#Seriously such an amazing artist I highly recommend commissioning them!!!

[wherearetherobots]

Got this absolutely stunning commission from @sleazy-art of my V! I asked for the lowest rise jeans possible and oh boy did I get what I asked for. I am obsessed.

#sleazy-art #cyberpunk 2077 #cyberpunk v #cp2077 #cyberpunk 2077 v #fem v cyberpunk #fem v friday #fem v #Seriously such an amazing artist I highly recommend commissioning them!!! #for me

[lastoneout]

New Pinned/Intro Post!

Hi, I'm Loo(or Alex), I'm a disabled queer artist and writer as well as a furry vtuber who streams four days a week on twitch(mostly Minecraft but also Soulsborne games and a variety of other stuff).

You may know me from The Tuna Post, in which several thousand of you came together to "force" me to buy damn near $30 American Dollars worth of imported fancy canned tuna to eat and review live on stream. If you're here for it, said live review can be found on twitch and on my youtube channel. TL;DR: 10/10 would recommend.

I currently can't work, so if you like what I've got going on here and want to help me out, I take donations over on my ko-fi <3 Aside from that, follows on twitch help a lot, even if you never end up watching!

(Also, I sell my twitch emotes as stickers on redbubble!)

I don't have a proper BYF, but as a heads up I'm heavily introverted and have ADHD, and between those and my disabilities eating up my energy I often take a while to respond to messages/tags/reblogs/DMs and sometimes forget entirely. This isn't anything against you, and it's something I'm working on, but just something to keep in mind if you plan on interacting with me a lot.

FAQ:

Do you take commissions?

Not at the moment, but hopefully in the future!

What do you use for art?

Wacom Intuos tablet + Clip Studio Paint on the PC, though these days I mostly use CSP on a Samsung Galaxy Tab s6 since I can use it in bed on my low spoons days.

What do you want to go to school for?

Digital Art and American Sign Language!

You talk about being sick all the time/having health problems, what's wrong with you?

Too many things to list <3 but the most notable ones are chronic migraines, hEDS, and ADHD.

Queer?

I'm bi, ace, butch, and genderqueer. I'm also polyam but currently in a very happy monogamous relationship and don't have plans to change that. My pronouns are she/they, but you are highly encouraged to use masculine forms of address(sir, guy, dude, king, man, my guy, grandpa, dad, etc.) whenever appropriate. My assigned sex/gender at birth is none of your business.

Who's Yotsuba?

Yotsuba is an adorable little gremlin and the main character of my favorite manga, Yotsuba &!, and you should go read it right now seriously it's amazing go read it go read it GO READ IT-

What's "ask to tag"?

The tumblr equivalent of "author chose not to use archive warnings", I put it on anything that seems like it could use a trigger warning but where no one has specifically asked me to tag for that trigger yet. Things I currently tag for: flashing lights/eyestrain, insects, suicide, my hero academia, gore/body horror, current events, us politics, politics, covid, and anything nsfw goes under nsft.

Loo? Like the bathroom??

LOO is short for LastOneOut, I'm american and forgot people call it that, you can write it as Lou or just call me Alex if it makes you feel better.

LookingForLoo?? Like looking for the bathroom??

On websites where LastOneOut is taken I'm LookingForLoo because I'm literally looking for LOO, LastOneOut. I thought it was clever T_T

Sideblogs?

I have a nsfw alt @looafterdark (18+ only I swear to god I keep a loaded gun pointed at the follow list) and a writing inspo blog @last-scrapbook. I also once ran a couple of character ask blogs, though I don't plan on starting them up again, and I was the mod behind @pokeprofshowdown.

Who's Eugene/Ophelia/Sasha?

My ocs from an original story I'm working on. I get brainrot and post about them a lot. You are ALWAYS allowed to ask me about them!

What's your fursona/can I make art of you?

I'm a dog, kinda like a papillion but not really, and yes you may. My ref sheet is here.

Can I repost your funny text posts to twitter/insta/reddit?

Sure, all I ask is that you include the entire post and leave my username visible. You can also tag me if you want, I'm lookingforloo on twitter, insta, and reddit <3

Can I repost your art/writing?

Absolutely not.

Can I plug your art or writing into an AI program?

Absolutely not under any fucking circumstances.

Can I use your art in an amv/fandom board/as a cover for my playlist or fic/ect.?

Depends, DM me first.

Can I write fic/make fanart based on your fics/art/HCs/AUs?

Absolutely <3

Can I write fic/make fanart based on your OCs?

Art yes, fics no.

What's your stance on the discourse?

There is no amount of posting online about contentious topics that could ever match the sheer power of simply going out into your community and finding a project that helps other people that you can dedicate your time and energy to. Also wear a mask and vote.

How old are you?

Old enough.

#pinned post

[litfeathers]

Behind the scenes of Evelyn's Journal

Since this was a bigger project, I thought I'd make a behind the scenes post to talk about how it came together, and share some easter eggs!

———

Firstly, I want to impress how long it took to record and edit this thing. An almost 15 minute long runtime is a MARATHON! It was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun and definitely worth it!

———

The wanted poster and meetinghouse graffiti are direct references to my fic A Most Certain, Strange, and True Discovery of a Witch. This is the poster Evelyn grabbed on her little vandalism excursion:

———

The frustrated look that Evelyn described Caleb making was this absolute classic:

(the wet cat gene is strong)

———

Evelyn’s bird drawings are a reference to her book of bird sketches from my fic There Are Owls and Witches in These Woods. Her sketch book has been passed down the generations of the Clawthorne family, and is my explanation for why they all have human realm bird palismen! They use her book for ideas! :D

———

Did anyone notice something special or significant about the day Evelyn and Caleb had their picnic? 😏

———

There is an AU where I kept this in /j

———

This is a cut line. I am not sure if this is me talking at the end, or Evelyn lmao

———

...the reason I was watching Elsewhere and Elsewhen in my sound booth? I was listening to Philip’s accent to figure out how Evelyn would imitate Caleb ahahahha

———

If you…let’s say…recognize Evelyn’s cackle?

*Slowly puts her finger on her lips*

Shh. No. No, you don’t. /lh

———

The light spells poofing at the end? That is actually Eda de-transforming from harpy mode at the end of Reaching Out! It was such a nice, clean poof! No background music or dialogue to work around! *chef kiss*

———

If you've read my fics, you can consider this story an alternate ending for There are Owls and Witches in These Woods. Everything up to the week in which this journal was written remains the same. There is a divergence when Evelyn decides she needs to protect Caleb by breaking off their friendship. Let’s just say that evening played out very differently. I'll let you guess and imagine for yourself what happened when Evelyn tried to break things off with Caleb. But I will give you this hint: his wish was very important. 😉

———

This is the sketch I sent @bananadramaaa to show what I wanted for the cover art. Behold my artistic skills:

It was so cool to watch the cover art come to life! It was only the second time I’ve ever commissioned an artist (and first time commissioning something complicated), and it was such a positive experience! If you need art for something and their commissions are open, I HIGHLY recommend them!

(Also we snuck a few easter eggs into the art ehehehe)

———

And it's time for some final thoughts.

I wanted to do something REALLY cool to sort of…I guess serve as a love letter to The Owl House? This show has been an amazing ride, and I wanted to create something as cool as I could to show my appreciation!

I wanted to show my gratitude to this silly, funny, wonderful, heartwarming show for existing. And to thank it for getting me writing and voice acting again. I am so grateful I decided to sit down and watch it last summer. I was lured in with the promise of witches and magic and owls, and ended up with a story that spoke to me so deeply.

Thank you, Dana. Thank you, crew.

And for anyone who made it this far, thanks for checking out my silly recording, and for being interested in my rambling. I hope you had fun!

Seriously. Thank you. 🔥🪶

[goldies-cryptobitch]

I just had to jot down some thoughts because I am on an Until Dawn/Trollhunters spiral (as if anybody can't tell from this commission lol. On a side note, I don't know if I've said it upfront before, but seriously, @undeadchestnut is such a great person to work with if you're looking for artists to visualize your art ideas, would HIGHLY recommend!) I love them both so much, and Angor and Josh both deserved SO much justice and I know I don't usually do a lot of talking here, and I know this crossover is obscure and strange and probably not interesting to most, but screw it, here's a crossover idea dump because I'm always emotional over these two (Mostly Josh right now, but I love them both equally)

◉ Josh being saved from the mines BEFORE dying or transforming into a bloodthirsty monster because seriously, screw those endings. I don't have an answer for why or how Trollhunters would end up there, but they could save his ass with ease.

◉ Jim and Josh being #TeamDaddyIssues, Jim sharing his absurd amount of troll dads because god knows Josh needs a non-neglectful father figure in his life too (Parental figure in general, for that matter. Can't believe the Washingtons ignored their last living child for so long that he could set up his revenge prank with literally nobody noticing. smh)

◉ Barbara helping Josh get over his anxiety/mistrust of doctors and the medical system, especially after those downright cruel Dr. Hill hallucinations, and getting him the medication he needs

◉ Jim and co. being a supportive friend group??? That don't fight 24/7 and bully each other to literal death????? Revolutionary.

◉ Claire accidentally becoming like a reminder of his sisters in Josh's eyes (because she definitely has Beth energy, don't @ me, you can't deny it) and Josh having to work through a lot of the Complicated Grief Feelings he's been pushing down for a damn year, but he can do that in a safe environment this time because the Trollhunters kids are a ✨Supportive Friend Group✨

◉ Sam, Chris, and Josh ditching the rest of their toxic-ass, shitstain friends in favour of the ✨Supportive Friend Group✨

◉ Barbara helping Josh get over his anxiety/mistrust of doctors and the medical system, especially after those downright cruel Dr. Hill hallucinations, and getting him the medication he needs

◉ Angor Rot and Josh both being able to relate to the whole "Most people I've ever placed my trust in ended up betraying me" vibe, but Angor being more mature and knowledgeable (and having a better understanding of actual friendship thanks to the Trollhunters gang) would have to work it into Josh's head that no, bullying each other and hating 90% of your friend group is actually NOT normal, healthy, or a stable way to keep relationships lmao. "Revenge-pranking" and ignoring the actual issue to get over your survivor's guilt and severe hatred is actually Not A Great Remedy, Joshua.

◉ The Trollhunters gang canonically enjoys horror movies, if I remember correctly, so Josh's dad being a famous horror director and the special effects/production skills Josh learned from that could be a fun thing they might all bond over.

◉ On the opposite side of that, the absolutely chaotic pranks Josh and NotEnrique could pull off together with their combined intelligence and thirst for chaos would be off-the-charts wildness. Josh and NotEnrique would be AMAZING friends.

◉ I'd say they'd start a Youtube prank channel together, but given that Josh's prank history is like a more extreme version of the Sam Pepper "Best Friend Murder" prank, that might not go over so well publicly lmfao

◉ Barbara helping Josh get over his anxiety/mistrust of doctors and the medical system, especially after those downright cruel Dr. Hill hallucinations, and getting him the medication he needs

◉ Sam and Claire bonding over their boyfriends' past "i mUsT bEaR mY pAiN aLoNe" idiocy

◉ Sam also lowkey being horrified at how much the Trollhunter kids have had to put up with too. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU FOUGHT IN A MAGICAL WAR AT 16?!"

◉ I don't know what Chris might do in the group tbh, but him and Toby sharing the whole "nerdass dork, ride-or-die best friend" role makes me smile. They'd support their bros together, I guess. 😛 (I could see Chris joining in with Josh and NotEnrique's milder hijinks, but he's too much of a mom friend to go as extreme as those two would be willing to)

◉ At that point, Biggest Mom Friend Samantha would have to reel in their craziness and give 'em a good scolding lmfao

#Trollhunters #Until Dawn #Josh #Angor Rot #NotEnrique #Jim #Toby #Claire #Sam #Chris #Text Post #Listen this might be an obscure stupid crossover idea but I just need Josh to have actual proper love and support in his life okay #He deserved better than that godawful w*ndigo fate #I hate how both these pieces of media gives me actually well-written characters with understandable motives for their actions #Instead of 100% villainizing them or in Josh's case brushing him off as ''irrideemably crazy'' like so much horror does with schizophrenia #And then goes and kills them off or gives them 'worse than death fates' like come on dude. #You were so close to greatness. We were THIS CLOSE. #Let the traumatized and mentally ill have proper redemption and healing stories please. I'm begging here.

[pervasivescariness]

YOU GUYS!!! I just got this ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL commission back from @forystr of Ivaan for my wonderful rp partner @ivaan-ffxiv and just look at it! LOOK. AT. IT.

IT'S GODDAMN PERFECT! ; A ;

He nailed the armor and got the little scars perfect, even the little pock marks too! All the little details and the color's perfect and guh how many times can I say perfect before it starts sounding weird lol ahh I love him, thank you so much forystr! I highly recommend keeping an eye on this artist for commissions! He is fantastic to work with and so quick too and just...LOOK AT IT, OKAY IT'S PERFECT!!! (and as always, a thank you to sticks as well, for being such an awesome writing partner. I adore Ivaan and I am so happy I get to write Bee with him in all these adventures~ You're the beeeest <3)

oki ima go have a cry over how good this piece is ;w;

#forystr #art #ffxiv #Ivaan Arkwright #commission #seriously go commission this artist #keep an eye on them for when they reopen #they are amazing #10/10 highly recommend #go follow them too while you're at it you will not be disappointed #their style is SO GOOD #it is beyond what i had hoped for when I first commissioned the piece ;w;

[hannah-deactivated20220725]

Commissions Overload

As a lot (if not most) of you guys are probably aware, I am a FIEND for commissions. I buy them any time I can afford to and I LOVE every one of them! The artists of tumblr are incredibly talented and wonderful to work with. I have yet to actually have a commission that wasn’t really fun and the artists on here are amazingly quick at getting the art to you, which is highly impressive to a nonartist like me xD

Anyway! I wanted to just have like a masterpost post of my commissions, but BE WARNED, if you choose to click “see more,” there are a lot of them (I didn’t call myself a commission fiend for nothing)! So just be sure you wanna scroll through all of them xD I will be bunching them together by artist. (:

(btw, 99% of my commissions are chibi because I am obsessed with chibis)

Here we go!

So, here is Ruby and Duncan by @kq-yo​!

This is Demonic from Humanity’s Demon (and 2.0) and Kyle (OHS)... however, I don’t recall who the artist was.

Here are Jas (and her husband Travis), Aria and Amelia (Kyle’s sister... in the au where she manages to grow up without being murdered). These were done by @abalonetea​. I hope one day you bring back that style in the last 2 because I reeeeally want another one done in that style!!! I’m obsessed with it.

Here are Caleb, Anton x2 (my friend’s), Dimitri (my friend’s), Vic, Maxie, Magnus, Anja, Ariel and Chip. Can you tell that I’m obsessed with @ella-elly-love​‘s art style? Not only is her style SUPER CUTE, but she is very quick and friendly and great at what she does and definitely affordable! I would recommend her art any day of the week!

Here are my latest commissioned pieces. This artist is INCREDIBLE. Look at the detail on these pictures and I got BOTH PIECES within 24hrs of buying them!!! Seriously, 100% recommend this artist ( @tobinkadraws​) to anyone looking for an amazing and affordable piece of art.

This are Sam (Val’s character), Jasmine and Marcus (the Bovington triplets) bickering among each other and then the bottom is Aria as a baby and Kyle just absolutely in love with her.

Here is Kyle done by @angry-weeaboo-rants​!! Another great and adorable piece of art. <3

Here was one done by, I believe, @buggachat​. Another fantastic artist. Look at how cute Vic is in this piece!

#my ocs #character design #commissions #my commissions #buggachat #abalonetea #ella elly love #angry weeaboo rants #tobinkadraws #kq yo #others art #so much great artwork omg!

[farfromsugafanfic]

glitteringconstellations interview

Before we get started with the interview, do you mind introducing yourself (whatever name you are comfortable with) and telling us a little about yourself?

Hi everyone! I’m glitteringconstellations, Glitter or GC for short. I’ve been writing fanfiction for well over 15 years now, though I only started sharing it around 2005. I minored in Creative Writing in college and I love writing in pretty much any capacity! When I’m not headcanoning one new story or another, though, I’m either adulting (ugh, adulting) or playing video games. These days it’s mostly Skyrim. I’m fluent in Korean and passable in Japanese and Spanish. I drink way too much pop to be healthy and I hate most fruit (though, give me any kind of melon and I’ll be a happy girl). Oh, and I’m a fledgling figure skater! I’m just a hodgepodge of random hobbies haha!

Q1: What kind of fan fiction do you normally write? Have you ever written fan fiction for other fandoms other than your current one?

A1: I tend to gravitate toward angsty fics. It’s long been my outlet of frustration, to put the character I love in harm’s way. The more pain, the better, haha! Though I do love the hurt/comfort aspect of it. Recently (as in, the last year lmao) I’ve been writing for the Voltron fandom almost exclusively (and sometimes YURI!!! On Ice), but before that I was in the k-pop ficdom (Super Junior, for the most part) for a looooong time, nearly 10 years. I won’t be opening that particular can of worms, though--I have Feelings and Opinions lmao. Before that I jumped around from anime to anime.

Q2: I see in addition to fan fiction that you do commissioned fan art! I’m not an artist myself, so I find it really interesting and cool. Do you want to talk a bit about that? And, feel free to plug yourself!

A2: This is actually a common misconception--I can’t draw to save my life!! I took commissions for fan fiction back in late June as a last resort to pay my rent. Typically though I’m horrible on a deadline so I don’t like to do it too often because I feel terrible making my commissioners wait. The art you’re referring to is the comic spread for The Parting Glass, if I’m not mistaken? I actually commissioned another artist by the name of Cota (@ccooooostuff on tumblr, go check her out she’s amazing at what she does and super sweet!) for that comic with the money I got for my birthday this year.

Q3: Do you write anything outside of fan fiction?

A3: I do! I journal a lot, or I try to anyway. This year I’m hoping to tackle an original novel for Nanowrimo, but more than likely, that particular project will start as fanfiction and we’ll see if I turn it into original fiction or not. I spend more time thinking about the things I want to write than… actually… writing them lolsob. My notes will be this gigantic document but when it comes to putting things together in a cohesive manner? Haaaaaa….haha…. The blinking cursor mocks me, I swear.

Q4: I see on your profile that you are 26. I think when most people think of fan fiction writers they think of someone younger, usually a teenager. Do you encounter younger writers a lot? What do you think of this assumption?

A4: I do encounter younger writers a lot! Surprisingly, though, most writers I know are either in their late 20s or late late teens (say, 15~19). Most people tend to think I’m young anyway just because I look a lot younger than 26, but as far as fandom goes, it doesn’t really bother me if people think I’m younger than I am. Usually I’m pretty forward with how old I am on my profile anyway! But yeah, I’ve been around the fanfiction scene a while. The k-pop fandom in particular had a way of reminding me just how long on a pretty frequent basis lol.

Q5: Why did you begin writing fan fiction? If it was for a fandom, why did that particular thing make you begin writing? And, for your current fandoms?

A5: I used to tell myself stories to get to sleep or on long car trips as far back as I can remember, and most of the time they involved characters from my favorite shows of the day. Pokemon and Digimon were two big ones for me before I hit those fun preteen years. As far as what got me started actually putting those stories to paper, it was born of frustration with shows not going the way I wanted them to, so I’d write the ending I wanted to see. For Voltron in particular, it’s just SUCH a fun sandbox to play in, be it by utilizing the incredible world-building or the plethora of interesting characters to play around with. So many possibilities! *3*

Q6: Do you ever want to be published in a professional capacity one day?

A6: Yes and no. I flip flop on this ALL the time. I’d LOVE to see my stories on shelves, but I’m actually very insecure and sometimes the thought of people reading my stories makes me want to die of embarrassment and sink to the center of the earth. That said, if I win Nano this year, I may run it by some publishers, even if only to get feedback. (Although if you want to get TECHNICAL I am officially a published journalist; I was an assistant editor for one of The Big 3 kpop news sites for a while. The one that starts with S. Also another can of worms.)

Q7: Has writing fan fiction taught you anything? About writing? Reading? The fandom? Etc.

A7: Oh absolutely. I definitely would not be the writer I am today without fan fiction. I wouldn’t say I’m super skilled, but the critique I’ve received over the years has helped me more than I have words for, honestly. Not even just in the capacity of writing fiction; my academic and professional writing has improved too. Also, just like reading anything in high volume, reading fanfic has helped me learn to read like a writer, how to pick out things that authors do that I admire and try to emulate that, and conversely what doesn’t work for me so I can avoid those things.

As far as fandom goes, fanfiction can be quite polarizing, as I’m sure you’re well aware. Just in my experience by and large it can be kind of toxic, to be quite honest. The particular issue Voltron faces that I experienced to some extent in other fandoms but not quite to this degree, is fandom policing. I find that certain members of the fandom (which, in my experience, tends to actually be mostly among those younger demographics, though not exclusively so) see certain topics as morally wrong and therefore anyone who writes those topics are 1) romanticizing said topic and 2) automatically a disgusting, horrible person and they have no problems telling you about all about it. The number one thing I try to put out there in my interactions is live and let live, ship and let ship. If it makes you uncomfortable, that’s okay! But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wrong, and it’s definitely not okay to go around purporting hate in the name of “morality.” Sorry, didn’t mean to go off on a tangent there haha...

Q8: What is a piece you’ve written that you’re most proud of?

A8: Just in the Voltron fandom, I’d say the fic I’m most proud of is The Parting Glass, by far. Funny story about that one; I’d never heard the titular song before I came across a cover of it on Facebook one day around St. Patrick’s Day, and let me tell you something. The reaction I had was almost a spiritual experience, it was so visceral. I was in tears when I heard it, and the story came so hard and so fast that I wrote it in 2 days. It stayed with me until I got it down in writing. It was an interesting challenge for me, exploring the grief part of a character death fic while almost entirely omitting the actual dying part. It’s been a very long time since I’ve had such a vivid vision of exactly how a fic is going to go from start to finish and I’m quite happy with the way it turned out. Which is why, when I had the money to do so, I commissioned Cota to illustrate what had to be the hardest and yet my favorite part to write. She brought the scene to life so beautifully too, I’m really happy with how it turned out. Months later I still go back and stare at it!

Q9: Do you notice any stigma surrounding fan fiction or fan fiction writers?

A9: Without a doubt. People hear “fanfiction” and they think one of two things: the pudgy neckbeard who lives in his parents’ basement, or the rabid tween/teenage fangirl. It’s a rather unfortunate stereotype, because some works of fanfiction are truly works of art, more masterfully crafted than some novels I’ve seen published. Yet they get dismissed simply on the basis of being fanworks and not “original” (which, let’s be real, nothing is truly original anymore). One such example that comes to mind of a beautiful fic is those glittering instruments in the EXO fandom, which was based on the real-life destruction of the Library of Alexandria. If you can find a copy of it floating around the interwebs I HIGHLY recommend giving it a chance no matter what fandom you’re in!

Q10: If so, how do you feel about this stigma?

A10: Like I said, it’s really a shame. The thing, too, is that as young girls we’re often shamed for the things we’re passionate about, like boy bands and, well, fan fiction, while boys don’t get that kind of shame to such an intense degree (at least, not about the usual suspects, like sports and girls and such). Not to say that it doesn’t happen, but there’s something terribly sad about seeing more young people afraid to talk about a hobby that makes them happy because they’re afraid of being perceived as weird or gross or something like that. Hell, even to this day I have very few friends from outside the fandom sphere that know I write fanfiction, because they still talk bad and make mean jokes about fic writers. It’s such a silly thing, because a lot of famous works are derivative fiction and people don’t even realize it! So I hope the day comes soon that we can get over this silly stigma and just enjoy what people share (for free!! Seriously!! FULL NOVEL LENGTH WORKS. For FREE.)

Q11: Is there anything you’ve ever wanted to talk about or be asked that no one has asked you about or given you the opportunity to talk about? (And if so, feel free to answer/talk about it).

A11: I really had to think about this one! I couldn’t really pick one topic that I’ve really wanted to talk about that I haven’t already discussed, but no one has ever asked me if I was okay with having fanart of my work. Which I would answer with a resounding YES. I am more than okay with it QuQ

Oh, I guess I do have something!! It’s unrelated to writing (well, I guess it could be related, depending on how you look at it) but since I have your attention, if you’re an American citizen GO OUT AND VOTE. The midterm elections are one week from today in the USA and it’s important you go vote!! I won’t tell you who to vote for (a third can of worms I’m not opening up. WHY DO I HAVE SO MANY WORMS) but I assure you, your vote matters, now more than ever. I believe in you!! Go vote!!!

Q12: What is your prefered site for writing/posting fan fiction?

A12: These days I prefer to use AO3. It’s a work in progress, but it’s far and away the superior fic platform of the time. Back in ye olden days (circa 2010~2012) Livejournal was my platform of choice, and FF.net before that. A surprising number of people prefer to post their fic on tumblr, to which I say, are you out of your flipping MIND?!?! Tumblr is soooo temperamental, I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had to restart a post or go into the HTML editor because the rich text editor decided to be stupid. Noooooo thank you. I’ll stick to AO3 thanks ahaha!

Check out Glitter’s Tumblr and AO3.

Interviewer Note: Glitter used her free question to encourage everyone to vote and I would just like to stress the importance of this, especially if live in the US. Young people are the demographic that votes the least, despite being the demographic that will have to live the longest with the outcome of the vote. If you are currently not registered, please register as it is important for all of our futures. And, remember the deadline for the upcoming US election is Nov. 6th, so make sure to get to those polls and/or turn/send in your ballot. If you need information on how to do any of these things, do not hesitate to reach out to my page and I will point you to trustworthy resources. 

#glitteringconstellations #glitter #AO3 #tumblr #fanfiction #fanfic #fanfiction community #fanfiction author #writers #writing #interview #authorinterview #angst #fandom #kpop #super junior #nanowrimo #Voltron #voltron fanfic #voting

[powerdragonmoon]

Do you do ko-fi, patreon, or commissions?

Hi nonny!!! I dont have those >o

But i do know some people who you can totally support on ko-fi, patreon, or commission!!! 

For ko-fi: 

@mavilez (who has amazing art) is currently drawing characters in exchange for 3 coffees! she’s such a sweetie and drew me this! (link for mavilez’s kofi) 

@yunyin is just plain amazing and sweet and lovely and ahhhhhhhhhhhhh this entire fandom owes her one million coffees alone for her amazing feat of drawing something for everyday of adrienette month!!! (link to yunyin’s kofi) 

@sweet-childhood-dreams is THE SWEETEST BEAN!! the only thing cuter than her is her adorable art! for a limited time, shes offering chibi commissions for the cost of 3 coffees, and fancier chibs for the price of 5!! (link to sweet’s kofi) **edit** just look at the cute cherry tomato baby bee twins she gave me!!! 

@edendaphne is amazing, i love her. she has a ko-fi (link to eden’s ko-fi)–she takes payment in hot chocolate xD and she also takes commissions!!! (link to her commission page) ngl ive been wanting to commission eden for sooooo long, but its almost like i have to find the right thing!!!! and the pressure is paralyzing!! >w

@lunian is the greatest, i love her so much and fjalksjf;laksdfjal;skfdj i got noooooo words except BUY HER COFFEE (i know you dont like coffee…BUT THIS IS THE KIND OF KO-FI SHE LOVES!) >olink to luni’s ko-fi)

@ceejles if you’re in the miraculous ladybug fandom, and haven’t already bought ceej a coffee than IM CALLING THE POLICE //dials 911 on the microwave// youve seen her art, you love her, give her coffeeeeeee (link to ceej’s ko-fi)

@kittykichi is another amazing artist!!! you should totally check out their stuff and consider buying them a coffee!! (link to kitty’s ko-fi) **edit** kitty also has a doodle deal, if you buy a coffee you get a dood!!! (link for more info here) (also look at this beautiful beenath i got ;o;/) 

//cracks knuckles// oKAY NEXT!

For Patreon

there are a lot of amazing content creators on patreon! and i highly recommend taking a look around to find people to support…here’s some suggestions!

@shishitsunari is amazing, and really deserves more patreons!!! their art was some of the first i saw of the ml fandom, and its stunning!!! without the support they aren’t able to fanart as much as they’d like, so my dream is that one day they are able to!!!  (link to shishitsunari’s patreon) 

@nokkiart HAS THE GREATEST MOST MAGICAL STYLE!!! and one day i will own a picture book of their art, i dont even care if there are puns involved, I LOVE IT THAT MUCH!!! and damn, three lucky butts–if you donate enough–can get a custom paper cut out piece, and oh boy are they stunning!! (link to nokkiart’s patreon) 

@portentous-offerings is amazing at running her patreon, ;o;/ its full of amazing content and goodness do i love all her stuff! she also has a lot of tiers to choose from and makes them all worth it!! (link to dire’s patreon) 

@hchano you’ve seen h’s art…but have you read her COMIC!??!?!!? FREAKING WHATj;lfjas;ldfjkas;ldkfja!??!?! its good!!! ITS AMAZING!! SHES AMAZING!! and you should totally check out dream*scar and consider supporting her on patreon!!! (link to hchano’s patreon) 

For Commissions

@twindoodle (Happy Birthday Twin!) does commissions!!! AND I LOVE HER BRIGHT COLOURS AND STYLE!!! she did this awesome buzzkill piece for me, and im obsessed! (link to twin’s commission page) 

@bichatnoir AKA @sealfarts also has such a distinct and lovely style! (i got an amazing piece done by them and its just so lovely!!!) also their prices are criminal….so please be sure to tip !!! (link to seal’s commission page) 

@chalala-chan created ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE PIECES EVER! ACTUALLY TWO OF MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE PIECES EVER! everything about lala’s style is perfection! (link to chachachahahahhaaa’s commission page) 

@smiling-grouch is a genius and master of traditional art, she murdered me with her style and it blew my mind when i realized that it wasnt digital art! LOOK AT THIS! (link to grouch’s commision page) 

and there’s so many more creators that im so sure im missing >O

LASTLY…

if you’re looking for another place for some awesome content, can i suggest (AND ALSO HIGHLY RECOMMEND) the UP to the Test! Miraculous Ladybug Zine for disaster relief? 

donate to a charity of your choosing and email your receipt to @ml-disaster-relief-zine (instructions here) 

In return for donating to charity you’ll be given the zine when it comes out!! so preorder today!!! remember portentous offerings? well she’s offering access to her Marinette and her Romeo FULL COMIC for donations of $5!!! its quite the deal, tbh, not only do you get to help others in need (like seriously earth CAN YOU JUST CHILL FOR A MINUTE?!?!?!) but you’ll be rewarded with amazing content!! 

#oops sorry long post #but thanks for the ask nonny! #ask #anon #powder answers #commissions #ko-fi #patreon #so many amazing creators #!!!!! #support your local fanartist #support charity! #support all the things!!!! #i know im missing like SO MANY PEOPLE #DAMNIT! #ill rebloop this later with more!!! #ahhhhhhh! #Anonymous

[shelleyseale]

Hit List: Top Things to do in Door County, Wisconsin

There are few places in the Midwest more delightful than Door County, in the upper peninsula of Wisconsin. With 300 miles of shoreline, you can watch a sunrise and a sunset over the water without leaving the county.

You can also stroll through acres of orchards, explore art galleries, devour cherry pie, sip on local wines and brews, splash in the lake or paddle along the bluffs, stroll through five state parks, visit 19 unique communities and tour 11 historic lighthouses. Here are my Top Picks of Things to Do in Door County!

Take a Boat Ride

You're at the lake — so you gotta get on the lake! Board a cruise along Lake Michigan or Green Bay, and you may even be able to see some of the shipwrecks from the boat (supposedly there are some 400 shipwrecks in these waters!). You can also take the Washington Island Ferry to Washington Island from the mainland, crossing "Death's Door" as you do so. The French bestowed that name on the treacherous waters that sent so many ships to the bottom. Other great ways to get on the water are to go sailing, rent kayaks or try your hand at stand-up paddleboarding. Then congratulate yourself on being part of the mere 1% of visitors to Door County who ever get off the mainland! The Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay is the perfect place to learn about the history of the area lighthouses, shipbuilding, shipwrecks and more.

Canal Station N Pierhead Lighthouse & Boat. Photo Credit: DoorCounty.com/Door County Visitor Bureau

Take a Lighthouse Tour

There are 11 lighthouses in Door County, many of which were built in the 1800s, and a semi-annual festival celebrates their history (including tours to some that are rarely open to the public), held in the early summer and fall. The Chambers Island Lighthouse has the most interesting history, in my opinion, while the Cana Island Lighthouse is the most unique. You have to be ferried across the ankle deep water by tractor just to get to the lighthouse! Another worth visiting is the "Bird Cage" - the old Baileys Harbor Lighthouse, with 150-year-old range lights and a new boardwalk that's been built between them.

Enjoy Tastings at Local Wineries and Craft Breweries

There are 8 vineyards and wineries in Door County, and there's even a Wine Trail with maps, festivals and other events. My favorite is Door 44, where husband-and-wife team Steve Johnson and Maria Milano left their legal careers behind to realize their dream of winemaking. If you might be surprised, as I was, to think about wine growing that far north, Steve told me that the climate here between June and October is almost exactly what you find in Bordeaux, France. Harbor Ridge Winery is another enjoyable stop, also run by a husband and wife team.

Winery touring and tasting in Door County, WI Steve Johnson (on the bottom right of the pic above), co-owner of Door 44 with his wife Maria, says that the key to successful winemaking is just to let the grape be the grape. "If you let the grape just do what it wants to do, you'll have a good wine." There are also many local brews and craft master brewers around here, so it's easy to find tours and tastings, as well as great choices for local beers on the menus. And for something different - not wine and not beer - check out Island Orchard Cider. Here they make a variety of ciders from their own 40 acre orchard on Washington Island. My favorite was the pear....mmm, delicious!

Island Orchard Cider

Visit Artisan Cheesemakers

What goes with wine better than cheese? And the state is well-known for its dairy farms and cheeses, so you won't want to miss visiting some of the world's best cheesemakers. Wisconsin is home to every single licensed cheese master - 6- of them to be exact. At Wisconsin Cheese Masters, you can find an exclusive selection where many cheeses are not available anywhere else. Owner Jim Pionkoski has a personal favorite: Marieke Golden, made by Marieke Penterman, whom Jim calls the best cheese maker in the U.S. and maybe even the world. Originally from the Netherlands, Marieke mainly produces gouda cheeses. The Golden is her only non-gouda, and Jim eats it every single day. "It's the only cheese I never get tired of," he says.

Jim Pionkoski of Wisconsin Cheese Masters, sharing his love of cheese. Another don't-miss cheese stop is the Door Artisan Cheese Company, run by Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Mike Brennenstuhl, who has been making cheese all his life. This "one stop shop" includes a beautiful market, extensive underground cheese caves where the magic happens, and an amazing restaurant, Glacier Ledge. You can take tours to learn how the cheeses are made and see the caves. Mike uses only local dairy farmers, and only buys milk for the process from farms that are certified AHA, meaning they are hormone free and humane. 

Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Mike Brennenstuhl and colleague showing us the cheese caves at Door Artisan. Check out Mike at work and telling the story of Door Artisan Cheese Company:

Stuff Yourself at Incredible Restaurants, from Casual Dining to Chef-Driven Foodie Spots

As mentioned above, the Glacier Ledge restaurant is highly recommended; I had one of my best meals of the trip there. They serve an internationally-inspired tapas style menu that's perfect for tasting and sharing.

A dish at Glacier Ledge restaurant at Door Artisan Cheese

For an opposite end of the spectrum at a long-time Door County institution, seriously DO NOT miss Wilson's Restaurant & Ice Cream! This adorable diner and ice cream parlor has been around since 1906, and it's located in what I personally found the most picturesque and explorable town in Door County - Ephraim. A mini jukebox adorns every table, and the burgers are honestly to die for. But be sure to save room for one of their old-fashioned ice cream treats like shakes, floats and sundaes. And if you're a root beer fan like me, you will love their housemade root beer. Best root beer I've ever had in my life!

Wilson's Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor in Ephraim, Wisconsin For breakfast or a coffee fix, my  pick is Skipstone Coffee Roasters in Sister Bay, my second favorite Door County town. Their breakfast sandwiches are hearty, delicious and healthy; and they make all of their flavor syrups in house. It's pet-friendly, and if you're in a hurry for your next adventure they have a quick self-serve bar with a pay station.And no restaurant round-up of the Wisconsin peninsula would be complete without talking about Al's. Maybe you've heard of it or seen pics on Instagram, but Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant is the place with the goats on the roof. Every morning, the goats are led up a ramp to the sod roof of the restaurant, where they graze all day. You can even adore them from the two webcam streams that are affixed up there. Al's has been an icon for nearly 60 years, and it really is an authentic Swedish restaurant. Now, I have to admit I didn't eat there, but from everything I've heard the food is good. I just went for the goats - oh, and I also picked up a few things in the very nice little boutique there. Check it out!

Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant Goats

Experience a Traditional Wisconsin Fish Boil

OK, so technically this could go under the above "Eating out" section. But make no mistake - a fish boil is as Wisconsin as it gets, so much so that the experience definitely deserves its own category! There are numerous places that put on a fish boil, but I recommend Pelletier's. They serve a traditional fish boil every night of the week starting at 5 pm, along with a full menu of other items as well as lunch and breakfast service.

Pelletier's traditional Wisconsin fish boil Owner & Boil Master Matthew Peterson has been doing this for decades, learned from his father before him. The boil consists of freshly caught whitefish from Lake Michigan, cooked outside over the open fire along with corn and potatoes. The tradition comes from the Scandinavian settlers a century ago, and is very much alive and well in Door County. The drama of the "boil over" is pretty cool (advice: don't stand too close to the pot!). 

Go Gallery Hopping

Door County is home to an impressive number of galleries and artist studios. It's a great place to discover everything from a small, emerging artists to high-end galleries and accomplished artists who have made a name for themselves. Some of the places I would recommend making a stop would be: Blue Dolphin House, set on four-and-a-half acres of beautiful perennial gardens, in a building that dates back to 1860. Run by Peg & John Lowry, they've been in business for more than 50 years.

Blue Dolphin House shop & studio Deanna Clayton Studios - you'll need to make an appointment or check her website for opening hours. Deanna is an incredibly successful glass artist, using a centuries-old technique called pate de verre. With it, she creates some astonishing sculptures, which have been purchased and commissioned by patrons including many Ritz Carlton hotels around the world.

Artist Deanna Clayton in front of her studio Fine Line Designs Gallery & Sculpture Garden features original paintings, custom wood furnishings, glass, jewelry, ceramics and fiber art more than 90 renowned artists. Stroll the two-acre sculpture garden that showcases sculptures in bronze, stone, metal, ceramic, copper, and stainless steel. Unique, collectible artworks and original gifts are found indoors and out.

Fine Line Designs Gallery If you want more information on the art scene, check out the Door County Visitors guide!

Pick Your Own Cherries

Door County is the cherry capital of the U.S., and you can experience cherry picking yourself at one of the County's pick-your-own cherry orchards. Many families make it a fun tradition every cherry season. Check out the listings of places you can do this, along with many other resources, at Wisconsin Cherry Growers.

Cherry picking in Door County, Wisconsin Have you been to Door County? What are your favorite experiences there? Share in the comments below! Read the full article

#arts #beer #boats #cheese #cider #culture #doorcounty #explore #fishboil #history #lakes #lighthouses #restaurants #travel #USA #wine #Wisconsin

[thelaurynpetrie]

"The Aristocrats" by Lauryn Petrie

Tonight Greg R.S. Uzelac invited me to tell my very own version of the legendary joke "The Aristocrats" at Catland in Brooklyn. I highly recommend this show, it’s going to be a monthly called “The Aristocracy” where a different comic gives their take on the classic joke at the end of every show. ————————————— Here’s a transcript of what I said: First of all, I'd like to say that telling this joke is an honor. I'd like to thank my Mother for destroying my self-esteem, and my Father for throwing me into freezing lake's while holding onto rocks to teach me how to swim, and all the boyfriend's I ever had that raped or beat me. Seriously, it's okay to laugh. But mot of all, I'd like to thank Chris Cornell for his suicide as it has inspired me, to make his death abut me. And to be a better artist, all around. Thank you, Chris, for inspiring me to take The spotlight of you as long as they'll allow me to be on stage. Now, I give you my version of “The Aristocrats”: It was a usual morning at the Trump household in the 1980's. Ivanka Trump awoke early as usual to clean her father's urine soaked third bedroom. This is where she got her "working Moms" work ethic she would brag about so much as an adult. Every Tuesday night after family dinner she would dutifully engage in the family tradition of strip teasing for her father so he could get it up to fuck her aging mother. As time went on this all became routine and she learned how to disassociate. To toughen his sons up he would have them "practice" by taking turns on the family great Dane. One after another filling the dog with their spoiled rich boy Cum as Ivanka stripped and Donald looked on as he tried to Fuck Ivanna. This became as routine as wiping his ass and bankruptcy. Fast forward to Inauguration Day. We all saw it. The open secret of Melanie’s abuse. The country being taken over by sith lords. But what we didn’t see, was the night of the inauguration. As Tuesdays in the Trump family had always been a tradition of incest, sucking, and fucking since Madonna was on the airwaves, none of that changed. What did change was that now they had secret service, members of the trilateral commission, members of the Bohemian Club, and men in black to join in. And did they ever. Since Melanie had recently tweeted something passive aggressive abut her husband, he made his anorexic and least favored daughter Tiffany throw up in Melanie’s mouth repeatedly- like a baby bird until he reached climax, at which point he would unlock the suitcase with the nuclear codes. pick a button, and cum all over it, secretly hoping that the force may be enough to ignite one of the missiles. Due to great advances in science in this year of our lord 2017, Trump is now able to achieve climax multiple times a night due to over the counter-dick pills which his poor family endures repeatedly every Tuesday. You may be asking yourself, "Why Tuesdays?" Well, the truth is, I have no fucking idea. It’s just what they do on fucking Tuesdays. Just like any other addiction, the need for more excitement grows over the years. Just R Kell-ing a girl with piss isn’t enough anymore. Watching his wife eat his daughter's vomit isn’t enough anymore. Watching his sons fuck the taxidermied corpses of wild animals from Africa, isn’t enough anymore. Occasionally, he would order Kelly Anne Conway on her knees in the oval office where she is gladly passed around like a cum bucket all in the name of job security. As if this wasn’t enough, he often makes Sean Spicer eat the cum out of Conway’s ass. "SUCK HARDER" Trump screams. His dick in one hand, a remote control aimed at FOX News in the other. Still, Trump's sexual appetites grew. Do you know the grave of the unknown soldier? Can anyone actually prove that there’s a body buried under that eternal flame? Well, earlier this month, Trump asked that same question. The formaldehyde filled corpse was dragged into a secret room under the Lincoln bedroom where he and other ex-republican presidents took turns skull fucking the cadaver until they were interrupted by Dancing With The Stars. (Which for some reason they are all huge fans of.) As soon the program ended, they all immediately went back to filling the cold, rotting body full of their warm presidential seed. Laughing, the next day - they took away our health care and dreamt of how many other even more meaningless corpses they could fuck in the future together. In 2018, after a culmination of police brutality, the pharmaceutical companies raping America, and general civil unrest, a fall out "storm the bastille" style attack was launched on the white house As America collapsed into civil war, Trump, using all the brains in his head, nuked his own country to: And I quote: "Threaten all those peasants with swords." Then, like clockwork, Tuesday night rolled around. And in the trump family, a tradition is a tradition. It doesn’t matter if you have to do deals with the mob and bury bodies in the cement of your towers. It doesn’t matter who you have to lie about or what handicapped people you need to make fun of. When Tuesday comes around, it’s “Scat and Incest night” TRADITION. As part of the white house fell off burning into a smoldering pile of rubble, the Trump’s began their Tuesday night tradition. Tiffany assumed the position and promptly began vomiting into Melania’s cold Botoxed mouth. The boys began fucking taxidermied endangered animals, as Ivanka FINALLY sucked her father’a cock, knowing that this was probably the end. Being a working Mom her whole life, (even from jobs she could never be fired from) she knew how important it was to finish the job. Unfortunately, Trump’s dick pills had been destroyed in the fire. As helicopters landed behind them shooting innocent civilians, his dick grew harder. He then told his youngest son to stand in front of him. One hand on his throbbing member, the other on a commemorative pistol. (The one rumored to have been given to Nixon from Elvis.) Knowing that this was probably the the end of his legacy, and that he had lost. With the radiation seeping into his already deranged skull, he shot his autistic son right in the forehead. Somehow, the boy fell over but didn’t die. Amazed, Trump’s hard on went down. His son, bleeding profusely, pulled down his pants, revealing that he still wore diapers. Melanie took a moment from swallowing Tiffany's vomit to gasp at the faux pas. Barron, having what seemed to be a moment of clarity, began to pull his diaper off. He grabbed handful after handful of his own shit and began to massage it gingerly into Ivanka's hair as she tried to get her father hard again with a sad blowjob. As they fucked and sucked each other to exhaustion, Trump began shooting his family members one by one. Suddenly, out of the rubble, Stephen Colbert burst up, covered in blood and dirt. He looked on, with a tear rolling down his vomit soaked shirt, he realized that there was nothing he could do. COLBERT: “STOP! WHY ARE YOU KILLING THEM? I MEAN, YOU'RE ALL HORRIBLE BUT LOOK HOW MUCH CUM YOU TAKE FOR EACH OTHER. My god...you're worse than I ever imagined...YOU'RE THE ARISTOCRATS.!" Then Trump promptly shot him in the forehead. He then took another shot at Barron. This time the boy was definitely dead. Trump looked down, with what could almost be construed as a look of guilt. He then turned to his two grown sons and said: "You know what this means." "Yes, Father" they responded dutifully. They then began fucking Barron's head wound, as the city continued to burn. The end.

#stand up #TheAristocrats #nyc #TheAristocracy

[iamjamesmatthew]

IAJM INTERVIEW w/ OSCAR JOYO (@OscarJoyo)

OSCAR JOYO INTERVIEW by Matthew James IAJM: Hey, Oscar. Before we get into this talk, I’d like to start off by having you introduce yourself to readers as well as myself. OSCAR JOYO: My name is Oscar Joyo and I'm a Chicago-based visual artist who works in both traditional and digital media.I was born in Malawi in 1992 and moved to the US less than a decade later. I was inspired by animation, video games, movies, music, and art books from the 1999 Tarzan film growing up but graduated into anime, figurative painting, and surreal art as I got older. I continue to be influenced by artists of various disciplines to this day. IAJM: Growing up who were some of the artists that inspired you? OJ: As a kid, I was inspired by artists like Akira Toriyama, Alex Ross, James Jean, Glen Keane, and Kehinde Wiley. IAJM: What makes those particular artists so inspirational to you? OJ: Sure, these artists had some strong influences on because of how they combine things together to make a new viewing experience. I also admire their rendering abilities and how well they capture realism. Akira Toriyama was my first influence with his show Dragonball z. His combination of pop culture and fighting films really caught my attention. His way of drawing character was so simple to copy of from that I drew it all the time.As a kid, every kid in my class drew Goku and Vegeta.Honestly, if it weren't for that show and the profound impact it felt on me, I wouldn't be drawing today. I then graduated to Alex Ross with his blend of classical realism and comics which was foreign to me at the time.What makes him great was how he took his passion for comics and realism seen by artists like Norman Rockwell and fused them so beautifully. Glen Keane but more specifically his work on Tarzan is another influence on me. As I got older and really dove into his process and how tedious he had to study animal and human life (keyword: study) to make his characters come to life in his work. Kehinde Wiley with his mix of classic, Renaissance art and black culture really influenced me growing up. He utilised the representational aspect of figure painting so masterfully but what sold me on him was how regal he made his subject matter.It showed the importance of an African American and within us, there is royalty. I can't fully pinpoint what I loved about James Jean but his ability to switch from pop-oriental to comic book to surreal made me want to work with various media. Funny enough, I didn't like his work until I got to college and looked through his "Rebus" book. Like Kehinde with Black culture/Renaissance, James incorporates a traditional style of Japanese paintings with a surreal/representational approach. Overall, what I love about these artists all together is their willingness to study the world around them and then combine things together. For me, it made me embrace being able to move from technique to technique.  IAJM: So now, after having your "creative fire" lit by those artists, when did you begin to take your art as a serious endeavour to pursue? OJ: I was motivated to take art seriously around the age of 15 when my high school art teachers encouraged me to pursue it. It was a huge push for me since I love art in general and knowing that I can make a career of doing what I love.

IAJM: I like the piece of work you recently created inspired by the Marvel Comics Hip Hop variant series - the Danny Brown x Incredible Hulk piece is amazing. Have you contacted anyone from Marvel Comics about officially collaborating with their variant series? OJ: Thank you very much. Haha, unfortunately, I haven't been contacted by Marvel (yet). It would be cool if they contacted me since I have additional ideas for more variant covers. IAJM: What's a typical day in the life of Oscar Joyo like? OJ: My typical day is broken up into 3 branches but simply: I get up, go to work, come back to spend time with my roommates, draw and paint, then sleep or stay up if I had too much caffeine throughout the day. B.Drawing until I can't draw anymore, drinking coffee, and researching more art C.Attempting to leave the house but stay inside because something about the drawing doesn't look right.

IAJM: What big projects do you have planned for 2017? OJ: Currently, I'm working on issue #2 of Nebula Creatives' Lab99 graphic novel, which should be out during the summer of this year. Outside of that and drawing/painting constantly, I'll be making a new body of work. More details to come once I get settled with additional ideas but for now.I'll be playing with music and art. This approach was tested on a recent drawing entitled Jungles LP1, and I plan to make more like it over the coming months.

IAJM: What can you tell us about Nebula Creatives’ Lab99? What the graphic novel about? Where can people find it? OJ: Lab99 is sci-fi graphic series mainly about a Thai woman who wants to break out of being a regular person to search for extraterrestrial life.Through her experience of doing so, we see her handle each encounter and become more in tune with alien life. Currently, we are working on the prologue, which is 3 issues about one of the key characters, who is alien and how he lost contact with his kind as he crashes into planet Earth. You can find it on   nebulacreatives.com/lab-99, if you are outside Chicago.

IAJM: Aside from working on this the comic, do you commission work? If so, where can people go to reach you? OJ: I do get commission work and I'm always open to doing more. People can always reach me through scarjoyoart.wix.com/oscar-joyo or find me on Instagram.

IAJM: Let's look ahead to the future: 5.10.15. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years? OJ: Haha, I've thought about this quite a bit actually. Within 5 years, I want to have my MFA in studio arts or illustration. During that time I'd have a strong gallery, illustration, and web presence.I'm doing well as a freelancer and I'm able to split time as a fine artist and illustrator. In 10 years, take it even further with my presence and hope to be travelling a lot. At this point, start considering opening up a gallery or even opening up a fund for high schoolers or anyone who want to pursue art as a career. At the moment, I'm not sure what 15 years would look like but I do know it's going to be very bright for me.

IAJM: Could you describe Chicago's art scene to me? Who are some of the people that consistently putting in work, representing the city? How competitive are the artists? Do you belong to any art collectives? Who are some the artists in your area that you feel people should be paying attention to? OJ: The Chicago art scene, to me, is an expressive, colourful, and culturally accepting landscape. Even though you get to see it about it anywhere, the beauty of art in Chicago is that it transcends beyond the page. I see work by local artists' work on apparel, buildings, videos, bridges, and such which helps make this place an open canvas for creativity. People like Brandon Breaux, Max Sansing, Sam DeCarlo, Antonia McMan, Hebru Brantley, Colin Van Dan Sloujs, and many others continuously put out work to make the city better. This city is filled to the brim of creatives from different walks of life that it makes me want to be a better artist so I can leave my mark. At the moment, I'm not in any collective but I'm not against being in one.

Some other names to look out for are Conrad Javier, Kayla Mahaffey, Joe Renda, Lucas Durham, Kevin Fagaragan, Alyssa Ecarma, Matt Wojtan, and Erik Lindquist. Of course, there are a lot more around the city so I highly recommend checking their Instagram and maybe you'll discover more nearby Chicago. Trust me, there's plenty of us.

IAJM: Last question. Who are some people you would like to thank or acknowledge for supporting you over the years? Is there anyone you would like to shout-out? OJ: Yes. First, I give thanks to God for giving me a wonderful family that continue to support me wherever I go and with all that I do. It wasn't easy but I'm extremely grateful for their tireless love. My inspiring friends, professors, and colleagues from my alma mater, American Academy of Art, my friends and extended family around South Bend, Chicago and especially the ones all over the world who have been on my side. People who have followed my work for a while and have seen my progress. Huge shout out to Eric, Kane, Kevin, Peter, Stacie, Tyler, and Natasha for being weird and teaching me more lessons that I put to use every day (sorta). Most importantly, Bruna, Nyame, Mary, and Steve for really getting me into art.I don't what you saw in me but thank you so much.I wouldn't be here without you all. 

#Oscar Joyo #Art #Chicago Art #Chicago Artists #Alex Ross #Lab99 #Nebula Creatives #Marvel Comics #Marvel Hip Hop Variants #Black Art #Jungles LP1 #Malawi #Dragonball Z

[cyrokinetic-iceman]

"You have been bitten by the random encouragement bug, because the person who sent this thinks you are a beautiful person and a fabulous roleplayer! Pass it on to ten beautiful, fabulous people YOU know and let them know how wonderful they are!"((missbigbadwolfie))

Awe, thank you soooo much @missbigbadwolfie 💗 💗 💗 You’re such a wonderful blog as well. 💗 (although in a means to shove as many wonderful blogs into this, you aren’t going to be listed in the ten.) Go follow this blog if you don’t!

Alright folks, buckle up because I’m gonna tag these blogs and just list a few short reasons why I love them. This list is in no particular order so please don’t think that!

@quiet-loudmouth 💗 💗

Caden is a very well developed – and still developing (welly I might add) – OC.

The mun is an amazing writer and I love her style.

She is so fucking sweet it gives me cavities every time we talk. 💗

We can talk for hours about stupid little headcanons and potential threads, and even if we never do them, I love each and every one that is mentioned. 💗

Very realistic character with relatable aspects but also aspects that make you want to know him better because you can’t relate.

@survival-cfthe-fittest / @kidcataclysm 💗

Such an amazingly written Apoc muse that really tests your character and how you play them

Morgan is a precious babe and I will shower him in love butalsoalotofangst

The mun is simply one of the sweetest people I’ve ever gotten to talk to. She’s so nice 💗

Her writing style is so profound and she seems to have an icon for every single response I totally commend her dedication to using them because God knows I could never use an icon on all of my replies. Hell I’ve used like five icons in my life.

Morgan is such a huge Yu-Gi-Oh nerd and I hate love it. It’s a huge part of his character and I feel like it couldn’t be any other way. Keep up with the nerd.

@mutantleaderinthemaking (nsfw account @actuallybiclops)

The first person I started roleplaying with. They really helped me get this account going. I’m so thankful for them. They are a wonderful person. 💗

I love their Scott portrayal so much. Just… just go follow them and shower their Scott in love he needs it. 💗

We talk forever about ScottBobby headcanons – even though I’m hardly on anymore and taking 1847372 years to respond TT_TT – and I love all of them.

They send me little things that are about Bobby or ScottBobby and I love it so much. 💗

They’re really friendly and always open to new threads.

@prodreamer356

They’re such a sweet person and I love talking to them. 💗

They have such cute Scott headcanons and I want to listen to them all

They’re a new Scott roleplay blog and they are trying their hardest and I love them 💗

They found me on ao3.org and actually helped motivated me to keep writing my prompts and even though I’m falling so far behind on the ones they’ve geiven me and I wrote a really shitty one for the one, they’re so kind and understanding and asdadfj 💗

They’re actually just really sweet like I cannot stress to you enough how nice and supportive and encouraging they are 💗

@wildtsukai

A fantastic Toad blog, literally so spot on with his characterization that I openly wept when reading one of their threads

They have so many amazing headcanons for all of their Toads and I love them all 💗 eventheonesthathurt

Made me fall in love with Toad even though I used to have literally no opinion on him other than he was kinda gross and that I felt bad for him.

Literally made me ship Kurt/Todd without even speaking a word to me.

They’re really nice and friendly and even if you don’t roleplay with them I suggest at least talking to them and getting to know them 💗

@i-am-the-bamf / @deadpoolmarverlousanna

Just like wildtsukai made me ship Kurt/Todd without even speaking a word to me.

They’re really friendly and so helpful and asdsfk I’m super thankful for them tbh 💗

Without them, this blog wouldn’t exist, because they not only supported me in making this blog, they were one of the first people to follow me and they  gave me some really sound advice on setting it up and getting into roleplaying here on tumblr.

They are such an amazing Kurt like seriously, wow, you’d think they had a hand in creating him they’re so spot on. 💗

I can’t think of anything really else to say because if I did I would have to spend hours choosing what to say so I’m just going to leave it off with every time I thinkn of the “I am not a boogie” comic panel I also think of them so like, does that explain anything?????

@apocalypta-secundus / @timid-hotheaded-mutant (and the mun of a few other blogs)

They’re super sweet and really friendly. 💗

Such cute OCs that are just trying their best to get along in this world 💗

Will literally die if you draw fanart for them 💗

But no, seriously, they are super nice and really friendly and I love talking to them.

Cavities 💗

@valiaxt / @spoopiespoopers

So maybe I’m really biased because this is a really close friend of mine irl buuuuuut, they’re fantastic 💗

The first listed blog is her roleplay blog, which is actually not an x-men or marvel blog but this never said they had to be x-men roleplay blogs or even roleplay blogs in general so fight me. It’s an A++++ Eren Jaeger blog from Attack on Titan / Shingeki no Kyojin and if you’re into that I highly recommend checking it out. She’s super well-written and just A+++. The second one is her rl blog and she’s a literal meme so like – have fun? Tread carefully? Idk what to say about it but like ? ?? ?

I bet she’s awake right now but she should fucking be sleeping because she has school tomorrow unless the weather suddenly decides to change like it always does back home and like get some rest my kouhai you need it

She should really study her French but guess what she doesn’t do? ??? ? ?

I love her and I want all of you to love her and like maybe it’s just because I’m really fucking gay but wow she’s really pretty go validate her okay? 💗 💗

@observatorydream 

I’m glad I’m limiting myself to only five points on why I love these blogs. So this is one of my closest friends from back home. 

Her tumblr doesn’t have much, because she’s just started it and she’s actually kind of really confused by tumblr – but weren’t we all – so you can also follow her on her instagram

She’s into some really cool stuff and she loves plants and vintage clothing and listens to records and 💗

She’s an amazing artist, like, please go check out her stuff. She’s so good. She has an etsy but I don’t know what her account is but if you see anything you like she sells her stuff for super good prices and you should totally commission her someday 💗

I could go on for hours about how amazing she is but I really just don’t have enough words to do that, but let me express that when we first met she thought I was in trouble because I was sitting in the back of the class – because there were no other desks – so she came back and asked me if I was okay and if I wanted her to sit with me and if that doesn’t explain how sweet she is, go eat an entire bag of sugar and then maybe you’ll understand half of how sweet she is. Like, cavities, guys. c a v i t i e s 💗

@16catlogurt

So I don’t really ship logurt (they’re more a brotp for me) but I love all the art this blog makes 💗

Their style is super cute 💗

Kurt Wagner 💗

Logan 💗

How can you not love it?

and since I had to cut myself off at 10, I’m just going to throw in a bunch of blogs I love without reason and it’s up to you to decide whether or not you follow them. @godsperfectidiiot @thequeensman @haptophobia @scottbobbyheadcanons @mutant-revolutionary @mutantmasterofmagnetism @therealscottsummers @transmanscottsummers @notjustpainandangcr @verpissdiiich @fuckscottsummers @givepetermaximoffaboyfriend @hughxjackman @andreyawinchester(whom i cannot tag but this is my fiancee i love her)

I’m soooo sorry if you didn’t make it on this list I have 53 followers and I follow 158 blogs so like theres at least 105 blogs from me to choose from and to list! Ugggghhhh I love you all 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

[sbuxshareholder]

7 Quick Tips For Painters Dublin. (2)

The process of prepping the home in some cases takes as a great deal time as painting the property itself. Any peeling paint must be removed your self rough regions have to be sanded. Some locations may want to be closed with caulking. The prepping stage of a residence exterior painting Miami in my personal view is the principal part of the job. When care is applied in this approach the entire job can appear ten instances a great deal superior than when it is rushed.

Basic abilities of painting and decorating

Using sheets and other surface safeguarding tools to stop paint splattering

Workplace communication in the painting and decorating sector

065 437 Website Manager (Aiden)

If you want to develop a pleased and inviting mood in the kitchen, you will have to operate with distinct colors and finishes. Even even though you will not be painting the countertop and cabinets, it is significant to look at the colors of every single and every single aspect of the kitchen. It will allow you to delight in a striking and stunning cooking location. If you are going to decide on a mural pattern for the floor, it is essential to retain the walls and cabinets straightforward.

The Renaissance is depicted as the age of Enlightenment, remembered for its imaginative designers, creative artists and writers. The period from 1400 to 1650 is populated with a complete host of popular males who forged our way out of the dark ages, heralding a time of new believed and consciousness. Names like Da Vince, Giotto, Galileo, renowned for their inventive minds, Dante who changed the way the written language was perceived. Thanks Melissa. I never know too substantially about Chinese Astrology either, but I do know that my personal sign is a little significantly less glamorous than yours, as I’m actually a pig! The Gozzoli is a great decision. The level of detail in 15thcentury art is typically astonishing, and the reality that it was painted as a fresco has helped to keep these colours jewel vibrant. I share your affinity for horses and I agree that you’ve selected a fantastic sampling of artwork to capture their grace and beauty.

What a attractive hub!

Two full sized versions had been subsequently cast, and one now stands in the San Siro Hippodrome in Milan, and the other is in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Abraham Pietersz Van Kalraat (1642-1722) (also known as Van Calraet) was a Dutch Golden Age Painter who started his career as an artist painting fruit, but is now also identified for his fantastic paintings of horses in landscapes. This image of two horses shows Van Kalraat’s consideration to detail, and fondness for painting these superb animals. Very quite, Amanda, I specifically like the mosaic –and there are a lot of fabulous mosaics with horses! Thanks Kerry. I appreciate horses too, and they make a wonderful subject to paint. What a gorgeous hub! I’ve been horse crazy for as extended as I can bear in mind, but some of these photos and artists are nonetheless new to me. Thanks Brian. It was a lot of entertaining putting it together. Fabulous paintings and artwork to go with this pretty informative hub, an additional good piece of function Amanda. Thumbs up from me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFb4Qt6aOyY

I know a number of operating artists, and quite a few of them are obliged to function at other jobs as well just to make a living. It really is just a distinct league I guess. Thank you for the Gormley link. I’m afraid this art occasion, happening, installation, is depressing the hell out of me. Since of the representation of people today who are being swallowed up into the tides, and simply because the actual live individuals looking at this installation are wondering where all these casts are going. What is the name of the very first picture, the horse that looks like he is practically jumping and is searching at you. It appears like a painting I saw in London and always wished I could get a print of. I want a tatoo of that painting/image! Thanks for stopping by, Prasetio. I’ve never painted with egg tempera, but I’ve observed some seriously superior operate accomplished in that medium. Nice painting. I like painting also, but in egg. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I just checked out the hyperlink you posted, and the function is really unusual and amazing.

Beautifully place collectively, Amanda!

This beautiful detail from Gozzoli’s fresco can be observed in Florence. Courtesy of Wiki Commons. In 1482 Leonardo da Vinci was commissioned by the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Il Moro, to create a sculpture of a horse. It was intended to be the biggest equestrian statue in the planet, and a monument to the duke’s father, Francesco. Leonardo produced a lot of drawings and styles, but the long-drawn out project ground to a halt in 1499, when French soldiers invaded Milan, and destroyed Leonardo’s preparatory clay model. About five centuries later, Leonardo’s surviving design and style components were utilised as the basis for sculptures intended to bring the project to fruition. Beautifully place with each other, Amanda! A true joy to knowledge. Did you know that Remington, regardless of his prolific output of each sculpture and painting, designed only 1 substantial-scale, bronze? It is the magnificent cowboy on a shieing horse, displayed on a rocky crag overlooking Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park. I was normally intrigued by this detail of his functions and thought I’d share, specially as I believed about it in contrast to what’s going on in Kent. I will have to admit that the proposed sculpture looks a little lackluster, contemplating other artists’ spirited and energetic renderings. On the other hand, it is apparently currently generated a lot of publicity, which is what Ebbsfleet is right after. If the purpose of spending all that revenue is to drive vacationers to Ebbsfleet, then I say it is a great investment, no matter what it looks like.

Giovanni di Piero de Medici on horseback.

The figure is formed from deep trenches filled with crushed white chalk. Modern day dating methods recommend that it is around 3000 years old, and the web page has been maintained periodically throughout it is lengthy history, in order to stop it grassing more than. No-one particular knows why it was originally cut into the soil, although there are several theories. Undoubtedly it is a highly effective image, and it featured on quite a few of the Celtic coins that had been in circulation prior to the Roman occupation of Britain. Giovanni di Piero de Medici on horseback. Whistlejacket by George Stubbs. Some of the world’s greatest artists have committed their lives to capturing the horse on canvas, and I have listed some of the additional properly-known under with hyperlinks to internet sites where you can discover additional about them. Jacques Laurent Agasse (1767-1849) A Swiss-born artist who went on to study in Paris under Jacques-Louis David. Agasse painted several animal subjects including ‘The Nubian Giraffe’ or 1827. blog here His horse paintings have been especially fine, and he made a profession for himself, primarily based mostly in England, painting a range of subjects.

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[nofomoartworld]

These Gorgeous Drawings Are 100% Ballpoint Pen

When she was growing up, the artist Nuria Riaza remembers, her parents didn't seem to care as much about what she watched. Born in 1990, Riaza consumed TV and movies as she pleased, her childhood permeated with the fantastical images of pop culture classics like Beetlejuice, The X-Files, and The Addams Family.

"We grew up consuming bizarre images and aesthetic genius," Riaza tells Creators. "It's something you can't erase; it stays in your subconscious."

Riaza's appetite for creepy-cool images emerges in the highly detailed pieces she creates using only ballpoint pen. Starting when she was five or six years old, she used the pens as her medium, but it wasn't until she was an adult that she started taking the drawing tool more seriously. As a student at Mexico City's Palacio de Bellas Artes, where she was "21 years old… and broke," she explains, Riaza needed to find a cheap alternative to paint.

"I ended up drawing with pen on paper and I went crazy seeing all the possibilities that medium could offer. Basically I fell in love with the stroke and the color."

Riaza's pieces are a blue dream, each mark of her ballpoint pen purposeful and carefully placed. It takes the eyes a bit of time to adjust, but once the viewer gets used to the blue landscape, Riaza's attention to detail is evident. Many of her pieces follow a Surrealist vein, often resembling collage in their layering of nature, humans, symbols and more.

The process becomes such a huge part of taking in each piece. Using ballpoint pen as a tool seems simple, but the resulting compositions are complex.

"I draw many hours a day and I sleep very little," says Riaza. "I'm usually balancing many projects at one time. There's not an exact time length for production, it depends a lot on the size and what I'm enjoying about the drawing. It's evident that it looks like a slow process, mostly because of the concentration you need, but once you dominate it, the work is quick."

The artist can often turn around commissions within a day, but prefers to work more slowly to enjoy the process.

Her Instagram is a gorgeous feed of blue pieces, and also information on her upcoming projects (which she has plenty of at the moment).

"Right now I'm involved in an amazing project with Jorge Drexler," says Riaza. "I'm in charge of doing the artwork for his new CD, Salvavidas de Hielo, which will be out in September."

She's also created animated videos for the album; in the meantime, she's at work on her next exhibition, the dates of which she plans to announce on social media.

It all comes back to her love of the ballpoint pen, a passion she encourages others to explore.

"I recommend that you try and use the pen as something more than a writing tool—to eat it as if it were a toothpick, to make fake tattoos with it, to use them as rollers in your hair, and to draw a lot. It's something almost therapeutic, like how people draw mandalas, and you learn that the mistakes are also beautiful on paper."

Click here to visit Nuria Riaza's website.

Parts of this interview were translated from Spanish by the writer.

Related:

What These Artists do with Ballpoint Pens is Unreal

Pen-and-Ink Artist Created Hyperrealistic Drawings of Celebrities

Surreal Pencil Drawings Look Like How Repressing Your Emotions Feels

from creators http://ift.tt/2x0hQrE via IFTTT

#IFTTT #creators

[type2diabetestreatments-blog]

On Complications: The 411 on Diabetic Eyes

New Post has been published on http://type2diabetestreatment.net/diabetes-mellitus/on-complications-the-411-on-diabetic-eyes/

On Complications: The 411 on Diabetic Eyes

Complications: preventing them is the motivation behind almost everything we do in managing our diabetes. Yet how much do we really know about how to live with them? After all, life doesn't stop with a diabetes complication.

I've been thinking that even if you're diligent with your diabetes management, that isn't necessarily a guarantee (nor is it easy!). You could have amazing BG control, but still develop some damage. Totally unfair, right? This is the catalyst behind a new monthly series here at the 'Mine, taking a closer look at complications one by one, to help all of us be well-educated and prepared to deal with what may come. Because you just never know...

btw, did you know that January is National Eye Care Month? So we're kicking off this series with diabetic eye disease. We discovered a great source to turn to in Dr. Paul Chous, an optometrist in the Seattle, WA, area who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 5. He himself dealt with diabetic retinopathy as a PoliSci grad student in the mid-80s, before making a career change to become an optometrist. He has written a book called Diabetic Eye Disease: Lessons from a Diabetic Eye Doctor and has contributed numerous articles to dLife. He also speaks at conferences around the country to eye doctors on life with diabetes, so if your doctor sounds especially well-versed in diabetes management, you can probably thank this guy.

Let's get started...

What exactly is diabetic eye disease?

Most people are familiar with the "Big Bad" of diabetic eye disease: diabetic retinopathy. It's the most well-known complication associated with the eyes, but there are actually seven different conditions that can affect a PWD's eyes: Cataracts; Glaucoma; Dry Eye Disease; Cranial Nerve Palsy; Ischemic Optic Neuropathy; Retinal Vascular Occlusion and Retinopathy. Whew. Retinopathy actually has several stages of severity, ranging from "microscopic areas of blood vessel damage" to "small areas of bleeding and fluid leakage" to "abnormal blood vessel growth causing lots of bleeding and formation of scar tissue resulting in permanent vision loss." Whoa.

Diabetic retinopathy is indeed the most common eye complication, causing nearly 24,000 cases of blindness in PWDs each year. It's also in the same family of complications as kidney disease and neuropathy, because it's a microvascular complication, meaning that it's caused by damage to your small blood vessels.

Warning signs and getting checked

What's tricky is that most eye diseases appear with minimal symptoms, so the majority of the time, you won't even be aware that you have any problems with your eyes. In other words, even someone with perfect 20/20 vision and no pain or vision loss could find themselves facing diabetic retinopathy. Patients may have early symptoms with cataracts (blurred vision), dry eye disease (watery or burning eyes, though sometimes dulled from neuropathy in the eye), and cranial nerve palsy (sudden double vision). Most of the time, eye disease isn't noticeable until bleeding spots appear or vision loss is severe, which means the complication has already progressed. Ugh.

This is why it is crucial, experts say, to get a year dilated eye exam from an ophthalmologist, a medical eye doctor (optometrists — who generally deal with routine exams and corrective lenses — are also qualified). Only a qualified doctor will be able to look deep inside your eye and into your retina to see if there is any damage. Diabetic retinopathy is a progressive disease, so even the smallest sign needs to be taken seriously. We all know how annoying the eye drops and sensitivity to light are, but that's temporary discomfort that could prevent a lifetime of vision problems. So get the darn exam, will ya?!

How to get a proper diagnosis

While either an ophthalmologist or optometrist can handle your yearly eye exam and give you the info you need, only the ophthalmologist can provide surgical treatment, including laser surgery for cataracts, glaucoma, or retinopathy. Patients with severe diabetic retinopathy may also need to see a retina specialist.

But how do you know if your eye doctor is up to snuff? There's no "certification" in handling patients with diabetes, so like most specialists, you need to do some interviewing. In his book, Dr. Chous outlines a few key questions you can ask, including:

* Do you have a lot of experience with diabetes and its various effects on the eyes? Do you have any special interest in diabetic eye disease?

* Do I have any signs of diabetic eye disease? Do I have any cataract, glaucoma, corneal problems, retina problems or eye muscle

problems that are being caused by diabetes?

* If I do have diabetic eye disease, how do you recommend we manage or treat it? When do you want to check my condition again?

Are you experienced with the surgical or laser treatment of diabetic eye disease? If my condition worsens, will you refer me to a sub-

specialist?

Dr. Chous also recommends asking if your doctor photographs your retina. Why are pictures so important? The only way to tell the progression of the eye is to keep a record of how it looks. Most eye doctors have to rely on memory, written descriptions, or drawings. Do you want your vision in the hands of your doctor's artistic ability? Look for someone using more advanced visual equipment.

What do you do if you are diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy is sadly not reversible, but it is highly treatable, in terms of halting the progression. For one thing, if it isn't affecting your vision now, chances are it never will. Dr. Chous says that one of the biggest fears patients have about diabetes is going blind, but adds that our actual lifetime risk of going blind from diabetes is only about 19%. With today's tools and technologies to treat diabetic eye disease, it's even less.

Early detection is the big key here. The sooner you find it, the sooner you can slow or stop the damage from progressing — through tightening BG control, regular follow-ups, and in advanced cases, called proliferative diabetic retinopathy, using laser treatments or surgery to treat and restore vision.

Dr. Chous also recommends adding lots of fiber to your diet and cutting saturated fat, and says to keep exercising unless the retinopathy is severe, so make sure to check with your doctor before you start or stop your routine.

Managing diabetes with vision loss

In the case of vision loss (not always complete blindness), here are a few new tools being developed to help PWDs:

* Prodigy Voice is an audible glucose meter designed with help from the National Blind Associations as well as CDEs. It's programmed to speak to the user, verbally sharing their BG value as well as blood sugar averages. The meter features tactile buttons and a noticeably different test strip for easier use. Prodigy also has an audible insulin pump in the works.

* Insulin pens can also be useful for people with vision loss, as most insulin pens will "click" when drawing up a dosage. Insulin pens are available for both long-acting and short-acting insulin.

* Syringe magnifiers, that provide about 2X magnification to make those tiny needle markings easier to see.

* Count-A-Dose, which helps you measure out insulin with a click-wheel that audibly indicates each unit.

* Syringe Support, which also helps you measure out insulin, mix insulins, and hold a syringe in place for injections.

... to name a few. Dr. Chous actually recommends that PWDs who don't have any vision problems investigate and learn more about these tools, just in case. It's better to learn about a product when you can still see it properly, no?

Where can I get help for living with vision loss?

The National Federation for the Blind is the go-to resource here. Their site includes a full section on helpful tools and products for those with impaired vision.

Most states also have a Commission for the Blind, which offers assistance and resources for people who are legally blind. To find yours, just google "Commission for the Blind" and your state's name.

It's not the end.

Being diagnosed with a complication — or even wondering if you might have it — is scary as hell, no doubt. The big message to remember is that "life goes on..." as I know it has for many of you out there. There are tools to cope and resources available to help you keep going. If you have diabetic retinopathy or another diabetic eye disease, we'd love to hear your experiences in the comments and make this a real go-to resource for anyone facing eye complications.

Disclaimer: Content created by the Diabetes Mine team. For more details click here.

Disclaimer

This content is created for Diabetes Mine, a consumer health blog focused on the diabetes community. The content is not medically reviewed and doesn't adhere to Healthline's editorial guidelines. For more information about Healthline's partnership with Diabetes Mine, please click here.

Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Type 2 Diabetes Diet Diabetes Destroyer Reviews Original Article