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Artwork (Digital) / General Furry Art
Species Wolf
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Another new character from 2015, a wolf guy with the unfortunate name "Willis Wheeler".
"The name 'Wheeler' comes to mind but that's not a good name to give a character in a wheelchair."
-LordDominic, August 2015
"F***, that name stuck, it'll be his last name I guess."
-LordDominic, 3 hours later.
Every so often, I do like to design characters that are slightly more "serious" in nature/tone. He's a young disabled soldier, paralyzed from the waist down after taking a few bullets to the back in a firefight. Not every character I create has a life that's nothing but sunshine, rainbows and silly underwear I suppose...
Despite all that, and his morose mood here, I always envisioned him as a snarky and witty guy with a decent sense of humor, albeit a bit dark at times. Basically, aside from having to roll places instead of walk there, he'd be no different from any of my other characters. I had also considered him having a three-legged army dog as a pet, but never got around to designing him.
I never drew him all that often though, unfortunately, with only two or three pictures of him ever being drawn. Maybe I was worried that he'd be received negatively, because of how people would expect me to treat the subject matter, or I never felt like I was up to the challenge of using him as effectively as a character.
"The name 'Wheeler' comes to mind but that's not a good name to give a character in a wheelchair."
-LordDominic, August 2015
"F***, that name stuck, it'll be his last name I guess."
-LordDominic, 3 hours later.
Every so often, I do like to design characters that are slightly more "serious" in nature/tone. He's a young disabled soldier, paralyzed from the waist down after taking a few bullets to the back in a firefight. Not every character I create has a life that's nothing but sunshine, rainbows and silly underwear I suppose...
Despite all that, and his morose mood here, I always envisioned him as a snarky and witty guy with a decent sense of humor, albeit a bit dark at times. Basically, aside from having to roll places instead of walk there, he'd be no different from any of my other characters. I had also considered him having a three-legged army dog as a pet, but never got around to designing him.
I never drew him all that often though, unfortunately, with only two or three pictures of him ever being drawn. Maybe I was worried that he'd be received negatively, because of how people would expect me to treat the subject matter, or I never felt like I was up to the challenge of using him as effectively as a character.
Category Artwork (Digital) / General Furry Art
Species Wolf
Size 800 x 800px
File Size 1.11 MB
Listed in Folders
Well, shoot. I'm very sorry to hear that--I had to visit your page to get a better understanding of the situation, it sounds like you've been through a lot the past year or so.
I hope you're doing better now. I know it's sorta cliche and hopefully not too pandering or insulting, but best wishes!
Although, if you don't mind me asking... nothing about having a character like this is particularly insulting, is it? I kinda feel like I'm in a no-win situation with him--I can either stop using him entirely, which seems like "erasure" or something, or I can continue to develop him further, which might be seen as insulting or "tokenism" or something. What are your thoughts, as someone with experience?
I hope you're doing better now. I know it's sorta cliche and hopefully not too pandering or insulting, but best wishes!
Although, if you don't mind me asking... nothing about having a character like this is particularly insulting, is it? I kinda feel like I'm in a no-win situation with him--I can either stop using him entirely, which seems like "erasure" or something, or I can continue to develop him further, which might be seen as insulting or "tokenism" or something. What are your thoughts, as someone with experience?
I don't know if I would apply the Insulting idea to wheelchair bound characters. We face the hardship like Alice in Wonderland where as we have to work harder just to stay in the same place.
Using the facilitys requires you wheel next to the toilet, and hope there are grab bars to lift yourself over to it. (called a transfer) same with the bed. lift yourself up to standing, pivot, and sit down on the bed. then slide yourself to where you want to sleep.
Cooking? wheel into the kitchen. set your brakes. stand and balance, prepare what you can. put it on a plate or a glass. move the plate/glass from place to place as you move yourself around the kitchen to your dining area.
I have a walker that helps with this.
if you are anywhere near diabetic, get tested and be prepared.
Using the facilitys requires you wheel next to the toilet, and hope there are grab bars to lift yourself over to it. (called a transfer) same with the bed. lift yourself up to standing, pivot, and sit down on the bed. then slide yourself to where you want to sleep.
Cooking? wheel into the kitchen. set your brakes. stand and balance, prepare what you can. put it on a plate or a glass. move the plate/glass from place to place as you move yourself around the kitchen to your dining area.
I have a walker that helps with this.
if you are anywhere near diabetic, get tested and be prepared.
Unfortunately, I have type 2 diabetes myself, although I am managing it fairly well with diet and exercise. I've lost quite a bit of weight over the past couple years and I'm trying to be more active, and watch carbs and sugars, and it seems to be working so far.
I also had to take care of my grandpa for the last few years of his life, and for the last few months he was in a wheelchair, so I have a bit of experience with helping with that sort of thing. While not the same as having to do it myself, it gave me some idea of what it might be like. It's helpful to have someone describe how basic tasks like this might go, though, for the future when I try using Willis again. I do appreciate you taking the time to describe these things to me.
I did end up drawing him again a year or two ago, so I'll be getting that posted here, eventually. He was in a much better mood in that drawing.
I never did draw him after that, though, probably because I wasn't sure what to do with him. I sorta figured he might become a counselor or something, I can see him both working with the high-school kids I draw, or the army guys I draw.
I also had to take care of my grandpa for the last few years of his life, and for the last few months he was in a wheelchair, so I have a bit of experience with helping with that sort of thing. While not the same as having to do it myself, it gave me some idea of what it might be like. It's helpful to have someone describe how basic tasks like this might go, though, for the future when I try using Willis again. I do appreciate you taking the time to describe these things to me.
I did end up drawing him again a year or two ago, so I'll be getting that posted here, eventually. He was in a much better mood in that drawing.
I never did draw him after that, though, probably because I wasn't sure what to do with him. I sorta figured he might become a counselor or something, I can see him both working with the high-school kids I draw, or the army guys I draw.
Tech support? Hasn't he suffered enough already?!
While prosthetic limbs are a thing in my universe, I haven't decided if I'd go that route for him yet. He still has his legs, they're just paralyzed from a spine injury. Maybe at some point, someone will figure out how to fix that.
Or, I suppose if I were to pursue a more science fiction angle with him, he could get in contact with one of the mad scientist types or morally ambiguous paramilitary corporations and basically be their test subject for whatever technology they might be able to put together--but those guys always wind up wanting something in return.
While prosthetic limbs are a thing in my universe, I haven't decided if I'd go that route for him yet. He still has his legs, they're just paralyzed from a spine injury. Maybe at some point, someone will figure out how to fix that.
Or, I suppose if I were to pursue a more science fiction angle with him, he could get in contact with one of the mad scientist types or morally ambiguous paramilitary corporations and basically be their test subject for whatever technology they might be able to put together--but those guys always wind up wanting something in return.
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