Sorry guys,

Had some super stressful stuff come up today, and I've been really out of sorts all afternoon. I'm fine, nothing's on fire, and I'm sure we'll get it sorted out. I don't feel like going into the details here. Suffice to say, I'm just not very good company right now. x_x I'm going to try and get some work done offline. Will post stuff later.

Mailing things off today for:

 nikaro
 caramelrose
 tempestuous
 adtuna1192
Jinks Jackalope on G+


If your name isn't on this list and you think it ought to be, I either don't have your address or I've got an envelope with collected art for you that's just waiting on your go-ahead to send. Note or email me if you have questions or concerns.

Missing Mailed Artwork? Click here for more info.

If you're an artist who sells work on commission and you have yet to find an effective way to track your sales, I submit a version of the spreadsheet I use to track who's paid me, who I owe work to, and what's finished.

Feel free to make your own copy and edit it to suit your personal needs!


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet.....it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet.....it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet.....it?usp=sharing

Hey folks!

I mentioned it in my last couple streams, but it's worth leaving a reminder here. I'm going to be busy helping a friend move into their new place this week, so I'm not going to be available for streams until next weekend at the earliest. I'll have my phone with me and will check in here and on social media (Twitter, G+, links are in my profile) occasionally, but otherwise I don't really expect to be online much. If you absolutely, urgently have to get in touch with me, and I don't reply to your Twitter DM or whatever, please contact  nius, my husband, and he'll get me the message. Only for dire emergencies, though, please.

I don't know if I overdid it or what, but I'm sore as hell tonight. I tried laying down for about an hour and work up feeling MORE stiff, sore, and tired than I was before. Took ibuprofen, but it's not helping. x.x This is counterproductive. So yeah, I hurt and I'm not very good company, so I think I'll just kind of veg tonight. May try and do a stream tomorrow to make up for it, but I just feel cruddy tonight.

Hey, does anyone know (or can recommend) places/services to have a table sign and/or banner printed up?

I don't do a whole lot of conventions every year, and I wouldn't need an enormous one, but I've never had one and I think it might be nice to change that. It would be a little bit nicer and more professional-looking than my current laminated piece of 8.5x11 paper. c.c; But yeah, I've never had a banner made before, so I don't even know where to begin to look. I may work in traditional media, but I do have enough past graphics experience to put together a file suitable for a printshop, so I don't really need a design service. Am looking for decent quality, durability, and relatively affordable, and this isn't something I need in a hurry. I'd just like to parse and price some options for the future.

So if you've had a table sign/banner made in the past, or know somebody else who's had it done, and had a good experience, please let me know!

Just popping up something else to get my profile back to normal dimensions because I just realized the interview I posted kind of shoved everything else off the page. c.c;;

A couple weeks back,  narawerewulf approached me about doing an interview for her blog, mostly about my take on what it's like to be a full time freelance furry artist, and what it took to get there. I realized, belatedly, that because her blog isn't in English (she translated all my answers for it, which is super awesome of her) that folks who might have been curious but weren't Finnish wouldn't have been able to read the questions and responses. So I'm going to copy the text I sent her and post it here now that I'm no longer out of my head sick with the flu. Like I told  narawerewulf, I hope my answers make sense because I have a tendency to ramble when I'm sick. I tried my best to be open and honest about how I do things. It's not meant to be a list of things every artist MUST do by any means, just how I've come to my current circumstances in life.


~~~~~~


1. Please introduce yourself! How old are you and where do you live? Any pets? Where can people find you online? If you have a fursona please tell us something about them and show a picture (either of you, your fursona or why not both).

I’m Zannah! I’m 32 years old, married, and I have six cats. No kids. I live in the Chicago area in the USA. The easiest place to find my recent work at the moment is my FA page: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/zannah/ but I’m also on Tumblr: http://zannyvix.tumblr.com G+, and Twitter. I have a website too, but it’s badly in need of an update. I’ve had the same fursona since I was about ten years old. Zannah’s an arctic fox with white fur, black hair and brown eyes. I’ve always had a thing for monochromatic characters. I usually cast her in a Star Wars setting, because I’m a giant nerd. Her ref sheet is here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14217170/


2. How long have you been drawing, both as a hobby and as a career? When did you start taking commissions?

I’ve been drawing since the early 90’s, and I went to university and got a degree in studio art to try and learn to draw better. I graduated in 2005 with a BFA in studio and a minor in art history. I sold my first serious piece in 2001, during my freshman year, and started taking commissions after that. I do also want to make it clear that you don’t have to go to school for art in order to learn to draw well. That path worked for me, but it isn’t for everybody.


3. How often do you accept commissions and do you make your living with them? What's your average workday like? What kind of commissions do you do (like paintings, badges, bookmarks…)?

I’m open for commissions pretty much all the time, though I do sort things into a couple of categories. I’ve found that streaming live helps me focus on my work, so two day a week I stream larger, more involved commissions like ref sheets and full color work with backgrounds. The other two days I take smaller on-the-spot commissions like sketches and art cards that are finished during the same stream. I do all sorts of work in traditional media, from badges and bookmarks to full color illustrations. Having a set schedule helps a lot, though working for yourself means days you take off because of illness or other factors are days you don’t get paid.


4. Have you published any comics, art books, calendars, portfolios or something along those lines? Or have your works been featured in publications arranged by other people? Any plans?

I’ve had work published in a couple of comics over the years, and will have a number of pieces in the upcoming issue of North American Fur from Jarlidium Press. http://www.jarlidium.com/naf.html I also recently collected about eight years worth of my line art into a coloring book which I have listed for sale on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Furry-Menager.....ashley+Holohan) and the Book Patch (http://www.thebookpatch.com/BookSto.....=9781633186965). I have a couple more projects in the works that I’ll probably release in the coming months as I have time to put things together.


5. Are you happy with your art as it is right now? What do you wish to accomplish with your art within the next five to ten years? Wanna show any comparison pics of how your art looked like in the past and how far you've become since?

I’m never totally happy with my art. I can always find things I did wrong, things I could have done better, places I should have spent more time on, etc. That doesn’t mean my art is BAD, but there’s always room for improvement and things to learn. I don’t really have anything specific I want to accomplish, but I’d like to get more confidant with drawing backgrounds, and stuff like technology (which I hate drawing). I’ve come a long way from where I was, but I still have a long way to go. I never throw out my old drawings, because they give me perspective on how much I’ve learned since I started. I like to keep one of my old pieces handy so when people say “I could never draw like you!” I can show them exactly what my drawings looked like when I started: http://alopexstudios.com/content/pics/charmeme.jpg Anybody can learn how to draw, if they’re just willing to put in the effort and practice. I’m not talented, I’m stubborn.


6. Are art blocks ever a problem and how do you manage them? Do you ever feel like there's too much pressure in this job (like meeting deadlines or taking too much work)? What do you do when you get commissioned for a subject that's not your cup of tea?

Art blocks are a problem with the person rather than the art itself. When I’ve dealt with “art block” in the past, it’s generally been because of depression and/or apathy rather than any lack of creativity. For me, if I let myself get overwhelmed, I’ll stop drawing. Getting near the end of a sketchbook can also make me anxious and want to stop, because ZOMG I MIGHT RUN OUT OF PAPER! I know it’s silly, because I hoard paper and I’m never going to run out, but sometimes that’s how the brain works. So I try to trick my brain to keep from running into those situations, like put a limit on the number of slots I’ll take, or keeping extra supplies on hand. If it’s depression related, and you can’t fight it off on your own, finding someone you trust to talk to, or getting counseling or even medication might help. I’m very lucky in that I’ve been able to throw off my own slumps without a lot of outside help, but there’s no weakness in seeking professional assistance if you need it.

Mostly, the work I take on doesn’t have much in the way of deadline pressure. I try to stay in touch with my commissioners so they know what’s going on. Vanishing on people who’ve paid you to do work is really unprofessional. It’s much better to let people know if you need a break and be available for updates than to just suddenly go dark. Communication is a really big deal if you plan to do this as your job. If I do take on work with a deadline, I need the commissioner to be very clear about that up front so that I understand how much time I have to finish things.

There aren’t a whole lot of things on my “Will not draw” list, but on the occasion someone asks me for something I’m not comfortable with, I try to approach things as neutrally as possible without rejecting them out of hand. Sometimes we’re able to come to a compromise on an image I’m comfortable drawing that also fits their needs. Sometimes we can’t, and that’s okay. Never be afraid to say no if what you’re being asked to draw isn’t something you want to depict. You don’t HAVE to take someone’s money. You are well within your rights to turn down a commission.


7. What are the challenges of being a full time artist? Do you have a steady flow of commissions and can you rely on always having the money to pay rent, food and so on?

I am very, VERY lucky to be in a position where I have a partner who has a well paying job. The money I bring in from commission sales is significant, but it would not be enough to support me by itself. It might buy groceries, but it wouldn’t cover the rent or other bills at all. Mostly, my income goes to help with unexpected expenses like medical bills (yay crappy American health care system) or lets us upgrade aging computers, etc. Most artists have at least one other job in addition to selling work on commission. I’m fortunate in that I don’t have to hold down a regular job, too, but that isn’t the case for many other artists.


8. Where do you find your customers and how do you encourage them to buy your stuff? Do you regularly have sales or other campaigns? YCHs?

The majority of my customer base have found me through my FA page, other social media like G+ and Twitter, more rarely at conventions, or through my regular streams on Tigerdile (https://www.tigerdile.com/stream/zannah/). I do sales at least a couple times a year, like Star Wars themed May the 4th commissions, and I’ll occasionally do YCH type stuff, but it’s not my main thing.


9. What's your experience with selling merchandise on sites like CafePress, RedBubble and so on? Do you think it's worth to try selling stuff there and what kind of designs attract most attention?

I’ve not actually looked at doing merchandise anywhere, and I have no idea if my stuff would sell or not. Most of my work lately has been commissions, and I would prefer to use original work for merchandise. I think a lot of people sell fan art they’ve drawn as merchandise, which really isn’t something I’m comfortable with.


10. Do you think your prices are fair? What about other artists, on average do you reckon artists are asking too little for their work? Do you ever get complaints about your prices?

I’m comfortable with the rates I’m currently asking for my work. They’ll probably stay where they are for at least a year or two and then I’ll re-evaluate and see if I need to change them. On average, artists definitely ask too little. RAISE YOUR PRICES, PEOPLE! No one will value your work unless you first value it yourself! If it’s just a hobby for you, no problem, but if you’re actually trying to live off your commissions, you have to take into account how much time goes into every piece. How much time are you talking to your commissioners? How much on revisions and edits? How much on prepping and posting your work so people will be able to find you? Your time is valuable, as are your skills. If you’re not making even minimum wage from your work, it’s time to either up your prices, or find a second job, because there’s no way you’ll be able to live off your art alone.

I don’t get complaints about my prices very often. When it does happen, typically it’s from a person who was never going to commission me in the first place, so there’s no point paying much attention to it. There will always be people who think paying anything for art is too much. They’re not part of my customer base, so I ignore them. My commissioners are awesome people and they understand the time, effort, and skill involved in creating their work.


11. What materials/programs do you use? Do you draw with traditional or digital media?

I’m very much old school. All my work is traditional media (though I’ve had it mistaken for digital every now and then). I typically use Pilot Eno color leads for sketching, Tombow Fudensuke brush pens for inking, and color with Copic marker with gel pens for accents. I like to work on various shades of toned paper. I also work in watercolor and gouache on occasion, and I have a mess of other art supplies I can use when need be. I scan my images when I finish with them, and do any cleanup necessary with GIMP before I post them.


12. Show me five works you are most proud of! Also feel free to tell a little something about them.

Okay, here goes…

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/12958593/ - Art Nouveau Zanny was really a turning point for me after almost a year of useless depressive slump where I basically did nothing. I finally sat down, kicked my depression in the butt, and got back to work. While I can see technical problems with the piece looking back now, it’s still an important touchstone for me. It reminded me of what I can be capable of when I really put my mind to it.

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/13371213/ - Temple Ruins was more about background and atmosphere than the characters, which was a real departure for me. I hate drawing backgrounds, but I’m learning to change that. This piece was also quite big for me. It was an 11”x14” panel, and didn’t fit in my scanner. As with the previous piece, I can see the technical flaws, but I’m still proud of the milestone this piece represents.

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/13513170/ - Another personal milestone in Unimpressed was drawing out Aunos’ full set of Mandalorian armor. Like backgrounds and technology, I’m not a fan of armor (which is probably why people keep making me draw it). You may have noticed a theme by now, that most of the things I’m most proud of all pushed me outside my comfort zone and made me grow as an artist. This piece isn’t as showy or impressive as some of thing things I’ve done, but I’m still quite happy with it.

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15455254/ - Jungle Run was more an experiment than anything else. Have I mentioned that I hate backgrounds? Well, this was initially supposed to be JUST background. We visited the greenhouses at the Chicago Botanical Gardens, and afterward I composited several photos I took, printed the results, and used my lightbox to trace the results (it’s totally cool to trace when you’re using your own photos). The results were much more organic than if I’d tried to make them up out of my head. I added Zanny as an afterthought, and kept the whole thing grayscale for impact.

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/16377008/ - Topless Cuddles (mature) is a more recent piece, and I’m including this one mostly because I love the emotions the image conjures up. My favorite pieces are the ones that feel like there’s a story behind them. This one just came together beautifully.


13. What inspires you? Are you a fan of some series? Do you draw fan art?

I have a hard time pinning down individual sources of inspiration. I look at a lot of pictures of people, architecture, animals, flowers, other people’s awesome artwork, etc. I read a lot, listen to a lot of music. Anything can be a jumping-off point for a piece. Sometimes it’s just a color I really want to use, sometimes it’s an entire scene that’s formed in my brain.

As far as series go, I’ve been really into Steven Universe lately. It kind of took me by surprise and sucked me in. I also casually keep up with My Little Pony (but I was a little girl in the 1980s, so I’m an original pony fan and it’s okay). I tend to stay away from straight up fan art as a general rule. The closest I come is “will draw your original character set in fan universe”. So personal Jedi/Sith, My Little Pony OCs, Gemsonas, etc, that’s all cool. Maybe it’s splitting hairs, but it makes me feel better.


14. Who are your artistic idols? How have they influenced your style and art subjects?

My biggest fangirl crush is most definitely  Wielder. She’s totally amazing and I want to draw like her when I grow up (if I ever grow up). I’ve also been a fan of  Arphalia’s work for years. Other influences would have to be James Gurney (http://jamesgurney.com/site/images), who just blows my mind, and Alfons Mucha (https://www.google.com/search?q=alf.....15&bih=891) whose work had such a distinctive style.


15. Do you draw in several styles (like realistic, chibi, cell shade etc)? Wanna show some examples? Which style do you enjoy the most?

Most of my stuff is pretty illustrative. I don’t really strive for realism because I’m not good at it, but I can do toony, from little artist trading cards: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/16435023/ and crayon cards: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/16064384/ to more detailed scenes: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/16207429/ I like pieces that hold some allure, like this one: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/16461959/ (NSFW) or this one: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/16467232/ And I have no problem drawing full blown adult pieces, but I think I have the most fun with the ones that tease without giving too much away. Like I’ve said before, I love art that feels like it has a story to tell.


16. How often do you attend conventions? Do you offer commissions there and what kind of works do you have for sale? Do you usually make or lose money during cons?

Right now I’m doing 2-3 cons a year. I attend Rising Star in West Virginia as an artist guest, and I work the artist alley as one of Midwest Fur Fest’s staff artists. My husband and I, until recently, also worked as part of the AV staff for FurtherConfusion. We were unable to make it for 2015 because I was recovering from surgery at the time.

If I’m not staffing for the con in some other capacity, generally I run a table and offer commissions and prints for sale. If I break even, I’m having an EXCELLENT convention. Usually, though, I lose money at cons. After you factor in travel, food, hotel costs, and con membership, there isn’t much left in profit. Now, part of that is because it’s usually just me and my husband. If I were splitting travel and room cost with a bunch of other people, it might work out differently (but the husband snores and while I can sleep through that, most people can’t).


17. Do you have any advice for young artists wishing to become full time artists? Did you yourself aim for an artistic career or did it just sort of happen?

Okay, I know it hurts? But seriously, don’t expect to be able to live off your art, especially not at first. The fraction of people who can support themselves on art sales alone is vanishingly small. I say this not to poke holes in dreams, but because right now that’s the reality we live with. I got an art degree mostly because I wanted to learn to be a better artist, but I never had any illusions about actually making a career out of it. That the cards happened to fall out that way was more than I could have ever dreamed, and even then, I spent a good decade and a half working other jobs out of school and doing art on the side before I reached that point. And like I said before, if not for my husband’s income, I would still be working a day job, too. So while it’s great to follow your dreams, make sure you can eat, too.


18. Are you self taught in art or did you go to an art school? Would you recommend art schools? Any online teaching tools you'd recommend for artists?

I did go to art school, and I have a BFA in studio art and a minor in art history, but I also feel I’ve learned and grown much more as an artist outside of university. My biggest piece of advice for beginning artists is Never. Stop. Learning. Learn however works best for you. Not everyone does well in a school setting, and some people learn better from reading and trying things on their own than from following an instructor. The most important thing I came away with was how to take critique without letting my ego run away with me. I spent four years with professors tearing apart my work and forcing me to confront the problems with it, and try to fix them. That’s really, really important.

As far as online tools, here are some useful links I’ve collected over the years:

http://www.senshistock.com/sketch/# - For gesture drawing
http://photo-reference-for-comic-artists.com - Super handy pose references
http://paletton.com/ - For putting together color palettes
http://www.saveloomis.org - Classic Loomis drawing books

And there are tons of tutorials on Google, Youtube, and Tumblr. If I need something specific, I generally look it up while I’m drawing.


19. Have you ever been a victim of art theft? What should artists do in those situations?

Yes, I have.

First? Don’t panic. Evaluate the situation. Is this someone passing your work off as their own, or are they just sharing your work because they like it, and forgot to credit you? In the latter situation, sometimes all you need to do is gently remind the person that it’s polite to credit the artist if they want to repost the work. Now, if it’s someone tracing your stuff and signing it as their own, or flat out reposting your art and claiming it’s theirs, I recommend not contacting the person at all. They KNOW what they’re doing is wrong, and they don’t care. They might just be young and dumb, and doing it for attention. They might have some mental disfunction. Either way, you won’t get anywhere talking to them. Likewise, stirring up a bunch of friends and/or fans to go after them can get YOU in trouble as the bad guy who attacked some defenseless nobody. A better course of action is to contact the gallery or website where the stolen work is hosted, provide proof of theft, and have it removed by the administration. In most cases, they’ll remove the offending work and warn or ban the person responsible, and you won’t have to do anything else. If the thief is smart, they’ll learn their lesson and move on. Some people never learn, it’s true, but chances are they won’t steal from YOU again. It’s not something I lose sleep over.


20. How about difficult customers? Ever ran into some trouble with them and how did you handle it? What kind of customers should artists avoid and what are your tips for avoiding scammers?

First things first, every artist needs a Terms of Service. This exists to protect you and your commissioners, both. You will always run into difficult people, and it’s very handy to have your terms written up ahead of time to lay some ground rules. However you decide to do things, always, ALWAYS make sure you’ve been paid before you post a finished piece. I’ve been bitten by a scammer who likes to come into streams, try to bargain the artist’s rates down, ask for an invoice, and then never paid it. If the commission is coming from someone I’ve never worked with before, I require at least a deposit up front, and full payment before I post complete work. People I’ve worked with before I’m more inclined to trust where payment is concerned, if I know they’re good for it.

Be wary of people who ask for lots and lots of changes. I have a 3 edits rule, in that I will go back and forth with a commissioner up to 3 times during the sketch phase of a drawing to make changes, and after that I start charging extra per edit. I had one person who kept changing their mind, and had me re-drawing the sketch for their piece completely from scratch because they kept changing the species and the body type, etc. Having a limit on the amount of free edits you’ll do will keep indecisive or overly picky people from using up your time. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to come to a consensus in 3 edits or less. I also charge extra for edits during the ink stage and after colors (unless I make a major goof somewhere) because I work in traditional media, which is a lot less forgiving. If they told me the character had black and orange fur, and then want it changed to white and blue, I can’t do that without redrawing the entire piece.

Also avoid people who try to badger you into charging less, or who try to use guilt trips to get free or discounted art. Likewise, there are people who will try to be your friend if they think you might draw for them. It’s hard to know at a glance who’s good, and who’s looking for freebies. My usual response when someone gives me a compliment and asks if I do requests is to counter with a link to my price sheet, and if they go the “I’d love to but I’m broke” route, express my sympathies and move on. Mostly, just use caution and don’t be too trusting. Even those of us with years of experience sometimes get taken advantage of.

Hey guys,

So since I'm still on vacation, I'm working on a personal project I've been thinking about for awhile. I want to do some new "cover art" for the whole Night to Remember story stuff  colblackwolf and I wrote, and that I've been posting in chapters to Patreon and here. I'm using a scene from early on in the nightclub, but that means there are characters dancing in the background. I want to be able to use this art as a book cover image, should I publish a hardcopy version of the story for sale online or at cons. I may also sell prints of the finished art. There are currently SEVEN spots in the sketch I roughed out today that aren't defined, both generic male and female. I'm willing to open up the field to let people submit their own characters to fill those spaces (for FREE) so I don't have to think up generic characters to fill them, BUT, there are a few stipulations:



1. These are BACKGROUND spots in a nightclub scene with colored lighting, so they're not going to be hugely detailed. I'm attempting something ambitious here.

2. Since this is FREE, you don't get to nitpick the drawing.

3. Must be YOUR character. No submitting other people's characters or characters you happen to like. Nor can it be a trademarked character.

4. By volunteering your character for a background spot, you are consenting to allow me to use my interpretation of their image as part of something I may profit from. No, you don't get royalties should anything go up for sale. It's still my art, and a coauthored story written by myself and a friend. I'm doing all the work here. I will credit owners of any characters who appear in the art as part of the book dedication, using their preferred moniker, unless they wish to remain unnamed. If you have any issues with that whatsoever, just don't submit your character.

5. While the cover art will be PG at most, the story itself CONTAINS ADULT CONTENT. Specifically, it has a BDSM theme and there is sex. If you do not wish your character associated with such, don't submit them for consideration.

6. This is NOT first come, first served. I will pick the characters I feel fit the spots I have available. The opportunity will close when I have enough.

7. Yes, you may submit more than one character. Visual references are preferred here, not text descriptions. The only requirement is that they be 18+ and furry. Sorry, no humans/elves/etc. Winged critters and taurs aren't out of the question, though.

8. I will provide a digital print-quality scan of the finished artwork to anyone whose character gets picked for a background spot as a thank you for helping out so I don't have to over-exercise my brain.



Okay, sound straightforward enough? If there are any other questions, just ask and I'll do my best to answer them. Otherwise, drop a comment with a link to your reference image(s) and I'll browse through things and pick out characters to use in the art. =)

We're home from vacation! I'm technically still ON vacation, but we finished our trip a little early. =) The husband and I hadn't been on a REAL vacation (not a convention or visiting family) since our honeymoon about 11 years ago, so it was really nice to just get out and go for awhile.

We did an interpretation of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour, drove all the way around from Chicago, stopping here and there along the way. We thought we'd be gone all this week, too, but it didn't take as long as we thought it would. Once you get into southwestern Michigan, there's not a whole lot to see. Indiana and the portion of the lake on the south side of Chicago are all dead industry and nasty run down neighborhoods, so you skip that part.

We actually almost added circling Lake Superior to the trip. We had our passports, so we could have gone into Canada, but we decided not to this time. We definitely want to visit Gills Rock again. Didn't make it out onto Washington Island this trip, but we'd like to go in the future. Also want to visit St. Ignace/Mackinaw Island again. That was really, REALLY nice. And since it's still off-season right now, hotel rates were really low and things weren't too crowded. It was nice and relaxing, but it's also good to be home with our cats again.

Since we're still vacationing the rest of the week, I think I'm going to work on some personal art projects I'd been putting off. =) I may or may not stream them, but I'll post notices if I do.

Wanted to get a few things sent off before I vanish for a bit. =) Dropped packages in the mail for:

 blaez
 dshade
 tempestuous
 nehll (returned Patreon gift)
 fatinuyasha

If your name isn't on this list and you think it ought to be, I either don't have your address or I've got an envelope with collected art for you that's just waiting on your go-ahead to send. Note or email me if you have questions or concerns.

Missing Mailed Artwork? Click here for more info.

Yeah, I know, I just spent the last two weeks doing nothing because of the damn flu, but even so. The husband and I haven't had a REAL vacation (that didn't involve a convention or visiting family) since our honeymoon over eleven years ago. Just wanted to let everybody know I won't be on much for the next couple weeks. We're not going far, but it's nice to have a chance to get away. I'll still be checking in now and then, so if you need to get ahold of me, leave a message and I'll get back to you. :) I'll be back to work after we get home.

Okay guys, I know it's been a couple weeks. I am going to TRY and stream Sunday afternoon/evening. The husband and I are supposed to be doing the vacation thing this coming week, and I don't want to leave you all completely stranded for even MORE time. Plus I really want to catch up a couple things. I apologize in advance because you're still going to have to put up with me coughing, but I'll try and keep it under control. I may not talk a whole lot as a result, but I'll see what I can do.

Well, so much for it being a mild flu bug. This damn thing has knocked me on my ass for a solid week now. I AM getting better, just not as quickly as I would like. I do feel vaguely human again, but I'm still coughing and can't talk for long periods of time. I don't know if I want to attempt to stream again yet since you'd all probably just end up watching me scramble for tissues. Bleh. I at least managed to get some stuff done around the house today so things aren't completely falling apart. Mostly, though, I've been staring into space or watching Adventure Time between coughing fits, because that's been roughly the level of intelligence I'm capable of processing of late.

Ugh, and now I'm worried because husband had a cough today, too. He had a flu shot and I didn't, but if I happened to catch the variety the shot didn't help against this year, he could get it too. I've been careful, but there is only so much you can do when you live in close quarters with another person. I am so done with being sick. I just want this to be over with so it'll stop stressing me out and I can get on with my life. I'm tired of feeling like a useless lump.

And just to add insult to injury, today (the 19th) is my birthday. Woo. I'm still sick and I don't feel much like celebrating. 32 isn't much of a milestone, anyway. Man, I'm just a ray of sunshine tonight, aren't I? Not really looking for pity buttpats, just kind of wallowing in my Eyore moment here, heh. So yeah, that's where things stand with me at the moment. Figured I'd post an update.

I sound like an undead seal crossed with a zombie goose, and I've done nothing but eat, sleep, hydrate, and try not to hack up a lung today. So yeah. I won't be streaming. Will see how I feel tomorrow. It kinda depends on whether or not I can do it without the coughing blowing out the mic's pickup. It's really obnoxious. I'm going back to bed. x_x

Well, no more barfing, but now I've got a cough and I feel like I gargled with sandpaper, and I'm sore... so I have no idea what's going on with me right now. u.u It could be an oddly mild flu bug, or possibly allergies since I keep choking on phlegm that sets off my gag reflex (gross, I know). But yeah, no idea. i spent most of yesterday completely zonked out, and slept through the time I would normally have been streaming. This is completely unrelated to the period stuff I've been going through. At the moment I'm trying allergy meds and fluids to see if that makes a difference. I have some errands I'm supposed to run today, so will have to see how things go. I would very much like to not be sick anymore, whatever the cause. x.x

Addendum: on further research of symptoms, I'm pretty sure it's the flu. Blegh.

I woke up at 3:00 am feeling woogy and then spent about half an hour tossing my cookies for no apparent reason. I feel basically fine otherwise, though I'm not sure whether or not I'm done yet. X.x Dunno whether it was something I ate or a stomach bug. Husband is zonked out and appears to be fine. Either way, not getting much sleep tonight.

HEY GUYS MY BOOK'S ON AMAZON NOW!!!

Same price point, but if you have AmazonPrime you can get it shipped FREE! (which is super cool, I didn't know they'd offer that). I approved the proof yesterday, and it popped up this afternoon already. =D It should also be available through AmazonUK and Amazon EU for international folks, now.


Coloring Book on Amazon
Coloring Book on Amazon
Coloring Book on Amazon


First off, today was A LOT better than the past couple have been, so I'm at least on the upswing, but the chores I got caught up on took too much out of me by the time I finished with them. x_x I still want to work on stuff, but I don't really feel up to handling the social aspects of streaming. I'm just not very good company right now, sorry, guys. On the plus side, I should be able to do a longer stream tomorrow, barring any(more) unforeseen incidents. Again, thanks for your patience, everybody. I was not expecting to get kicked in the ass like this. I'm taking iron supplements, calcium, and multivitamins, and trying to take it easy, otherwise.

Sorry guys, last couple days have not been fun for me. x_x I'd fully intended to stream like normal yesterday, but my body went NOPE. The cramps are at least down to tolerable levels now, but I'm wiped out even after taking iron to help recover. Not quite as bad as last month (so far, anyway) but it's still in LET'S BLEED ALL THE BLOOD mode, so I am crankypants and exhausted. Ended up curling up with a book last night and losing track of time. Then I was up at stupid o'clock this morning because we had to bleed all over everything which is gross and aggravating and I'm so goddamn numb to it now that I don't even blink when it happens anymore. Should have had the doctor take both damn ovaries at the same time. Given that I've seen a slight improvement over last month, I'm going to try the second month of my new BC meds, and make my next appointment for halfway through my third month, because sometimes these things do take time.

The most frustrating thing about this whole mess is the time I lose. If I worked a 9-5 job, I would have to call in sick during my periods. I have zero energy and no appetite. I can't exercise. I'm uncomfortable, grouchy, snappish, and unfit for polite company. Painkillers help a little, but when it's bad even those barely make a dent. I can't even sit at my table and draw because at its worst I have to get up and go to the bathroom every time I shift my weight thanks to the sheer volume of blood I'm dealing with (I told you it was gross). Endometriosis fucking sucks ass. It really, REALLY sucks. Unless my meds start having a drastic effect in the next couple months, I'm pretty damn sure I'm going to be looking at ANOTHER surgery to take out my remaining ovary, because I am sick and tired of living this way.

Have I mentioned that I turn 32 in a couple weeks? u.u Yay. Happy birthday to me. I wouldn't wish this crap on my worst enemy.

Anyway, apologies for the delay on both regular commissions and the May the 4th pieces I still have outstanding. I was not expecting to lose two days in succession to my stupid body. With any luck, I'll be back in business tomorrow and can make some progress on what I owe you guys. Thanks for your patience.

Hey guys, I'm feeling kind of oogy today (goddamn werewolf week) and trying to get caught up on some household chores, so I think I'm going to put today's stream off until later in the evening. Hopefully I'll be a bit less brain dead by then.

ADDENDUM: I may possibly have to go rescue a friend from a rough situation. I will keep folks posted.

Hey all!

I will be streaming May the 4th commissions a little later today, once I finish my morning house chores and get a little exercise in! Today will be exclusively May the 4th pieces, but if I end up with too many to finish in one day, I will complete the rest during this coming week, interspersed with the regular stuff from my queue that needs to be worked on. =) I'll post a notice once the stream's up. Feel free to come watch and hang out while I work! (Yes, I will still accept more of these, but you gotta go fill out the nifty form to get one. =D )

Much like last year, In honor of May the Fourth, I'll be doing a special run of Star Wars themed commission slots. =) These are $40.00 Single Character 6"x9" pieces. I will be streaming these on Tigerdile for anyone who wants to watch, but you do NOT have to be present to purchase a slot! You just have to fill out the form and pre-pay for your spot! I'm not putting a closing date on them right now, but I'll probably do these this coming week ONLY! After that you'll have to wait for next year.


Please note: these are wing-it style pieces. I will NOT be checking in at various stages of the drawing, so make sure you provide me with enough information! fill out the form with contact info, a ref and any specific details you want included (within reason), pay via one of the options listed, and you get a scan of the finished piece in return. Shipping is an additional $3.00 US, $6.00 international if you want your original mailed to you.

Pics can be of any gender. Wings, taurs, or ridiculously complicated designs may be subject to additional charges. Please contact me if you need a quote or have any questions!


You must fill out the form to claim a spot! GIVE MEH YOUR INFOS!
You must fill out the form to claim a spot! GIVE MEH YOUR INFOS!
You must fill out the form to claim a spot! GIVE MEH YOUR INFOS!


Payment: You MUST pre-pay to claim a May the 4th commission slot. Anything not finished tomorrow will be completed over the subsequent week, and after that slots will be closed until next year. I can take PayPal or SquareUp (any major credit card) as options. You do NOT need to include anything to cover the fees. However, SHIPPING IS ADDITIONAL. I will be in touch via the method of contact you enter in my form once I receive your response to arrange payment. Please ask here or email: zannah[at]rainbowsaber.com if you have questions. (NOTE: That is NOT my PayPal address, please don't try to send money to it).

Ordered a proof copy of my coloring book through CreateSpace this morning. With any luck, my book will also be available for purchase through Amazon in the near future! Just need to see how their print quality compares to TheBookPatch and whether I need to adjust anything else. It was a major headache retooling stuff to match their requirements, especially since their cover creator was completely broken. The royalties they pay out are also less, but they do have a much larger sales base to market to. So we shall see. =)

I'll certainly post an announcement and links if/when that becomes a thing. =)

I've made mention of this project a couple times previously, but it's now LIVE and available for purchase!

The book contains nearly 80 pages of line art, spanning about eight years of my work, and is now available for purchase! Content included ranges from G to PG-13 in rating, and may not be suitable for very young children. The book has a high quality color glossy cover and black and white interior printed on paper suitable for dry media (colored pencil or crayon). Also includes instructions in the back on where to send copies of colored pieces if you'd like me to showcase them! I'll be updating my website with a special gallery for that purpose. =)