't know them personally.)
Played spin-the-bottle? - No
Sang in the shower? - Yes
Smoked a cigar? - No
Sat on a rooftop? - Yes
Taken pictures of yourself naked? - No
Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes? - No (Pushed, no. Jumped in myself, on the other hand... >.> )
Skipped school? - Yes
Eaten a bug? - Yes (Apparently, we all eat spiders in our sleep.)
Sleepwalked? - No
Walked a moonlit beach? - Yes
Ridden a motorcycle? - Yes
Dumped someone? - Yes
Forgotten your anniversary? - Yes (I don't even know which anniversary is being referring to.)
Lied to avoid a ticket? - Yes ("I had no idea this area was considered a residential zone, officer...")
Ridden on a helicopter? - Yes
Shaved your head? - No
Blacked out from drinking? - No
Played a prank on someone? - Yes (And it was genius!)
Hit a home run? - No
Felt like killing someone? - Yes (I worked in retail.)
Cross-dressed? - No
Been falling-down drunk? - No
Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? - No (Unless they cried when I wasn't looking :( )
Eaten snake? - Yes (Dad ran it over, brought it home and cooked it on the grill.)
Marched/Protested? - No
Had Mexican jumping beans for pets? - No
Puked on an amusement ride? - No
Seriously & intentionally boycotted something? - Yes
Been in a band? - No
Knitted? - Yes (Knitted successfully? No.)
Been on TV? - Yes
Shot a gun? - Yes (It's a family activity.)
Skinny-dipped? - No
Caused someone to need stitches? - Yes (Myself counts, right? I really shouldn't have been laying down in front of that bike...)
Ridden a surfboard? - No
Drank straight from a liquor bottle? - No
Had surgery? - Yes (If oral surgery counts)
Streaked? - No
Taken by ambulance to hospital? - No
Passed out when not drinking? - Yes (Never lock your knees. Ever.)
Peed on a bush? - Yes (Spent 1/3 of my life camping.)
Donated Blood? - Yes
Grabbed electric fence? - No
Eaten alligator meat? - No
Eaten cheesecake? - Yes
Eaten kids' Halloween candy? - Yes
Killed an animal when not hunting? - No
Peed your pants in public? - No
Written graffiti? - Yes
Still love someone you shouldn't? - No
Think about the future? - Yes
Been in handcuffs? - Yes
Believe in love? - Yes
Sleep on a certain side of the bed? - Yes
Been to a furry convention? - No. (Hopefully that'll change next year.)
Own a fursuit? - No
Bungee-Jumped? - No
Stolen something? - Yes
Kissed someone, same gender? - No
Kissed someone, different gender? - Yes
Had sex in public? - No
Skipped a night? - Uh...wha?
Lied? - Yes
Created a Meme? - No
Been to another continent? - No (Hopefully that'll change, too.)
Been in a country without knowing the language? - No
Have seen a parent naked? - No
