Okay, this is something I shoulda done a long time ago - up til now, everything I've done in art has been self-taught or studied over the net. Nowadays though, I've found myself just doing the same old without showing any improvement despite my studying and practice (which I'll admit, hasn't been too much practice lately.)

So I was basically wondering - were there any fellow artists out there with tips in digital coloring and shading?

Who actually reads these? XD

Thought about this before...I think. Been wondering about my handle and icon. They've been something constant I've had for years now. I have a lot of artwork, watchers, and awesome people I know both through my art and just meeting around the internets or in person. So it's left me trying to figure this out:

My handle and icon were based on my fursona and love for pineapples. Now, while I still LOVE pineapples, I'm no longer using the feline 'sona. So question is, should I adjust myself on FA to fit that? New icon? New identity altogether? Both? Or maybe I should just stick to my guns and be me regardless of 'sona reflections? What do you guys think? o^o

To Do List:
-Commission
-Contract
-Get a Shave
-Prep for Job Fair
-Event Committee meeting
-Get outta my slump and do some frickin' roleplay. >:C
-HOPES AND DREAAAAMS

Think I'm starting to understand why people frequently post their business on the internet for all to see. Always figured it was a cry for help, or some such like that but...I dunno, somehow, this feels a little better than just posting crap in a little book to keep hidden in dark corners of the room. Or wherever people keep their journals and diaries.

...anyway, so. Little over a year, another relationship sunk. Lost a wonderful girl, some dreams crushed and hopes dashed, felt like shit. (What is it about women that make men do that even when they're not exactly at fault for things? Never understood that.) Thanks to wonderful friends, what feels like'd normally take months or so (and has) to grieve ended in a day, though I'm half expecting to relapse and bawl my eyes out sometime. Loving attachment sucks like that, as does still loving after getting kicked to the curb. As does experiencing so much anger, sorrow, and getting over-critical over things so many times within 24 hours. Pain in the ass - wanted to cry, wanted to puke, was on the verge of doing both and yet couldn't.

BUT. Friends. Awesome, beautiful, wonderful friends. And comedians. Comedians poking fun at the worst of life situations always makes things better. Got dumped on Sunday, spent up til...I guess about an hour ago feeling like shit over it. Still kinda do, but eh. What can ya do besides suck it up and move on.

And I got a LOT of moving to do as well. Fun part was I got dumped the same night I was prepping for a long week of working my ass off in hunting for employment and getting old contracts done, ended up a mess and now pulling myself out of it with a job fair tomorrow and deadline of two weeks for EVERYTHING. Fffff-- D:

So much to do. I go in for oral surgery, need paperwork done, so much art to do, and please please PLEASE I hope I can feel better enough about myself to sleep tonight. Seriously, it's been...somewhere between 24-38 hours and I've been feeling too miserable to get a wink of sleep. Heck, I've even sitting here with I dunno what energy typing up a storm with one of these journals. (Which I think maybe I should do more often. This really DOES feel kinda good... <_< )

So in a nutshell, work, work, work, hopefully a little play, bawl on friends' shoulders if needed again (sorry guys :'D Least ya'll got a heads up this time.), more work, sleep, get my butt to job fair tomorrow. And and and...job fair. Yeah.

*deeeep breath*

So summary, another failed relationship, a lot of work, staying un-depressed by some miracle, and keeping busy in duties so I can get life goals handled before it's too late for anything else. So here goes today and til the next update around here. Wish me luck. + _+

Gasp. Journal writings from me. Scary, right? I swear, I only do these like...twice a year or something anymore.

...ANYWAY! It has been a long time since my entrance to the internet art world as PineappleCat. I had based this off my fursona of so long ago and thinking about it now...much as I still love pineapples (a love that knows no bounds), I am not very catty these days, am I?

I don't really think it means much of anything though? Still me regardless, just...I like around and see a bunch of people tend to make new FA accounts if they ever think up new identities for themselves and such. While I have a new fursona or two, and it's not related at all to my current handle, is it strange that I don't feel the need to move to a new address to reflect that? While my usual laziness MIGHT be a factor in not wanting to put the work in for it, I just don't...feel like it's something I absolutely need to do. So it's a little hard determining if that's just indifference on the matter or me not wanting to bother because of slothful tendencies I get.

So...there's that. I've also been thinking about things art-wise. I realize I haven't really updated this page with any recent doodles; but on the other hand...not too presentable. Been considering getting back into it after a contract I gotta finish reaches its next checkpoint though. Between character sketches and 'sona templates I realize I should definitely try out (NEVER made one before, fancy that), my mind is all over the place with trying to find something to start with. Plus a late Valentine's thing, because things will be keeping be busy up til the day after (I know you know and don't mind, but still sorry Dani. ;A; )

...commission info. That is also subject to change. Between things that happened with a few past works and prices toward those, my mind got a little frayed for a bit and I actually turned a few down when that is the LAST thing I need to be doing right now. So after the 15th-16th, that's on the list of to-dos as well..

Basically, a laundry list of shaping up things:

- Refigure identity(?)
- AAAAAAAAAAART...more.
- Redo commission info
- ...continue futile attempts to get a full-time job. ;A;
- More SL and GW2. I need it. So bad.

And now I am drawing a blank, which means I have burned myself out after forcing all this forth into a journal entry. This means it is time for me to retire. G'night everybodeh, and kudos if you managed to read this far without getting bored! :P

...wow. Two years since I've made an update here despite having been around the whole time. S'kinda funky, no? @_@;

So uhh...I figure I should be writing updates here. Much has happened in the past two years. Finally graduation from college (yaaaaaaay!) buuut...jobs are incredibly slim pickings for artists around here (boooooo!) Near non-existent, in fact. And the ones that are available have been tauntingly JUST outside of my transportation range for regular travel. ;___;

So here I am, stuck in the middle of nowhere Georgia with family for...nearly a year now, looking for smalltime things to get by, hopefully save up enough to get elsewhere. Not even any luck in that. Even at the unemployment agency, which had me going, "WTF, economy?!" Well for the moment, I still got my health, or most of it. So not complaining TOO much. Umm...nah, actually I am. My internet's gonna be non-existent in a couple weeks unless I can pay the bill, so if I vanish again, that's why. =A=; Definitely hate periods like that. I tend to go rather nuts without online connections.

What else...oh! Speaking of money, I've done an update on my commission prices. Think I shall make a bit of art or another journal post to present those with some samples, but for the moment, I'll list 'em here. Hopefully somebody'll be interested enough to help me stay online. Q__Q

Pencil Sketch: $8
Lineart: $12
Colored: $16
Adult-Rated Themes: Additional $4

Payment methods are through Paypal and Second Life, though the latter, prices are a tad bit higher since I round to the nears 1k lindens.

What else what else...I think that's about it, really. Made new friends, lost others, relationship things between them, family, usual kinds of drama...uhh....yep. That's about it. I'll try to write more about what's going on and junk, but those who know me know I don't write a lot. I have an easier time of expressing myself through arts! So keep watching! :3

Right so for those wondering, no I did not fall off the face of the earth again. I've just been silently there. Watching. Waiting. O_O

...that and school, really. XP I got some stuff done, lots of things I wanna post up; but I don't think there're worth puttin' here. So I'll just show the best bits of work I've been doing over the past month later. If you wanna see the rest, visit me at pineappleyoshi.deviantart.com

That is all~

A friend of mine pointed this out and he was totally right. Internets is for pr0n, and I lack it. I fail at arts, so I need to do something that'll get me watches to go far in the art world! So I've given up on drawing what I feel like and I'm gonna give you people what you want.

Wholesome

Purely perverse

Unadulterated

Yiff

ART.

You have broken me, FA. You have nobody to blame but yourself. 3:

Right, okay so uh...my computer monitor exploded and I'm currently typing this up from a college PC. X3;

Spring Break is here, and this couldn't have happened at a worser time. What's worse, I'm just a few bucks worse of buying a new one. So it's like Fate decided to taunt and laugh at me by blasting my only means of sanity for the next week alone and dangling solutions just outta my reach.

So then I realized I haven't done commission work for a while. I've still been open to doing that, but I don't think I advertised myself enough. So here I am doing it again. If you're interested, drop me a note. I'm still trying to figure out how to set that info on the site itself, so prices in my profile (if any) aren't too reliable.

BUY MY MONITOR! XD

I found myself singing that to the theme of Team America this morning. I just took a moment and realized...my boss and roommates are awesome! O0O

I mean I really lucked out. Boss got me a brand new sketchpad just as I was running out of paper, and one of my roommates ( who is also moving out - gonna miss him, he was cool. ;o; ) decided to leave his supplies with me. So I'm now sitting on a supply of paper, colored pencils, micropens, and a unmarked CD of mysterious origin that should last me through the next couple of months.

Micropens...nyeheheheh...much as I like the pencil style of things in my art, I do miss fine ink...I shall not waste this blessing. o3o

~This has been another Gato's Random Nuggets of Joy.~

Once again, Midwest Fur-Fest was a blast and a half. 83

I learned more about myself this time and was able to be more open with myself and others than I've felt for an entire year. It was a good little experience. On top of that, I also ended up taking a few lessons in art and business. Honestly, it's pretty much what I've been hearing in college for the longest time now; but it did sound more sensible coming from somebody who wasn't going, "Do it my way or I'm gonna fail your ass faster than you can sketch a circle."

That's a slight over-exaggeration, but it's pretty much the message I got from a few of my teachers.

Anywaysl, being at MFF encouraged me to do what I'd first set out to do when I began my major. Somewhere along the way, goals I set for myself got trampled and I began to slack off because I couldn't understand what I wanted or what was the point in going on. After this weekend though, I feel like I can keep going.

That said, I'm back to doing art - not like I ever stopped really. Even in my absence, I've still been working, so when I have time I'll be dropping in a majority of said work during this week and you'll be seeing me more often in the future. So I guess I should say I'm back to POSTING my art, or being more serious about it. After all, this is what I wanna do, so I should go all the way, right?

And in closing I'd also like to give a special thanks to all my friends and the MFF folk for giving me encouragement to keep going. Thanks very much for being there to help me make this decision. :3

I've been focused a lot on school and commission work lately, so that's the reason I've been gone. (more school that artwork, which is why I got nothing to show for it though. XD;;; ) So yeah, I'll be in and out a little less regularly for a while. Not that anybody cares much. I just felt like sharing useless journal info.

THERE! I UPDATED MY FA ACCOUNT. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!

For my first furry convention, that was AWESOME. =D

I had loads of fun, got to meet some cool artists, got a commission done, bought volume one of N'Duk the Hunter (which I still haven't been able to put down yet), and got to make a fool of myself with nobody to get annoyed with me for it. (Well...overly annoyed. XD My misadventures to and from the con drove people nuts. )

So let's see...from the top, there was the going to the thing with just $5 in my pocket. Crazy yes, but the rest of the money was getting processed in the bank and didn't come til the next day. I figure 5 bucks should get me through an evening since everything was already paid for already. Still, my dad spazzes and shoves money at me saying to pay him back later. I'm thankful for that, cuz otherwise, I wouldn't have gotten that souvenir I wanted. x3

I met up with Kyre, Kad, Latte, Fox, and Tsune at the airport...and an hour or so later managed to escape. That place was huge. And then we spent another hour scrunched up in a car. Got lost heading back to the hotel. And KAD, YOU HAVE A BAD SENSE OF DIRECTION. D:< AND I'LL GET YO' MUNNEH.

*cough* Speaking of which, special thanks to Kaddy and Latte for the financial help in helping me get to the con, and survive it. Yes, I'm a bad spender, I need to plan my budget stuff more, I know. But I'll have what I owe next week. I'M GOOD FOR IT, OKAI!?

As I said before, con was fun. I got to see a lot of people I wondered about meeting for a long time now. I gotta say, you guys are so much more cooler in person. Also played my first game of Jadeclaw, and I'm hooked. There was an SSB tournament. I made it to the 2nd round before Metaknight and Bowser beat the snot outta my Kirby and...I think my partner was Captain Falcon? Ohhhh, and then the Iron Artist competition. I placed 3rd in that. Got a golden graphic card "trophy" for my award, which I'm gonna turn into some art-bling as soon as I find a good chain. XD Still think Latte should've won though. Hers and everybody else's drawings were loads better than mine. Mine was all sketchy-sloppy.

...YOU try drawing while people are throwing the table and bashing you upside the head with balloon hammers.

So yeah, that was it. Had a great time, and I'm hoping next year me and the gang can do it again. Things should go smoother for me then too - now I know what to do and what not to do when preparing for a trip and going on it. x3

Yoink'D from Kompy (HOW DO YOU DO ICONS AGAIN!? XD;;;; ) I needed something to get outta my slump.

Name a character that you know I write/draw or have written/drawn, and I'll tell you:

a. What initially prompted me to write/draw them.
b. One of their best traits.
c. One of their worst traits.
d. How easy/difficult I find it to write/draw the character.
e. The moment where I feel that I truly captured the character.
f. My plans to write/draw the character in the near future.

I can't leave you people alone for even two weeks, JEEZ. X3 I came back after a little break, only to find I got over 1000 updates here. You've all been very busy and I'm glad to know that; but infortunately, I CAN'T LOOK THROUGH EVERYTHING!!! D:

So I had to nuke it all and start fresh. Which sucks because I barely had a chance to scratch the surface on a lot of nice-looking stuff. But I just don't have the time and patience and more stuff is getting added everyday. So sorry that I did this AGAIN.

In other news, I'm back! ...again. See everybody soon. :D

Okay, so for those who didn't know, my computer was somehow fried. My ethernet port failed to work, I can't install a new one, and a bunch of other hardware's acting up too. Dunno why it's doing this, but my computer company agreed to take it in for repairs after two weeks of arguements between them and my phone company (blamed them for the internet part not working up until we found out other things were fried too.) So while the computer is gone, I'll be without for a week, maybe two. Depends on how long it takes by mail. Repairs and junk should really only take a couple hours, they say. If I could drive up there and just chuck the PC at them, I would.

Of course, this means you'll be seeing even less work from me for a bit. While I am going to try setting up an old, outdated computer from the '90s, no promises on whether it'll work, get me a connection, or let my download any of my art programs or the scanner. I'll be logging in between work and classes when out of the house, and that's about it.

So there ya have it. I'll at least be keeping in touch. Ciao for now.

Oh man, so many favs this time around... XD

I wanna say thankyou to everybody who did; but sadly, I don't think I have the patience this time. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't. I'm very grateful everybody likes my work so much. But have you ever tried browsing on DIAL-UP?! D: Waiting ten minutes of a page to load, then another five or so to send a message...ONLY TO HAVE YOUR CONNECTION DROPPED DUE TO TIME-OUT ERRORS.

...so yeah, no shoutouts on the front pages this time, sorry. Just know that I'm thankful to all of ya'll for dropping in. x3 Ciao for now.

...to me~ :3

FA's back online. Yay. Woo.

*FLOP*

I should probably be more enthusiastic about it, but I's just sooooooo tired. =w= So many projects I had to get done while we were all gone, yet not one of them's finished. My webcomic's site still looks like crap, and for some reason won't upload the new pages I did, I can never seem time to do my homework until the last possible minute. I'm backed up on commissions and requests. I blame Apollo Justice. I don't know what or why, but that game's more addicting than the Phoenix Wright series; and Herr Forehead's got nothing on his predecesor. It's weird.

...Trucy is cuter than Maya and Pearl though. ^w^

Speaking of games, I'm thinking about going back to City of Heroes/Villains. Again. I thought about going to WoW instead, but CoH/V is just better in my opinion. I prefer the genre I guess. And it makes more sense since they aren't so heavy on the stats. Or something like that. Anyway, I like it, I'm going back. Screw you if you don't like it. Mwahaha.

Artses. I did do stuff over the hiatus, and I'll upload it eventually. Or you can just check out my other ones if you're impatient:

http://pineapplecat.sheezyart.com/
http://pineappleyoshi.deviantart.com/

Of course that's not everything either since I haven't updated in a while, and have been holding out in the first place. :3

Oh! And funny thing! I found out the reason why I was always so tired. Get this - sugar high crashes. Turns out the cinnamon buns in the school's snack machine have lethal doses of sugar. Which explains why I always tended to pass out after 5 hours. Exactly. Every day. I always had one for breakfast. >.>;

Okay, I'm rambling too much. But hey, there's a lot to talk about, even if it is gibberish. If you feel like reading all that, I'm sure there's something interesting in there for ya somewhere. And that's pretty much it. Ciao for now. :3

The good news is, the comic is finally up! You can find Legend of the Dream Weaver here:

http://dreamweaver.comicgenesis.com/

Updates don't have a specific day in the week set out yet, so they'll be coming in randomly until I'm up to speed.

And that's the bad news. For some odd reason, I'm constantly having trouble with the administration page and keep getting locked out. Because of that, I haven't been able to update. I got a new page ready, along with several emblems, logos, bios, icons, etc. to upload, and I can't get in to do so. So stay tuned, as soon as I figure out what's what, you'll be seeing much more. Til then, that's all. Ciao!

Alrighty, summer's officially started. So I don't spend it all sitting in front of a computer screen and letting my skills turn to mush, I'm leaving myself open for just about anything. Except now, I'm charging for it. BWAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!! ...hey, a man's gotta eat, alright? D:

That said, commissions are now open, which guarantees I'll get your work done rather than lolligagging on requests like I normally do. Cuz these, I HAVE to get done. XD ...I'm not really selling myself all that great, am I? I've never tried this before. Those of you who know me well enough know where my priorities lie though, so you can vouch for me!

Anyways, here's all you need to know about commissioning me:

Character Sketches (per each character): 5 (penciled), 7 (inked), 15 (digitally colored)

Backgrounds: 2 (pencil), 4 (inked), 5 (digitally colored)

Adult works...yes, I have been known to do those in the past even if I don't show it off and it is on the table. PM me and we'll talk. I'm still a bit iffy on those, but I keep an open mind.

This is my first time posting info like this (at least that I can remember), so if I'm missing anything, lemme know and I'll answer what I can.

In other news, here's what I'm working on now!

Commissions:

Gift Arts:
 volkkeslate

Contests/Projects:

Legend of the Dream Weaver - Comic Page 1

Okay, so I've been kinda inactive for a while now, but I have a good reason! Remember that webcomic I said I'd do for the past year? The one I said I'd have up by summer? Well guess what! I've been working hard, and while it's a little late it...still isn't officially up yet. XDDDD

I am making progress though. With luck (and if I can keep my butt off Mabinogi), It shall be ready within the next two weeks! Legend of the Dream Weaver will either be on Comicgen or Drunk Duck (and yes, I know the name is different; but it turns out there are already TWO webcomics by the same name, so I had to change it a bit. X3 ). I'll keep everybody posted, so stay tuned!

And guess what else is up! I was finally able to register a Paypal account, so after all this time, commissions are open to everybody instead of just the Second Life users. I hardly got any money that way anyhow, so that's a good thing on both ends, I think. X3 In my next journal, I'll have all the info set up, so if you're interested, stay tuned for that too.

And finally, I haven't been without a pencil or stylus in my hand all this time. I got a buncha works to post...as soon as I can figure out how to get them online. Scanner's busted, and while I did do stuff with the WACOM tablet, half of it's too hideous to share. You'll be seeing something though!

Aaaaand I think that's about it. So keep watching! By Sunday I'll have more news for everybody. Til next time!

A week ago, my father and grandfather raised heck about all the facial hair I had, and questioned me several times on why I hadn't shaved. Honestly, I just never felt like it and didn't mind it all; but grandpa wanted it gone. Dad gave me 2 disposable razors and said I better have it done when they see me again.

OR WHAT?! No really, I just didn't wanna do it. Don't think I could've anyway. No shaving cream and I couldn't buy any at the time. XD So my face is still hairy when I see them again. I had said I was out as more of a lie to get them to stop talking about it; but to my surprise, my grandfather takes off to the bathroom and throws a perfectly new bottle of shaving cream at me, saying I need it more than he does. Meh. Fine. I'll use it. Eventually. Of course I didn't say that out loud.

I used it this morning though. Woke up around 1, couldn't get back to sleep, and something just compelled me to do it out of boredom. So I shaved for the first time in 2 years today. Does it feel good? Hell no! I couldn't get all the hair for one, and two, my chin is ON FIRE! DX I've been itching and burning on my face all day. I was thinking about trying again today to get the rest of it off, but screw that. IT BURRRRRRRRRNS! ;.;

I was just told too that I'm supposed to apply more shaving cream when going back over areas. Makes sense why now. Anyway, that was my little adventure. Now I go back to trying to ice my face. ;w;

I'm takin' a snooze. Shall return later tonight. That is all.

P.S.- I changed my mind. Somebody talk to me. X3

WHEN DID I HIT OVER 1000 PAGEVIEWS?! DX Nobody told me either...hmmm...guess I gotta improvise a little...

Then again, there's always 2000... >D