If you're looking for semi-regular updates on what's happening, Patreon is the place for it.
I post stuff for free followers, as well as paying.

https://www.patreon.com/c/lissamalloy

There's two changes occurring!

1. Patreon is a personal-studio wide supporter location.

https://www.patreon.com/lissamalloy
Patreon will be the place to have access to more of my work, and my ear, on a monthly support basis. I am changing my patreon away from support solely for the graphic novel, to support for my whole body of work. Patreon changed how they do payments- it is no longer per-post (the way I had been using it), members must do monthly subscriptions only. I have trouble getting the time into the graphic novel to make that feel good for anyone. So, I'm changing my use of it to work better with their system. While I'm not always able to churn out "Dusty Compass" (see # 2) I AM always working on art... and geeking over the garden and birds... bear with me while I get everything polished for January.



2. Brickport Dogs is becoming Dusty Compass

Folks may not have been aware, but Brickport Dogs was only ever a working title for the project. It has waited YEARS. A decade? for me to figure out. Thank you Phutureprimative and Clarissa Pinkola Estes! The graphic novel is at it's core about finding oneself in a very toxic relationship, and figuring out the internal work to get back out of that relationship... In my own life I've leaned heavily on therapy as well as Clarissa's work. Phutureprimative simply had the amazing title that one day, after looking at that title for years, I looked at it and went "I'm appropriating that!"! There you have it.

Just posted to Patreon- that there's a problem.

They've changed their mechanism to run payments. As such, they no longer do "by-post" charging... which I needed because my comic pages are not something I get out on the regular. In order to charge, they need to be regularly released. In order to be released regularly, I need a static and generous time schedule towards the comic. To do that, I really need to afford to pay people to run a child around, clean the house, and maintain a 1/4 acre vegetable garden... and we're seeing the catch 22.

Heading into at least four years of plutocrats lining their pockets off us proles... no one is going to sign up for art that's less than regularly AMAZING. Which I am not. Yet?

Anyhow- where's a place that may allow tiered memberships, and 'by post' charges that isn't cumbersome, or so far into the void no one trusts it?

I have the step-child to look after this summer. Between soccer, therapy, and her new job; plus my 'jobs', the vegetable garden, and other responsibilities I've lacked time to respond to friend's emails, let alone update here!

I am hopeful that when September rolls around I'll start to have a minute here and there to see to all the rest I've had to drop for the summer. It'll be a big massive update of art and photos.

TTYS!

I'm considering adjusting the early access to have more meaning to those who donate. I'm of two minds- with my schedule having been so slow I wanted people to see pages as soon as I could get them out. But at the same time, the mere week delay isn't much of a kick-back...
Should I increase the time between finish and public access? Should public access happen in batches or singularly?

If I increased public release of single pages to 2 weeks after finish that'd have more meaning to my supporters. It wouldn't impact when the public sees pages too much, so it may not be a negative feeling.
If I released pages to the public in batches of two or five, it would have significantly more meaning to supporters to have that access. However, it means it could go four months in drastic cases between readings...

I'd love to hear opinions. I'd like more financial support towards the comic. There's the time, the supply of paper, the software access etc. Plus I've discovered that to do what I'd like in the coming chapters I'll need to purchase vector brushes and textures, the ones Affinity comes with are decent, but fall a little short.

There's a crowd scene coming up in my pages on Brickport Dogs. If you want an original character to have a cameo in the (tiny) crowd- you have 4 hours to say so!!

These won't have dialog, or a reoccurring role, and you'll have to realize that this is in the background of a panel in a published comic page. I can write in acknowledgments in the description, but there isn't pay involved. So, this is a full release you're making for this one panel.

I have two pieces going into the juried regional exhibition. Newport Library Arts Center. If someone is available to see that, it'll mid-June through August.

Also, I'm looking to pick up an hourly job again because I stress a lot about finances (life of too little means you freak out well before there's a problem). We're buying a house and that'll cost more than renting obviously. So I'm getting work so we aren't giving up the things I've come to enjoy- like actually affording to go places, and not borrow to buy Christmas presents. Plus I'll have a house to decorate!

I gave more details on Patreon- but the long-short of it is:

I've a mural I'm trying to finish in VT. I've been trying to finish before I lose access to a space to work in. I was only told the facility was moving a few weeks ago.

We're buying a house. I'm not enjoying the process of dotting i's, crossing t's, and making sure I don't shoot myself in the foot. Trying to make sure my husband isn't his usual contrary self, and making sure others don't shoot me in the foot and say "well you should have read that contract better". I'll be happy to be moved and settled FOR GOOD. Then my excuses will be stupid shit like "The furnace broke and I've spent three days trying to get cord wood at the last minute!"

It's moving quickly into summer, and my vegetable garden absorbs my time... especially as I'm spreading it between three properties this year. :(


I'm sorry if I haven't gotten back to people. I will soon.

I have the entirety of chapter 1 "storyboarded" out. I'll be scanning the final three pages and adding them to the file available on my google drive. I'll be reposting the link to Patreon after, for the 10$+ patrons. If you feel like kind of spoiling what's coming in the next 20 pages for yourself- go for it. I do always change things at the last minute, so when I inevitably stray from following it perfectly, it'll make for a nice surprise?

I have page 24 lined and partially shaded. I ~think~ what I'm going to do is- finish the pencil stage, scan it, post it for 3$+ patrons and then start drawing page 25. I'll finish page 24 in time to post it two weeks from this past Friday (3rd for 1$ patrons, 10th for free). I'm going to try to get three or four pages ahead with the pencil stage before finishing the computer graphic side of things. P: The idea is to get a lot of pages on one step done before another step. Get things done sort of in batches.

The reason is, I want to know if it'll flow better if I move in batches vs singularly. If I don't feel like it flows or happens faster I'll switch back to doing them in entirety singularly. 

Either way, I'll only release pages to "public" one every couple weeks for now even if I get a bunch ready ahead of time. I don't want to 'gauge' people since it's per creation right now. After this summer if I am managing to work smoothly we'll visit the idea together- myself plus any patrons to switching to monthly.

I should really focus more on the behemouth of a canvas for a mural looming over my shoulder... but I'm sick of it for a little while. You can only paint blades of daylilies for so long... It can wait until Tuesday. D:

I'm trying to catch FA up with Thecomicseries.

HOWEVER-
Apparently what I had on my thumbdrive from way back 2017 is mislabeled. So I've had to resubmit several pages. Going forward from #15 was uploaded correctly the first time.

IF you read 11-14 before this journal was posted- go relook at those.


Sooooooorrrrrrrryyyyyyy.

0_____________0

I've re-launched the patreon page for Brickport Dogs.

A change from last time- is payment is by creation, not subscription. I don't know how often I'll get pages finished yet, and I don't want the problem I had last time. I couldn't get into Patreon from my phone when my computer died several years ago to un-launch/pause it.

I've already linked to my current storyboarding for the imaginary 10$+ donators.

I'm in the process of sticker designing, I'll scan and post my scribbles to the 1$+ donators later today.

Fighting a cold (thank you stepchildren) yesterday and today, and I might pass out the minute I get comfortable enough to draw. Just that tired today. Because of my back condition I draw laying down on the floor as if I'm a child. I feel silly when there's people around, but my back hurts a LOT less than sitting slumped over in a chair for hours.

Thank you ahead of time! Especially  amethystine!

EDIT.
It'll help if I actually include a link.
Lissa Malloy, on Patreon

I'm alive!
I am still in the upper valley region of NH. I still draw and paint. In fact, it's all I do for "work" now. But I'm not really doing any anthro work, so I've really nothing 'on topic' and 'relevant' to upload here. Which means, as I started to 'update' today I realized this really isn't the place to do that right now. So I've uploaded a couple things, but I've just shifted my attention to revamping DeviantArt. A quick google showed me that there's really not a better option as an online gallery right now.

As has been the case- I'm selling prints. I have some physically in hand. I have all the BLANK CARDS physically here with me. You can't buy those from society6. I've found that they sell better at farmer's markets and the fairs. So if you want to buy blank cards for notes, birthdays, holidays, etc you'll have to contact me. Use my email!! lmalloyart @ gmail.com

So. There we are. I'll upload a photo of our new addition Boudicca too. She pretty much requires fawning over.

Have a new computer... it hooks up either by type-c or mini usb though. So now I have to get an adapter so I can use the scanner, load off my backup harddrive... etc. It may be a couple weeks. I'm hoping to wait until I get that fabled stimulus check to buy the adapter. (A week or more down the road, hence why I haven't verified what precisely I need)

But, I'm still living in the same apartment! oh the miracles! My partner has been getting his s*** together, so he's not a chaotic dangerous mess any longer. My back condition is still a mess, and the treatments are on hold until the pandemic is over. I was due to have an RFA in a week, but we canceled the test procedures and the actual procedure until this whole virus mess is gone. But while I can't hike yet for the back pain, I've gone on a couple short bike rides. When the weather allows.

So I guess that's that in a nutshell for the moment.
When I get my adapter I'll find out if the scanner software will work on the new Mac OS. (God I hope so, it was a brand new scanner two years ago)


I could really use some good feedback on software for painting/drawing/editing. It looks like I will not be returning to PS. What are other drawing softwares out there?? I am eyeballing Rebelle atm. I have been put under the impression that procreate doesn't necessarily do high pixel formats. I like to scan in at 900 dpi, work high resolution and shrink as needed for the various formats. Previously, with my graphic novel I was also using illustrator to create the text bubbles (using vectors in illustrator was more user friendly than psp) ... so if I could get all that done in one program that'd be awesome.

I've been living at my "day job" for a little over a month. Which means I really don't get to do art. So I've been doing a lot of writing ahead on the script of the graphic novel. The goal is that I'd like the graphic novel to earn. (It's also meant to tell people about emotional abuse, and codependency.)

But I came 'home' yesterday and worked the entire day on the latest two pages of the comic. They will be posting on comicfury over the next two weeks. I have them post dated to go up on their own since I will not be about. Because I have those post dated I've gone ahead and put the next two pages up on FA early.

If you want to read the story up to it's current release: http://brickportdogs.thecomicseries.com

Temporarily I'm working at running a greenhouse. After some time I'll be getting back to tattoos and art full time.

Hope everyone's summer was fair to them, despite the disasters of the year. I hope everyone's fall goes smoothly.

Page 5 has been posted of Brick Port Dogs! On Patreon for patrons. It'll post next week to Comic fury.

Yes.

2015 started out wonderful for me... by the end of November I'd lost literally everything I had put together at the end of 2014, which were all the things I thought made 2015 good.

...so. I wander, forward, I hope. I crawl until I can trudge. I'll trudge until I can walk. I'll walk until I can jog...


I have changed surgeons regarding my back. He's suggested the same beginning treatment as the previous surgeon, but unlike the previous surgeon, he will call my insurance company and tell them himself why this is necessary. So I can actually receive the treatment this time. BTW folks, if it weren't for Obamacare, I'd not have insurance right now. I'd be on a floor in mass amounts of pain, unable to work but not broken enough to get disability... so consider that. Please. Obamacare is assisting me to have the medical attention I need so I can return to work and be a 'contributing member' of society. Odds are in the long run I will need disability anyway though.

Second. I just got back from Montreal. I went up for a week and sat in "Ink Your Soul". If you live near there and are interested in 'watercolor' style tattoo, I highly suggest going to see JF Biron. He's incredibly friendly, quite knowledgeable and very talented. Next I'm going to Seattle at the end of January, to go into shops there and convince someone to let me learn for two weeks... Damon Conklin maybe?!. After that I'm going to try to get into a local(ish) walk-in studio for February. Also, AirBnB is pretty awesome.

So that's about it.



lastly... my new meds from the new surgeon just kicked in.... O______________________O

So, I'm scheduled to fly out to Seattle at the end of January. Supposing I've had a steroid shot by then, I'm hoping to find a walk-in tattoo studio to work at temporarily (one or two months ideally).

Things I need to make this happen:

A steroid Epidural so I'm not in constant back and sciatic pain.

Clientele. This means while client and I will not have a date, I have a solid plan that we will work together- including a (refunadable w/restrictions) deposit

A tattoo studio. While I intend to do this work on my own, if someone knows of a street shop that's open to having more workers, please let me know!

Locals spreading the word for me. Let people know I'm coming, give them my email etc. Contact me. :)


So yeah. Seattle! I've never been. Looking forward to this adventure!!!

Because I just saw Kenket's painting about a dream.



9/10ths of my dreams revolve about my constant companion,
trauma/anxiety. Especially the nights, and 4 out of seven
happen this way, where I sleep 2-4 hours and then are stuck
awake for 2-4 hours before finally napping another 1 1/2 hours
for that last sleep cycle... I have outright nightmares most
times when that happens. I'm told I talk in my sleep during
those times, flail, etc. I've woken myself up throwing punches...
once unfortunately actually punching J., never because it
was him in the dream, but because he was in the way in the
waking world.

I know most of my dreams are about me changing/destroying
my world, accepting how my world was changed around me,
building a new world. Usually I experience this in the form of
cataclysm that results in everything being destroyed, traveling
(not usually comfortably or controlled), being the order creator
in a post-apocalypse world.

The other curious thing about my dreams is that when they
aren't the above (I've been unable to get answers regarding
this) often I am not -me- in my dreams, but some other person
entirely. Sometimes, I'm not even my own gender. It's like
taking part in a book... except I'm authoring this other person.
It's curious, but at least sleep isn't boring?

Sometimes, I actually get to have really really wonderful dreams.
I recall a few. One, when I was little was my grandfather leading
me to the garden to see a giant garter snake. In the dream this
thing was massive. Another dream from just a few years ago had
myself and one of my best friends snuggled up on a rock face on
a mountain watching a sunset and chatting. Then there are the
nice dreams about J. Once I actually had a dream about flying.
For the first time in ages... i woke up pretty ecstatic about that.

I guess I'm done rambling. Time for bed, and to stop fretting
about DDD and life changes for a night...

I received the new scanner earlier this week! But between back pain and business, I hadn't had a chance to bust it out of the box until this morning! So, the first thing I've scanned is a picture I sold MONTHS ago. The client has been incredibly patient and waiting for me to get a scanner before releasing it!! :)

So, I'm scanning things. Be prepared!


I'm going to wait to scan any more images from the art show up at Local Press, in Portland.

I'm in the process of temporarily moving somewhere. I'm dogsitting for friends who will be away most of the time until February! After that, I don't know.

I had to be taken off the anti-inflammatory meds I was given, they were making it impossible to eat, and giving me anxiety attacks. So, largely my backpain has returned.

I have had an e-stim treatment on my back, I didn't notice much difference. I've had one session of 'dry needling' on my one side of my back. Today is the day after- it has had effect. My sciatica is less sharp and my range of motion w/o pain has increased.

I'm still open for commissions! Send em all my way :D

I'm getting a scanner this weekend, and then I'll be uploading stuff.

Forgot to mention. I have my etsy shop running again. :)

Http://www.etsy.com/shop/glowcatstudio

Huzzah.

Do folks want to see just new artwork at weasyl from now forward? Or do folks want to see older 'portfolio' worthy work put up at weasyl?

https://www.weasyl.com/~slushpuppy



I've managed so far to get up to C on my list of folks I need to find. This is going to take a while :( Is there a shortcut?

Art

How can I contact you?
I prefer email - lmalloyart at gmail dot com. Although I do try to log in to FA. But I've been known to 'step away' for years.

What are your prices?
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3583856/

What is your turn around for commissions?
In the past it was a long time, now that I am only self employed and relying on my ability to crank out art, wait time is significantly shorter! It really depends on my overall work load. Expect a big piece to be done within the month, and a couple days (at most) for sketches.

What will I get when I commission you?
You will get my best effort. You will receive the original drawing/painting. I mail them in cardboard and insured. I haven't heard of any arriving in bad condition. You will have all rights to that art.

What will you NOT draw?
I will NOT draw rape, underage-play, scat, things that I feel are out of my moral-comfort range. I do not mind most adult work, and erotica, or gore. That said, I'm not really a porn for porn's sake kind of artist.

Do you accept trades?
If I am intrigued I will consider it. Keep in mind that art is how I'm paying my bills and buying my food now.

Do you do collaborations?
I am open to the option.

Will you barter?
I WILL barter. But remember- in order to work for both parties it has to be something both folks want/need. I have a list of things I need/want on my computer that I keep around for the holiday and my own goal oriented saving. So if you're curious, just request a copy of that list.

What art training do you have?
If you need a CV request it and I'll email it.
Otherwise
I hold a BA in Drawing and another in Graphic Design from Plymouth State University.
I have worked with small businesses in the past to complete graphics, other art, and magazine layout.
I have completed an apprenticeship with Utopian Tattoo and Body Piercing.
I have had art hung in various galleries, juried and otherwise.

Any tips?
Draw. Draw often. Draw from life. Learn from more than one source/professor/mentor.
Just like buying an expensive carbon bike will not make you a stellar cyclist, buying expensive art tools will not make you draw better. For both these things, putting in the time and training even when you hate the subject material is what achieves the results. Draw and force yourself outside of your comfort zone.

Do you draw humans?
Yes! And quite swell too.

What conventions do you go to?
Currently, none.

Can I use your drawings in a story/reference/art site?
No, maybe, probably not.
Let me further explain- a lot of my art was commissioned from me. Which means I do not hold rights to that work any longer, other than retaining my right to display it. If you want to use my drawing as reference, I can't really stop you, but PLEASE give tags where tags are due to any artist, photographer, etc. Lastly, if I allow folks to post my art on their sites it's difficult to police, so just please don't.

You seem REALLY into biking, hiking.
I am. Growing up I had a small mountain in my backyard to play on. After college I developed a severe back condition, basically Disc Degenerative Disease (it's not actually a disease). For three years my ability to walk deteriorated, constant pain, numbness, and problems balancing. After two years I couldn't walk a mile. After 2 1/2 I couldn't walk more than a few hundred feet. I was admitted to surgery. With a year of healing I was able to increase my fitness again- it was like the starting gun went off and I was out of the sprinters blocks. I haven't looked back. It SCARED the shit out me that I might not be able to hike again, or walk. Running and jumping are out and I have to be careful with how much weight I carry... the stronger I keep my core the less likely I am to end up under the knife again, but my back condition is degenerative- it's only going to worsen over my life, my goal is to slow that down as much as possible. I've already had it re-surge, gone to get a new kind of treatment, and to start over on my fitness. It's a cycle.

Now you know.