why couldn't there be a 77th minute I wanted it to be 7:77 at 7/7 awww

OKAY SO YEAH. I've decided I'll open up commissions again, but this time I thought it might be a good idea/test run/experiment to give ya'll a day's worth of a heads-up on the date and time I'll be posting a journal to be back open. :) This way, if there is anyone out there who has been wanting to get a commission from me but haven't had good luck in catching an opening, maybe more people will have a bit more of a fair shot knowing exactly when I'll be opening up. ^^ I probably won't do this for every commission opening (mostly because I don't really like posting tons and tons of journals, lol), but hey, maybe it'll go well? x3 I guess we'll find out!

So, yeah! To summarize (and as the title states):

I will be open for commissions via journal TOMORROW, Tuesday July 7th at 7:00PM CST!

This will probably be my last (or next-to-last?) commission opening before I move into my new apartment at the end of the month. I'm so excited, everyone! (I'll probably be a tad inactive during that week as I move in and get settled, but hopefully I'll have a few extra drawings saved up that I can still post for ya'll even when I'm not actively drawing. ^^ That's the plan, at least~)

Thanks again, guys! Ya'll are awesome! <3

-Tigger

Just wanted to give everyone a heads-up that I will be re-opening commissions very soon! Hopefully in this upcoming week. :D

Also, a quick question: Should I open for "regular" commissions, or more "experimental" commissions like the last batch? I had a ton of fun with them, and can definitely say I improved as an artist by doing them. However, I don't want to alienate any potential commissioners who may be waiting for my regular ones to open back up- so please, I'd love to hear from you! I want to hear what kind of commission openings you'd like to see, if you're wanting to get a commission, and I'll take all of it into consideration when I write up the next journal for open commissions. :)

Thank you all once again! I love each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart. :)

In other news: I reached 500 submissions! PARTY TIME! :D

-Tigger





P.S. Have I mentioned lately that you guys rock? 'Cause you do. Yeah. <3

Dumb journal title is dumb. Dumb question is dumb.

But after this past month of having surgery and thus not being able to draw... with all that time to rest and be bored, looking through my art and looking through the art of people I watch in my submissions alert box... And now, in the past week, getting back into commissions and drawing... I've begun to re-evaluate not only my art, not just my art "skills", but myself as an artist- what art I do, what KIND of art I do, should do, will do, have done, could do...

I don't know, but I feel like I'm in the middle of something... idk, a change? A rebirth? A discovery? Or maybe not even that great or noble or idealistic, maybe I'm in the middle of something a lot worse and don't even realize it yet. I just feel like I've taken a HUGE step backwards from what I "usually do" and am looking at what I COULD do. What I CAN do. And wondering how different it is from what I've done in the past, if that's okay, how much different I can/should go, what I should "try" and the art I could do, if only.

This doesn't just apply to the subject of my art. I don't mean like I've been drawing too many ferals, or too many felines, or too much cartoony, etc. I look at the style of my art, the essence... But mostly, I look at the art I've been studying for the past month and have begun to notice something. Notice how a lot of artists, well... have their own unique style. People find new artists here, look at their pieces and uploads, and comment something along the lines of "wow, what an amazing style!" "Beautiful work!" "So unique!" "I love it!" And I'm not saying this is a bad thing at all, nor am I saying I haven't been complimented like this before. It's a great thing and I've had a lot of kind words sent my way over the years.

But it makes me wonder- am I limited to a certain "style"? Not just as an artist with freedom of creativity and ideas and expression, but as an artist who takes commissions. I mean, I don't know about you, but when I look at an artist and think about getting a commission from them, I picture what that piece might look like, having seen what the artist has done before in their "style" and "methods" and the like, from how they frame the anatomy and proportions and expressions to how they render their pieces. So I've been taking a step back and doing this to my own art, my own gallery- if I wanted to "commission" myself, how do I imagine the piece would look?

And, once I have imagined this... Is this a good thing, or a bad thing? That I see a certain "look" coming from it? Because there's a part of me that says, yes, and it's almost essential for what I do- I have commissioners who look at my art, purchase commissions from me, and thus would probably expect a result that fits in with the style of my gallery. They wouldn't commission me because they saw my cute chibi art, and then suddenly get a piece back in a completely different style than what I've displayed or experimented with before. I mean, that's where the whole idea of "watching" someone comes from, yes? You find an artist and enjoy their style, their anatomy and expression of art, and you watch them to see more of that art.

I know I'm ranting, but I really needed to get this out- even if it's just for me to put into words and think about in a more tangible sense than just weird, nagging feelings and strange impulses to look at my art and imagine it differently. There are some parts of me- very strong parts- that look at my art and say "I don't want to be this artist anymore, I want to do things differently, I want to have a different style, a different way to draw." I look at some of my ref sheets I've done, for example, and see that I've done them in various ways- from majorly realistic with plantigrade or near-planti feet- to chibi and with hyper-toony expressions and body types. I've done my best in the past to be able to draw it differently, depending on what each of my commissioners wants. If someone wants a ref sheet done by me but they want their character to look super realistic, serious, and human-like, well, I try and do just that. But if I get a commissioner who says they want something "super toony and cute!" of course I try and alter the piece to suit that request.

I guess ultimately I wonder, "is there a "style" that I "possess" for the "majority" or near-majority of my work?" "Is this a good thing or a bad thing?" "should I try new things or keep to what I've been doing?" How does this all fall into place or work with the very essential factor of commissioners- the fact that I don't just want/need to draw, I want/need to draw in order to attract and keep customers. Because as much as I love art, as much as I love drawing and as much, SO much, that I love the furry community and drawing everyone's amazing and beautiful character... at the same time, I have to be realistic, because it's not 100% about just the art. Not how I'm in it for, at least. It's also very much about commissioners and being able to sell my art in a way that is both appealing and desirable to enough of an audience that I can continue to grow as an artist through continuous, non-stop creations.

During the time that I've been slowly getting back into art, re-connecting with commissioners and those still interested in pieces by me, I've had more time to sit back, recover with pain pills, and think. And think. And think about not just why a person commissions me, but what they ultimately expect from me- and, as a result, what I expect from myself. When you see a movie released by Steven Spielburg, for instance, there are many people who will go see it because they know the kinds of movies he makes, and like those kinds of movies. Or those who really enjoy romantic novels, when they see a romantic novel by an author they love, even if they've heard nothing about it they will still pick it up and purchase it to read- because they know they like that person's material, the style of that writing, and the content that the story provides. But what if you go see a Spielburg movie and it turns out to be the new "From Justin to Kelly"? Or you pick up the romance author's book only to find yourself reading a dark and post-apocalyptic horror-thriller?

So how is art any different? How am I, as an artist, any different from Steven Spielburg as a director, or an author as an author? When sending my pieces "to market", as it were, I am appealing to an audience of people who purchase such material because they know they like it, they are familiar with the style and feel and look and production and make of that product. What were to happen if I was to change "the artist that I currently am" into... I don't know, something else?

...I'm getting a bit off-topic.

Anyways, isn't it the same to me, as an artist? Do I have a certain "style" that people enjoy, that they believe and rely upon when making a decision to commission me? I would mostly assume so- but because of this, is it acceptable, is it better or worse, to try and look at my own art differently, try some new things, see where that can take my art and skills?

When I first started to take art seriously, back in college, I told myself, after every sketch made and every page turned or new canvas created, that what I created right now would be better than what I had just finished creating. Even if it's something small, I would never stop making progress or improving upon what I'd already done. "I could've drawn the paws better on that last piece- I'll study the next one longer and make them look better." "The proportions of the legs and arms weren't great last time... I could definitely do better. This time, they'll be more accurate!" This was essential and I kept to this mantra as best as I can. But "improving", I've realized, is such a vague term that I'm not even sure it applies anymore- at least, not in the original context I'd applied it as. I can continue "improving"- but instead of climbing up, in one direction, perhaps I can climb up in a different direction? Can I try new things, look at my art in a different ways, take different twists and turns... and still look at myself as an "artist", or even as someone who can close their eyes and think "The artist, Tigger... Tigger's art is _____. Tigger's art looks like ____ and has a ____ style, with a sort of ____ feel to it."

Do I have a dislike towards this mentality? No, I don't think so. I have the same thoughts and ideas towards many artists I know of- when I think of their name, instantly some of my favorite pieces by them come to mind, and my brain sort of "sorts" them all together into a pile of "Artist A" and "Artist B", of their "style" and how their art is done and what feelings and emotions each artist's group of pieces make me feel or think. How should that be any different of my own art?

One of the things I love most about this website, and this community, is its openness to new ideas, to free-thinking- and to change. When something is different than what a person is used to, in the real world, the response is generally negativity, uneasiness, perhaps even resistance. It's different than what they're used to, therefore it needs to be avoided, or at the very least kept away. But not this community. Not furries. See something different, something new? Instant curiosity, instant acceptance, instant change and room for growth and expansion of thought and practice. Even if someone "isn't into that" or "doesn't really go that way"- which is quite widespread, especially among fetishes or even just taste or preference- there's still the "hey, it's your life, do what makes you happy" acceptance and allowance for change which makes this community stand out to me. Perhaps this strikes me so much because I've lived in a household for so long where being different in thinking, feeling, or liking things, has always been met with "that's weird, don't do that. That's why you don't have friends."

...Getting off-topic is fun!

But seriously. Gah. This rant is going on WAY longer than I initially wanted to.

I guess the end result of all of this, the "tldr" as you will...

Where am I going with my art?

Can I change this? Should I change this? What will happen if I do- keeping in mind the importance of "style" and "artistic freedom" or "creativity" in regards to commissioners and watchers? If I suddenly start uploading different art, will I lose watchers/commissioners? Will I gain them? Will I change as an artist... and will it be for the better or for the worse?

And then...

HOW do I go about trying new things? When so much has already been done, when I've been working with the same thought and style that I've done for so long, how does one go about changing and trying new things and exploring? I started off, soooo long ago, drawing lions in TLK style. However, as I matured, I grew to dislike and actively avoid trying to "copy" the TLK style. There are lots of great artists out there, but it makes me a little sad when so many of them spend 99% of their art copying, imitating, replicating, PERFECTLY, the style of a movie or a comic or some other artistic style that's already been set and made famous. Yes, it's amazing to see and many people WANT to see it, want to see their character re-created in the style of this or that famous movie or comic book saga... But does it allow room for individuality? Creative freedom? I'm not so sure about that. So I tried new things... but even though I drew new species, new poses and new settings... I'm not sure if my "TLK" roots have completely left me.

Now, I don't want my "roots" to leave me, not entirely, of course. It's important to always remember where you came from, how you started, and how that's helped shaped you as an artist today. But in a way, I wonder if it's like what I'll be doing in two months' time (spoiler alert)- leaving my parents' house to go live on my own. Am I still living in TLK-Style's house? I'll be moving out of their house soon and even though I've aged into a young adult under the roof of TLK, growing into my own person, I still somehow feel bound to that style, to that way of life. When I move out... into my own apartment in two months' time, to live and start a new life by myself, and live and change and grow how I see fit... How will I change as a person? As an artist?

...Metaphors are fun!

Super long journal is also super long.

And with that, I've run out of jokes.

Thoughts are appreciated, of course, just as every single comment, favorite, and watch is. I love every single one of you from the bottom of my heart. Even if you didn't or can't or won't read this, the fact that this journal popped up in your submission feed is enough. It means you saw something I created... and said to yourself, "yes, I want to see more of this." And that touches me. And helps me to keep waking up in the morning, wondering and challenging myself and doing everything I can to see what kind of artist, what kind of person, I can become.

Until next time, when commissions open again, when I've been able to understand what it means to truly be an artist... when I've run out of cheesy and dorky-poetic things to say (HA! like that'll ever happen)...

Until then.

Ya'll are awesome.

Thank you.

<3



-Tigger

Hi all,

I know it's been quite a while since my last update, and I apologize for that. I don't have much time for a full-fledged update but I figure I should at least you all know I'm still here.

Long story short, more health complications have led to more concerns, which means I will be undergoing surgery on Friday the 24th. It will be oral surgery, removing five impacting teeth (three of which are supposedly digging into my lymph nodes/salivary gland?/I'm not even sure my dentist knows what he's doing/etc) including wisdom and baby teeth that are royally screwing up my mouth. My dentist has also expressed the possibility that, if he sees something he "doesn't like", he may have to biopsy it during the operation. We'll see...

I have been able to respond to most of the people I have commissioned, but there are a few people I am still working on their commissions:

Still working on:


Waiting on info from:


I'll update this as best I can and once again I do apologize for the lack of communication as of late... I will do my best to fix all of this once the surgery is over and I've recovered and go back to dedicating more of my time to drawing for you awesome people.

Thanks again, and I'll also be working on uploading the art I've finished as soon as possible.

Ya'll are awesome.

-Tigger

Heya all!

I'm on "vacation" right now visiting a friend out of town, but thankfully to managed to check Flight Rising on my phone this morning and gasp! They're opening for registration! This is kinda big since they rarely open for this so I wanted to give ya'll a heads up!

http://www1.flightrising.com

Flight Rising is a pet and community website that revolves around dragons! You can breed them for different genes and colors, dress them up, have them battle in the Colisseum, earn treasure to grow your lair, and be a part of the community via the forums. It's a super fun and enjoyable site and I recommend everyone give it a try. :) it's absolutely free!

From the website: "Registration will be available at 05:30 Server Time on Wednesday, April 8th, and close at 05:30 Server Time on Thursday, April 9th."

If you do join, at one point during registration it will asked if someone referred you. If you could put in my username, TiggerPup91, I would super appreciate it. :D

Anyways, that's all for me now! I will be back home Saturday afternoon and will be able to pick back up my commissions then. Until then, thanks everyone for your patience and understanding, and I hope you all have fun and join me on this silly, enjoyable pet website called Flight Rising. ^_^

Ya'll are awesome!

-Tigger

Update 4/2: I will be visiting a friend who I haven't seen in months this weekend, so I won't be near my computer for the next few days. I apologize to those still waiting on their commission, but I promise to get right back to working on them as soon as I get home. :) Thank you all so much... I can never really express how grateful I am to all of you.


So, yesterday I went to the specialist (a doctor/oral surgeon) and, well, I guess it's good news... he was pretty dang adamant that it was, what's called, a "Node of Stahr", which is a lymph node located behind the saliva glands in your cheek, named after a surgeon in the 50s (I think?) who had a lot of patients with similar symptoms I had and kept biopsying them by the hundreds, thinking they were dangerous, only to finally discover a lymph node behind the saliva gland that swells when there's an infection in the throat and/or mouth.

There weren't any scans, tests, or a biopsy. He even started telling me what it was before he starting feeling the lump for himself, which I assume meant he read my charts/symptoms/records or whatever and made the conclusion before even seeing me in person. Although even after he felt it he was still very sure that it was just a swollen lymph node. Now, why my doctor AND dentist both missed this, I don't know why, which still makes me nervous/uneasy even though the surgeon was super convinced that everything's, as he put, 'just fine'.

As far as the surgeon's reason why it's swollen, it's kinda two things put together that did it: first, remember when I got strep on my birthday, three weeks back? Went to the doctor, got antibiotics, took them for the next week and a half- and still had a super sore throat. Went back to the doctor and turns out I have Strep B, not Strep A, so the antibiotics didn't do anything except keep me from being contagious. My throat just continued to get worse. I'm on new antibiotics now, but having strep for that long without it getting treated (properly) caused my throat to become very inflamed and infected. The other thing is that I have five impacting teeth; three of which are wisdom teeth which have practically become embedded in my gums. These have been trapping a lot of bacteria under my teeth where a toothbrush can't reach, causing the glands in my mouth to overwork to try and fight the infection. Both of these are causing the lymph node to overwork and become swollen.

Now, to repeat, the surgeon said I would be fine as long as I continued my antibiotics and did twice a day salt-water rinses/gargles to help clear out the gunk from my throat. But to also repeat, I still feel uneasy and I'm not 100% relieved or relaxed. I should be thrilled for such a positive 'diagnosis', and that it's not serious, but the fact that it still could be serious and that I don't have any direct 'treatment' to make it go away doesn't leave me feeling very secure. Sure, the antibiotics SHOULD help, but they're prescribed for Strep B, not for swollen lymph nodes. And really the only direct 'treatment' I have to treat this is... gargling with salt water... a 'home remedy' that my surgeon said his grandmother swears by...

I dunno. Hey, I should be thrilled and happy and throwing a party that everything's fine, but I just don't feel like I'm out of the woods yet. And I'm still wrapping my brain and emotions around this all, not sure exactly what to think or feel right now. However, I do want to say thank you all for all your positive, encouraging, and very kind comments on my previous journal... It made me feel much better, while in such a dark place, that there were people out there who cared for me and were sincerely concerned and hoping for my health to recover. So thank you so much for that.

I'm going to try and get back to work on commissions as soon as possible. My search for an apartment has kinda slowed to a crawl at this point, since I now have to muster up $900 for the surgery to remove those five impacted teeth (which are just going to create more and more problems the longer they stay in my mouth), which is definitely gonna set back my savings for an apartment. But... I'll get there.

Thank you all again. Ya'll are awesome.

-Tigger


====================================


Commission List Status:

1.  Saber_Glo Progress: Finished, approved (PAID)
2.  Sasuki Progress: Finished, waiting for approval (PAID)
3.  takeachancemica Progress: Inking (PAID)
4.  SchrodingersFeline Progress: Inking (PAID)
5.  empirewolf13 Progress: Sketching
6.  karmadragon Progress: Sketching
7.  Corezy Progress: Sketched, Approved

I don't want to draw this out, so I'll make it quick: Yesterday, while at work, I discovered a lump forming on the right side of my jaw. I scheduled a doctor visit right away and the soonest I could get was that afternoon. I went after work, but unfortunately the doctor had already left- still, I was seen by a nurse, who recommended me to a dentist. Today I managed to get an appointment with my dentist... and they referred me to an oral surgeon, a specialist, for "O.C. Screening"... Or, oral cancer screening.

I have an appointment tomorrow the 27th with the surgeon/specialist. May end up having a scan, or even a biopsy, if things are bad. I guess we'll see.

Working on commissions best I can, promise, but... Things aren't going so well right now.

Just giving you all a heads-up.

I'll keep you guys posted with updates as best I can.

-Tigger





====================================


Commission List Status:

1.  Saber_Glo Progress: Sketched (PAID)
2.  Sasuki Progress: Sketching
3.  takeachancemica Progress: Sketching
4.  SchrodingersFeline Progress: Sketching
5.  empirewolf13 Progress: Not yet started
6.  karmadragon Progress: Not yet started
7.  Corezy Progress: Not yet started

Heya guys, I know I'm not typically a person who uploads multiple journals in a short amount of time, but I felt a new journal was needed for a) keeping updated with my current, new commission list and b) to let you guys know of some awesome news at work! :D This is gonna be kind of a long journal, so if you're here for the commissions updates, they'll be right here, right up front. ^^

Commission List Status!

1.  Saber_Glo Progress: Sketched (PAID)
2.  Sasuki Progress: Sketching
3.  takeachancemica Progress: Sketching
4.  SchrodingersFeline Progress: Sketching
5.  empirewolf13 Progress: Not yet started
6.  karmadragon Progress: Not yet started
7.  Corezy Progress: Not yet started

But yeah, the rest of this stuff will be all life/job updates! Whoo! Let's get started~

As the title says, I received a promotion at work on Friday! I had my yearly review and it went VERY well- my bosses are very pleased with me (I have three bosses; one is my direct boss in the office, another is a boss for the plant who I also report to, and the third is the CEO of the company himself) and as of late, as you guys may have picked up on through my various updates on recent commissions, I've been doing a bunch of graphic design projects for my CEO (I'll call him "T" for now), and while T has given me many a headache with some of these projects, they've also all gone well and T has told me that he's chosen ME over his previous designer that he commissioned work from when he first started the company to be the new graphic designer for the entire company.

Now, I won't change jobs immediately- between now and the next 6 months I will be "transitioning" away from what I currently do (counting/printing emails, stamping/sorting papers, etc) and moving into an office, away from a cubicle, with a computer set-up to help with growing the company in regards to advertising, promotions, social media networking, etc etc. I am INCREDIBLY nervous about all what this entails, since I still don't feel 100% qualified for all that he wants me to do, but T told me during my review that he thinks I am a "diamond in the rough" and wants to help me 'grow' and become a polished graphic designer, tailor-made for his company to help it grow.

As far as my thoughts on this go, well, I still have a lot of fears and doubts regarding the two scary words "graphic design". I have a bachelor's of fine arts, yes, in ANIMATION. I took only TWO classes on Graphic Design... the first one, I busted my butt, worked my heart out and got a C+, because, while my professor acknowledged my hard work, he told me many times that I just "didn't have it", that my stuff wasn't of "professional quality" and that I "wouldn't make it as a designer". The second one, I lasted three days before breaking down crying (I kid you not) in the middle of class, the first and only time I walked out of a class during my four and a half years of college, because I couldn't understand anything we were doing, and I dropped the course that same day. So... You guys can probably tell from that alone my fears/wariness of becoming a "Graphic Designer"... Even with all the projects T had me do over the past half year, I never really thought any of them were good or stuff, but, hey, I guess T thinks they were?

This is, of course, NOT to say that I'm not excited about this. On the contrary, I am SO thrilled and SO ready for this! Holy crap! I've been living at my parents' house for the past year because the salary which I had been paid for this printing-counting-stamping-filing job was not anywhere near enough to cover all my expenses- including paying off my car AND student loans. However, this this promotion... comes a SUBSTANTIAL pay raise. I'm talking enough that I can now afford an apartment. I can get OUT of my parents house and start being INDEPENDENT. Start LIVING the life I want to live! Of course, my dad (and negative-nancy sister) have been cautioning me to wait and save up, but they don't realize that I HAVE been saving up, this past year living at my parents' house. I HAVE enough money to jump into an apartment.

Thanks to you guys.

Thanks to the money I earned at TFF...

Thanks to the commissions you all have thrown at me, and the work I've thrown myself into making art this past year...

I have enough saved up.

And tomorrow (3/23) I'm going to be visiting my first apartment complex to check it out and tour it and see about moving in as soon as possible. I'm going to, over the next few days, write down and figure out and budget how much it will take for me to afford an apartment (though I know I will be able to) and what money I will have left over to continue saving and putting aside, becoming more and more independent with each step.

This is it.

It's scary, it's uncertain, it's doubtful and it's thrilling. For a long time I've felt stuck in a depression, a rut, because of my place of living; my parents' house. I turned 24 two weeks ago and I loathe that, as an adult, I'm still forced to use my parents as a crutch. Living here has been an incredible damper on me and my life- my only escape, every day, has been FA and drawing for you guys, some youtube and video games, Skype friends, and basically the world contained in my computer in a corner of my room. Anywhere else in the house is misery for me... But now, I'll be able to move into an apartment of my own, and be in an entire 'house', with a kitchen, a bedroom, a living room, all that I can feel comfortable and myself in.

I realize that I'm probably ranting now... haha... I guess I'll close it off with a lovely tldr;

I received a pay raise at work which will let me move into an apartment very soon. I will also be taking on a new job as a Graphic Designer which I am nervous but excited for. And you guys are the reason I have saved up enough money to move out of my parents' house. So, thank you.

With all that saaaaaaaaaaaaid...

This might be the longest journal I've made in a while... xD; Like I said, I'm still very scared about all this. I feel like I'm walking a tightrope out of hell- I'm going to a better place, yes, and I now have a route to that better place, a way to get there, that I didn't have before- but it's still a tightrope, I could fall at any moment and the darkness is looming beneath me just waiting to swallow me if or when I make the slightest slip-up... But I've been in hell for far too long, and I'm going to keep walking that tightrope no matter how scared I get. I need to get out of this darkness. I WILL get out of it.

And you guys help me out so much.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I love doing this for you guys and it's thanks to you I'll be able to move in much quicker than what others in my life are trying to make me wait for.

No more waiting!

Time to see all what my life's got in store for me! :D

Like always...

Ya'll are awesome!

-Tigger

Hey guys!

So I'll be ready to open commissions again soon! :D But before I did, I wanted to post a journal appealing to all my watchers and commissioners to ask for ya'll's input, opinion, and ideas regarding how I open commissions.

The last time I opened them, the few slots I offered went very quickly, so quickly that I ended up extending my five slots into seven to accommodate for those who just barely missed claiming a slot, by minutes. On top of that, I had at least six more people note me later that day about how they had missed the journal and I was closed by the time they were even able to access FA.

Now, don't get me wrong- I was absolutely floored and very humbled by how quickly my slots went, how many people wanted to commission me and how well they've gone so far. I can't thank you guys enough for that kind of support. But it does leave a small problem- namely, those who want to commission me but aren't able to claim a slot in time before the 5 or so slots I open fill up.

Which brings us to this- what do you guys feel is the most fair and optimal way to open commissions? Do I announce a set time- i.e. "I will be opening for commissions at 5:00PM CST on Monday the 9th!" so people can be 'fairly' prepared? Or is it better to open them unannounced so everyone has an 'equal' shot? Fair and equal right now don't exactly line up, and I want to try and be as close to both as possible...

I think I can go back to ten slots next time- five regular, and five 'backup' that won't get started until the first five are finished or near finishing- while I did like having a smaller work load this time around, again I feel like adding just three more slots than what I did last time is still doable, and I can still get commissions done within the 2-week time frame I allow myself to have.

But still, I want to know YOUR opinion, YOUR thoughts on this! I never want to claim to know everything (or even anything!) about how most people work on FA, yet at the same time I do understand people have lives outside of this website and not everyone has schedules that line up with being able to do things like catch someone who's open for commissions before they close up. (Trust me, I totally feel ya'll here- there's this one artist I've been trying to commission for almost a year, but I ALWAYS miss their journal openings...)

Thanks so much, guys! I only have a few more pieces I have left to do, so like I said, commissions should be opening soon! Fingers crossed by the end of the week! I would LOVE to hear any and all of your comments, and I promise I really do appreciate each and every single watch, favorite, comment, and even the views! You guys are helping me, step by step, to build myself up to an even better artist every day. <3

Ya'll are awesome!

-Tigger



Update 3/9: Second year in a row I was sick on my birthday (yesterday, the 8th). Still working on commission as best I can, promise...



It's finally time! ^_^

Tigger's 2015 Commission Price Guide!

My new commission sheet is up and running, and after a day or so I'm ready to take commissions again. :D I'll be taking them in slightly smaller batches this time, of five instead of ten, but hopefully this means I'll have more frequent openings by being finished quicker than I usually would be. ^_^ It's a little experiment that I hope will get some good results to see if this works better than the 5-current and 5-backup slots which I used to do. Either way, I appreciate everyone's support and can't wait to get to drawing some awesome stuffs for you guys. :3

Current Slots:
1. Progress: Finished, APPROVED (PAID)
2. Progress: Finished, APPROVED (PAID)
3. Progress: Finished, APPROVED (PAID)
4. Progress: Finished, APPROVED (PAID)
5. Progress: Finished, APPROVED (PAID)

*AND BECAUSE PEOPLE STARTED SNIPIN' EACH OTHER FOR SLOTS*

6. Progress: Finished, APPROVED (PAID)
7. Progress: Finished, APPROVED (PAID)

WELP. SO MUCH FOR JUST FIVE SLOTS THIS TIME AROUND. :U

If you would like to commission me for a piece, please send me a note with all the information I need to get started and I will work on a sketch as soon as possible. :D Recall that I do not require or ask for payment until after I've sent you a sketch you are satisfied with. If you have any other questions that aren't answered on my commission price guide, feel free to send me a note with those questions and I'll answer them as best I can.

Thanks again, everyone!

Ya'll are awesome!

-Tigger



In other news, my birthday is in a week, on the 8th. 8D For those going to AFM, ya'll better bring me a cake! >P


Heya all!

Welp, TFF was an absolute BLAST. Not only do I feel like I improved significantly from my badges and my art last year, but there were a lot of things I knew going into the con that I didn't last year, which all-around helped make it a more fun, more efficient experience. All in all I got to draw around 40 badges for all the furries in attendance, which was amazing! I cannot begin to thank everyone enough, all who commissioned me and help support me as an artist. I had a blast, even sitting behind a table for two straight days and drawing until I passed out from exhaustion. Unlike last year, for the better, I'd finished with my commissions by Day 3 so I was able to walk around the con, attend a few events and even get to watch the dance competition! It was awesome!

Gonna see if I can find everyone to shout-out to...

and for being awesome roomates! :D They were in the Dealer's Den this year and I got to visit them every so often, and they were awesome to share a room with.



And SO many more as I continue to look for their accounts, just for being awesome people who I got to hang out with, some who commissioned me and some who just stopped by to say hi and give me the smiles and encouragement I needed to keep going. ^^ You guys made my TFF absolutely amazing and I can safely say I was smiling the whole time, and even when I got home I was still smiling from all the awesome that was had at the con.

(ALSO BEFORE I FORGET: Got an AWESOME badge by go check out their art, it's amazing.)

For those who weren't able to visit or stop by, fear not! I will be opening commissions again very shortly! :3 They will be at slightly different prices however, so expect a new price sheet to go up soon. :) (It's not too bad of an increase, promise.) Once it's been up for a day or so I'll open up a journal for a few slots to take, but I'll still need a few days of R&R after the con. xD;

But yeah, anyways, I'm rambling too much.

TFF WAS AWESOME.

ALL YA'LL ARE AWESOME.

TIGGER OUT. <3

Aaaand here we are! ^_^ Been waiting for this, and feel like this is a good time to post it. I'm going to Texas Furry Fiesta this year, and I CANNOT WAIT OH MY GOSH IT'S GOING TO BE AWESOME.

Ahem.

So without further ado, it's time to MEME it up in here! ;D



ARRANGEMENTS:

Q: Where are you staying?
At the con hotel! Whoot! :3

Q: When will you be arriving and leaving?
I'll be driving there and arriving EARLY Friday morning, so I can get Registration done quickly and be in time for the AA raffle. :)

Q: Who will you be rooming with?
Two awesome college friends who are also awesome artists! They're lucky to be in the Dealer's Den this year, and will both be selling art at the con so go check 'em out! ^^

Q: Where will you be most of the time during the day/s?
Hopefully, the Artist Alley! If I'm not able to snag a winning lottery ticket for it, though, I'll just wander around and meet people and see things n' stuff. :P

Q: What/where will you be eating?
Hopefully I'll be eating at all, this time! XD Last year I had no time to eat (and truthfully just forgot) so I hardly ate anything. This time, I'll bring some snacks and munch on those most of the day. I don't think I'll be going "out" to eat at all, I've got more important stuff to do! :P (But yeah, if you plan on ordering cheese pizza while there, LET ME KNOW B/C I WILL PAY FOR SOME SLICES BECAUSE PIZZA.)

Q: Will you be having a room party?
Oh gosh, no. xD; I'm way too socially awkward and introverted for that.

Q: Will you be drinking and/or getting drunk?
Nope, I don't drink. c: I even quit Diet Coke last week! Whoo!


PERSONAL STUFF:

Q: What is your gender?
I am female :)

Q: How tall are you?
Better question would be how 'short' I am, because I am a tiny 5"1'!

Q: If I approach you, will you chat with me?
Of course! If I'm currently drawing, though, please understand that I won't be able to look at you the whole time, gotta make some arts. xP

Q: If I see you, how should I get your attention?
"TIGGERRRRRR!" works. Or, since I'll be wearing my Lerato hoodie and backpack and you see them, you can shout out Lerato's name, too! :3 He's got a pretty unique name, so I'll know who you're calling right away!

Q: How many furry conventions have you attended?
This will be my second one! My first was TFF last year and I cannot WAIT for this year's!

Q: Do you own a fursuit?
Nope, wish I did though! (Only in my dreams do I dance around in a Lerato quadsuit... xP)


PERMISSIONS:

Q: Can I hug or snuggle with you?
I love hugs! :D All I ask is that you hug me from in front, and not behind- and no 'SURPRISE' hugs, please. :c I get startled and it really scares me when someone touches or grabs me where I can't see them, even if they only want to hug or shake hands. It's silly, I know.

Q: How can I find you?
Hopefully, drawing in the Artist Alley! Look for the orange hoodie with a cream mohawk and cream spots. :3

Q: Can I buy you drinks?
I don't drink alcohol, and I recently gave up Diet Coke! (A week without it and going strong. I can do this!) I appreciate the thought, though. :)

Q: Can I look in your sketchbook?
Sure! Just ask first. :)

Q: Can I draw in your sketchbook?
You bet!

Q: Can I take your picture?
This, I'm kinda iffy about... I don't much like having my picture taken alone, and I don't want my face to wind up on the internet, either. But you're welcome to take a picture with me if you'd like, as long as it's with other people and it doesn't go up on FA. :)


MISCELLANEOUS:

Q: Do you do do free art, trades, commissions, badges?
Unfortunately, I do not. :c It's gonna cost me a bit to attend TFF, so I need to make enough money to counter that, and hopefully a bit extra to save up for my next con!

Q: Do you have a table in the Artist Alley / Dealer's Den or a panel in the Art Show? If so, what are you selling?
Artist Alley! Badges! ;D They'll look like this and if you want one, you can either order it from me and I'll work on it at the con, OR, you can preorder one from me NOW and save 5 bucks! ;)

Q: Do you plan to volunteer?
Maybe one day! But sadly, not this year. :c

Q: What's your goal for the con this year?
A lot of what I'm planing for this year is a result of what I learned from last year- and while I had a BLAST last year, I also made a ton of mistakes, including not eating/sleeping enough, taking too many commissions, and leaving absolutely no time to just walk around and enjoy the con for myself. So I hope to do all of those things this year! I'll be more mindful of eating and taking breaks, and I'll definitely spend some time not drawing in the Artist Alley, just walking around and seeing all the con has to offer. :)

One extra note!

If you want to get my "attention" while I'm at the con but can't find me, you can send me a note via FA! I'll be checking it periodically throughout the con so if you want to meet up, hang out, or just want to know where I am at the time, you're more than welcome to shoot me a note and ask. ^^

Aaaand I think that's about-

WAIT.

NO IT'S NOT.

GUYS.




I HIT 1000 WATCHERS.




I... I can't... I CANNOT EVEN.

WOW.

Thank you all. So so so much. I love you all. ;W;

Signing off, but READY for TFF! Whooooo!



Ya'll are AWESOME. <3

-Tigger

Good news:

Computer's back at home, up and running, with a new hard drive and two more years' warranty.

Bad news:

I've lost a TON of stuff.

Luckily (?) I had a backup from September, so all of my files that I had backed up (basically, my entire computer) from then is all still on my computer.

On the other hand...

Every other file I've created/edited since then is gone.

In addition, ALL of my programs, bookmarks, browser settings... everything... is wiped. It's basically like getting a new computer with my files (from September, of this year) transferred onto it. Everything else... lost.

Sigh...

I may open up a journal some time tomorrow for Emergency Commission slots, but it may take me another day or so to actually be able to get to them. I have a TON of stuff I have to reinstall (all my game software, all of my drawing software, my Cintiq drivers, etc etc etc- I even had to reinstall Chrome (first thing I did once opening up Explorer, lol) and am pretty upset about the lost bookmarks... I had tons)... So that'll take me a while.

To all those who commissioned me between September of this year and now, I apologize but I no longer have the files for your commissioned pieces. I can't go back and make edits or changes on them... On the one hand, I'm glad I didn't have any commissions in progress that I lost, but on the other hand, I am deeply disappointed about losing what commissioned pieces I had in those few months' time. I am very sorry.

So, yeah... I've got a lot of work to do. I'm trying to view this as a positive thing, i.e. starting out fresh, new, with an extended warranty and pretty much a brand-new computer, but at the same time, it's hard NOT to see all the things I've lost at the same time. I dunno, I guess I'll figure it all out sooner or later.

Thanks again everyone for your kind words and your patience and understanding. You guys are awesome.

-Tigger






_{... I wonder if I lost the files for my Minecraft worlds... oh, the months I had invested into those...}

I DID. IT'S ALL GONE.

-sigh-

Four days.

It is FOUR DAYS out of warranty.

So of course my computer decides it's the perfect time to bite the dust.

Specifically it's the hard drive... Have runs a few tests, got some error codes, spoken to Dell, and apparently the hard drive is busted and needs replacing. They don't make/have any of my specific computer in stock so I'll have to get it locally replaced. No idea how long that will take... And hopefully it won't be more than $100. Either way... Until who knows how long I'll be out of a computer, specifically, my tablet. I can post and surf and comment and stuff on my iPhone and tablet, but won't be able to do arts for a while...

Sorry to everyone and thank you all for still watching me. Hopefully I'll be able to get this fixed and running again shortly. I hope all of you had a great holiday season and will enjoy a happy new year's. :)

Until next time,

-Tigger


Update: 3:15PM
Just got back home after dropping my computer off to be repaired. I got a pretty good deal on a new hard drive, installation and iOS reinstallation, data transfer, new antivirus and 2 additional years of hardware warranty for $300 total. Not bad considering, but still... Love those massive, unexpected bills of life... >> At least I should have it all fixed and ready for me to pick up tomorrow night. Once I do... Expect some emergency commissions slots to open up... xD'

Hey everyone!

Sorry to bring such sad news, but I do need to say it: I will have to close my commissions right now. :C They will probably stay closed until the end of November- but I do plan on being open back in December for all sorts of fun winter- and Christmas-themed commissions and sales. But as for now, for the past week at least I've been in need of a break but didn't have the heart (nor financial stability, for that matter) to say no to people who asked about commissions. So right now I have five commissions I am working on- if I have messaged you recently discussing the details of your commission, then don't worry, you're fine. :3 But I can't take any more commissions right now, and I'm very sorry for that. Again, thank you all so much for all your continued support with watches, favorites, comments, and everything else.

Ya'll are awesome. <3

-Tigger


Edit:
2/5 commissions finished
3/5 commissions working on atm

Hey all! I know it's only been a week since my last journal but I felt the need to make another one to give everyone an update about how things are going for me and how they translate into commissions and art for you guys.

SO. For those who don't know, I had one hell of a week- a surprise irl boss battle (lol but srsly was given two days to make an advertisement for a new promo at work) and then getting sick but still going to work... On top of my auction ending right all at the same time! I've got a lot of stuff to do and hopefully I'll have it all done this weekend, when I've got some time set aside to get things done.

With that said, here is my current "queue", I suppose, or rather just a list of...

Things To Do:
1. Finish ref sheet for Vercantos16 (PAID) //
2. Finish YCH chibi winners (ALL PAID) //
3. Sketch plane piece for a-snow-cone (PAID) // PROGRESS: INKING
4. Pocket ref for AndeGlitter (Not yet paid)

Hopefully as the next few days go on I will have all of these crossed out and completed, so I can get everything out to everyone who's waiting on art. I want to apologize to those who have been waiting so long and VERY MUCH thank all of you for your patience. If you are interested in a commission, I would be happy to do one for you, but please understand that my To Do List must come first. For those who have a piece on the list, I am going to do everything in my power to have them done for you by the end of the weekend.

Thank you all so very much. You guys keep me going. <3

Ya'll are awesome.

-Tigger

So FA is finally back up and running! Woo-hoo!

However...

The downtime went for quite a few days during my YCH auction, so I'm not sure whether to call it "over" or give it another day... Not sure which one would be considered fair for all involved. x/ What do you guys think?

In the meantime, yes, I am still accepting commissions, but I'd like to slow it down a bit if at all possible, so no fire sales or big combo deals open right now. Things are getting pretty crazy at home and I'm needing all the free time I can get... or rather, I'm getting less and less time for drawing each day so I don't want to make people wait a long time for commission turnarounds. x/

Anyways, I think that's about it for now. Please let me know what you think I should do about the Halloween YCH Auction up right now... end it, or give it another day? What do you think is fair? (The second batch will be coming shortly!)

THanks so much everyone. Ya'll are awesome. <3

-Tigger

The first batch, the auction (i.e. Option A) set, is now up! :D

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14763914/

Once the auction is over I will put up a second batch, and these will be autobuy (i.e. Option B) for those who preferred that style better. :)

---

Hey guys! Like the title says, I have a number of different anthro chibi (I've been practicing!) YCHs I've been sketching up, all Halloween-themed, i.e. wearing costumes and posing in fun ways.

But before I do, I have a question as to which type of YCH you all prefer/would want to buy from:


Option A:
Each pose can only be bought ONCE by ONE person for ONE character, and thus it is auctioned off for a set amount of time, with the highest bidder being the winner.
Pro: Offers a more exclusive/unique final piece to the commissioner.
Con: Can only go to one commissioner, wait for auction to end, unsure price.

Option B:
Each pose can be auto-bought at a low, set price a limitless number of times by as many people who want their character on that YCH base.
Pro: Many different people can all enjoy the YCH piece, with a firm and low price for everyone.
Con: Doesn't offer a 'unique, my-character only' final piece for the commissioner.


Okay... With those being said and outlined in as brief yet descriptive way as I can...

Which do you all, as commissioners, prefer?

Would you rather Option A, where you can bid-war on a single YCH piece, possibly win, and have as a final art unique to your character?

Or do you prefer option B, where you're fine with other people sharing the same YCH base, so long as you can have a low-priced and simple YCH for your own?


PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE COMMENT YOUR OPINIONS! Even if it's just "A" or "Option B", however simple or detailed. I will NOT judge you in ANY way at all on this, as I understand it's a matter of preference and nothing else. DEPENDING ON YOUR RESPONSES IS HOW I WILL UPLOAD THE UPCOMING HALLOWEEN YCHS! I'm really excited to get these out to ya and I'm working on making as many as I can, but before I upload them I've got to know which method you all, as my watchers and commissioners, would rather like to see! I'd like for them to be a win-win scenario for us both, so please comment with your opinion! <3

Thank you all so much! :D

And since I never get tired of saying it...

Ya'll are awesome.

-Tigger

So I've got a bit of an update for you guys, to explain why I may not be working on any new art this upcoming week. (I may still be able to upload art I've already done, just on my laptop, but... no new art or commissions for a few days, maybe for a week.)

Anyways, these past few weeks my computer has been acting horribly. Our A/C broke for a whole week two weeks ago, and my computer was stuck upstairs all week in 85-95 degree heat. We couldn't really move it because reasons, and by the time we got the A/C fixed (even though I had, like, six fans aimed at the turned-off tower every second of the week), my computer was starting to have troubles turning on, powering up, or even doing simple things like opening programs. I got blue screens, crashes and freezes, weird "disc consistency check" error messages, and so many more...

Now, it HAS been working these past few days, only if I can actually get it to turn on and load the first few programs without problem. I.e. at the start of the week, after 7 attempts to turn it on and get it working, once it was on and working, I haven't turned it off since. xD; If it doesn't turn off, it can't NOT turn back on again, right? ^^' Either way, it's a temporary (albeit kinda risky) fix... but not a permanent fix to a major problem, which is, my computer- mainly, my hard drive- might just be fried, melted, or just slowly wasting away. I've had this computer for 4+ years so it's lasted a good long while, but is also out of warranty...

BUT TO FINALLY GET TO THE POINT OF THIS LONG STORY.

My Dad has some technicians at his job who will be able to, at least, take a look at my computer and either be able to fix it, or at least tell me what's wrong and if it can be fixed by replacing a part, or if I need to buy a whole new computer (which I really don't want to do, but...). Tonight I'm boxing up my tower and sending it with my Dad for his work tomorrow. Only downside is, I have no idea when the technicians would be able to look at it... They might be able to work on it first thing Monday, or hey, maybe not even all week at all. But I'm going to give them as much time as I can, while also giving myself- and people I owe art to- a backup. If they aren't able to look at it by the end of the week, my Dad will bring it back and I'll have it back for the weekend. (Hopefully it'll turn back on...)

So, until the end of the week, I will be unable to work on any art.

Using my laptop, to try and stay active, I'll upload a submission or two between now and when I get my computer back, of some art I've already made and is just sitting on my computer. That way I won't be "gone" or on "hiatus", just a temporary hold on new art. P:

Aaand that's about it...

Until then, if you want a commission from me, you are more than welcome to note me! I am still "open" and will accept commissions, just understand I will be unable to start on them until, at the latest, Friday, whenever I get my computer back.

Yup, that's about it.

Thanks again to everyone reading this- commissioners, watchers, favorites, or just anyone and everyone who's been so supportive of me! I appreciate you guys more than I can ever put into words. <3 Here's hoping the fix is easy and inexpensive... and if not, here's hoping it won't be TOO much of a burden for a new computer. xD; That's a whole new can o' worms I'm hoping I don't have to open... but, hey, we'll see when we see!

This is Tigger, signing off!

Ya'll are awesome! :D

-Tigger