Awesome painting and color work! And after reading the description (btw agreed with your view re 'the fool' , although not familiar with tarot cards), the pose - climbing the unknown mountain, seems apt and very appropriate. and you draw wolf so well!

Thanks. I was a bit scared to try acrylic paints again; they are so permanent in a sense. I painted with them like years ago, but messed up so bad that I didn't want to try some more. I simply chalked it up to this isn't my medium. But its possible that I didn't have a good subject to paint. I dunno. I'm just making excuses for myself now. As far as animals go, animals were the first things I was able to draw as a child (since 4 y.o.). Aside from a brief stint from age 5-6 y.o., I did NOT draw humans til after 19 y.o. It's weird....I had trouble understanding them.

Hmm, have you ever tried oil paint? I know that's random but I was wondering, if you'd used them, how you compare oil to acrylic.

Good interpretation. Dude! I wonder if we could run this past the fine folks over on one of those lj discussion groups [like rsgstalk] and see what they'd do. I bet a dS tarot thing would go over well with people. Fun! Er. . . *is overenthusiastic* *is seriously thinking too hard about this now* >.>;;

Nice work with the acrylics too. They can be intimidating, sure but sometimes they're fun. ^_^

I've never used oils but I've watched others use oils like on TV and just watching random people. I've never taken a formal art class unless you count high school, which was a joke. It was pretty much the teacher hands you some some scrap computer paper and you draw on it. That was only for one year. Then, art class was removed from the school curiculum forever thanks to my mom, but that's another ball of wax.

I can only compare to watercolor which I've found is different. With watercolor, I use light washes and build up to the darker ones. I use the white paper to show highlights or use some acrylic or gouche watercolor to hit the lights I missed. (A cheap clear crayon will resist the application of watercolor.) I find with acrylic, it looks a lot better color to work backwards and save the white for last? Weird huh? I'm still experimenting. I wonder if that's how it's supposed to be. Do you know?

Plus, I'm not sure if I am using this " gloss varnish" correctly. I'm using it to seal a layer that I'm sure that I like and don't want to mess up. Also, to mix with the paints to make shiny bits. There's no damn directions on this thing.

Aww thanks for the compliment! And bless the lovely slash-loving folks of rsgs and MoDS, but they are quite a focused group---Crosshairs on Ray K and Fraser. I'll admit it. I'm a troublemaker and there will be "het" in some of these cards. (I am one of those insane ass people who like my male slash with female slash and het. I know it's crazy.) I don't think it'll sit well with them, but you can try! Do you think I can wait til I get at least 5 cards done? I know that's so lame but I hate to have my hands so full with so many projects. Beth, from rsgs, has me working on some project as well but as you can see I prefer to dawdle.

The idea of DS tarot came on as part of a fever-dream in a bath tub. I'm telling ya, the shower is the next best place to come up with stuff besides closets. ^_^

Oils on TV. . .bah. I like them sometimes because they are thicker and looser and really fucking hard to do much with unless you relax a little and play a lot. Oils are almost like playing with clay, you can literally shape things with them. They're tough to use because you *do* need to use shapes before details which can be hard for some people [especially me >.>;;].

The first excersise the oils instructor had us do was apply white paint on a white canvas with a palette knife. Paint your hand. It was weird, sure but it was interesting because you *could* make something out of it and, if you didn't like it, you could scrape it all off. Well, if it was the same colour anyway. It was kind of fun.

OIls aren't my favourite medium, I'm good at using them but I like to use other things. I was wondering if you'd used them to compare their difficulty with acrylic. Honestly I still think that acrylic is worse. Oil is the only medium where I'll admit that a long drying time is a boon. ^_^;;

Oil is very different from watercolour. You have to layer solid shapes rather than building up washes. It's tough to bend your mind around at first. Plus materials are expensive. Me? I like those oil drawing sticks better *g* much better than pastels [I hate pastels]. Those things are, like, the ultimate crayon. If I can ever scan in some of the oil stick drawings I have. . . Oh oil sticks! You should be someone's team mascot! *is goofy*

I find with acrylic, it looks a lot better color to work backwards and save the white for last? Weird huh? I'm still experimenting. I wonder if that's how it's supposed to be. Do you know?

Nope, that sounds about right. And, with art work you never stop experimenting. Never. I think we all have to be born with a sense of morbid curiousity to be artists otherwise, we'd never have done it. *g*

I've never used the gloss varnish thing. Usually I just wait for the paint to dry and hope for the best or paint over it later. >.>;; I'm also very lazy. ^_-

And bless the lovely slash-loving folks of rsgs and MoDS, but they are quite a focused group---Crosshairs on Ray K and Fraser

Yeah, that's kind of sadly true, I think it's mostly because Beth is a *huge* BF/RK fan, fun on the Serge list and whatnot. I have to admit, I like hanging out over at the ds_flashfiction community. Sure, we mostly write Fraser/Ray K and I love the pairing to death but every now and then I like to see something else. Crazy femslash Stella or something. Or Frannie/Thatcher, you know?

I'll admit it. I'm a troublemaker and there will be "het" in some of these cards. (I am one of those insane ass people who like my male slash with female slash and het. I know it's crazy.)

Oh *no*, honey, that's not crazy at all. Variety is the spice of life and, personally, I love me some femslash and het too. *g*

Honestly, if you don't want to do it then we won't because, see, I suggested it because I want to play around with it a little and to see what else you come up with. It's fun! [and also because I'd kind of idly wondered what I'd do if I was ever motivated enough to do a tarot myself.] And showers *are* the best place to come up with things. Not to mention the great accoustics.

What has Beth got you working on anyway? Is it strange and nifty? Boy am I a nosey parker today. It must be all those WIPs that I've been torturing myself with. ^_-

I prefer to dawdle myself. >.>;; Dude, I'd have a million things done by now if I wasn't so busy reading crazy things instead!

Yeah it's the same guy who was always painting those trees & landscapes...the fluffy fluffy clouds guy on TV. So it's like clay. Well I like 3D art and I'm comfortable with it. Can't wait to try oil paints next when I get enough of a budget to get some paints.

So you painted a white hand on white background for your first assigment? @_@

What scares me with acrylic is the drying time. It is terribly fast, but I manage to extend the drying time by spraying on a SUPERFINE mist of water over my paints. It prevents that top layer from crusting over as quick. Not too much water or else...icky gouche muddy watercolor look happens. (not icky if you are trying for that look!)

Yeah I love oil pastels! You should scan some in and let us see! They are a lot better than the chalky pastels. Those just served to piss me off...plus all the hairspray I used for setting them.

Hey I haunt the flashfiction group too! I'm not officially signed up cos I belong to too many damn groups. I only recently joined rsgs because I got an invite to do so. A lot of times, I'm just happy being on the outskirts of places like that.

That's so cool we see eye-to-eye on the issue of pairings. I just give people that warning just in case. Too many rabid fan girls end up making me dislike a fandom enough to abandon it (e.g. Fruits Basket). As a result, even though I adore yaoi/slash, I am hesitant to align myself with any group because in certain circles there's been a trend of, If you like "A", then you are automatically against "B" and/or "C". Crazy, ne?

A fandom can be great, but then there are always the people who make it hard for everyone to co-exist because they always think they are right. It's a like a constant battle between the ultimate lefts (extreme slash fan girls/boys) and the ultimate rights (canon-only-because-I-can't-think-for-my self ). The reality of fandom is that everyone might be right and wrong at the same time!

Oh no, it's not that I don't want to do the idea...I do!!! I just don't want you to get....hmm lack of words now ...." in trouble"..... @_#...with mods and such. You see, awhile ago, I had a talk about posting "general" DS related images...and while the answer was "ok" ....it was received rather coldly IMO. The impression was since no one's really contributing any crap currently, it wouldn't hurt....but as soon as people are contributing stuff...then no...


I think she just wants a few classy pics for rsgs and a pic for someone named Eliza for her site. The trick is to be classy...not porn humor. So the Miss F one didn't go over real well. Anyways, the pics won't be posted to DA because they'll be exclusives, but I can email you a copy so you can see it first and give me a critique if you wish. Then, Bast is on the queque next. See how I get myself overloaded? ^_^ Nothing like sudden deadlines to bring out the creativity.


*looks at past replies* I'm so wordy today. It's prolly because I lost my voice in RL.

So you painted a white hand on white background for your first assigment? @_@

Hey I thought it was kind of cool. I was so anal retentive when I started out at art school, I needed to learn to loosen up. It was a great excersize for me. But, then, so was refusing to draw in anything but ink for a year. You don't obsess over your mistakes as much and it helps to keep you from holding yourself back.

Yeah I love oil pastels! You should scan some in and let us see! They are a lot better than the chalky pastels. Those just served to piss me off...plus all the hairspray I used for setting them.

Chalk pastels = evil. People who like those things have a totally different personality than me, I swear. Oil sticks and oil pastels are much more fun. ^_^

Hey I haunt the flashfiction group too! I'm not officially signed up cos I belong to too many damn groups. I only recently joined rsgs because I got an invite to do so. A lot of times, I'm just happy being on the outskirts of places like that.

Yeah, I know what you mean but there was some challenge introduced one week and I wanted to play with all the rest of the cool kids so I raised my hand. ^_- I'm far from being one of the cool kids, though. Usually I don't feel terribly motivated to participate in fandom but dS is different for some reason.

That's so cool we see eye-to-eye on the issue of pairings. I just give people that warning just in case. Too many rabid fan girls end up making me dislike a fandom enough to abandon it (e.g. Fruits Basket). As a result, even though I adore yaoi/slash, I am hesitant to align myself with any group because in certain circles there's been a trend of, If you like "A", then you are automatically against "B" and/or "C". Crazy, ne?

Dude, I don't get that. I know I missed the dS Ray wars. It's like those arguments people get into that devolve into "shut up, you're wrong." Sure I prefer to read "A" mostly but I also like to see "B", "C" and maybe even "D." You might like to eat PB&J a lot but sometimes you don't feel like PB&J, sometimes you feel like tuna so you eat the tuna. Just because you eat the tuna doesn't mean you don't also like to eat PB&J. God, this sounds like my ex-boyfriend's "why bisexual people are greedy" rant in reverse. That guy. . . .

People have a tendancy to see the same thing in different ways. Person A gets one thing out of it while person B gets something else out of it. Both perspectives are interesting but not everyone thinks that way. It's a phenomena that isn't unique to fandom. I think that, after a while, people calm down about things like that as well. It's the newly admitted that tend to be most vehement in almost any circle. They eventually get used to things and settle down [we hope].

Oh no, it's not that I don't want to do the idea...I do!!! I just don't want you to get....hmm lack of words now ...." in trouble"..... @_#...with mods and such. You see, awhile ago, I had a talk about posting "general" DS related images...and while the answer was "ok" ....it was received rather coldly IMO. The impression was since no one's really contributing any crap currently, it wouldn't hurt....but as soon as people are contributing stuff...then no...

Yeah, they were kind of "slash or die" weren't they? I think I'd hate to have to be a mod. I'm not exactly sure why some people who read slash hate gen. I like gen because I can read whatever I want into it should I so desire [that and gen stories tend to be more plot or idea focused and I *dig* that.] *sigh*

But don't stress over the suggestion thing. I sometimes get the impression that people will recieve things as enthusiastically as I do [like my grandfather and his trains]. I try to keep it in check as much as possible but sometimes it just slips out. ^_-

Haha! Ms. Fraser didn't go over well? I bet it would go over well with someone who wasn't designing the site. I'd love to see what you've got, do you have my email? That's the question.

See how I get myself overloaded? ^_^ Nothing like sudden deadlines to bring out the creativity.

No kidding. ^_^

You should just go for it if you want to do a fic challenge! Even if no one comments on it besides me, you will have the satisfaction of having written it. If you need a beta, I can do it as long as you don't mind my spelling/grammar nazi ways and my little "24 hr TAT thingie".

*thumbs up* about the pb&j/tuna metaphor. LOL!

I'm not sure if they were quite "slash or die".... there are worse groups out there.....they just seemed more like they would be threatened by the appearance of anything feminine.

I once read a thesis regarding the phenomena of yaoi and yuri and the psychological makeup of the people who read them. (Yes, someone actually graduated from college with this paper.) In a nutshell, it pretty much claimed that females who favor soley " yaoi" tended to have a fear of their own female sexuality/identity and possibly their own sex organs. They also felt threatened by other females very often in regular daily dealings with them. Females who preferred only "yuri" were more frightened of males and male sexual organs.

The study did not include people like myself who like multi-pairings. I wonder if it would think that we are really more messed up? Again, this was a university study and it may or may not be terribly accurate but it did give me some insight into the minds of females.


I think it's utterly top-notch that you can feel so enthused about things! I love feeling that way and I think people who don't feel like that at least 12 X a year are poopy-heads!
Your email is the one you have listed on your DA profile right? Just checking...

You should just go for it if you want to do a fic challenge! Even if no one comments on it besides me, you will have the satisfaction of having written it. If you need a beta, I can do it as long as you don't mind my spelling/grammar nazi ways and my little "24 hr TAT thingie".

I've written for a couple of challenges already. Nothing lately has struck me as particularly inspiring though. Lately it's the icon interpretation challenge. I always kind of thought the icons spoke for themselves. Well, sometimes anyway. *g*

But if you'd be willing to beat er. . .beta me to death I wouldn't mind. Although, I'm curious what your "24 hr TAT thingie" is exactly. There was this thing I got an idea for, it was a little out there, sure but. . . ^_^

Well, when I said "slash or die" I was exagerating for rhetorical effect.

The study is interesting and not entirely surprising.

females who favor soley " yaoi" tended to have a fear of their own female sexuality/identity and possibly their own sex organs.

Fear of a Het Planet! Actually, I'd thought about this before. I remember an argument a while back where it was argued that buddy slash was a product of "(straight) women's longing for our own past best friends."**. Which maybe made a little bit of sense to me as a [possibly not so straight] woman who maybe had a niggling crush on a best friend. At the same time, I do wonder if reading two males in a sexual or romantic situation is less threatening to women who are, as the study indicates, extremely uncomfortable with certain aspects of their own sexuality.

Females who preferred only "yuri" were more frightened of males and male sexual organs.

Was this a study of heterosexual females? The lesbians I know tend to be comfortable in their interactions with men but extremely uncomfortable with the concept of male sexual organs. I have one friend who had a mysterious yen for a guy she went to school with, the only guy she'd ever thought of that way and it was so strange to her because she never thought of guys that way.

I think the study is really too general to be considered widely accurate but still interesting. I wonder what sort of population was involved. These kinds of questions prove that I spend way too much time talking about psych research with my sister.

I don't think people who like multi-pairings are messed up. In fact, if that study is any indication, it would mean that people like us are more comfortable with ourselves or, at least, with our sexuality. We should feel special!

My email should be on the DA profile. I hope. . .if not it's schadenfreude523 @ lycos. com [without spaces]. Speaking of emails, I got this weird one from someone who'd visited my website. It made no sense, the structure of writing was similar to a pattern someone I know uses but it was such a strange message I can't possibly be sure. I'm not sure whether to flee in terror or write back and call him on it. Odd.

Sorry, it was just kind of bugging me.

Also: Enthusiasm=yay! Literally.

** The link to the entire discussion is here