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Me: "I am so tired; I'll go to bed early."
Me, 2 a.m.: "Damn."
#adhd
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Indulge your creativity by drawing, painting, sculpting, etc, even if you don’t think you’re good at it.
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Just to make it clear - I hate AI shit but I'm not going to sabotage alt text in the name of sabotaging a single AI data point.
My life doesn't revolve around minimizing the value that AI gets from me. It's a constant tradeoff between what we gain from posting any data into the internet vs what assholes will steal from us. Or else I'd lock myself up and never use the internet
(No shade to the quoted tooter!)
E: fuck that tooter he's an asshole most likely
By providing an alt you are helping train AI models to use your image.
This entry was edited (1 month ago)
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So many people start creative projects from the position of money and then wonder why they aren't making any. It doesn't matter if it's a comic book, a video game, a youtube channel, a podcast, a whatever, most people who truly started from nothing and succeeded, started making stuff for friends.
You want to make a fun thing? Make something your friends would like. Your friends don't like the specific flavor of your work? Make stuff with a goal to find new friends.
Once you have a community around your stuff, then you might start thinking about money. The biggest draw of something like an art school isn't education, it's networking.
There are always possible exceptions, such as making educational content, but most of this "I'll get famous from instagram likes" rarely works if you don't enjoy talking to real people who might like your stuff.
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"Digital tools are optimized for speed and efficiency, which sounds positive until you realize that speed often bypasses the slower cognitive processes where insight actually happens. The slight resistance of the pen on paper, the inability to copy-paste or instantly erase, forces a different kind of attention. You think before you mark. You commit to lines. You work through problems rather than around them."
ritzherald.com/why-sketching-i…
#drawing #sketching #DigitalDetox
Why Sketching Is Becoming the New Digital Detox | The Ritz Herald
We live most of our creative lives on screens. Ideas get typed into notes apps. Brainstorms happen in shared documents. Even visual thinking has migrated to tablets and styluses, mediated by software that promises infinite undo and perfect lines.Emily Patterson (The Ritz Herald)
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The world is drowning in slop and so many artists still feel the need to say "sorry for wasting your time with my silly doodles" type of stuff when writing a blog posts or posting new works.
Believe in yourself! You're humanity last line of defence againt hopelessness and nihilism.
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I know I live under a rock, but..people are apologizing for their art? In a "culture" of bombardment?! 😵💫
Ever driven the same car or used the same camera or power drill for 8-10 years and thought: "I wish all these buttons and levers were suddenly in different places and did different things"?
Yeah. Me neither.
This is a toot about operating systems.
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At least that ten-year-old camera very much is still fully functional and can still take good pics, particularly if it's a decent SLR.
For example, the Canon EOS 5D II and Sony a900 are nearly 20-year-old SLRs and they're still very much respectable cameras by modern standards, at 21MP and 24.6MP respectively, and being full-frame on top of that.
Both are old enough to still use basic CF cards though, so if you're still rocking an SLR that old, you'll both need to source some CF cards and a way to read them.
This entry was edited (3 months ago)
What the fascists did with Grok was horrific, and it isn't an isolated incident. The popularity of image generation tools will only continue to highlight the digital consent dilemma.
Let's say I take a photo of myself.
I should be allowed to do anything I want with it, from replacing my outfit with a bikini to diffusing my image into a synthetic sex tape. I implicitly consent to my own creativity.
Now, suppose I obtained a photo of you.
Arguably, I shouldn't even be allowed to turn you into a Ghibli-inspired illustration without your permission. You have not consented to this “innocent” change, much less anything more malicious.
But how would a software distinguish between a user editing their own face and that of a stranger's?
I strongly disagree with every model proposed for digital age verification on grounds of privacy and self-sovereignty.
On those same grounds, I don't see how it will ever be possible for a system to reasonably perform consent verification. Not of every person in every photo that has been and will ever be taken.
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RE: doesstuff.social/@lety/1158675…
@lety i mentioned wicked problem but i would go even further / epistemic crisis
What the fascists did with Grok was horrific, and it isn't an isolated incident. The popularity of image generation tools will only continue to highlight the digital consent dilemma.Let's say I take a photo of myself.
I should be allowed to do anything I want with it, from replacing my outfit with a bikini to diffusing my image into a synthetic sex tape. I implicitly consent to my own creativity.
Now, suppose I obtained a photo of you.
Arguably, I shouldn't even be allowed to turn you into a Ghibli-inspired illustration without your permission. You have not consented to this “innocent” change, much less anything more malicious.
But how would a software distinguish between a user editing their own face and that of a stranger's?
I strongly disagree with every model proposed for digital age verification on grounds of privacy and self-sovereignty.
On those same grounds, I don't see how it will ever be possible for a system to reasonably perform consent verification. Not of every person in every photo that has been and will ever be taken.
Which is why we don’t punish the tool but the actor. You can chop onions with a knife or slit someone’s throat. Does that make knifes bad tech?
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The energy we're bringing into the new year!
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Formal art instruction can be great, but what I have noticed with the artists I admire (professional artists on all levels & hobbyists alike) is that most of them got to where they are by simply going out & making things, by imitating things they were interested in, & by experimenting.
If trying to follow formal art instruction discourages you from trying your own things & from making what you want, it may be doing more harm than good.
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My favorite film directors got started in their childhood: they loved movies so much they started making their own movies at home.
A lot of the visual artists I admire started out in childhood, drawing all the time for the fun of it & to see what they could do.
Everyone benefits from instruction from people who know things about the craft that they don't, but instruction doesn't make you an artist, making art does.
It's ok to be a beginner. It's okay to only know a little about the art form you are trying out. As you practice some things, you'll get good enough at them to be able to turn your attention to other areas.
It really is okay to get excited & start playing around with things *before* you have mastered technique. It's important, actually.
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Introduction
It’s been a while, and over the past year I’ve moved and consolidated my Fediverse identities, so I thought it was time for an updated #introduction.
I started my Fediverse journey on fosstodon.org and mastodon.art, but it didn’t take long for me to realize I wanted more control over my online spaces. That led me down the path of running my own instances. Along the way, I set up jabber.social (Snikket), fairly.social (Mastodon), and snaps.social (Pixelfed). I kept them running for a while, but eventually realized I didn’t have the mental bandwidth to maintain community servers long-term.
Later, I discovered #selfhosting through #YunoHost. The learning curve—and finding the right VPS—was a bit rocky at first, but once I cleared that hurdle, things settled into a much smoother rhythm.
These days, I host my own instances for Friendica, BookWyrm, FreshRSS, Wallabag, LinkStack, Matrix, and Prosody, and I’m considering adding a dedicated note-taking app as well.
Outside of the infrastructure side of things, I’m an aspiring 2D/3D artist and occasional photographer, with a long-running love of sci-fi. Having my own space on the Fediverse makes it easier to share work-in-progress, experiments, and ideas without the pressure that often comes with larger corporate platforms.
Overall, I’m much happier being self-hosted and away from corporate services.
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Just finished migrating Wordpress over to my Yunohost VPS. Thankfully, everything seems to be working correctly. #yunohost #selfhosted #wordpress
Spoke too soon. During the process of migrating a few additional blogs something happened with the database and all the posts and images started to mix between the blogs. It was a mess. Ultimately just picked another provider instead of self hosting. #yunohost #selfhosted #wordpress
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The Correct Incantation
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@cturnbow Sure! You'll find also better resolution and the four comic strip so far about the AI Parrot here peppercarrot.com/en/webcomics/…
MiniFantasyTheater - Pepper&Carrot
Official homepage of Pepper&Carrot, a free(libre) and open-source webcomic about Pepper, a young witch and her cat, Carrot. They live in a fantasy universe of potions, magic, and creatures.Pepper&Carrot
Never make art for social media
This is not a joke.
You want to make art for fun? Don’t make art for social media.
You want to work in the industry and have your art published? Don’t make art for social media.
You want to be famous on social media? Don’t make art for social media.
Let me explain.
My thesis is that art is hard enough, and making art for social media, just to post, will just lead you to keep running on a treadmill and going nowhere. You might get some attention, but it will be an uphill battle to reach either personal satisfaction or even your career goals.
My thesis is that true satisfaction (and attention) comes from both building great things, and authentically contributing to people’s lives. And it is impossible to do this when the art is limited to an ephemeral post.
This concept first came to my attention while listening to the 3 Point Perspective Podcast (hosted by Jake Parker, Lee White, and, at the time, Will Terry). They once discussed a concept that profoundly impacted me:
An artwork should have at least 3 lives.
Once an illustration is done, it can be either sold as a print, be part of a collection you licence, displayed at an event like an exhibition, be used on products such as t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, or be adapted digitally into a wallpaper or coloring page. It can also be part of a larger project, such as a children’s book, a board game, an album cover. And finally, yes, it can also be a post on social media.
The number “3” is not a hard rule, but it’s there to open your mind to more ways to use your art and share it with more people.
I don’t like Inktober. Or rather, I don’t think you should do it in its classic form:
Because not only is the event very ephemeral (who’s looking at Inktober entries a week after they are posted, let alone the next year?), but by default you don’t build towards anything: once it’s over, most artists just leave their 31 drawings in a drawer and never make anything from it.
But what you can do instead is to use the challenge as a means to create something bigger.
Here are some ways I’ve used the challenge in the past:
- I made more than 100 stickers on 17 themes that I then used for gifts (making small drawings instead of a big illustration is easier!)
- I made characters that were made to be used as assets for visual novels (this one I didn’t complete, haha)
- And finally this year, I drew 31 locations from my fictional city along with a description for each one. And I’m currently making a zine out of them!
Those are only the examples I actually did, but there are many more things you can do. Simply compile your drawings in a book, for example!
My point is clear: if you do anything more than just posting your image on social media, you’re allowing your work to shine brighter, reach more people, and escape the need to always create more just to get attention.
Now, if you still want to post more on social media but without burning yourself out, you might want to check out my post “How to post more without making more art”.
I hope this will be useful to someone. Please take care and make cool art!
#Blogpost #art #mastoart #socialMedia #inktober
3 Point Perspective Podcast | Insights for Illustrators & Creators
Tune into the 3 Point Perspective for expert insights, tips, and inspiration in illustration and visual storytelling.www.svslearn.com
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Urban Magic (9 Photos)
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From surreal murals reaching for the moon to playful chalk illusions tucked between rocks, these nine works transform ordinary streets and walls into scenes of wonder. You’ll find dreamlike portraits in Peru, clever perspective tricks in France and South Africa, and bold characters in glowing glasses. Here’s a tour through nine pieces of urban magic.
More: Absolutely Fantastic (8 Photos)
1. Fragile Balance — KATO in Estepona, Spain
A mural of a young woman climbing a ladder to reach the moon. More!: Cute Art By KATO (7 Photos)
🔗 Follow KATO on Instagram
2. Balcony Illusion — Oakoak in France
A clever paste-up of two women leaning from a balcony, placed seamlessly into the frame of a real window. More!: Lovely by Oakoak (10 Photos)
🔗 Follow Oakoak on Instagram
3. Mountains and Mirrors — Falko Fantastic in Cape Town, South Africa
A mural painted on a ruined wall integrates with the surrounding landscape. The open rectangle frames the horizon, while the painted face aligns with the real scenery, creating a mirrored illusion between wall and world.
🔗 Follow Falko Fantastic on Instagram
4. Resting Dog — Hebs Art in London, UK
A photorealistic mural of a dog painted onto an alleyway wall. The animal appears to be lying across both the wall and utility boxes, making the surface disappear into the artwork. More!: 6 Walls Where Hebs Art Left Something You Can Still Feel
🔗 Follow Hebs Art on Instagram
5. Nadine and the Surprisingly Effective Joke — David Zinn in the USA
A chalk drawing on a sidewalk where a small character interacts with a crack in the pavement. The surrounding stone becomes part of the joke, turning a simple detail of the street into a lively scene. More!: Happy Art by David Zinn (10 Photos)
🔗 Follow David Zinn on Instagram
6. Balcony with Cat — WD (Wild Drawing) at Tinos island, Greece
A mural on a concrete structure depicts a woman in purple sitting with her cat, gazing out toward the sea. The painted balcony opens the small building to its surroundings, fusing real horizon and painted view. More!: Beautiful 3D Art by WD! (8 Photos)
🔗 Follow WD (Wild Drawing) on Instagram
7. Childhood Dreams — Andy J. Céspedes Fernández in Moyobamba, Peru
A colorful mural of a young girl resting among flowers, surrounded by birds and kites. The detailed portrait stretches across the wall, mixing realism with fantasy elements.
🔗 Follow Andy J. Céspedes Fernández on Instagram
8. Playful Characters in Glasses — Bill Knospi in Germany
Two murals of cartoon characters wearing oversized neon glasses. The bold outlines and glowing colors make the figures appear animated against the gray walls, blending pop culture with playful street presence. More by Bill Knospi!: Those Glasses Pop! (10 Photos)
🔗 Follow Bill Knospi on Instagram
More: Overflowing With Emotion (15 Photos)
Which one is your favorite?
Absolutely Fantastic (8 Photos) - STREET ART UTOPIA
From monumental root sculptures to vibrant murals and intricate land art, these eight artworks transform public spaces in unforgettable ways.Vidar (Street Art Utopia)
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Michael Davydov fills his tiny worlds with vernacular structures, miniature trees, and a healthy dose of surrealism.
thisiscolossal.com/2025/09/mic…
#art
Vernacular Architecture and Mossy Trees Fill Michael Davydov's Tiny Worlds — Colossal
In the miniature world of Michael Davydov, tiny houses, moons, and trees balance precariously in clusters and stacks.Kate Mothes (Colossal)
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Nela Dunato
in reply to Glen Mastodon ☠ • • •Sean McCabe, for all his hustle culture & Gary V worship, had excellent advice that saved my sanity 10 years ago:
👉🏻 Get a job that covers 100% of your expenses and leaves you with enough energy to pour into your creative work. Save for 6 months of expenses before you quit.
I was struggling and burned out from freelancing and got a part time teaching gig. It was exhausting at times, but it also gave me the opportunity to pause client projects and finish my book.
Nela Dunato
in reply to Nela Dunato • • •For a while I felt embarrassed that I had to get a side-gig, because all the creative business gurus said I was supposed to be making 6 figures, and my colleagues were all raking it in. I later learned that my experience was more typical than that of others.
This was after I've been already working professionally as a designer for a decade. I wasn't some noob trying to get into the industry from the ground level.
Nela Dunato
in reply to Nela Dunato • • •Hearing someone say they want to get into a creative field "because the money is good" makes me feel sorry for them.
Many trained painters, illustrators, photographers etc. flock to graphic design because it feels like an easier path to earn money, but their design is never good!
I did an honest portfolio review for a recent art graduate and told her: this looks like design is your plan B, and you really want to paint illustrations. She admitted I was right.
I can always tell.
Nela Dunato
in reply to Nela Dunato • • •